Quick Overview
- 1#1: ClickUp - All-in-one productivity platform offering unlimited tasks, users, and advanced project management features on its generous free plan.
- 2#2: Trello - Visual Kanban-style board tool for organizing projects, tasks, and team collaboration with a robust free tier.
- 3#3: Asana - Work management platform for planning, tracking, and managing team projects with essential features available for free.
- 4#4: Bitrix24 - Comprehensive CRM and project management suite providing unlimited users and tasks on its free plan.
- 5#5: Freedcamp - Flexible project management tool with unlimited projects, users, storage, and tasks in its free version.
- 6#6: Jira - Agile project management software for software teams with free access for up to 10 users.
- 7#7: Zoho Projects - Online project planning and tracking tool offering a free plan for up to 3 users with solid features.
- 8#8: Notion - All-in-one workspace for notes, databases, and customizable project management boards with a free personal plan.
- 9#9: Todoist - Simple yet powerful task management app for personal and team projects starting at a low-cost premium plan.
- 10#10: Wrike - Collaborative work management platform with a free plan for basic task tracking and team visibility.
We ranked these tools by balancing cost with functionality, evaluating features like scalability, collaboration tools, and ease of use, ensuring each option delivers exceptional value for budget-conscious users.
Comparison Table
Effective project management is key to team efficiency, and affordable tools can simplify workflows without overspending. This comparison table explores leading options like ClickUp, Trello, Asana, Bitrix24, Freedcamp, and more, offering insights to help readers find the right fit for their needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ClickUp All-in-one productivity platform offering unlimited tasks, users, and advanced project management features on its generous free plan. | other | 9.2/10 | 9.6/10 | 7.8/10 | 9.9/10 |
| 2 | Trello Visual Kanban-style board tool for organizing projects, tasks, and team collaboration with a robust free tier. | other | 8.7/10 | 7.8/10 | 9.6/10 | 9.5/10 |
| 3 | Asana Work management platform for planning, tracking, and managing team projects with essential features available for free. | other | 8.7/10 | 8.3/10 | 9.2/10 | 9.5/10 |
| 4 | Bitrix24 Comprehensive CRM and project management suite providing unlimited users and tasks on its free plan. | other | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | 6.2/10 | 9.5/10 |
| 5 | Freedcamp Flexible project management tool with unlimited projects, users, storage, and tasks in its free version. | other | 8.4/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.5/10 |
| 6 | Jira Agile project management software for software teams with free access for up to 10 users. | other | 7.8/10 | 9.2/10 | 6.8/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 7 | Zoho Projects Online project planning and tracking tool offering a free plan for up to 3 users with solid features. | other | 8.1/10 | 8.0/10 | 7.7/10 | 9.4/10 |
| 8 | Notion All-in-one workspace for notes, databases, and customizable project management boards with a free personal plan. | other | 8.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 |
| 9 | Todoist Simple yet powerful task management app for personal and team projects starting at a low-cost premium plan. | other | 8.1/10 | 7.6/10 | 9.4/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 10 | Wrike Collaborative work management platform with a free plan for basic task tracking and team visibility. | other | 7.8/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.4/10 | 6.9/10 |
All-in-one productivity platform offering unlimited tasks, users, and advanced project management features on its generous free plan.
Visual Kanban-style board tool for organizing projects, tasks, and team collaboration with a robust free tier.
Work management platform for planning, tracking, and managing team projects with essential features available for free.
Comprehensive CRM and project management suite providing unlimited users and tasks on its free plan.
Flexible project management tool with unlimited projects, users, storage, and tasks in its free version.
Agile project management software for software teams with free access for up to 10 users.
Online project planning and tracking tool offering a free plan for up to 3 users with solid features.
All-in-one workspace for notes, databases, and customizable project management boards with a free personal plan.
Simple yet powerful task management app for personal and team projects starting at a low-cost premium plan.
Collaborative work management platform with a free plan for basic task tracking and team visibility.
ClickUp
otherAll-in-one productivity platform offering unlimited tasks, users, and advanced project management features on its generous free plan.
The most robust Free Forever plan with unlimited tasks, members, and core features unmatched in the category
ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity platform designed for project management, offering tasks, docs, whiteboards, goals, time tracking, and AI-powered features in a single customizable workspace. It supports multiple views including List, Board, Gantt, Calendar, and more, making it versatile for teams of all sizes. With a highly generous free plan, it stands out as a cost-effective solution packed with enterprise-level capabilities.
Pros
- Extremely generous Free Forever plan with unlimited tasks and members
- Feature-rich with 15+ views, custom fields, and automations even on free tier
- Scalable pricing starting at just $5/user/month for advanced features
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to extensive customization options
- Performance can lag with very large workspaces
- Limited storage (100MB) on the free plan
Best For
Small teams, startups, and freelancers seeking powerful, comprehensive project management without any upfront costs.
Pricing
Free Forever (unlimited tasks/members, 100MB storage); Unlimited $5/user/mo (annual); Business $12/user/mo (annual).
Trello
otherVisual Kanban-style board tool for organizing projects, tasks, and team collaboration with a robust free tier.
Flexible Kanban boards with endless customization through labels, due dates, and Power-Ups
Trello is a visual project management tool that uses Kanban-style boards, lists, and cards to organize tasks and workflows intuitively. It enables teams to collaborate in real-time with drag-and-drop functionality, attachments, labels, and checklists. Perfect for lightweight project tracking, it's highly accessible via web, mobile, or desktop apps.
Pros
- Generous free plan with unlimited cards and 10 boards per workspace
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface that's easy for beginners
- Extensive integrations via Power-Ups for customization
Cons
- Lacks advanced features like Gantt charts or native time tracking
- Reporting and analytics are basic without paid upgrades
- Boards can become cluttered in large-scale projects
Best For
Small teams, freelancers, or individuals seeking free, simple visual task management without steep learning curves.
Pricing
Free plan available indefinitely; Standard at $5/user/month, Premium at $10/user/month (billed annually).
Asana
otherWork management platform for planning, tracking, and managing team projects with essential features available for free.
Unlimited free access to core task management with list, board, and calendar views for basic team collaboration
Asana is a popular work management platform that enables teams to plan, organize, and track projects using customizable workflows, tasks, and multiple views like lists, boards, and calendars. It excels in collaborative task management, allowing users to assign work, set dependencies, and monitor progress in real-time. The free Personal plan offers core features without limits on tasks or projects, positioning it well among cost-effective project management tools for small teams.
Pros
- Generous free Personal plan with unlimited tasks, projects, and storage
- Highly intuitive interface with drag-and-drop functionality
- Strong integration ecosystem including Slack, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Teams
Cons
- Advanced features like Timeline, custom fields, and goals locked behind paid plans
- Pricing increases significantly for teams needing premium capabilities
- Limited reporting and workload management in the free tier
Best For
Small teams, freelancers, and startups looking for a scalable, no-cost entry into professional project management.
Pricing
Free Personal plan; Starter at $10.99/user/month (annual billing); Advanced at $24.99/user/month (annual billing); Enterprise custom.
Bitrix24
otherComprehensive CRM and project management suite providing unlimited users and tasks on its free plan.
Unlimited users on the free plan with core project management capabilities
Bitrix24 is an all-in-one online workspace platform that provides comprehensive project management tools such as tasks, Kanban boards, Gantt charts, Scrum workflows, time tracking, and workload management. It integrates CRM, team communication, calendars, HR tools, and website building, offering a full business suite in one place. The standout free plan with unlimited users makes it exceptionally cost-effective for basic to moderate project needs.
Pros
- Free plan with unlimited users and 5GB storage
- Extensive PM tools including Gantt, Kanban, and automation
- All-in-one integration with CRM, chat, and collaboration features
Cons
- Steep learning curve and cluttered interface
- Limited storage and advanced features on free plan
- Customization can be overwhelming for beginners
Best For
Small teams or startups needing a free, feature-packed platform for project management and basic business operations.
Pricing
Free forever plan for unlimited users; paid plans start at $49/month for 5 users (Basic) with more storage and features.
Freedcamp
otherFlexible project management tool with unlimited projects, users, storage, and tasks in its free version.
Unlimited projects, tasks, subtasks, and users even on the free plan
Freedcamp is a flexible project management platform that enables teams to manage tasks, projects, discussions, files, and calendars in a centralized workspace. It excels with a robust free plan supporting unlimited users, projects, tasks, subtasks, milestones, and basic collaboration tools. Paid upgrades unlock advanced features like Gantt charts, time tracking, custom fields, and unlimited storage for growing teams.
Pros
- Generous free plan with unlimited projects, tasks, and users
- Multiple views including list, board, and calendar for flexible workflows
- Strong collaboration tools like discussions and file sharing
Cons
- Free plan limited to 10MB per file storage and no advanced reporting
- Gantt charts, invoicing, and custom fields require paid upgrade
- Interface can feel overwhelming for absolute beginners
Best For
Small teams, freelancers, and startups needing a no-cost project management tool with unlimited scalability on the free tier.
Pricing
Free plan available forever; Pro starts at $1.49/user/month (billed annually); Business at $7.49/user/month; Enterprise custom.
Jira
otherAgile project management software for software teams with free access for up to 10 users.
Unmatched customizable workflows for agile Scrum and Kanban boards
Jira, developed by Atlassian, is a powerful project management and issue-tracking tool primarily designed for software development teams but adaptable for various industries. It supports agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban with customizable boards, backlogs, roadmaps, and reporting. While feature-rich, it offers a free tier for small teams, making it a contender in budget-conscious project management.
Pros
- Generous free plan for up to 10 users
- Highly customizable workflows and agile tools
- Extensive integrations and automation capabilities
Cons
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- Pricing escalates quickly for larger teams
- Overkill for simple, non-technical projects
Best For
Small agile teams or software developers needing robust, free project tracking without upfront costs.
Pricing
Free for up to 10 users; Standard at $8.15/user/month (annual billing); Premium at $16/user/month.
Zoho Projects
otherOnline project planning and tracking tool offering a free plan for up to 3 users with solid features.
Seamless blueprint-based automation for custom project templates and workflows
Zoho Projects is a cloud-based project management platform designed for teams to plan, track, and collaborate on projects efficiently. It offers core features like task management, Gantt charts, time tracking, issue tracking, and team forums, all integrated seamlessly with the broader Zoho ecosystem. As an affordable option, it caters especially well to small businesses and startups seeking robust functionality without high costs.
Pros
- Extremely affordable pricing with a functional free plan
- Strong integration with Zoho apps and 400+ third-party tools
- Customizable workflows, blueprints, and automation for efficiency
Cons
- User interface feels somewhat dated compared to modern competitors
- Advanced reporting and analytics limited in lower-tier plans
- Customer support response times can be slower for non-enterprise users
Best For
Small teams and startups needing cost-effective project management with solid core features and scalability.
Pricing
Free plan for up to 3 users (2 projects); paid plans start at $4/user/month (billed annually) for Premium, up to $10/user/month for Enterprise.
Notion
otherAll-in-one workspace for notes, databases, and customizable project management boards with a free personal plan.
Block-based modular editor with linked databases for creating dynamic, interconnected project views and dashboards
Notion is a versatile all-in-one workspace that functions as a notes app, database, wiki, and project management tool through customizable pages, boards, and timelines. It excels in lightweight project management by allowing users to create Kanban boards, calendars, task lists, and relational databases to track progress, assign tasks, and collaborate in real-time. The free plan provides robust features for individuals and small teams, making it a top contender in the cheapest project management category, though it requires setup for advanced workflows.
Pros
- Generous free plan with unlimited pages and blocks for individuals
- Highly customizable databases, boards, and views for flexible PM workflows
- Seamless integration of notes, docs, and tasks in one platform
Cons
- Steep learning curve to build effective PM systems from scratch
- Lacks native advanced features like Gantt charts or automated dependencies
- Performance can slow with very large databases or complex pages
Best For
Solo users, freelancers, or small teams needing a free, customizable tool for simple to moderate project tracking without specialized PM rigidity.
Pricing
Free plan for individuals (unlimited); Plus $8/user/month; Business $15/user/month; Enterprise custom.
Todoist
otherSimple yet powerful task management app for personal and team projects starting at a low-cost premium plan.
Natural language processing that lets you add tasks like 'Call dentist tomorrow 3pm #health p1' instantly.
Todoist is a cross-platform task management app that excels at capturing, organizing, and completing to-dos with features like projects, labels, priorities, recurring tasks, and natural language input. It supports basic collaboration for teams, integrations with calendars and other tools, and productivity tracking via Karma points. As a lightweight project management solution, it's ideal for simple workflows but lacks advanced features like Gantt charts or resource allocation found in more robust PM software.
Pros
- Exceptionally affordable with a capable free tier
- Intuitive natural language task entry
- Seamless syncing across all devices and platforms
Cons
- Lacks advanced PM tools like timelines or dependencies
- Free plan limits collaboration and reminders
- No native time tracking or workload views
Best For
Individuals or small teams needing a simple, budget-friendly tool for task lists and basic project tracking.
Pricing
Free plan available; Pro at $4/user/month (billed annually); Business at $6/user/month (billed annually).
Wrike
otherCollaborative work management platform with a free plan for basic task tracking and team visibility.
Blueprints for creating reusable project and team templates
Wrike is a comprehensive project management platform designed for teams needing advanced collaboration, task tracking, and workflow automation. It offers multiple views including Gantt charts, Kanban boards, calendars, and tables, along with robust reporting and integrations with over 400 apps. While powerful for complex projects, its free tier is limited, positioning it as a scalable but not ultra-budget option in the cheapest PM software category.
Pros
- Extensive feature set including Gantt charts, automations, and analytics
- Strong integrations with tools like Google Workspace and Slack
- Scalable for growing teams with customizable workflows
Cons
- Pricing starts higher than true budget competitors like Trello or ClickUp free tiers
- Free plan limited to 2 users and basic features
- Steeper learning curve for beginners due to advanced options
Best For
Small to mid-sized teams needing robust PM capabilities without enterprise-level costs.
Pricing
Free for up to 2 users (basic); paid plans from $9.80/user/month (Team, annual billing) up to custom Enterprise.
Conclusion
The reviewed tools demonstrate affordable options packed with useful features, catering to varied project requirements. ClickUp claims the top spot as the best choice, offering an all-in-one platform with a highly generous free plan. Trello and Asana shine as strong alternatives, with Trello's visual Kanban style and Asana's robust work management capabilities standing out.
Dive into ClickUp to experience its unlimited resources and advanced tools, or check out Trello or Asana if their unique strengths better match your workflow needs.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison