Project management is a complex subject. For the successful planning, control and completion of a project, the project manager must keep track of deadlines, budgets and work progress. In addition, communication between team members, as well as between the team and the project manager, is essential for success.
project management software (PMS for short) offers the right support for these requirements. With the help of these applications, project managers or team leaders keep track of the budget, dates and deadlines, they distribute the tasks in the team and can create reports and analyzes on the progress of the project. Depending on the configuration of the software, project employees can communicate with each other via an integrated chat, exchange files and work together on documents.
Overall, the software-supported management of projects enables efficient coordination of tasks. Companies benefit from this because they complete projects faster and thus save valuable working time and costs.
We took a closer look at the offers of eight of the most well-known project management software and compared them with each other. These include Wrike , factro , Teamleader , and monday , among others . In addition, in a comprehensive guide we provide information on what the market has to offer in terms of project management software and what you should pay attention to when choosing a suitable program.
4 best project management software
Monday
monday is cloud-based project management software well suited for tracking the workflow of a project. She also supports teams in completing project tasks on time. In terms of functionality and tariffs, the tool is recommended for small and medium-sized companies and teams of all kinds.
monday is available by subscription. Customers can choose from four tariff packages: Basic , Standard , Pro and Enterprise , each with a different range of functions. The price also depends on the selected term, number of users and billing period. Unfortunately, the user cannot flexibly add functions or tools. It is bound to the given packages. The cheapest option ( Basic tariff, five users, two years) starts at 8 euros per month. Interested parties can test the desired tariff for 14 days free of charge .
The basis for the task management of monday is the table. The user organizes his tasks, names, deadlines and the like in “pulses” (table rows), “columns” (columns), “groups” (tables) and “boards” (sheets). Preconfigured “columns” and board templates simplify the creation of the right overview. Regardless of whether it is an editorial plan, an overview of applicants or a marketing process – with monday the user builds the optimal task tool for every project.
Special Feature
monday can be quickly adapted to different purposes. The tool is very user-friendly. Fortunately, monday does not leave it at the table view. The tool visualizes the data from the table optionally in various forms of representation such as timeline, calendar, map, chart, form or kanban.
People who are not registered with monday can also be given reading rights. For example, a customer follows the progress of the project. The project manager can thus do without additional meetings, e-mails or calls. Thanks to mobile apps for iOS and Android , work and access are also possible on the go. There are only display problems on the small smartphone display with very long entries . Another point of criticism is the meager selection of integrations.
Despite the easy operation, Monday offers a wide range of support from webinars, video tutorials, FAQs and a ticket system . Customer service is available via email and phone 24/7. monday works GDPR-compliant and has a certificate that proves that the processing of personal data complies with the legal requirements.
Wrike
A versatile toolbox for project management is the Wrike software . It is suitable for all team sizes and all common project types.
The manufacturer puts together a total of five tariff packages that differ in terms of functionality and user limits. There is a free package for small teams. Interested parties can choose from four options for paid offers: Professional , Business , Marketing and Enterprise . It starts at $9.80 per user per month ( Professional ). Interested parties must contact Wrike for the costs of the Marketing and Enterprise plans . The test phase of 14 days is part of all tariffs.
Special Feature
Wrike offers a customized solution for marketing and creative teams with the Wrike Marketing service package. It includes tools for approval, feedback, publishing and campaign building, among others. In Wrike , too, the user can display the project data in various forms of presentation, such as a timeline (Gantt chart), Kanban board, table, list or change log ( activity log ). The “Workload” option, which shows the project manager which employees still have capacity, is practical.
In addition, Wrike scores with useful calendar and time tracking functions. This allows the user to create a calendar and track multiple projects in it. This makes the application a multi-project capable management program . Other functional highlights of Wrike are interactive real-time reports, the report generator, personal dashboards for each user, access rights management by defining user groups and the budget management function.
Despite the wide range of functions, the user interface is clear and operation is easy to understand. Thanks to mobile apps for iOS and Android , users can also conveniently access the PM tool from smartphones and tablets . Wrike is available in German and in seven other language versions.
The support is partly in German, partly only in English. Beginners quickly familiarize themselves with the basic functions with the help of the webinars and the knowledge database. Wrike also makes various materials (e.g. e-books, infographics, blog posts) on project management, marketing, productivity and work management available for download free of charge. This online help is supplemented by support via live chat, e-mail and telephone. Good news: Every user receives a personal contact after registering.
Factro
The German project management software factro also works cloud-based. The provider puts together four different offers with Basic , Team , Business and Professional Cloud . As usual, the product variants differ in the range of functions. The prices also vary depending on the number of users. The Basic Cloudis available free of charge, but with a project structure tree, Kanban board, comment function, tags, file attachments and linkable tasks, it already offers good equipment for project management with small teams of a maximum of ten people. The paid packages start at EUR 7.99 per month and user. Users can choose between annual and monthly billing. Surprisingly, factro makes no price difference here.
Special Feature
factro is a German product. The software provider works exclusively with certified data centers in Germany. This means that data processing and backup comply with German and European legislation. Upon request, factro concludes an order processing contract (AVV) with its customers.
In fact , projects are divided into “packages” and “tasks”. A package is the collection of multiple tasks required to accomplish a project stage. By default, the software displays projects as a clear project structure tree. The user can also select a Kanban view or switch to a list view in the dashboard. In the Business and Professional tariff, the display form as a Gantt chart, i.e. as a timeline, is also available.
The program convinces with a tidy user interface. Operation is intuitive and easy to learn. In addition to the web app, mobile apps are also available for iOS and Android . This enables the program to be used across devices and optimizes operation via small displays. The data transmission between the device and the cloud is encrypted. The support team helps and advises customers by email and by phone. If necessary, the provider also conducts on-site training.
Work
The awork project manager works cloud-based. awork offers both an Android and an iOS app to users who want to coordinate projects on the go . There are two different plan packages to choose from, both offering full functionality and customer support. The higher-priced enterprise package includes individual advice on the introduction and is particularly suitable for large companies. Depending on the payment frequency, it costs between 12 and 15 euros per user and month. The premium package is very suitable for small companies of up to 50 employees; even if you are working alone on a project will help you awork will help youthe best possible way to keep track of your tasks. The premium version costs 8 to 12 euros per user depending on the chosen payment method and can be tested free of charge for 14 days in advance.
The following items can be selected in the menu overview: “My work”, “My projects”, “Workspace”, “Settings” and “Help”. The first three points in particular are central to organizing and coordinating your projects. A dashboard is available on the main administration screen, which can be individually designed thanks to freely selectable and resizable widgets. In separate views, you can view both your tasks and your recorded times and edit them as you wish. Time management is particularly easy: the tasks and absences of the individual employees are displayed in a timeline; Optionally, appointments can also be imported from external calendars.aworkattaches great importance to the interaction of different applications. For example, the project management software offers interfaces to the business messenger Slack , to the automation tool zapier and to various billing and bookkeeping programs.
Special Feature
awork’s project manager provides an autopilot that coordinates the organization of repetitive processes. For example, he takes over the creation of recurring tasks or the assignment of certain members as soon as the status of a task is changed. To further simplify the work, awork provides task packages. These contain “templates” to be imported. The task descriptions and the time required are already stored for the respective project. This is especially handy when you want to take on a project that you are unsure of how best to organize and coordinate.
Despite a very structured design and easy-to-understand handling, beginners will need a certain amount of time to get used to the program. Some views can also be confusing for experienced users as soon as several tasks pile up and the organization threatens to become confusing.
In order to overcome initial hurdles or any problems, awork offers courteous customer service, which is available by phone, email or chat. You can take a screenshot and attach it to the support ticket to describe the problem as accurately as possible. awork works GDPR-compliant and guarantees the security of your data.
Asana
asana is one of the most well-known project management tools on the market. At first glance, it doesn’t look any different from other PM tools in this comparison with its three-column layout. However, the range of functions is immense, at least in the paid versions. There are three to choose from: Premium , Business and Enterprise . In addition to the standards such as task management, calendar and timeline view, the user has the option of defining their own fields, using the advanced search or defining task dependencies.
Special Feature
In the timeline view, the user can create the project plan and link tasks and deadlines. In the event of changes, the plan can be flexibly adapted and shows time bottlenecks.
The Enterprise version, which is aimed at large companies, also includes features for portfolio management , customer service , data deletion and the option to set up your own branding . Small teams with a maximum of 15 people can choose the free Basic plan, which only includes the basic functions such as list, board and calendar views, status updates, assigning responsibilities and due dates. Various notification functions and discussion pages allow the exchange in the project team.
Ease of use is one of asana ‘s strengths . It only takes a few clicks to create projects or organize tasks. Project templates simplify the monitoring of common processes. Operation is intuitive to the user. The mobile apps for iOS and Android ensure convenient operation on small smartphone or tablet displays. A programmer interface and numerous integrations such as Zapier , MailChimp , Slack , Salesforce or Outlook are also part of asana .
The manufacturer offers customers extensive support in the form of tutorials, videos, blog posts and FAQ entries. The service team can be reached by email. Paying users get priority when processing support requests. Overall, asana convinces with a useful toolkit for project management and a high level of ease of use. On the negative side, the application is only available in English. The PM tool also does not allow offline use.
Smartsheet
The manufacturers of the project management software smartsheet promise to create a short path from the idea to the effect . The focus of the PM solution is the optimal cooperation of the team. Employees should be able to quickly get an overview of the project status or plan changes and thus be able to work together responsibly. The well-structured user interface leads to intuitive operation. smartsheet uses many operating elements that PC users already know from Office applications or from the Internet browser. This means that even beginners can quickly find their way around the program.
Special Feature
smartsheet is a hybrid of a spreadsheet application and a project management app. The software thus combines the familiar operation of office software with the communication functions of a project management program.
While the spreadsheet is the basic element of smartsheet project management , it is by no means everything. The user can also select the calendar, Gantt chart or Kanban board view. The calendar, which is only used for viewing, is to be criticized. The user cannot make appointment changes there. Furthermore, smartsheet comes with a variety of helpful PM tools, such as notification, activity log and resource management .
It looks a bit lean with the integrations. The selection in the Solutions Center is limited to 23 programs. These include Salesforce , Evernote , Dropbox and Skype , among others . However, the connection to the Zapier network is pleasing. This opens access to other popular applications that simplify project management and team communication.
To make it easier for new users to get started with smartsheet , the manufacturer provides several video tutorials and instructions. The support team also helps via email. The whole thing is supplemented by an active user community. However, knowledge of English is required here.
ZOHO Projects
ZOHO Projects is part of the portfolio of the Indian software company ZOHO Corporations . Applications from ZOHO are considered to be solid programs that have many functions and are available at a moderate price. The provider has four tariffs for the project management software ( Standard , Express , Premium , Enterprise) and additionally put together a free tariff. The free version is limited to five users and two projects. It is therefore a recommendation for testing. Due to this limitation, it is hardly suitable for long-term use. Companies for whom these capacities are too small to begin with can also use a paid package. The test phase lasts ten days .
Special Feature
The provider calculates the prices exclusively in dollars. Prices range from $20 ( Standard ) to $125 ( Enterprise ) per month. The special thing is that this price already includes 10 or 25 user accesses. This is not a matter of course, because software manufacturers such as Wrike or smartsheet calculate the prices per month and per user right from the start. The user can also flexibly book additional accounts with ZOHO Projects .
The range of functions varies in the four packages. Basic functions such as task management, document sharing, calendar view, time recording, project templates, notification function and Zapier connection are available in all tariffs. Editable Gantt charts, timesheets, budget management and cross-project task dependencies are also available to users in the three business plans. The storage space ranges from 5 gigabytes in the standard tariff to 120 gigabytes in Enterprise .
The user interface elements are similar in the various program areas. This gives the user orientation. However, compared to other programs, ZOHO Projects shows quite a lot of details. On the negative side, the German translation turned out to be poor in places. Although this does not affect the operation, it gives the impression that the developers did not attach importance to conscientiousness in detail.
The support offer could be better. The online help in the form of FAQs, animated GIFS and video tutorials are only available in English. For direct contact with ZOHO service employees, users use a web form, the community or the live chat integrated in the program.
