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Resource Planning and PSA · Researched comparison

Best Free Resource Planning Software

By the TaskReports Editorial Team
Published 13 Nov 2026 · Updated 13 Nov 2026Last verified 13 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

Clockify is our top pick for free resource planning because its free plan covers up to five users with time tracking, scheduling and basic reporting at no cost. Teams that outgrow the free tier move to the lowest starting price in this guide at $3.99 per seat each month. It suits teams that need simple planning without a long setup.

Best overall Clockify $3.99 per seat/month (billed annually) Also great Toggl Track $9 per user/month (billed annually) Also great Asana $10.99 per user/month (billed annually)
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Key takeaways

  • Clockify leads for small teams because its free plan covers five users and its first upgrade price is the lowest in this guide.
  • Free plans differ most on seat caps, so check the limit before you invite your whole team.
  • Asana, monday.com and ClickUp suit teams that also want task boards and project views in the same tool.
  • Runn and Ganttic focus on people and capacity, which suits teams that plan by person rather than by task.
  • Most free plans omit workload views and advanced reports, so expect an upgrade when planning grows.

Comparison

How these compare
ToolBest forPrice rangeFree plan
ClockifySmall team time tracking and scheduling$3.99 per seat/month (billed annually)Yes (free up to 5 users)
Toggl TrackFast timer for freelancers and small teams$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes (free up to 3 users)
AsanaTask planning with owners and due dates$10.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes (free Personal plan)
monday.comVisual boards with status columns$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes (free for up to 2 seats)
TeamworkClient projects with tasks and time tracking$9.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes (free for up to 5 users)
ClickUpTasks, docs and goals in one workspace$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes (Free Forever plan)
RunnCapacity planning by person and project$7 per resource/monthYes (free for teams of up to 5 people)
TrelloSimple visual boards for small team plans$5 per user/month (billed annually)Yes (free plan for unlimited cards)
NotionPlanning in docs, wikis and databases$10 per user/month (billed annually)Yes (free plan for individuals)
GantticVisual resource scheduling on a timeline$25 per month (Pro plan, up to 20 resources)Yes (free for up to 10 resources)

How we choose

We reviewed the vendor pricing pages and feature pages for each tool in this guide, and we compared the free plan limits, the first upgrade price and the planning features that matter for small teams. We checked which views each free plan includes, such as boards, timelines and capacity charts, and we noted where workload views, advanced reports and admin controls move to a chargeable tier. This guide was prepared by the Taskreports Editorial Team. We based it on vendor pricing pages, docs and feature lists, and we did not rank tools by a numeric score. Prices come from the vendor pricing pages listed in Sources, and they reflect the annual billing rates shown there. Where a vendor lists a quote only, we say so rather than guessing a figure.

Our full method

The shortlist

★ Best overall

Clockify

Best for Small teams that track time and schedule work

  • Free plan covers five users
  • simple time tracking and scheduling in one place
Price$3.99 per seat/month (billed annually)
See Clockify pricing

Clockify gives small teams a clear way to plan work and track time without an upfront cost. The free plan covers up to five users, which suits a small agency, studio or internal team that is still shaping its process. Team members log time against projects, managers set schedules, and basic reports show where hours go each week. The interface stays simple, so new users can start logging time on the first day with little training.

When the team grows past five users, the first upgrade price is $3.99 per seat each month when billed annually, the lowest starting price in this guide. That low step makes Clockify a practical choice for teams that want to start free and grow slowly.

Price: $3.99 per seat/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes (free up to 5 users)

Website: clockify.me

Watch out for

  • Advanced reports sit on higher tiers
  • free plan lacks some admin controls
2

Toggl Track

Best for Freelancers and small teams that want a fast timer
$9 per user/month (billed annually)

Toggl Track keeps time tracking fast, with a one-click timer that suits people who switch between tasks all day. The free plan covers up to three users, so it fits a freelancer working with one or two collaborators rather than a full team. Users can sort time by project and client, see simple reports on where the week went, and connect the timer to a calendar for a clearer view of the day. The clean layout means there is little to learn before the first entry.

Billable rates and time estimates sit on chargeable tiers, so teams that invoice by the hour will need to weigh the $9 per user each month starting price against the value of those features.

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

Free plan: Yes (free up to 3 users)

Website: toggl.com

What we like

  • Fast one-click timer
  • clear reports on time by project and client

Watch out for

  • Free plan covers only three users
  • billable rates and time estimates need an upgrade
See Toggl Track pricing
3

Asana

Best for Teams that plan projects with tasks and deadlines
$10.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Asana suits teams that plan work as tasks with owners and due dates. The free Personal plan includes list, board and calendar views, so a small team can track a project from idea to delivery in one place. Tasks carry assignees, due dates, comments and attachments, which keeps the plan visible to everyone involved. Templates help new teams set up common workflows without building each project from scratch.

Timeline and workload views sit on chargeable tiers, which limits capacity planning on the free plan. Even so, the free plan covers the core task planning that many small teams need day to day.

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

Free plan: Yes (free Personal plan)

Website: asana.com

What we like

  • List, board and calendar views
  • strong task assignments and due dates

Watch out for

  • Timeline and workload views need an upgrade
  • free plan limits team size
See Asana pricing
4

monday.com

Best for Visual planning with boards and status columns
$9 per user/month (billed annually)

monday.com turns plans into visual boards where status, owner and date sit in clear columns. The free plan covers two seats and three boards, which suits a pair of people testing the tool or a very small team with one shared project. A wide template library helps teams start with a board that matches their workflow, and status columns make progress easy to scan at a glance.

Time tracking and the workload view sit on chargeable tiers, so resource planning stays basic on the free plan. Teams that outgrow two seats move to $9 per user each month when billed annually.

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

Free plan: Yes (free for up to 2 seats)

Website: monday.com

What we like

  • Visual boards with many templates
  • easy status tracking for small teams

Watch out for

  • Free plan allows only two seats and three boards
  • workload view needs an upgrade
See monday.com pricing
5

Teamwork

Best for Client work with projects, tasks and time tracking
$9.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Teamwork suits agencies and client facing teams that run several projects at once. The free plan covers up to five users and two projects, with task lists, milestones and time tracking included. Project templates help teams repeat a proven setup for each new client, and the clear project structure keeps tasks, files and time in one place.

Workload and resource scheduling sit on chargeable tiers, so capacity planning is limited on the free plan. Even with that limit, the free plan gives a small client team a solid base for planning work and tracking time against each project.

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

Free plan: Yes (free for up to 5 users)

Website: teamwork.com

What we like

  • Project templates and time tracking included
  • clear client project structure

Watch out for

  • Free plan allows only two projects
  • workload and resource scheduling need an upgrade
See Teamwork pricing
6

ClickUp

Best for Teams that want tasks, docs and goals in one workspace
$9 per user/month (billed annually)

ClickUp packs tasks, docs and goals into one workspace, which suits teams that want fewer tools. The Free Forever plan includes unlimited tasks and members, plus list, board and calendar views, so a small team can plan a project without hitting a seat cap. Docs and goals sit beside tasks, which helps teams keep plans and notes in the same place.

Storage on the free plan is limited to 100 MB, and advanced reporting sits on chargeable tiers. Teams that need deeper reports or more storage move to $9 per user each month when billed annually.

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

Free plan: Yes (Free Forever plan)

Website: clickup.com

What we like

  • Unlimited tasks and members on the free plan
  • many views including list, board and calendar

Watch out for

  • Free plan storage is limited to 100 MB
  • advanced reporting needs an upgrade
See ClickUp pricing
7

Runn

Best for Capacity planning by person and project
$7 per resource/month

Runn is built for capacity planning, with a people planner that shows who is booked and how much room each person has each week. The free plan covers teams of up to five people, which suits a small studio or consultancy that plans by person rather than by task. Managers can assign people to projects, set tentative bookings with placeholders, and see a simple forecast of future workload.

Timesheets and deeper reporting sit on chargeable tiers. Teams that grow past five people move to $7 per resource each month, which keeps the step up simple to predict.

Price: $7 per resource/month

Free plan: Yes (free for teams of up to 5 people)

Website: runn.io

What we like

  • Clear people planner with capacity by week
  • simple project forecasting

Watch out for

  • Free plan covers only five people
  • deeper reporting needs an upgrade
See Runn pricing
8

Trello

Best for Simple visual boards for small team plans
$5 per user/month (billed annually)

Trello keeps planning visual and simple, with boards, lists and cards that anyone can grasp in minutes. The free plan includes unlimited cards, so a small team can map out a project in as much detail as it likes. Cards carry checklists, due dates, labels and attachments, which cover the basics of task planning without extra setup.

Free workspaces allow up to 10 boards, and timeline and table views sit on chargeable tiers. Teams that need more boards or those views move to $5 per user each month when billed annually, a modest step for a tool this simple.

Price: $5 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes (free plan for unlimited cards)

Website: trello.com

What we like

  • Unlimited cards on the free plan
  • boards are quick to set up

Watch out for

  • Free workspaces allow only 10 boards
  • timeline and table views need an upgrade
See Trello pricing
9

Notion

Best for Planning in docs, wikis and databases
$10 per user/month (billed annually)

Notion suits teams that plan in docs, wikis and databases rather than in rigid project charts. The free plan is built for individuals, with unlimited pages and blocks, plus up to 10 guests, so a small group can share a planning workspace. Timeline and calendar views inside databases help teams see dates and deadlines, and the template gallery covers meeting notes, project plans and roadmaps.

File uploads are capped at 5 MB on the free plan, and team permission controls sit on chargeable tiers. Teams that need shared workspaces with fuller controls move to $10 per user each month when billed annually.

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

Free plan: Yes (free plan for individuals)

Website: notion.com

What we like

  • Flexible pages, databases and templates
  • good for planning docs and wikis

Watch out for

  • File uploads are capped at 5 MB on the free plan
  • team permission controls need an upgrade
See Notion pricing
10

Ganttic

Best for Visual resource scheduling on a timeline
$25 per month (Pro plan, up to 20 resources)

Ganttic gives teams a visual timeline for scheduling people and equipment, with drag and drop booking that shows who is free and when. The free plan covers up to 10 resources, which suits a small team that needs to see capacity at a glance. Managers can group resources by team or skill, spot overbooking before it happens, and share a clear view of the schedule with the whole group.

API access and advanced reports sit on chargeable tiers. Teams that grow past 10 resources move to the Pro plan at $25 per month, which covers up to 20 resources.

Price: $25 per month (Pro plan, up to 20 resources)

Free plan: Yes (free for up to 10 resources)

Website: ganttic.com

What we like

  • Visual Gantt style scheduling by resource
  • clear view of who is booked and when

Watch out for

  • Free plan covers only 10 resources
  • API access and advanced reports need an upgrade
See Ganttic pricing

What to check before you buy

Start with headcount, since the free seat cap decides whether a tool works for your team at all. Then check which views the free plan includes, because timeline and workload views often sit on a chargeable tier. Look at storage and file upload limits, and check whether reports and exports cover what your clients or managers need. Finally, compare the first upgrade price per seat or per resource, and confirm the next tier adds the feature you actually need rather than a bundle of extras.

Match the free limit to your headcount first, then test the views and reports with a real project before you invite the whole team. A tool that fits five people today may not fit ten people next quarter, so note the first upgrade price and the seat cap together when you compare options.

FAQ

What is the best free resource planning software for a small team?

Clockify is the best fit for most small teams because its free plan covers up to five users and includes time tracking, scheduling and basic reporting. The first upgrade price is also the lowest in this guide at $3.99 per seat each month when billed annually. Teams that need task boards as well may prefer ClickUp or Asana, which cover more project views on their free plans.

Can I plan resources on a free plan?

Yes, most tools in this guide include some planning on their free plan, such as task lists, boards, calendars and basic schedules. Runn and Ganttic go further with capacity views that show who is booked and when. The main limits are seat caps, missing workload views and basic reports. Check the free limit for your team size before you commit to a tool.

How many users can I add for free?

It depends on the tool. Clockify and Teamwork allow five users, Toggl Track allows three, monday.com allows two, and Runn allows five people. ClickUp and Trello do not cap members on their free plans, while Notion free suits individuals with up to 10 guests. Ganttic allows 10 resources. Use the checklist table in this guide to compare the limits side by side.

When should I move to a chargeable plan?

Move up when your team passes the free seat cap, when you need workload or timeline views, or when you need fuller reports and admin controls. A growing agency may also need more projects, more storage or file uploads above the free limits. Compare the first upgrade price per seat or per resource, then check that the next tier adds the exact feature you need.

Is free resource planning software enough for an agency?

For a small agency with a handful of people, yes. A free plan can cover task lists, boards, time tracking and basic schedules while the team stays under the seat cap. Larger agencies usually need workload views, capacity forecasting and client reporting, which sit on chargeable tiers. Start free, track where the limits bite, and upgrade when the missing features slow your work.

Sources we checked

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How we score

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Clockify#1 PICK
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