Ever feel like your to-do list is giving you side-eye? Or that your project timeline has taken on a life of its own—somewhere between chaos and coffee-fueled optimism?
That’s where modern planning tools come in—think collaborative platforms like ClickUp, Asana, and monday.com. These aren’t just digital to-do lists. They help you map goals, track tasks, build timelines, and manage workflows, all powered by AI.
So whether you’re leading a product launch or overhauling internal ops, the right tool can eliminate work sprawl and bring clarity and control.
In this blog post, we’ll explore 15 planning tools that help project managers, team leads, and ops pros plan smarter, align better, and hit their goals. 🎯
Best Planning Tools to Organize Projects, Goals, and Workflows
- Top Planning Tools at a Glance
- What Should You Look for in Planning Tools?
- The Best Planning Tools
- How we review software at ClickUp
- 1. ClickUp (Best for customizable goals, timelines, and tasks in one collaborative space)
- 2. Wrike (Best for visual workflow management)
- 3. Jira (Best for agile project planning and issue tracking)
- 4. Trello (Best for card-based task organization for personal projects)
- 5. Microsoft Project (Best for resource management within the Microsoft ecosystem)
- 6. Teamwork (Best for client project delivery with billing and resource accuracy)
- 7. Toggl Plan (Best for lightweight visual planning for fast-moving project environments)
- 8. Todoist (Best for personal productivity and basic collaboration with minimalist UX)
- 9. MindMeister (Best for visual brainstorming and planning using collaborative mind maps)
- 10. Asana (Best for work coordination and goal alignment across business functions)
- 11. Monday (Best for workflow automation and project tracking in a modular visual format)
- 12. Zoho Projects (Best for end-to-end project execution with customizable task logic)
- 13. TeamGantt (Best for intuitive Gantt scheduling and real-time collaboration)
- 14. Airtable (Best for structured project planning with flexible databases and views)
- 15. Miro (Best for real-time whiteboarding for brainstorming and alignment)
Summarize this article for me pleaseTop Planning Tools at a Glance
Here’s a sneak peek at all these project management software. 📊
| Tool | Best for | Best features | Pricing* |
| ClickUp | Customizable goals, tasks, timelines, templates, and AI suggestions in one collaborative space Team size: Ideal for individuals, mid-market companies, and large enterprises | ClickUp Views, AI-powered assistant (ClickUp Brain), Dashboards, Goals, advanced reporting, pre-built templates, Whiteboards, Docs | Free forever; Customizations available for enterprises |
| Wrike | Visual workflow management for creative and operations teams Team size: Ideal for marketing teams and PMOs | Request forms, dynamic dashboards, workload charts, real-time proofing, and marketing project planning | Free; Starts at $10/month per user |
| Jira | Agile project planning and issue tracking for software teams Team size: Ideal for engineering and DevOps teams | Advanced roadmaps, sprint tracking, issue linking, and release management for informed decision-making | Free; Starts at $7.53/month per user |
| Trello | Card-based task organization for simple personal or team projects Team size: Ideal for freelancers and small teams | Kanban boards, email-to-task, Power-Ups, checklist progress tracking | Free; Starts at $6/month per user |
| Microsoft Project | Structured scheduling and resource management in the Microsoft ecosystem Team size: Ideal for project managers and mid-sized agencies | Gantt charts, resource levelling, cost tracking, MS 365 integration | Free; Starts at $10/month per user |
| Teamwork | Client project delivery with billing and resource accuracy Team size: Ideal for agencies and professional services firms | Time tracking, client portal, workload planner, and profitability dashboards | Free; Starts at $13.99/month per user |
| Toggl Plan | Lightweight visual planning for fast-moving project environments Team size: Ideal for small teams and creative studios | Team schedules, color-coded milestones, drag-and-drop planner, and real-time availability views | Free; Starts at $6/month per user |
| Todoist | Personal productivity and basic collaboration with minimalist UX Team size: Ideal for solopreneurs and small workgroups | Natural language input, nested tasks, labels and filters, cross-platform reminders | Free; Starts at $2.5/month per user |
| MindMeister | Visual brainstorming and planning using collaborative mind maps Team size: Ideal for innovation teams and product designers | Collaborative mind maps, task assignment, presentation mode, MeisterTask integration | Free; Starts at $4.5/month per user |
| Asana | Work coordination and goal alignment across business functions Team size: Ideal for mid-to-large distributed teams | Timeline view, goal tracking, custom rules, project templates | Free; Starts at $13.49/month per user |
| Monday | Workflow automation and project tracking in a modular visual format Team size: Ideal for cross-functional enterprise teams | Automation builder, customizable boards, project data dashboards | Free; Starts at $12/month per user |
| Zoho Projects | End-to-end project execution with customizable task logic Team size: Ideal for IT, construction, and operations teams | Gantt charts, task blueprints, time tracking, Zoho ecosystem integration | Free; Starts at $5/month per user |
| TeamGantt | Intuitive Gantt scheduling and real-time collaboration Team size: Ideal for small-to-medium project teams | Dependencies, baselines, resource planning, calendar/list/Kanban switch | Free; Starts at $59/month per user |
| Airtable | Structured project planning with flexible databases and views Team size: Ideal for content teams and product planners | Custom tables, interfaces, field types, Airtable Apps | Free; Starts at $20/month per user |
| Miro | Real-time whiteboarding and planning for brainstorming and alignment Team size: Ideal for product teams and facilitators | Infinite canvas, sticky notes, voting, agile planning templates | Free; Starts at $10/month per user |
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Should You Look for in Planning Tools?
Choosing a planning tool isn’t just about picking the prettiest dashboard—it’s about finding your team’s second brain. The kind that remembers deadlines, tracks goals, and doesn’t ghost you mid-project.
Here’s what to look for before swiping right on project planning tools:
- Flexible scheduling options: Maps out work across days, weeks, or quarters, using timelines, calendars, or Gantt charts that adjust as things shift
- Task clarity and structure: Supports nested tasks, dependencies, milestones, and due dates, keeping large plans digestible and smaller tasks aligned with big-picture goals
- Workload and capacity planning: Provides built-in resource visibility, ensuring that no one is overbooked or sitting idle
- Smart automation and triggers: Saves time by auto-assigning tasks, sending reminders, or shifting deadlines based on rule-based workflows
- Team visibility and collaboration: Allows comments, file sharing, updates, and approvals to live alongside tasks, reducing status checks and keeping everyone in sync
- Data control and permissions: Offers enterprise-grade planning means robust admin settings, user roles, audit logs, and compliance-ready security features
If your planning tool checks these boxes, congrats—you’ve found a keeper. Now let’s look at which tools will actually make the cut.
Summarize this article for me pleaseThe Best Planning Tools
How we review software at ClickUp
Our editorial team follows a transparent, research-backed, and vendor-neutral process, so you can trust that our recommendations are based on real product value.
Here’s a detailed rundown of how we review software at ClickUp.
Here are our picks for the best project planning tools. 👇
1. ClickUp (Best for customizable goals, timelines, and tasks in one collaborative space)
ClickUp Project Management Software is the world’s first converged AI Workspace. It eliminates work sprawl by combining project, knowledge, and chat in one place—powered by AI that helps you work faster and smarter.
Begin by selecting how you would like to view your work with four flexible planning ClickUp Views.
Use List View to organize ClickUp Tasks with dependencies and deadlines in a detailed format. Switch to Board View for a Kanban layout with custom cards, assignees, and Sprint Points. Calendar View helps you spot gaps, overlaps, and workload issues across days or weeks. And Timeline View lets you drag and resize tasks while keeping team dependencies intact.
Goal tracking like a champion
Planning how work gets done is one thing, tracking impact is another.
Use ClickUp Tasks to set strategic objectives directly and address them in your day-to-day work. Create a goal Task, break it into targets like subtasks, or ClickUp Custom Fields like numeric values, or true/false conditions, and track progress automatically as work gets done.
For instance, a team leader managing team performance can create individual employee scorecard Dashboards with weekly targets. These are small tasks, like completing 10 support tickets, attending three client calls, and submitting a weekly project report.
Integrated AI support
Once the structure is in place, ClickUp Brain accelerates the strategic planning process. It’s built directly into your workspace and understands the full context of your complex projects.
Say you’re building a new process. Instead of drafting steps manually, you can prompt ClickUp Brain with: ‘Create a plan for onboarding remote hires in the first 30 days.’ It’ll instantly generate a phased checklist, complete with suggested assignees, timelines, and dependencies.
And when it’s time to act, ClickUp Brain can generate new tasks, subtasks, and even Docs. It links them to the right location, and auto-fills fields like status, assignee, and priority.
🎥 Watch: How to make a high-level project plan?
⚙️ Bonus: Turn to the ClickUp Planning a Project Template for mapping goals, priorities, and timelines when you need to rally the team and keep things moving.
Detailed reporting with custom Dashboards
Once plans are in motion, ClickUp Dashboards help you monitor execution without piecing together updates from multiple project management tools.
Wondering how they track project progress?
They pull live data from tasks, Goals, time tracking, Custom Fields, and more into one visual interface. Are you overseeing hiring progress, reviewing sprint velocity, or tracking compliance milestones? Dashboards let you build what you need using charts, tables, workload views, or task lists.
For instance, you’re managing a client retainer. Set up a dashboard with Timesheet cards to track billable hours per client, a Workload chart to monitor team capacity, and a Calculation widget to project overages based on current pacing.
🚀 ClickUp Advantage: Use the ClickUp Example Project Plan Template for a clean, structured layout that lets you map out phases, milestones, and deadlines. While the ClickUp OKR Framework Template lets you set company-wide Objectives and measurable Key Results.
ClickUp best features
- Link work to knowledge: Leverage ClickUp Docs to build and organize SOPs, meeting notes, project briefs, and project plans, then connect them directly to tasks for execution
- Map ideas into execution: Use ClickUp Whiteboards to visually brainstorm workflows, assign responsibilities, and convert ideas into tasks
- Stay on track: Track billable hours, set time estimates, and view time data by project or assignee with ClickUp Time Tracking
- Automate routine processes: Set rules to auto-assign tasks, move statuses, or send updates with ClickUp Automations, cutting down manual handoffs for business operations
- Summarize meetings instantly: Let ClickUp AI Notetaker record your calls, capture key points, and extract action items
- Find what you need: Search across tasks, comments, Docs, and integrations with ClickUp Connected Search to avoid delays and context switching
ClickUp limitations
- ClickUp’s wide range of features and custom options can feel overwhelming at first
ClickUp pricing
free forever
Best for individual users
Free Free
Key Features:
60MB Storage
Unlimited Tasks
Unlimited Free Plan Members
unlimited
Best for small teams
$7 $10
Everything in Free Forever plus:
Unlimited Storage
Unlimited Folders and Spaces
Unlimited Integrations
business
Best for mid-sized teams
$12 $19
Everything in Unlimited, plus:
Google SSO
Unlimited Message History
Unlimited Mind Maps
enterprise
Best for many large teams
Get a custom demo and see how ClickUp aligns with your goals.
Everything in Business, plus:
White Labeling
Conditional Logic in Forms
Subtasks in Multiple Lists
* Prices when billed annually
The world's most complete work AI, starting at $9 per month
ClickUp Brain is a no Brainer. One AI to manage your work, at a fraction of the cost.
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (10,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (4,000+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about ClickUp?
This G2 review really says it all:
💡 Bonus: If you want to:
- Instantly search ClickUp, Google Drive, GitHub, OneDrive, SharePoint, and ALL your connected apps + the web to locate files, documents, and attachments
- Use Talk to Text to ask, dictate, and command your work by voice—hands-free, anywhere
- Leverage premium external AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini with a single, contextual, enterprise-ready solution that brings context and intelligence to your planning needs
Try ClickUp Brain MAX—the AI Super App that truly understands your planning process because it knows your work. Ditch the AI tool sprawl, use your voice to get work done, create documents, assign tasks to team members, and more.
2. Wrike (Best for visual workflow management)
via Wrike
Wrike is a flexible work management and collaboration platform built to enhance team efficiency and simplify complex workflows. Its adaptability makes it a reliable option for reducing manual effort.
From resource bookings to dynamic request forms, it enables detailed planning without sacrificing speed. The platform’s modular approach lets you manage intake, allocate resources, and track execution.
Wrike best features
- Tailor workflows using custom item types that reflect your team’s structure, terminology, and processes
- Streamline project intake with dynamic request forms powered by conditional logic and automatic routing
- Keep cross-functional work connected using cross-tagging, so tasks appear across multiple projects without duplication
- Translate rough notes or project ideas into structured plans with AI that auto-generates subtasks
Wrike limitations
- Limited options for tailoring views, fields, and workflows
- Users report slow load times when working with large projects or heavy file uploads
Wrike pricing
- Free
- Team: $10/month per user
- Business: $25/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
- Pinnacle: Custom pricing
Wrike ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (4,400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (2,000+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Wrike?
Straight from a G2 review:
🔍 Did You Know? People’s motivation toward deadlines often weakens as a deadline nears because their perception of cost and reward shifts over time. The effort looms much larger, and enthusiasm fades. Researchers call this hyperbolic time discounting, a tug-of-war between present temptation and future benefit.
📚 Also Read: We Tested the Best Wrike Alternatives & Competitors
3. Jira (Best for agile project planning and issue tracking)
via Atlassian
Jira adapts to your team’s planning style, from sprint-based timelines to multi-team roadmaps. This project planning tool helps you break down big goals, map dependencies, and adjust capacity.
Live updates are automatically reflected with real-time plan sync, so executives and stakeholders always have the latest view. To speed up execution, Jira offers a wide range of pre-built planning templates for strategic projects, cross-functional programs, or agile workflows.
Jira best features
- Break down initiatives with advanced roadmaps that align multiple teams, track capacity, and reveal cross-project dependencies
- Stay ahead of blockers with dependency mapping across teams, then embed plans into Confluence for visibility
- Plan sprints around availability using team capacity planning, so work stays realistic and achievable
- Model different outcomes using scenario planning to compare timelines, resource needs, and risk levels
Jira limitations
- Certain configurations require administrative expertise, making setup time-consuming
- Native collaboration features are limited, often requiring external project management software for real-time communication
Jira pricing
- Free
- Standard: $7.53/month per user
- Premium: $13.53/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Jira ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (6,300+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (15,000+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Jira?
See what a reviewer had to say:
📚 Also Read: Best Jira Alternatives & Competitors for Agile Teams
4. Trello (Best for card-based task organization for personal projects)
via Trello
Trello turns everyday planning into a visual and flexible experience. Built around Boards, Lists, and Cards, it offers a clutter-free way to organize your day-to-day without overcomplicating the process.
You can turn inputs into actions instantly by forwarding emails directly into Trello with Email Magic or pushing messages from Slack and Teams into your Trello Inbox. Here, Atlassian Intelligence transforms them into structured to-dos with summaries and links.
Trello best features
- Build a daily structure by syncing your calendar and blocking time for tasks with the built-in Planner view
- Automate repetitive actions with Butler for setting rules, triggers, and scheduled workflows
- Mirror cards across multiple boards with Card Mirroring to track shared work in different contexts without duplication
- Expand functionality with Power-Ups, connecting Trello to tools like Google Calendar, Jira, and Confluence
Trello limitations
- Accessing features like Gantt View requires a paid upgrade or add-on
- Performance slows down noticeably when multiple boards are in use
Trello pricing
- Free for 10 users
- Standard: $6/month per user
- Premium: $12.50/month per user
- Enterprise: $17.50/month per user
Trello ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (13,600+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (23,500+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Trello?
A reviewer summed it up like this:
🔍 Did You Know? The ‘illusion of progress’ speeds up behavior and increases loyalty. In practical terms, breaking big goals into visible steps, or even giving a head start, can significantly boost motivation and completion rates.
📚 Also Read: Best Trello Alternatives and Competitors
5. Microsoft Project (Best for resource management within the Microsoft ecosystem)
via Microsoft
Formerly known as Microsoft Project, Microsoft Planner reimagines project management with a more intuitive, collaborative interface. Fully integrated into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, it structures task tracking, team coordination, and project execution across familiar platforms like Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint.
If you already use Microsoft, this task management software is reliable for onboarding flows, cross-functional initiatives, or IT operations.
Microsoft Project best features
- Work natively inside Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint to assign tasks, set due dates, and track project progress
- Turn conversations into action by embedding planner boards in Microsoft Teams channels
- Stay on top of timelines with built-in charts and schedule views that surface workloads and milestones
- Get a head start with goal-setting templates for HR, operations, and software development
Microsoft Project limitations
- Planner doesn’t offer robust reporting dashboards or workload forecasting to track key performance indicators
- Features like Gantt charts, time tracking, and task dependencies require integration with other planning tools
Microsoft Project pricing
- Free
- Planner Plan 1: $10/month per user (Billed annually)
- Planner and Project Plan 3: $30/month per user (Billed annually)
- Planner and Project Plan 5: $55/month per user (Billed annually)
Microsoft Project ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (200+reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Microsoft Project?
One Capterra review puts it this way:
📚 Also Read: Best Microsoft Project Alternatives (Free and Paid)
6. Teamwork (Best for client project delivery with billing and resource accuracy)
via TeamWork
Designed for service-based teams, TeamWork blends project planning and resource management. Visualize workloads, track time, and forecast capacity, so you never agree to any project without knowing your team’s bandwidth.
Spot under- or over-utilized team members with live availability views and resourcing heatmaps. Then, shift workloads on the fly using a visual planner that highlights gaps, capacity, and time off in one clear dashboard.
TeamWork best features
- Use billable utilization tracking to uncover inefficiencies and protect profit margins across all client work
- Get AI-generated utilization summaries and predictive resourcing suggestions to stay ahead of staffing needs
- Forecast resource demand for tentative or upcoming projects using placeholders and scheduled assignments
- Balance long-term and short-term work through time-block planning, with drag-and-drop control and built-in buffers
TeamWork limitations
- Financial and performance reports aren’t tailored well for agencies, limiting strategic planning
- Users complain of needing advanced proofing tools and better integrations with design-specific software
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 (1000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (900+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about TeamWork?
Take a look at this G2 review:
📮 ClickUp Insight: 78% of our survey respondents make detailed plans as part of their goal-setting processes. However, a surprising 50% don’t track those plans with dedicated tools. 👀
With ClickUp, you seamlessly convert goals into actionable tasks, allowing you to conquer them step by step. Plus, our no-code Dashboards provide clear visual representations of your progress, showcasing your progress and giving you more control and visibility over your work. Because “hoping for the best” isn’t a reliable strategy.
💫 Real Results: ClickUp users say they can take on ~10% more work without burning out.
📚 Also Read: Best Teamwork Alternatives and Competitors
7. Toggl Plan (Best for lightweight visual planning for fast-moving project environments)
via Toggl Plan
Toggl Plan is a tool that turns clunky spreadsheets into sleek, drag-and-drop project timelines, making planning feel intuitive.
Toggle (pun intended) between project and team timelines, catch capacity issues early, and shift workloads in seconds. With shared timelines and mobile access, planning stays clear, even across overlapping projects.
Toggl Plan best features
- Spot and resolve scheduling conflicts using real-time team availability across projects, vacations, and holidays
- Switch from daily details to quarterly overviews and long-term resource forecasts with zoom levels
- Stay informed through email and in-app notifications anytime a task moves, updates, or someone tags you
Toggl Plan limitations
- Outlook Calendar sync and task management are unavailable in the free plan, limiting utility for some freelancers or small teams
- Splitting time between multiple projects can be difficult to navigate, especially for users managing overlapping tasks
Toggl Plan pricing
- Free
- Capacity: $6/month per user
- Starter: $9/month per user
- Premium: $15/month per user
Toggl Plan ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (40+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (100+ reviews)
🧠 Fun Fact: The Hawthorne Effect was coined in 1958 by Henry A. Landsberger, after reviewing experiments from the 1920s-30s at the Hawthorne Works Electric Company. Productivity increased no matter if lighting was turned up or down, and dipped again when the study ended. This means workers weren’t responding to better lighting, they were reacting to being observed. The psychological phenomenon works with time tracking as well.
📚 Also Read: Top Toggl Alternatives for Time Tracking
8. Todoist (Best for personal productivity and basic collaboration with minimalist UX)
via Todoist
Todoist strips planning down to what matters: clear priorities, focused execution, and zero friction. Add tasks in seconds using natural language, organize them by project or priority, and see exactly what’s due when.
What sets the platform apart is how it blends personal productivity with lightweight team coordination. You can keep solo plans streamlined or loop in collaborators with task assignments, comments, and file sharing.
Todoist best features
- Group and prioritize tasks by project, label, or priority level for complete control over what to tackle next
- Use sections and sub-tasks to break down large projects into actionable steps
- Set and track project goals with daily/weekly task streaks and a built-in productivity score to visualize momentum
Todoist limitations
- Undoing actions on mobile, like accidentally marking a task as complete, is unintuitive in comparison to Todoist alternatives
- Weekend settings are inflexible, and calendar integrations often lead to cluttered or inconsistent displays
Todoist pricing
- Free
- Pro: $2.5/month per user
- Business: $8/month per user
Todoist ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (800+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (2,560+ reviews)
💡 Pro Tip: Start with identity to curb procrastination in your team. Pychyl and Shanahan found that people who are secure in their identity are far less likely to procrastinate. This is because they’re not wasting energy figuring out who they are; they’re using that energy to get things done.
9. MindMeister (Best for visual brainstorming and planning using collaborative mind maps)
via MindMeister
MindMeister is a cloud-based mind mapping tool that transforms how you capture, develop, and present ideas. If you’re brainstorming alone or creating a high-level project plan, it can be your go-to to structure your thoughts using intuitive visual maps accessible from any browser or device.
Each mind map starts with a central idea and expands into connected branches, great for outlining strategies, managing projects, or studying complex topics.
MindMeister best features
- Create tailored plans with drag-and-drop boards, columns, and views suited to your workflow
- Shift perspectives instantly using Table, Kanban, Timeline, and Gantt views for different planning needs
- Add depth to tasks with file attachments, links, dependencies, and custom fields
- Collaborate in context using comments, mentions, and connected updates inside each task or item
MindMeister limitations
- It’s not designed for visualizing workflows like traditional flowchart planning tools
- Performance can dip when boards grow large or include heavy file attachments and multiple dependencies
MindMeister pricing
- Free
- Personal: $4.50/month per user (billed annually)
- Pro: $5.50/month per user (billed annually)
- Business: $8.50/month per user (billed annually)
MindMeister ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (30+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (290+ reviews)
🧠 Fun Fact: Mind maps activate both the analytical and creative sides of the brain, enhancing memory, insight, and understanding. This dual-hemisphere activation is what sets MM apart from traditional note-taking methods.
10. Asana (Best for work coordination and goal alignment across business functions)
via Asana
Asana lets you design workflows that reflect your team’s process, assign tasks with clear ownership, and link daily work to high-level goals.
Its no-code automation and flexible project plan templates make it easy to standardize how work gets done across teams. Its visual Work Graph® links tasks to company-wide goals, so everyone knows not just what they’re doing, but why it matters.
Asana best features
- Design repeatable workflows with Bundles to package templates, rules, and forms into reusable systems
- Balance team workloads using Workload view, visualizing capacity and shifting tasks before burnout
- Align daily execution with long-term strategy using Goals that track progress in real time
- Forecast staffing needs with capacity planning to ensure priority projects are adequately resourced
Asana limitations
- Lacks granular capacity planning by hours, affecting accurate resource allocation
- Advanced strategic planning tools like Gantt charts and Workload views are restricted to higher-tier plans
Asana pricing
- Free
- Starter: $13.49/month per user
- Advanced: $30.49/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
- Enterprise+: Custom pricing
Asana ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (11,600+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (13,400+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Asana?
Here’s a G2 review for this tool:
📚 Also Read: Best Asana Alternatives and Competitors
11. Monday (Best for workflow automation and project tracking in a modular visual format)
via Monday
From project kickoffs to deadline tracking, Monday’s color-coded boards and customizable workflows with flexible columns give teams a shared space to plan, assign, and execute.
The platform offers an intuitive interface with drag-and-drop elements, project management templates, and automations that reduce manual work. As your planning needs grow, Monday adapts with layered task structures, time tracking, and custom project dashboards that scale with your team.
Monday best features
- Track performance with built-in time tracking for tasks and team members
- Add file attachments, comments, and in-built docs directly on task boards
- Integrate with over 200 tools, including ClickUp, Google Drive, Zapier, and more
Monday limitations
- Automated actions are limited by plan tiers, which can restrict scale
- You can’t send bulk emails for more than 500 items at a time
Monday pricing
- Free
- Basic: $12/month per user
- Standard: $14/month per user
- Pro: $24/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Monday ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (13,500+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (5,000+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Monday?
A G2 reviewer shared this feedback:
🎥 Watch: How to use ClickUp Whiteboards for project planning?
📚 Also Read: Best monday.com Alternatives & Competitors
12. Zoho Projects (Best for end-to-end project execution with customizable task logic)
via Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects is for planners who love visibility, automation, and no-nonsense collaboration. Gantt charts help you spot task delays before they snowball. While timesheets log billable hours in real-time and sync with Zoho Invoice, so your team can focus on work, not admin.
It also keeps teams synced globally using AI and natural-language search to find anything. Zia Translate breaks down language barriers with auto‑translation in over 70 languages, great for truly global teams.
Zoho Projects best features
- Build custom workflows with Blueprints, allowing conditional automations, role-based actions, and notifications
- Get AI-powered suggestions and status updates from Zia, its built-in assistant for metrics, insights, and smart search
- Simplify work handoffs by assigning approval stages and automating field updates with task transition logic
Zoho Projects limitations
- Template customization is limited, especially when managing multiple similar projects
- Requires extensive training for teams to fully adopt and utilize all features effectively
Zoho Projects pricing
- Free
- Custom pricing
Zoho Projects ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (800+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Zoho Projects?
One Zoho user on G2 had this to say:
13. TeamGantt (Best for intuitive Gantt scheduling and real-time collaboration)
via TeamGantt
TeamGantt’s drag-and-drop interface helps you create polished project timelines in minutes, complete with task dependencies, milestones, and baseline comparisons.
You can switch between Gantt charts, Kanban boards, calendars, or lists. Built-in workload balancing, cost tracking, and critical path analysis help you maintain realistic delivery timelines and keep teams focused.
TeamGantt best features
- Compare forecasts vs. actuals using baseline reports and spot delays before they escalate
- Stay financially on course as tasks evolve with cost-loaded scheduling to track budgets
- Monitor team availability and assign tasks without burnout using a live resource tab
- Generate fully structured WBS plans with the AI Project Plan Generator and upload them directly into your workspace
TeamGantt limitations
- Limited dependency control makes it harder to automate updates across loosely connected tasks
- Feature overload for small teams, which can lead to underutilization during onboarding compared to TeamGantt alternatives
TeamGantt pricing
- Free
- Pro: $59/month per user
- Unlimited Everything: Custom pricing
TeamGantt ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.8/5 (800+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (200+ reviews)
💡 Pro Tip: Insert dummy buffer tasks (like ‘Testing Cushion’ or ‘Review Slack’) with no assignees to account for unpredictable delays. This way, you can absorb minor slips without derailing the entire timeline.
14. Airtable (Best for structured project planning with flexible databases and views)
via Airtable
Airtable brings structure and flexibility to planning through its hybrid use of spreadsheets and databases. It allows you to plan projects, manage resource allocation, and organize workflows by building bases made up of interconnected tables, linking tasks, teams, clients, or milestones.
Custom fields, relationships between records, and real-time updates make it easy to create a source of truth for any type of project plan.
Airtable best features
- Turn project plans into apps instantly with AI App Builder, converting structured data into interactive planning tools
- Automate decision-making with AI Agents that trigger actions or updates based on real-time conditions
- Handle massive planning datasets using HyperDB, connecting millions of records from platforms like Snowflake and Databricks
Airtable limitations
- Performance can lag in large or complex databases with heavy data and multiple linked tables
- Data export is clunky, especially while merging fields or exporting structured data
Airtable pricing
- Free
- Team: $20/month per user (billed annually)
- Business: $45/month per user (billed annually)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Airtable ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (2,900+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,100+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Airtable?
A quick snippet from a real user:
📚 Also Read: Best Airtable Alternatives & Competitors
15. Miro (Best for real-time whiteboarding for brainstorming and alignment)
via Miro
Miro is a project planning software that transforms an organization into a dynamic, visual, and collaborative process. It’s a great tool for remote and cross-functional teams.
Its infinite canvas lets you map out ideas, organize workflows, and align stakeholders in real time. Drag-and-drop tools, templates, and AI assistance make it easy to structure plans, connect concepts, and move from ideation to execution faster.
Miro best features
- Automatically connect related ideas during planning sessions with AI-powered suggestions
- Choose from hundreds of templates designed for Agile project planning, retrospectives, mind mapping, and team alignment
- Summarize complex planning boards instantly with AI highlights and action items
- Collaborate live with team members through real-time comments, reactions, and edits
Miro limitations
- File access on macOS can be unintuitive, making it hard to locate or manage local assets
- Image links can’t be updated dynamically, which is limiting when using frequently changing visuals in plans
Miro pricing
- Free
- Starter: $10/month per user
- Business: $16/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Miro ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (7,900+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (1,600+ reviews)
🔍 Did You Know? Mind mapping, popularized by Tony Buzan in 1995, taps into the brain’s natural way of thinking, making it easier to recall information than traditional note-taking. Using colors, images, and visual cues can boost memory and help you see the connections between ideas at a glance.
📚 Also Read: Best Miro Alternatives & Competitors
Summarize this article for me pleaseGrow Your Business 10X With ClickUp
Every team has its own rhythm, and the right planning tool helps you move in sync. While each tool on this list has its strengths, ClickUp stands out as the all-in-one platform that does it all.
With ClickUp Brain for AI-powered task summaries and writing help and Dashboards for real-time insights, you know exactly what to do.
Plus, it comes with 20+ customizable Views to see your work your way, Goals to align teams on measurable outcomes, and real-time collaboration features.
Sign up to ClickUp for free today! ✅
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
