Imagine this:
You write down your OKRs in a company doc and share them with your team to work towards.
However, a few months later, you find yourself in a pickle.
It turns out that:
- You were unable to track their progress well
- Your team has barely moved an inch towards the business goal
- Some of your team members didn’t know there were OKRs in place
So how do we fix this?
The answer lies in powerful OKR software.
The best OKR software streamlines the OKR process for you. It lets you set, track, and measure goals and results with ease.
But with so many options in the global OKR software market, how do you know which tool is your cup of tea? 🍵
In this article, we’ll take a look at what OKRs are and the top 10 OKR software that’ll bring you success!
Let’s go!
What Are OKRs?
OKR is a goal-setting framework that helps you create measurable goals to drive your company towards success.
OKR stands for objectives and key results. Your objectives are what you want to achieve, and the key results are the metrics that track your performance and progress towards meeting your objective.
Once you complete your key results, you achieve your objective.
When writing an OKR, follow this simple formula:
I will: (objective)
As measured by: (set of key results)
Here’s an OKR example:
OKR Objective: Improve our blog strategy.
Key Result 1: Publish 60 new blog posts in the fourth quarter.
Key Result 2: Conduct three interviews with industry leaders.
Key Result 3: Get 5,000 subscribers on our blog.
Want more ideas?
Check out these other OKR examples.
The OKR methodology is based on the kind of key results you set.
The 10 Best OKR Software in 2021
OKR tools helps project managers assign goals and track your progress and performance in achieving those goals.
With OKR software, you can align any individual OKR with your company goals. This way, every team member knows exactly how they can contribute to your overall organizational goals.
To help you choose the right OKR software, here’s a list of the ten best OKR software:
1. ClickUp
ClickUp is one of the highest-rated productivity and OKR tools used by productive teams in small and large companies.
From advanced performance review features to remote team management, ClickUp is the perfect OKR software for performance management.
Here’s how ClickUp can make your OKR process a success
As an OKR management software, ClickUp helps you set strategic objectives that align with your company’s overall goal of every business operation.
With ClickUp, your company will have greater transparency and effective performance management.
Not sure what all this means?
Don’t worry; we’ll spill the beans!
Here’s a detailed look at ClickUp’s OKR features:
A. Goals
The Goals feature lets you set and edit Goals and Targets.
But, before we continue, let’s clear up any potential confusion:
Here’s what Goals in ClickUp mean in OKR-speak:
ClickUp Goals = OKR objectives
ClickUp Targets = Key results
ClickUp allows you to create personal OKRs or work towards your company objectives.
No matter what you choose, ClickUp lets you edit your goals to develop an ambitious objective that suits your needs.
You can set:
- The name of your goal
- The due date
- Who’s responsible for the goal
- Who can access the goal Folder
- A breakdown of your goal
Not sure how to set goals for your team?
Here’s a goal-setting post that will give you plenty of food for thought.
Once you have set your Goal, you can use ClickUp’s Targets to break down that Goal into measurable Targets (key results).
Setting targets in Goals in ClickUp
You can set more than one Target for your Goal, and you can even edit:
- The name of your Target
- The owner of the Target
- What each Target tracks (currency, tasks, number, true/false)
Choosing the type of target in Goals in ClickUp
B. Track Progress
Once your Targets and Goals are ready, you can track your Goal progress in ClickUp.
Tracking progress in Goals in ClickUp
1. Track your progress for each Target (key results)
See how close you are to achieving each of your Targets.
For example, if your personal OKR is to eat seven salads every week to reach your goal weight, you can see how many you’ve eaten so far.
Here’s Patrick demonstrating what you shouldn’t be doing:
2. Track how your Targets contributed to your Goal (objectives)
For example, if you’ve completed 20% of all your Targets so far, your Goal progress will be 20%.
C. Goals Folders
Once you have created your impressive Goals, you can store them and add new ones to your Goals Folder.
You can also use your Folders to group all your weekly, monthly, and yearly Goals.
This way, if you’ve set multiple goals for different teams or initiatives, individuals and teams can see how their Goals relate to the overall business objectives.
If you choose to make the Folders public, everyone knows about the company OKR, and they can refer back to the Folders when they need to.
Goal folders in ClickUp
D. Weekly Scorecards
Weekly Scorecards are the perfect productivity tool.
Why?
Weekly Scorecards help teams by breaking down Goals into smaller tasks that can be done during the week.
With Weekly Scorecards, you can see how and if team members are contributing to company OKRs.
This keeps teams motivated and focused on the Goal!
Viewing weekly scorecards and progress percentages in Goals in ClickUp
E. Dashboards
Use Dashboards to plan, track, and assess your progress through completed tasks and time tracked on projects.
Creating a custom Dashbaord in ClickUp
Use Custom Widgets to get detailed insight into tasks, sprints, people, and projects.
Here’s a list of the Widgets you can choose from:
ClickUp pros
- Powerful free version with unlimited users
- Online and Offline Mode
- Set Task Priorities so teams know which tasks to tackle first
- Easy-to-use user interface
- Multiple Views to adapt to Scrum, Kanban, or any project style of your choice
- Advanced Agile features like Sprint Lists, Agile Scrum Dashboards, Assigned Comments, and so much more
- Customized Task Statuses to easily keep track of your progress
- 50+ Task Automations to streamline project workflows
- Intuitive Gantt Chart feature to visualize tasks and progress
- Task Dependencies to help teams complete tasks in the correct order
- Access your team’s activity reports with Pulse
- Use the built-in Notepad to jot down ideas and convert them to tasks when you’re ready
- Integrates with several third-party software like Evernote, Time Doctor, Salesforce, and many more
With ClickUp, your team will have all the tools they need to stay on track and hit their goals faster. ⚡️
ClickUp cons
- No table view in the mobile apps (yet)
You can take a look at ClickUp’s roadmap here to see how we’re fixing these minor drawbacks. Also, check out the full menu of unique features that this free OKR software has in store for you!
ClickUp pricing
ClickUp has a feature-rich Free Forever Plan that supports unlimited members and tasks. Paid plans start as low as $5/month per user.
ClickUp customer ratings
- G2: 4.7/5 (3,100+ reviews)
- Capterra: (4.7/5) (2,200+ reviews)
2. Profit.co
Profit.co helps you prioritize your goals, assess your progress, and accomplish better outcomes.
Their in-house onboarding specialist team can assist you with setting up an account and creating powerful OKRs for different hierarchical structures.
Let’s see if this tool can help you drive profits for your team:
Profit.co key features
- Alignment dashboards that give the entire company an overview of the company’s vision
- 400+ inbuilt and custom KPIs to measure performance efficiently
- Guides and OKR templates to help you create a team OKR effectively
- Customize and create an OKR period or performance review cycle with a title and duration of your choice
Profit.co pros
- Use weekly check-ins to keep track of progress
- Filter and export files to assess the performance of individual departments
- Helps managers identify and eliminate bottlenecks with real-time heatmaps
Profit.co cons
- Can’t create custom OKR fields in the free plan
- Can’t visualize your tasks in Gantt view
- Lacks native integrations with popular project management tools like Asana, Trello, Proofhub
Profit.co pricing
This OKR software has a free plan, and paid plans start at $9/user per month.
Profit.co customer ratings
- G2: 4.8/5 (120+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.9/5 (80+ reviews)
3. Aha!
Aha! is a goal-setting software that helps cross-functional teams capture ideas, set schedules, and track progress.
The app is also a great OKR software solution for any product team or marketing team that wants to build products that customers love.
But will Aha! make you say “nah-ah”?
Let’s take a look:
Aha! key features
- Customers and non-Aha! users can submit product ideas and innovations via a branded ideas portal
- Use strategic roadmaps to establish a clear OKR goal with measurable results
- Create custom workflows so you can do your work your way
Aha! pros
- You can estimate the effort and budget required to deliver a project
- Use task dependencies to deliver goals on time and avoid bottlenecks
- Visualize progress on roadmaps and reports in real-time
- Real-time document editing for teams who want to build on ideas/goals together
Aha! cons
- This OKR platform has a complicated onboarding process for inexperienced users
- The reporting functionality isn’t easy to use
- No built-in chat feature for collaboration and transparency
Aha! pricing
This OKR software has a startup plan, and its paid plan starts at a whopping $59/user per month.
Aha! customer ratings
- G2: 4.3/5 (180+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.8/5 (390+ reviews)
Want to learn more about product OKRs? Read our Aha! product management guide.
4. Weekdone
Weekdone is an OKR software that focuses on setting structured goals with measurable outcomes.
It’s also an excellent tool for boosting employee morale as team members can upvote each other on the Leaderboard. This way, every individual contributor gets noticed, and team members feel encouraged to improve their performance.
But can Weekdone get the week over and done with quickly?
Let’s check it out:
Weekdone key features
- Can easily track goals and share them with the team
- One-on-one meetings feature to help improve employee performance
- Feedback and recognition support to encourage progress and boost morale
- Weekly check-ins to track weekly activities to create more visible and interconnected teams
Weekdone pros
- The goal hierarchy feature lets teams visualize and contribute to significant company goals
- Use real-time dashboards to see if everyone is on track with their goals
- Use reporting and analytics to view trend reports and changes in team performance weekly
- Private notes feature that let you jot down personal reminders
Weekdone cons
- The software supports up to three people in the free plan
- User setup and team creation can be complicated
- While you can set goals easily, creating specific OKRs can be a little more complicated
Weekdone pricing
This OKR tracking software has a free plan, and its paid plan starts at $336 per month for 40 users.
Weekdone customer ratings
- G2: 4/5 (20+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (40+ reviews)
5. 15Five
15Five is a performance management software that’s well-known for its High Five feature and 1-on-1s.
But does this performance management platform deserve a high five?
Let’s see:
15Five key features
- Set OKRs and keep your team focused, engaged, and aligned
- Heat-mapping dashboards lets project managers see how individuals and teams are feeling
- Quickly identify areas that need to be worked on and areas that are doing well through detailed reporting insights
- This tool offers weekly check-ins for performance management and feedback management
15Five pros
- Create, track, and manage OKRs without disrupting your employees’ workflows
- Meeting agenda software that helps project managers coach employees and provides OKR coaching notes to improve employee performance
- 30 evidence-based surveys that you can allocate to employees to show a detailed view of employee engagement
- The check-ins and feedback questions replace using a Google sheet, long report, or email threads
15Five cons
- The OKR features require the premium plan, and there’s no free plan
- Limited control over your dashboard experience
- No calendar integration for Outlook when scheduling one-on-ones
- This tool doesn’t have a native time-tracking feature
15Five pricing
This performance management software offers paid plans starting at $4/user per month when billed annually.
15Five customer ratings
- G2: 4.6/5 (1600+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (800+ reviews)
6. Wrike
Wrike is an OKR software that gives teams and project managers visibility over individual goals that match the company vision.
Wrike also has OKR templates to help teams develop goals that align with and build towards an overarching, ambitious objective.
Wrike key features
- Customizable dashboards
- @mentions and comments to help teams work together on goals
- Multiple views for entire team transparency
- Use an OKR template to help align your team’s work with overall business objectives
Wrike pros
- Access detailed analytics to see top performers
- Use the resource management feature to allocate resources efficiently
- This tool has a built-in time tracking feature
- Teams with different focus areas can collaborate with a centralized vision
Wrike cons
- This OKR platform doesn’t have a note-taking tool, which limits its ideation capabilities
- The free plan doesn’t offer custom workflows or workload charts
- Lacks chat functionality, making it more challenging to communicate goals to the entire company
- It’s difficult to determine the progress percentage for partially completed projects
Wrike pricing
This OKR software has a free plan, and the paid plan starts at $9.80/per user per month.
Wrike customer ratings
- G2: 4.2/5 (1,600+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.2/5 (1,600+ reviews)
Learn more about Wrike by reading our Wrike review and the top Wrike alternatives.
7. Betterworks
Betterworks can boost your team’s productivity with ongoing feedback and constant on-the-job OKR coaching sessions.
This tool lets you establish and communicate clear goals and objectives for your organization. This way, your entire team stays on the same page and takes the same road to success.
Let’s see if it’s Betterworks is the OKR coach you need:
Betterworks key features
- Configure emails to send work reminders and motivate your team to set OKRs
- Track progress by mapping out quarterly developments and setting milestones
- Send brief, regular surveys to gain insights on employee engagement
- Employees can view manager and peer feedback quickly to scale their performance
Betterworks pros
- Assess goals, teamwork, and module KPIs with the program insights feature
- Unlimited OKR coaching sessions can help with employee development
- A real-time activity stream summing up all team priorities and company goals
Betterworks cons
- The software isn’t very user-friendly and requires training
- Doesn’t offer weekly reviews or scorecards to track progress
- Real-time and multi-rater feedback is available only in the enterprise plan
Betterworks pricing
Betterworks offers paid plans starting at $2.50/user per month.
Betterworks customer ratings
- G2: 4.2/5 (120+ reviews)
- Capterra: 3.9/5 (15+ reviews)
8. Koan
Koan offers a simple OKR management system where you can align your daily operations with fixed goals.
Whether you’re working from home or the office, this software can help your team collaborate by setting measurable goals for everyone to follow.
But can you koan-tify your results with this software?
Let’s see:
Koan key features
- Lets you identify measurable organizational objectives and key results
- Automatically track and update goal metrics like sales revenue or profit margin via API (Application Programming Interface)
- Use the presentation mode to view the latest updates on team goals and employee engagement
- Customize and export OKR data to assess team performance
Koan pros
- Integrate goals with the tools you already use, like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Jira
- Access case studies and webinars to help you achieve your OKR goals
- Identify clear trends to make informed decisions using critical data points
Koan cons
- The free plan doesn’t offer organization-level or private goals
- Limited automation features. For example, you can’t modify items in a batch
- Can’t create a hierarchical workflow with this software
Koan pricing
This OKR software tool has a free plan, and paid plans start at $7.50/user per month.
Koan custom ratings
- G2: 4.8/5 (10+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.8/5 (70+ reviews)
9. Asana
Asana is a task management app that helps teams achieve their work goals through its project planning features.
This OKR management app helps you understand the interrelation between the top goals and your daily operations.
Let’s see how this asana can help you stretch your goals and bring in more significant gains.
Asana key features
- Organize and assign tasks as per priority in the list view
- Automate repetitive tasks with automation features
- Plan sprints and set milestones to keep everyone focused
- The software lets you monitor your team’s OKR progress in real-time with portfolios
Asana pros
- Add additional data to your tasks with custom fields
- The workload feature gives you an idea of your team’s bandwidth
- Offers templates for company goals and team goals to help you get going with your tasks
Asana cons
- The goals feature and the Salesforce integration are available only in the paid business plan
- The free plan allows only up to 15 users per team
- Can’t assign tasks to multiple team members, which might complicate goal collaboration
Asana pricing
Asana has a free plan, and paid plans start at $13.49/user per month.
Asana customer ratings
- G2: 4.3/5 (7400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (9800+ reviews)
Still unsure about Asana?
Here are the top alternatives to Asana.
10. Hirebook
Hirebook is an innovative OKR tool with highly productive features like automated check-ins, virtual meetings, KPIs, and extensive organizational charts.
The software also has workshops that can help remote teams come up with their own OKR solution.
Let’s dig in and explore its other features, rather than simply judging this (hire)book by its cover:
Hirebook key features
- Assess OKR strategy with critical insights on work progress
- Plan and schedule recurring meetings to discuss goals
- Save time by adding/linking tasks directly from your meetings
- Assign due dates to your tasks to meet your organizational goals
Hirebook pros
- Access real-time dashboards and metrics
- Auto-schedule recurring reports to be delivered to employee’s emails
- Measure performance through KPIs, weekly goals, and daily plans
Hirebook cons
- This software has no free plan
- Can’t assign goals or tasks to multiple team members
- The metrics tracked do not offer in-depth analyses
Hirebook pricing
This performance management software offers paid plans starting at $15/user per month.
Hirebook customer ratings
- G2: 4.9/5 (300+ reviews)
- Capterra: NA
In a Nutshell 🥜
OKR software tools help teams set ambitious goals, track progress, and measure outcomes.
To achieve the best results, you should ensure that your employees’ OKR aligns with your company’s objective. Unfortunately, simply writing down your objectives and key results on paper doesn’t get the job done.
But, what does get the job done is OKR software.
While we did mention some decent OKRs software in this article, ClickUp is still the cream of the crop in the OKR software market.
With features ranging from customizable goal-setting to advanced goal tracking, ClickUp offers teams everything they need for powerful performance management and goal management.
Get ClickUp for free today to help your team create actionable OKRs that’ll help you have more victory lunches in the future!
Questions? Comments? We're here for you 24/7 at help@clickup.com!