Every manager’s been there: a team member leaves, and suddenly, so does the context behind half your projects.
Why was this deadline set? What’s the latest on that vendor call? Where are the files they swore they shared?
If your team’s work lives inside people instead of shared spaces, you need to try workspace software. In this blog post, we’ve shortlisted 11 of the best tools to restore calm after the storm hits. ⚒️
- Top Workspace Software at a Glance
- What Should You Look for In Workspace Software?
- The Best Workspace Software
- 1. ClickUp (Best for customizable, all-in-one workspace for teams)
- 💡 Maximize Your Workspace with ClickUp Brain MAX
- 2. Google Workspace (Best for seamless collaborative productivity with built-in AI)
- 3. Microsoft Teams (Best for unified communication within the Office 365 ecosystem)
- 4. Basecamp (Best for simple, client-friendly project coordination)
- 5. Trello (Best for intuitive Kanban-style task tracking)
- 6. Wrike (Best for structured project portfolios with Gantt and reporting)
- 7. Zoho Projects (Best for affordable, full-featured project management)
- 8. Airtable (Best for building flexible data-driven apps with visual diversity)
- 9. Coda (Best for doc-as-app workflows with interactive building blocks)
- 10. ProofHub (Best for all-in-one project control and proofing)
- 11. Zoom (Best for hybrid teams needing seamless video, AI, and async tools)
- Your Workspace Needs ClickUp
Top Workspace Software at a Glance
Here’s a sneak peek at all the free project management software. 📊
Tool | Best for | Best features | Pricing |
ClickUp | Customizable, all-in-one workspace for teams Team size: Ideal for design, marketing, and agency teams managing multiple client projects | Tasks, AI assistance (ClickUp Brain), docs, knowledge management, dashboards | Free forever; Customizations available for enterprises |
Google Workspace | Unified communication within the Office 365 ecosystem Team size: Ideal for project managers and mid-sized agencies | Real-time collaboration in Docs/Sheets, AI Gems chatbots powered by Gemini | Starts at $8.40/month per user |
Microsoft Teams | Unified communication within the Office 365 ecosystem Team size: Ideal for project managers and mid-sized agencies | Copilot AI for live meeting transcripts, summaries, and task generation | Free; Starts at $9.99/month per user |
Basecamp | Simple, client-friendly project coordination Team size: Ideal for small to midsize agencies and consultancies | Client Access, Hill Charts, Message Boards, reports, to-do tracking | Free; Starts at $15/month per user |
Trello | Intuitive Kanban-style task tracking Team size: Ideal for freelancers and creative collaborators | Kanban boards, card covers, Slide Power-Up, Timeline view | Free; Starts at $6/month per user |
Wrike | Structured project portfolios with Gantt and reporting Team size: Ideal for small businesses and freelancers | Gantt charts with dependencies, resource and budget tracking | Free; Starts at $10/month per user |
Zoho Projects | Affordable, full-featured project management Team size: Ideal for small to midsize agencies scaling delivery | Task dependencies, resource management, client/vendor portals | Free; Starts at $5/month per user |
Airtable | Building flexible data-driven apps with visual diversity Team size: Ideal for teams needing database-style control | Relational tables, interface designer, automation rules | Free; Starts at $20/month per user |
Coda | Doc-as-app workflow with interactive building blocks Team size: Ideal for strategy teams, knowledge ops, and hybrid teams | Interactive tables, packs, automations, meeting, and productivity templates | Free; Starts at $12/month per user |
ProofHub | Comprehensive project control and proofing Team size: Ideal for internal comms, training, and creative review teams | Proofing tools, built-in chat, role-based access | Free; Starts at $50/month |
Zoom | Hybrid teams needing seamless video, AI, and async tools Team size: Ideal for enterprise distributed teams running recurring meetings | HD video, breakout rooms, AI Companion, whiteboards | Free; Starts at $16.99/month per user |
What Should You Look for In Workspace Software?
Here are some must-have features that make a workspace software tool effective for your digital transformation strategy:
- Real-time collaboration and communication: Supports instant chat, video conferencing, annotation, and live co-editing
- Unified task, file, and workflow management: Combines task tracking, file sharing, comments, approvals, and project boards in one interface
- Automation and AI features: Takes care of routine tasks and uses AI to summarize content, generate reminders, or analyze data
- Multiple visual views: Offers different ways to see your work, like Kanban boards, calendars, timelines, and Gantt charts
- Integrations and extensibility: Connects with existing tools in your workspace and exposes an API for custom workflows
- Security and admin controls: Offers robust user permissions, encryption, SSO support, and compliance tools to manage data access across distributed teams safely
🔍 Did You Know? According to Mark Kozak-Holland’s book, The History of Project Management, historical projects, from ancient construction to empire-scale initiatives, used many of the same principles we use today: project sponsorship, defined teams, and structured processes.
The Best Workspace Software
Here are our picks for the best workspace software. 👇
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.
1. ClickUp (Best for customizable, all-in-one workspace for teams)
Work today is broken.
Our projects, knowledge, and communication are scattered across disconnected tools that slow us down.
The ClickUp Project Management Software fixes this with the everything app for work that combines project, knowledge, and chat in one place—all powered by AI that helps you work faster and smarter.
Break down work with ClickUp Tasks
ClickUp Tasks is where planning turns to execution. These building blocks act as steps to help your teams see what needs to be done, when, and by whom.
Say you’re managing a product launch. Create a task for ‘Launch Landing Page,’ then break it into subtasks for copywriting, design, dev integration, testing, and go-live. Each piece has its own assignee, deadline, and dependencies.
Need to customize your workflow? Add ClickUp Custom Fields to track things like channel type, region, or asset type. Plus, you can use Custom Task Statuses in ClickUp to reflect how your team works, like ‘In Legal Review’ or ‘Blocked by Dev.’
Work smarter with ClickUp Brain
Now, here’s where your workspace gets really powerful.
ClickUp Brain is your built-in AI assistant that’s woven into every part of your workspace.
Need help writing task descriptions or summarizing updates? Use ClickUp Brain to generate next steps, summarize progress, or even auto-block your calendar based on workload.
Trying to catch up after a week off? Just ask: What changed in the onboarding project last week? Or which tasks are overdue in the website redesign?
ClickUp Brain searches your entire workspace, like comments, updates, documents, chats, and timelines, to give you clear, actionable answers. You can even drop in tasks, link related docs, and use AI to auto-generate image concepts or campaigns.
💡 Maximize Your Workspace with ClickUp Brain MAX
Need help drafting reports, summarizing updates, or turning raw ideas into actionable tasks—without typing everything out? ClickUp Brain MAX is your AI co-pilot built for speed, clarity, and deep workspace integration.
Whether you’re in back-to-back meetings or processing long project briefs, Brain MAX helps you:
- Dictate ideas hands-free: Turn spoken thoughts, meeting audio, or screen recordings into structured Docs with timestamps, summaries, and action items
- Ask and search smarter: Get instant answers from across your workspace—Docs, tasks, comments, and files—all in one query
- Auto-generate clean content: Draft client proposals, project updates, or knowledge base articles in seconds, using task context and past documentation
Use case example: Say your marketing team just wrapped a product launch debrief. Instead of writing minutes manually, record the discussion, upload it to Brain MAX, and get a ready-to-share Doc with all the key takeaways and next steps.
💡 Pro Tip: Combine ClickUp Brain MAX with Docs Hub and Recurring Tasks to set up automated review workflows that keep your internal knowledge fresh and actionable—no manual upkeep required.
Turn ideas into knowledge with ClickUp Docs
Once tasks are moving and your team’s aligned, the next challenge is figuring out where all the knowledge goes.
ClickUp Docs is where your team drafts wikis, edits SOPs, and collaborates in real time, whether it’s a product spec, an onboarding checklist, or a launch plan.
Let’s say your team is working on that ‘Landing Page’ task from earlier. You spin up a doc directly inside the task to write a draft copy. Marketing jumps in to edit, Product leaves comments, and Legal adds final approval, all in one place.
Now, creating a doc is one thing. Making sure it’s organized, accessible, and usable six months from now is another.
That’s where the ClickUp Knowledge Management system steps in. Every doc your team creates is automatically indexed in the Docs Hub, a central place where you can organize by folder, tag by topic, and control access with advanced permissions.
Visualize progress with ClickUp Dashboards
As your project picks up speed, ClickUp Dashboards give you the visibility to stay on top of everything. The all-in-one software lets you build custom Dashboards using visual cards for task statuses, sprint velocity, time tracking, goals, burndown charts, and more.
For instance, you’re planning a Q3 product launch. Set up a dashboard with a workload widget to check if design or dev is overloaded, a burndown chart to track task progress, a goal tracker tied to launch milestones, and a time tracking card to keep an eye on billable hours or focus.
ClickUp best features
- Connect workflows visually: Build workflows and assign work with task linking and live collaboration within engaging ClickUp Whiteboards
- Move faster: Apply prebuilt ClickUp Templates for HR, Product, Agile, and more to skip setup and start scaling
- Track what matters: Set team objectives, OKRs, and KPIs with ClickUp Goals, connecting them to real tasks and monitoring progress automatically
- Maintain contextual conversations: Use ClickUp Chat to start a conversation, share updates, or ask questions, and let AI turn key messages into tasks
- Collaborate in real time: Share feedback via its social intranet features like comments, Chat, and proofing, all directly tied to your workspace
ClickUp limitations
- ClickUp’s wide range of features and custom options can feel overwhelming at first, especially for teams new to full-scale project management tools
ClickUp pricing
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:
📮 ClickUp Insight: Context-switching is silently eating away at your team’s productivity. Our research shows that 42% of disruptions at work come from juggling platforms, managing emails, and jumping between meetings. What if you could eliminate these costly interruptions?
ClickUp unites your workflows (and chat) under a single, streamlined platform. Launch and manage your tasks from across chat, docs, whiteboards, and more—while AI-powered features keep the context connected, searchable, and manageable!
2. Google Workspace (Best for seamless collaborative productivity with built-in AI)
via Google Workspace
Formerly known as Google Apps and then G Suite, Google Workspace is a cloud-based productivity and collaboration suite developed by Google. It combines essential tools, including Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, and Chat.
The tool stack provides a collaborative workspace with features such as custom business email addresses, shared cloud storage, video conferencing, instant messaging, and integrated AI assistance.
Google Workspace best features
- Get Gemini AI to write and summarize in Gmail, generate insights in Sheets, design slides, and brainstorm in Docs
- Upload docs, briefs, or reports in NotebookLM and get synthesized summaries or audio overviews
- Build no-code apps with AppSheet for team surveys, approval workflows, or asset tracking
- Use Google Calendar to let clients and teammates book time with you automatically through your personalized booking page
Google Workspace limitations
- It’s not ideal for teams needing complex workflows or in-depth administrative control, driving users to Google Workspace alternatives
- Google Drive’s desktop version may crash without a clear fix
Google Workspace pricing
- Business Starter: $8.40/month per user
- Business Standard: $16.80/month per user
- Business Plus: $26.40/month per user
- Enterprise Plus: $42/month per user
Google Workspace ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (43,300+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (17,200+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Google Workspace?
Here’s what one user had to say:
🔍 Did You Know? The Nine Knowledge Areas of Project Management, defined by PMBOK®, cover everything needed to manage a project effectively: Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communication, Risk, and Procurement.
3. Microsoft Teams (Best for unified communication within the Office 365 ecosystem)
via Microsoft
Microsoft Teams is a cloud-based collaboration platform, part of the Microsoft 365 suite, designed for chat, meetings, calling, file sharing, and app integration. The tool brings real-time groups and one‑on‑one chat together with high‑quality video and audio conferencing.
Compared to Google Workspace, you get more detailed administrative control. It allows users to create dedicated ‘Teams’ or channels around projects, departments, or topics, enabling threaded conversations, rich media sharing, and searchable histories.
Microsoft Teams best features
- Use AI-powered tools like Intelligent Recap within branded meeting and communication plan templates to make every call more focused and actionable
- Replace traditional desk phones with Teams Phone, which supports call routing, voicemail, auto-attendants, and direct inward dialing
- Co-edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files directly in Teams with version history and comments
Microsoft Teams limitations
- Freezes, call drops, and screen-sharing glitches are still common during meetings
- Hosts lack granular control, and meeting roles can accidentally default to early participants
Microsoft Teams pricing
- Microsoft Teams: Free
- Microsoft 364 Personal: $9.99/month per user
- Microsoft 365 Family: $12.99/month per user
- Microsoft Teams Essential: $4.80/month per user
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $7.20/month per user
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $15/month per user
Microsoft Teams ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (16,200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (10,200+ reviews)
🧠 Fun Fact: 1954 was a big year for modern management. That’s when US Air Force General Bernard Schriever coined the term ‘project management’, and Peter Drucker introduced Management by Objectives in his book The Practice of Management.
4. Basecamp (Best for simple, client-friendly project coordination)
via Basecamp
Basecamp is a streamlined, browser-based project management and team collaboration platform designed by 37signals (now back to its original name). It helps you create workspaces where each project includes to‑do lists, message boards, file storage, real-time group chat (Campfire), and integrated schedules.
The platform also offers automated check-in questions, prompting teammates to respond to recurring queries like ‘What did you work on today?’.
Basecamp best features
- Understand where work is moving smoothly and where it’s stuck with Hill Charts
- Monitor workloads, spot scheduling conflicts, and align timelines across multiple projects with Lineup and Mission Control
- Simplify communication with Pings and the Hey! menu for direct messages and notifications
Basecamp limitations
- Lacks in-depth dashboards and performance insights
- Alerts can pile up without smart filtering or prioritization
Basecamp pricing
- Free
- Basecamp Plus: $15/month per user
- Basecamp Pro Unlimited: $299/month (billed annually)
Basecamp ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.1/5 (5,300+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (14,500+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Basecamp?
Straight from a G2 review:
5. Trello (Best for intuitive Kanban-style task tracking)
via Trello
Trello is built for teams who think in motion. Its visual boards help turn scattered ideas and to-dos into organized workflows that are easy to manage and even easier to act on.
You can break down any workflow into steps, assign tasks, set deadlines, add checklists, and even automate actions with its built-in AI assistant, Butler. Plus, you can use PowerUps to enhance Trello’s functionality, adding calendars, time tracking, analytics, and deeper integration into your ecosystem.
Trello best features
- Capture everything with Trello Inbox to instantly save tasks, ideas, and action items from email, Slack, or Teams
- Organize your work visually with Trello Boards to mirror how your team moves, using columns, cards, checklists, and due dates
- Mirror tasks across boards with Card Mirroring to track the same to-do in multiple places
Trello limitations
- Lacks deep insights and native reporting tools
- Users must archive cards before they can delete them, adding unnecessary clicks
Trello pricing
- Free
- Standard: $6/month per user
- Premium: $12.50/month per user
- Enterprise: $17.50/month per user (billed annually)
Trello ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (13,700+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (23,600+ reviews)
🔍 Did You Know? A study found that people respond faster and more decisively to shorter deadlines, not just due to urgency, but because these deadlines better align with action-focused goals. However, deadlines alone aren’t enough. They’re most effective when they match the person’s current mindset.
6. Wrike (Best for structured project portfolios with Gantt and reporting)
via Wrike
Wrike is a cloud-based, enterprise-grade work management platform that helps teams plan, track, and deliver both simple and complex projects efficiently. Its customizability when projects scale makes it stand out. You can create custom dashboards to see exactly what matters: team workloads, project health, overdue items, or high-priority campaigns.
Plus, for creative teams, Wrike Proof brings built-in markup and versioning tools. You can review PDFs, images, and videos, leave time-stamped comments, compare file versions, and route files for approval.
Wrike best features
- Standardize how work enters your project management system with Request Forms
- Visualize team collaboration with Shared Whiteboards powered by Klaxoon for real-time ideation, brainstorming, and planning
- Automate repeatable workflows with Work Intelligence to auto-escalate blockers and trigger handoffs
- Predict project issues and potential delays early with AI Risk Prediction
Wrike limitations
- Syncing Wrike with your existing tech stack isn’t always seamless
- Some users struggle with incomplete or rigid filtering options, especially when managing large projects
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 (2,800+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Wrike?
Here’s what a real user had to say:
7. Zoho Projects (Best for affordable, full-featured project management)
Zoho Projects keeps your work organized with task lists, milestones, and Gantt charts that update as your plans change. Time tracking is built in: you can log hours through timers and timesheets without leaving the platform.
Additionally, to cut down repetitive work, the platform offers workflows, SLAs, webhooks, and scheduled business rules. Zoho Projects also integrates with other Zoho apps and external tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, and includes a mobile device functionality for on‑the‑go updates.
Zoho Projects best features
- Automate work with Blueprints that standardize complex task flows and result in better team management
- Streamline bug resolution with Issue Tracking that categorizes issues, automates status updates, and integrates with GitHub and Bitbucket
- Summarize project data, auto-adjust tone in updates, and translate content with Zia AI
- Use drag-and-drop tools to design custom workflows and define task stages with the Blueprint Editor
Zoho Projects limitations
- This workspace software calls for significant investment in onboarding and training
- Once you go beyond 10+ projects, configuration, navigation, and template setup can become cumbersome
Zoho Projects pricing
- Free
- Premium: $5/month per user
- Enterprise: $10/month per user
Zoho Projects ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (800+ reviews)
🔍 Did You Know? The 80/20 rule behind Pareto charts means 80% of your missed deadlines may come from just 20% of your task types. With one chart, you can spot those troublemakers fast, making it a must-have for simplifying retros and post-mortems.
8. Airtable (Best for building flexible data-driven apps with visual diversity)
via Airtable
Airtable is a cloud-based workspace software that combines the familiarity of a spreadsheet with the power of a relational database. You build bases, which are like mini apps, composed of tables where you define fields (e.g., text, attachments, dropdowns) and link records across tables to model relationships.
Start by setting up tables and linking them, say, like connecting clients to projects or inventory to orders. Then switch between views: grid (like a spreadsheet), Kanban, calendar, gallery, or timeline/Gantt to suit different workflow needs.
Airtable best features
- Build apps instantly with AI App Builder, turning raw data into full-fledged business tools
- Deploy intelligent workflows with AI Agents that take action inside your apps based on contextual triggers and tasks
- Connect large datasets with HyperDB to import millions of records from sources like Snowflake and Databricks, then build apps on top of them
Airtable limitations
- Large, complex workspaces may experience slowdowns
- Exporting data isn’t intuitive, and users have reported frustration when trying to merge fields
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:
9. Coda (Best for doc-as-app workflows with interactive building blocks)
via Coda
Coda is what you get when a doc grows up to run your entire workspace. If you’re documenting decisions, building internal tools, or spinning up custom apps, this digital workspace software makes it feel as easy as writing a doc (but way more useful).
The platform combines rich text editing with tables that can reference each other, support formulas anywhere, and act like mini-databases. Plus, you can build custom apps with Formulas and Buttons so anyone, regardless of coding ability, can replace niche tools or automate busywork.
Coda best features
- Turn static documents into dynamic tools with Smart Tables that sync edits, personalize views, and update data
- Generate answers and automate actions with Coda Brain, an enterprise-ready AI assistant
- Create intelligent dashboards and reports with Live Queries, powered by Coda + Snowflake, for real-time data insights
- Integrate apps like Slack, Jira, and Salesforce directly inside your documents with Coda Packs
Coda limitations
- Only users with paid ‘Doc Maker’ roles can create or edit core internal knowledge bases
- Many features require Coda-specific training or a technically skilled admin
Coda pricing
- Free
- Pro: $12/month per user
- Team: $36/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Coda ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (90+ reviews)
💡 Pro Tip: Always review your workspace software’s role-based permissions and access logs weekly. Data security precautions start with knowing who can see what and when.
10. ProofHub (Best for all-in-one project control and proofing)
via ProofHub
ProofHub’s workspace software offers teams project planning, real-time collaboration, and proofing capabilities. You can build projects, delegate them with tasks, and view progress in Kanban boards, Gantt charts, tables, or calendars.
Communication happens through groups and one‑on‑one chat, threaded discussions, announcements, and inline proofing tools that let you mark up files and manage version history.
ProofHub best features
- Start focused threads to collaborate in context and share ideas, files, and feedback with Discussions
- Speed up onboarding with templates to reuse proven workflows and project setups for recurring work
- Stay aligned with Team Announcements and Calendar View to keep everyone aware of milestones, wins, and upcoming deadlines
ProofHub limitations
- ProofHub lacks built-in AI workflow automation for repetitive tasks
- It doesn’t offer native add-ons for popular tools like Slack or Google Calendar
ProofHub pricing
- Free
- Essential: $50/month
- Ultimate Control: $99/month
ProofHub ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (90+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (130+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about ProofHub?
According to one reviewer:
11. Zoom (Best for hybrid teams needing seamless video, AI, and async tools)
via Zoom
Zoom started as a simple, high-quality video conferencing tool in 2011 and has since evolved into a remote work platform often referred to as Zoom Workplace. It remains a go-to with easy-to-use HD video meetings, screen sharing, recording, breakout rooms, virtual backgrounds, and security features such as waiting rooms and end-to-end encryption.
More than just a team communication app, it offers a module that enables teams to co-author documents, plan tasks, and build wikis together.
Zoom best feature
- Prioritize and follow through on action items with the AI Companion that captures meeting takeaways, drafts emails, and surfaces to-dos
- Unify communication with Team Chat and the Scheduler to keep your entire workflow
- Keep hybrid work organized with Workspace Reservation and Digital Signage so teams know exactly where to meet, work, and collaborate across distributed offices
Zoom limitations
- You can’t pre-assign co-host roles to people outside your organization
- Certain design elements make it slightly harder for hosts and co-hosts to manage meetings
Zoom pricing
- Free
- Pro: $16.99/month (1-99 uses)
- Business: $21.99/month (1-250 users)
Zoom ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5/5 (54,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (14,300+ reviews)
📮ClickUp Insight: According to our meeting effectiveness survey, nearly 40% of respondents attend between 4 to 8+ meetings per week, with each meeting lasting up to an hour. This translates to a staggering amount of collective time dedicated to meetings across your organization.
What if you could reclaim that time? ClickUp’s integrated AI Notetaker can help you boost productivity by up to 30% through instant meeting summaries—while ClickUp Brain helps with automated task creation and streamlined workflows—turning hours of meetings into actionable insights.
Your Workspace Needs ClickUp
While all the workspace software tools on this list offer unique strengths, ClickUp stands out as the everything app that brings tasks, docs, communication, and AI together in one place.
It caters to everything, including complex projects, critical campaign strategies, and internal knowledge hubs, all in a single platform. ClickUp’s dynamic Docs, robust task management, and ClickUp Brain give you the control and clarity to move faster.
So, what are you waiting for? Sign up to ClickUp for free today! ✅