Get It Together With Our Favourite Team Project Management Software
Best SoftwareBusinessProject ManagementSoftware Reviews July 26, 2018 Arianna Gael
Find the perfect project management software for your team.
In our connected world, it’s almost impossible to effectively conduct business without the help of great platforms that keep your team on the same page. At one time, businesses had to rely on multiple apps and desktop software titles to get the job done: one for messaging, one for sharing important files, one for scheduling appointments and content, one for emailing. Fortunately, project management tools came along and streamlined the process, but at what cost?
Over the years, some of the “it” tools for workflow and collaboration came with limitations that only allowed “top dog” companies invest in them. Limits on the numbers of accounts, limits on file sizes for sharing, and the ever-present threat of privacy invasions caused more problems than they solved. Fortunately, the playing field has been filled with newcomers that brought better tools and features while also forcing the other guys to step up their game.
While different platforms can be tailored to different project or team needs, thus making a slew of options appealing to different users, there are a few standouts in the project management space. Here are our top three picks for project management software to organize your team and tasks.
Compare project management software
Software | |||
Rating | |||
Price | 5 users per month | per user per month | per power user per month |
Free Version | Trial only | ✅ | ✅ |
Deployment | |||
Kanban board | |||
Gantt charts | ✅ | 🗙 | ✅ |
Time & Expense Tracking | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Customizable Templates | ✅ | 🗙 | 🗙 |
24/7 Customer Support | ✅ | 🗙 | 🗙 |
*Price converted to GBP at time of review 23/07/2018.
monday.com
✅ Easy to use
✅ Gantt charts included
✅ Most economical of the paid options
✅ Customizable templates available
✅ 24/7 customer support
X No free version
X Limited team members in cheaper price plans
One of the worst things about business tools is that they tend to serve a pre-determined notion of what a business is. Having said that, monday is different. With so many pricing options, there’s bound to be one that fits your company’s budget. At the same time, there are also plans that mean you can get the functionality you need without paying for features you don’t need.
It’s an understood facet of 21st century business that your entire team might not work in the same office. Whether you’re a small business relying on freelancers around the globe or a powerhouse corporation that has the financial means to hire top pros (you guessed it, from around the globe), monday can help everyone stay connected and on task without resorting to pointless conference calls, group video meetings that never seem to be 100% clear, or (gasp!) lengthy reply-all email threads.
One of monday’s greatest features is the included customizable templates. Users can create themed-boards for a wide variety of needs, including everything from a social media planner to traditional event planning to construction schedules and more. There’s even a template specifically for freelancers to use, allowing them to make sure they’re getting their money’s worth in terms of time when they take on a project.
Pricing – See latest offers
monday uses subscription-based pricing based on the number of users, length of subscription, and features required, so you’ll only pay for what you need. The available plans are basic, standard, pro and enterprise, and each additional ‘level’ adds a bunch of additional features. Prices start at £18 per month for a 2-year basic subscription for 5 users.
There is no free version, but monday offers a 14-day free trial to help you decide which subscription level works best for your team.
Click here for more information about monday.com
Asana
✅ Simple, uncluttered interface
✅ Tasks and messages are separated into “ribbons” for easy reading
✅ Integration with many major platforms
✅ Free version available
X Limited support
X Lacking some advanced features
Not all project management software is going to be visually appealing to every team member, and to be honest, some of the titles out there have dashboards that include wild graphic schemes, rainbows of color-coded blocks, and a generally cluttered feel. This kind of tool can’t work if your team can’t stand to look at it, and Asana has come up with a clean design that is easy to navigate and calm while still offering at-a-glance functionality.
Like most platforms, Asana is only useful if everyone can access it. Unlike all platforms, though, Asana offers not just Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android compatibility, it also offers a web-based login so you can jump in from any computer—a public library out of town, your brother-in-law’s PC at the holidays, wherever—in a pinch and handle anything that comes up.
Perhaps the most enticing feature is Asana’s integration with Gmail. While longtime Gmail fans might be used to clicking a button to have a calendar invite morph into an item on their Google calendars, it’s something else altogether to be able to turn an emailed request into an Asana task without even leaving Gmail. That email from the boss that says, “I need everyone’s reports by 3pm tomorrow,” turns into an Asana task with just a few clicks.
While Asana might not be the cheapest option, it does provide some of the most tailored choices across its numerous subscription tiers. That way, your company or project isn’t stuck paying for member space or features you don’t need.
Pricing – See latest offers
Asana offers a basic free version for small teams to get your started. Premium accounts are available from £7.99 per user, per month and are billed annually. If you need a little more control and support, Enterprise accounts give you additional support and advanced management features. Enterprise accounts are handled via contact with the company and available with quote-based pricing.
Click here for more information about Asana
Project Insight
✅ Free version with unlimited users
✅ Includes project budgeting tools
✅ Gantt chart capabilities
✅ Additional features available as add-ons
X 7 day free trial
X 5 member minimum on paid subscriptions
Wouldn’t it be great if every busy professional was a member of just one team, and had just one project on the table at once? While still somehow earning a great living, that is? Unfortunately, that’s not the reality for…well…anyone. That’s why Project Insight makes it easy to not just work together with your team on one project, but rather to view all of your teams and all of your tasks in handy panes without getting bogged down in an overly cluttered space.
Project Insight is one of the most powerful, functional project management software titles to offer a free-forever plan, one that includes an unlimited number of users. Seriously. To add additional features, users simply move up a plan or two based on their needs, but the free option will always be there for those who need it (it’s especially great for very short-term projects that include a lot of people who will be contributing temporarily, such as on a freelance basis). Best of all, users can sign up for a free plan and only pay for a few add-ons if needed.
One feature that might be alluring to specific types of users will be the budgeting feature. It’s not something that all teams or projects need, so paying extra for it might not be necessary for some. However, anyone who’s also working within the confines of financial parameters while navigating manpower, manhour, and calendar deadlines might find it to be a lifeline.
But the best for last…Project Insight offers Virtual PM for Slack. This virtual project manager not only communicates between Project Insight and your other tools like Slack, it handles some of the mundane tasks like scheduling updates or marking tasks as completed, leaving you free to actually do the work you’re trying to do. It’s available on all three pricing plans, even the free version.
Pricing – See latest offers
Project Insight uses customizable pricing to fit your specific business needs. The free version includes unlimited users and allows you to purchase specific add-ons without upgrading to a paid plan.
Two paid price plans are available on a monthly subscription basis per user, though both require a minimum of 5 power users. The Business plan is available for $45 (approx. £34.24) per power user per month, and team members start at $20 (approx. £15.25) per month. The Enterprise plan unlocks all the available features for $65 (approx. £49.54) per power user per month, with team members starting at $30 (approx. £22.86).
Click here for more information about Project Insight.
Summary
With so many options for project management software out there, you’re spoilt for choice, but not all of them will work for your team. We picked out three of our favourite project management tools to give you an idea of what you can expect from good project management software and to help you decide what matters for your team.
Looking for more apps to improve your team? Check out the full range of productivity and collaboration business apps on FileHippo.