- Best for beginners: Trello
- Best for simplified task management: Asana
- Best for small businesses: Zoho Projects
- Best for scalability: Wrike
- Best for spreadsheet users: Smartsheet
- Best for versatility: monday.com
- Best for remote workers: ClickUp
- Best for issue tracking: Jira
- Best for managing project documents: Confluence
Software Spotlight: ConfluenceConfluence stands out as an excellent collaborative platform for documenting your startup’s projects or creating a wiki and knowledge base. In particular, its page versioning capability allows users to track page history and compare versions, making it easy for teams to review project documentation over time.
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From task automation to third-party integrations, project management software continues to evolve to become more efficient and user-friendly. However, for many teams, simple project management software is not only useful but also preferred.
We’ve compiled a list of the best simple project management software. In our list, we compare the pros and cons of each software, the standout features and pricing to give you an informed decision on what software would be best for you and your team.
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Top simple project management software comparison
Here is a comparison of the top simple project management software in terms of core features and cost.
| Document management | Time tracking | Multiple project views | Pricing | TechRepublic Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trello | Yes | No | Yes | $5.00 per user per month | 4.5/5 |
| Asana | Yes | Yes | Yes | $13.49 per user per month | 3.9/5 |
| Zoho Projects | Yes | Yes | Yes | $5.00 per user per month | 4.2/5 |
| Wrike | Yes | Yes | Yes | $10.00 per user per month | 4.6/5 |
| Smartsheet | Yes | No | Yes | $9 per user per month | 3.8/5 |
| monday.com | Yes | Yes | Yes | $12 per user per month | 5/5 |
| ClickUp | Yes | Yes | Yes | $10 per user per month | 5/5 |
| Jira Software | Yes | Yes | Yes | $8.15 per user per month | 4.6/5 |
| Confluence | Yes | No | Limited | $6.05 per user per month | 4.5/5 |
Trello: Best for beginners
TechRepublic Rating: 4.5/5
If you are new to project management and want simple software to manage tasks and collaborate with team members, Trello could be the best solution for you. Trello is known for its impressive free plan and Kanban-style interface. The visual approach of Trello makes it easy for beginners to manage projects. There is little to no technical expertise needed to use it.
Pricing
- Free: Up to 10 boards per workspace.
- Standard: $5 per user per month if billed annually, or $6 per user per month if billed monthly.
- Premium: $10 per user per month if billed annually, or $12.50 per user per month if billed monthly.
- Enterprise: $17.50 per user per month when billed annually.
Features
- Use Kanban boards to check project status at a glance. This helps ensure all tasks and subtasks remain on schedule.
- Trello has much more than Kanban boards, including calendar views (Figure A), timelines and tables.
- Trello’s built-in automation tool, Butler, can help reduce workload by automating repetitive or recurring tasks.
- Use the checklists feature to ensure all tasks related to an assignment get completed on time and nothing gets through the cracks.
Integrations
- Trello.
- Slack.
- Mailchimp.
- GitHub.
- Zapier.
Pros
- Feature-rich free plan.
- Variety of automation tools.
- Highly visual interface.
Cons
- Not suitable for scaling up to complex projects.
- Heavily reliant on Kanban boards.
Why we chose Trello
We chose Trello because of its automation tools and wealth of features. Its numerous integrations allow you to customize the software to fit your needs. It also offers some key features for project management, such as time tracking, reporting and analytics.
For more information, read the full Trello review.
Asana: Best for simplified task management
TechRepublic Rating: 3.9/5
Asana’s intuitive user interface and customization tools make it one of the best simple project management software. It’s quick and easy to manage tasks, collaborate with team members and view project progress.
Pricing
- Personal: Free for unlimited tasks, projects, messages, activity logs and file storage.
- Starter: $10.99 per user per month if billed annually, or $13.49 per user per month if billed monthly.
- Advanced: $24.99 per user per month if billed annually, or $30.49 per user per month if billed monthly.
- Enterprise: Customized pricing.
Features
- Users can easily create, prioritize and assign tasks and subtasks on Asana. Managers can view task dependencies to ensure the project remains on track.
- With Asana, you get plenty of project planning tools, such as creating tasks, setting milestones, assigning roles and establishing project goals.
- With its customizable dashboard (Figure B), Asana’s users can organize the dashboard layout and set up quick access to their most commonly used tools.
Integrations
- OneDrive.
- Slack.
- Jira.
Pros
- Excellent free plan.
- Intuitive user interface.
- Variety of data import options.
Cons
- The mobile app has limited functionality.
- Default notification settings can be overwhelming.
Why we chose Asana
We chose Asana for its simplified user interface and its expansive list of features. While the advanced tools have a steep learning curve, the basic list of tools can be easy to use and customize to fit your workflow.
For more information, read the full Asana review.
Zoho Projects: Best for small businesses
TechRepublic Rating: 4.2/5
Zoho is a cloud-based project management solution with a variety of tools for basic project management, including team collaboration and automation features. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from using Zoho Projects; however, it is best suited for small businesses that may not need advanced tools such as resource allocation or project portfolio management.
Pricing
- Free: Maximum of three users.
- Premium: $4 per user per month with annual billing or $5 per user per month with monthly billing.
- Enterprise: $9 per user per month with annual billing or $10 per user per month with monthly billing.
Features
- Users can create custom workflows to automate redundant or recurring tasks through the Zoho Blueprints feature.
- The centralized activity feed (Figure C) can be customized to show information based on individual preferences.
- Team messaging tool that also includes video chatting capabilities.
Integrations
- Google Drive.
- Dropbox.
- Github.
- Slack.
- Zapier.
Pros
- Quick setup.
- Plenty of team collaboration tools.
- Easy to navigate, with a low learning curve.
Cons
- Lack of prebuilt templates.
- Limited storage.
- Gantt charts are not easy to use.
Why we chose Zoho Projects
We chose Zoho Projects for its team collaboration features, which make it extremely valuable for remote teams. With a user-friendly interface and various ways for team members to communicate, Zoho Projects allows your team to easily work together even when separated by significant physical distances.
For more information, read the full Zoho Projects review.
Wrike: Best for scalability
TechRepublic Rating: 4.6/5
Wrike is a versatile project management solution suitable for several use cases. It offers a variety of tools, ranging from basic to advanced. The impressive scalability offered by Wrike means it is ideal for hyper-growth teams that may eventually need to move from a simple project management software to a more advanced version.
Pricing
- Free: For up to five users.
- Team: $10.00 per user per month.
- Business: $24.80 per user per month.
- Enterprise: Customized pricing.
- Pinnacle: Customized pricing.
Features
- With over 400 integrations, Wrike’s functionality can be easily expanded to include CRM, messaging and email capabilities.
- Users can save time by automating recurring or redundant tasks using Wrike’s workflow automation tools.
- You can create a variety of reports in Wrike, ranging from simple charts to advanced business intelligence reports, and display them in a convenient dashboard (Figure D).
Integrations
- Tableau.
- Salesforce.
- Google Drive.
- Slack.
- Zoom.
Pros
- Extensive templates library.
- Multiple project views.
- Robust reporting tools.
- Variety of integrations.
Cons
- Interfaces can feel clunky.
- Big jump in price from Team to Business plan.
Why we chose Wrike
We chose Wrike for its scalability. If you’re a small team expecting to grow significantly, Wrike’s template libraries can help teams get started on projects more easily without a lot of initial setup. Multiple project views and robust reporting tools can keep all members of the team up to date on project developments and help reduce slowdown.
For more information, read the full Wrike review.
Smartsheet: Best for spreadsheet users
TechRepublic Rating: 3.8/5
While Smartsheet’s spreadsheet-style interface can appear overwhelming, it’s intuitive and easy to use. Users looking for a simple project management solution will appreciate the variety of tools available on Smartsheet to help simplify project management, including dashboard customization, easy-to-use collaboration tools and integration capabilities.
Pricing
- Free: No cost for up to one user and two editors.
- Pro: $9 per user per month billed annually, or $12 per user per month billed monthly.
- Business: $19 per user per month billed annually, or $24 per user per month billed monthly.
- Enterprise: Customized pricing.
Features
- Dynamic Gantt charts (Figure E) for the easy visualization of project schedule and progress.
- Smartsheet Inc. includes several add-ons that seamlessly integrate with the Smartsheet project management solution. These add-ons help enhance the software’s functionality.
- Custom forms for quick and easy data collection and sharing.
Integrations
- Microsoft Teams.
- Slack.
- Salesforce.
- Adobe Creative Cloud.
- Zapier.
Pros
- Powerful data protection and compliance.
- Ability to handle large volumes of data.
Cons
- Bit of a learning curve for users with no spreadsheet experience.
- Missing some advanced tools, such as resource management.
Why we chose Smartsheet
We chose Smartsheet because of its unique interface that takes advantage of the spreadsheet style. It offers a variety of customizable templates, which can be useful for teams of all sizes.
For more information, read the full Smartsheet review.
monday.com: Best for versatility
TechRepublic Rating: 5/5
monday work management has emerged as one of the most versatile project management solutions. Through its extensive suite of features, monday.com suits the needs of businesses of all sizes. Users looking for simple project management may find the free and basic plan enough for their needs; however, if they need multiple project views, API access and other advanced features, they may need to subscribe to higher-priced plans
Pricing
- Free: $0. Free for up to two seats.
- Basic: $9 per user per month if billed annually, or $12 per user per month if billed monthly.
- Standard: $12 per user per month if billed annually, or $14 per user per month if billed monthly.
- Pro: $19 per user per month if billed annually, or $24 per user per month if billed monthly.
- Enterprise: Contact sales for a custom quote.
Features
- Flexible dashboards that can be customized to meet individual preferences.
- Along with project management tools, monday work management also offers CRM tools to manage data related to customers.
- Easily automate repetitive tasks using monday work management’s custom automation feature (Figure F).
Integrations
- Slack.
- Jira.
- Outlook.
- Asana.
- Mailchimp.
Pros
- All plans offer unlimited document creation and storage.
- Wide range of templates.
- Organized and intuitive interface.
- Extensive knowledge base.
Cons
- Advanced tools have a steep learning curve.
- Slow customer support.
Why we chose monday.com
We chose monday.com because of its versatility. The software can act as an all-in-one solution for many project management teams because of its wealth of features, templates and intuitive user interface. While the software can have a bit of a learning curve, it can be easily integrated into your project management process once it’s adopted.
For more information, read the full monday.com review.
ClickUp: Best for remote workers
TechRepublic Rating: 5/5
ClickUp is feature-rich project management software. It offers all the tools you expect from a top project management solution. The real-time messaging feature, document management and shared calendars make ClickUp an ideal solution for remote workers looking for simple project management software. Users can also unlock advanced tools by subscribing to higher-priced plans.
Pricing
- Free: For up to five spaces.
- Unlimited: $5 per user per month if billed annually, or $10 per user per month if billed monthly.
- Business: $12 per user per month if billed annually, or $19 per user per month if billed monthly.
- Enterprise: Customized pricing.
Features
- The ClickApps library features ready-to-use templates for a variety of use cases.
- ClickUp is highly customizable, so users can tailor their project management experience. The customization offers tools to personalize dashboards and create custom automation rules.
- With ClickUp, you get access to several project views, including Gantt charts (Figure G), calendars and lists.
Integrations
- Slack.
- GitHub.
- HubSpot.
- Google Drive.
- Dropbox.
Pros
- Excellent collaboration features.
- Feature-rich free plan.
- Multiple project views.
Cons
- Free plan has limited storage.
- Overwhelming options for simple project management.
- Limited automation tools.
Why we chose ClickUp
ClickUp is a highly popular project management solution with customizable views and advanced reporting features. We chose it for teams that work using Agile management or require a customized view and workflow for their project needs.
For more information, read the full ClickUp review.
Jira: Best for issue tracking
TechRepublic Rating: 4.6/5
Jira is most commonly used by software development teams for bug tracking; however, it has a broad range of use cases. Its intuitive user interface, easy customization and extensive selection of plug-ins make Jira an excellent choice for simple project management software. With Jira, you also get support for Agile methodology and built-in collaboration tools.
Pricing
- Free plan: No cost for up to 10 users.
- Standard: $8.15 per user per month.
- Premium: $16 per user per month.
- Enterprise: Customized pricing.
Features
- With the Jira Align feature, users can easily connect with other team members to keep everyone aligned on the project schedule and goals.
- Jira offers bug and issue-tracking tools to track project issues from start to finish.
- The Kanban boards (Figure H) in Jira provide a quick visual representation of project status. This feature also allows for drag-and-drop functionality to update task status.
Integrations
- Figma.
- Lucidchart.
- Slack.
- Zendesk.
- Trello.
Pros
- Outstanding issue and bug tracking tools.
- Robust data security.
- Generous free plan.
Cons
- Missing a few project views, such as the timeline view.
- Limited collaboration tools.
Why we chose Jira
Jira is one of the most effective project management tools when it comes to bug and issue tracking. We chose this software because of its relevance for development teams who want to stay up to date on the status of their projects and keep track of changes.
For more information, read the full Jira review.
Confluence: Best for managing project documents
TechRepublic Rating: 4.5/5
Confluence, a product by Atlassian, is a project management solution geared toward project documentation and task tracking. Users can create, share and update project plans on one centralized platform. The software also offers tools for taking meeting notes and building a project-related knowledge base.
Pricing
- Free: No cost for up to 10 users.
- Standard: $6.05 per user billed monthly.
- Premium: $11.55 per user billed monthly.
- Enterprise: Customized pricing.
Features
- You get a complete history of changes to project information through Confluence’s version control and history features.
- Confluence offers robust collaboration features, like interactive whiteboards (Figure I).
- The drag-and-drop feature makes it easy to manage tasks, documents and other project data.
- The seamless integration with other Atlassian products means you can connect Confluence with Trello, Jira and other solutions to enhance its functionality.
Integrations
- Microsoft Teams.
- Slack.
- Google Drive.
- Lucidchart.
Pros
- Extensive learning content is built into the app.
- Deep integration with other Atlassian solutions.
- Large selection of prebuilt templates.
Cons
- Pages can be slow to update.
- Limited collaboration tools.
Why we chose Confluence
We chose Confluence because of its task tracking and management features. If you want to keep track of every step of your project and track its progress from start to finish, identify bottlenecks or go back to previous steps, this software is a worthwhile choice.
For more information, read the full Confluence review.
Key features of simple project management software
Even for simple tasks, you are going to need tools to create, share and manage documents. With document management tools, you can maintain document integrity while maximizing the efficient sharing of project information. While most project management solutions can integrate with third-party document management solutions, having this as an in-built feature offers a more immersive experience.
Team collaboration
Whether you use project management software for simple tasks or complex projects, if you are working with a team, you need to keep everyone aligned through proper collaboration and communication. These features are even more useful for businesses that have remote workers or operations in multiple locations. Consider software that offers features for real-time collaboration to help keep projects on track.
Time tracking
While you may not need advanced time-tracking tools or simple project management, you should consider software that offers some capabilities to record and monitor the actual time spent on tasks. It also helps managers maximize their resource utilization and ensure none of the team members are overburdened.
Multiple project views
With multiple project views, you can visualize project information in various formats. For example, you can view projects in Gantt chart mode to check project progress in comparison to project planning. Similarly, you can view projects on Kanban boards for a quick visual check on project status.
How do I choose the best simple project management software for my business?
When choosing the best simple project management software, you need to establish your top priorities to ensure you shortlist the right solutions. Ideally, for simple project management, you want software that offers an intuitive user interface so you don’t have to spend a lot of time learning how to use the software.
For simple project management, you will probably not need advanced features, but you have to determine if you will need to scale up in the future. If that is the case, you may need to choose software that offers that scalability.
You should also consider your budget, as the pricing for project management software has a wide range. Don’t forget to check customer reviews and ratings from reputable websites. Before you make a final decision, it is best to use the free trial for a few days. If that is not available, request a detailed demo from the vendor.
Methodology
To compile this list of the best simple project management software, we analyzed several software programs to see how they handle basic project management tasks such as sharing files, creating tasks and monitoring project progress. The short-listed project management software was analyzed further to check their pros, cons, pricing and standout features. We also looked at customer reviews to finalize our list of the best software for simple project management.
