Best Project Management Software
Project Management Guide
Project management software overview
Uniting your team and preparing them to work as a unit is integral to your projects’ success. But without proper project management software, you may be doubling your efforts instead of optimizing them. Think of all the time you’ve spent juggling spreadsheets and managing your overflowing inbox. With the right project management software, you can be more strategic with your resources.
This was proven in Wrike’s 2023 Efficiency Report, a groundbreaking body of research that surveyed 1,005 business leaders and 2,002 knowledge workers across the UK and the US. It found that 77% of organizations are prioritizing efficiency this year, with 82% of leaders confirming that investing in new project management and work management solutions is the most effective way to improve efficiency.
But with a renewed focus on value, choosing the right project management software matters more than ever. The good news is that we can help, with a comprehensive review of 25 leading project management software solutions. It’ll include all the most important factors, including pricing, pluses and minuses, and key features. If you’d like to skip ahead and dive into the most powerful platform of them all, get started with a free trial of Wrike now.
Table of contents:
- What is project management software?
- Best 15 project management software in 2024
- 10 additional PM softwaresoftwares
- Who should use project management tools?
- How to choose the best project management software for your business
- What are the different types of project management software?
- What are the benefits of project management software?
- Industries that benefit most from project management software
- When should you invest in project management software?
- How much does work management software cost?
- Let Wrike help you manage your projects, teams, and more
What is project management software?
In practical terms, project management software is a digital solution that helps teams plan, manage, and deliver projects effectively. It provides a single centralized platform from which teams can manage all aspects of their project, from strategizing, scheduling, and planning to assigning, monitoring, and executing. More sophisticated solutions like Wrike will also allow teams to assign tasks on the go, track progress in real time, and manage budgets and resources easily.
Communication is also a key element of good project management software, which should facilitate instant chat, in-context discussions, shared editing, and the ability to replace almost all email chains. A centralized, easy-to-navigate platform also allows organizations to store critical assets securely and create one single source of truth.
Best 15 project management software in 2024
While it might look like there are a lot of project management software options available to you, the reality is that they’re all very different and offer a variety of valuable benefits to potential users. They also have their drawbacks, of course, and it’s important we highlight these too so you get a complete understanding of the most highly rated project management software solutions in 2023. To help you on your way, we’ll break down the main features, pricing plans, and customer ratings.
1. Wrike
Wrike is an industry-leading work management platform used by more than 20,000 companies in over 140 countries. With a suite of tools for everyone from project managers to marketing heads, Wrike caters to every department in your company.
For many remote-first companies, Kanban boards have become a cornerstone of day-to-day operations. Where once you might have assembled in a meeting room and stuck post-its on a whiteboard, you can now use a virtual interface to drag and drop your task cards from one column to the next.
With Wrike’s Kanban board feature, you and your teams can access a real-time task management dashboard for quick and easy collaboration. The Kanban board promotes full transparency, with the ability to plug in real-time updates for each individual card.
You can build custom boards for different contexts, so the marketing team has an optimized workflow for producing content while the sales team can visualize what stage of the funnel a client is currently in.
Customizable Gantt charts
While laying out all your tasks in a Kanban board can illuminate your pipeline and help you identify potential bottlenecks, this process is best suited for a weekly view. If you want to schedule tasks and projects for weeks or months down the line, adjustable Gantt charts can be a useful visual aid.
With Wrike’s customizable Gantt charts, you can stay one step ahead with your workload by visualizing your due dates and monitoring project progress in real time.
The Gantt charts allow you to zoom out and get a broad overview of how long your projects will take to finish, so you can better manage your and your team’s time. Workload view provides further insight into productivity levels and where you may have allocated insufficient resources.
Templates for every use case
Ever find yourself repeating the same steps, tasks, and project plans? You’re not alone: every business will have certain activities that recur time and time again. Wrike can make your life easier by templating those tasks, helping you kick-start high quality work fast. With dozens of expertly developed templates available, you’ll find what you need for just about every use case, from onboarding new hires to drafting creative briefs and generating complete marketing campaigns.
Here are some examples of our most popular Wrike templates:
- Actionable meeting notes
With the actionable meeting notes template, you can sync your meeting notes with the Wrike platform to be automatically distributed among the team once the meeting’s over. The template provides a comprehensive framework for detailing the most important takeaways from each meeting, so whoever’s in charge simply has to fill in the blanks. - Software development: Simplify and streamline your software development process with a ready-built software development template that can help with quick bug management, backlog grooming, cross-functional collaboration, and sprint execution with Kanban boards. You can automate recurring workflows to save time with Wrike’s industry-leading AI.
- Product launch: Make sure every product is launched successfully and smoothly with Wrike’s product launch template. Break down complex product launches into achievable phases, assign adjustable due dates to tasks, manage workloads via dynamic dashboards, and track progress on interactive Gantt charts.
Real-time analytics
For the ever-evolving business that’s always trying to stay a step ahead of the competition, Wrike’s real-time analytics provide valuable insights into company-wide performance.
With customizable dashboards and reports, you can see all the most important metrics at a glance to make data-driven decisions that drive your business forward.
Never again will the time and energy spent on each project go unnoticed. Wrike’s data lets you keep tabs on every single project so you can decide how to prioritize and optimize for rapid scaling.
Without accurate resource planning, your projects are much more likely to exceed the financial budget, stretch your employees too thin, or take time away from other important tasks.
Wrike’s advanced resource management features make it easy for team members to view and access resources. You can prioritize tasks to avoid the issues of under-utilization or time spent on less important tasks, optimize performance with smart assignments, and hit your targets every time by channeling your resources effectively.
Highlights of Wrike project management software
- Create custom workflows for every department
- Track KPIs and OKRs with real-time analytics
- Use Kanban boards and Gantt charts to manage tasks and visualize progress
- Access dozens of templates to optimize day-to-day operations
- View projects in different ways with customizable dashboards
- Get stakeholder input with 360-degree visibilit
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Fast, easy onboarding and learning curve | ✖️ Complex capabilities require training |
✔️ Advanced AI and automation capabilities | ✖️ Gantt charts available on paid plans |
✔️ Flexible and scales easily | |
✔️ Suitable for Enterprise-level customers |
Integrations
Wrike has more than 400 integrations so customers can toggle fluidly between the platform and other popular apps such as Google Drive, Zoom, Slack, and more.
Security
Wrike customers can enjoy world-class security and data protection, with double encryption, selective sharing, global server presence, and multiple privacy certifications.
Customer support
Wrike’s help center is renowned for going the extra mile. Choose the level of support you prefer, including callbacks, emails, and 24/7 access to qualified assistance whenever you need it.
Pricing plans
- Free - $0
- Professional - $9.80 per user/month (billed annually)
- Business - $24.80 per user/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise - Custom pricing for large teams (billed annually)
- Pinnacle - Custom pricing for teams with complex needs
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.3/5 (2367 customers)
Customers enjoy how Wrike lets them create natural workflows and manage their projects effectively. For many, it has become an essential tool for project management, allowing for quick collaboration between internal teams.
Some customers noted that there’s a learning curve to get the most out of the tool’s features. We find that while you can certainly get quite a bit out of Wrike “out of the box,” this sentiment becomes true as users experience some of our more nuanced and complex features designed to conquer the more difficult challenges set forth by scaling businesses. As a result, the learning becomes well worth the investment.
2. Asana
Asana offers a project management software platform for businesses of all sizes. The tool combines file storage, project roadmaps, dashboards, and more in one interface for comprehensive project management.
Asana has a solution for all things project management, though recurring tasks are more tricky to organize than others.
Asana project management software features
Workflow Builder: Asana’s Workflow Builder feature offers users a visual tool for creating custom workflows and connecting team members. Workflows allow team members to approve requests, coordinate tasks, and benefit from integrations.
Strategic goals: With strategic goals in Asana, project managers can provide direction to teams and set up metrics to track performance along the way.
Highlights of Asana project management software
- Workflow Builder provides teams with a convenient way of collaborating on tasks and projects
- Setting strategic goals within the app ensures all team members are on the same page
- Gantt chart timelines provide an insightful overview of resource allocation and overall progress
- Real-time data reports allow for course corrections before it’s too late
- 200+ app integrations such as Google Drive to help teams communicate, automate, and much more
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Feature-rich free plan | ✖️ Lacks BI-level reporting |
✔️ Attractive and easy-to-use interface | ✖️ Could be priced high for small teams |
✔️ Suits multiple use cases | ✖️ No phone support or live chat |
Integrations
With more than 200 app integrations, Asana customers can switch between the platform and their favorite apps, including Google Drive, Slack, and more.
Security
Asana protects its data and customers with platform-wide encryption, privilege access, and a “public bug bounty program.”
Customer support
Asana doesn’t have phone support or live chat, which might be a challenge for teams seeking fast answers to their queries. There is some training available, and “how-to” tickets can be raised if needed.
Pricing plans
- Basic - $0
- Premium - $13.49 per user/month (billed monthly)
- Business - $30.49 per user/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise - Custom
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.5/5 (11,969 customers)
Customers praise Asana for how easy it is to keep team members informed and up to date with project information. Some customers claim that the interface can get hard to read, and it can be difficult to see who has access to information
3. Monday.com
Monday.com is a Work Operating System (Work OS) that provides developer-level workflow customization without requiring any coding knowledge. The project management software Monday.com offers includes various templates and tools to optimize operations and help your teams work toward higher productivity levels.
The software displays a lot of information for teams, yet sometimes it can get lost in long chains of events.
Monday.com project management software features
Custom dashboards: Monday.com allows users to create custom dashboards and view project information from different angles. With these dashboards, project managers and team leaders can assess progress at a glance based on real-time data from timelines and budget information.
Automations: Monday.com offers powerful automation features to streamline work processes. Tasks can be set up with automatic reminders close to due dates, and team leaders can create ‘if this, then that’ scenarios to speed up progress.
Highlights of Monday.com project management software
- Access to over 100 different templates for smooth day-to-day operations
- Custom dashboards and views allow managers and team leaders to gain crucial oversight into progress and performance
- 40+ integrations with popular tools extend the utility of the software
- Automations help tasks move down the pipeline and eliminate bottlenecks along the way
- Kanban boards allow for straightforward task management functionality
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Engaging, attractive interface | ✖️ Limited native proofing features |
✔️ Large number of ready-made templates | ✖️ Some stability issues reported |
✔️ Strong workflow automation capabilities | ✖️ Display can become cluttered or complex |
Integrations
Monday.com doesn’t have as many integrations as some of its competitors, but it still provides connections with all the most popular apps, such as Salesforce, Slack, and Google.
Security
All of Monday.com’s transmissions (including sign-on) are encrypted at 256-bit and hosted via Amazon Web Services (AWS). Additional security features are available at Enterprise level.
Customer support
Customers hoping to talk to a human about any issues they’re having at Monday.com might find themselves out of luck — there’s no inbound phone line and callbacks are limited to billing-related queries.
Pricing plans
- Individual - $0
- Basic - $10 per seat/month (billed monthly)
- Standard - $12 per seat/month (billed monthly)
- Pro - $20 per seat/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise - Custom
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.6/5 (3823 customers)
Customers appreciate the automation and ease of collaboration with Monday.com, as well as the ability to track progress. For some, the layout can be hard to follow, and information is difficult to track.
4. Adobe Workfront
Adobe Workfront is a marketing-focused project management solution. A feature-packed tool, Workfront can be overwhelming and a significant expense for SMBs, but serves enterprise-level businesses well.
Adobe Workfront project management software features
Scenario Planner: You can create scenarios and run outcomes with Workfront’s Scenario Planner to prepare for various situations.
Strategic goal-setting: Set concrete, measurable goals you and your team can work toward.
Highlights of Adobe Workfront project management software
- Set strategic goals for your team to follow
- Detailed dashboards for insightful analytics into business performance
- Use the Scenario Planner to stay one step ahead
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Part of popular Adobe group | ✖️ Learning curve can be steep |
✔️ Suitable for Enterprise-level customers | ✖️ Interface reportedly buggy or slow |
✔️ Useful Scenario Planner for projects | ✖️ Pricing could be expensive for small teams |
Integrations
Adobe Workfront is part of the globally known Adobe group. As you might expect, this means seamless integration with most of its sister platforms, including the ever-popular Creative Cloud. However, it’s not nearly as strong with other third-party integrations, which might be challenging.
Security
Adobe Workfront employs the tried-and-tested security functions of its parent group, including PCI DSS-approved encryption algorithms to encrypt documents and assets at rest.
Customer support
Adobe Workfront’s standard support is only available five days a week, leaving customers lacking during the weekends and holidays. Plus, without a free trial, users will struggle to really understand if the platform suits them before they sign up.
Pricing plans
- Pro - Based on quote
- Business - Based on quote
- Enterprise - Based on quote
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.4/5 (1290 customers)
Many customers comment on how Workfront has powerful analytics and collaboration tools. For some customers, Workfront doesn’t offer enough tools for organizing projects beyond assigning due dates.
5. Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a visual-focused project management platform. The software uses cloud-based spreadsheets and automated workflows to cater to different teams and contexts.
If you’re comfortable with handling data and technical processes, Smartsheet can be an invaluable tool, though the causes behind user errors aren’t made obvious within the software.
Smartsheet project management software features
Process management: With Smartsheet, you can view all your projects in one place, manage approval requests, and use blueprints to set up tailored workflows.
Content management: For creative businesses that produce content consistently, Smartsheet offers tools such as task management, automated alerts, and dashboards that offer full visibility.
Highlights of Smartsheet project management software
- Data-rich dashboards allow you to visualize all project information
- Set up automated workflows for your projects using blueprints
- Create automated alerts to ensure deadlines are always met
- Manage resources and assets and track them for performance
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Familiar to Excel users | ✖️ Limited views beyond a data table |
✔️ Multiple templates available | ✖️ Data not updated in real time |
✔️ Workflow automation available | ✖️ Some add-ons incur extra expense |
Integrations
With more than 100 integrations available, Smartsheet has good connections to the most sought-after apps, as well as additional integration options via Zapier and Automate.io.
Security
While Smartsheet does provide enhanced security functions, Enterprise users might be surprised to learn there’s an additional cost to purchase local hosting in the US or EU instead of the AWS cloud.
Customer support
Smartsheet provides extensive training and comprehensive how-to guides to help users get to grips with its more complex UX, but users preferring phone calls or live chat may be disappointed.
Pricing plans
- Free - $0
- Pro - $9 per user/month (billed monthly; max 10 users)
- Business - $32 per user/month (billed monthly; minimum 3 users)
- Enterprise - Custom
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.5/5 (2875 customers)
According to customers, Smartsheet is a great option for quickly creating forms and applying workflows. With the lack of transparency over the causes behind user errors, some customers believe it can sometimes be hard to know what went wrong.
6. ClickUp
ClickUp is a conventional project management software solution that suits most remote work environments. Teams can collaborate effectively with task management features, though notifications be overwhelming.
ClickUp project management software features
Document hub: Create internal documents, wikis, and knowledge bases to speed up the onboarding process and reduce overreliance on team leaders.
Checklists: Add task lists to break down tasks into bitesize activities and more accurately track exactly where each team member is at.
Highlights of ClickUp project management software
- Use mind maps to plot out projects and tasks visually
- The document hub can clarify details to save team leaders’ time
- Checklists allow for granular task tracking
- Task dependencies help you identify bottlenecks so you can eliminate them
- Google Calendar integration allows for two-way syncing, so your team is less likely to miss deadlines
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Attractive, colorful UI | ✖️ Platform performance is slow |
✔️ Quick onboarding period | ✖️ Limited marketing functionality |
✔️ Useful mind maps for project managers | ✖️ No reporting abilities on free plan |
Integrations
ClickUp has a wide variety of integrations, linking the platform with all the biggest third-party apps, including Slack, Google Calendar, Outlook, HubSpot, and more.
Security
As ClickUp is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS), it enjoys built-in end-to-end security and privacy features, including encryption.
Customer support
Like other competitors, ClickUp doesn’t have any phone support, which does limit users’ access to help. They can submit emails, but getting instant answers may be challenging without a user community.
Pricing plans
- Free Forever - $0
- Unlimited - $9 per user/month (billed monthly)
- Business - $19 per user/month (billed monthly)
- Business Plus - $29 per user/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise - Custom
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.7/5 (3634 customers)
Customers appreciate how ClickUp allows them to capture client feedback and track various tasks and projects. A common issue raised is how notifications can sometimes flood users’ dashboards and email.
7. Airtable
Airtable brings all the utility of the spreadsheet to project management, combining it with powerful task management features. The result is a solution for storing and displaying data, collaborating with team members, and setting up custom automated workflows.
With Airtable, there are plenty of useful technical features, though the UI can get disorganized quickly.
Airtable project management software features
Various project views: With Airtable, you can shift your perspective on projects and tasks with calendar, Kanban, and gallery views for displaying information in a way that makes sense to you and your team.
Custom workflows: Custom workflows are the lifeblood of many creative teams as they conform to the way you work and can factor in details important to your projects. Airtable’s workflows allow for automation, approval requests, and status updates.
Highlights of Airtable project management software
- Switch vantage points with calendar, Kanban, and gallery views to see your data in new ways
- Set up custom workflows for each team so they can work to their strengths and adapt to each project’s specific requirements
- Use approval requests to get the green light on projects before setting them in motion
- Add status updates to inform others of risks, upcoming due dates, or other key information
- Allocate resources more efficiently with access to data and reports
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Strong option for data-heavy organizations | ✖️ Time-consuming learning curve |
✔️ Familiar UX for spreadsheet users | ✖️ Limited training and resources available |
✔️ Customization available | ✖️ Integrations necessary for complex needs |
Integrations
Airtable has a limited amount of integrations — only around 30, compared to other competitors with 100+. However, more connections are available via programs such as Zapier.
Security
Although Airtable also uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) with its built-in security and privacy features, the data is hosted in the US only — it does not currently have a GDPR-compliant data center in Europe.
Customer support
Airtable does not offer phone support, and its chatbot function isn’t as useful as one might expect. Users can, however, get an email response in 1–2 business days.
Pricing plans
- Free - $0
- Plus - $12 per seat/month (billed monthly)
- Pro - $24 per seat/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise - Custom
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.7/5 (1396 customers)
Customers praise Airtable for its features which allow for effective cross-functional collaboration between teams and departments. The UI can feel a little complicated to some users and makes it hard to find what they’re looking for.
8. Jira
Part of the Atlassian Group, Jira originated as a software development solution, but has since grown to include Jira Software, Jira Core, and Jira Work Management. These are all tools that help organizations manage projects, collaborate with colleagues, and deliver work.
Jira project management software features
Dashboard view: Users can plan projects, measure progress, and track due dates using Jira’s dashboards.
Search functionality: Jira Query Language and specific filters make searching for tasks and projects quick and efficient.
Highlights of Jira project management software
- Build customized work request forms using drag-and-drop functionality
- Import and export data from other tools and spreadsheets with ease
- Track the time spent on each task and project to gauge effort and capacity
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Advanced search functionality | ✖️ Best suited to IT teams |
✔️ Built-in form builder | ✖️ No native Gantt charts |
✔️ Strong on issue management | ✖️ Add-ons incur extra expense |
Integrations
Jira is part of the large Atlassian Group, which means it has a number of seamless integrations with sister sites. It’s not as strong with other third-party apps outside of the group, though.
Security
The Atlassian Group provides robust security features, including Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), Single Sign-On (SSO), and the ability to specify where your data is hosted (via professional support).
Customer support
Because of its original ticket-based model, Jira is still strong on this type of support. Users struggling to familiarize themselves with the more complex facets of the platform can also access website-based resources.
Pricing plans
- Free - $0 per user/month
- Standard - $5 per user/month (billed monthly; on average)
- Enterprise - Custom
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.4/5 (13,166 customers)
Many customers are happy with Jira’s wide range of integrations and note that it’s great for issue management. Some users have reported that advanced functions can be difficult to learn, though, especially if you are not experienced with these tools.
9. Trello
Trello is a Kanban-based tool that allows for simple drag-and-drop project management. The platform is excellent for optimizing team-based productivity but perhaps falls short for department or company-wide project management.
Trello project management software features
Kanban boards: Trello is one of the best Kanban board tools for simple project management.
Custom cards: Add due dates, comments, and more to individual task cards to pass on all the relevant information to other team members.
Highlights of Trello project management software
- Fast team-based project management with drag-and-drop Kanban boards
- Create custom task cards to minimize bottlenecks
- Use workflow automation to free up time
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Attractive, customizable Kanban boards | ✖️ Integrations necessary for complex needs |
✔️ Part of popular Atlassian Group | ✖️ May not suit large, complex projects |
✔️ Short learning curve for new users | ✖️ No phone support available |
Integrations
Over the years, Trello has established more than 200 integrations with the most commonly used work platforms, including Google, Slack, and more.
Security
Although there have been some concerns about public boards over the years, Trello does feature Atlassian-standard security, including Amazon Web Services hosting and 128-bit advanced encryption.
Customer support
Trello offers email support, but only during normal business hours from Monday to Friday. Users do find the community forum helpful, though, especially if they have a problem during the weekends.
Pricing plans
- Free - $0
- Standard - $6 per user/month (billed monthly)
- Premium - $12.50 per user/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise - $17.50 per user/month (billed annually)
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.5/5 (22,443 customers)
Many customers praise Trello’s straightforward Kanban task management and ease of use. For some customers, Trello can be awkward compared to other project management tools.
10. Notion
Notion is a workspace platform that allows teams to build custom dashboards and workflows from the ground up for different contexts. It’s best for design and engineering teams that value creativity and customization as core pillars of project management.
While it offers many customization options, Notion’s collaboration features can be limited for teams that require constant communication on recurring tasks.
Notion project management software features
Sidebar index: One of Notion’s key project management features is its sidebar index, which acts as a quick reference point for every important task and project on your plate. You can customize your sidebar index to reflect your priorities and switch tasks and context easily.
Internal knowledge base: Notion allows users to build a comprehensive internal knowledge base so that all relevant information to the team or department is indexed and searchable.
Highlights of Notion project management software
- Custom Gantt and Kanban boards let you stay on top of tasks
- The sidebar index shows you your most important tasks or projects at a glance
- Search relevant information with an internal knowledge base
- Create custom wikis to share with your team, including any pertinent information for a particular client or project type
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Comprehensive free plan | ✖️ Security strongest on Enterprise plan |
✔️ Customizable Gantt charts available | ✖️ Lacks advanced project management tools |
✔️ Well suited for note-taking tasks | ✖️ Collaboration features could be improved |
Integrations
Notion has some 71 integrations, with more available through third-party options such as Zapier. It features all the most popular platforms, including Figma and Slack.
Security
Like Asana, Notion offers security protection that includes encryption, limited access, secure software development, and what it also calls a “public bug bounty program.” Some functions are only available on the Enterprise plan.
Customer support
Notion doesn’t offer telephone support, which means users will have to use email or chat or join a community group to get the answers they need.
Pricing plans
- Free - $0
- Plus - $10 per user /month (billed monthly)
- Business - $18 per user /month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise - Custom
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.7/5 (1537 customers)
Customers enjoy using Notion for all the customization options and layouts it offers, allowing for fully personalized workspaces and workflows. The lack of collaboration features, especially for recurring tasks, can make it tricky for users to stay in touch for ongoing projects.
11. Hive
Hive is a project management tool that combines messaging, time tracking, and automation with standard task management features. The platform is regularly updated with features requested by its users in the Hive community forum.
A hive of activity at times, the software can sometimes border on information overload with notifications and requests.
Hive project management software features
Time tracking: Hive allows team members to track the time they spend on individual tasks, while project managers can assess the overall time spent by the team.
Messaging: Hive offers an in-app messenger and integrates with Gmail and Outlook.
Highlights of Hive project management software
- Quick messaging through the in-app messenger or email integration
- Community-inspired feature creation based on user feedback
- Time tracking for the whole team
- Various project overviews for data at a glance
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Six different work views including Gantt | ✖️ Lacks built-in resource management |
✔️ Messenger facilitates easy communication | ✖️ Doesn’t offer portfolio-level reporting |
✔️ HiveMind AI capabilities | ✖️ Extra functionality comes with cost |
Integrations
While more may be available, Hive lists just native 12 integrations, comparatively low when considering competitors’ offerings (Wrike, for example, has 400+ available integrations).
Security
Progressive user authentication, validated access control, and 256-bit Secured Socket Layer security are among Hive’s various security features.
Customer support
While instant chat is available, most of Hive’s customer support is provided via email, which may be frustrating if users would like to speak to a human.
Pricing plans
- Free - $0
- Teams - $18 per user/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise - Custom
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.5/5 (180 customers)
Hive facilitates all-in-one project management, and many customers comment on how easy it is to access everything in one place. For some, notifications and requests can get lost in all the information.
12. Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects falls within the Zoho suite of tools, which includes a CRM, recruitment system, and sales platform. It’s a useful project management solution for current Zoho users as data can be synced easily between the various tools for cross-functional collaboration.
The software specializes in task management and automation, allowing project managers to oversee projects and team members to collaborate on individual tasks. It’s primarily geared towards the real estate industry, with a host of tools to facilitate optimal real estate management.
Adding data to multiple custom fields can prove difficult with the lack of a multi-select option, and code often appears alongside the data.
Zoho project management software features
Blueprints: In the real estate industry, tasks can quickly get out of hand and require the input of many teams. Zoho Project’s blueprints let you set up tasks that require approval to move along the pipeline and allow for notifications once the approval has been granted.
Issue management: With Zoho Projects, you can easily identify and flag issues in your work. Add custom views to highlight the most important or time-sensitive bugs to address.
Highlights of Zoho project management software
- Use Gantt charts to identify and assign critical tasks with baselines to ensure consistent progress
- Create dependencies to map out relationships between tasks and complete them in a specified order
- Track tasks with drag-and-drop Kanban boards the whole team can use
- Identify and address key bottlenecks with issue management
- Map out complicated tasks using clear blueprints that require approval and issue notifications once approved
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Strong mobile app available | ✖️ Limited integrations on lower plans |
✔️ Low price per user | ✖️ Adding data can be time-consuming |
✔️ Automations available on all plans | ✖️ No phone support |
Integrations
It doesn’t have as many integrations as many of its competitors, but Zoho does connect to the big third-party platforms like Google and Microsoft.
Security
Zoho Projects offers a variety of security functions, including encryption, single-sign-on, and multifactor authentication to add extra reassurance.
Customer support
Zoho Projects doesn’t offer telephone support, but help can be accessed via email. It also offers additional resources such as a knowledge base, FAQs, and tutorials.
Pricing plans
- Free - $0 up to 3 users
- Premium - $5 per user/month
- Enterprise - $10 per user/month
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.3/5 (307customers)
Customers praise how the software helps teams break down tasks and its suitability for more technical projects. Some customers noted that adding data could be cumbersome, with no multi-select option and lines of code appearing alongside data.
13. Teamwork
Teamwork is a project management platform designed for client work, particularly marketing, creative, and professional services teams. It has a short learning curve, which helps users get started quickly, and excellent customer service if help is needed. However, it doesn’t rate quite as strongly as other options for its collaboration functionality.
Teamwork project management software features
Billable and cost rates: Because it’s built with clients in mind, Teamwork has strong time and budget management features, including the ability to set rates for each team member or project.
Burndown reporting: This feature calculates the rate at which tasks are completed, helping to measure if a task is on track for on-time completion.
Highlights of Teamwork project management software
- Set up a custom domain for your team, along with custom logos for a site or project
- Lean on pre-built templates or create custom templates with additional fields
- Grant unlimited access so clients can view, edit, and comment on tasks
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Useful task burndown tracking | ✖️ No native statuses or workflows |
✔️ Built-in budget management | ✖️ Limited proofing features |
✔️ Freemium plan for up to five users | ✖️ No phone support available |
Integrations
Although Teamwork offers more than 2,000 integrations, many of these are provided via third-party solutions such as Zapier.
Security
While higher security functions are available for Enterprise customers, all of Teamwork’s data is encrypted and hosted by Amazon Web Services within the US and the EU.
Customer support
Teamwork.com’s support team is available via email and live chat, although only Monday to Friday, with what the company calls “limited weekend cover.”
Pricing plans
- Free - €0
- Starter - $8.99 per user/month (billed monthly)
- Deliver - $13.99 per user/month (billed monthly)
- Grow - $24.99 per user/month (billed monthly)
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.5/5 (805 customers)
Customers are fans of Teamwork’s ease of use and ability to keep track of multiple projects, programs, and portfolios. Some customers feel that it is still lacking in some advanced features, though, compared to other project management solutions.
14. Basecamp
Basecamp is a digital HQ that works well for small teams seeking complete project management functionality, but at scale, it lacks core features for cross-functional collaboration between teams.
Basecamp project management software features
To-do lists: Set up to-do lists for different projects with notes and file attachments.
Message boards: Message boards allow team members to stay in constant communication regarding a particular project.
Highlights of Basecamp project management software
- Communicate according to context or specific projects with message boards
- Use to-do lists to break projects into achievable tasks
- Schedule future projects with due dates and calendar integration
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Easy onboarding process | ✖️ No native Gantt charts or Kanban boards |
✔️ Centralized message boards | ✖️ Limited ability to scale |
✔️ Strong basic project management | ✖️ No phone support available |
Integrations
Basecamp provides a limited amount of integrations with third-party apps that can provide additional software development, project management, and reporting capabilities.
Security
While Basecamp provides extensive encryption, it doesn’t currently offer SAML or SSO as part of its standard plans. Their data centers are also located in the US only.
Customer support
There is currently no phone support available at Basecamp, although its site does promise to respond to enquiry-form questions within four minutes.
Pricing plans
- Basecamp - $15 per user/month
- Basecamp Pro Unlimited - $349 per month (billed monthly; unlimited users)
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.3/5 (14,131 customers)
Customers appreciate how Basecamp acts as a digital hub for them and their teams to track and complete projects. For some customers, the various versions of Basecamp can make things complicated.
15. GanttPro
GanttPro is project management software that uses Gantt charts to display relevant data and help you organize tasks among teams. As a browser-based tool, GanttPro can be prone to refresh rate issues, which could affect the real-time accuracy of timelines.
GanttPro project management software features
Budget tracking: You can use GanttPro to set a budget for individual projects and ensure you stay within your spending limits. Track labor and material resources, and set values per item, per hour, or by cost.
Custom displays: View tasks and projects in Gantt charts, grid view, board view, or portfolio view for a holistic perspective on your progress.
Highlights of GanttPro project management software
- Various ways to view and visualize your data and assess team progress
- Budget tracking reduces the risk of overspending
- Real-time data syncing allows you to collaborate effectively with coworkers
- Track time in the platform as a valuable performance metric
PROS | CONS |
✔️ Dedicated Gantt chart software | ✖️ Browser-based with refresh issues |
✔️ Easy-to-navigate user experience | ✖️ Limited integrations |
✔️ Ready-to-go Gantt chart templates | ✖️ No phone support available |
Integrations
GanttPro has very limited native integrations (including Slack and Jira) although others are available via platforms such as Zapier.
Security
GanttPro uses MS Azure cloud to host its data and also offers encryption, SSO, and two-factor authentication to enhance its own security.
Customer support
Customers appear to be limited to email-based support at GanttPro, although there are additional resources and guides available via its learning center.
Pricing plans
- Basic - $9.99 per user/month (billed monthly; minimum 5 users)
- PRO - $15.99 per user/month (billed monthly; minimum 5 users)
- Business - $24.99 per user/month (billed monthly; minimum 5 users)
- Enterprise - Custom
Customer ratings and reviews
Capterra rating: 4.8/5 (408 customers)
Customers appreciate the visual aspect of GanttPro and how it allows them to see their data at a glance. Many customers note that the browser-based version can suffer from refresh rate issues.
10 additional PM software
1. MeisterTask
MeisterTask offers users a Kanban system for straightforward drag-and-drop project management. The platform is excellent for simple project management needs yet doesn’t provide comprehensive data and analytics for advanced use cases.
2. Xebrio
Xebrio is a project management platform bringing requirements management into the fold to streamline workflows subject to approval from various parties. It can be complicated to get to grips with Xebrio, but it provides many useful features for businesses.
3. ProWorkflow
ProWorkflow is a solution for managing tasks and customizing workflows according to your business and brand needs. The tool allows for external and internal collaboration, though navigating projects and showing clients where to go can be time-consuming.
4. TeamGantt
TeamGantt offers Gantt chart visualization for planning and managing complex projects. It’s a powerful data visualization tool, even if navigating through the charts can take some getting used to.
5. Accelo
Accelo offers project management features tailored to your business needs. It offers a wide range of features, making it well-suited to businesses with several departments and perhaps less so to individuals and SMBs.
6. ProjectManager
ProjectManager serves up a plethora of features, from planning to tracking projects. It caters to many business needs, though a lack of automation in some areas makes manual data entry a necessity.
7. Planview AdaptiveWork
Planview AdaptiveWork offers a suite of tools for enterprise-level project management. The software has many planning features, yet not as many integrations as some other tools.
8. Scoro
Scoro is project management software that provides detailed project breakdowns, including milestones and real-time data. Scoro’s pricing is better suited to big businesses and could be too steep for SMBs or freelancers.
9. Confluence
Confluence, an Atlassian product, is designed for knowledge management and project management and mostly caters to the DevOps space. The software is ideal for technical use cases, though there aren’t many ways to export data effectively.
10. LiquidPlanner
Now part of the Tempo Group, LiquidPlanner is a predictive project management and resource management tool that helps businesses control and manage risks across multiple projects.
Who should use project management tools?
Anyone who manages projects can benefit from project management software. Even if you don’t run formal projects or have the title of “project manager,” project management software can still be useful.
Many companies that don’t run formal projects use software to plan, organize, track, monitor, and execute their work.
These tools come in many different forms, just like projects themselves. For instance, some of your plans may be simple processes that only involve you and another person, while others can take multiple teams months (or even years) to complete.
How to choose the best project management software for your business
As you can see, there are a lot of project management software options available to organizations. While we’ve selected just 25 here, there are in fact many more, of varying efficacy. It’s vital that you choose a solution that solves your biggest challenges, improves your way of working, and delivers real bottom-line results — today and in the future.
To avoid the headache of onboarding your whole organization onto a tool only to find a few months later that it lacks the features you need, it’s worth first exploring the reasons you need project management software. Once you have a clear picture of what you’ll use the software for, you’ll be in a better position to make the right call.
Here are some questions to ask when assessing project management software options:
- Will my team use it?
- Can multiple departments use it?
- Does it support transparency and clear communication?
- Is it flexible?
- Can you generate custom reports?
- Does it easily (and securely) allow for external communication/users?
- Does it integrate with other tools we use?
- Can it scale efficiently if multiple teams and departments use it?
If you’re looking for a tool that will answer yes to all of these questions, look no further than Wrike.
Three practical steps to make the right decision
To make it choosing the right project management software little easier for you, here’s a three-step process for narrowing down your options and selecting the right software for your business:
1. Identify the core needs of each department
First, gather the team leaders and department heads and open a discussion on what the main pain points are for each group. Once you’ve drawn up a list of the most common gripes, you should be able to identify the main trends and build a solid idea of what areas need to be addressed. For example, it’s likely that the issue of communication will come up in some form.
Maybe the marketing department head finds it hard to open the floor on individual tasks and invite input once they’ve already been assigned. Or it could be that sales reps have a hard time feeding information about clients back and forth without creating unnecessarily long email chains. Perhaps another team leader reports an issue with information being lost or hard to find.
With all this feedback, you can inform the next step of this process, which is market research. If you identify that communication is the most significant pain point, then you can rule out software that doesn’t facilitate efficient communication.
2. Explore the options
There are hundreds of project management platforms on the market, which makes it tricky to shortlist the few that will be most appealing to you.
That’s why it’s wise to go into the research process with a list of important criteria for you and your teams. There’s a wealth of content online compiling and comparing project management tools based on different criteria, so finding high-authority sites that pit solutions against each other is the best place to start.
Once you’ve zeroed in on a handful of viable options that satisfy your criteria and come highly recommended within your industry, it’s time to get hands-on and test them.
3. Make the most of free trials
Many project management solutions will offer either a free trial or a freemium model for you to try within your teams to get a feel for them.
During the trial, use the tools extensively to see if they effectively address the main pain points you outlined with your team leaders. Here are some questions that can help you rank the software:
- How is communication within the software?
- Do silos and bottlenecks persist when you use the tool?
- How can team members collaborate?
- Is there a way for stakeholders to see what’s going on?
- What data can you view, and can you download it into digestible reports?
- Does the task management system speed things up or make it more difficult?
- How long does it take to get familiar with the main features?
Key features when selecting a project management software
Your team may need a tool with some specific features as they adopt project management workflows. Here are a few things to look for:
- Real-time collaboration: Project management software should allow for real-time collaboration between team members and stakeholders. Users should be able to access and make changes to the system at the same time.
- Sharing and storing documents: Your project management software should allow you to store and share documents, providing a knowledge repository for your projects.
- Cost management: Your software should help you track and report costs as well as monitor for potential overruns.
- Reporting: Customizable reports and dashboards allow for real-time reporting. You should be able to filter and format based on the criteria that are important to you.
- Ease of use: If the system is too complicated, your team won’t want to use it.
- Template creation: You should be able to create and customize templates so that you’re not building each project and activity from scratch.
- Warning flags: The system should trigger alerts or warnings when things go off track, such as when an activity is late.
- Scheduling: You’ll want a software system that allows you to create a schedule baseline and monitor your actual schedule against it.
- Time management: Actual time worked will need to be tracked in the system to monitor progress and manage both labor costs and resources.
- Resource allocation: You should be able to assign resource roles (i.e., accountant) and individual people (i.e., John Doe) tasks in the system.
- Customization: The software should be flexible enough to adapt to both your organization’s various projects and processes as well as your team’s way of working.
- Controls and governance: While versatility is essential, a system also needs to have sufficient controls and restrictions to ensure data is secure and approvals are tracked and recorded.
- Integration capability: The software should integrate with other business systems, such as your financial management system.
- Unique calendars: You will want to have calendars that can be changed to reflect your working days and hours and updated to reflect any shutdown periods or vacations.
In addition to our top features, below are 50 additional features that may add value to your work management needs. Click each feature to determine its value as part of your decision-making process.
- Request forms
- Work assignment
- Resource management
- Time tracking
- Scheduling
- Folders
- Custom fields
- Recurring tasks
- Customizable templates
- Gantt charts
- Kanban board
- Filters & search
- Live support
- Free trial
- Training resources
- Mobile app
- Desktop app
- Calendar
- Capacity planning
- User, role & access management
- Activity feed
- Inbox
- Notifications
- Comments
- API
- Rich text
- Security
- Reporting
- Dashboard
- Automation
- Guest review
- File sharing
- Task views
- Collaborative editing
- Digital asset management
- Custom workflows
- Email & chat integrations
- Customized workspace
- Adobe Creative Cloud extension
- Dependency management
- Digital file markup
- Proofing & approvals
- Tasks & projects
- Milestones
- Budget tracking
- Performance & reliability
- To-do lists
- Task prioritization
- Version control
- Cloud-based storage
Wrike has all the features listed above with a universal work management process that covers your needs.
What are the different types of project management software?
We can identify four types of project management software: individual, collaborative, integrated, and cloud-based. Of course, each one has its own merits, suitable for different types of people and teams.
Individual project management software
For one person who needs lightweight, web-based software to manage their projects, individual project software is a great fit.
It possesses fewer features than more comprehensive project management solutions but is also suitable for managing a project portfolio. If you need a trial or require only basic project management solutions, this is a good place to start.
Collaborative project management software
Collaborative project management software is a perfect option for large teams that need a low-tech solution for their project. It allows all team members to access, view, and collaborate on project tasks easily.
While it also works for smaller teams, it may be insufficient for large teams with diverse projects happening concurrently. Team productivity can suffer if members cannot collate and link data from different projects.
Integrated project management software
A unified, integrated project management solution works best for companies with a large project portfolio or different teams for various projects. It provides a centralized database of information, digital assets, and workflows that can be accessed by different team members based on their requirements.
Users have permission-based access to data and information across projects with an intuitive dashboard. Teams can outline task dependencies, track time, schedule tasks, and collaborate using the built-in messaging functionality.
Cloud-based project management software
Cloud-based software, the most popular type, hosts services and data in the cloud, allowing remote access from anywhere with an internet connection. It offers security and flexibility with customization.
Project management tools can vary from team to team, but most are computer programs that help users plan, execute, and manage projects in one centralized virtual location.
You can use project management software for any of the following:
- Project planning
- Project scheduling
- Resource allocation and capacity planning
- Budgeting and monitoring project costs
- Project portfolio management
- Business process management
- Workflow management
- Quality management
- Storing and sharing documentation and project records
- Creating and publishing project reports
- Tracking the actual time spent on project tasks
- Analyzing trends and forecasting
Wrike combines all four types of project management software in one, providing a platform suitable for individuals to large enterprises. It features real-time collaboration, scalability, and cloud-based data storage that’s protected by enterprise-grade security. Wrike is the solution you can use no matter what your needs are.
What are the benefits of project management software?
Managing a project without proper software is possible, but it will increase the risk of errors and inefficiencies in the process. Project management software allows for ease of visibility and collaboration.
While it’s possible to use spreadsheets for project tracking, it requires a lot of time and effort, and manually updating spreadsheets increases the risk of error. For the rest of the team to see the update, the spreadsheet has to be re-saved and re-uploaded to a central location.
Other issues project managers can have with spreadsheets are:
- Multiple versions of the same file existing, leading to confusion over which is the most accurate and up to date
- Trouble syncing information so people can work together in real-time
- Potential security issues due to spreadsheets being uploaded and downloaded multiple times in multiple places
- Difficulty in recording developments and updates promptly
Project management software will help you overcome all these issues.
Here are 10 additional reasons why people choose to use project management software:
- You can easily create new projects and tasks from old files and templates
- Modifications to existing projects and tasks are automatically updated on any linked tasks, dependencies, and other variables in real-time
- You can build reports and dashboards to help you visualize project performance
- There is less risk of losing your progress than with manual tracking methods
- Stakeholders can view real-time progress and reports
- Seeing everything in one place gives you a clearer picture of the project’s overall health
- You can set up alerts to notify you of new or overdue tasks
- Learnings and documentation from previous projects can be stored in one centralized location
- You can integrate applications like Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive for increased efficiency
- You can coordinate tasks and automate workflows so team members know when to begin their work
If you are interested in building resilience and driving growth during challenging times, project management software is going to be absolutely crucial, particularly in improving efficiency.
According to the business leaders surveyed as part of the Wrike 2023 Efficiency Report, the top six causes of inefficiency within an organization include:
- Poor communication and collaboration across your organization
- Poorly designed or outdated processes
- Time wasted on activities like meetings and duplicative work
- Ineffective use of technology
- Too many projects and lack of prioritization
- Lack of alignment on organizational goals
The right project management software solution can tackle each of these challenges in one fell swoop — without the need to add to a towering tech stack. It can illuminate your entire operations, shedding light on the estimated 42-45% of a company’s activity that’s unaccounted for; what Wrike calls “The Dark Matter of Work”. This hidden work and unnecessary complexity isn’t just frustrating to deal with, it’s expensive too — costing organizations up to $52m every year.
Enhanced visibility is the first step in challenging this, bringing immediate benefits such as the ability to map projects, manage resources, and improve communication and collaboration — all of which are explained in more detail below.
Better project mapping
Once a project makes its way onto your desk, you’re faced with many details to iron out before it can be delivered to the client. There’s the issue of who will take charge of each aspect of the project, how you’ll manage your resources effectively, and how you can keep stakeholders in the loop every step of the way.
The best project management software wraps up the solutions to all of these problems into one easy-to-use platform. As a result, you can oversee project progress without needing to micromanage dozens of tasks due to avoidable silos and bottlenecks.
With Kanban board tools, you can move tasks from one column to the next to indicate progress along the pipeline, whereas Gant charts will help you visualize your progress and make sure you’re working to schedule.
Most project management software will provide you with everything you need to plot out a major or minor project from start to finish. Here are some of the core features that help you in the planning phase:
- Task management for assigning and tracking individual tasks
- Labels, comments, and due dates for each task card to easily monitor progress
- Automation to reduce bottlenecks and free up time.
Effective resource management
One of the toughest challenges of project management is working with time and money constraints. Poor resource management is listed as the third largest project management challenge by the Wellingtone State of Project Management Report 2021.
For both human and financial resources, you need a system that’ll give you accurate indicators of whether you’re working within your means.
Resource management is much easier when you have project management software to set budgets for projects, view how much work your team members currently have on their plates, and track key metrics in real time.
The best project management tools provide a wealth of useful data you can use to glean valuable insights about allocating your resources.
Improved communication and collaboration
Among the many changes that have occurred in the workplace over the last few years, the biggest is the shift from face-to-face interactions to virtual communication. Coupled with this is the increasingly disparate nature of teamwork, which might involve some members in the offices, others at home, and still more working a hybrid model.
The best project management software unites all these threads smoothly, allowing instant communication through chat functions, in-context discussions, live editing, cross-functional tagging, and real-time updates.
It also provides a centralized location for seamless collaboration. Tasks can move from one stage to the next smoothly, with automatic tagging, proofing, and reminders. Version control, multiple file-type storage, and 400+ integrations mean all this can take place in one powerful platform.
These enhanced communication and collaboration capabilities should virtually eliminate the need for email, making searching for key information in endless chains and varying platforms a thing of the past. It will also reduce the need for meetings, which will come as welcome news to almost everybody in a busy working environment.
With Wrike, all of this functionality is available via desktop and mobile apps, so teams can communicate and collaborate anywhere, any time. The ease of Wrike right at your fingertips? Sounds like a win-win to us.
Industries that benefit most from project management software
A company's capacity to sustain, grow, and profit depends on the efficiency with which it manages its projects.
When the number of projects increases, teams need stable and dependable project management software to help manage them.
However, project management software can benefit every type of project and every size of project management team. It makes the process smoother, more streamlined, and ultimately more successful. Let’s look at how the software and its features might benefit you and your industry:
A versatile project management solution is a key component of a marketing agency's toolkit.
Marketing project management helps teams take on every action — including collaborating on digital assets, centralizing communication, assigning tasks, or tracking campaign progress.
Using project management software with personalized dashboards, marketing teams can monitor social channels, get a 360-degree view of all campaigns, and track results for each client.
2. Construction
Construction projects for roads, rail, buildings, utilities, or other structures can take weeks, months, or even years to complete. Every construction team lays down its goals, plans tasks, creates estimates, and controls its costs.
All construction projects, such as commercial, residential or industrial, can benefit from using construction management software.
With a reliable project data source, teams can access accurate information, automate repeatable actions, and work more efficiently.
While project management benefits most industries, it is a game changer for IT. IT projects can vary widely in their design, scope, and scale.
However, every IT project goes through the five common project stages — initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure. These are the essential steps required to turn an idea into a finished product.
IT project management software allows teams to use Kanban boards, Gantt charts, customized reports, and personalized dashboards to manage risk, scope creep, and frequently evolving client needs.
Many law firms manage their operations with simple spreadsheets and physical document management systems. However, not keeping up with digital transformation can cost them time and money.
Legal project management solutions help teams organize paperwork, meet business goals, and make their clients happier.
With all legal data, contracts, and information stored in a centralized database, teams can securely and accurately prepare for vital negotiations, court trials, or company audits. Project management software can help legal teams streamline their workflows, automate tasks, organize legal contracts in one place, and prioritize their work.
With the rapid adoption of online events and the return of offline conferences, having event management software is a no-brainer for event professionals.
Project management software helps to plan, organize, and execute successful events, whether a small, in-peron event, a sold-out concert, or a webinar with global attendees.
From registration, ticketing, analytics, billing, and floor planning, this software is designed to support all pre- and post-event activities.
Organizing attendee information, collecting payments, and curating sponsor details becomes a breeze with event software. It can also be easily integrated with other software for customer relationship management, marketing automation, payment gateways, or accounting and finance.
6. Engineering
Engineering projects can be complex. Teams must adapt to change and stay within defined schedules and budgets, whether they are managing civil, chemical, electrical, mechanical, aerospace, or environmental engineering projects.
Engineering project management software lets teams define project scope and work on milestones in collaboration with other stakeholders. You can optimize your workflows with premade templates for project schedules, complex projects with phases, and tools such as Gantt charts.
When should you invest in project management software?
It makes sense to invest in project management software when you see deadlines missed, processes falling apart, and miscommunication occurring — but at that point, it may already be too late. After all, by the time you’ve gotten to that stage, you’re already suffering the adverse effects.
For best results, you should invest in software before it becomes critical. While it can be difficult to predict when you’re about to outgrow more rudimentary tools, like spreadsheets, here are three signs that it’s time to invest.
Growth
A significant factor in your decision to invest in project software is the rate of growth your business is currently undergoing. If your projects and teams are growing in size or number, you will likely need project management software. Communication gets more difficult as teams grow and disperse geographically. You may also need to adopt new ways of collaborating, such as asynchronous communication, which is more difficult without the proper tools.
Project management software is also beneficial when planning to scale your business. If you’re taking on larger, more complex projects, you will need to adopt more robust project management tools. Growing your business requires the automation of repetitive administrative tasks. Without the means to efficiently work as you grow, you’ll needlessly waste money and effort.
Processes also get more complicated as you grow, so having a tool to manage all the pieces and stakeholders is vital. You don’t want to miss critical project tasks or overlook any issues — this can be the difference between a project’s success and failure.
Agility is also essential as your company evolves. It’s natural to need to change processes and methodologies, and project management software can support you throughout with minimal rework and no loss of historical data.
Interdependency
In small companies, employees may work individually or in small co-located groups. This changes as businesses get larger and more diverse, and the complexities and need for collaboration increase.
Even when your organization is not growing, changes in functional structures or physical locations can signal the need for project management software. Communication and integration become more challenging if you start employing contractors or remote workers.
An increase in external partnerships with stakeholders such as vendors, suppliers, and customers may also add complexity to your projects. For instance, if you undertake a project that requires one subcontractor to complete 35% of the work, management and oversight can quickly become difficult without the right software and processes in place.
Efficiency
Without project management software, employees spend more time doing manual tasks like entering data into spreadsheets. Not only does this take more time upfront, but it also increases the likelihood of rework due to errors and misplaced data.
Project management software reduces the need for manual and repetitive tasks, freeing up your team for more analysis and big-picture planning. This functionality also helps ensure they aren’t overloaded and that people are engaged and happy.
After all, people tend to be more fulfilled in their jobs when they’re doing something of value, rather than completing small, repetitive tasks over and over. Nobody's happy when their spreadsheet crashes, and they lose the report they spent the last three hours poring over.
If your team members are struggling more and more with increased workloads and simple tools crumbling under the weight of large and complex files, it’s time to invest in project management software.
How much does work management software cost?
The price of project management software, or work management software as it’s sometimes called, varies. Factors include:
- The software vendor: Costs can vary widely across companies.
- The software functionality: Not all software solutions come with the same features. For example, a vendor may offer a basic package as well as a more advanced solution.
- The size of your business: Project management software costs vary depending on the number of users and the volume of storage space required.
Most project management software vendors offer several different packaging options, separated by business size or add-on features. Check out the top software providers and review their pricing to see which package meets your needs.
There are plenty of free project management software options on the market, but these often come with hidden costs. Many free options do not offer training and support, which means you’ll need to spend more on implementing and maintaining the system than you would with a paid solution.
There are also the costs of not having project management software. As we talked about in the last section, without project management software, you’ll increase both the time spent completing tasks and the chance of errors, which costs you money.
Project management software makes communication and collaboration effortless. And when you consider that poor collaboration and communication can cost your company up to $62.4 million per year, even the most expensive project management software starts to look very affordable.
Let Wrike help you manage your projects, teams, and more
Project management software can provide significant benefits and cost savings for your business. If you’re ready to experience all the advantages of a project management software that’s simple yet powerful, make sure to choose a tool that’s worth your investment. You’ll need a modern solution with advanced capabilities, robust security, and future-proofed features. Wrike provides all of this and more — in one easy-to-use platform.
Wrike is packed with built-in resource planning, time-tracking, and budgeting tools that help modern teams do more with less. Our software is leading the way in the field of work automation, saving time and resources through automated workflows, request forms, and Blueprints. After a decade of machine learning, Wrike’s AI can predict project risks, generate expansive reports, and even help you start your day with full to-do lists based on smart prioritization.
Wrike offers so many features, benefits, and automations that it’s a no-brainer if you’re comparing project management tools. Sign up for a free trial today, and see for yourself why Wrike is the best project management tool for 2023.