(Also in Operations) Smartsheet is like a spreadsheet on steroids for managing projects. It looks like Excel but adds dynamic features: dependencies, attachments, discussion threads in cells, and easy collaboration. Project managers who love Excel often gravitate to Smartsheet as a gentler transition to dedicated PM software. It’s especially useful for projects that are highly data-centric or list-driven (like event planning tasks, budget tracking) where team members update cells and rows in real-time. Supports Gantt and calendar views as well, with automation capabilities to remind or alert team members as deadlines approach.
(Also in Operations/Productivity) Airtable’s flexible grids can serve as a project tracker with a database spin. Teams build custom project trackers with Airtable – including fields for task owner, status, due date, etc., plus the ability to attach files or link to records (like linking tasks to a projects table). Airtable offers multiple views: grid, calendar, Kanban, timeline (for pro users), making it quite capable as a PM tool if set up well. It’s especially loved for content pipelines, product roadmaps, and event planning projects where the data might not fit neatly into off-the-shelf PM software.
A simple Kanban-style project board (by Atlassian) – ideal for smaller projects or agile teams practicing Scrum/Kanban. Projects in Trello are represented as boards with lists (columns) and cards (tasks) you move across stages (e.g., To Do, Doing, Done). Highly visual and easy to use, Trello is often the first PM tool for startups and small teams. While simple, it can be extended with Power-Ups (for Gantt charts, time tracking, etc.) as needs grow.
A popular and user-friendly project and task management tool used by teams of all sizes. Asana allows creating projects with tasks, subtasks, assignees, and due dates in list or board views. It excels at coordinating work across functional teams with features like timelines (Gantt charts) and dependencies in higher tiers. great for teams to track who is doing what by when, without cumbersome setup. Often praised for its clean interface and strong integration (Slack, Drive, etc.), making project tracking a natural part of daily work.
A newer entrant known for its rich feature set and high customizability at a low price. ClickUp aims to replace multiple apps by including tasks, docs, chat, whiteboards, goals, and more in one platform. For project management, it offers everything from Kanban to Gantt, time tracking, and mind maps. It’s attractive to startups and growing teams because of the value (a lot of features in one place) and the ability to tailor the workspace to their methodology. Some might find it complex due to the sheer number of options, but power users can consolidate many workflows into ClickUp.
A flexible Work OS that many use for project portfolio management. Monday provides customizable boards (tables) to track projects, with multiple views (Kanban, timeline, calendar) and lots of templates. Notable for its easy customization – teams can adapt Monday to marketing campaigns, sales pipelines, product roadmaps, or traditional project plans. Automations (like status changes triggering notifications) and integrations (with Slack, Outlook, etc.) make it powerful. Its colorful interface and in-built collaboration features make project management engaging.
The leading tool for software development project tracking (though also used for other projects). Jira is issue/task tracking software that supports Scrum and Kanban workflows out-of-the-box, including backlog management, sprint planning, and burndown charts. It’s highly configurable and supports agile teams building software or any product. For non-developers it can be complex, but Atlassian has introduced templates for general project management too. Common in tech startups as soon as they need more structure for releases.
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A robust project management and work management platform suitable for scaling teams. Wrike offers project planning with Gantt charts, workload view for resource management, and customizable dashboards. It supports cross-team collaboration with request forms and proofing for assets (popular with marketing and creative teams). Wrike also has powerful reporting for project analytics. Many mid-sized businesses choose Wrike when they outgrow simpler tools – it provides structure and visibility while still being cloud-based and user-friendly.
A project management suite popular with agencies and client-service teams. Teamwork Projects allows task management, Gantt charts, time tracking, and billing integration. It’s known for robust features like task dependencies, sub-tasks, and notebooks, but still approachable for small teams. Teamwork also offers integrated Teamwork Desk (helpdesk) and Teamwork CRM, so agencies can manage projects, client communications, and sales in one ecosystem. Strong reporting features help managers keep an eye on team utilization and project profitability.
Microsoft offers two tools: Planner and Project. Planner is a simple Kanban board app included with Microsoft 365 – great for light task tracking in a visual way (similar to Trello) for small teams in the MS ecosystem. Project Online (part of Microsoft Project web app) is the cloud counterpart to the classic Microsoft Project; it offers advanced PM capabilities like critical path analysis, resource leveling, and portfolio management in a web interface. Enterprises use MS Project for formal project plans, but SMBs often find Planner sufficient for day-to-day team task management.
While not a PM tool per se, Lucid’s diagramming (Lucidchart) and virtual whiteboard (LucidSpark) tools are invaluable for project planning and brainstorming. Lucidchart lets teams draw flowcharts, process maps, and project org charts collaboratively (e.g., mapping out a project workflow or system architecture). LucidSpark is for freeform ideation, retrospective boards, etc. They integrate with PM software like Jira or Asana to embed diagrams in project documents. Thus, they enhance project management by improving clarity and communication around processes and ideas.
A newer PM tool that combines project management with team chat. Nifty supports managing tasks (with Kanban and timeline views), creating docs/wikis, and has built-in direct messaging and project discussion threads. The idea is to reduce the number of tools by having a bit of Slack + Asana in one. It’s aimed at small teams and agencies, and includes client portal features. By integrating milestones, tasks, and communication, Nifty helps keep project context together, improving efficiency for teams that don’t want to jump between separate chat and PM apps.
A specialized tool for those who love Gantt charts. GanttPRO makes it easy to create and share interactive Gantt timelines for projects, including setting dependencies and resource assignments. It’s simpler than full PM suites, focusing on scheduling and timeline visualization. This appeals to project managers who primarily need to map out project timelines and communicate them to stakeholders, without extra complexity. SMBs running waterfall projects or event planning often find this a straightforward solution for timeline management.
