But how exactly do you find the right project management tool–a tool that seems designed to meet your unique needs and preferences?
Project management tools come in all shapes and sizes, but they all do one key thing: Help you organize and manage tasks to get your best work done on time, every time .
What are project management tools?
A) Tools that help you organize your project work
B) Tools that help you optimize your project management skills
C) Tools that help you keep track of deadlines and priorities
D) All of the above
Answer: D – All of the above.
TL;DR section – you know who you are
Why are project management tools important?
Answer: They empower you to focus on work and seamless communication with your team to get more done on time.
What is our top choice for a project management tool?
The SnackNation FB community has spoken (thank you!)… monday.com has been voted their favorite project management tool and is also the collaborative work tool that we use at SnackNation.
Think about your to-do lists. They make it easy to remember what you have to do, so you don’t have to risk forgetting critical steps or use your valuable brain power recalling tasks.
Project management tools do something similar for project work. Organizing your steps, priorities, and workflows using a project management tool empowers you to focus on doing your best work—instead of spending time regrouping on what you need to do on any given day.
We know you’re busy managing projects, so we’ve made it easy for you to find a tool that will accommodate your needs.
Our top choices are broken down in the following sections:
Project management tools to manage multiple projects
Project management tools with time tracking
Project management tools with gantt charts
Project management tools to manage scope
Project management tools to monitor progress
Note: Some of these project management tools feature all or many of these capabilities; we’ve simply grouped the tools according to their most notable strength.
Project management tools to manage multiple projects
These tools have the capability to help teams organize multiple complex projects while still making work streamlined and simple.
1. monday.com
Project management has never looked so good.
monday.com makes every aspect of project management—from planning to tracking progress—an engaging and visually pleasing experience. It brings all the work organization tools you could ever need into an intuitive, attractive interface that’s a joy to use.
Most project management platforms tend to be really good at one/two things and don’t offer a complete solution. This is where monday.com stands above the rest and is considered a Work OS that lets you manage any aspect of your work with dozens of integrations and automations.
Why we love monday.com for project management:
It’s sustainable.
A lot of us have tried organizing our work with the best intentions. We slave over spreadsheets and Gantt charts until everything is planned to a T.
Then something strange happens: We never want to look at those solutions again. They look boring, and they can become difficult to understand as you expand projects.
A tool like monday.com, a tool people actually want to use , increases the likelihood that your team will follow through with their best-laid plans.
We surveyed our SnackNation community to find out what they love about monday.com –here is what they had to say:
“Easy to assign and view tasks and also provides real time communication and updates.”
“monday.com has helped every department in our company become more organized and improved communication within the teams.”
“Automations are amazing. It can do everything.”
Standout features on monday.com:
Templates to accommodate a variety of project types
Big-picture views of multiple projects in flight
An app that makes it easy to check in on progress anywhere and any time
Deadline views that make it easy to see what’s pressing
Collaborative capabilities , including team assigning and messaging
Automations are easy to set up without any coding
Integrations bring your data from multiple apps into one unified platform
monday.com pricing:
Free trial period
Plans $39 – $79+
Similar project management tools to monday.com:
Hive
Paymo
Gain
2. Miro
Miro is a visual collaboration platform that empowers people globally to create their best work yet. Miro’s infinite online canvas is packed with features and integrations so you and your team can collaborate seamlessly whether you’re working remotely, in the office, or in a hybrid setup.
Why do we love Miro for project management:
Miro is your team’s visual platform to connect, collaborate, and create — together.
It’s an intuitive, visual source of truth. Yes, at first glance Miro might seem like just a digital whiteboard — but its capabilities go far beyond that.
You’ll realize quickly that the platform doubles up (and how) as a project management software. That means you can manage complex projects and their stakeholders with confidence, and align processes between cross-functional teams in one collaborative workspace.
So whether you’re planning a big picture overview with the Bull’s Eye Diagram Template, assigning tasks with the Action Plan Template, or getting input from everyone with the Dot Voting Template, Miro is your all-in-one project canvas.
Tap into Miro’s extensive project management template collection to move projects forward, bring people together, and solve bottlenecks that stand in the way of success. Your team (and browser tabs) will thank you when you have a single source of truth for timelines, updates, feedback rounds, and, most importantly, the work itself.
Standout Features on Miro:
Centralized kanban boards , Gantt charts, RACI matrices, and user story maps in a visual hub for reference throughout the project.
Built-in communication features including board video recordings to cut down on meetings and provide crucial context to your team.
Interactive meeting tools and features like a Voter, Timer, digital sticky notes, and live cursor tracking.
Miro Pricing:
Miro has four pricing options:
The free plan is free forever , but is limited to three boards
Starter package, priced at $10 per user per month
Business package, priced at $20 per user per month
Enterprise package, available at a customized price
Similar project management tools to Miro:
Asana
Mural
ClickUp
3. ClickUp
ClickUp is the centralized work hub built for the way today’s teams want to work. By bringing everyone together with context, clear priorities, and visibility with ClickUp—your team can boost collaboration and productivity while saving time to focus on the work that matters most.
Why do we love Miro for project management:
ClickUp is the collaborative productivity platform that brings your work, tools, and teams together.
Work today can feel more disconnected than ever before as work apps continue to multiple and more organizations shift to hybrid working models. That’s why ClickUp makes it easy for you to bring all your work, teams, and tools together in an all-in-one collaborative work hub.
ClickUp helps teams of all sizes work better together in a single place that empowers them with the tools they need to do their best work.
With ClickUp, you can track project progress at a glance, streamline workflows to save more time, and quickly surface key information, insights, and context for all your work.
Standout Features on ClickUp:
Advanced automations to streamline your team’s workflows and save you time
Data-driven dashboards to visualize and track progress with real-time reporting
Customizable tasks to breakdown projects of any size into actionable items
Collaborative docs that make it easy for your team to stay aligned from strategy to execution
ClickUp Pricing:
ClickUp has multiple pricing options. These are the two main types…
Free forever version perfect for personal use
Paid plans start at $5.00 per month per user
Similar project management tools to Miro:
Notion
monday.com
Jira
4. Hubstaff
Hubstaff is an industry-leading time tracking and proof of work app for web, mobile, and desktop. With a time clock, optional screenshotting, and built-in invoicing features, managers can lead more efficient remote teams. Integrations with 30+ apps make Hubstaff a powerful project management, customer support, and HR tool.
Why do we love Hubstaff for project management:
The all-in-one work time tracker for managing field or remote teams.
Most project management tools allow managers to organize and assign tasks in Kanban boards, Sprints or Gantt charts . But what good is dividing work into subtasks if they can’t track how long each task takes?
Hubstaff helps leaders see what their teams are working on, what tools they’re using, and how long it takes them to complete tasks. When it’s time for budgeting and planning, they’ll have the data they need to set realistic project costs and goals.
Standout Features on Hubstaff:
Time tracking to help manage productivity
Proof of work so that nothing is lost during a busy project
Keyboard and mouse activity tracking to provide insights into where employees are spending their time
Invoicing and payments to streamline finances
Hubstaff Pricing:
Free 14-day trial
Starts at $7 per user/month.
Similar project management tools to Hubstaff:
Toggl
Harvest
Wrike
5. Teamwork
Teamwork is an enterprise project management platform you can manage ALL your client work. From invoicing, to time tracking, to unlimited client access, everything you need to run your client services is in Teamwork.
As a truly comprehensive platform, it gives you the tools and reports you need to maximize resources and never miss a billable minute again. Get a bird’s eye view of every project, from milestones to capacity planning, budgeting and time tracking and more.
Why do we love Teamwork for project management:
It’s the all-in-one team project management platform made for client work.
Teamwork gives you the tools and reports you need to maximize resources and never miss a billable minute again. Get a bird’s eye view of every project, from milestones to capacity planning, budgeting and time tracking and more.
Collaborate in real-time with your team and clients to get your questions answered and projects delivered on time & on budget.
From PM essentials like project templates, task management and custom fields to wish list favorites like time tracking, billing and assigning cards to multiple team members, Teamwork has you covered.
Standout Features on Teamwork:
All-in-one management for projects, clients, freelancers, and your team in one place
Track every billable minute and deliver every project on time and on budget
Run your client services business with the advanced features and flexibility you need to grow
Track every detail by breaking work and projects into tasks and layers of subtasks so nothing slips through the cracks
Communicate with colleagues and clients in real time without having to switch platforms with a built-in, integrated chat
Skip the learning curve and start immediately with Teamwork’s pre-built templates
Teamwork Pricing:
Free, no commitment, 30 day trial
Deliver from $10/user per month
Grow from $18/user per month
Similar project management tools to Teamwork:
monday.com
Hive
Paymo
6. Nifty
Nifty is the do-it-all collaboration and management tool that allows you to run Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, Six Sigma, or whatever term you’d use to describe your team’s workflow! Nifty is the easiest PM tool on the planet that can be as simple as a priority tracker or a decked-out portfolio management tool.
Why do we love Nifty for project management:
It is the glue between planning and execution.
Nifty is the award-winning project management tool that closes the gap between communication and action to serve as the all-in-one remote office you and your team have been looking for.
You no longer have to live in a world where all of your tools clutter up your screen as you try to manage planning new projects with executing existing ones. Nifty let’s you get down to business in one project management playground.
Standout Features on Nifty:
Milestones bundle tasks into larger initiatives that automate progress updates based on task completion
Project Discussions and Direct Messages means you can run your entire workflow in Nifty
Google Docs, Sheets, and Presentations can be created or edited within Nifty
My and All Tasks make it easy to see what needs to be done today, tomorrow, and the next day
Overview and Workloads give insights based on projects and teammates to identify resource bottlenecks well before they arrive
Mobile Apps takes your management and messaging on the go
Nifty Pricing:
Free trial
Free forever plan up to 2 active projects
Paid plan starts at $39/month for the first 10 team members
Similar project management tools to Nifty:
Asana
Basecamp
Airtable
7. Toggl Plan
Work doesn’t have to be dull, boring, or tick in a checkbox.
Toggl Plan brings a fresh perspective to project management with a focus on macro-management and getting things done. It has simple, drag-and-drop features that help you plan work, track progress, and manage your team.
Why do we love Toggl Plan for project management:
It gives clear directions.
Toggl Plan gives your team clear visual overviews about what’s happening and what’s coming next. It comes with customizable timelines and boards that can be tailored to match your workflow. Plus, it makes collaborative work easy using task comments and file attachments.
All this comes together to help your team stay on top of work and get things done.
With it’s simple, drag-and-drop interface Toggl Plan makes it easy for your team to get started and keep it up-to-date daily.
Here’s what teams using Toggl Plan say:
“One of the things I like about Toggl Plan is that you don’t have to jump in and be fully committed, it’s a tool which can grow with you.”
“Before Toggl Plan, things were a lot more chaotic. I think it added a lot of structure to the business that we didn’t have before. When it was introduced to the company, it changed things around.”
“Seriously, you guys have saved me. I need to manage many time-sensitive tasks for myself and other artists. A deadline change? Boom, drag and drop, no morning headache!”
Standout features of Toggl Plan:
Improve work clarity with simple, intuitive, visual overviews.
Plan work with high-level or detailed, color-coded project plan timelines.
Set milestones and track work progress.
Manage team availability and workloads with team timelines.
Work closely on tasks with other team members. Discuss ideas using comments and file attachments.
Toggl Plan Pricing:
Free for 1 user
Premium plans start at $8 per user, per month.
Similar project management tools to Toggl Plan:
Avaza
Trello
Hive
8. Shift
Consider Shift the one app to rule them all.
If you’re sick of tabs, windows, countless bookmarks, and constant shifts between your human resources interface to approve time-off requests and your time-tracking application to enter your hours, then this mother-ship tool might be exactly what you need.
Use it to access and seamlessly switch between all your favorite applications.
Why we love Shift for project management:
It minimizes brain clutter.
It might seem easy, but just recalling the application you need to perform a specific task, finding the right link, and remembering your login information can drain your brain of the valuable processing power it needs to make important decisions.
When you can access and switch between everything you need in one place, you’ll be able to redirect some of the mental energy you spent navigating toward actually doing project work.
Standout features on Shift:
Support for as many accounts as you want
Connect with Slack and just about app you can think of
Unified search for finding information across all accounts
Streamlined design makes shifting between tasks easier than ever
Extensions provide flexibility as your needs change
Shift pricing:
Free basic plan
Other plans $29.99 – $99.99 per year
Similar project management tools to Shift:
HelpScout
SaneBox
ProofHub
9. Paymo
Paymo designed its platform to address the common reasons projects fail.
Paymo gives teams everything they need to plan and complete projects that exceed client expectations. Use Paymo to do everything from keeping clients happy through project transparency to collaborating effectively with all contributors and stakeholders.
Why we love Paymo for project management:
It’s a one-stop shop.
Paymo allows users to conduct every piece of project management (team tasks and schedules) and also tasks associated with project management (invoicing and client communication).
This centralized project management helps you streamline work, keep track of everything, and deliver amazing results to clients and customers without ever getting close to that peak stress threshold.
Standout features on Paymo:
Guided start and finish times help keep projects on track
Task budgets match tasks with appropriate hour levels
Calendars automate resource allocation when people take time off
Alerts make it easy to give appropriate attention to milestones
Task views allow sorting by deadline, project, or priority
Paymo pricing :
Free basic plan
Other plans $10 – $16 per user, per month
Similar project management tools to Paymo:
Podio
Freedcamp
Notion
10. Hive
The Hive platform provides the kind of radical work transparency modern companies need to boost productivity and work better together.
Plan projects in multiple ways according to your preferences, and see team and company-wide views of projects.
With all project information living in one place, you can see work like never before. You can isolate patterns that give you ideas for strategies to strengthen your business.
Plus, when everyone can easily stay informed on key projects, you can enjoy:
Fewer emails
Fewer meetings
Less miscommunication.
More productive work time
Why we love Hive for project management:
It gives workers autonomy.
Project management tools could make some personalities feel trapped by mandated processes and therefore unmotivated to do their best.
Hive, however, allows teams to choose the project management structure that works best for them. This allows the centralization managers need to optimize productivity while still giving teams the flexibility they need to perform their best.
Standout features on Hive:
Time-tracking functionality makes project tracking and billing easy
Automated workflows streamline decisions
Analytics portfolios provide real-time insights that lead to enhanced efficiency
Email feature provides access to Outlook or Gmail inboxes within the platform
Action templates make it fast to recreate high-performing tasks and workflows
Hive pricing :
Free trial period
Plans start at $12 per user, per month
Similar project management tools to Hive:
monday.com
Front
nTask
11. Gain
Some one-line tasks can be deceptively complex.
Example: Have site content approved.
This is one line, one to-do, but checking it off might involve several substeps and several stakeholders.
Gain helps make tasks like these as simple as they should be.
Why we love Gain for project management:
It makes complex tasks as easy to complete as simple ones.
Gain provides a platform where people can simultaneously view content, leave feedback, and send approvals. Tasks that used to require tons of emails and meetings can be reduced to a few simple steps.
Standout features on Gain:
Password-free access provides all stakeholders with frustration-free viewing
Automated reminders nudge clients for approvals
File organization makes handling multiple accounts easy
Schedule and publish posts straight to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram
Realistic previews let clients view content exactly as it will appear
Gain pricing :
30-day free trial period
Standard plan $99 per month
Similar project management tools to Gain:
Quip
Invision
Orchestly
Project management tools with time tracking
Tools with time tracking allow users to enter hours and leaders to visualize time spent on tasks and projects. This simplifies billing and also enhances long-term strategic efficiency planning.
12. Wrike
Wrike embraces (and makes it easy for users to execute) the tenets of the Agile Movement, including collaboration and communication.
Why we love Wrike for project management:
It helps users transform how they work as they complete work.
Using Wrike helps people complete work while also getting experience in using researched-based efficiency techniques.
Standout features on Wrike:
Dynamic request forms help with information discovery
Custom workflows replace status update emails
Dashboards provide big-picture views of work
Comprehensive templates allow you to launch any kind of project
Proof tool makes soliciting and providing feedback a breeze
Wrike pricing :
Free basic plan
Other plans $9.80 – $24.80+ per user per month
Similar project management tools to Wrike :
Kanbanize
Air Focus
monday.com
13. Asana
Asana is a project management tool as satisfying and usable as a to-do list.
Why we love Asana for project management:
It’s accessible to non project managers.
Some project management tools have complicated views and features that might make non project planners cringe.
Asana, featuring intuitive views and controls, appeals to everyone and anyone who plays a role in a project.
Standout features on Asana:
Automation features simplify workflows
Workload views demonstrate task burden across team members
Board view mimics sticky note planning
Forms allow you to standardize requests
Task dependencies provide transparency
Asana Pricing :
Free trial period
Free basic plan
Other plans $10.99 – 24.99+ per month
Similar project management tools to Asana :
Basecamp
Workfront
Zapier
14. Mavenlink
Mavenlink helps separate teams conduct unified project work without overdosing on team communication tools .
Why we love Mavenlink for project management:
It helps bring people together.
Great bosses know how to keep people informed and make priorities clear. Mavenlink helps you run a remote team by allowing members to conduct unified project work without overdosing on communication tools.
Standout features on Mavenlink:
CRM integration feature keeps work seamless
Resource management helps you plan projects with confidence
Task progress view makes it easy to gauge the health of projects
Collaboration features keep everyone in the loop
Business intelligence features help you leverage data to make key decisions
Mavenlink pricing :
Free trial period
Other plans $19 – $39+ per month
Similar project management tools to Mavenlink:
Groopit
Trello
15. Productive
Time is money. This phrase may be cliche, but in the world of agency work and billable hours, it rings 100% true.
Productive caters to agencies looking to maximize profitability by streamlining work.
Why we love Productive for project management:
Real-time profitability views remove surprises.
Productive enables leaders to view hourly costs, fixed prices, overhead costs, and salary details—all to get the hard evidence they need to monitor and adjust workflows to achieve the best outcomes.
Standout features on Productive:
Data migration brings key information into one platform
Multi currency capabilities simplify working with international clients
Multiple language capabilities ease communication challenges
Sales pipeline view lets you understand, prioritize, and optimize deals
Deal-to-project conversion saves time spent duplicating entries
Productive pricing :
14-day free trial period
Standard plan $12 per user, per month
Similar project management tools to Productive:
Kissflow
Workamajig
Accelo
16. Nutcache
Nutcache’s project management model leverages expertise on how teams work together to help teams work more efficiently together.
Why we love Nutcache for project management:
It focuses on teamwork.
With features focused on enhancing collaborating, Nutcache’s interface fosters the asset any project needs to be successful: strong teamwork.
Standout features on Nutcache:
Visual board makes it easy to track and manage tasks
Alerts nudge teams about key deadlines
Billing features make invoicing painless
Cumulative flow diagrams display project progress
Permissions give each team member Nutcache’s project management model leverages expertise on how teams work together to help teams work more efficiently together.
Nutcache pricing :
Free trial period
Plans $6-$12+ per user, per month
Similar project management tools to Nutcache:
Zoho
Projecturf
ClickUp
17. ProWorkflow
ProWorkflow features all the tools you need to wrap your head around projects and stay on track until they’re complete.
Why we love ProWorkflow for project management:
Excellent support.
Customers rave about ProWorkflow’s support team and services. These features ensure teams can get the most value from their experience.
Standout features on ProWorkflow:
Dashboard provides big-picture view
Timesheets simplify time tracking
Workflow by views, categories, and groupings
Templates speed up project launch
File sharing eliminates the need for other tools
ProWorkflow pricing :
Free trial period
Plans $10 – $30+ per user, per month
Similar project management tools to ProWorkflow:
Function Fox
CoMindWork
Smartsheet
18. ProjectManager.com
This tool doesn’t force you to choose between agile or waterfall methodologies. With a flexible project view, teams of all shapes and sizes can find the tools they need.
Why we love ProjectManager.com for project management:
It is a great value.
ProjectManager.com’s suite doesn’t just include task management software , but also robust resource management tools to keep your project, time, and finances on the right track.
Standout features on ProjectManager.com:
Variable project views , including Kanban, Gantt, and Task Lists
Collaboration tools like chat and ticketing
Reporting is easy with real time dashboards to show your progress
Integrations with over 400 productivity tools
ProjectManager.com pricing :
Starts at $15/per user, per month (minimum of 5 users)
Similar project management tools to ProjectManager.com:
monday.com
Clarizen
Hive
Project management tools with Gantt charts
Before interactive online tools existed, many project managers used Gantt project organization charts. Many modern tools still leverage the time-tested principles of Gantt charts in their interfaces.
19.
