It’s probably safe to say there’s no modern-day project management without project management software. But there’s a lot of project management software on the market to select from, and the best software depends on your business needs and budget.

To help, we did some research to round up 25 of the best options for managing projects from ideation to completion, including our own. Airtable is consistently reviewed and ranked for its flexibility, AI-powered capabilities, and agile project management. Read on to learn about the best tools for business of all sizes, across industries, as well as what to look for as you make your selection.

Build better projects with Airtable

How we picked the best project management tools

Our evaluation focused on respected user review sites like G2, Capterra, and Gartner Peer Insights, prioritizing tools with consistently high scores (above 4 out of 5 stars) and high review volumes. Criteria included feedback on usability, feature depth, pricing transparency, and integration capabilities. From this we selected a range of tools—some better suited to small businesses and others for enterprise organizations, and some that stand to benefit companies of any size.

Best project management tools comparison chart

Tool

Best for

Key features

Free trial?

Starting price

Airtable

Customizable, AI-powered workflows

Relational database, multiple views, AI-driven automations

Yes (14 days)

$20/user/month

Asana

Task management

Custom workflows, timeline views, portfolio management

Yes (30 days)

$13.49/user/month

ClickUp

All-in-one project management

Custom views, docs, goals, time tracking

Yes (free plan)

$10/user/month

Monday.com

Visual project tracking

Customizable boards, automation, dashboards

Yes (14 days)

$12/user/month

Smartsheet

Spreadsheet-based project management

Grid view, automation, resource management

Yes (30 days)

$9/user/month

Jira

Software development teams

Agile boards, sprint planning, issue tracking

Yes (7 days)

$7.91/user/month

Trello

Simple Kanban management

Boards, cards, Power-Ups, visual organization

Yes (free plan)

$6/user/month

Wrike

Cross-functional collaboration

Gantt charts, request forms, proofing

Yes (14 days)

$10/user/month

Notion

Knowledge base with project management capabilities

Databases, wikis, flexible workspaces

Yes (free plan)

$10/user/month

Basecamp

Communication-focused project management

Message boards, to-dos, schedules

Yes (30 days)

$299/month flat

Zoho Projects

Budget-friendly for feature depth

Task management, time tracking, Gantt charts

Yes (10 days)

$4/user/month

Microsoft Planner

Enterprise planning

Dynamic scheduling, resource management

Yes (30 days)

$10/user/month

Teamwork

Client-centric project management

Time tracking, invoicing, client portals

Yes (30 days)

$10.99/user/month

Hive

Budget-friendly all-in-one with proofing

Multiple views, native chat, AI automation

Yes (14 days)

$5/user/month

ProofHub

Flat-rate collaboration

Gantt charts, proofing, time tracking

Yes (14 days)

$45/month flat, billed annually

Nifty

Milestone-driven project management

Automated progress, timeline views, docs

Yes (14 days)

$7/month/user

GanttPRO

Visual Gantt planning

Task dependencies, resource management

Yes (14 days)

$9/user/month

Scoro

End-to-end work management

Project billing, CRM, resource scheduling

Yes (14 days)

$23.90/user/month

Workfront

Enterprise marketing ops

Campaign management, creative workflows

“Tour” available

Custom pricing

Celoxis

Advanced reporting

Customizable dashboards, resource planning

Yes (14 days)

$10/user/month

Paymo

Small business time tracking

Time tracking, invoicing, Gantt charts

Yes (15 days)

$5.90/user/month, billed annually

Forecast

Resource planning

Resource management, predictive insights

Demo available

Custom pricing

Redbooth

Team collaboration

HD video, task management, file sharing

Yes (free plan)

$9/user/month, billed annually

Progress Podio

Customizable work platform

Custom apps, automations, workflows

Yes (14 days)

$11.20/user/month, billed annually

Infinity

Work management

Customizable structure, multiple views

Contact sales

$6/user/month, billed annually

Best project management tools in review

image16x9-Airtable-ProductCentral

Airtable enables companies of all sizes to unify and scale their most critical and unique project management workflows. It brings a high degree of flexibility and customization to project management across different teams, whether you’re managing a marketing campaign or building a product roadmap.

Powered by a relational database, Airtable connects projects to company-wide goals, allowing teams to go beyond managing tasks and drive strategic project portfolio management.
And with built in AI, teams can use intelligent forecasting to spot and eliminate project risks, automatically generate project plans, match work to the right people based on skills and workload, and align stakeholders with automated project updates.

The platform conforms to the way you work best: Multiple views include Kanban boards, Gantt charts, calendars, and galleries. Teams link tables to connect customer data with projects, create filtered views for different stakeholders, and automate repetitive tasks through triggered actions. The interface designer transforms raw data into custom apps with forms, buttons, and conditional logic that become actionable project dashboards.

Starting price

$24/user/month for Team plan; Free plan with 1,000 records per base

Pros and cons

Airtable’s relational database and customizable structure power seamless, connected workflows. Users highlight the platform’s intuitive experience, particularly its AI features, though some note that the free plan is more limited than paid options.

Key features

  • Relational databases connecting multiple project data sources

  • AI features for project intake and planning

  • AI-powered resource management, reporting, and risk management

  • Multiple views: grid, calendar, Kanban, gallery, timeline, Gantt

  • 1,000+ app integrations

Key integrations

  • Slack

  • Google Workspace

  • Microsoft Teams

  • Salesforce

  • Jira

Asana

Asana provides work management for different team sizes and volume of projects. Custom workflows move work through defined stages, dependencies automatically adjust timelines when tasks shift, and portfolio views show progress across multiple initiatives. Goal-tracking features connect daily tasks to strategic objectives, providing team members with helpful context for how their work contributes to company milestones.

The platform handles various methodologies through timeline, board, and list views. Asana, like its alternatives, can serve teams transitioning off spreadsheets, but offers more feature depth to accommodate more complex project coordination across departments.

Starting price

$13.49/user/month (annual) for Starter; Free for up to 15 users

Pros and cons

User-friendly interface and extensive features make it accessible for all team sizes, though some reviewers feel its AI features may be behind competitors. The platform also focuses on task management, which can be limiting for companies looking to scale.

Key features

  • Custom workflows with automated rules and task routing

  • Timeline view with dependencies and milestones

  • Task management for monitoring multiple tasks

  • Forms for structured intake and request management

  • Workload view for resource allocation

Key integrations

  • Microsoft Teams

  • Slack

  • Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Salesforce

  • Google Workspace

image16x9-clickup

ClickUp consolidates project management, docs, goals, and time tracking into a one workspace. Teams customize everything from task statuses to entire hierarchies, choosing from 15+ view types including lists, boards, Gantt charts, calendars, and mind maps. Built-in docs support collaborative writing with nested pages while automation handles repetitive tasks like status updates and assignee notifications.

The platform includes native time tracking, goal management with trackable targets, and customizable dashboards visualizing project metrics. Users can create unlimited tasks and custom fields even on the free plan, making it attractive for teams seeking comprehensive functionality without immediately committing to paid tiers. The feature set delivers value for teams willing to invest time in initial configuration and learning the platform's capabilities.

Starting price

$10/user/month (annual) for Unlimited plan; Free plan with 100MB storage

Pros and cons

Comprehensive features eliminate the need for multiple tools, but some reviewers say complexity creates steeper learning curves and notifications can overwhelm users without proper configuration.

Key features

  • 15+ customizable views including Gantt, board, calendar, timeline, workload

  • Docs with real-time collaboration and knowledge wikis

  • Native time tracking with timesheets and reporting

  • Goals with progress tracking and automated updates

  • Unlimited automation with 50+ actions

Key integrations

  • GitHub

  • Slack

  • Google Drive

  • Zoom

  • Toggl

image16x9-monday

Monday.com delivers visual project management through boards tracking work with colored status columns, timeline views, and automated workflows. Each board centralizes projects, displaying tasks, deadlines, files, and progress in color-coded interfaces that make status immediately visible to all stakeholders. Automation helps eliminate manual work like sending notifications, status changes when deadlines approach, or task assignments based on specific triggers.

Dashboard features aggregate multiple boards into executive views with charts, timelines, and KPI tracking, providing leadership with portfolio-level visibility. The platform's template library offers starting points for various use cases from marketing campaign management to software development, while the visual interface reduces the learning curve for teams new to structured project management tools.

Starting price

$12/user/month (annual) for Basic; Individual free for 2 users

Pros and cons

Visual interface and automation make it accessible for non-technical teams, though some reviewers say that reporting feels limited and occasional outages disrupt workflows.

Key features

  • Customizable boards with multiple column types

  • Automation recipes with 250+ templates

  • Dashboard widgets visualizing project data

  • Timeline and Gantt views for dependencies

  • 200+ native app integrations

Key integrations

  • Slack

  • Microsoft Teams

  • Google Workspace

  • Salesforce

  • Zoom

image16x9-smartsheet

Smartsheet brings project management to teams comfortable using spreadsheets. It combines Excel-like grids with Gantt charts, card views, and automated workflows. Users can create project sheets with customizable columns, switching between views without changing data. The formula system mirrors Excel functionality while adding dependencies, predecessors, and path calculations that traditional spreadsheets lack.

This solution can serve organizations managing complex projects that require resource allocation and capacity planning across teams. AI features generate formulas automatically, summarize project data. Smartsheet is noted for close integration with the Microsoft and Google ecosystems.

Starting price

$9/user/month (billed annually) for Pro; Free for 1 user

Pros and cons

The familiar spreadsheet interface reduces learning curves for Excel users while providing time-saving automation, but some reviewers say they’ve experienced technical instability and find some features less intuitive than other solutions.

Key features

  • Grid view with Excel-like formulas

  • Dynamic Gantt charts with critical path

  • Resource management with allocation tracking

  • Workflow automation with conditional logic

  • AI formula builder and automated reports

Key integrations

  • Microsoft 365

  • Google Workspace

  • Salesforce

  • ServiceNow

  • Tableau

6. Jira

image16x9-jira

Jira serves software development teams with agile project management built specifically for tracking issues, managing sprints, and coordinating releases. Teams create epics breaking into user stories and tasks, moving work through customizable workflows using Scrum or Kanban boards. Backlog grooming features help product owners prioritize work while sprint planning tools support story point estimation and capacity allocation across team members.

The platform's reporting capabilities include burndown charts, velocity tracking, and cumulative flow diagrams that give teams visibility into sprint performance and long-term trends. Integration with development tools like GitHub, Bitbucket, and CI/CD pipelines appeal to engineering teams practicing agile methodologies. It also integrates with Airtable, which is also ideal to support agile project management.

Starting price

$7.91/user/month for Standard; Free for 10 users

Pros and cons

Specialized agile features have made it a standard for software teams, though some reviewers say the interface complexity overwhelms less-technical users and feels dated.

Key features

  • Scrum and Kanban boards with customizable workflows

  • Sprint planning with velocity tracking

  • Advanced issue tracking with custom fields

  • Roadmaps for strategic planning

  • Agile reporting with burndown charts

Key integrations

  • GitHub

  • Bitbucket

  • Confluence

  • Slack

  • Jenkins

image16x9-trello

Trello, an Atlassian product, simplifies project management through visual Kanban boards that organize work with cards and customizable lists. Each card contains descriptions, checklists, attachments, due dates, and comments, which together create workspaces for collaboration. Teams drag cards between lists showing progress from "To Do" to "Complete," making project status immediately visible without generating reports or checking multiple views.

Power-Ups extend Trello's capabilities by adding calendar views, custom fields, voting features, and integrations with external tools. The platform's mobile apps maintain full functionality enabling teams to update projects from anywhere. Trello can work well for small teams and simple projects that don't require complex dependency tracking or resource management.

Starting price

$6/user/month for Standard; Free with unlimited cards

Pros and cons

Trello’s simplicity and visual appeal create immediate accessibility, but reviewers note that it lacks more advanced features like Gantt charts, time tracking, and resource planning.

Key features

  • Kanban boards with drag-and-drop management

  • Customizable lists and labels

  • Card attachments, checklists, deadlines

  • Power-Ups for extended functionality

  • Butler automation for workflows

Key integrations

  • Slack

  • Google Drive

  • Microsoft Teams

  • Jira

  • Confluence

image16x9-wrike

Wrike provides cross-functional teams with visual tools that help teams move from ideation to project completion. It includes request forms, proofing workflows, and Gantt charts that automatically adjust when dependencies change. The request forms centralize stakeholder intake, creating projects with predefined templates and assigned owners. Proofing features let reviewers mark up creative files directly, comparing versions and tracking approval workflows without email chains.

Custom workflows define how work moves through stages while dashboards provide real-time visibility into project health and team workload. The platform's resource management features show capacity across teams, helping managers prevent burnout and identify bottlenecks before they impact deadlines. Wrike offers project management primarily aimed at marketing, creative, and operational teams that work cross-functionally.

Starting price

$10/user/month (annual) for Team; Free for unlimited users with limits

Pros and cons

Reviewers note that features are comprehensive and support different use cases and complexity, and that the company has responsive support. Interfaces are also sometimes noted as cluttered and advanced features can require significant configuration.

Key features

  • Dynamic Gantt charts with automatic dependencies

  • Request forms for structured intake

  • Proofing workflows for creative review

  • Customizable real-time dashboards

  • Resource management with workload views

Key integrations

  • Microsoft Teams

  • Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Salesforce

  • Slack

  • Google Workspace

image16x9-notion

Notion combines wikis, databases, and project management into a workspaces where teams build custom solutions for their specific needs. Users create infinitely nested pages mixing text, tables, boards, and embedded content to structure information. Database features transform simple tables into project trackers with multiple views—Kanban boards, calendars, or galleries—using the same underlying data.

The platform is appealing to startups and teams who need documentation and project management capabilities within the same workspace. Teams build connected databases that link project tasks to things like meeting notes, reference documentation, and strategic roadmaps.

Starting price

$10/user/month (billed annually) for Plus; Free with unlimited pages

Pros and cons

Unlimited customization provides a lot of possibilities for workspaces, but the tool lacks advanced features like native Gantt charts and time tracking. Reviewers note that it can require significant initial setup.

Key features

  • Multiple view types

  • Wiki-style pages with infinite nesting

  • Relational databases linking projects to documentation

  • Templates for common workflows

  • AI writing assistant for content generation

Key integrations

  • Slack

  • Google Drive

  • GitHub

  • Figma

  • Zapier

image16x9-basecamp

Basecamp, by 37signals, has a long track record with small businesses who need simple project management support. The solution takes a communication-first approach where each project becomes a hub where teams discuss progress, share files, track deadlines, and maintain a single source of truth for all project-related information. Message boards replace scattered email threads while automatic check-ins prompt team members for asynchronous status updates.

The platform prioritizes clarity and simplicity over advanced scheduling features. Hill Charts provide a unique way to visualize project progress, showing whether work remains in the uncertain "uphill" phase or has moved to the more predictable "downhill" completion stage. Basecamp also offers flat-rate pricing, which can be attractive for larger teams.

Starting price

$299/month flat for unlimited users; Free for 20 users and 3 projects; Monthly pricing also available

Pros and cons

Basecamp’s straightforward design and unlimited user pricing simplify coordination, but reviewers note that it lacks Gantt charts, time tracking, and detailed resource management.

Key features

  • Message boards for centralized discussions

  • To-do lists with assignments and dates

  • Hill charts visualizing project progress

  • Automatic check-ins for async updates

  • Document file storage with version history

Key integrations

  • Jira

  • Zapier

  • Zoho Flow

  • Ganttify

  • Unito.io

image16x9-zoho-projects

Zoho Projects delivers project management at a budget-friendly price point. Feature capabilities include task dependencies, Gantt charts, time tracking, and resource allocation. The platform also includes issue tracking for bugs and risks, milestone tracking for key deliverables, and customizable workflows adapting to various project methodologies. Blueprints automate project setup by creating standardized processes that new projects automatically follow, ensuring consistency across the organization.

Zoho Projects is part of the broader Zoho ecosystem, so integrates well with other Zoho tools. Teams use built-in forums for discussions, wikis for documentation, and calendars consolidating all project deadlines in one view. The platform's reporting features provide insights into task completion rates, resource utilization, and budget tracking.

  • Starting price

$4/user/month (billed annually) for Premium; Free for 3 users

Pros and cons

Reviewers appreciate the feature depth, especially for the price, but some say the interface is overwhelming, that configuration comes with a learning curve, and Integrations with non-Zoho tools could be more seamless.

Key features

  • Gantt charts with dependencies and critical path

  • Time tracking with timesheets

  • Issue tracking for bugs and risks

  • Blueprints for automated project creation

  • Resource utilization charts

Key integrations

  • Zoho CRM

  • Zoho Books

  • Zoho Desk

  • Slack

  • Google Workspace

image16x9-microsoft-planner

Microsoft Planner (formerly Microsoft Project) provides scheduling, where project timelines automatically adjust based on resource availability, task dependencies, and changing requirements. Project managers build work breakdown structures, set resource pools with skills and availability, and generate path analyses identifying which tasks directly impact project completion dates. Resource leveling automatically resolves scheduling conflicts by shifting tasks to balance workload across teams.

Planner is integrated with Microsoft 365, so may make sense for enterprises already using multiple products within the Microsoft ecosystem. The platform's reporting capabilities export to Excel, Power BI dashboards, and custom templates for portfolio-level views. The solution can handle complex scenarios like multi-project resource sharing and what-if scenario planning.

Starting price

$10/user/month (billed annually) for Plan 1; Plan 3 at $30/user/month includes desktop

Pros and cons

Scheduling handles enterprise complexity, but reviewers say the solution requires significant expertise and works best within Microsoft ecosystems.

Key features

  • Dynamic scheduling with automatic adjustments

  • Resource management with leveling

  • Earned value analysis for performance

  • Portfolio management for multi-projects

  • Part of the Microsoft ecosystem

Key integrations

  • Microsoft Teams

  • SharePoint

  • Power BI

  • Excel

  • Microsoft 365

image16x9-teamwork

Teamwork provides agencies and consultancies with client-facing features like billable time tracking, project profitability views, and client portals for external collaboration. Teams log time against tasks with billable rates, then generate invoices directly from tracked hours and expenses. Workload management shows resource capacity across all projects, helping agencies balance competing client deadlines and to help prevent team burnout.

Portfolio views show all projects in various stages across multiple clients while integrated chat and desk modules consolidate communication and support tickets. The platform reduces the need for separate tools through its comprehensive feature set. Project templates with milestones and task lists enable consistent project kickoff and delivery processes, ensuring quality standards across client engagements regardless of team composition.

Starting price

$10.99/user/month (billed annually) for Deliver plan; Free for 5 users

Pros and cons

This solution provides client-centric features ideal for agencies, with a lens for profitability, though some reviewers say that the interface can become overwhelming and some features are hard to find.

Key features

  • Time tracking with billable rates and invoicing

  • Client portals for external collaboration

  • Workload management with allocation views

  • Project profitability tracking

  • Integrated chat and help desk

Key integrations

  • HubSpot

  • Slack

  • Google Workspace

  • QuickBooks

  • Zapier

14. Hive

image16x9-hive

Hive, by the Apache Software Foundation, consolidates project management, communication, and file proofing into a single platform with AI-powered features that automate task creation and predict bottlenecks. The solution uses a SQL-like language called HiveQL. Teams switch between Gantt, Kanban, calendar, portfolio, and table view without changing underlying data. Native chat eliminates the need for Slack while the proofing module handles creative review workflows with markup tools and version comparison.

Buzz, the product’s AI assistant, generates task plans from meeting notes, summarizes discussions, and suggests resource allocations based on team capacity. Action cards consolidate all personal tasks, messages, and assignments in one feed, helping team members prioritize daily work. Unlimited automations are available even on lower pricing tiers, providing enterprise-level workflow capabilities at accessible price points for growing teams.

Starting price

$5/user/month (annual) for Teams; Free for up to 10 workspace members

Pros and cons

Hive takes an all-in-one approach that helps eliminate tool switching and offers automation and integration with many widely adopted business solutions. Reviewers note some latency issues, however, especially with more complex queries.

Key features

  • AI agent Buzz for automated task generation

  • Native proofing for images and video

  • Multiple interchangeable project views

  • Built-in chat replacing communication tools

  • Unlimited automations on paid plans

Key integrations

  • Slack

  • Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Salesforce

  • Outlook

  • Zoom

image16x9-proofhub

ProofHub offers project management and team collaboration software with flat-rate pricing and unlimited users, which makes it cost-effective for larger teams needing task management, time tracking, proofing, and multiple project views. Built-in chat and discussion boards eliminate the need for separate communication tools while the online proofing feature lets reviewers mark up designs and documents with specific feedback attached to exact locations. Custom workflows define task stages specific to team processes.

Time tracking captures billable hours with manual entry or timers running while working on tasks. ProofHub appeals to teams seeking predictable pricing without per-user fees that scale unpredictably as organizations grow.

Starting price

$45/month flat (billed annually) for unlimited users for the Essential plan

Pros and cons

Flat-rate pricing with comprehensive features is attractive, though users report that the mobile interface is less intuitive than the desktop version, and that some key features and integrations are lacking.

Key features

  • Flat-rate pricing with unlimited users

  • Built-in proofing tool for design review

  • Gantt charts with dependencies (and table, board, calendar views)

  • Time tracking with manual and automatic timers

  • Custom workflows and task management

Key integrations

  • Google Drive

  • Dropbox

  • OneDrive

  • Box

  • API

16. Nifty

image16x9-nifty

Nifty is a project management operating system that automates project progress by calculating completion percentages as team members complete tasks, providing real-time visibility into milestone achievement. Teams organize work around milestones containing task lists, with automated progress reporting showing exactly how far projects have advanced toward key deliverables.

Integrated docs feature supports collaborative writing with @mentions and task creation directly from documentation. Portfolio view shows all projects and milestones across the workspace while timeline view displays dependencies and scheduling conflicts. The platform replaces multiple tools by including discussions, docs, files, and project management in one interface.

Starting price

$7/member/month for Personal Plan; Free for up to 2 projects

Pros and cons

Users like the clean interface and seeing all tasks in one space. Reviews note that the solution serves small businesses well and scales, though integration options are limited.

Key features

  • Automated progress from task completion

  • Milestone tracking with deadline management

  • Built-in docs for collaborative documentation

  • Timeline view with dependencies

  • Integrated discussions and file management

Key integrations

  • Slack

  • Google Drive

  • Zoom

  • GitHub

  • Zapier

image16x9-ganttpro

GanttPRO specializes in visual project planning through interactive Gantt charts where teams drag tasks to adjust schedules, set dependencies automatically shifting related work, and track resource allocation across projects. The platform offers traditional project management with critical path visualization, baseline comparison, and progress tracking within the timeline view. Templates for construction, marketing, software development, and other industries also provide starting points for common project types.

Teams collaborate in real-time as changes appear immediately for all project members, while export options let managers share Gantt charts with stakeholders via PDF, PNG, or Excel. Time tracking logs hours against tasks for workload analysis and billing purposes.

Starting price

$9/user/month for Core plan; 14-day free trial

Pros and cons

The focused Gantt interface is visual and makes timeline planning intuitive. Reviewers appreciate the collaboration features, though some mention the pricing structure provides a barrier to entry without a free plan.

Key features

  • Interactive Gantt charts with drag-and-drop

  • Task dependencies with automatic timeline updates

  • Critical path identification and baseline comparison

  • Resource management and workload distribution

  • Time tracking with project-level reporting

Key integrations

  • Jira

  • Trello

  • Slack

  • Google Calendar

  • API

18. Scoro

image16x9-scoro

Scoro provides professional services automation software that combines project planning, CRM, billing, and reporting in one platform. Teams (or agencies) track projects from initial quotes through delivery and invoicing, with time tracking automatically populating invoices based on billable hours and project expenses. The integrated CRM manages sales pipelines, client communication, and proposal generation alongside project work, creating a unified system for the entire client lifecycle.

Resource scheduling shows team availability across projects with workload balancing preventing overbooking. Customizable dashboards provide executives with KPI tracking across sales, projects, and financial performance. The platform's financial features include budget tracking, profitability analysis, and invoice generation.

Starting price

$23.90/user/month for Core plan; 14-day free trial

Pros and cons

The comprehensive, integrated approach eliminates data silos for service businesses and agencies and users appreciate it as a connected CRM. That said, some users find it difficult to set up and configure correctly.

Key features

  • Integrated CRM for sales and client relationships

  • Project billing with time tracking and invoicing

  • Resource scheduling with availability views

  • Financial reporting including profitability

  • Quote and proposal generation

Key integrations

  • QuickBooks

  • Xero

  • Google Workspace

  • Microsoft 365

  • Zapier

image16x9-adobe-workfront

Workfront serves enterprise marketing and creative teams with campaign management, digital asset management, and creative approval workflows. Request queues centralize intake from stakeholders, automatically routing requests to appropriate teams with predefined workflows and SLA tracking. The platform's integration with Adobe Creative Cloud lets designers receive assignments and submit work directly from Photoshop, Illustrator, and other creative applications without switching contexts.

The platform handles enterprise-scale marketing operations with resource capacity planning showing team availability across all campaigns, automated proofing workflows with version comparison and markup tools, and portfolio reporting giving executives visibility into marketing performance. Advanced permissions, SSO integration, and custom API development support complex organizational requirements while maintaining security and governance standards.

Starting price

Custom pricing based on organization size; “Tour” available

Pros and cons

Enterprise-grade marketing features and Adobe integration are designed for large teams, but users say the interface is not intuitive and/or dated, and the initial setup is complex and may require dedicated support.

Key features

  • Campaign management with automated workflows

  • Adobe Creative Cloud native integration

  • Resource capacity planning

  • Digital asset management for creative storage

  • Advanced approval workflows with proofing

Key integrations

  • Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Microsoft Teams

  • Salesforce

  • Slack

  • API

image16x9-celoxis

Celoxis provides project management software that offers customizable dashboards, advanced resource planning, and financial tracking to show project profitability in real-time. Teams build custom reports using drag-and-drop widgets visualizing project health, resource utilization, budget burn rates, and task completion. Portfolio management features give executives visibility across all projects with risk analysis and predictive analytics.

The platform emphasizes customization and reporting, allowing organizations to define custom fields, workflows, and project templates matching their specific processes. Resource management includes skills tracking, availability scheduling, and what-if analysis for comparing different resource allocation scenarios. Time and expense tracking feeds into financial reports comparing planned budgets against actual costs, helping organizations maintain profitability across their project portfolio.

Starting price

$10/user/month for the Core plan; 14-day free trial

Pros and cons

Deep customization and sophisticated reporting handles enterprise complexity, though reviewers say the user interface takes time to get used to and can be complex for new users.

Key features

  • Customizable dashboards with drag-and-drop widgets

  • Advanced resource planning with skills tracking

  • Financial management with profitability analysis

  • Portfolio management with risk assessment

  • Custom fields, workflows, and templates

Key integrations

  • Microsoft 365

  • Google Workspace

  • Salesforce

  • JIRA

  • QuickBooks

21. Paymo

image16x9-paymo

Paymo provides time tracking software that includes project management, invoicing, and team scheduling for small businesses and freelancers. The platform's automatic time tracker runs in the background while users work on tasks, capturing billable hours that flow directly into client invoices. Gantt charts visualize project schedules with dependencies while resource scheduling shows team capacity and helps prevent scheduling conflicts.
The platform includes expense tracking for project costs, client portals for external collaboration, and invoice generation with customizable templates. Paymo's simplicity makes it accessible for non-technical teams and includes core features like task management, file sharing, and team collaboration. The mobile app also maintains functionality.

Starting price

$5.90/user/month (billed annually) for Solo plan; Free for 1 user

Pros and cons

Integrated time tracking and invoicing streamline billing for small teams, though the platform lacks automation and full portfolio management. Users find it generally meets their needs, though sometimes find some features lacking.

Key features

  • Automatic time tracking with desktop apps

  • Invoice generation from tracked time and expenses

  • Gantt charts with task dependencies

  • Resource scheduling with capacity views

  • Client portals for external collaboration

Key integrations

  • QuickBooks

  • Zapier

  • Google Calendar

  • Slack

  • WordPress

image16x9-forecast

Forecast provides AI-powered project management, resource planning, and financials in a unified platform. AI helps predict project completion dates, identify resource bottlenecks, and recommend optimal team assignments based on skills, availability, and historical performance. The platform's resource management features show team capacity with intelligent suggestions for rebalancing workload when conflicts arise. Automated time tracking captures work without manual timers, using patterns and historical data to assign time to appropriate projects and tasks.

Designed for agencies and professional services, Forecast includes financial management tracking project profitability, forecasting revenue, and identifying which projects deliver the best margins. The platform's project intelligence analyzes historical data to improve estimation accuracy over time. Retainer management handles ongoing client work with monthly hour allocations and automatic renewal tracking.

Starting price

Custom pricing; Demo available

Pros and cons

AI-powered resource planning and predictive insights help teams, although the platform’s agency focus may include unnecessary features for internal teams. Some reviewers note the reporting depth is good, but the customization can be difficult.

Key features

  • AI-powered resource management with predictive analytics

  • Automatic time tracking without manual timers

  • Financial management with profitability tracking

  • Retainer management for ongoing work

  • Project intelligence for improved estimation

Key integrations

  • Slack

  • Microsoft 365

  • HubSpot

  • Jira

  • Zapier

image16x9-redbooth

Redbooth combines project management with HD video conferencing. With features for task management, time tracking, and file sharing, Redbooth serves teams seeking consolidated workspaces for remote collaboration. Integrated video meetings eliminate the need for separate conferencing tools, with screen sharing and recording built directly into the platform.

The platform provides Kanban-style boards for visual task management, Gantt charts for timeline planning, and workspaces organizing projects by team or client. The activity feed shows all project updates in chronological order, making it easy to track progress across multiple projects. Custom task fields and templates help standardize project setup and execution processes, ensuring consistency across the organization.

Starting price

$9/user/month (billed annually) for Pro; Free plan with limitations

Pros and cons

Integrated video conferencing differentiates the platform from most tools, though reviewers find that both the project management and video features lag behind more dedicated tools in each area.

Key features

  • HD video conferencing with screen sharing and recording

  • Kanban boards and Gantt charts

  • Task management with subtasks and dependencies

  • Time tracking and reporting

  • File sharing and version control

Key integrations

  • Google Drive

  • Dropbox

  • Box

  • Zapier

  • API

image16x9-progresspodio

Progress Podio is a customizable work platform where teams build their own apps using drag-and-drop fields, creating the workflow structure they need. Each app becomes a custom database with forms for data entry, calculations automating number crunching, and relationships connecting different types of work. Teams can build apps for project management, CRM, inventory tracking, or any custom process, then automate workflows between apps.

Podio's no-code platform works for teams with unique processes that don't fit standard project management templates. The activity stream shows all updates across projects in real-time while workspaces organize related apps and files. The platform's visual workflow builder creates automations triggering actions when specific conditions are met, eliminating manual handoffs.

Starting price

$11.20/user/month (annual) for Plus; Free for 5 users

Pros and cons

Reviewers appreciate the flexibility and for unique workflows, although some say the user interface is unintuitive and the app layout is difficult to customize.

Key features

  • Custom app builder with drag-and-drop fields

  • Workflow automation with triggers and actions

  • Activity stream showing real-time updates

  • File management with version control

  • Workspaces for organizing related projects

Key integrations

  • Google Workspace

  • Microsoft 365

  • Dropbox

  • Evernote

  • Zapier

image16x9-infinity

Infinity offers work management where teams structure projects using folders, boards, and custom attributes matching their specific workflow needs. The platform provides six different view types including list, Kanban, table, calendar, Gantt, and form, all displaying the same underlying data. Teams customize attributes with over 20 field types including formulas, relationships, checkboxes, and file attachments.

The platform includes automation for repetitive tasks, templates for common project types, and permissions controlling what different team members can access. Infinity's structure allows for deep organization with folders containing folders, boards containing boards, creating hierarchy matching complex organizational structures. The flexibility adapts to virtually any workflow, though significant configuration time is required to achieve optimal setup.

Starting price

$6/user/month (billed annually) for Basic; Contact sales

Pros and cons

Customizable structure adapts to virtually any workflow, though flexibility requires significant configuration time. Users compare this solution to Airtable, but find it less mature and robust.

Key features

  • Six view types: list, Kanban, table, calendar, Gantt, form

  • 20+ custom attribute types including formulas

  • Automation for repetitive workflows

  • Hierarchical structure with nested folders

  • Templates for common project types

Key integrations

  • Slack

  • Gmail

  • Google Drive

  • Zapier

  • API

What are project management tools?

Project management tools are software platforms designed to help teams plan, execute, track, and complete projects by centralizing task assignments, deadlines, resources, and progress in a single location. They typically provide real-time notifications, collaboration features, workflow automations, and multiple views and role-based permissions that simplify collaboration across a range of spreadsheets, email, and messaging tools.

Why do companies need project management software?

Manual coordination doesn’t hold up across distributed teams, complex dependencies, and multiple concurrent projects—and when projects get messy, deadlines are missed and decision making becomes difficult. Using centralized project management software is critical for connecting teams, automating workflows, and making the project status visual and accessible to all team members.

How to choose right project management software

Many considerations go into choosing the right project management software for your business—ranging from how your team works to the tech stack you have in place to the resources available to effectively implement a new solution. Here are some things to think about:

  • Evaluate your team's specific workflows and methodology—agile teams need sprint planning features while waterfall projects require detailed Gantt charts and dependency management.

  • Define the customization and complexity required for your needs and whether you’ll need support as you onboard and configure the tool. Some solutions offer low- or no-code alternatives for less technical teams.

  • Test a complex use case through free trials, paying attention to whether customization requires coding skills or uses intuitive visual builders. Look for a tool that goes beyond basic task management and enables strategic project portfolio management.

  • Evaluate integration capabilities with tools your team already uses (which often include solutions like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, or development platforms).

  • Assess the learning curve by having team members from different technical backgrounds test the interface—the best tool is one that your entire team will be able to adopt and use consistently.

  • Review pricing carefully including hidden costs like automation limits, storage caps, premium support fees, and required add-ons. Consider team size and growth plans since some platforms charge per user while others offer flat-rate pricing.

  • Compare the automation and AI-powered features available to ensure the tool helps save time and enables you to make quick data-driven decisions.

Top features of a great project management software

Consider your team’s pain points as you evaluate project management software and ensure any tool you select can alleviate them. That said, here are a few other considerations:

  • Multiple views: Great project management software lets teams visualize work in ways that match their roles. Developers often prefer Kanban boards, while executives need portfolio dashboards, and project managers may rely on Gantt charts.

  • Flexible task management: The tool should support both tasks and subtasks, dependencies, and custom fields.

  • Team collaboration: Tools should provide real-time updates and automated notifications, and, ideally, connect with other systems (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) that your org works in.

  • AI and automation: AI for project management reduces and eliminates repetitive manual work by triggering actions when conditions are met, such as assigning tasks when status changes, sending notifications before deadlines, or updating stakeholders when milestones are complete.

  • Resource management: Built-in resource allocation is critical for understanding who's working on what, identify capacity constraints before they cause problems, and help managers balance workload to prevent burnout.

  • Reporting: Strong analytics are often a differentiator for any tool. You’ll want your solution to use raw project data to provide actionable insights to inform optimal planning decisions.

How do top project management apps support remote work?

Cloud-based project management apps offer real-time synchronization so that anyone, anywhere, can access the actual status of any project, at any time. While team members provide their updates based on their own location or time zone, it’s immediately accessible the moment they do.

In the meantime, teams can rely on asynchronous communication features, including threaded comments, @mentions, and activity feeds. Modern tools allow for status updates, file sharing, and approval workflows within a central workspace (whether via desktop or mobile).

Why Airtable is the best project management software

Airtable is the best project management software when organizations need to connect business strategy directly to project delivery across teams and portfolios. It excels for complex, cross-functional work where AI-powered forecasting, resource optimization, and risk detection keep projects on track before issues escalate. Teams choose Airtable when they need real-time visibility, flexible workflows, and automation that reduce busywork while improving alignment and accountability. It’s especially powerful when companies want an all-in-one, adaptable platform that goes beyond task tracking to drive measurable business outcomes.

Build better projects with Airtable

Frequently asked questions

Airtable delivers unmatched flexibility for custom workflows, combining AI that understands your business context with the integrations you already use and powerful no-code automation. Notion is another option, but it’s more focused on teams that want project management integrated with internal documentation and wikis.

Airtable scales effortlessly as your team grows, with a free plan and ready-to-use templates that make it easy for small teams to get started fast. Trello, ClickUp, and Teamwork also work well for small teams. Trello's simplicity makes it immediately accessible for teams new to project management software, while ClickUp packs more advanced features into an affordable package as needs grow. Teamwork stands out for small agencies because it includes time tracking and invoicing capabilities.

Most solutions offer a free trial or limited free plans, but enterprise-grade solutions usually require monthly fees per user. There are some solutions on the market that offer flat-rate pricing.

Sometimes there’s some overlap between project management and collaboration tools. Airtable, Asana, and Monday.com are the leaders in both areas, either through native collaboration features or via integrations with leading collaboration tools.

The top project management platforms depend on the criteria you use to rank them. Consider whether you’re basing your decision on user ratings, feature depth, flexibility, customization, cost, or overall market adoption. We are biased, but reviews highlight Airtable for its customizable workflows that adapt to teams of all sizes.

Project management software coordinates team activities by tracking tasks, deadlines, dependencies, and resources in a centralized platform that’s accessible to all stakeholders. Teams use these tools to break projects into manageable tasks, assign work to specific people, set due dates, and monitor progress toward completion. The software handles workflow automation, resource allocation, real-time collaboration, and reporting.


About the author

Airtable's Product Teamis committed to building world-class products, and empowering world-class product builders on our platform.

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