25 Best Project Management Tools in 2025

Let’s be real—project management is a grind without the right setup. I learned this the hard way, spending more time fixing problems than moving projects forward. That all changed with the right tools. Here’s my shortlist of 25 project management platforms that actually help you get stuff done.

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25 Best Project Management Tools at Glance

Project management tools empower teams to plan, organize, track progress, and collaborate more effectively—all in one place. They streamline workflows, reduce chaos, and boost productivity. Top platforms like ClickUp, Asana, Trello, Monday.com, Wrike, and Jira each bring unique strengths, making it easier to find the right fit for your team’s size, style, and goals.

We’ve tested several project management software solutions to identify the best of the lot. Here’s a high-level view of the project management tools at a glance:

With that out of the way, let’s examine each of the 15 project management software solutions and see what makes them special.

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15 Best Project Management Tools—Ranked From Experience

1. ClickUp

Best AI-powered versatile project management tool

I first stumbled upon ClickUp’s Project Management Software back in 2020—right when the world was scrambling for remote-friendly project management tools. I was skeptical at first, but even then, ClickUp stood out with solid task management, clean documentation features, and surprisingly generous functionality on their Free Forever plan.

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Fast forward to today, and ClickUp has evolved fast. I’ve seen features roll out at lightning speed, the UX refined with every release, and now, with the launch of 3.0 and ClickUp Brain, it’s clear—they’re not just keeping up; they’re setting the pace.

Over 3 million teams now use ClickUp, and I get why. But for me, the real game-changer has been their AI engine: ClickUp Brain.

I’ve tried tools with “AI features,” but most of them were glorified autofill hacks. ClickUp Brain, though? It’s the only AI assistant that feels like it actually understands how I work—and more importantly, works alongside me.

Here’s how it’s changed the way I manage projects:

🧠 1. AI Knowledge Manager: I Don’t Dig for Info Anymore—It Finds Me

One of the biggest headaches for me used to be search fatigue. Stakeholders want answers now, but the info is buried across tasks, threads, docs, or worse—someone else’s brain.

With ClickUp Brain, I just ask.

It pulls live, contextual answers from tasks, comments, docs, and connected apps like Slack, Drive, and Outlook. So when someone asks me mid-call, “Who owns QA on the client onboarding flow?”—I don’t have to stall or guess.

Here’s how it delivers value in my daily flow:

• Surface the most recent version of a strategy deck without digging through four folders
• Ask “What’s overdue in our Q3 GTM sprint?” and get a filtered list instantly
• Check “What updates were made to the launch task last week?” without reading the full thread
• Find key doc links from a meeting—without asking someone to re-send them
• Quickly answer client or exec questions that used to require team ping-fests

It’s like having an always-on knowledge layer across everything I touch.

🤖 2. AI Project Manager: Admin Work? Now Mostly Automated

I used to spend hours managing the small-but-critical things: assigning sub-tasks, nudging people about overdue items, formatting weekly updates, keeping docs clean.

Now? ClickUp Brain just handles it. Like a project coordinator that never sleeps.

How it shows up in my everyday project grind:

• Sub-task suggestions: When I create a parent task like “Launch Feedback Campaign,” it auto-suggests “Finalize copy,” “Prep email list,” “Review analytics tags,” and more
• Auto-filled task tables: Assignees, due dates, and statuses get populated based on past patterns—no more manual tagging
• Automated reminders: Sends nudges to team members when something’s at risk or overdue (I don’t have to be the annoying PM in Slack)
• Status summaries: It generates sprint overviews, team progress, or even burndown insights from live ClickUp activity
• Thread condensing: Skims through a week’s worth of comments and gives me the TL;DR—especially helpful after holidays or off-sites
• Recurring task tracking: Flags blockers in weekly rituals or retros automatically

It lets me shift from task janitor to actual strategist.

✍️ 3. AI Writer for Work: Communication at the Speed of Thought

If I’m not in meetings, I’m writing. Reports, updates, task descriptions, meeting notes, feedback requests—it’s constant. The AI Writer for Work inside ClickUp Brain has made me 10x faster here.

What I love most is: I no longer start from a blank screen.

How it quietly powers my day-to-day execution:

• Weekly updates to leadership: Give it key points, and it drafts a clean, exec-ready update
• Task descriptions: Instead of explaining what “design QA” involves every time, it generates scoped descriptions tailored to the assignee
• Meeting summaries: Drop in a transcript or notes, and it gives a bulleted action list and highlights. Done in seconds.
• Quick replies: Whether it’s a stakeholder asking for a change or a teammate flagging a blocker, it drafts responses that sound like me.
• Prompt library: 100+ built-in prompts across PM, design, marketing, dev, and leadership—ready to go when I’m mentally drained.
• Writing polish: Built-in grammar and clarity checkers make sure every message sounds sharp, not scrambled.

It’s like having a content strategist embedded in my workflow.

ClickUp’s AI features are a game-changer—but let’s be honest, AI alone can’t carry a project. If your base structure is chaotic, all the smart features in the world won’t save you. That’s where ClickUp earns its stripes. It’s not just about being flashy—it’s about being foundationally solid. And that’s what keeps me (and my sanity) intact.

4. Effective Task Management

Every Monday morning kicks off the same way: multiple teams, multiple priorities, and way too many pings. ClickUp is where I untangle all that chaos.

I structure every initiative using their hierarchy—Spaces for departments, Folders for big initiatives, Lists for phases, and then Tasks and Subtasks for the actual work. That clarity is priceless.

Here’s how it plays out:

• When we’re prepping for a product launch, I map dependencies: Design → Dev → QA → Marketing. The visual relationships make handoffs seamless.
• I tag tasks with custom fields like Urgency, Team Owner, and Client Impact Level—so my dashboard gives instant clarity.
• And priority flags? They’re the difference between my team working on what’s loudest vs. what’s most important.

5. Automation + ClickApps

There’s nothing glamorous about chasing down status updates. And honestly, I don’t have the time—or patience—for it anymore. ClickUp’s automation features are like invisible assistants running behind the scenes.

How I make it work:

• Tasks auto-move when a status changes. If something is marked “Ready for Review,” it pings the right person and slides into the right list.
• We run bi-weekly sprints. I’ve set automations that create the ritual tasks, assign them, and even pre-fill checklists—zero manual setup.
• ClickApps like Time Tracking, Workload, and Sprints are toggled on only for the teams that need them. No clutter, just what’s useful.

6. Real Collaboration (Beyond Just @Mentions)

Docs in ClickUp have become our team’s brain—literally. Instead of random Google Docs or Word files lost in email threads, everything lives inside the task it’s tied to.

What this means for me:

• I create project briefs inside the task itself, @mention reviewers, and keep feedback loops tight and visible.
• We use Whiteboards to kick off projects—visually mapping workflows and embedding docs, screenshots, and reference links.
• For our client-facing teams, external sharing means our docs feel polished and professional—without the mess of managing version histories.

7. Goals, Dashboards & Custom Views

In a fast-paced org, visibility isn’t optional—it’s survival. If I can’t see progress in real time, I’m flying blind. ClickUp’s Goal tracking and dashboards make status-checks frictionless.

What’s in my stack:

• I create Goals tied to outcomes—like “Ship new onboarding flow by Q3” or “Reduce support ticket volume by 20%.”
• My dashboard is my command center. I add widgets for overdue tasks, team workload, velocity, and sprint burnups.
• Views? I rotate depending on the need:
  • Gantt View: Long-term planning with milestones and critical paths.
  • List View: Daily standup-ready breakdowns.
  • Board View: Perfect for team syncs and sprint reviews.

Bonus: Dashboards are client-ready too. I share them during monthly check-ins, and clients love the transparency.

8. Templates That Save Me from Planning Purgatory

When you manage multiple projects (and clients) at once, starting from scratch is a luxury you can’t afford. That’s why I lean on templates—hard.

My go-to is the “Project Management Workspace” template, which gives me:

• With the Project Management Workspace Template, I get pre-built views, statuses, and workflows.
• Fields for “Time Estimate,” “Client Priority,” and “Success Metrics” are ready to use.
• I customize once, then replicate across sprints, campaigns, and client engagements—streamlining setup time and minimizing errors.

I’ve customized this for onboarding, campaign tracking, retros—you name it. It helps me skip the busy work and get straight to the work that matters.

🚀 Bringing It All Together: My Daily Flow with ClickUp

1. Morning check-in: Start with Dashboard—any bottlenecks or urgent tasks flagged automatically.
2. Sprint planning: Use Gantt and Board Views to define next phase and shuffle assignments.
3. Kickoff or client sync: Sketch workflows on Whiteboard, link specs, and share updates.
4. Daily task execution: Tasks move via automation—each step tagged, assigned, and tracked clearly.
5. End-of-day update: Generate a meeting-ready snapshot for stakeholders—with no manual prep.

And I’m not the only one who feels that way— a G2 review says,

“I am obsessed with everything. The AI tool is such an amazing value add. I love the variety of view options under each space. I love the inclusive options for repetitive tasks. I love the easy and clear commenting features, it makes it very easy for my team to all stay in the loop while collectively working on various tasks. It is overall just the best task management software on the market and I have tried them all!“

What I’ve Tried, Tested, and Loved Inside ClickUp: Best Features

• ClickUp lets me map my entire project lifecycle—from high-level Spaces and Folders down to Lists, Tasks, and Subtasks—with priorities, dependencies, and custom fields baked right in. It’s like building a living, breathing project blueprint—without having to micromanage every detail.
• My team thinks in different ways, and ClickUp lets us work accordingly. Whether it’s Sprint Lists, Kanban Boards, or Gantt timelines, I can flip views based on the context. And when I need to present to leadership? I switch to Timeline or Workload View—clean, visual, and exec-friendly.
• No more chasing updates buried in Slack threads. With Chat View, assigned comments, and task-linked discussions, everything lives where the work happens—making communication actionable, not scattered.
• When I forget where something lives (because, let’s be honest, it happens), Universal Search bails me out. Whether it’s a doc, task, or comment from last quarter, I can find it in seconds—no tab-hopping.
• ClickUp Docs are part of the workflow, not floating in some disconnected cloud. I use them for project briefs, SOPs, and meeting notes—all linked directly to tasks, updated in real-time, and shareable across the team.
• Need to log billable hours or review how long a sprint took? The native time tracker (plus the Chrome extension) makes that effortless—no need to plug into a third-party tool.
• Dashboards are my command center. I build them with burndown charts, blocker widgets, sprint progress, and more. Stakeholders get real-time insights, and I get fewer “status update?” emails in my inbox.
• Then there’s ClickUp Brain, which feels like an assistant who actually reads the room. It summarizes meetings, drafts updates, and gives me instant answers about anything in our workspace. Async updates have never felt this in-sync.
• And instead of tracking OKRs in a spreadsheet, I connect them directly to the work via ClickUp Goals. It gives our team clarity on how daily tasks ladder up to quarterly milestones—and keeps us focused on what actually moves the needle.

ClickUp limitations

• The mobile app doesn’t have all the features of the desktop app yet
• New users may find the exhaustive list of features overwhelming

ClickUp pricing

• Free Forever
• Unlimited: $7/month
• Business: $12/month per user
• Enterprise: Custom pricing
• ClickUp Brain: Add to any paid plan for $7 per Workspace member per month

ClickUp ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.7/5.0 (‎9,400+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5.0 (4,000+ reviews)

What users have to say about ClickUp

2. Asana

Best project management software for hassle-free teamwork

With Asana, what truly stands out is its user-friendly, decluttered user interface. I don’t have to navigate through clunky menus or overwhelming dashboards, which I appreciate. It’s quite a time-saver, in fact. Its UI is divided into five parts—Sidebar, Header, Top bar, Main pane, and Task details pane.

I liked how each layout element is intentional and intuitive, allowing you to jump right in and get started with project management. You can add your Favorites to the sidebar in Asana for quick navigation.

We liked that Asana helps you start your project quickly with pre-built project templates and an easy-to-use workflow builder. Managing projects is also pretty easy with features like progress tracking and due dates. And the playful animations when you mark a task done will make you smile.

You can easily add your team to tasks and communicate with them using comments. Asana will cut through the clutter and keep you and your team focused on what matters most—getting things done!

However, I realized that Asana doesn’t give you custom task statuses or roles. You also can’t create task checklists or have multiple assignees in a task, which we found limiting.

What I liked most about Asana:

• Gain a comprehensive view of your project as Boards, Lists, Timelines, Calendars, and Gantt charts
• Set up workflow automation using Forms, Rules, Bundles, and Templates
• Manage resources effectively with features like workload management and time tracking
• Leverage AI in project management with Asana Intelligence for smart fields, summaries, editing, statuses, answers, and digests
• Centralize project management by connecting Asana with 200+ apps (including ClickUp) while enjoying unlimited projects and file storage

But here’s where I felt Asana fell short:

• Building and managing a knowledge base, although doable, is challenging
• Lacks a comprehensive set of project management templates
• Asana Intelligence is not available in the free project management software plan

Asana pricing

• Personal: $0
• Starter: $13.49/month per user
• Advanced: $30.49/month per user
• Enterprise: Custom pricing
• Enterprise+: Custom pricing

Asana ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.3/5.0 (9,900+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5.0 (12,500+ reviews)

3. Notion

I used Notion as a free all-in-one project management tool that helped me manage everything—from tasks and team collaboration to documentation—in a single workspace. I liked how flexible it was. I built custom dashboards, Kanban boards, calendars, and databases using simple building blocks inside pages. The clean interface and ready-made templates made it easy for my team to stay organized, share updates, and track progress in real time.

What I liked most about Notion:

• I created customizable project dashboards for a quick overview
• Team collaboration felt smooth with comments and @mentions
• The templates helped me plan projects, take meeting notes, and track goals efficiently
• Notion AI supported me with writing, summarizing, and managing project tasks

But here’s where I felt Notion fell short:

• Offline access was pretty limited, which made things difficult when I wasn’t connected
• Permission settings weren’t as detailed as I needed—especially compared to enterprise-ready tools like ClickUp or Confluence

Notion pricing

• Free
• Plus: $12/user/month
• Business: $24/user/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Notion ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.7/5 (6,700+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,500+ reviews)

4. Trello

Best project management software for Kanban Board-style visualization

Trello will suit you perfectly if you’re a visual thinker like me who enjoys managing projects using Kanban Boards.  Trello is an uncomplicated tool that lets you turn complex projects into simple Kanban Boards and ease workflow visualization. The interactive digital Kanban Board helps you quickly update project and task status by moving cards between stages like ‘To Do,’ ‘Backlog,’ ‘In Progress,’ and ‘Done.’

This is an easy way to see progress, problems, and resource constraints. We also found we could use power-ups to add advanced project management features to it without cluttering the interface.

You can use custom fields to personalize and labels to prioritize tasks.  

The tool is simple, but then, it might be too simple. With no custom statuses and the inability to create and track goals, Trello might not fit complex projects. 

Trello features

• Get a quick project overview with a simple, Kanban-style layout
• Visualize your project’s details as Boards, Lists, and Cards
• Organize project data, such as member details, due dates, attachments, etc., in one place
• Tailor Trello cards to meet specific business requirements using custom fields
• Set automated rules for various actions to automate workflows using the nifty AI assistant called Butler

Trello limitations

• Doesn’t offer real-time chat or smart notifications
• The simple card system may not work for larger and more complex projects
• Collaboration tools and views other than the Board are behind paywalls
• Does not have 24/7 support

Trello pricing

• Free: $0
• Standard: $6/month per user
• Premium: $12.50/month per user
• Enterprise: $17.50/month per user for 50 users

Trello ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.4/5.0 (13,500+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5.0 (23,100+ reviews)

5. Wrike

Best project management software for client and team management

We found Wrike to be an excellent project management software for managing stakeholders and keeping them updated. Whether you’re collaborating with internal teams or external clients, Wrike keeps everyone informed and happy, even if they don’t have a paid account themselves. 

I found this particularly useful while dealing with a client who didn’t wish to create an account on our project management tool for status updates.

I’ve used it to build interactive dashboards with different permission levels to share information without compromising data privacy and security. While testing the tool, we liked being able to build custom reports and different types of project views. 

What also stood out for us is how Wrike eliminates communication silos. With its real-time updates and proofing tools, you can keep everyone in the loop and promote transparency.

However, I wish they’d also add an ‘Everything’ view and a way to make quick notes like a Notepad.

Wrike best features

• Get through your work faster and smoother with Wrike’s Work Intelligence, an AI tool for project management
• Initiate tasks or projects using a simple request form
• Organize projects into dedicated Spaces and catalog data in projects, folders, tasks, and subtasks
• Visualize work in different layouts like Calendar view, Kanban board, Table view, Gantt charts, and Workload charts
• Simplify stakeholder management using features like cross-tagging, live document editing, proofing, external collaborators, etc. 

Wrike limitations

• The free version of the project management software lacks features like Gantt charts, dashboards, and automation
• New users will find it hard to learn and use initially
• Some users have found the interface clunky, which gets in the way of work

Wrike pricing

• Free
• Team: $9.80/month per user
• Business: $24.80/month per user
• Enterprise: Custom pricing
• Pinnacle: Custom pricing

Wrike ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.2/5.0 (3,600+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/5.0 (2,600+ reviews)

6. Zoho Projects

Best project management tool in the Zoho environment

Dedicated Zoho users don’t have to look far and wide for a project management tool. Zoho Projects is a native task management system for when you wish to stay within the Zoho platform. It also works out to be pretty affordable if you’re already invested in the Zoho ecosystem. 

I liked how Zoho Projects integrates smoothly with other Zoho applications and third-party tools that my team uses daily. But with a UI that’s not very intuitive and no focus on reporting features, it might not be your best option. Plus, investing in the Zoho environment only works if you have large-scale and complex requirements.

Zoho Projects best features

• Implement hands-on task management with work breakdown structures, universal add, task lists, reminders, and recurring tasks
• Customize layouts, fields, views, statuses, templates, tags, etc.
• Collaborate with others using feeds, chat, mentions, forums, emails, and documents
• Design automated workflows to match business rules and logic
• Simplify time management for invoicing and workload management 

Zoho Projects limitations

• The Zoho dashboard and UI needs a lot of work and lacks basic reporting features
• Organizing, sorting, and searching data is painfully unintuitive
• Customization is tedious and time-consuming

Zoho Projects pricing

• Free: $0
• Premium: $4/month per user
• Enterprise: $9/month per user

Zoho Projects ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.3/5.0 (‎400+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/5.0 (500+ reviews)

Also read: The best tools for managing construction projects

7. Monday.com

Best project management software for businesses of all sizes

Whether you’re a high-growth, high-potential startup or a well-established enterprise, Monday.com can fit your changing needs. We discovered that the project management software’s intuitive UI scales well, allowing teams of varying sizes to perform a range of functions.

Whether you’re managing a simple to-do list or creating a work breakdown structure of a complex project, Monday.com allows you to do it with relative ease. It also lets you switch from the Gantt chart view to calendar views to Kanban boards, depending on the project. 

Unfortunately, you’ll need one of the higher-priced paid plans to access critical features like integrations and automation. Monday.com also doesn’t offer a screen capture feature that’s essential to remote teams.

Monday.com best features

• Take help from Monday AI assistant to automate work and generate content
• Make smarter decisions with customizable dashboards with 30+ widgets
• View your project the way you want with 10+ project views like Gantt charts, Kanban board, etc.
• Leverage no-code building to customize and automate business workflows
• Implement end-to-end task management to match your projects, goals, and workflows
• Collaborate seamlessly using Whiteboard, embedded documents, update section, etc.

Monday.com limitations

• Some users have indicated that the free project management software is heavily watered down, making it feel like a colorful Excel
• A steep learning curve paired with costly pricing is discouraging
• Guzzles high volumes of data, which affects performance and makes the platform laggy

Monday.com pricing

For 3 to 49 seats:

• Free
• Basic: $12/month per seat
• Standard: $14/month per seat
• Pro: $24/month per seat
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Monday.com ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.7/5.0 (10,600+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.6/5.0 (‎4,700+ reviews)

Got the Monday blues? We have Monday alternatives for you 🙌

8. Jira

Best project management software for agile and IT teams

Jira is a popular project management software for agile development and IT projects. IT and project managers use it to track issues and bugs, set up a collaborative development space, and orchestrate sprints. 

We found Jira impressive but more suited to seasoned IT professionals. It is pretty effective for managing agile projects where developers create user stories and track progress visually. 

However, though it’s great for tracking bugs, we didn’t find it easy to use for other project management tasks. Also, adding plugins to increase capabilities will quickly increase Jira’s costs. 

It does offer a fair selection of templates to get you started fast. 

Jira best features

• Create Scrum boards to break large, complex projects into smaller, manageable tasks
• Keep track of projects with out-of-the-box dashboards and reports 
• Use the intuitive drag-and-drop feature to set up automation
• Let developers focus on code development with DevOps visibility and repository access
• Set up Open DevOps to integrate Jira with Atlassian and partner tools automatically

Jira limitations

• The search and filtering systems could be more intuitive
• The subscription costs keep rising without any tangible value addition
• The rigid interface and difficulty in customization make Jira inflexible

Jira pricing

For 10 users:

• Free: $0
• Standard: $8.15/month per user
• Premium: $16/month per user
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Jira ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.3/5.0 (5,800+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5.0 (14,000+ reviews)

9. Basecamp

Best project management system for online collaboration

For me, Basecamp is an example of ‘how to keep things simple.’ 

Unlike other project management tools that pack quite a punch, Basecamp has an easy-to-use interface with basic features. 

This project management software concentrates on online collaboration, connecting small teams, and maintaining their focus on goals. It helps teams communicate better with message boards, file sharing, to-do lists, etc. 

I liked how Basecamp is a central hub for sharing files, updates, resources, and other mission-critical materials. Think of it as an internal forum for your organization. Moreover, teams can collaborate easily without feeling overwhelmed by project management features. In our opinion, this makes Basecamp one of the best no-fuss collaboration tools.

However, without essential features like custom fields and status, native docs, tags, Gantt charts, and the like, we found the software somewhat limited. Also, there isn’t a free plan, only a free trial.

Basecamp best features

• Organize tasks, assignments, and schedules in a single-page dashboard 
• Stay updated through Messages, a centralized location for team discussions 
• Build to-do lists and track work, deadlines, progress, and responsibilities
• Interact with team members using collaboration features like Campfire
• Create, store, share, and discuss files and images—physical or on cloud

Basecamp limitations

• The forum-like layout is great for smaller projects but unravels when larger and more complex projects are involved
• Lacks basic features like Gantt charts, task assignments, etc., present in most project management tools
• The messaging board and chat are prone to freezing

Basecamp pricing

• Basecamp: $15/month per user
• Basecamp Pro Unlimited: $299/month per user

Basecamp ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.1/5.0 (‎5,200+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5.0 (14,400+ reviews)

10. Smartsheet

Best project management software for spreadsheet lovers

If your team is comfortable working on spreadsheets, implementing project management software doesn’t mean you have to divert from this working style.

Smartsheet’s spreadsheet layout simplifies your work with task tracking, comments,  and deadlines. It also offers project management features like automated workflows, Gantt charts, real-time dashboards, and collaborative working—all built into the spreadsheet environment. It’s pretty useful if you’re trained to work in an Excel-like environment! Moreover, it integrates with many of the tools you’d use at work. 

We liked the AI tools for formulas, text, and summaries, but they are only offered in the Enterprise plan. I also found the inability to create notes and docs and build goals quite a downer.

Smartsheet best features

• Visualize your projects in multiple views like Grids, Gantt charts, Cards, Calendar, etc.
• Generate formulas or text in spreadsheet cells with AI tools
• Simplify collaboration with document sharing, proofing, notifications, and conversation threads
• Leverage pre-made templates for budget and resource management, etc.
• Build and track critical paths while managing task dependencies and workloads

Smartsheet limitations

• You cannot add multiple spreadsheets within a single Smartsheet file
• Project visualization and graphing can be improved
• Lacks adequate support for formula and data storage capacity

Smartsheet pricing

• Free
• Pro: $9/month per user
• Business: $32/month per user
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Smartsheet ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.4/5.0 (15,000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5.0 (3,200+ reviews)

Also read: Comparing Excel and project management tools

11. Adobe Workfront

Best project management platform for marketing teams

I’m all for using one tool instead of many different systems or platforms. However, whenever I’ve had to work on a creative or marketing project, Adobe Workfront has been the go-to option—and I’ll tell you why. 

Adobe Workfront and other Adobe products, such as Illustrator and Photoshop, can build a cohesive creative environment for your team. Its project management features, such as asset management, resource scheduling, and digital proofing, are tailored to creative project needs.

It provides a complete set of tools for any kind of creative requirement. This focused approach frees up artists for their creative pursuits. That said, I’ve found its extensive feature set and somewhat complex workflows rather overwhelming. 

We believe Workfront might only suit large organizations that need dedicated creative management tools.

Adobe Workfront best features

• Plan, assign, and deliver work while on the move with dynamic task management 
• Use automation to prioritize tasks and assign them to the right teams quickly 
• Track project progress and identify hold-ups with real-time dashboards
• Connect distributed teams with centralized communication and an online approval process
• Integrate with other Adobe products like Adobe Experience Cloud, Adobe Creative Cloud, Marketo Engage, etc.

Adobe Workfront limitations

• Uses outdated techniques like self-guide recording and community-driven forums for onboarding and training
• The UI is rigid, clunky, and cannot be customized to match business requirements
• Tends to flood your inbox with unwanted notifications, even if you change the settings to restrict it

Adobe Workfront pricing

• Select: Custom pricing
• Prime: Custom pricing
• Ultimate: Custom pricing

Adobe Workfront ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.1/5.0 (900+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/5.0 (‎1,400+ reviews)

12. Microsoft Project

Best project management tool for effective resource planning

Soon to be rebranded as Microsoft Planner, Project is geared toward enterprises working on multiple projects with complex resource requirements. Established businesses use it to plan, execute, and easily track large-scale projects. In fact, I would call it a portfolio management tool. 

Microsoft Project’s powerful scheduling features help you develop detailed project timelines, manage task dependencies, and optimize resource allocation to prevent conflicts. Naturally, these problems are more pressing in large-scale operations.

We really liked its comprehensive reporting capabilities; the platform lets project managers track project health, budget performance, and earned value at every project stage. The integration with the Microsoft suite is an added plus, especially if you’re already working in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. 

Microsoft Project would be a good choice for an enterprise looking to manage multiple projects. However, I would not recommend it for other use cases. 

Also, the waterfall style of project management may pose problems to agile project teams that are more iterative in their approach. In other words, the Microsoft Project market is pretty niche.

Microsoft Project best features

• Deploy as on-prem or cloud-based project management software 
• Manage dynamic schedules depending on project duration, effort required, team strength, etc.
• Collaborate with team members using Microsoft Teams to share files, chat, host meetings, etc.
• Create interactive dashboards with Power BI to track project progress and dependencies
• Integrate smoothly with other Microsoft 365 experiences like Loop, Outlook, Viva Goals, Teams, etc.

Microsoft Project limitations

• Since it’s more of a portfolio management software, it isn’t ideal for smaller projects
• Has a steep learning curve, making it unsuitable for new users
• Does not integrate with third-party applications, software, and platforms

Microsoft Project pricing

Cloud deployment

• Planner Plan 1: $10/month per user
• Project Plan 3: $30/month per user
• Project Plan 5: $55/month per user

On-premise deployment

• Project Standard 2021: $679.99 one-time purchase
• Project Professional 2021: $1,299.99 one-time purchase
• Project Server: Custom pricing

Microsoft Project ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.0/5.0 (1,600+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/5.0 (1,800+ reviews)

13. TeamWork

Best project management tool for tracking and reporting

If you’re looking for simple project management software to monitor performance and timelines, TeamWork should be your pick. 

While all project management tools share real-time project insights, we found that TeamWork goes the extra mile with its customizable reporting. You can build tailored dashboards in TeamWork to track metrics related to project finances, timelines, workloads, and much more. 

Such vigilant tracking of project health helps you identify problems before they crop up. In addition, you get comprehensive reports to share with stakeholders to keep everyone updated. 

However, we realized that you will need one of the paid plans to access the tool’s more critical features. 

TeamWork best features

• Efficiently manage and juggle resources and workloads
• Track time using a built-in time tracker for effortless invoicing, expense handling, budget management, and calculating billable or project costs
• Organize tasks and subtasks using custom fields, tags, and versions
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders through comments, messages, documents, and proofs
• Set up workflow automation and create projects from customizable templates

TeamWork limitations

• Admins may find it hard to track access and permissions across multiple projects
• Lacks support for real-time chat
• The free version of the software is more limited than other tools

TeamWork pricing

• Free
• Deliver: $13.99/month per user
• Grow: $25.99/month per user
• Scale: Custom pricing

TeamWork ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.4/5.0 (‎1,100+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5.0 (800+ reviews)

14. Celoxis

Best project management software for portfolio handling

If you’re tired of juggling multiple projects, Celoxis should be a part of your project management tech stack. This project and portfolio management tool centralizes various projects, highlights dependencies, and connects tasks to overarching goals.

Celoxis has an intuitive interface that provides a holistic overview of project health and resources. It helps project managers meet portfolio objectives while expertly managing resources. 

At the same time, it offers a high degree of granularity. You can connect the smallest tasks or activities with the larger goal, ensuring everyone feels engaged. 

I don’t have extensive experience with this tool, as it is pretty new to the market. However, we had a largely positive experience, and I’m keen to see how Celoxis develops in the future.

Celoxis best features

• Centralize project requests from various sources to match demand with capacity
• Develop dynamic project plans that scale to match market conditions and project requirements
• Track project progress in real time and address problems without leaving the dashboard
• Manage account receivables, spending, profitability, and other budgetary metrics across projects and portfolios
• Keep track of resources and provision them based on demand, availability, and skill

Celoxis limitations

• Does not offer a free tier or freemium version
• Lacks an undo button, and if you delete a project element—it is gone forever
• You’ll have to pay for accounts for external stakeholders

Celoxis pricing

• Manager: $25/month (billed annually)
• Team Member: $15/month (billed annually)

Celoxis ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.5/5.0 (140+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/5.0 (300+ reviews)

15. Miro

Best project management platform for whiteboard-based ideation

Miro is all about creative problem-solving. Its interactive whiteboard has often helped me think outside the box by allowing online brainstorming sessions.  My team collaborates in real time, creating mind maps, digital drawings, and sticky notes—essentially doing what makes them a team. I’ve found that an online brainstorming tool can encourage participation, even from the introverts on the team.

Miro also helps store and organize the output of such idea exchanges for later reference. Whether you’re exploring the UX design of an app or having a collaborative meeting, Miro can set it up in just a few clicks.

While it makes whiteboarding and mind mapping simple, we found that Miro couldn’t help with other crucial dimensions of project management. It’s a fancy (but very nice) whiteboard, which may pinch your pockets when you consider that’s all it does! 

Miro best features

• Create wireframes, project estimations, product plans, dependency maps, journey maps, and simplified flowcharts 
• Harness Talktrack, an advanced facilitation tool for asynchronous collaboration
• Use Miro Assist to auto-generate diagrams, mind maps, code, and summaries
• Improve team collaboration with remote-friendly features

Miro limitations

• Navigating to a particular area is tricky, as you’ll have to scroll past all the content on the whiteboard
• The interface tends to slow down as you embed content, links, documents, etc. or collaborate on the whiteboard
• Has poor access control with little to no transparency about who has whiteboard access

Miro pricing

• Free
• Starter: $10/month per user
• Business: $20/month per user
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Miro ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.8/5.0 (5,500+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5.0 (1,500+ reviews)

16. Nifty

Best project management system for virtual teams

Nifty is a powerful project management tool for remote teams. This virtual work operating system addresses the unique challenges of working with virtual or hybrid teams. Nifty connects remote teams with task management tools, centralized communication channels, and synchronous and asynchronous discussions.

Teams can collaborate on tasks, exchange ideas, and stay updated on project progress regardless of time zones or locations. Additionally, it includes some nifty features (see what I did there?) for social recognition and team chats to create a feeling of belonging. 

However, we found that Nifty hides several crucial features behind paywalls. Even the Business or Unlimited plans don’t offer key features like goal tracking and team workload management.

Nifty best features

• Build project roadmaps using Gantt charts that display in a timeline and swimlane view, and master overview
• Connect teams, exchange ideas, share files, and collaborate using Nifty Discussions
• Set task priorities and build trigger-based automation to suit project requirements
• Create, edit, organize, share, and proof documents in Nifty using Google Docs, Sheets, and Presentations
• Build custom forms to collect and collate inputs over a centralized repository

Nifty limitations

• Significantly higher price than comparable software
• Migrating data can cause a loss in integrity and quality
• Some users have found customer support to be painfully slow
• Slow loading times prevent hands-on project management

Nifty pricing

• Free: $0
• Starter: $49/month
• Pro: $99/month
• Business: $149/month
• Unlimited: $499/month

Nifty ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.7/5.0 (430+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5.0 (400+ reviews)

17. Hive

Best for task management

I used Hive to streamline collaboration across my team — whether folks were remote, hybrid, or popping into the office. I started with Hive Solo (their free-forever plan), which worked perfectly for our small crew of two. It gave us everything we needed to manage projects end-to-end without spending a dime.

What Worked Best for Me in Hive

• I used Project Action Cards to break work down clearly, add details, and assign owners.
• The interface was simple and ready out of the box, so we didn’t waste time setting things up.
• Gantt charts made it easy to map timelines and adjust dependencies without the usual spreadsheet headaches.
• We collaborated directly in Hive using built-in chat and email integration — everything stayed in one place.
• I created analytics dashboards to get a quick pulse on project progress.

What Didn’t Work So Well

• Customizing dashboards and views took a bit of trial and error — not as intuitive as I’d hoped.
• As our team started growing, Hive’s pricing became a bit of a stretch compared to more scalable options.

Hive pricing

• Free
• Starter: $5/month/user
• Teams: $12/month/user
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Hive ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.6/5 (600+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/5 (200+ reviews)

18. nTask

Best for goal tracking

I tried nTask when I needed a no-fuss tool to bring my project team together in one place. What stood out to me was the clean layout and the ability to spin up unlimited workspaces—super handy when managing multiple clients or departments. The interface gave me a bird’s-eye view of everything, which helped me stay on top of progress and make faster decisions.

What I Liked About nTask

• I could break projects into subtasks, which made tracking complex workflows much easier.
• Meeting scheduling and follow-ups were baked in—no more hopping between tools.
• The risk management module let me flag issues early and build contingency plans.
• Built-in budgeting tools helped track project spend without switching to spreadsheets.

Where It Fell Short

• The free plan lacked reporting, which made tracking performance over time tricky.
• Team communication features were a bit limited—felt like I still needed Slack or email.
• Gantt charts were useful, but not as smooth or intuitive as other tools I’ve used.
• Once we scaled up, the pricing felt a bit steep given the feature set.

Pricing Snapshot

• Basic: Free
• Premium: $4/user/month
• Business: $12/user/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Ratings & Reviews

• Capterra: 4.2/5 (100+ reviews)
• G2: Not enough reviews to draw conclusions

19. Todoist

Best for personal productivity

I first picked up Todoist to capture quick thoughts on the go—and honestly, it nailed that use case. I could just type or speak my tasks using natural language, and it’d set reminders for me without any fuss. It’s clean, minimal, and fast.

But as soon as I tried using it for actual team projects, I hit a wall.

Todoist was originally built as a personal task manager, not a full-blown team project tool. So while it’s great for managing my own priorities, the free version lacks real-time collaboration—which meant I had to upgrade or look elsewhere to manage team workflows.

What I Liked About Todoist

• I could create custom task lists with due dates and priorities in seconds.
• The color-coded graphs gave me a quick visual of where things stood.
• Reminders (via email, SMS, or push) were a lifesaver for time-sensitive work.
• It’s easy to bring in teammates on shared tasks—once you’re on the right plan.

What Didn’t Work for Me

• You can only connect one Google Calendar across all projects.
• If you accidentally delete a task, there’s no undo—yikes.
• Some of the keyboard shortcuts didn’t feel intuitive.

Pricing Breakdown

• Free
• Pro: $5/user/month
• Business: $8/user/month

Ratings & Reviews

• G2: 4.4/5 (800+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.6/5 (2,600+ reviews)

20. Airtable

Best for spreadsheet based projects

I started using Airtable when spreadsheets just weren’t cutting it anymore. I needed more structure than Google Sheets but didn’t want to wrestle with full-blown no-code platforms. Airtable hit that sweet spot.

It’s like Excel grew up, got a makeover, and learned how to collaborate. I’ve built marketing calendars, roadmaps, even client onboarding pipelines—all without writing a line of backend code.

The best part? I could design my own app-like workflows using drag-and-drop blocks, synced databases, and sleek UI components with Interface Designer.

What I Liked About Airtable

• Linked records, lookups, and rich field types made my project data feel alive and interconnected.
• Plugged into tools like Salesforce and Google Calendar without needing dev help.
• Loved the Interface Designer—made sharing dashboards with non-tech teammates a breeze.
• I even built light automations with JavaScript to move data between views.

What Didn’t Work for Me

• Once our team grew and crossed 1,000 records, the price jumped fast.
• No point-in-time recovery, so I had to rely on snapshot backups.
• Permission settings could be more flexible for complex org setups.

Pricing Breakdown

• Free
• Team: $20/user/month
• Business: $45/user/month
• Enterprise Scale: Custom pricing

Ratings & Reviews

• G2: 4.6/5 (2,900+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,100+ reviews)

21. TeamGantt

Best for visual project timelines

If you love Gantt charts as much as I do (like, I dream in dependencies), then TeamGantt might be your happy place. It’s a project management tool that puts Gantt charts front and center—no distractions, just clean visual timelines that instantly show who’s doing what and when.

I’ve used it to manage everything from marketing campaigns to construction timelines. The real-time progress tracking is a lifesaver—percentages update as tasks get ticked off, which keeps the whole team honest and on track.

What I Loved About TeamGantt

• The Gantt charts are gorgeous—simple, intuitive, and perfect for client-facing presentations.
• I could assign dependencies, set milestones, and track workloads all in one place.
• The built-in time tracking gave me great insight into where we were actually spending hours.
• Bonus: I could toggle between calendar, Kanban, and list views for different work styles.

What Was a Buzzkill

• The free plan limits you to just one Gantt chart. That’s tough if you juggle multiple projects like I do.
• Would’ve loved more customization—colors, backgrounds, branding… it’s a little plain for client-facing reporting.

Pricing Rundown

• Free
• Pro: $59/month per manager + $9/month per collaborator
• Unlimited Everything: Custom pricing
• Construction Edition: Custom pricing

Ratings & Reviews

• G2: 4.8/5 (800+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.6/5 (200+ reviews)

22. Freedcamp

Best for Customer Relationship Management

I stumbled on Freedcamp while hunting for something clean, simple, and free-ish to organize my chaos—both personal and team projects. And wow, it’s surprisingly powerful for a tool that flies so low under the radar.

The interface is modular and minimal, but don’t let that fool you. Freedcamp packs in Kanban boards, calendar views, task dependencies, and even a little time tracking magic. Plus, it’s got features I didn’t expect—like discussion boards, shared files, a quirky social wall, and even CRM and invoicing baked in. All of this without breaking the bank.

What Worked for Me

• Loved the sticky note-style task lists—perfect for brain dumps.
• Calendar view helped me schedule things clearly and catch bottlenecks early.
• The discussion boards made asynchronous team convos way smoother.
• Issue tracking was simple but effective—great for bug logging or punch lists.

Where It Fell Short

• No Gantt charts in the free version, which was a bummer for timeline lovers like me.
• The learning curve was steeper than expected—some features felt buried.
• The mobile app? A bit buggy on Android during my testing.

Pricing Cheat Sheet

• Free
• Pro: $2.49/user/month
• Business: $7.49/user/month
• Enterprise: $19.99/user/month
  (There’s also a quirky “Minimalist” plan for $1.49/month, which honestly… should’ve been the free one.)

Ratings & Reviews

• G2: 4.5/5 (140+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (490+ reviews)

23. ActiveCollab

Best for freelancers and small agencies

I tried ActiveCollab when I wanted a project tool that didn’t feel like a cluttered control panel from a spaceship. If you love clean design, Kanban simplicity, and getting things done without overthinking, this one’s worth a look.

I split projects into tasks, added deadlines, and assigned them to the team—and the UI made it all feel frictionless. You can toggle between list and Kanban views, and there’s even a built-in stopwatch to track time (no more forgetting to hit “start” on that other app). It’s got in-app chat, file sharing, and lets you bring clients in without overwhelming them.

What Clicked

• Task dependencies + auto rescheduling saved me a few deadline-related headaches
• The budget tracking feature was super useful during a client retainer project
• Loved the clean dashboards and flexible time tracking
• Everything felt intuitive—even for a teammate who hates PM tools

What Didn’t

• Kinda stingy on third-party integrations (especially if you’re living in a Google ecosystem)
• The layout works—but don’t expect deep customization or fancy views

Pricing Breakdown

• Free plan available
• Plus: $15/month (flat for 3 users)
• Pro: $11/user/month
• Pro+Get Paid: $17/user/month (includes invoicing & payments)

Ratings & Reviews

• G2: 4.2/5 (90+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (400+ reviews)

24. Paymo

Best for resource management

Freelancer? Solo PM? Or just someone who wants Kanban, time tracking, and invoicing without opening five different tabs? That’s what Paymo brings to the table.

I used it to track billable hours, manage tasks across clients, and even generate invoices—all without needing any external apps. The built-in Gantt charts are great for visual folks, and the real-time task comments make async collab smooth.

What I Liked

• Time tracking is baked in (no clunky integrations)
• Comment threads on tasks kept team convos focused
• One-click invoicing felt like a blessing after late-night project wrap-ups

What Could Be Better

• No way to add briefs or descriptions at the project level (weird omission)
• You can’t build daily checklists, just project-based ones—bit limiting for granular planners

Pricing Snapshot

• Free for basic use
• Starter: $5.90/user/month (jumps to $9.90 after 3 months)
• Small Office: $10.90/user/month → $15.90 after 3 months
• Business: $16.90/user/month → $23.90 after 3 months

Ratings & Reviews

• G2: 4.6/5 (590+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (690+ reviews)

25. MeisterTask

Best for cloud-based project management

If Kanban boards are your jam, MeisterTask might just be your next go-to tool.

I’ve used it to manage creative sprints and marketing tasks, and it nails the basics—drag-and-drop tasks, built-in automations, and a UI that’s clean enough to make even the most chaotic to-do list feel zen. Everything—due dates, comments, checklists—is organized inside customizable Kanban columns.

What I Loved

• Task cards are super easy to share and update
• You can add context-rich notes, links, and comments to each task
• Easy to track who’s doing what with team tagging and performance monitoring

What’s Missing

• No monthly activity overview for the team (which would be helpful)
• Would’ve liked deeper customization for task templates

Pricing Snapshot

• Free for basics
• Pro: $9/user/month
• Business: $16/user/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Ratings & Reviews

• G2: 4.8/5 (170+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (1,160+ reviews)

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What are the Benefits of Using Project Management Tools

Here’s an overview of why I cannot over-stress the importance of project management tools. 

1. Efficiency That Actually Saves Time

Project management tools helped me ditch busywork and focus on real priorities. I used them to automate repetitive tasks, set smart reminders, and build custom workflows based on conditional logic. No more mental bandwidth wasted on chasing updates — everything ran like clockwork. Having a single source of truth also meant I didn’t have to reconcile conflicting reports or field questions from ten different teams.

2. Built-in Brain for Organization

Whether it’s a product roadmap, project documentation, or change requests — staying organized used to be a juggling act. With project management tools, everything had its place. Pair that with visual timelines and dashboards? I finally felt like I had control over the chaos.

3. One Hub, Zero Tab Chaos

I used to jump between Outlook, Slack, Jira, Notion, and half a dozen more tools — just to manage one project. Now? It’s all centralized. Project plans, chats, files, updates — they all live in one place. I don’t waste time chasing updates or asking people to “share the doc again.”

4. Collaboration Without the Calendar Headaches

Working across time zones used to be tricky — until project management tools made async collaboration smooth. Features like real-time commenting, task mentions, file sharing, and updates meant my global team could stay in sync without constant meetings.

5. Resource Management, Minus the Guesswork

I don’t believe in overloading people just to meet a deadline. With these tools, I tracked workloads, spotted resource gaps, and reallocated bandwidth proactively. Everyone stayed balanced, and no one burned out.

6. Risk Radar Always On

These tools gave me a bird’s-eye view of projects — so if something was off-track, I’d know before it snowballed. I’ve dodged enough fires by spotting delays or red flags early, thanks to status updates and progress tracking built right in.

7. Numbers That Speak for Themselves

Data dashboards helped me track performance, deadlines, and resource utilization in real-time. Instead of vague “how’s it going?” conversations, I had metrics to drive every decision. It also helped align my team and stakeholders around facts, not gut feelings.

8. Clear Accountability, No Micromanaging

I didn’t want to be a helicopter manager, and I didn’t have to be. Assigning task owners made accountability clear. The visibility also encouraged ownership — people knew their contributions mattered, and that kind of clarity boosted morale.

9. Flexible Enough to Roll With the Punches

Projects evolve. I’ve seen “quick fixes” turn into full-blown product overhauls. A good project management tool scales with that growth. Whether I needed to add new views, teams, or workflows — it flexed as fast as the project did.

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What are the Features to Look for in a Project Management Tool

Not all project management tools are created alike. 

Project managers may use free project management tools for simple projects or enterprise-grade resource management tools for complex requirements. They may use them for time tracking or project planning. The possibilities are endless.

For this reason, you must select a suitable set of features. To simplify this selection, I’ve categorized the top features to look for in a project management tool into three themes: core functionalities, advanced features, and additional considerations. 

1. Core functionalities

The core functionalities of such a tool include:

• Task management: We use task management features to create, assign, and manage tasks, set due dates, define priorities, and highlight dependencies. Breaking larger projects into smaller tasks helps in effective task management
• Collaboration features: As projects become more participative, you want project management software with collaboration tools. The platform should bring teams together on the same virtual page, sharing documents and conversing. Pick something that helps teams be teams. In fact, I’d recommend getting a few team members to do the product trials with you before finalizing the tool
• Knowledge management: Any project management tool contending for the top spot must offer intuitive and customizable ways of creating, managing, and sharing documentation. I have often found searchable, editable, and sharable project briefs, SOPs, templates, wikis, etc., to be a game-changer in a project’s success 
• Planning and scheduling: Remember what I said about project management tools being your eyes and ears? In that vein, you want project planning and scheduling features so you can see all the tasks at various stages. At the very least, you want to have Gantt charts, task lists you can translate your WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) into, time tracking, budgeting, workload analysis, and the ability to add milestones and dependencies
• Artificial intelligence: AI tools were once a nice-to-have feature for a project manager but are table stakes now. All leading project management software today comes with AI capabilities to help you get more out of available data and resources. From fueling informed decisions to automating and accelerating workflows—AI in project management is an absolute game changer

2. Advanced capabilities

The advanced features take care of project complexities to cover:

• Resource management: Project managers must allocate and move resources around based on changing project demands. Whether it is shared resources like tools and platforms or limited resources like talent or budget, resource management features are a must in a tool for productivity and performance. This also includes time tracking, goal tracking among others
• Reporting and analytics: Data analysis and reports help track and manage project health and performance against goals. It is helpful to have data-backed real-time reports and dashboards that calculate time spent, cost incurred, value earned, etc. Interventions powered by this data keep everything on track
• Automation: “I love spending hours on grunt work,” said no project manager yet! We love productivity tools that help us automate routine and repetitive tasks. Automated updates and workflows minimize manual work without compromising on speed or accuracy
• Customization: The ideal project management software will let you customize workflows, dashboards, and project views to fit your team’s specific preferences or needs. For example, we use custom fields to capture project-specific information and define access control to manage project details

3. Additional considerations

Project managers looking for the best solution will also have additional considerations like:

• Integrations: Working with tools that connect easily with each other is another level of peace. Check if the project management software integrates with other apps, platforms, and systems like CRM, accounting software, etc. Also, see if these are native integrations or will need a third-party tool
• Data security and privacy: If you’re late to this party, consider this: 7 out of 10 global consumers are worried about their data privacy. So, ensure that the platform offers adequate data security and privacy controls to enjoy absolute ownership of your data
• Scalability: I touched upon this earlier. Whether working on a product or a feature, you want something that will grow with your project—and vice versa. So, evaluate whether the project management tool can scale up or down in response to your changing needs. Also, scalability can be horizontal and vertical; review the software on both lines to get more bang for your buck
• Ease of use: You may be a digital native comfortable with technology and project management tools. However, you will also be working with stakeholders who may not be as technologically adept. Test your preferred project management tools for intuitiveness and user-friendliness (to ensure adoption) and simple navigation (to maximize usability)
• Pricing: Whether you select a pay-as-you-use subscription model or a license fee, accounting for the face value investment would be a rookie mistake. Calculate the comprehensive cost—including one-time costs, recurring expenses, and even add-ons—and check whether it fits your budget and team size

Read more: The different types of project management software

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How to Choose a Project Management Tool

This list of top solutions for managing projects may leave you wondering how to pick just one. After all, each has a unique value proposition! 

To make it easier for you, we’ve compiled a simple 5-step process that goes something like this:

• Step 1: Define your project management needs depending on project types, team size and structure, workflow, collaboration styles, etc.
• Step 2: Divide your wish list of project management capabilities into four groups: must-have, advanced features, future requirements, and other considerations
• Step 3: Shortlist the available options and research their features, pricing, capabilities, reviews, etc., to match your priorities from Step 2 (the list above is a great starting point!)
• Step 4: Sign up for free trials or product demos to test the project management software in a real-world and practical setting
• Step 5: Analyze your findings and select the best fit

Start small while implementing the project management solution. You can always scale operations and add features as your needs evolve.

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Organize Work With Project Management Tools

This brings us to the end of our list of the best project management tools. 

While there’s no clear winner, you have 15 impressive contenders that can suit your project, team, and workflow requirements. Whether you’re a small startup aiming at rapid growth or an enterprise aiming for hands-on resource management, you will find a tool that meets your requirements.

I encourage you to explore our shared options and make an informed decision based on your first-hand experience. Your choice of project management software could be the difference between chaos and organization, so choose wisely!

Or, you can skip the process and just go with ClickUp, which we know you’ll love. To learn more about Clickup, sign up for a free account.

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