If you’ve ever tried to juggle flaming torches and the occasional metaphorical knife—while riding a unicycle—then you already have some idea of what it’s like to manage a complex project. ?
Managing projects, deadlines, and teams is no easy feat, but we know you’re up for the challenge. As a project manager (PM), you just need the right mix of tools in your shed to help you make the most of your resources.
While your budget and your team’s expertise certainly matter, timing is also a biggie. You need a tool to visualize project tasks and keep everything running on time—and that’s where project timeline software comes in handy. ?️
In this guide, we’ll explain what project timelines are and why you need them, and we’ll share our 10 favorite picks for project timeline software in 2024.
10 Best Project Timeline Software in 2024
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Is a Project Timeline?
A project timeline is a visual representation of your project’s tasks and milestones laid out sequentially over a period of time. Think of your project timeline as a roadmap that guides you through every step of the project, from inception to completion.
Project timelines help project managers understand the sequence of what needs to be done and when, the dependencies between tasks, and how to move forward.
Every project timeline is unique, but they all usually include the following components.
- Tasks: These are the specific activities you need to tick off your list. They have a start and end date
- Milestones: These are significant checkpoints in a project
- Dependencies: Dependent tasks are contingent on the completion of other tasks
- Duration: This represents the time your team takes to finish a task
- Resources: This refers to the assignees or teams responsible for completing each task
Instead of just listing your projects in a List view, a project timeline tool visualizes all of these factors for you. Visualizing your workload offers more clarity, and having more clarity makes you a better project manager. ?
Keep in mind that a project timeline isn’t the same as a Gantt chart, although they’re similar. A Gantt chart offers a lot of details in one view, while a Timeline view gives you a quick overview of how everything fits together.
If you want to visualize your project roadmap and future events, project timeline software is what you need.
Benefits of project timeline software
Can you be successful at project management without project timelines? Sure, but a project management timeline tool makes your job as a PM way easier—so why not use one?
Project timeline tools offer many benefits, including:
- Better management of resources like manpower, equipment, and materials
- Proactive risk management
- Enhanced team accountability with task dependencies and milestones
- Automations and other time-saving tools for project managers
What do you have to lose? Every PM dreams of having greater visibility and accountability across the entire project and a project management timeline tool does just that.
Summarize this article for me please10 Best Project Timeline Software
Ready to see the power of project timeline software for yourself? We’ve got you covered, pal. ?
Check out this list of the top 10 project timeline tools of 2024 to find the best option for your team.
1. ClickUp
Surprise! ClickUp is everybody’s favorite productivity suite, so it should come as no surprise that we also have robust project timeline software, too.
To create your own Timeline view in ClickUp, go to your existing Workspace and add the Timeline view. That’s it!
It’s easy as pie to convert your workspace into a clear and highly visual timeline for your team to review. But that’s just the beginning: ClickUp offers way more than task management and project visualization tools. ✨
If you want to see more granular details about projects, flip over to the ClickUp Gantt Chart view. Gantt Chart view gives you a bird’s-eye view of all Spaces, Projects, and Lists. Collaborate with your team, track task dependencies, and prioritize tasks and projects, all in one place.
It’s impossible for a PM to be everywhere at once, but ClickUp makes project management a breeze by combining all your work into one platform.
Oh, and did we mention the templates? Borrow ClickUp’s Project Timeline Whiteboard Template to visualize your timeline in one convenient dashboard. The ClickUp Fillable Timeline Template makes it easy to quickly map out your projects and events. But don’t worry—if you’re a Gantt diehard, the ClickUp Gantt Timeline Template is here for you, too.
ClickUp best features:
- Brainstorm virtually with ClickUp Whiteboards, and convert your Whiteboard to a project with a single click
- Track progress in real time with ClickUp Dashboards
- Save hours every week with ClickUp’s Project Timeline Templates
- Get job-specific help editing, writing, and ideating with ClickUp AI
ClickUp limitations:
- ClickUp has so many features that new users sometimes find the platform overwhelming
- ClickUp AI is only available on paid plans
ClickUp pricing:
- Free Forever
- Unlimited: $7/month per user
- Business: $12/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
- ClickUp AI is available on all paid plans for $5 per Workspace member per month
ClickUp ratings and reviews:
- G2: 4.7/5 (8,300+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (3,700+ reviews)
2. Wrike
Wrike is a project management tool used for project planning, Kanban boards, and creative approvals. This makes it a popular collaboration tool for creative teams, but any kind of team can use Wrike to speed up processes and save time.
Wrike Dashboards visualize tasks and processes. They allow custom fields so you can create pretty much any kind of report with real-time data.
Wrike best features:
- Schedule with shared calendars
- Workload view is a drag-and-drop tool for resource management
- Track billable hours and costs in the revenue management tool
Wrike limitations:
- Some users say Wrike is hard to navigate and looks outdated
- Others say it’s difficult to get a high-level snapshot of their work
Wrike pricing:
- Free
- Team: $9.80/month per user, for two to 25 users
- Business: $24.80/month per user, for five to 200 users
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
- Pinnacle: Contact for pricing
Wrike ratings and reviews:
- G2: 4.2/5 (3,400+reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (2,400+ reviews)
Check out these Wrike alternatives!
3. Monday.com
Monday.com has ready-made workflows for sales teams, PMs, HR, software developers, and more. Take a look at your projects in Kanban, Timeline, Workload, or Gantt views to visualize tasks, milestones, and dependencies as you see fit.
Use Monday.com’s Dashboards for real-time insights. This time-saving feature is a must-have for any PM, especially if you’re juggling multiple projects (and we know you probably are). ?
Monday.com best features:
- Monday.com integrates with tools like Zoom, Slack, Mailchimp, Google Drive, Outlook, and more
- Do you manage work requests? Use Monday.com Forms to create customizable internal forms
- Monday.com comes with automations for time tracking, due dates, dependencies, and more
Monday.com limitations:
- Some users say it’s difficult to track project goals
- Others say Monday.com doesn’t offer as much customization as other platforms
Monday.com pricing:
- Free
- Basic: $8/month per seat, billed annually
- Standard: $10/month per seat, billed annually
- Pro: $19/month per seat, billed annually
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Monday ratings and reviews:
- G2: 4.7/5 (8,500+ reviews)
- Capterra: N/A
4. Jira
Jira is a project management tool that development teams use to plan projects, track tasks, manage releases, generate reports, and automate tasks.
Jira Timelines is an interactive feature that visualizes work items, dependencies, and releases. It’s designed for Agile teams and offers PMs a view of multiple teams and projects with the click of a mouse.
Jira best features:
- Create either Scrum or Kanban boards
- Quickly visualize progress with one-click reports
- Customize workflows to offer more structure to your team
Jira limitations:
- Jira is designed for development teams, so if you aren’t a developer, you probably won’t get much out of it
- Some users say Jira has a lot of moving parts and is hard to use
Jira pricing:
- Free
- Standard: $7.75/month per user
- Premium: $15.25/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Jira ratings and reviews:
- G2: 4.3/5 (5,400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (13,200+ reviews)
Check out these Jira alternatives!
5. Timeline Maker
It might not look as fancy as the other tools on our top 10 list, but there’s a time and a place for simpler tools like Timeline Maker. It doesn’t include extra features, like task management or daily planner templates, but if you’re looking for a no-frills project timeline tool, this could be the one for you.
Timeline Maker allows you to enter your own data from an Excel CSV, TXT, or Microsoft Project file. Choose from its five timeline chart styles, and the software will automatically generate options for you. Export your timeline via email, PNG, JPEG, HTML, PDF, GIF, or even PowerPoint to share with your team or boss.
Timeline Maker best features:
- Pay for a one-time license, and you own Timeline Maker for life
- Try five different timeline styles with one click
- Add context to timelines by attaching documents and files
Timeline Maker limitations:
- Unlike the other project management timeline tools on this list, Timeline Maker doesn’t offer robust work management features
- Timeline Maker doesn’t have many reviews
Timeline Maker pricing:
- Individual Lifetime License: $149 (one-time charge)
- Small Business Pack: $299 for a three-user Lifetime License
- Enterprise: starting at $535 for a five-user Lifetime License
Timeline Maker ratings and reviews:
- G2: N/A
- Capterra: N/A
Build a timeline in Google Docs!
6. GanttPRO
Just as the name suggests, GanttPRO is a project visualization tool that specializes in Gantt charts. Its Work Breakdown Structure (WSB) view breaks software projects down into actionable tasks, making even the most complex work process easy to follow.
GanttPRO is an interactive Gantt chart-builder that can handle multiple projects at once. It has tools for managing resources, estimating project costs, and sharing files with your team with just a few clicks.
GanttPRO best features:
- GanttPRO offers automatic project scheduling
- People love the user-friendly drag-and-drop interface
- Manage time and engage in team collaboration on one platform
GanttPRO limitations:
- Some users say the interface and design are a little dated
- Others wish GanttPRO would offer better customer service
GanttPRO pricing:
- Basic: $7.99/month per user, billed annually
- Pro: $12.99/month per user, billed annually
- Business: $19.99/month per user, billed annually
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
GanttPRO ratings and reviews:
- G2: 4.8/5 (450+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.8/5 (440+ reviews)
7. Toggl Plan
You might know Toggl as a time-tracking app, and Toggl Plan is an offshoot designed for project visualization. If you’re already tracking time in Toggl anyway, the two products integrate seamlessly so opting for Toggl Plan just makes sense. ?
With the Toggl integration, you can seamlessly pull data between the two products, draw project insights from your team’s time-tracking data, and ensure accurate billing.
Toggl Plan best features:
- Visualize your team’s time and tasks in one place
- Streamline team scheduling with a shared calendar view
- Invite clients as guests to a shared project with role-based permissions
Toggl Plan limitations:
- Several users say they had a hard time acclimating to the app and finding everything at first
- Others wish Toggl Plan had more integrations
Toggl Plan pricing:
- Team: $8/month per user, billed annually
- Business: $13.35/month per user, billed annually
Toggl Plan ratings and reviews:
- G2: 4.3/5 (30+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (110+ reviews)
Check out these Toggl alternatives!
8. Trello
Trello is primarily a digital Kanban board for project management. Since Kanban boards are already very visual, this makes Trello a shoo-in for our top 10 list of the best project management software.
Choose between Board, Timeline, Table, Calendar, Dashboard, Map, and Workspace views to get a better understanding of your projects. Timeline view is particularly useful for visualizing your project timelines: Track sprints, goals, and due dates in your pipeline in one place.
Trello best features:
- Use the Power-Up feature to integrate your existing tools with Trello plug-ins
- Trello’s Butler automation can seamlessly guide your team through established workflows
- Try Trello Templates for everything from new hire onboarding to lead management
Trello limitations:
- Trello’s free plan limits integrations, features, and attachment sizes
- Some users say Trello’s reporting feature lacks customization
Trello pricing:
- Free
- Standard: $5/month per user, billed annually
- Premium: $10/month per user, billed annually
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Trello ratings and reviews:
- G2: 4.4/5 (13,300+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (22,600+ reviews)
Check out these Trello alternatives!
9. Notion
Did you know that Notion is a lot more than a note-taking app? This tool combines wikis, documents, and projects in one place. And yes: It’s also a solid option as a project management timeline tool.
Use Notion’s project management Timeline view to see how the entire project or projects fit together. You can also visualize work in a Database, Calendar, or Board view across your specific project tasks.
Notion best features:
- Although it isn’t out yet, Notion is set to release workflow automation key features soon
- Break tasks into subtasks and assign dependencies
- Monitor project progress with Notion’s status bar
Notion limitations:
- Notion lacks integrations compared to other project management tools
- Some users say the interface can be glitchy when working with a lot of data
Notion pricing:
- Free
- Plus: $8/month per user, billed annually
- Business: $15/month per user, billed annually
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Notion ratings and reviews:
- G2: 4.7/5 (4,700+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (1,800+ reviews)
Check out these Notion alternatives!
10. Asana
Asana is a robust project management tool with goals, team workload tracking, automations, forms, and shared calendars. Use the Asana Timeline view to visualize your tasks as a Kanban board, list, timeline, calendar, or Gantt chart. And if you decide that you’d like to see it all from a different perspective, Asana lets you change views with one click.
Asana best features:
- Use the drag-and-drop workflow builder to automate your team’s workload
- Get real-time productivity reports
- Measure team members’ task loads with the Workload feature
Asana limitations:
- Some users say the search functionality isn’t as robust as they would like
- Others say Asana isn’t intuitive for new users
Asana pricing:
- Free
- Premium: $10.99/month per user, billed annually
- Business: $24.99/month per user, billed annually
Asana ratings and reviews:
- G2: 4.3/5 (9,400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (12,100+ reviews)
Check out these Asana alternatives!
Summarize this article for me pleaseStart Creating Project Timeline with Project Management Software
Whether you’re creating a marketing campaign or developing an app, you need a project timeline to go the distance with your team. Instead of doodling on paper or simply listing tasks, visualize everything instantly with the right project timeline software. ?
You’re free to decide on your favorite option on this list, but if you’re sick of switching between different platforms, go with ClickUp. We bring your Documents, Whiteboards, Projects, Tasks, and Teams all to one place. Our robust template library is perfect for visualizing project timelines, but it also has templates for everything from accounting to HR.
See the power of ClickUp firsthand: Create your ClickUp Workspace for free.
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
