Whether you work as a freelancer or are part of a corporate team, you need some productivity tools to keep up with pending tasks and project deadlines. However, hundreds of task management apps are on the market today, and many of them aren’t as valuable as you’d think, especially for teams of various sizes. This list includes project management tools that offer features and practicality, regardless of your team’s size or the industry you work in.
1. Best for Complex Workflows: Asana
Price: Free with premium option
Asana is a versatile project management tool that I’ve found invaluable for teams of all sizes. My favorite feature is its ability to break down complex workflows into manageable tasks and subtasks. The ability to add detailed descriptions, comments, links, and attachments directly to tasks keeps everything organized and accessible.
Also, the variety of visualization options helps Asana stand out from competitors like Trello. Whether you prefer boards, lists, timelines, or calendars, Asana allows each team member to view tasks in a format that best suits their workflow. This flexibility is crucial for seeing a project’s big picture and finer details.
I also enjoyed using Asana’s “Hacks,” a collection of keyboard shortcuts and its more than 200 integration capabilities. Asana is accessible on the Web, as a desktop app for macOS and Windows, and on mobile devices for Android and iOS, ensuring that you can manage projects from anywhere.
2. Best for Visual Project Tracking: Monday
Price: Free with premium option
Monday.com is a staple in my daily workflow as the content manager for a digital marketing agency. What I love about Monday is its simple, colorful interface and intuitive drag-and-drop features, which make it easy for everyone on the team to stay organized and productive, whether they use it in their browser, as a desktop app, or a mobile app.
The platform allows us to list projects, processes, and tasks, assign them to specific team members with just a few clicks, then set status updates for each task. Whether we’re marking something as “In Progress,” “Stuck,” or “Completed,” these status updates keep everyone aligned with regard to where things stand. Furthermore, the timelines allow us to track progress and maintain deadlines, which is essential for agency life.
Monday’s interface is highly adaptable, with templates and layout options that cater to different working styles. Each team member can choose a view that best suits their needs – a board, list, or timeline – and set up multiple workspaces and boards. And, of course, the ability to automate tasks is a huge time-saver, and setting up these automations is straightforward – even without coding experience.
3. Great for Smaller Teams: Trello
Price: Free with premium option
Trello is a simple, yet effective Kanban board-style project management tool that’s ideal for small teams and straightforward workflows. It allows teams to create boards, where tasks, represented as cards, can be moved across various list labels as progress is made. While its minimalist design is excellent for managing simple tasks, Trello may not be the best choice for complex projects or larger organizations with extensive teams.
Trello’s strength lies in its simplicity. You can set up as many boards as you need to organize tasks, whether by project, workflow stage, or task type. Each card on a board can be customized with detailed descriptions, start and due dates, and file attachments. I find adding color-coded labels particularly useful for quickly identifying a task’s status or category. Mentioning team members in the comments keeps everyone in the loop, making communication straightforward and centralized.
However, Trello does have its limitations, especially for larger organizations. The lack of advanced views, such as swimlanes or detailed task dashboards, makes it harder for individuals to manage their workload within a large team. The free version is also somewhat restricted: it doesn’t offer integrations, and many of Trello’s more advanced features require a paid plan.
4. Best Enterprise Tool: Wrike
Price: Free with premium option
Wrike is a powerhouse project management tool I’ve found particularly suited for larger teams and enterprise-level projects. Its extensive feature set and customization options make it versatile enough to handle complex workflows across different industries.
I think Wrike’s customizable dashboards are a great selling point. I appreciate how easy it is to set up widgets, notes, and other resources that promote collaboration and keep the team aligned. Furthermore, each workspace can be customized with folders and multiple projects, which is especially useful for large teams managing several initiatives simultaneously.
Wrike’s robust set of features and views makes it a top choice for larger organizations that need to manage complex projects with multiple moving parts. It’s not just another project management tool – it’s a comprehensive solution that scales with your team’s needs.
5. Best Analytics Features: Hive
Price: Free with premium option
Hive is a project management tool that stands out for its user-driven development and robust analytics features. You can create up to three dashboards to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitor team productivity. This invaluable feature identifies bottlenecks so that you can address issues before they escalate.
What makes Hive unique is its commitment to evolving with user needs. With options like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, tables, portfolios, and calendar views, Hive lets you choose the layout that best suits your workflow. The time tracking and timesheet features also allow you to measure the number of hours spent on tasks, which is crucial for planning and meeting deadlines.
Hive also shines in its task automation features and integration capabilities, much like Asana. Its built-in messaging system works seamlessly to keep team communication organized and accessible.
6. Best All-in-One Workspace: Notion
Price: Free with premium option
Notion is more than just a project management tool; it’s an all-in-one workspace that has transformed how many people organize and manage their work. Notion’s strength lies in creating a seamless, integrated workspace. Everything is organized into workspaces, which you can then add pages to for individual projects, tasks, or detailed notes. These pages function almost like a personal wiki, meaning you can structure information exactly how you need it.
During my testing, I loved the ease of use to insert blocks, checklists, and file attachments, making each page a dynamic and customizable hub for whatever task I tackled. I also love Notion’s flexible viewing options, as they help you stay organized and overview your work.
However, Notion isn’t designed to compete with more sophisticated project management tools when it comes to advanced features like Gantt charts, time tracking, or extensive app integrations. For smaller teams or those who appreciate an uncluttered, customizable workspace, I believe Notion is an ideal solution for combining project management with note-taking and other essential productivity tasks.
7. Best for AI-Assisted Management: ClickUp
Price: Free with premium option
ClickUp is a powerhouse when it comes to AI-assisted project management, offering a comprehensive solution that adapts to the needs of both small teams and large enterprises. As someone who’s experienced firsthand the benefits of AI in streamlining workflows, I’ve found ClickUp’s intelligent features to be game-changers in managing complex projects efficiently.
For instance, ClickUp’s AI-driven task automation can handle repetitive tasks, prioritize workflows, and predict project timelines based on historical data. This saves time and ensures that your team stays on track with minimal manual intervention. The AI also helps sort through tasks to identify potential bottlenecks, offering proactive solutions before issues escalate.
Also, ClickUp’s AI-powered reporting and insights integration can be extremely helpful. The tool can analyze project data and generate reports highlighting team performance, task completion rates, and potential areas for improvement. This level of insight is invaluable for making informed decisions and optimizing workflows.
8. Best Low-Coding Option: Quickbase
Price: Free 30-day trial, prices start at $35/month
Quickbase is the go-to project management tool for teams that need powerful functionality without the steep learning curve. As someone who values efficiency and simplicity, I’ve found Quickbase to be particularly well-suited for less tech-savvy teams and project managers who want to set up and manage projects without getting bogged down in complex coding or integrations.
Quickbase’s major selling point is its no-code approach to project management. Setting up workflows, automating tasks, and integrating with other apps is straightforward and doesn’t require any technical expertise. This, combined with its user-friendly interface, make it easy to create dashboards, build applications, and organize task lists.
Quickbase seamlessly integrates with a wide range of other tools and platforms. It also provides excellent reporting capabilities, all without IT support. This empowers you to make data-driven decisions and keep projects on track with minimal hassle.
Tip: want to break out of keeping track of your projects through your email? Check out our review of CoordinateHQ.
Each of the task management apps listed above has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. For most teams, deciding which features you need and which layout will work best for your projects is just a matter of deciding which features you need and whether it’s for complex or simple projects.
Image credit: DepositPhotos. All screenshots by Megan Glosson.
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