Resource Planning and PSA · Researched comparison

Best Simple Resource Planning Software for Small Teams

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The short answer

Float is the top pick for small teams that want simple resource planning. Its drag-and-drop schedule shows capacity at a glance, it takes an afternoon to set up, and Starter costs $7 per scheduled person each month on annual billing. Resource Guru is the cheaper runner-up at $5 per person, with leave booking and timesheets included.

On this page

Key takeaways

  • Float leads for visual scheduling, with a clean timeline and a 30-day trial.
  • Resource Guru is the lowest-cost full scheduler, starting at $5 per person each month on annual billing.
  • Teamdeck starts at $1.80 per person each month for light seats, the cheapest entry point here.
  • Asana, Monday.com and ClickUp add task management, so they suit teams that want planning and tasks in one place.
  • Check seat minimums and per-person billing before you commit, because the headline price rarely equals the monthly bill.

Comparison

How these compare
ToolBest forPrice rangeFree plan
FloatVisual drag-and-drop scheduling$7 per person/month (billed annually)Free trial (30 days)
Resource GuruLow-cost scheduling with leave booking$5 per person/month (billed annually)Free trial (30 days)
TeamdeckSmall agencies on a tight budget$1.80 per person/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
TogglPlanning plus time tracking$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
RunnCapacity and project forecasting$8 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
AsanaPlanning inside task management$10.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
Monday.comVisual boards with resource views$9 per seat/month (billed annually)Yes
ClickUpAll-in-one planning and tasks$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes

How we choose

We reviewed the vendor pricing pages and product documentation for each tool on 13 November 2026, and compared entry prices, free plans, trial lengths, and the planning features a small team uses each week. We looked at scheduling views, capacity displays, leave booking, timesheets, and integrations, and we checked seat minimums and billing units, because per-person and per-seat pricing change the monthly total. We did not run hands-on tests, and we did not use review scores to rank the tools.

Our full method

The shortlist

★ Best overall

Float

Best for visual drag-and-drop scheduling

  • clear capacity view
  • fast setup with little training
Price$7 per person/month (billed annually)
See Float pricing

Float keeps resource planning to one job: showing who is booked, who is free, and who is overloaded. The schedule is a timeline you drag assignments across, with colour coding for capacity and time off. A small team can load people and projects in an afternoon, and the reporting covers utilisation and project status without a maze of settings. Float charges only for people on the schedule, and guests are free, which keeps the bill tied to real headcount.

The limit is scope. Float plans people and capacity well, but it does not manage tasks, files, or client billing, so it sits beside a project tool rather than replacing one. Time tracking and rate cards sit on the Pro plan at $12 per person each month on annual billing, so teams that want hours and costs in the same place should price Pro, not Starter. For a team whose main pain is overbooking, Starter is enough, and the 30-day trial is long enough to load real project data before paying.

Price: $7 per person/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (30 days)

Website: float.com

Watch out for

  • no task management, so most teams still need a second tool
2

Resource Guru

Best for low-cost scheduling with leave and timesheets
$5 per person/month (billed annually)

Resource Guru pairs a fast booking grid with leave management and weekly timesheets, so it covers the daily routine of a small service team in one place. The Grasshopper plan at $5 per person each month on annual billing includes unlimited projects and clients, custom fields, and calendar sync. Blackbelt at $8 adds timesheets, reports, and billable time tracking, while Master at $12 adds approvals and single sign-on. The interface is plain and quick, and most teams learn it in a day.

The billing model needs care. Resource Guru charges for every person you add, whether they log in or not, and non-human resources such as rooms and equipment carry a second, lower rate on top. That makes the monthly total easy to forecast but harder to keep low as the roster grows. Prices rose across all plans on 1 July 2026, so older reviews quote lower figures. For a team of under 20 that wants scheduling, leave, and timesheets for one low price, it remains the cheapest full scheduler in this guide.

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

Free plan: Free trial (30 days)

Website: resourceguruapp.com

What we like

  • low entry price
  • leave booking and clash management included

Watch out for

  • charges for every person added, even viewers with no login
3

Teamdeck

Best for small agencies on a tight budget
$1.80 per person/month (billed annually)

Teamdeck splits its price by access level. Light members cost $1.80 per person each month on annual billing and appear on the calendar and in reports without an app login. Full members cost $5.40 per person each month on annual billing and get the full app for planning, timesheets, and leave. That split suits agencies with a core team plus contractors or part-time staff who only need to appear on the plan. Scheduling, time tracking, leave, and custom reports all sit in the same tool.

The trade-off is that the cheapest price covers people who cannot use the app, so the real cost for a working team is closer to the full-member rate. Teamdeck has fewer integrations than larger platforms, and its reporting is solid rather than deep. For a small agency that wants one simple tool for bookings, hours, and leave, and that can live with a short integration list, the price is hard to beat.

Price: $1.80 per person/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: teamdeck.io

What we like

  • very low entry price
  • scheduling, timesheets and leave in one tool

Watch out for

  • light seats cannot log in, so full access costs more per person
4

Toggl

Best for planning plus time tracking in one account
$9 per user/month (billed annually)

Toggl folds time tracking and project planning into one product, with timers, timesheets, tasks, and boards under the same roof. The free plan covers up to 3 users and includes timers, focus mode, calendar integrations, tasks, and boards. Starter at $9 per user each month on annual billing adds billable rates, project estimates, and revenue reporting. Premium at $16 adds timesheet approvals, profitability reports, and labour cost tracking. The interface is calm and fast, and the desktop app adds background tracking with a timeline.

Toggl Plan and Toggl Track are now legacy products for existing users, so new buyers get the combined Toggl product. The limit for planners is that capacity management and approvals sit on Premium, so a team that only buys Starter gets time data without the planning controls. For a small team that wants hours and plans together without monitoring features, Toggl is a friendly middle ground.

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

Free plan: Yes

Website: toggl.com

What we like

  • generous free plan for up to 3 users
  • clean timer and calendar views

Watch out for

  • billable rates need the Starter plan, and capacity planning sits on Premium
5

Runn

Best for capacity and project forecasting
$8 per user/month (billed annually)

Runn is a focused resource planner built around capacity, project timelines, and forecasting. The schedule shows who is available and who is booked, and the forecasting views help a manager see whether the team can take on the next project. Every plan includes unlimited people and projects, and pricing starts at $8 per user each month on annual billing. Setup is quick because there is little to configure beyond people, projects, and assignments.

The limit is breadth. Runn does not try to be a task manager or a billing system, so teams that need those features will pair it with another tool or pick a broader platform. It also has no free plan, so the only way to try it is the trial. For a team that plans by capacity and wants honest forecasts without a long setup, Runn is a strong fit.

Price: $8 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: runn.io

What we like

  • clear capacity and forecasting views
  • unlimited projects on every plan

Watch out for

  • no free plan, and smaller teams may find it plain next to full project suites
6

Asana

Best for planning inside everyday task management
$10.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Asana is a work management platform where resource planning grows out of task management. Teams plan work in lists, boards, and timelines, then use workload views to see who has too much on. The Starter plan at $10.99 per user each month on annual billing covers the core project views, and the free plan suits a very small team getting started. Integrations cover calendars, chat tools, and file storage, so Asana fits into most stacks without friction.

The limit for resource planning is that the deeper capacity and portfolio tools sit on the Advanced plan at $24.99 per user each month on annual billing. A team that buys Starter gets good project views but only basic workload visibility. Asana also takes more setup than a dedicated scheduler, because projects, custom fields, and templates need shaping before the plan feels useful. For teams that already run their work in Asana, adding planning there is cheaper than buying a second tool.

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

Free plan: Yes

Website: asana.com

What we like

  • strong task and project views
  • wide integration list

Watch out for

  • resource views and workload controls sit on higher tiers
7

Monday.com

Best for visual boards with resource views
$9 per seat/month (billed annually)

Monday.com is a visual work platform built on boards, where each row is a task or project and columns track status, owner, and dates. Resource views show workload across the team, and dashboards pull the numbers into one screen. The Basic plan at $9 per seat each month on annual billing covers boards and file storage, while Standard at $12 adds timeline and calendar views plus guest access. The free plan covers up to 2 seats, so a tiny team can start without paying.

The limit is that real resource management, with workload widgets and capacity views, starts on Standard, so Basic buyers get boards without the planning layer. Monday.com is also a broad platform, so a team that only wants scheduling may find the setup heavier than a focused tool. For a team that likes visual boards and wants planning, tasks, and dashboards in one place, it is a flexible choice.

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

Free plan: Yes

Website: monday.com

What we like

  • flexible boards and dashboards
  • easy to shape around a team routine

Watch out for

  • resource management features need the Standard plan or higher
8

ClickUp

Best for all-in-one planning, tasks, and docs
$9 per user/month (billed annually)

ClickUp combines tasks, docs, goals, time tracking, and resource views in one workspace, with a free plan that covers unlimited tasks and members. The Core plan at $9 per user each month on annual billing adds unlimited storage, integrations, and advanced reporting. Workload views show capacity across the team, and the platform scales from a small team to a large one without a move to a new tool. For a team that wants one account for planning and delivery, the value is clear.

The limit is setup time. ClickUp has so many views and settings that a new team can spend days shaping it before the plan feels simple. The interface can feel busy, and some features overlap, which confuses new users. Teams that invest an afternoon in templates and a simple folder structure get the most from it. For a small team that wants one tool to cover planning, tasks, and time, ClickUp is the broadest option at this price.

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

Free plan: Yes

Website: clickup.com

What we like

  • broad feature set at a low entry price
  • free plan covers unlimited tasks

Watch out for

  • wide feature set takes time to set up well

What to check before you buy

Count every person who will appear on the schedule, including viewers and part-timers, because some vendors charge for each name on the roster. Ask which features sit on the entry plan, since capacity views, approvals, and time tracking often need a higher tier. Load two weeks of real project data during the trial, and check that the schedule, leave, and reports all behave the way your team works. Confirm the billing unit, per person or per seat, and whether guests are free.

FAQ

Which simple resource planning tool is cheapest?

Resource Guru Grasshopper at $5 per person each month on annual billing is the cheapest full scheduler here, with leave booking and unlimited projects included. Teamdeck light seats cost less at $1.80, but those people cannot log in, so the working cost is closer to $5.40 per full member. Compare the price for your full roster, not the headline rate.

Do I need a separate tool for time tracking?

It depends on how you bill. Float Starter and Runn do not include time tracking, so a team that bills by the hour will need a tracker beside them or a higher tier. Resource Guru Blackbelt, Teamdeck, Toggl, and ClickUp include time tracking, so one account can cover scheduling and hours. Check the plan table before you buy.

How long does setup take?

A focused scheduler such as Float, Resource Guru, or Runn usually takes an afternoon to load people and projects. A broad platform such as Asana, Monday.com, or ClickUp takes longer, often a few days, because projects, templates, and views need shaping. Start with one live project and add the rest once the routine works.

Can a free plan handle resource planning?

A free plan can work for a very small team. Toggl covers up to 3 users free, ClickUp has a free plan with unlimited tasks, and Asana and Monday.com both offer free entry tiers. The limits show up in capacity views, approvals, and reporting, which usually need an upgraded tier. Test the free plan with real data before you decide.

What is the difference between per-person and per-seat pricing?

Per-person pricing charges for each person on the schedule, even if they never log in, which is how Float and Resource Guru bill. Per-seat pricing charges for each login, so viewers and guests may be free. Ask the vendor which people count toward the bill, and model the cost for your full roster before you sign.

Sources we checked

How we score

Need the method behind these picks?

We publish the criteria and the weights, so you can disagree with them.

Float#1 PICK
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