Best Project Management Software

ClickUp brings tasks, docs, goals, chat and views into one workspace, which suits teams that want fewer separate apps. Lists can show as tables, boards, calendars, timelines or Gantt charts, and custom fields let teams track the details that matter for their work. Docs can sit next to tasks, so notes, briefs and plans stay close to the work they describe. Automations can assign tasks, change statuses and send updates when a due date nears, which helps managers keep a project moving without constant checks.

The free plan covers basic use, while the subscription tiers add more storage, views and automations. At $9 per user each month when billed annually, the entry price matches monday.com. Teams should allow time to set it up well, with a clear naming plan for lists, fields and statuses.

Price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: clickup.com

Asana is built around tasks, projects and clear ownership, which makes it a good fit for teams that run structured work with fixed dates. Projects can use lists, boards, timelines and calendars, and tasks can carry subtasks, files, comments and due dates. Templates cover marketing, product, operations and client work, so a team can start a new project without building each plan from scratch. Rules can assign work, move tasks and update custom fields when a status changes, which saves time on repeat steps.

The interface is clean, and team members can see their own work in one list, which helps with daily planning. At $10.99 per user each month when billed annually, Asana costs a little more than monday.com and ClickUp. The free plan covers basic projects, while larger teams need a subscription tier for timelines and fuller reporting.

Price: $10.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: asana.com

Teamwork is aimed at client work, with projects, tasks, time tracking and billing features that suit agencies and service teams. Managers can plan a project, assign tasks, track hours and see how much time each client job has used, which helps with quotes and invoices. Tasks can carry subtasks, files, comments and due dates, and views include lists, boards, tables and Gantt charts. Templates help teams start common client projects, and milestones mark the key dates in a longer engagement.

It also includes reporting on workload, time and project health, so leads can spot a busy team member or a project that is slipping. At $9.99 per user each month when billed annually, the entry price sits between ClickUp and Asana. Teams that bill by the hour will value the time features most.

Price: $9.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: teamwork.com

Smartsheet uses a sheet layout that will feel familiar to teams that plan in spreadsheets, with rows, columns and formulas for dates, owners and status. The same plan can also show as a Gantt chart, a calendar or a card view, so teams can switch between a detailed sheet and a visual timeline. Automations can send alerts, request updates and move rows when a date or status changes. It suits operations, construction, marketing and other teams that track many items in one place.

It also covers forms, reports and dashboards, so managers can collect updates and share a summary. At $9 per member each month when billed annually, the entry price matches monday.com, but there is no free plan, only a 30 day free trial. Use the trial to test the sheet layout and the reporting.

Price: $9 per member/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (30 days)

Website: smartsheet.com

Wrike is built for planned work, with Gantt charts, workloads, approvals and proofing that suit teams with formal review steps. Projects can use lists, boards, tables and timelines, and tasks can carry files, comments, subtasks and due dates. Approvals let a reviewer sign off on a file or a task, and proofing tools let them mark up an image or a document in the tool. This makes it a good fit for marketing, creative and operations teams that need a clear review trail before work goes live.

It also includes time tracking, reporting and request forms, so teams can take in new work and plan it in one place. At $9.80 per user each month when billed annually, Wrike is close in price to Teamwork and Asana. New teams should allow time to set up folders and templates.

Price: $9.80 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: wrike.com

Notion combines docs, wikis, databases and tasks in one flexible workspace, which suits teams that want notes and plans in the same place. Pages can hold text, tables, boards, calendars and timelines, and databases can link tasks to projects, clients or goals. Teams can build a hub for a project, a team wiki or a meeting notes system. This makes it useful for small teams, startups and knowledge work.

The free plan covers personal use and small team trials, while the subscription tiers add more blocks, guests and admin controls. At $10 per member each month when billed annually, Notion is close in price to Asana and Teamwork, but its project features are less deep than a dedicated delivery tool. Plan the structure first, with clear page names and database fields.

Price: $10 per member/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: notion.com

Airtable works like a database with a friendly front end, where records can link to each other across tables. A content team can link an article to an author, a campaign and a channel, then view the same data as a grid, a calendar, a kanban board or a gallery. Filters, sorting and grouping let teams see only the records they need, and forms can collect new items from outside the team. Automations can send alerts, create records and update fields when a status changes.

The free plan covers basic bases for small teams, while the subscription tiers add more records, automations and views. At $20 per user each month when billed annually, Airtable costs about twice as much as monday.com, ClickUp and Smartsheet. It fits best when linked records or a content catalogue are central to the work.

Price: $20 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: airtable.com

Jira is made for software delivery, with issues, sprints, backlogs and boards that match the way development teams plan work. Teams can plan a sprint, track bugs and features, and see progress on a board or a timeline. Issues can carry priorities, labels, story points and links to other issues, which helps a team keep a large backlog in order. Reports cover burndown, velocity and sprint progress.

It links closely with other Atlassian products, which suits teams that already use them for docs or code. At $9.70 per user each month on monthly billing for 1 to 100 users, the entry price is close to Wrike and Teamwork, and the free plan covers up to 10 users. Non technical teams may find the setup harder to follow than a general tool.

Price: $9.70 per user/month (monthly billing, 1 to 100 users)

Free plan: Yes

Website: atlassian.com

Basecamp keeps project work simple, with message boards, to do lists, schedules, files and group chat in one place. Each project has its own space, so a team can see the messages, tasks and files for that project without searching across many folders. To do lists can carry due dates and owners, and the schedule shows key dates for the project. The layout is plain and easy to follow, which suits small teams, freelancers and clients who do not want a complex tool.

The Freelancer plan costs $29 per month flat, so the total does not rise with each added seat on that plan. The free plan covers basic use, while other subscription tiers cover more projects and features. Basecamp has fewer views and automations than monday.com, ClickUp or Wrike, so teams that need Gantt charts should look elsewhere.

Price: $29 per month (flat, Freelancer plan)

Free plan: Yes

Website: basecamp.com