Project Management by Team · Researched comparison

Best Project Management Software for PMO Teams

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Key takeaways

  • Smartsheet and Wrike suit PMOs that need portfolio views, intake forms, and standard templates across many projects.
  • Asana, monday.com, and ClickUp give PMOs a lower entry cost with clear task views, timelines, and dashboards.
  • Jira fits PMOs that govern software delivery, while Airtable fits PMOs that track portfolios in a flexible grid.
  • Teamwork fits PMOs that serve client work and need time tracking tied to project budgets and billing.
  • Check seat minimums, plan gates for portfolios, and reporting limits before you commit to any entry plan.

Comparison

How these compare
ToolBest forPrice rangeFree plan
SmartsheetPortfolio sheets and intake$9 per member/month (billed annually)No
WrikePortfolio governance and approvals$10 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
AsanaTeam portfolios and goals$10.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
monday.comVisual portfolios and dashboards$9 per seat/month (billed annually)Yes
ClickUpAll-in-one PMO workspace$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
JiraSoftware delivery governance$9.70 per user/monthYes
AirtableFlexible portfolio tracking$20 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
TeamworkClient project delivery$9.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes

How we choose

We reviewed the vendor pricing page for each tool on 2026-11-12 and noted the entry plan price, the billing cycle, the free plan limit, and the plan that holds portfolio features. We compared product docs and feature pages for intake forms, templates, portfolios, dashboards, workload views, and reporting. We looked for plan gates that change the real PMO price, such as seat minimums, user caps, and portfolio features that sit above the entry plan. We did not claim hands-on testing, and we did not use ratings, awards, or customer counts. The eight tools in this guide cover the main PMO needs: portfolio governance, standard templates, resource capacity, executive reporting, and project intake.

Our full method

The shortlist

★ Best overall

The best project management software for PMO teams

2

Smartsheet

Best for Portfolio sheets, intake, and standard templates

Website: https://www.smartsheet.com/

Best for: Portfolio sheets, intake, and standard templates

Starting price: $9 per member/month (billed annually)

Free plan: No, free trial (30 days)

Pros: Grid, card, and Gantt views in one workspace; strong intake forms and approval flows

Cons: Portfolio features sit on higher plans; the interface can feel dated next to newer tools

Smartsheet works well for a PMO that runs many projects from a common set of sheets. We reviewed its pricing page and feature docs, and the structure fits offices that want one template for intake, one for delivery, and one for status reporting. Project managers can copy a standard sheet, fill in dates and owners, and roll the results up to a portfolio sheet for leaders. That pattern keeps every project on the same fields, the same status values, and the same reporting rhythm, which matters when a PMO reviews dozens of projects at once.

The trade-off is cost and plan gating. The Pro plan starts at $9 per member per month when billed annually, or $12 per month when billed monthly, while the Business plan starts at $19 per member per month when billed annually. Portfolio views, resource management, and some automation sit on higher plans, so a PMO should map its must-have features to the plan list before it signs up. There is no free plan, though a 30-day free trial is available. For a PMO that values sheets, forms, and repeatable templates over a modern task board, Smartsheet remains a practical choice.

3

Wrike

Best for Portfolio governance, approvals, and workload views

Website: https://www.wrike.com/

Best for: Portfolio governance, approvals, and workload views

Starting price: $10 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Portfolio dashboards and request forms; workload and capacity views for resource planning

Cons: Advanced reporting and resource tools need the Business plan; setup takes time for large PMOs

Wrike gives a PMO a clear place to govern work from intake to close. We reviewed its pricing page and product docs, and the Team plan starts at $10 per user per month when billed annually. That plan covers shared dashboards, Gantt charts, and request forms, which let a PMO collect new project ideas in one queue and score them against a common set of criteria. The Business plan, at $25 per user per month when billed annually, adds portfolios, workload views, and custom fields that many PMOs need for capacity planning.

A free plan is available for small teams that want to try the basic task views before they commit. The main limit is that the deeper PMO features, such as portfolio reporting and resource scheduling, sit on the Business plan or above, so the entry price is not the full PMO price. Setup also takes care, because a PMO must define its folder structure, its custom fields, and its approval steps before teams start work. Once that structure is in place, Wrike can carry a large portfolio with clear ownership and clear status.

4

Asana

Best for Team portfolios, goals, and clear task ownership

Website: https://asana.com/

Best for: Team portfolios, goals, and clear task ownership

Starting price: $10.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Portfolios and goals link projects to strategy; clean timelines and status updates

Cons: Portfolio features need the Advanced plan; the Personal plan is limited to 2 users

Asana suits a PMO that wants every project linked to a goal and every task linked to an owner. We reviewed its pricing page and feature docs, and the Starter plan starts at $10.99 per user per month when billed annually, or $13.49 per month when billed monthly. Starter covers timelines, project templates, and dashboards, which help a PMO standardise how projects start and how teams report progress. The Advanced plan, at $24.99 per user per month when billed annually, adds portfolios, workload, and goals, which are the features a PMO uses most for executive reporting.

The Personal plan is free for up to 2 users, which is useful for a trial but far too small for a real PMO. That limit means a PMO should budget for Starter or Advanced from the start, not for the free tier. Asana is easy for new users to learn, and its status updates give leaders a short, regular view of health, risk, and next steps. For a PMO that wants a clean, widely used tool with strong portfolio views on its higher plan, Asana is a sound option.

5

monday.com

Best for Visual portfolios, dashboards, and intake boards

Website: https://monday.com/

Best for: Visual portfolios, dashboards, and intake boards

Starting price: $9 per seat/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Colourful boards and dashboards that leaders read fast; many templates for PMO workflows

Cons: Three-seat minimum on entry plans; portfolio and workload views need higher plans

monday.com gives a PMO a visual way to track a portfolio. We reviewed its pricing page and product docs, and the Basic plan starts at $9 per seat per month when billed annually, or $12 per month when billed monthly. Standard costs $12 per seat per month when billed annually, and Pro costs $19 per seat per month when billed annually. Boards can hold intake requests, active projects, risks, and decisions, and dashboards can pull those boards into one executive view. Templates help a PMO start with a standard project board, a risk register, and a status board.

The free plan covers up to 2 seats, and entry plans carry a 3-seat minimum, so a very small PMO should check the minimum before it plans its budget. Portfolio views, time tracking, and workload management sit on higher plans, so the price a PMO pays depends on how much governance it needs. The visual style helps in steering meetings, because leaders can see status, dates, and owners without opening each project. For a PMO that wants clarity at a glance, monday.com is worth a close look.

6

ClickUp

Best for All-in-one PMO workspace with docs and goals

Website: https://clickup.com/

Best for: All-in-one PMO workspace with docs and goals

Starting price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Tasks, docs, goals, and dashboards in one place; generous Free Forever plan for trials

Cons: Many features can overwhelm new users; portfolio reporting needs the Business plan

ClickUp packs a large set of PMO features into one workspace. We reviewed its pricing page and product docs, and the Core plan starts at $9 per user per month when billed annually, or $12 per month when billed monthly. The Business plan starts at $17 per user per month when billed annually, or $25 per month when billed monthly. A Free Forever plan is available, which lets a PMO test task views, docs, and goals before it commits. Goals can link to projects, dashboards can show portfolio health, and templates can standardise intake and delivery across teams.

The breadth of ClickUp is both its strength and its risk. New users can face many views, many settings, and many ways to do the same job, so a PMO should define its standard views and hide the rest. Portfolio reporting, advanced automation, and workload views sit on the Business plan, so a PMO should not judge ClickUp on the Core price alone. With clear standards and a short training plan, ClickUp can carry intake, delivery, reporting, and docs without a second tool.

7

Jira

Best for Software delivery governance and release tracking

Website: https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira

Best for: Software delivery governance and release tracking

Starting price: $9.70 per user/month

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Strong issue tracking, sprints, and release views; deep links to development tools

Cons: Best for software teams, less natural for non-software projects; Standard plan pricing is monthly

Jira fits a PMO that governs software delivery. We reviewed its pricing page and product docs, and the Standard plan costs $9.70 per user per month on monthly billing for the first 100 users. The Premium plan costs $19.60 per user per month. A free plan covers up to 10 users, which suits a small trial or a small software team. Boards, backlogs, sprints, and releases give a PMO a clear view of what is in progress, what is blocked, and what will ship next. Roadmaps can show several teams on one timeline, which helps a PMO plan releases across a portfolio.

The limit is scope. Jira is built for software work, so a PMO that also governs marketing, operations, or construction projects may find its issue types and workflows less natural for those teams. The Standard plan price is quoted on monthly billing, so a PMO should confirm the total for its user count and its billing cycle. For a technology PMO that needs strict delivery governance and clear release reporting, Jira is a strong and focused choice.

8

Airtable

Best for Flexible portfolio tracking in grids and views

Website: https://airtable.com/

Best for: Flexible portfolio tracking in grids and views

Starting price: $20 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Flexible bases that fit many portfolio models; linked records connect projects, risks, and owners

Cons: Highest entry price in this list; project templates are less guided than dedicated PMO tools

Airtable suits a PMO that wants to shape its own portfolio model. We reviewed its pricing page and product docs, and the Team plan starts at $20 per user per month when billed annually, or $24 per month when billed monthly. The Business plan starts at $45 per user per month when billed annually, or $54 per month when billed monthly. A free plan is available for small trials. Bases can hold projects, milestones, risks, budgets, and owners as linked records, and views can show the same data as a grid, a Kanban board, a calendar, or a timeline. That flexibility helps a PMO that has a distinct intake scorecard or a distinct risk model.

The cost is the main drawback, because $20 per user per month is the highest entry price among the eight tools in this guide. Airtable also gives less guided project structure than a dedicated PMO tool, so a PMO must design its own fields, views, and reports. For a PMO with a clear data model and a team that is comfortable building it, Airtable can track a portfolio with precision. For a PMO that wants ready-made PMO templates, another tool in this list may fit better.

9

Teamwork

Best for Client project delivery, time, and budgets

Website: https://www.teamwork.com/

Best for: Client project delivery, time, and budgets

Starting price: $9.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Time tracking and budgets tied to tasks; clear client and project views for service teams

Cons: Portfolio features are lighter than Smartsheet or Wrike; some reports need the Accelerate plan

Teamwork fits a PMO that delivers client work. We reviewed its pricing page and product docs, and the Basics plan starts at $9.99 per user per month when billed annually. The Accelerate plan starts at $24.99 per user per month when billed annually. A free plan covers up to 5 users, which is useful for a small team trial. Projects can hold tasks, milestones, files, and time entries, and budgets can show planned hours against actual hours. That link between time and budget helps a PMO spot overruns early and report margins to leaders.

The limit is portfolio depth. Teamwork covers project delivery well, but its portfolio views and governance features are lighter than those in Smartsheet or Wrike, and some reports need the Accelerate plan. A PMO that governs internal programmes as well as client work should check whether Teamwork can carry both kinds of project in one view. For a PMO in an agency or consultancy, where time, budget, and client reporting matter most, Teamwork is a practical and focused choice.

What to check before you buy

Start with your portfolio size and your governance needs, then match the plan to those needs. Ask each vendor which plan holds portfolios, workload views, and executive dashboards, and ask for the price for your exact user count. Check seat minimums, user caps on free plans, and the cost of adding users later. Test intake with a real project idea, test a standard template with a real project manager, and test a status report with a real leader. Confirm that exports, permissions, and audit trails meet your office standards before you sign up.

PMO sizeBudget signalBest starting point
1 to 10 usersUnder $150 per monthClickUp Free Forever, then Core at $9 per user per month
11 to 50 users$150 to $600 per monthmonday.com Basic, Asana Starter, or Teamwork Basics
51 to 200 users$600 to $2,500 per monthWrike Business, Asana Advanced, or Smartsheet Business
Over 200 usersOver $2,500 per monthAsk for volume pricing and check portfolio limits in writing

Use this checklist before you buy. Confirm the portfolio limit on your chosen plan, confirm the number of templates you can save, confirm the intake form fields you need, confirm the workload view covers all active projects, and confirm the dashboard can show at least 20 projects at once. Confirm the trial length, which is 30 days for Smartsheet, and confirm the free plan user cap, which is 2 users for Asana and monday.com, 5 users for Teamwork, and 10 users for Jira. A PMO that checks these numbers first will avoid a plan change in the first three months.

FAQ

What is the best project management software for a small PMO?

A small PMO should start with a tool that offers a free plan and a low entry price, such as ClickUp, Asana, or monday.com. ClickUp starts at $9 per user per month when billed annually, Asana Starter starts at $10.99, and monday.com Basic starts at $9 per seat per month. Test intake, templates, and reporting with a real project before you commit to a full rollout.

Which PMO tool has the best portfolio reporting?

Wrike and Smartsheet offer the most direct portfolio reporting in this guide, with dashboards that roll many projects into one view. Wrike Business adds portfolios and workload views, while Smartsheet Business adds portfolio sheets and resource views. Asana Advanced also offers portfolios and goals. Check which plan holds the portfolio feature, because it often sits above the entry plan.

Can a PMO use a free plan for real portfolio work?

A free plan can support a trial, but it rarely supports real portfolio work for a PMO. Asana Personal covers up to 2 users, monday.com covers up to 2 seats, Teamwork covers up to 5 users, and Jira covers up to 10 users. Those caps are too small for most PMOs, and portfolio features are usually absent. Budget for an entry plan or a higher plan from the start.

How much should a PMO budget per user each month?

Most PMOs in this guide should budget $9 to $25 per user per month when billed annually, depending on the plan. Entry plans start at $9 for Smartsheet, monday.com, and ClickUp, $9.99 for Teamwork, and $10.99 for Asana. Portfolio and workload features often need a higher plan, such as Wrike Business at $25 or Asana Advanced at $24.99 per user per month.

Which tool is best for a PMO that governs software teams?

Jira is the best fit in this guide for a PMO that governs software teams, because it tracks issues, sprints, and releases in one place. Standard costs $9.70 per user per month on monthly billing for the first 100 users, and Premium costs $19.60. Roadmaps show several teams on one timeline, which helps a PMO plan releases and report delivery health to leaders.

Sources we checked

  • https://www.smartsheet.com/pricing
  • https://www.wrike.com/pricing/
  • https://asana.com/pricing
  • https://monday.com/pricing
  • https://clickup.com/pricing
  • https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira/pricing
  • https://airtable.com/pricing
  • https://www.teamwork.com/pricing/
How we score

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The best project management software for PMO teams#1 PICK