Quick Overview
- 1#1: Planview - Enterprise portfolio management platform that aligns projects, programs, and resources with strategic business objectives.
- 2#2: ServiceNow - Strategic portfolio management solution for demand intake, resource optimization, and enterprise-wide planning.
- 3#3: Clarity PPM - Comprehensive project and portfolio management tool with financial planning, risk management, and agile support.
- 4#4: Jira Align - Enterprise agile planning platform for scaling programs and portfolios across large organizations.
- 5#5: Microsoft Project - Robust project and portfolio management software integrated with Microsoft 365 for roadmapping and resource allocation.
- 6#6: Smartsheet - Collaborative platform for program management with dynamic dashboards, automation, and portfolio visibility.
- 7#7: Asana - Work management tool offering portfolio views, goals tracking, and cross-project program oversight.
- 8#8: monday.com - Customizable work OS for managing programs through boards, dashboards, and resource workload planning.
- 9#9: Wrike - Work management software with portfolio analytics, request forms, and program-level reporting.
- 10#10: ClickUp - All-in-one platform with hierarchical structure for programs, projects, resource management, and custom dashboards.
We ranked these tools based on features like portfolio alignment and resource management, ease of use, quality of support, and overall value, ensuring they meet the demands of modern program leaders.
Comparison Table
Explore the features and suitability of top program management software with this comparison table, including Planview, ServiceNow, Clarity PPM, Jira Align, Microsoft Project, and more. Learn to evaluate each tool’s strengths in portfolio planning, resource management, and project execution to find the best fit for your organization’s needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Planview Enterprise portfolio management platform that aligns projects, programs, and resources with strategic business objectives. | enterprise | 9.3/10 | 9.6/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.7/10 |
| 2 | ServiceNow Strategic portfolio management solution for demand intake, resource optimization, and enterprise-wide planning. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.7/10 | 7.4/10 | 8.6/10 |
| 3 | Clarity PPM Comprehensive project and portfolio management tool with financial planning, risk management, and agile support. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 9.1/10 | 6.7/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 4 | Jira Align Enterprise agile planning platform for scaling programs and portfolios across large organizations. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 5 | Microsoft Project Robust project and portfolio management software integrated with Microsoft 365 for roadmapping and resource allocation. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 9.1/10 | 6.4/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 6 | Smartsheet Collaborative platform for program management with dynamic dashboards, automation, and portfolio visibility. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 8.0/10 | 7.5/10 |
| 7 | Asana Work management tool offering portfolio views, goals tracking, and cross-project program oversight. | enterprise | 8.3/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 8 | monday.com Customizable work OS for managing programs through boards, dashboards, and resource workload planning. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 9 | Wrike Work management software with portfolio analytics, request forms, and program-level reporting. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.6/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 10 | ClickUp All-in-one platform with hierarchical structure for programs, projects, resource management, and custom dashboards. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.2/10 | 7.9/10 |
Enterprise portfolio management platform that aligns projects, programs, and resources with strategic business objectives.
Strategic portfolio management solution for demand intake, resource optimization, and enterprise-wide planning.
Comprehensive project and portfolio management tool with financial planning, risk management, and agile support.
Enterprise agile planning platform for scaling programs and portfolios across large organizations.
Robust project and portfolio management software integrated with Microsoft 365 for roadmapping and resource allocation.
Collaborative platform for program management with dynamic dashboards, automation, and portfolio visibility.
Work management tool offering portfolio views, goals tracking, and cross-project program oversight.
Customizable work OS for managing programs through boards, dashboards, and resource workload planning.
Work management software with portfolio analytics, request forms, and program-level reporting.
All-in-one platform with hierarchical structure for programs, projects, resource management, and custom dashboards.
Planview
enterpriseEnterprise portfolio management platform that aligns projects, programs, and resources with strategic business objectives.
Integrated Strategy & Roadmapping that bridges top-down strategic planning with bottom-up execution across programs and portfolios
Planview is a comprehensive enterprise portfolio management (EPM) platform designed to align strategy with execution across programs, projects, and portfolios. It provides advanced tools for roadmapping, resource capacity planning, financial forecasting, demand management, and risk analysis, supporting both waterfall and agile methodologies. With integrations across enterprise systems, it enables organizations to prioritize initiatives, optimize resources, and deliver measurable outcomes at scale.
Pros
- Robust portfolio prioritization and roadmapping capabilities
- Advanced resource and capacity planning with real-time visibility
- Strong financial management and scenario modeling tools
Cons
- Steep learning curve for new users due to complexity
- High implementation time and costs for customization
- Pricing is premium and less accessible for smaller teams
Best For
Large enterprises and complex organizations requiring end-to-end program and portfolio management across multiple portfolios.
Pricing
Enterprise-level custom pricing; typically starts at $50,000+ annually based on users, modules (e.g., PPM Pro, AdaptiveWork), and deployment.
ServiceNow
enterpriseStrategic portfolio management solution for demand intake, resource optimization, and enterprise-wide planning.
Strategic Portfolio Management with AI-driven scenario planning and predictive resource optimization
ServiceNow is a comprehensive cloud-based platform primarily known for IT Service Management but excels in program management through its Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) and Project Portfolio Management (PPM) modules. It enables organizations to plan, execute, and govern large-scale programs and portfolios with tools for demand management, resource allocation, financial tracking, roadmapping, and real-time analytics. Leveraging the Now Platform, it offers deep customization, AI-driven insights, and seamless integrations to align programs with strategic business objectives.
Pros
- Extremely robust feature set for enterprise program management including AI-powered analytics and roadmapping
- Seamless integrations with enterprise tools like Microsoft Project, Jira, and ERP systems
- Highly scalable and customizable via low-code Now Platform
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex initial setup
- High cost prohibitive for SMBs
- Overly comprehensive for simple program needs
Best For
Large enterprises managing complex, multi-portfolio programs with a need for strategic alignment and advanced analytics.
Pricing
Custom enterprise subscription pricing, typically $100-$200/user/month depending on modules, billed annually with minimum commitments.
Clarity PPM
enterpriseComprehensive project and portfolio management tool with financial planning, risk management, and agile support.
Investment hierarchies and roadmapping for linking high-level strategy to granular program execution
Clarity PPM by Broadcom is a comprehensive enterprise project portfolio management (PPM) solution designed for managing programs, projects, portfolios, resources, and financials at scale. It enables organizations to align strategic initiatives with execution through advanced planning, roadmapping, demand management, and performance analytics. The platform supports both traditional waterfall and agile methodologies, providing a unified view for IT and business leaders to optimize investments and drive outcomes.
Pros
- Extensive portfolio and program hierarchy for strategic alignment
- Powerful resource capacity planning and financial tracking
- Scalable for large enterprises with robust integrations
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex interface
- High implementation and customization costs
- Limited out-of-box agility for smaller teams
Best For
Large enterprises with complex, multi-program environments requiring deep strategic portfolio oversight and resource optimization.
Pricing
Custom enterprise licensing; typically SaaS subscription starting at $50-100/user/month with volume discounts, plus significant setup and professional services fees.
Jira Align
enterpriseEnterprise agile planning platform for scaling programs and portfolios across large organizations.
Strategy-to-execution alignment that links high-level objectives and roadmaps directly to Jira team-level workitems
Jira Align is Atlassian's enterprise-class platform for scaling agile practices from teams to portfolios, connecting strategic objectives to day-to-day execution. It supports frameworks like SAFe with tools for PI planning, dependency management, outcome tracking, and real-time visibility across programs. Designed for large organizations, it integrates deeply with Jira Software to provide a unified view of progress, risks, and roadmaps.
Pros
- Seamless integration with Jira ecosystem for end-to-end traceability
- Robust SAFe and scaled agile support including PI planning and objectives
- Advanced analytics and customizable dashboards for portfolio insights
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex initial setup
- High enterprise pricing with custom quotes required
- Occasional performance issues with large datasets
Best For
Large enterprises with distributed teams adopting scaled agile frameworks like SAFe that need to align strategy with execution.
Pricing
Enterprise subscription pricing; contact sales for quotes, typically $100-$150 per user/month depending on scale and features.
Microsoft Project
enterpriseRobust project and portfolio management software integrated with Microsoft 365 for roadmapping and resource allocation.
Portfolio Analyzer for what-if scenario planning and roadmapping across multiple projects
Microsoft Project is a robust project and portfolio management tool designed for planning, scheduling, and tracking complex projects and programs using Gantt charts, resource allocation, and timeline views. It excels in program management by offering portfolio oversight, what-if scenario analysis, and integration with enterprise systems for managing multiple interrelated projects. Available in desktop, cloud (Project for the web), and on-premises (Project Server) editions, it supports traditional waterfall methodologies with strong reporting capabilities via Power BI.
Pros
- Advanced Gantt charting, critical path analysis, and resource optimization for complex programs
- Seamless integration with Microsoft 365, Teams, Power BI, and Azure DevOps
- Scalable portfolio management tools for overseeing multiple projects and dependencies
Cons
- Steep learning curve and dated interface, especially in desktop versions
- Expensive licensing, particularly for enterprise-scale deployments
- Less flexible for agile or hybrid methodologies compared to modern alternatives
Best For
Enterprise project managers and PMOs handling large-scale, traditional programs within the Microsoft ecosystem.
Pricing
Cloud plans start at $10/user/month (Plan 1), $30/user/month (Plan 3), up to $55/user/month (Plan 5); desktop included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions from $10/user/month.
Smartsheet
enterpriseCollaborative platform for program management with dynamic dashboards, automation, and portfolio visibility.
Portfolio roll-ups that aggregate metrics, status, and resources across multiple sheets and projects in real-time dashboards
Smartsheet is a versatile work management platform that uses a familiar spreadsheet interface to handle project and program management tasks, including task tracking, Gantt charts, resource allocation, and portfolio oversight. It enables teams to create customizable sheets, dashboards, reports, and automated workflows for coordinating multiple related projects. With real-time collaboration and extensive integrations, it's designed to scale from simple task lists to complex program-level planning.
Pros
- Highly customizable sheets with formulas and dependencies for flexible program tracking
- Real-time collaboration and portfolio views for overseeing multiple projects
- Robust integrations with 100+ tools like Microsoft Project, Jira, and Salesforce
Cons
- Steeper learning curve for advanced automations and formulas
- Reporting and analytics lack depth compared to dedicated BI-integrated PM tools
- Pricing can become expensive for large teams with premium features
Best For
Mid-sized teams and departments managing interconnected projects who prefer a spreadsheet-like interface over rigid PM software.
Pricing
Starts at $7/user/month (Pro, annual billing) for basics; Business at $25/user/month; Enterprise custom pricing with advanced features.
Asana
enterpriseWork management tool offering portfolio views, goals tracking, and cross-project program oversight.
Portfolios for high-level visibility and management of multiple projects within a program
Asana is a collaborative work management platform designed to help teams plan, track, and manage tasks, projects, and programs through customizable workflows and visual boards. It supports program management via portfolios that provide oversight of multiple related projects, timelines for dependencies, and goals for strategic alignment. Advanced features like rules automation, reporting dashboards, and integrations enable scaling from individual tasks to enterprise-level program coordination.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface for quick setup and adoption
- Portfolios and goals for effective program-level oversight
- Extensive integrations with 200+ tools like Slack and Google Workspace
Cons
- Limited native resource capacity planning and forecasting
- Advanced reporting and custom fields locked behind higher tiers
- Can become overwhelming for very large-scale enterprise programs
Best For
Mid-sized teams and departments managing interconnected projects with a focus on collaboration and visual progress tracking.
Pricing
Free basic plan; Premium at $10.99/user/month; Business at $24.99/user/month; Enterprise custom pricing.
monday.com
enterpriseCustomizable work OS for managing programs through boards, dashboards, and resource workload planning.
No-code automation center that links multiple boards for dynamic, program-level oversight and dependency management
monday.com is a highly visual work operating system designed for teams to create custom workflows, boards, and dashboards for managing projects and programs. It excels in program management by offering portfolio overviews, Gantt charts, resource management, and cross-board automations to oversee multiple interconnected initiatives. With no-code tools and extensive integrations, it supports Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid methodologies while providing real-time collaboration and reporting.
Pros
- Highly customizable visual boards and multiple views (Gantt, timeline, calendar)
- Powerful no-code automations and 200+ integrations for streamlined program workflows
- Intuitive interface fostering quick team adoption and collaboration
Cons
- Pricing escalates quickly for larger teams or advanced features
- Performance can lag with very large datasets or complex boards
- Native reporting and advanced analytics less robust than specialized PPM tools
Best For
Mid-sized teams seeking a flexible, visual platform to manage and coordinate multiple projects within programs without rigid structures.
Pricing
Free for up to 2 users; Basic starts at $9/user/month, Standard $12, Pro $19 (billed annually); Enterprise custom.
Wrike
enterpriseWork management software with portfolio analytics, request forms, and program-level reporting.
Portfolio management with workload forecasting and cross-project dependency tracking
Wrike is a comprehensive work management platform tailored for project and program management, enabling teams to plan, track, and execute multiple projects with tools like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and workload views. It supports portfolio oversight through customizable dashboards, advanced reporting, and automation for cross-project visibility and resource allocation. With robust integrations and AI features, it scales from individual tasks to enterprise-level programs.
Pros
- Highly customizable workflows and fields for complex programs
- Powerful dashboards and real-time reporting across portfolios
- Extensive integrations with 400+ apps for seamless ecosystems
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to extensive customization options
- Advanced program management features require higher-tier plans
- Interface can feel cluttered for new users
Best For
Mid-to-large teams managing complex programs and portfolios that need deep customization and cross-project visibility.
Pricing
Free plan for basics; Pro ($9.80/user/mo), Business ($24.80/user/mo), Enterprise/Pinnacle (custom); annual billing.
ClickUp
enterpriseAll-in-one platform with hierarchical structure for programs, projects, resource management, and custom dashboards.
Unlimited layered hierarchy (Spaces > Folders > Lists > Tasks > Subtasks) for seamless program-to-task oversight
ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity platform that serves as a robust program management software through its flexible hierarchical structure of Spaces, Folders, Lists, Tasks, and Subtasks, enabling oversight of multiple interconnected projects and portfolios. It provides advanced views like Gantt charts, roadmaps, timelines, and customizable dashboards for program-level planning, resource allocation, and progress tracking. Additionally, it includes automations, goals, time tracking, AI-powered features, and extensive integrations to streamline complex workflows across teams.
Pros
- Highly customizable hierarchies and views (e.g., Gantt, Roadmap, Dashboard) ideal for scaling program management
- Rich feature set including automations, goals, and AI tools without needing multiple apps
- Generous free plan and strong integrations with 1000+ tools
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to overwhelming options and customization depth
- Performance issues with very large workspaces or complex setups
- Advanced program management features (e.g., full portfolio reporting) locked behind higher tiers
Best For
Mid-to-large teams managing complex, multi-project programs who need extreme customization and an all-in-one workspace.
Pricing
Free forever plan; Unlimited at $7/user/month (annual), Business at $12/user/month (annual), Enterprise custom.
Conclusion
The top program management tools each offer distinct strengths: Planview leads by aligning projects, programs, and resources with strategic business objectives, ServiceNow excels in enterprise-wide demand intake and resource optimization, and Clarity PPM stands out with robust financial planning and agile support. With a range of options, the list caters to diverse needs, ensuring users find a fit whether for large organizations, cross-project oversight, or flexible workflows. Planview emerges as the top choice, but ServiceNow and Clarity PPM are exceptional alternatives for specific priorities.
Unearth success in program management with Planview to drive strategic alignment and resource efficiency, or explore ServiceNow or Clarity PPM to discover the ideal tool for your unique needs.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison
