Why you need an Asana Alternative
This list of alternatives for Asana project management software will help you identify which project management software you should be using.
Chances are that you’ve heard of Asana. They are widely used for basic task and project management, but oftentimes busy teams with growing workloads need more. So if you’re not sure it’s the right fit for your team, then this article will help you find the right Asana competitors.
We’re going to share the top Asana alternative, Workzone, pros and cons of Asana, and 25 other software solutions so you can decide which option is worth researching further.
Ranking the Best Asana Alternatives for Project Management
As of April 1, 2022, Workzone is ranked as the #1 Asana Alternative in all ranking categories: Overall, Functionality, Ease of Use, Value for Money, and Customer Support by user reviews at Capterra, Software Advice, and GetApp.
About the #1 Ranked Asana Alternative: Workzone
Better visibility to your team’s work
Asana is great at managing simple task lists but lacks visibility in some key areas.
Only Workzone lets users see all their projects in one glance on its Project Dashboard.
Expert project managers by your side
Asana offers a free trial, but limited personalized onboarding and support.
Workzone provides unlimited support for every customer. No other software on the market offers such an extensive onboarding and training process included with their subscription
Learn moreEverything you need to manage your projects
Asana offers an updated interface but lacks the most critical tools most teams need to be successful.
Perfected over 20 years, Workzone combines ease of use with robust functionality. Giving you access to advanced features that help you manage projects more successfully.
View the product tourComparing Asana to it’s Top Competitor
Top 10 Asana Alternatives
Asana FAQs
Founded by former Facebook higher-ups, Dustin Moskovitz and Justin Rosenstein, Asana is a project management software solution with a lot of name recognition behind it. But none of that means that Asana is necessarily the best fit for you and your team. Asana comes with many desirable features but ultimately it depends how you use the software.
- Well-designed and is generally a hit for small teams.
- Capable of integrating with a wide variety of other software
- At various pricing tiers, teams can adopt more traditional project management features as needed
- It offers customizable dashboards to help you see the views you really need
- As your team grows their projects in complexity and number, Asana may have trouble keeping up, as it is certainly not the most powerful app out there
- You have to rely on adding modules and plugins to add extra functionality
- The volume of features, add-ons, and integration options can be overwhelming for new users
- There is no time tracking capability, which is a critical function Asana competitors have if you bill clients by the hour
#1 Asana Alternative Review: Workzone
26 Best Asana Alternatives For Project Management
1. Workzone
Pros: Workzone is the ideal Asana competitor. Workzone makes the top of the list of Asana alternatives because it’s more powerful than Asana but retains the user-friendliness.
Workzone can do many things that Asana can’t, like display a portfolio view of all projects, task dependencies, Gantt charts, and better reporting. And it’s way simpler to use than clunky tools such as Microsoft Project.
Compared to Asana, here are some of the primary benefits of Workzone:
- Personalized to-do lists keep people on track (and can be automatically emailed each day)
- You can associate, share, and store documents for each project
- Project dashboards provide a portfolio view of all the projects across the team
- Unlimited support and comprehensive onboarding enable your team to get up to speed quickly
- Interactive Gantt Chart and Calendar make visual project tracking easy
- Set permission levels by project and document, so each person sees only what’s appropriate
- Customize your own project request forms and reporting as needed
- Import MS Project files (.mpp) and Microsoft Excel files
Cons: Some users say Workzone’s search function needs improvement.
Review: “Workzone is a great project management software for collaboration among teams. It is robust and easy to use. It works well for decentralized teams as it is cloud-hosted. Another thing I like most about Workzone is their exemplary customer support. With Workzone, you can easily monitor the progress of your project. The automatic email reminders about priority project tasks to team members is also a nice feature.” -Source: G2
With Workzone, your whole team can jump quickly onboard, collaborate on files and quickly know where each project stands. You’ll have fewer meetings and less hassle for smoother projects. If you’re a fan of Asana but need something with more power, Workzone is a great option for you and your team.
2. Trello
Trello, a subsidiary of Atlassian, is a dynamic and user-friendly project management tool that excels in the popular Kanban-style approach. With Trello, your projects come to life as visually appealing boards, providing a clear and organized overview of your tasks. These boards are further divided into lists and cards, allowing you to effortlessly track the progress of each stage. The flexibility of Trello shines through its drag-and-drop feature, enabling you to easily move cards between lists as they transition through various phases.
Pros:
- Streamlined, straightforward, and simple software
- Perfect for smaller/new teams managing small, simple projects
- Seamless transition between mobile and desktop interfaces
- Create cards from email
Cons: Trello is undeniably a fantastic tool for smaller, less complex projects. However, when it comes to project managers who are concerned with meticulous estimates, meticulous budgeting, and intricate dependencies, Trello might fall short of their expectations. Its lack of advanced features and analytical capabilities might hinder their ability to effectively track and manage these aspects of their projects.
Pricing:
- Free
- $5-10/User/Month
- $17.50/User/Month
3. Jira
With its origins rooted in bug tracking, Jira has evolved into a versatile and highly sought-after project management solution. Renowned as the frontrunner in the realm of DevOps, Jira effortlessly supports a variety of project management methodologies, including Lean, Kanban, and Scrum. Its robust features and user-friendly interface make it an essential tool for teams across industries, empowering them to streamline their workflows and achieve unparalleled productivity.
Pros:
- Extensive customization options
- Over 1,000 add-ons
- Robust reporting capabilities
- Issue-tracking functionality increases project management effectiveness
Cons: Jira Software can be challenging for new users due to its complex features. In-app collaboration is limited compared to other software. It is designed for technical teams and may not be suitable for non-technical teams. It’s also known for slow query load times for teams with large work data.
Pricing:
- $0 up to 10 Users
- $7.75-15.25/Month/User
- Enterprise – Contact Sales
4. Scoro
Scoro is particularly effective as an all-in-one platform for businesses. Its time management feature allows users to track time spent on tasks and projects, while its project management module supports task assignments and deadlines. With its extensive integrations, Scoro allows businesses to connect their favorite tools and platforms for enhanced efficiency.
Pros:
- All-in-one software solution
- Ideal if you want to keep your project management tasks and CRM together
- Combines time tracking, billing, quoting, and invoicing
Cons: While Scoro may offer a wide range of functions, its diluted focus on project tracking ultimately leaves much to be desired. Businesses that require a truly efficient and reliable project management tool may find themselves searching for a more specialized solution that can provide the depth and expertise needed for their specific needs.
Pricing:
- $26 Month/User
- $37-63 Month/User
- Ultimate – Contact Sales
5. ClickUp
ClickUp is an online application that enables users to tackle all of their work in one place. Their slogan is “one app to replace them all.”
Pros: ClickUp is a simple and intuitive project management platform for managing projects and teams of any size. It features a hierarchy of different project views and boasts an easy to navigate user interface.
Cons: ClickUp is an all-in-one solution. All too often, “all-in-one” solutions try to do too much at one time. This level of functionality can be overwhelming to new project software users. Some people find the number of functions and integration options make it too difficult to adopt successfully.
Pricing: Free – $9 user/month for Business, Enterprise plan quoted.
6. Proofhub
Launched in 2011, Proofhub is an “all-in-one” project planning software.
Pros: The main draw to Proofhub is its proofing capabilities. You can proof and add comments right on creative work and documents. Proofhub also offers a wealth of project management features, including Gantt charts, Kanban boards, calendars, Timesheets, Request Forms, Timers, Custom Roles, Chat, Discussions, and more.
Cons: Proofhub is one of the more expensive options on this list. Proofhub does not come with a free version, which may make it out of reach for small teams with tight budgets. Also, some users complain about the lack of integrations offered, and that the user interface could be improved.
Pricing: $45-$150/month
7. ProjectManager.com
ProjectManager.com is a robust project planning software developed by ProjectManager.com, Inc. in 2008 in Austin, TX.
Pros: ProjectManager.com offers the full suite of project management tools. It supports both Agile and Waterfall project methodologies. The software helps you manage projects and team progress, track time, collaborate, and report on how things are going.
Cons: Some users complain about a lack of customization, especially for reports and alerts. There have also been some complaints about the software being slow.
Pricing: $15 – $25/user/month
8. Wrike
Wrike is a project management system created in 2003 by Wrike, Inc. in San Jose, California. The tool is based on the concept of folders and nested folders.
Pros: Wrike has a lot of features and many views available for managing projects. They have instituted Gantt Charts, timelines, cards, and boards so that users can work how they want.
Cons: Wrike is very customizable, which means it can be hard to learn and onboard new employees. Because Wrike was originally designed as a document sharing solution that transitioned to project management, they’re stuck with a hard-to-navigate folder-based system that layers more and more on top.
Pricing: Free – $36.40/user/month, Enterprise plan quoted
Check out more Wrike alternatives here.
9. Microsoft Project
A list of Asana alternatives wouldn’t be complete without the oldest project management software out there, Microsoft Project. Around since 1984, MS Project is still popular today with PMPs (Project Management Professionals) and large organizations with formal PMOs (Project Management Offices.)
Pros: MS Project has pretty much all of the functions you need, and it obviously integrates well with other Microsoft programs like Excel and Outlook. It’s powerful and loaded with features, including resource management, Gantt charts, planning, and scheduling tools.
Cons: For the longest time, MS Project was the go-to option. But now it’s been outstripped by the newer platforms that it paved the way for. It’s not as clean and intuitive as many of its more recent competitors, it has limited integration options, and it doesn’t have mobile capability. Plus, due to its complexity, if your team isn’t made up of PMPs, you probably need an administrator to manage the software.
Pricing: $12.80 – $70.40/user/month for cloud-based solutions, and $769 – $1,719 for on-premise solutions, with project servers quoted individually.
Need more Microsoft Project alternatives? Here’s a list of the best MS Project alternatives.
10. Nutcache
Nutcache was developed in 2013 and is part of the Dynacom Technologies Group, a Canadian accounting software company. The program began as a humble invoicing app, but since then, it has been stuffed full of project management features like collaborative boards, file sharing, and time management.
Pros: Nutcache is a solution designed for managing the entire project delivery lifecycle from the initial project estimate to the final client billing. The biggest advantage of Nutcache is that it’s built to help you easily bill clients who are charged by the hour. If you handle a lot of small projects and bill your clients hourly, this might be the right solution for your team.
Cons: Nutcache was designed by an accounting firm as invoicing software. While it has grown to include many project management features, it is missing some functionality your team may not be willing to live without, such as Gantt Charts and customizable templates. Nutcache also only supports Agile projects, not ones using traditional methodologies such as Waterfall.
Pricing: $6 – $12/user/month
11. Workfront
This Utah-based project management company was founded in 2001 and serves Enterprise level customers combining complex project management with issue tracking, document collaboration, and portfolio management.
Pros: Workfront is perhaps the most full-featured alternative on this list, next to Microsoft Project. It is a robust platform that is capable of servicing the needs of mid-sized companies to large corporations.
Cons: As an Asana alternative, Workfront is more of an Enterprise level tool that may be too complex and too pricey for small businesses and teams. It’s not the easiest system to learn, so expect a lot of onboarding time with an uninspiring interface.
Pricing: Not public, request pricing
Need more enterprise-level solutions like Workfront? Check out our comprehensive list here.
12. ProWorkFlow
ProWorkFlow is a web-based project management software that was created by Julian Stone in 2002. It was then acquired by ProActive Software Limited the following year.
Pros: ProWorkFlow is another one of those programs overflowing with just about every feature you could imagine. The program’s biggest strength is its customizability. You can create different views for different types of employees, or even specific views for individual employees. If some people only need to see the tasks they’ve been assigned, then that’s all they’ll see.
Cons: ProWorkFlow can be intimidating for the person setting it up. There have also been complaints that the reporting tools and templates are quite limited. Another common critique is that the mobile app needs work.
Pricing: $10-$30/user/month with minimum user requirements
13. Mavenlink
Mavenlink is one of the more serious programs on this list, not just in terms of capabilities but also in terms of mood. It feels a lot more professional than Asana, Trello, or Nutcache. The closest comparison would be a more modern-feeling Microsoft Project. MavenLink makes the list of Asana alternatives because it zeros in on financial abilities that some teams really need.
Pros: What sets Mavenlink apart is its financial capabilities, giving teams the ability to charge vendors or contractors right inside the tool. Its reports and charts are updated automatically and can quickly show you the critical path.
Cons: If tracking your project finances is not your main goal, then another tool may suit you better. Mavenlink doesn’t have a mobile app or a built-in messaging feature, and you get the sense this is sending the message, ‘the office is for work, no distractions.’ So if you’re looking for something no-nonsense to replace Asana, then Mavenlink is worth considering
Pricing: $19 – $39/user/month with Premier and Enterprise packages privately quoted
Check out more Mavenlink alternatives here.
14. Redbooth
Redbooth is a very good stepping stone between Asana and some of the more powerful, feature-packed software on this list.
Pros: If you like Asana but have found that there are some features you need which they don’t provide, you’ll probably find them in Redbooth. Redbooth has the same clean simplicity and intuitive design as Asana, but it also offers Gantt charts, assignable subtasks, productivity reports, and more. Oh, and it’s cheaper too.
Cons: Some people feel the software is too free-wheeling. Users have had issues with a lack of built-in security and governance around who can add and change information as well as how new projects and tasks are set up. If a lot of people will be working in the system, errors may be a concern.
Pricing: $0-$15/user/month
15. Teamwork Projects
Headquartered in Ireland, Teamwork boasts a full suite of productivity tools, including help desk software, a sales CRM, and project management software.
Pros: For advanced features and comprehensive business software, Teamwork may have what you need. Some of the robust project management features include privacy and permissions, real-time team member status updates, and invoice tracking.
Cons: Suffering from being an “all-in-one” solution, Teamwork may be too complex for small teams new to project management. It is also one of the more expensive Asana alternatives.
Pricing: Small Office plan for $44.92/month, Professional plan for $136.58, Business plan for $228.25/month, Enterprise plan quoted
16. Slack
Slack is one of the most popular project management apps. The only problem is, it’s not really a project management app, it’s a tricked-out instant messenger. Slack makes the list of Asana alternatives because often times, people are looking for a more social, messages driven way to collaborate.
Pros: If all you really need is a centralized and searchable way for your team to communicate and share files, then Slack fits the bill. It enables you to create separate channels and groups with their own security settings. It can integrate with other project tools and send automated alerts and reminders to users.
Cons: Slack may be something to use alongside a more specialized project management app, but it’s not a standalone project tool. It isn’t capable of key project management functions such as managing task progress, running reports, and keeping track of deliverables.
Pricing: $0-$15/user/month
For more on Slack and a list of Slack alternatives, check out our blog post.
17. QuickBase
QuickBase is unique among the Asana alternatives on this list because it isn’t a project management app or even something you can use as a project management app…it’s an app that you can use to make your own, customized, project management app.
Pros: With QuickBase, you don’t have to do a single bit of coding. Just make a list of all the functions and features you need your app to have and then put them together in QuickBase and voila –- you have a solution that meets every one of your team’s needs.
Cons: QuickBase is not ready out of the box, so you’ll need a team dedicated to making it happen before you can use this as a project management solution.
Pricing: $15-$40/user/month
18. Smartsheet
Wtih a complete suite of tools to help manage your work beyond project management software, Smartsheet helps many teams get work done. Smartsheet makes the list of Asana alternatives because they are both well-funded venture-backed companies.
Pros: Smartsheet superpowers the traditional spreadsheet, so if you love spreadsheets, then you may be a natural Smartsheet user. You can combine formulas with traditional project management features like Critical Path.
Cons: Since it’s built to mimic a spreadsheet, Smartsheet’s interface has limits when it comes to effectively managing the resources and tasks of more complex projects. Project managers can create multiple “sheets” for multiple projects. But, the sheets could go on forever and become overwhelming! Then you’re stuck with the same problems of using Microsoft Excel.
Pricing: Individual plan for $14/month, Team plan for $15/user/month, Business plan for $25/user/month, Enterprise plan quoted
For a list of Smartsheet alternatives, check out our blog post on the top Smartsheet alternatives.
19. Targetprocess
Targetprocess is based in Buffalo, NY, and offers agile project management software for Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, and other agile processes.
Pros: Targetprocess’ card layout and visualization allow for more tasks in timelines and milestones. It has one of the most extensive free plans on the market, is easy to use, and is known for having exceptional customer support.
Cons: Targetprocess isn’t the most powerful program, nor is it the most beautiful. Some users find the software’s user-interface overly complex, and it often takes a while for team members to get up to speed.
Pricing: $20/user/month, with Enterprise level pricing quoted privately
20. Podio
Based in Raleigh, NC, Podio was purchased by Citrix in 2012. Podio is based on the idea of transparency and its “open-plan online office.”
Pros: The appeal of Podio is that you never have to leave. It’s the megamall of project management programs. You don’t need to switch tabs to check your email, you can do that in Podio. Need to open Word to check the style guide? Nope, you can do that in Podio.
It has more social features like peer recognition and sharing than many of the other tools on this list. You don’t even need to open an incognito window to check Facebook because Podio functions as a social network for everyone you work with.
Cons: Podio isn’t built for large projects or portfolios. It lacks an all-projects dashboard or portfolio view to help you get a handle on all active projects.
Pricing: Free – $24/user/month
21. Quip
Quip, (no not the toothbrush) is to Google Docs what Slack is to Google Hangouts by combining documents, spreadsheets, slides, and chat into one place.
Pros: Quip doesn’t offer you a full suite of project management tools, rather, it chooses one function, and it does it well. It’s well suited to small teams who collaborate the same way on all their projects.
Cons: Quip is focused more on promoting collaboration than managing projects. If you need more involved project management, then you’d do better looking elsewhere.
Pricing: $30 per month for up to five users + $10 per month for each additional user.
22. Pivotal Tracker
Pivotal Tracker is an agile project management tool designed for managing software development projects. Tracker visualizes projects in virtual cards called stories that move through your workflow, similar to Asana’s board view.
Pros: Pivotal Tracker encourages you to break down projects into manageable chunks and have important conversations about deliverables and scope. Stories do not have hard deadlines. Instead, they are meant to help your team make adjustments and pace work as priorities change.
Cons: This system is extremely efficient, but it’s definitely not for everyone. And Pivotal Tracker is very rigid, so it’s not worth trying to use the program differently. If you don’t handle software development or don’t subscribe to the agile project methodology, Tracker isn’t the best option.
Pro or Con? You decide. Your schedule is broken up into portions called ‘iterations’, each iteration you are assigned a number of ‘stories’ or tasks. Stories do not have deadlines, instead, they are given a number of ‘points’ based on their difficulty.
At the end of each iteration, Pivotal Tracker adds up how many points you have completed for a velocity score which judges how many points you should be assigned in future iterations.
Pricing: $0-$250 per month
23. Basecamp
Based in Chicago, IL, USA, Basecamp is one of the most familiar project management tools for most project managers. Basecamp simplifies project management so that it’s easily understood by most people. Basecamp makes the list of Asana alternatives because they are often directly compared.
Pros: Basecamp is very intuitive and quick to set up. While Basecamp doesn’t have the more advanced project management features like Gantt charts, time tracking, and dependent subtasks, it is an attractive collaboration space for teams that don’t need all the bells and whistles.
Cons: Perhaps the biggest negative of Basecamp is that it only allows users to view one project at a time. Teams who are juggling a lot of work need the ability to view multiple projects at once, to see where all projects stand.
Pricing: Personal is free, Business is $99 per month for unlimited users. Basecamp is another program that doesn’t offer a free plan (unless you’re a student or a teacher), but it does have a fixed price for unlimited users, so it’s great value for money for large companies.
So while Basecamp may be a good place to start, you might have to look elsewhere if you’re trying to reach the summit of the project management mountain. Maybe this article on Basecamp alternatives might help?
24. LiquidPlanner
LiquidPlanner is self-proclaimed as smarter project management software for fast-moving teams and makes the list of Asana alternatives because of its strong scheduling power. Deserving of its name, LiquidPlanner is great for teams with ever-changing schedules (and let’s face it, whose schedules aren’t changing?).
Pros: Do you have difficulty scheduling your projects? Whenever you change a task priority or assign more work to your team, LiquidPlanner’s dynamic timelines automatically adjust to make room for the change, making sure everything flows smoothly along the path of least resistance, and saving you a whole lot of time.
Cons: LiquidPlanner was primarily designed for technical users, so your team may struggle with adoption if they’re new to project management software.
Pricing: $45/user/month, with an Enterprise package privately quoted
25. Bitrix24
Bitrix24 combines social intranet, project management tasks, and CRM together. Like if you smashed together Salesforce and your project to-do list but wanted something simpler.
Pros: A big pro for Bitrix24 is the ability to keep all your conversations and company updates in one place, along with your projects. They have self-hosted and cloud-hosted versions. Bitrix24 takes it one step further than Asana because it’s basically Facebook re-jigged into a project management tool (maybe Asana should have taken that idea?!). There’s the Activity Stream, which is just like Facebook’s News Feed, where you can post messages, files, or events, see what everyone else is doing, and comment on it. The Photo Gallery allows each user to create as many photo albums as they like and upload pictures to them. There’s even a Like button for crying out loud!
One difference between Bitrix24 and Facebook is the sidebar. If Facebook links you to games, pokes, and private groups, Bitrix24 has a suite of project management tools like workload management, reports and Gantt charts.
Cons: Each level of Bitrix24 has fixed limitations on storage, email sending, invoicing, number of projects, and more, which can make it complicated to sort out which option is right for your team. Like the other free-to-paid options, if you have a large team, you’ll likely need to upgrade beyond the basics.
Pricing: Free – $159/user/month for the cloud version, $1,490 – $24,990 for on-premise
26. Monday
There was a major transformation within the company over the last few years which resulted in more productivity leading to the change in name from daPulse to Monday.com. As everyone knows, Mondays can be a drag so they used the word “pulse” in place of the word tasks to help brighten up Mondays.
Pros: With their colorful and pleasant software, Monday promises to help you brighten your Mondays. The lower price point makes it simple for teams to get started with some fundamental project management tools that they require to be effective.
Cons: The most helpful capabilities for teams are kept for the Enterprise tier, similar to how the free-to-paid alternatives work where each tier provides you additional features.
Pricing: Starting at $39/month for 5 users
To see other Monday alternatives, click here.
Conclusion
As you can see, in 2023, Asana isn’t the only option out there for project managers. There are many Asana alternatives specialized for any imaginable type of project, team, or company, it’s just about finding the right one. Hopefully, one of these free or paid Asana alternatives is the perfect fit for you. Also, be sure to check out this complete list of other project management software or this list of other specific alternatives.
Does your team need a powerful project management tool that the whole team can use? Workzone may be just the ticket…
Does your team need a powerful project management tool that the whole team can use? Workzone may be just the ticket…