

Updated · Oct 21, 2022
Updated: October 13,2022
We’ve prepared a list of the best project management software on the market.
But that’s not all we have in store for you!
On this page, you’ll also find:
Most importantly, our unbiased reviews can guide you through the crowded market.
That way, you can easily pick the perfect PMS for your business.
TeamStage - Best for SMBs
77% of the most effective companies use project management tools.
Yup!
No need to write emails to get your projects organized anymore. It’s not efficient and it doesn’t get the job done. Communication errors are another hurdle, which can set your company back a couple of steps.
In 2022 there are many options out there – project management for small business or a large team of users, open-source, free to use, cloud-based – all with their pros and cons!
Now, as you may already know:
There is a difference between project management software and collaboration software. PMT is specific – it is made to handle multiple tasks, automatic rescheduling, generating reports. The multiple integrations make it super useful. As a result, the benefits for both employers and employees grow numerous.
The purpose of collaboration software, like Slack and Google Docs, is to allow people to work together on the same document or to handle multiple conversations and video chats.
As you can see – quite different things those two!
Now, let’s explore the best project planning tools we selected for you.
How did we do that?
Excellent question:
“Through the jungles of project management tools I went and came out with a machete in hand, a Hollywood smile on my face, and a great Top 11.”
On the long path to discovering the top tools, we had the following process:
Now, have a look at the case study, which will help you visualize the numbers and make a decision.
Here we go:
One last thing before we start:
Although this is a top 11, all the project management tools we have selected for you are amazing! There is a perfect one for every need, budget, and desire.
A word of caution:
The pricing lists of all PM tools vary in time. (It may not happen this month, or even not in this quarter. But prices will get higher inevitably in time.) So, as always, procrastination is the enemy, guys!
Now:
Enjoy the fruits of our research and make your choice.
Project status
Kanban view of tasks
Free trial
Overview
Monday.com has been on the market since 2012. It’s based in Tel Aviv, Israel. They boast that 91% of their customers stay at the top of their game with Monday.com. Among their clients are companies and organizations like WiX, Philips, Carlsberg, The Discovery Channel.
Choosing a pricing plan depends on the number of users. Make sure you put enough thought into the process of selecting your plan. It’s good for the long run!
Now:
I really enjoyed the interface of Monday.com. It’s super easy to work with and it’s great for beginners.
Monday.com is the perfect solution for everyone who needs a quick start with a team management software that’s easy to use and that offers great design.
Ease of use
The platform adjusts to your team’s needs. The software is super easy to use and gives users the freedom to manage their tasks, projects, and data effortlessly.
Automation is also an option with Monday.com (due date reminders, notification reminders). Another great feature is that each underlined part of sentences on the platform is customizable and can be a trigger to automation.
Users can request live Q&A sessions with a customer service representative directly from the platform. There are also topic-specific webinars for every kind of user (beginner or advanced). You can even specify in which language you wish to have the webinar; users can choose among English, Italian, Finnish, French, Chinese, Hebrew, Spanish, and Polish.
Integrations
Monday.com offers an average variety of apps and integrations, but there is everything clients use most frequently.
Platforms
Monday.com is available for both Windows and Mac. No surprises there. Also, the mobile app for iOS and Android is pretty awesome.
Pricing
Excellent security measures
Great project tracker
Custom workflow statuses
Overview
Wrike is one of the best-known project management tools out there. It offers easy and efficient project management services. Among their VIP clients, you can find the names of Mars (the chocolate bar, not the planet), Airbnb, L’Oréal, TGI Fridays, and Google. In 2019 more than 18,000 companies use Wrike.
Wrike offers 5 pricing plans. There is a free one for small business with a limited number of users. The next 2 bundles have a fixed pricing – Professional and Business. And there are the 2 customizable bundles as well – Marketers and Enterprise.
There is a 14-day free trial. Clients start by choosing the actual payment plan they wish to experience before the start of the trial period. Which is a great start!
If you need to get started quickly – Wrike is the right choice for you.
Ease of use
Wrike helps users simplify project planning and is a perfect solution for those with no previous experience with project management apps. The platform is super easy to use and there are so many cool functions to benefit from (e.g. track the status of projects, email team members directly through the platform, beginning-to-end workflow automation).
Wrike boasts with data security, as well as with customer support. They provide clients with live chat, monthly webinars, video tutorials, and you can always get inspiration from the community’s best practices.
Integrations
There are numerous integrations you already use and can easily bind with Wrike. There are the usual MS Excel and Microsoft Office 365, accounting software like QuickBooks; the usual Gmail, Outlook, Hangouts, and Slack; Google Drive, and there is also a great Wrike to-do list which can be pretty useful.
Platforms
Wrike is available for both Mac and Windows, and mobile users can enjoy the iOS and Android versions.
Pricing
Free trial (no credit card information needed)
Free version for up to 5 users
250GB file space
Overview
Teamwork.com is an Irish-based private organization. Companies like Disney, Forbes, PayPal, eBay, Vevo, Spotify, HP, and Honda have used their project management services since the launch of Teamwork Projects back in 2007.
Currently, they have clients in 140 companies worldwide and are going strong. Teamwork boasts high-level security, and they use the Amazon Web Services, with limited access to the servers.
What I enjoyed most about the platform were the visualizations – all your projects and tasks at a glance.
If you need great design and visualizations that will show you all your teams and projects at a glance – choose Teamwork.
Ease of use
Teamwork has a medium learning curve. The design is super cool and makes project tracking an enjoyable task. It will make your team more productive and will sort out the organization issues every company faces from time to time.
Users can benefit from the knowledge base, webinars, as well as the ebooks and guides that are available on the website.
Integrations
Not many integrations, but maybe you don’t need more than the traditional ones: Hubspot, Microsoft Office, Slack, Dropbox, Google Docs, Box.com, OneDrive Business, SharePoint.
Platforms
Users can easily download the software for Windows and Mac. You can access the platform any time you want with the great mobile app. It’s available on Android and iOS.
Pricing
Free trial (no credit card information needed)
Task management
Free version
Overview
Asana is one of the best-known online project management tools currently available on the market. It claims that its Premium package will increase the efficiency of any team by 45%. It often delivers updates to enhance the experience for employers and employees.
The team behind Asana is based in California. It launched the software commercially in 2012. Their customer list is impressive – Airbnb, Deloitte, NASA, Red Bull, The New York Times.
If you need a PMT that will boost your company’s productivity and will allow you to arrange tasks in any way you want for a perfect view – Asana is your choice.
Ease of use
With Asana you’ll be able to spot holes in your schedule and view deadlines at a glimpse. You can easily focus on the tasks with an upcoming deadline – everything is right there, on your board. You can even update your progress right from the calendar view.
Getting started with Asana will take some time if you are a beginner. But it will pay off. Once you get a hold of it, you will find yourself organizing your workflow effortlessly. Employees will enjoy the experience as much as project managers.
Integrations
Asana’s list of apps and integrations is impressive. There’s everything you need as file sharing, collaboration tools.
Platforms
The software is available for Mac and Windows, but also for Linux. There is a mobile app for iOS and Android.
Pricing
Free trial (no credit card information needed)
A super list of integrations (200)
Great mobile apps (for iOS and Android)
Overview
You may know that Jira and Trello are child companies of the same parent – Atlassian. Jira is unique and a favorite choice among users – it’s also one of the best open-source project management tools on the market.
Naturally, it has been on the market for 17 years now.
Jira offers 3 pricing plans, and you can have a free trial for any of them.
If you need an agile workflow open-source PMT and issue tracker that is feature-rich and offers tons of integrations, then Jira is your keeper.
Ease of use
You can choose a Kanban or Scrum template in the set-up. That’s not a final decision, though – you choose a layout for every project. And they are pretty easy to use. The interface may be easy to use, but the setup will take some time and effort. In other words, you need to invest some time and patience in getting started.
The platform is great for visualizing workflow, issue tracking, task, and subtasks follow-up. Users can ‘take a tour” around the progress of their larger and time-consuming project. That’s pretty cool!
Integrations
Jira users can benefit from up to 200 integrations. Yes, you heard me! And they add new ones all the time.
Platforms
A great advantage of Jira is that it’s available for Linux. And it works with Windows and Mac, of course. And there is a mobile app for Android and iOS.
Pricing
Free trial (no credit card information needed)
Software available in 17 languages
Free plan for up to 5 users, 10MB storage
Overview
Zoho Project is one of the most popular project management tools on the market. They are a part of a large company – Zoho Corporation, which offers many and various software solutions. More than 45 million customers worldwide are clients of Zoho.
They are well known for their accounting software (namely, Zoho Books), CRM, email, and customer relationship manager for real estate.
Zoho Projects boasts a constellation of VIP customers. Among some of them are IKEA, Netflix, Intel, Jaguar, and Land Rover.
Zoho Projects offers 5 pricing plans. They range from a free experience to a Premium one, which includes unlimited projects. There is also an Enterprise payment plan which, contrary to what the name hints at, is not customizable according to your company’s needs. However, it does offer a wide range of services.
Zoho Projects is an excellent solution for small businesses because of the flexible prices, ease of use, and automation.
Ease of use
Medium learning curve. Users get started pretty quickly. If any questions occur in the process, you can always consult the knowledge base and FAQ section (which are pretty extensive!), or consult a live customer service representative.
Integrations
Zoho Projects offers a great variety of integrations. Users can enjoy the Zoho extensions (email, accounting software, etc), as well as the Google and Microsoft apps, and other project management tools like Jira and Basecamp.
There are also Dropbox, Github, Slack, Zapier, plus add-ons for Android and iOS. There is even the option to create your own app and integrate it with the platform.
Platforms
Zoho Projects is available on both mobile and desktop. It offers a free mobile app for Android (version 4.0 and above) and iOS (version 4.0 and above).
Pricing
Free trial – 14 days
Sufficient knowledge base
Great mobile app (for iOS and Android)
Overview
LiquidPlanner, Inc. is based in Seattle and was officially launched in 2008. It is one of the most complex PMTs on the market.
It is a problem-solving platform, designed to help clients manage their project schedules. It will take users with no previous experience with personal project management to get used to the platform, but it will pay up.
If you are looking for a PMT that’s more extravagant and feature-rich – LiquidPlanner is for you.
Ease of use
Medium learning curve – I got used to the interface pretty quickly. One of the surprising features is you can create more than one dashboard. It’s pretty nifty!
Customer support is awesome (no chat though).
Integrations
File management is straightforward with LiquidPlanner. Users can integrate Google Docs and Dropbox for file sharing. The integrations and developer resources of LiquidPlanner are somewhat limited. On the other hand LiquidPlanner are supported by Zapier.
Platforms
The software is great for Mac and PC. No surprises!
Pricing
Free trial (no credit card information needed)
Crossboard collaborations
Free version (for an unlimited period)
Overview
One of the top project management tools out there. The developer is Altassian, the same as another PMT on the list – Jira. But, as you’ll see, they are very different.
Among Trello’s list of clients, there are companies like Google, Fender, Kickstarter, National Geographic, and Adobe. They have been on the market for 7 years now, and are based in New York.
There is a customizable payment plan, which has its own uniqueness. It’s called Enterprise and is perfect for teams with more than 20 users. The cool thing is, the more users you invite to the platform, the less each one costs.
And one more thing:
The creators are (obviously!) Harry Potter fans. Which is always a pro!
Trello is a great software to get started if you are new to project management.
Ease of use
The platform is easy to navigate. Medium learning curve. There are Q&A sections on the platform itself.
Customer support is a little limited – there is no option for chat, and you have to browse the website for a bit before you find what you are looking for.
Integrations
Users can join many apps with Trello. There are the basics – Evernote, Salesforce, Google Docs. You can also integrate accounting software (Xero), collaboration tools (Slack), and GitHub.
Platforms
Trello boasts one of the best mobile apps for online project management tools. You can use the software on any device at any time. And it runs smoothly on both Mac and PC.
Pricing
Free-forever plan
To-do checklist
Subtasks management
Overview
TeamStage is a robust project and task management software for enhancing employee productivity. It offers a long list of features to guarantee organizational success hassle-free.
The low pricing plans make it an ideal solution for small and medium-sized businesses. A free tier is also available for individuals who need to keep their workflow organized.
Let’s break it down further:
Features
Managing projects on the platform is child’s play. You can create tasks, assign them to co-workers, and set deadlines to ensure timely completion.
There’s a checklist option to list the to-dos, so you don’t miss any important detail. Likewise, you can rearrange every item using drag and drop to set your priorities right.
Activity tracking ensures you don’t have joyriders on your team. Managers can generate reports for better insights into project performance as well.
TeamStage has a reliable communication system. Teammates can chat inside the tasks, share files, post links, and even use emojis to enhance the mood.
Ease of use
TeamStage is among the best project management apps with an easy-to-use dashboard. It’s eye-catching, organized, and simple to navigate.
All tools are within reach on the navigation bar. It’s collapsible on the left side to extend your working space.
A comprehensive knowledge base is available in case you get stuck. It’s novice-friendly, thanks to the engaging image-rich tutorials.
Integrations
At present, TeamStage doesn’t have support for any integrations. But its team is working ‘round the clock to include some soon.
Platforms
The company offers a web app that’s only accessible through a browser.
Pricing
TeamStage’s pricing is as follows:
Free trial (no credit card information needed)
500GB storage
Intuitive interface and easy to use dashboard
Overview
Basecamp is a privately held company that’s been around for the last 20 years. It’s Chicago-based and in 2022 there are more than 3 million active Basecamp users.
This simple project management software is designed for client-service businesses. Users can manually decide which messages, to-dos, and files to be visible for clients. They can share opinions on the platform, which are visible to employees. That way, the workflow, and deadlines are in the open. Emails can be shared and added to project communication. Easy-peasy!
Basecamp is a great solution if you need excellent team project management software.
Ease of use
Basecamp 3 is an extremely easy-to-use platform. The low learning curve is perfect for clients who are not too computer savvy. Which is excellent for beginners in the field.
They offer excellent support – clients can expect an answer to any question in 16 minutes. They also offer great tutorials and help guides.
Basecamp 3 is also one of the best Mac project management software out there.
Integrations
Basecamp 3 offers a number of integrations. However, some of the most popular apps, like Google Docs, Gmail, Slack, and Dropbox are not on the list.
Platforms
Nothing except the basics here, guys. The PM software is available for Mac and PC, and the mobile version for iOS and Android are pretty great as well.
Pricing
Flat rate: $99/mo all-inclusive
Free trial (no credit card information needed)
10 languages available
Free version
Overview
As the name suggests – OpenProject is an open-source PMT. It was released 6 years ago and is designed for issue management and document management, among other things.
Among the VIP clients of OpenProject are companies and organizations such as Nokia, Siemens, and CERN (yup, exactly the one you are thinking of!).
The flexible pricing plans and variety of products make it great for small to large teams.
OpenProject is a great solution for large teams that want to benefit from a great open-source product.
Ease of use
Super easy to use. During the set-up of the demo, there is a lot of support and notes that are pretty useful for beginners. I found my way around the dashboard, tasks, project status easily.
There are filters and users can choose what part of the information to be visualized on the board.
Integrations
Users can install plug-ins if they want to add new functionality. Since it’s open-source, that works more easily than most.
If you need document management – there is a plug-in for that.
Platforms
OpenProject is available for the traditional Windows and Mac. However, there is no mobile app available for that PMT.
Pricing
The best way to help you is to encourage you to ask yourself questions. In the process of making an informed decision, you need some answers.
Here’s our list:
After you have a list of your answers, you can skim through the pros and cons of each review and make your project management software comparison. A decision based on facts and information is what you are looking for, after all.
Using project management software can be challenging!
After making your choice you might need to consider applying a method that will help put your process in order and which will be there for you every step of the way.
In order to get maximum business value from the project, you might need a project management model. It will structure the execution of your endeavors and will ultimately boost your company’s productivity even more.
What is a project management model?
They are simple and easy processes to follow. Every project manager can benefit from the clarity of purpose, the comprehensive models in use, clear deadlines, and process development, which will ultimately lead to the great performance of your organization.
Let’s keep true to the objective. Namely: a successful project!
For the sake of our research, we chose the top 5 best project management, models.
Let’s dive in:
Kanban is a great visualization method. It helps employees have everything at a glance, which minimizes the guesswork. Kanban visualizes your workflow and keeps you away from unnecessary overwork.
It also helps minimize the work in progress at any given stage of the project when the team is juggling with many tasks. Kanban looks ahead for you – it will foresee an issue before it emerges.
If you have a limited amount of resources – Kanban will sort out the issue for you and will optimize the workflow and organize the tasks among your team, so everything is efficient, the work is done on time, and you have the best chance of success.
This project management method handles things sequentially through the cycle of project development. It starts from the analysis of requirements, design, and Development, and finishes with Testing and Maintenance.
The Waterfall method helps you stick to the initial plan no matter what goes differently than expected at the beginning of the project. With Waterfall, the tasks have to be completed as a sequence, and the order of completion is fixed right from the get-go.
In that sense, it is important that team members communicate constantly and share feedback and progress status. In other words, after a task is completed, this is the trigger that the next one can start.
The Adaptive methodology works with constants and variables. The constants are time and cost. To get the project done effectively and on time, the scope of the project gets adjusted in the process. The primary focus of the Adaptive method is to finish the project on time.
The Adaptive method is great for rapidly changing the environment and/or uncertain conditions. In order to reduce the uncertainty in the future, the method relies on excellent inter-team communication and frequent feedback.
In other words, solutions are delivered in stages and that gives the team the opportunity to adapt and change solutions during the process. Long-term planning is not an option here, which ultimately minimizes the risk involved.
The Agile method focuses on team collaboration. Agile has you get small portions of the workflow done quickly and on time – and allows you to reevaluate your progress after. It is a flexible and adaptable methodology, and users benefit from sprints of quick workflow delivery.
Agile has a steep learning curve and if you are inexperienced, getting started might be a bit slower. On the positive side, Agile employs best practices in development and cuts risks to a minimum. A major requirement of the Agile methodology is constant communication among the development team to avoid false assumptions and missing out on feedback.
Users should bear in mind Agile might not be the best solution for companies that rely on the supplier-customer relationship. This method focuses on product development and works great when things need to get adjusted in the process. It is best used for in-house teams where real-time collaboration will be facilitated.
Scrum is one of the best-known project management methods out there. It’s a great methodology when requirements shift repeatedly. It works with sprints, which require a good team dynamic. The methodology delivers products quickly, provides feedback frequently, and reacts swiftly to change.
With Scrum, teams work in sprints. They start with Project Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Sprint Week, and finally – Release. The sprints must end with a usable product. Each sprint is supposed to assemble a tangible product or a major component of the final outcome.
The sprints are based on regular collaboration between team members to the point where a traditional project management figure becomes obsolete. Teams make tests frequently and make adjustments on the go.
Before you get started, make sure you have selected the project management method that will serve your business best.
Choosing a suitable project management software will ensure the well-being of your team and lay the foundation for your success story today!
At the end of the day, you need to make sure you have done everything that’s right for your business.
So act right now!
You have all the knowledge so you can set on a journey that will help your company take great strides forward.
Now you have the power to select the most convenient option for your business. You got to know all the best project tracking software in 2022. You can’t go wrong with any of the options. If you liked any of them – just go for it.
We hope you got the full picture and that we made your choice come easier for you.
Well done, everyone. We reached our destination! All that’s left is to choose your project management software and methodology, and then the sky’s the limit.
In a nutshell:
Using project management software is a great way to create more and worry less about the organization. If you implement a project management methodology as well, you’ll have a flying start.
Let me answer you with a question: Which is the best coffee? Every person will give you a different answer. (For the record, most answers are wrong cuz ice latte is clearly the best.)
It’s the same with project tracking tools. The one that works best for you is the winner. That’s why – give yourself the time to choose well and you’ll enjoy the benefits later.
Using a project management app is an amazing way to minimize the time spent on organizing projects, managing the employees responsible for each task, as well as dealing with deadlines and subtasks. It’s great for time management and sharing documents too. These online services bring teams together.
Imagine a cross-department project. Sounds like a handful, doesn’t it? Even if you are a project management god, you can’t compete with project management software.
Why not?
The different ways to view data will allow you to be more creative in your approach to completing projects. Employees become more self-sufficient and employers benefit from more time for innovation, instead of overseeing tasks and deadlines.
If you need a quick start and have no time to waste on software with a steep learning curve, then let’s consult our top 10 list. There are 3 options – Wrike, Monday.com, and Basecamp. Any of the three would be a great fit and boost your company’s productivity by a surprising margin.
Darina Lynkova
Darina is a proud Ravenclaw and a fan of Stephen King. She enjoys being a part of an awesome team of tech writers who are having a ball writing techie articles. She also loves board games and a pint of lager. Currently, she is finishing her second master’s degree, at Vrije University, Brussels (Linguistics and Literature!) while headbanging on quality progressive metal…and banging her head with the intricacies of progressive technologies like AI and deep learning.
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