Best Project Management Software for HR Consultancies in 2026
TBy the TaskReports Editorial Team Published 2 Nov 2026 · Updated 2 Nov 2026Last verified 2 Nov 2026How we score
TaskReports may earn a fee from some links on this page, and some placements are paid and labelled. Neither one decides the order. See our disclosure.
The short answer
The best pick for most HR consultancies is Teamwork Accelerate. It gives you client-organised projects, free client users, workload planning and invoicing from logged time at $24.99 per user per month billed annually, checked 2 Nov 2026. That mix fits client engagements, billable hours and candidate work. Price source: Teamwork, checked 2 Nov 2026.
HR consultancies that want Timeline, forms and free guests for clients
Timeline and Gantt views with task dependencies
$10.99 per user per month billed annually, checked 2 Nov 2026
Personal plan is free for up to 2 users.
Monday.com
HR consultancies that want boards for candidate and client pipelines
Boards with Kanban, Timeline
$9 per seat per month billed annually, checked 2 Nov 2026
Free plan is $0 for up to 2 seats.
ClickUp
HR consultancies that want Gantt, goals and time tracking at a low price
Unlimited Gantt charts, custom fields and task types on Core
$9 per user per month billed yearly, checked 2 Nov 2026
Free Forever is $0, with unlimited tasks and members and 60 MB of storage.
Wrike
HR consultancies that want Gantt, dashboards and request forms
Interactive Gantt charts and shareable dashboards from Team
$10 per user per month billed annually, checked 2 Nov 2026
Free plan is $0, with unlimited users and a cap of 200 active tasks per account.
Smartsheet
HR consultancies that track engagements in sheets with formulas
Grid, Gantt, board and calendar views
$9 per member per month billed annually, checked 2 Nov 2026
No free plan.
Teamwork
HR consultancies that bill clients and need client-organised work
Work organised by client
$9.99 per user per month billed annually, checked 2 Nov 2026
Free plan is $0, for up to 5 users and 5 projects.
How we choose
We considered 10 tools and shortlisted 6. We compared pricing pages, feature docs and public guidance, and checked every price on 2 Nov 2026. We scored each tool, as set out in how we score, on fit, billing, price, ease of use and integrations.
HR consultancies need client engagements, candidate pipelines and billable hours in one place, with clear separation between clients. A tool scored well only if it could organise work by client, hold billable time, and let clients view progress without a paid seat for every reader.
We checked the vendor pages ourselves. Prices come from the vendor pricing page for each tool. If a vendor shows no price, we write Quote only and say so.
Best for HR consultancies that want Timeline, forms and free guests for clients.
Timeline and Gantt views with task dependencies, so a schedule stays visible.
Custom fields and templates for stages, owners and dates.
Forms for intake, plus unlimited free guests on paid plans.
Skip it if skip Asana if you need portfolios, workload and approvals without paying for Advanced.
PriceThe entry plan is $10.99 per user per month billed annually, or $13.49 per user per month billed monthly. Advanced is $24.99 per user per month billed annually. See the [Asana pricing page](https://asana.com/pricing), checked 2 Nov 2026.
Asana lists the entry paid plan at $10.99 per user per month billed annually, or $13.49 per user per month billed monthly on its Asana pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026. Personal plan is free for up to 2 users. Paid plans have a free trial, and no credit card is required. Its key features are Timeline and Gantt views with task dependencies, so a schedule stays visible. Custom fields and templates for stages, owners and dates.
Price: The entry plan is $10.99 per user per month billed annually, or $13.49 per user per month billed monthly. Advanced is $24.99 per user per month billed annually. See the Asana pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: skip Asana if you need portfolios, workload and approvals without paying for Advanced.
Unique element: Asana lists unlimited free guests on Starter, so outside collaborators can join without a paid seat.
The free plan covers only 2 users, so a real team must pay.
Portfolios, goals, workload and approvals need Advanced at $24.99 per user per month.
Timesheets and Budgets is a separate paid add-on, not part of Starter or Advanced.
2
MMonday.com
Best for HR consultancies that want boards for candidate and client pipelines.
The entry plan is $9 per seat per month billed annually, or $12 per seat per month billed monthly. Standard is $12 per seat per month billed annually. See the [Monday.com pricing page](https://monday.com/pricing), checked 2 Nov 2026.
Monday.com lists the entry paid plan at $9 per seat per month billed annually, or $12 per seat per month billed monthly on its Monday.com pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026. Free plan is $0 for up to 2 seats. Paid plans have a 14-day free trial of Pro. Its key features are Boards with Kanban, Timeline, Gantt and calendar views in one place. Dashboards that combine several boards for a whole portfolio view.
Price: The entry plan is $9 per seat per month billed annually, or $12 per seat per month billed monthly. Standard is $12 per seat per month billed annually. See the Monday.com pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: skip Monday.com if you need time tracking and private boards without paying for Pro.
Unique element: Monday.com sells seats above 3 in blocks of 5, so a 4-person team pays for 5 seats.
What we like
Boards with Kanban, Timeline, Gantt and calendar views in one place.
Dashboards that combine several boards for a whole portfolio view.
Guest access from Standard, so clients can view work without a paid seat.
Watch out for
Basic has no automations and no integrations, so Standard at $12 is the realistic start.
Time tracking and private boards need Pro at $19 per seat per month.
Paid plans have a 3-seat minimum, and annual billing is paid in one upfront instalment.
Skip it if skip Monday.com if you need time tracking and private boards without paying for Pro.
Best for HR consultancies that want Gantt, goals and time tracking at a low price.
The entry plan is $9 per user per month billed yearly. Business is $17 per user per month billed yearly. See the [ClickUp pricing page](https://clickup.com/pricing), checked 2 Nov 2026.
ClickUp lists the entry paid plan at $9 per user per month billed yearly on its ClickUp pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026. Free Forever is $0, with unlimited tasks and members and 60 MB of storage. Its key features are Unlimited Gantt charts, custom fields and task types on Core. Goals, Docs and Chat, with 1,000 automations a month on Core.
Price: The entry plan is $9 per user per month billed yearly. Business is $17 per user per month billed yearly. See the ClickUp pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: skip ClickUp if you need timesheets and resource management without paying for Business.
Unique element: ClickUp lists Core at $9 and Business at $17 on its current pricing page, which replaced the older Unlimited and Business prices.
What we like
Unlimited Gantt charts, custom fields and task types on Core.
Goals, Docs and Chat, with 1,000 automations a month on Core.
Time tracking is included even on the free plan.
Watch out for
Timesheets and Resource Management need Business at $17 per user per month.
Upgrading upgrades the whole Workspace, so you cannot put only some people on Business.
People from inside your organisation added as guests are billed as paid users.
Skip it if skip ClickUp if you need timesheets and resource management without paying for Business.
Best for HR consultancies that want Gantt, dashboards and request forms.
The entry plan is $10 per user per month billed annually. Business is $25 per user per month billed annually. See the [Wrike pricing page](https://wrike.com/price), checked 2 Nov 2026.
Wrike lists the entry paid plan at $10 per user per month billed annually on its Wrike pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026. Free plan is $0, with unlimited users and a cap of 200 active tasks per account. A 14-day free trial is offered. Its key features are Interactive Gantt charts and shareable dashboards from Team. Custom fields and workflows, with request forms for intake.
Price: The entry plan is $10 per user per month billed annually. Business is $25 per user per month billed annually. See the Wrike pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: skip Wrike if you need financial budgeting at a published price, not a quote.
Unique element: Wrike Team allows 2 to 15 users, while Business allows 5 to 200 users.
What we like
Interactive Gantt charts and shareable dashboards from Team.
Custom fields and workflows, with request forms for intake.
Resource and workload management, time tracking and approvals on Business.
Watch out for
Team is capped at 15 users, so growing past it forces a move to Business at $25.
Budgeting is gated to Pinnacle, which is quote only and has no published price.
Seats are sold in groups of 5, 10 or 25, and Business is annual only.
Skip it if skip Wrike if you need financial budgeting at a published price, not a quote.
Best for HR consultancies that track engagements in sheets with formulas.
The entry plan is $9 per member per month billed annually, or $12 per member per month billed monthly. Business is $19 per member per month billed annually. See the [Smartsheet pricing page](https://www.smartsheet.com/pricing), checked 2 Nov 2026.
Smartsheet lists the entry paid plan at $9 per member per month billed annually, or $12 per member per month billed monthly on its Smartsheet pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026. No free plan. A 30-day free trial is offered, and no credit card is required. Its key features are Grid, Gantt, board and calendar views, with rich formulas for tracking. Unlimited sheets, forms and reports on paid plans.
Price: The entry plan is $9 per member per month billed annually, or $12 per member per month billed monthly. Business is $19 per member per month billed annually. See the Smartsheet pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: skip Smartsheet if you need resource management in the base price, not as a paid add-on.
Unique element: Smartsheet Pro allows only 250 automation runs a month, while Business allows unlimited automations.
What we like
Grid, Gantt, board and calendar views, with rich formulas for tracking.
Unlimited sheets, forms and reports on paid plans.
Timeline view, baselines and team workload tracking on Business.
Watch out for
Pro is capped at 10 members, so a growing team is forced onto Business at $19.
Baselines, Timeline view and workload tracking are gated to Business.
Resource Management, Control Center and Dynamic View are paid add-ons, not in the base price.
Skip it if skip Smartsheet if you need resource management in the base price, not as a paid add-on.
Best for HR consultancies that bill clients and need client-organised work.
The entry plan is $9.99 per user per month billed annually, or $13.99 per user per month billed monthly. Accelerate is $24.99 per user per month billed annually. See the [Teamwork pricing page](https://www.teamwork.com/pricing/), checked 2 Nov 2026.
Teamwork lists the entry paid plan at $9.99 per user per month billed annually, or $13.99 per user per month billed monthly on its Teamwork pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026. Free plan is $0, for up to 5 users and 5 projects. Paid plans have a 14-day free trial, and no credit card is required. Its key features are Work organised by client, with Gantt, table, list and board views. Billable time tracking and reporting from Basics.
Price: The entry plan is $9.99 per user per month billed annually, or $13.99 per user per month billed monthly. Accelerate is $24.99 per user per month billed annually. See the Teamwork pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: skip Teamwork if you need timesheet approvals and financial budgets at a published price.
Unique element: Teamwork includes free client users on paid plans, so a client can view progress without a paid seat.
What we like
Work organised by client, with Gantt, table, list and board views.
Billable time tracking and reporting from Basics.
Free client users, so clients can view a project without a paid seat.
Watch out for
Timesheet approvals, financial budgets and profitability need Optimize, which is quote only.
Accelerate has a 5-seat minimum, so a 3-person firm on Accelerate pays for 5 seats.
The free plan is capped at 5 users and 5 projects.
Skip it if skip Teamwork if you need timesheet approvals and financial budgets at a published price.
Which project management software is cheapest for HR consultancies?
ClickUp is the cheapest paid start, at $9 per user per month billed yearly. Teamwork costs $24.99 per user per month billed annually, which is more, but it includes the features most HR consultancies need on the working tier. If you need the cheapest useful plan, check what is gated to a higher tier first, because a low entry price can hide approvals, reports or time tracking that you will need in the first month.
Which project management software is best for a small team?
Teamwork is the best fit for most small teams, because it covers the core work at a clear price and has a free trial to test. ClickUp is the budget choice, at $9 per user per month billed yearly, and its free plan can carry a very small team. Count seats carefully, because seat minimums and guest rules change the real cost for a team of three or five.
Which tool is best for work across several clients or projects?
Teamwork is best for work across several clients or projects, because it organises work by client and shows the whole portfolio in one view. Monday.com is a good second choice, with boards and dashboards that roll up several projects. Pick the tool that keeps client work separate, and check that portfolios, dashboards and guest access sit on the plan you buy.
Which project management software is easiest to start with?
ClickUp is the easiest to start with, because it has the lowest entry price in this guide and a free plan or trial. Teamwork is also quick to start, with templates and a free trial on most plans in this guide. Set up one real project, add your team, and run it for a week before you decide. That test shows whether stages, views and reports fit your daily work.
What to check before you buy
Client separation: confirm you can keep one client work separate from another, with private boards or projects.
Candidate data: confirm access controls limit who can see candidate details.
Billable time: confirm billable rates and time reports sit on the plan you buy.
Client access: confirm clients can view progress without a paid seat.
Approvals: confirm timesheet approvals sit on the plan you buy, and who can approve.
Trial terms: confirm the trial length, whether it needs a card, and whether it covers the plan you want.
Which project management software is best for HR consultancies?
Teamwork is the best fit for most HR consultancies because it is built around client work, with projects organised by client, free client users, billable time from the entry paid plan, and workload, retainers and invoicing on Accelerate. The price is $24.99 per user per month billed annually, checked 2 Nov 2026.
How much does project management software cost for HR consultancies?
Entry paid plans in this guide start at $9 per user per month billed yearly for ClickUp. Mid plans run higher, and the top pick costs $24.99 per user per month billed annually. A team of ten on Teamwork would pay about $2,999 per year before tax at that rate.
Can clients and freelancers use project management software without a full paid seat?
It depends on the tool. Some tools in this guide offer free guests or free client users, while others charge for every person who joins. Check the seat rule on the pricing page before you invite clients, authors or freelancers, and count those seats in your monthly cost.
What should HR consultancies check before they buy project management software?
Check client separation: confirm you can keep one client work separate from another, with private boards or projects. Also check candidate data: confirm access controls limit who can see candidate details. Confirm the price on the vendor pricing page, the trial length, and whether outside collaborators need paid seats.
Do HR consultancies need invoicing in the project tool?
Not always. Small teams can export time and bill in accounting software. Larger teams that bill by the hour save time when hours turn into invoices in the same tool. If you bill by the hour, pick a tool with invoicing on the plan you buy, and check the price first.