Best free online project management software tools

What is project management?

Project management is the process of planning, organizing, and completing a defined piece of work within a set timeline and budget.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines projects by two core attributes: they are temporary (with a clear start and end date) and unique (designed to achieve a specific goal, not repeat routine work).

Project management, then, is how you make sure those projects actually get done.

The 8 best free project management tools

Before diving in, here's a quick reference list:

• Asana

• BaseCamp

• Mavenlink

• Podio

• ProofHub

• Jira

• Trello

• Zoho Projects

What does project management software do?

Project management software helps teams control costs, meet deadlines, improve productivity, and collaborate, so projects get finished without the chaos.

Most projects are complicated. They pull in people across different roles, departments, and locations. Good project management software brings everything into one place: files, timelines, tasks, and conversations.

Instead of chasing updates or pasting numbers into a spreadsheet to figure out where things stand, you get a clear picture of what's happening, who's responsible, and what's at risk.

How project management software helps your team

Project management software removes the guesswork from running a project. Here's what it handles:

• Control costs: Project costs spiral when no one's watching. Project management software tracks where money is going and flags when you're drifting from budget, so you stay in control before it's too late.

• Meet deadlines: Missed deadlines cascade. These tools give everyone a shared view of timelines, task owners, and due dates, so nothing slips through unnoticed.

• Improve productivity: When tasks are clearly assigned with deadlines attached, people spend less time figuring out what to do next and more time doing it.

• Encourage collaboration: Projects fail when communication breaks down. Project management software keeps conversations, files, and decisions in one place, so your team stays aligned without the back-and-forth.

Best low-cost and free project management software

Click on any of the project management tools below for more details.

Asana

Asana is a cloud-based project management tool for teams to track and manage project progress. Teams can add tasks, assign them to members, set due dates, comment, and share documents.

Pros:

• Intuitive, user-friendly interface that most teams pick up quickly.

• Easy to set tasks, subtasks, and deadlines without a steep learning curve.

• Custom fields for more precise project tracking.

• Robust integrations with tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Dropbox.

Cons:

• Limited features in the free version, including no timeline view or advanced search.

• Not ideal for large or complex projects due to task hierarchy limits.

• Learning curve for users who want to use all available features.

Pricing: Free for up to 15 team members. Premium at $9.99/member/month adds timelines, advanced search and reporting, private teams and projects, and admin controls. Request a quote for Enterprise.

BaseCamp

BaseCamp is a cloud-based platform that brings message boards, schedules, to-do lists, group chat, documents, and file storage into one workspace. It gives your team a single location for messages, files, tasks, and timelines.

Pros:

• Excellent for communication and collaboration with built-in chat, to-do lists, and file sharing.

• Clean, clutter-free interface that's easy to navigate.

• Flat learning curve, making it accessible for teams new to project management tools.

Cons:

• Basecamp Personal (free) is limited to 3 projects and 20 users.

• No time tracking features.

• Limited customization options.

Pricing: Free 30-day trial. Paid plan at $99/month regardless of user count, including message boards, real-time group chat, to-do lists, schedules, and 500 GB file storage.

Mavenlink

Mavenlink is a cloud-based tool that combines project management, collaboration, time tracking, resource management, and project financials. It gives you visibility into every resource across every project at every stage.

Pros:

• Advanced features including resource planning and time tracking.

• Scales well from simple to complex projects.

• Integrates with Google Workspace and Salesforce.

Cons:

• No free plan, only a free trial.

• Interface can feel overwhelming for new users given the feature depth.

• Occasional slow load times reported by users.

Pricing: Teams at $19/month for up to 5 users with collaboration and task management. Professional at $39/user/month adds project management and time tracking. 10-day free trial available; Enterprise and Premier pricing on request.

Podio

Podio is a cloud-based collaboration platform for building custom apps and workspaces that match your team's workflow. It includes status updates, group messaging, individual chat, and audio and video calls.

Pros:

• Highly flexible with customizable workspaces and fields.

• Handles diverse work types including tasks, sales leads, and more.

• Built-in chat and video conferencing for team communication.

Cons:

• Limited features in the free version.

• Customizing Podio takes time to set up properly.

• Interface is less intuitive than some competing tools.

Pricing: Free for up to 5 employees. Basic at $9/user/month adds user management and unlimited external users. Plus at $14/user/month adds light user roles, automated workflows, and read-only access.

ProofHub

ProofHub is a SaaS-based project management platform with integrated group chat, project discussions, workflows and boards, project reports, and more. It's used by over 85,000 teams and businesses worldwide, including Netflix, Google, Disney, and NASA.

Pros:

• Task management, time tracking, and file sharing in one place.

• Simple, user-friendly interface.

• Built-in notes app for quick idea capture and brainstorming.

Cons:

• No free plan, only a free trial.

• Speed and performance issues reported by some users.

• Lacks advanced features like risk management and budgeting tools.

Pricing: Essential at $45/month billed annually for 40 projects, unlimited users, and 15 GB storage. Ultimate Control at $89/month billed annually for unlimited projects, users, and 100 GB storage.

Jira

Jira is a project tracking and issue management tool developed by Atlassian. It's built for software teams to plan, track, release, and report on performance using real-time, visual data.

Pros:

• Highly flexible and customizable, particularly for agile project management.

• Extensive feature set for software development, including bug tracking and issue tracking.

• Multiple report types to monitor project progress.

Cons:

• Free version limited to 10 users.

• Complex interface that can be intimidating for new users.

• Overkill for simple projects or teams outside software development.

Pricing: $10/month flat fee for up to 10 users. $7/user/month for 11 to 100 users.

Trello

Trello is a web-based project management tool built around boards, lists, and cards. You can add comments and attachments directly to cards and connect other apps to your boards.

Pros:

• Simple, visual interface with a board-and-card system most teams find intuitive.

• Integrates well with tools like Google Drive and Slack.

• Great for visualizing tasks and progress at a glance.

Cons:

• Free version limits automation (called Butler).

• Can get cluttered on large or complex projects.

• Lacks advanced features like time tracking and detailed reporting.

Pricing: Free with file attachments limited to 10 MB. Business Class at $9.99/user/month adds unlimited Power-Up integrations and increased privacy controls. Enterprise at $20.83/user/month adds two-factor authentication, personalized onboarding, and priority support.

Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects is a project management platform that helps teams plan, track, and collaborate through task management, forums, charts and reports, time tracking, issue tracking, and workflow automation.

Pros:

• Comprehensive feature set including time tracking, task automation, and document management.

• Built-in chat for team collaboration.

• Handles complex projects and tasks without much friction.

Cons:

• Free version limited to 3 users and 2 projects.

• Interface can feel less intuitive than some alternatives.

• Occasional performance issues reported.

Pricing: Standard at $20/month for 10 projects and 15 users with up to 5 GB file attachments. Express at $40/month for unlimited projects, 25 users, and up to 20 GB. Premium at $85/month for unlimited projects, 25 users, and up to 100 GB.

Key questions to ask when evaluating project management software

Choosing project management software is different from most software purchases. The right tool depends heavily on how your team works, not just what features are on the list.

Here are the questions worth asking before you commit.

What does our team need this software to accomplish?

Start here. If the software doesn't help you hit your goals, nothing else on the list matters.

Your answer to this question will also narrow your options quickly. Teams that bill by the hour need strong time tracking. Teams running complex multi-stage projects need robust task hierarchies and dependency management. Know what you need before you evaluate.

How much complexity can we realistically manage?

The right software is comprehensive enough to handle your work but not so complicated that your team avoids using it.

A tool your team ignores is worse than a simpler one they actually use. Match the software's depth to your team's capacity and willingness to adopt it.

Does it integrate with the tools we already use?

Project management software works best when it connects to the rest of your stack. List the tools your team relies on: your CRM, document management system, communication tools. Then check whether your shortlisted options connect to them.

Also confirm whether the software can import your existing data. A smooth migration saves significant setup time.

How many people need access?

User limits vary significantly across tools and pricing tiers. Know how many team members need access before you evaluate pricing, and think carefully about whether every person needs full access or whether a read-only or limited role would work.

Cloud or on-premises?

Most modern project management software is cloud-based: accessible from anywhere, with data stored off-site. Cloud tools typically offer better accessibility, simpler maintenance, and lower upfront cost.

On-premises software is installed locally and accessed from a fixed location. It's less common now but may suit organizations with specific security or compliance requirements.

Decide which model fits your team before shortlisting tools.

How to build project management dashboards and reports with Klips

Choosing the right project management tool is step one. Knowing whether your projects are actually on track is step two.

That's where Klips comes in. Let's use Trello as an example.

Build a Trello dashboard with Klips

With Klips, you can build a custom Trello dashboard to track your key project management metrics. Connect your Trello data and get a real-time view of ongoing projects, timelines, and workload, without waiting for someone to pull a report. Learn how to connect to Trello with Klipfolio.

Why connect your Trello data to a Klips dashboard?

• Real-time updates mean your dashboard always reflects the current state of your projects, not last week's snapshot.

• Shared visibility gives everyone on the team access to the same numbers, so decisions are based on the same picture.

• Visual indicators like colours and thresholds make it easy to spot what's on track and what needs attention, without digging through cards.

• Combined data sources let you bring in Trello alongside other tools (like Slack) for a fuller view of how your team is performing.

Use the Connector Gallery to build custom Trello queries

With the Connector Gallery, you can create custom API queries to pull specific data from your Trello account. Choose the metrics and time periods that matter to your team, then build visualizations that reflect how your projects actually run.

You can also combine Trello data with other sources to see the full picture in one place. Learn more about building your own Trello queries in Klips.