Project management apps are vital tools for work teams to organize projects, assign tasks, communicate remotely, and monitor progress. The best project management apps typically include check-lists, timelines, or boards to organize tasks in a project based on due date and current progress. Many include a project management calendar that displays all due dates on a given project. These project management tools are especially useful for those working remotely who must coordinate and collaborate online. Every remote team should be using online project management software to maximize work efficiency and productivity.
However, with many options available, it can be difficult to decide which project management app is best for your team. As such, we have compiled a list of the 7 Best Project Management Apps. Use this list to compare the best project management software available on the market.
Best Project Management Software for Any Team
For teams working on projects with multiple tasks and deadlines.
Asana’s project management app provides a platform that helps teams organize projects, set timelines, and hit deadlines. In Asana, you can create tasks and divide them between different projects, assign contributors to each task, and collaborate with one another through the message box attached to each task. You can view these tasks in both a timeline and calendar to keep track of due dates. You can monitor projects on Portfolios, which track your progress and calculate whether or not you’re on track.
Other key Asana features include automation and forms. You can set automation to complete simple manual tasks, thus saving time and simplifying workflows. You can use forms to streamline work requests by setting a standard form that others use to assign and request work. In addition to these features, Asana includes integrations with over 100 of the most useful work management apps including Slack, Zapier, Google Drive, and Microsoft Teams.
There are four options for Asana plans – Basic, Premium, Business, and Enterprise. The Basic plan is free and is available for teams of up to 15 people. It includes free product management tools such as tasks, the timeline, calendar, and basic integrations. Paid plans (Premium, Business, and Enterprise) cost a monthly or annual fee per user and add more integrations, forms, advanced reporting, and enhanced security. Custom Enterprise pricing also includes custom branding and priority support.
For teams who need help organizing tasks and visualizing workflow.
Jira Core is project management software that forms one of the four core Jira work apps made for remote work. Jira Core is targeted towards business teams that need an online platform for managing projects, monitoring details, and measuring performance. Workflow is visualized through business project templates that can be customized to detail every step in your team’s flow. From this workflow, you can click on any task to view its details, including comments, attachments, and due dates. Finally, customizable reports and dashboards display the status and progress of your tasks.
You can access Jira in the Cloud or on your own server, though Jira Core Cloud includes additional features, such as boards. Boards display an immediate snapshot of a project. You can use them to track the progress of the project and individual tasks. Jira products integrate with a number of other useful apps such as Trello, GitHub, and Droplr.
Jira Core offers both a free project management app plan and a paid plan. The free plan includes the above features for up to 10 users along with 2 GB of file storage. Paid plans cost $5/user/month. So, if you have 11 users, Jira will cost $55/month. In addition to more users, the paid plan includes advanced permissions, anonymous access, audit logs, standard support, and 250 GB of file storage.
For individuals, groups, and businesses looking for an accessible task management solution.
Trello is a task management app for both individuals and teams. Trello organizes projects into boards, lists, and cards that are easily accessible and visually appealing. Users can add comments, attachments, and due dates directly to cards for more direct collaboration. Trello also includes workflow automation with Butler, which can be customized with rule-based triggers to take care of simple tasks.
Trello is available in-browser (on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari) and on mobile and desktop. Work apps that integrate with Trello include Jira, Slack, Adobe XD, and Droplr. Trello’s free project management app includes unlimited personal boards, cards, and lists, 10 MB per file attachment, 10 team boards, simple automation, and 2FA. Trello also offers a $5/user/mo standard plan, $10/user/mo business plan and customizable enterprise pricing that decreases in price per user for larger enterprises. Paid plans add in unlimited team boards, 250 MB per file attachment, custom backgrounds and stickers, 100+ integrations, map and calendar views, and enhanced automation and security.
For remote businesses involved in large, complex projects.
Basecamp is a project management software and team management app targeted towards remote businesses. Work is split up into projects on Basecamp, and all associated employees, files, and tasks are added underneath that project. Projects include a message board for announcements and feedback, group chat for other conversations, to-do lists, a schedule, and folders for related files. Executives can also post automatic check-in questions to monitor employee progress.
A unique feature to Basecamp is Hill Charts. These hill charts let you visualize what stage each of your tasks is on–tasks on the uphill portion are in the planning and problem-solving stage, while tasks on the downhill side just need to be properly executed. You can move tasks along the hill after making progress. You can create a separate hill chart for each to-do list to get a better picture of how well each part of a project is coming together.
Basecamp software is available for iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. Basecamp pricing includes both Business and Personal plans. The Basecamp Business plan costs a flat fee of $99/month, including a 30-day free trial, for unlimited projects and users, a bargain for larger businesses that have to pay per user for similar teamwork apps. For a Basecamp option free of cost, you can try Basecamp Personal. However, it can only be used for 3 projects, up to 20 users, and 1 GB of storage space.
For remote businesses and enterprises looking for a virtual workspace.
Wrike project management software provides everything you need for a remote workspace. Work can be organized by different departments, campaigns, and projects to maximize organization efficiency for businesses. Within the project dashboard, you can assign tasks to different collaborators, along with comments, attachments, and deadlines. You can also send individual messages as well as team-wide email blasts to request new tasks. You can also view tasks within a Gantt Chart that shows the timeline and due dates for each task in a project, as well as use the chart to connect related tasks to one another.
One unique feature that Wrike has recently produced is a Covid-19 Business Continuity Template to help businesses maintain operations in their switch to remote work. This template includes features that allow employees to update their remote work and work availability (which can also be updated with Slack statuses), a risk mitigation plan that identifies core projects and their impact on revenue, and a rapid response communication plan.
Wrike’s free project management app includes a simple shared task list for teams. Wrike’s professional plan is priced at $9.80/user/month. This plan includes full project planning and collaboration features. Wrike’s business plan costs $24.80/user/month for customization and executive reporting, and its custom pricing enterprise plan offers advanced security and controls for an unlimited number of users. Wrike also offers special add-ons for integrations, analytics, resource management, proofing, and data control.
For remote businesses and schools looking for an all-in-one solution that offers a flat monthly fee.
ProofHub is a project management app that advertises itself as a cost-effective, all-in-one solution for remote teams. ProofHub organizes tasks using Kanban boards that divide them into customizable workflow stages. You can visualize tasks and projects using Gantt Charts, like Wrike, or a calendar. Teammates can communicate with one another using both discussion boards and direct messaging. You can set custom roles for each team member to determine which project areas they can access.
ProofHub also includes a number of unique features. Online proofing software includes markup tools that allow for the live editing of documents. Timesheets let you track time either manually or using a timer, create time reports, and export created timesheets. ProofHub also includes integrations with several helpful apps such as FreshBooks, QuickBooks, Dropbox, and Google Drive.
ProofHub’s essential plan costs $45/month and includes most of the above core features for 40 projects, 15 GB of storage, and an unlimited number of users. ProofHub’s ultimate control plan typically costs $150/month, though it is offered for a discounted price at times. It includes the above for an unlimited number of projects and users and 100 GB of storage and adds custom roles and workflows, white labeling, network controls, API access, and advanced reports and activity logs.
For online teams that require an all-in-one project management software solution.
Project Manager provides a central hub for teams to work on and complete projects together. The platform includes many of the excellent features of other apps, such as gannt charts, tasks lists, and kanban boards. This means that you can organize your project view based on which visual system works best for you. Within each sytem, you can assign members to tasks, attach files, comment on updates, and more! You can also sign up for email updates so you know as soon as a task is created, assigned, updated, or completed.
Project Manager also includes timesheets, so you can track time spent on each tasks and generate weekly reports. The timesheet software auto-fills in tasks, then lets teams report their hours. You can monitor their progress live online and approve timesheets as they come in. The software’s workload management feature tracks availability, so you can tell who is overloaded and who can accept new tasks.
Project Manager offers a free plan for up to 3 users that includes up to 3 projects and file storage up to 2 GB. It also includes basic features like task lists and kanban boards. To access timesheets, gantt charts, and unlimited file storage, you must sign up for a team ($14/user/mo) or business ($25/user/mo). Business plans also unlock access to advanced reports, real-time availability, product training, and integrations with other apps. Enterprises that need custom roles and advanced security can contact Project Manager for custom pricing.
Comparing the Best Project Management Apps
Any of the above project management apps would be an excellent choice for your remote team to help organize tasks, plan projects, and communicate effectively long-distance. Generally, large businesses and enterprises should look into Wrike and Basecamp given their focus on large, complex projects. Wrike is especially useful for remote work since it provides a workspace for each business department, while Basecamp’s pricing is practically a steal for large enterprises.
ProofHub is a good project management solution for remote teams on a budget and education teams. Asana and Jira are great for teams of all sizes for managing multiple projects and deadlines. Project Manager is the best project management app for teams who need a variety of visualization options for their projects as well as access to online timesheets. Finally, Trello is a solid choice for anybody who needs help managing tasks and projects, from freelancers to hobby groups to small businesses.
When choosing which software is right for you, pay attention to which specific features work best for your team as well as cost. Costs vary from app to app depending on the size of your team. Due to these variables, it is best to make use of your chosen app’s free trial period before committing long-term. Be sure to discuss with your team what they’re looking for in a project management app and what kind of budget is available so you can choose the best project management tool for your needs.