Managing projects is never easy: you need to distribute the workload, track project progress, resolve budgeting issues, manage risks, and supervise your team members. Luckily, modern project management apps and software automate management routines, visualize project trends, simplify productivity analysis, and give you tools that save time and effort.
We’ve sifted through countless options to bring you the 15 best project management apps that will help you be more organized and efficient. These apps are sure to support you in the quest for superior productivity and will make your projects glide from to-do to done with accuracy and ease.
Free Project Management Apps
1. actiTIME
Key features:
- Work scope planning
- Time tracking
- Billable vs. non-billable tasks
- Estimates
- Kanban board
- Project reports
- Mobile app
- Cost monitoring
By offering a perfect blend of simplicity and powerful features, actiTIME stands out as a top contender among many other project management apps. It allows you to organize work, monitor project progress, track time, and manage resources effectively.
Using actiTIME Online, you can manage projects from a single interface:
- Create or import the tasks you’re working on.
- Set up their due dates and estimates.
- Pick your timesheet view and start to track your time and work in a couple of clicks – just enter hours across tasks and supply them with comments if necessary.
Along with intuitive timesheets, actiTIME provides the necessary tools to help you achieve your project management goals effectively and efficiently:
- The Kanban board facilitates a visual overview of all tasks and projects, enabling your team members to track progress through different stages till completion. This method promotes better work organization and keeps everyone aware of their responsibilities and the status of collective efforts.
- Cost tracking features are indispensable for budget management. They allow you to monitor actual expenses against planned budgets in real time. By providing insights into where resources are allocated, actiTIME fosters more informed decision-making about future expenditures.
- Visual reports also simplify budget allocation and project estimation by offering a clear, comprehensive analysis of performance metrics and financial data.
In addition to the above, actiTIME has a mobile app for easy project management on the go:
- Create, edit, and organize tasks by projects and clients, simplifying progress management and enhancing productivity.
- Seamlessly track your work hours using a one-click timer, ensuring precision in time records.
- Record the exact time you start and finish tasks using the intuitive calendar view.
- Submit timesheets directly from the app and conveniently monitor their approval status.
- Set your availability and track leave time to ensure resource management transparency and efficient scheduling.
Capterra rating: 4.6 (91 reviews)
Pros:
- Perfect for real-time performance monitoring
- Highly customizable and accessible
- Lots of integration options
- Intuitive interface
- Excellent customer support
- Great value for the money paid
Cons:
- Basic project planning functionality (i.e., no Gantt charts, task dependencies, etc.)
- The free version has just a few features
Pricing:
- Free 30-day trial
- Free version for 1-3 users
- Paid plans start at $1.2 per user/month
2. Nifty
Key features:
- Recurring tasks
- Task lists
- Kanban board
- Discussions
- Milestones
- Calendar
- Reporting
- Mobile app
Nifty is an online project management solution that offers a limited set of essential features to its mobile app users, including project milestones and status review, task list access, file management, team chat, and discussion boards.
The web version of this software is particularly great for project planning:
- Its goal-setting feature allows you to define clear, measurable objectives and link them directly to project milestones to keep everyone aligned and move toward a common purpose without a hitch.
- With roadmaps, you can create a visual layout of project timelines and dependencies, foresee potential bottlenecks, and adjust plans proactively.
- Project portfolios provide a high-level overview of the ongoing work. This feature facilitates resource allocation and strategic planning while offering stakeholders a clear picture of progress across the board.
As for Nifty’s mobile app, it boasts a good-looking interface, but user experiences reveal questionable app functionality:
- Discussion boards – This mobile app feature looks like a team chat and, in our experience, loses to third-party collaboration software like Slack or Skype. Communication and collaboration apps like these are easy to access and set up. Plus, they provide handy tools for messaging, document sharing, plenty of notification settings, and more.
- Document collaboration – The exact same thing that Google Docs provides for free, unlike Nifty, which is subscription-based software.
All in all, Nifty is good-looking and pleasant to interact with but its project management capabilities and other mobile app features are rather questionable.
Capterra rating: 4.7 (416 reviews)
Pros:
- Great for project planning and team collaboration
- Good-looking interface
Cons:
- Mobile app has limited project management functionality
- Customer support isn’t consistently good
Pricing:
- Free 14-day trial
- Free version for unlimited users
- Paid plans start at $39 per month
🎁 Grab your Free Project Schedule Template
3. Backlog
Key features:
- Gantt charts
- Burndown charts
- Task hierarchy
- Issue tracking
- Wikis
- Comment threads
Backlog is a comprehensive project management app that combines task management, version control, and bug tracking into a single, unified platform. It fosters seamless team communication and project collaboration.
Backlog offers the following features for project management:
- Its Gantt and Burndown charts provide a visual representation of their project timelines and work progress, respectively.
- Wikis centralize the acquired team knowledge, providing everyone with access to the same information, guidelines, and documentation.
- Automated notifications keep your team members updated on project changes and issues that are relevant to them, eliminating the chaos of unnecessary communication and enhancing overall productivity.
As for the mobile app, its interface is clean and smooth though some users report functionality and interface issues. The app can boast rather high app ratings, which is not surprising: unlike most other project management software, it contains only necessary features and doesn’t clutter the interface with tools and features that should be managed in the full software version.
Capterra rating: 4.6 (129 reviews)
Pros:
- Ideal for agile project management in software development teams
- Great design
- Unique features like Wikis
Cons:
- Users report minor inconveniences using diverse features
- Pricing isn’t flexible enough
Pricing:
- Free 30-day trial
- Free version for up to 10 users
- Paid plans start at $35 per month
🎁 Grab your Free Work Breakdown Structure Template
4. Trello
Key features:
- Project boards
- Task lists
- Task cards
- Timelines
- Integrations
Trello is a popular task and project management app where you can build boards, tasks and checklists. It offers a free mobile app that don’t fall short of cloud and desktop solutions.
Trello’s mobile app has almost everything that we love in the desktop app: task cards and checklists that you can drag across the board according to the project’s progress. At the same time, Trello offers a limited project management feature set: you won’t be able to set project budgets, review project costs or get an overview of how your team is doing against the pro project schedule.
Trello does a great job at task management with its boards, Calendar and Timeline views, deadlines, and file sharing. So, you are most likely to enjoy Trello as a project management app if you manage personal or small-size projects in small teams.
Capterra rating: 4.6 (23141 reviews)
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface
- Facilitates team collaboration
- Great value for small teams
Cons:
- Limited project management functionality
Pricing:
- Free trial
- Free version for up to 5 users
- Paid plans start at $5 per user/month
5. Podio
Key features:
- Project collaboration
- Messaging
- File sharing
- Task management
Podio is a customizable platform where teams can create apps to suit their specific project needs. This way, it enhances project management and workflow automation.
Podio is highly customizable you can tailor it specifically to your workflows and project needs. Here’s what it offers:
- Task management enables you to assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress in real time.
- File sharing and collaboration tools facilitate seamless communication and information exchange among team members.
- Seamless integration with popular third-party tools like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Evernote fosters a smoother and more efficient project management experience.
Capterra rating: 4.3 (324 reviews)
Pros:
- Very customizable
- Great for team collaboration
- Streamlines workflows
Cons:
- No functionality for advanced project planning and tracking
Pricing:
- Free version for up to 5 users
- Paid plans start at $11.20 per month
6. monday.com
Key features:
- Goal setting
- Progress tracking
- To-dos
- Reporting
This isn’t just another project management app but a comprehensive work management platform that makes it a breeze to create workflows, manage resources, and collaborate across the board.
The app’s interface is based on the whiteboard view where you can store projects, to-do lists, task lists, contact sheets, and more. Next, you can divide board items into groups, such as people, locations, teams, or clients.
After you invite your team members to monday.com, you can share your boards with them, have discussions below, and get notified whenever something important happens.
Despite monday.com’s merits, users report that either it doesn’t provide key functionality or they are frustrated with bugs and activity tracking features that are used for micromanagement purposes.
More than that, a recent Google Play review with 61 likes states that the app doesn’t notify you about starting a trial and its terms and conditions with users ending up being unable to stop their trials and delete their accounts. So, try this project management app at your own risk.
Capterra rating: 4.6 (4718 reviews)
Pros:
- Highly flexible settings
- User-friendly interface
Cons:
- Lacks some essential project management features
- Users report bugs
Pricing:
- Free version for up to 2 users
- Paid plans start at $9 per user/month
7. Smartsheet
Key features:
- Gantt charts
- Kanban board
- Budget management
- Visual reports
Smartsheet empowers you to plan, capture, manage, automate, and report on work across multiple projects. With its spreadsheet-like interface and flexible workflow settings, it allows for effortless and effective team collaboration.
The Smartsheet app provides you with access to team members, projects, tasks, workflows, and sheets. It allows you to:
- Set up or change assignees, deadlines, predecessors, and files.
- Review project progress with grid, card, Gantt, and calendar views.
- Get notified about updates and new requests and use widgets to review project dynamics.
The most common complaints from the app users include the unannounced start of the free trial leading to paid subscription activation and unauthorized monthly charges. Other complaints include the inability to adjust settings that are accessible for desktop software users, synchronization issues, and logging off due to inactivity.
Capterra rating: 4.5 (3181 reviews)
Pros:
- Highly customizable
- Boosts process efficiency thanks to automation
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Minor bugs and user experience issues
Pricing:
- Free trial
- Free version for 1 user and 2 editors
- Paid plans start at $7 per user/month
8. Redbooth
Key features:
- Resource planning
- Cost management
- Time tracking
- Contact management
Redbooth is a project management app that allows you to stay connected with your team and keep project progress in check.
Redbooth relies mostly on team collaboration. It provides collaborative workspaces with conversations comments, and team notifications about work status changes.
On top of that, it features:
- Kanban board that allows for seamless task organization and offers a clear visual overview of a project’s progression.
- Visual timelines that aid in project planning and provide a bird’s-eye view of project schedules and milestones.
- Productivity reports that give valuable insights into team performance and workflow efficiency, highlighting areas of improvement and making it easier to recognize achievements.
Capterra rating: 4.5 (92 reviews)
Pros:
- Sleek user interface
- Advanced features for team collaboration (i.e., video meetings)
Cons:
- Lacks such important features as cost tracking, billing, etc.
- Free version has limited functionality and storage capacity
Pricing:
- Free 14-day trial
- Free version for 2 users
- Paid plans start at $9 per user/month
Paid Project Management Apps
1. Basecamp
Key features:
- Goal setting
- Progress tracking
- To-dos
- Reporting
Basecamp is a web-based project management tool that fosters easier collaboration and communication between project team members. It helps to organize tasks, set and follow project deadlines, and access all project-related materials in a centralized manner.
Here’s how Basecamp can help:
- To-do lists allow you to clearly define what tasks need to be accomplished, assign them to the appropriate personnel, and track their completion status.
- Discussion boards act as a centralized platform where you can communicate with project stakeholders, share ideas, and resolve issues in real time. This way, Basecamp promotes a collaborative working environment.
- Project scheduling functionality assists with planning and tracking your project milestones and deadlines. It ensures that every phase of the project progresses smoothly and efficiently.
Capterra rating: 4.4 (14427 reviews)
Pros:
- Perfect for team collaboration and document management
- Simple to use
Cons:
- Frequent interface changes disrupt users’ workflows and require relearning
- Not suitable for advanced project planning, tracking, and analysis
Pricing:
- Free 30-day trial
- Paid plans start at $15 per user/month
☝ Jump back to free project management apps
2. OmniPlan 4
Key features:
- Timelines
- Task dependencies
- Automated scheduling
- Reporting
OmniPlan is a project management app for Apple users. It offers paid subscriptions for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
OmniPlan is a powerful tool for project planning and management. Its key features include:
- Gantt charts help to outline and visualize tasks, their duration, and dependencies.
- Network diagrams allow you to identify the relationships between tasks and optimize the sequence of activities.
- Project milestones serve as reference points that help keep the team focused and motivated, signaling achievements and guiding the project’s trajectory.
- Resource leveling lets you redistribute tasks and responsibilities to make sure no team member is overloaded.
- Critical path highlights the sequence of tasks that directly impact the project’s completion time and require closer monitoring.
As long as these features and interfaces are rather complex and were designed for Mac and iPad users, the iOS app works in the horizontal mode and requires manual interface navigation, which makes it hard to overview charts and boards.
The app interface is good-looking and clean but, again, not designed for iPhone users. Nonetheless, you can give it a try with a two-week trial.
Capterra rating:
Pros:
- Robust project planning features
- Modern design
- Task visualization
Cons:
- Not suitable for Android or Windows users
- Lacks such essential features as time tracking, Kanban board, etc.
Pricing:
- Free 14-day trial
- Plans start at $19.99 per month
☝ Jump back to free project management apps
3. Casual.pm
Key features:
- Visual planning
- Task management
- Mobile app
Casual.pm is a visual project management app where you can create tasks, diagrams, and workflows.
In a nutshell, Casual.pm allows you to lay out projects as flowcharts, visualize workflows, identify dependencies between tasks, and track progress in a clear and intuitive manner.
Nevertheless, Casual.pm’s functionality is very limited. Its mobile version offers only a few task management features and a rather dated interface, which, on the other hand, is clean and easy to use.
The latest user reviews in both app stores are dated 2019, so it looks like the mobile app development and support have been stopped. Considering that Casual.pm offers no free plans, it’s worth considering last of all.
Capterra rating: 4.9 (38 reviews)
Pros:
- Helps to keep projects organized
- Very simple
Cons:
- Lacks many essential project management features
Pricing:
- Free 14-day trial
- Plans start at $10 per month
☝ Jump back to free project management apps
4. Ravetree
Key features:
- Timeline view
- Milestones
- Timesheets
- Forecasting
- Invoicing
- Client portal
Ravetree is your trusted partner in project management, resource planning, and customer relationship management – all rolled into one sleek package. It’s here to help you juggle multiple projects with grace and efficiency, get a firm grip on your resources, or keep your clients more than just satisfied.
Here are a couple of Ravetree features capable of taking your project management to the next level:
- Client portals keep key stakeholders always in the loop about project progress, changes, and milestones without receiving constant updates from your project team.
- Agile project management tools include epics, user stories, Kanban boards, and sprint planning features. They enable your team to adapt to changes quickly, prioritize tasks effectively, and deliver projects with higher efficiency.
- Forecasting functionality helps to predict project budgets based on anticipated resource needs and time to completion. It fosters more realistic expectations, assists in optimizing resource allocation, and minimizes the risk of project overruns.
Capterra rating: 4.4 (21 reviews)
Pros:
- Comprehensive feature set
- Modern and sleek design
- Ideal for agile project teams
Cons:
- Users reported customer support issues and occasional bugs
Pricing:
- Free trial
- Plans start at $29 per month
☝ Jump back to free project management apps
5. Scoro
Key features:
- Resource planning
- Cost management
- Time tracking
- Contact management
Scoro takes the headache out of project management, customer relationship management, billing, and time tracking. Efficient, user-friendly, and incredibly versatile, it’s sure to keep your business ahead of the curve.
Scoro’s project management module comprises the following features:
- Project templates let you quickly initiate new projects by applying pre-set frameworks that include task lists, milestones, and deadlines. This feature reduces setup time and ensures consistency across different types of projects.
- Visual work planning tools transform your approach to workload management and offer a clear, interactive visual representation of tasks, timelines, and dependencies. They allow for better understanding, prioritization, and allocation of resources and facilitate team collaboration.
- With progress tracking functionality, you can monitor project status, resource utilization, and budget expenditure in real time. It empowers managers to make informed decisions, identify potential bottlenecks early on, and keep projects on track for successful completion.
Capterra rating: 4.6 (234 reviews)
Pros:
- Diverse feature set
- Great for customer service, marketing, and sales teams
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Lacks such elementary features as report exports, task notifications, etc.
Pricing:
- Free trial
- Plans start at $26 per user/month
☝ Jump back to free project management apps
6. Process Street
Key features:
- Process automation
- KPIs
- Knowledge-sharing
- Data collection forms
This web-based workflow management solution is designed to help you manage recurring checklists and procedures. With its assistance, you can document your standard operating procedures, optimize project performance, and ensure consistent execution of tasks.
So, how does Process Street help with project management?
- The AI-powered workflow management feature automates routine tasks and suggests the next steps for improvement based on historical data. It significantly reduces the time and effort required for project planning and execution, which accelerates project timelines and allows team members to focus on more strategic and creative tasks.
- Data analytics provides deep insights into the performance of projects and processes. With comprehensive dashboards and reports, you can easily track progress, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions. It promotes superior project execution and helps to allocate resources optimally.
- Countless integrations with other tools let you build a cohesive project management ecosystem, fostering seamless communication, data exchange, and project tracking across platforms. These integrations eliminate the need for manual data entry and ensure that all team members have access to the latest information without delay.
Capterra rating: 4.7 (625 reviews)
Pros:
- Boosts efficiency due to automation
- Perfect for businesses that deal with large amounts of data
Cons:
- Not the most comprehensive project management app
- Pricey
Pricing:
- Free trial
- Plans start at $100 per month
☝ Jump back to free project management apps
7. Motion
Key features:
- Calendar view
- AI-powered project planning
- Meeting scheduling
- Integrations
As a relatively new tech startup, Motion has been making waves among teams and professionals looking to streamline their workflow and boost productivity. It strives to help you manage your tasks more effectively and optimize your day for peak efficiency.
Motion’s functionality is rather simple but robust nevertheless:
- The calendar view lets you strategically plan your workdays, prioritize tasks, and thus enhance time management.
- The AI-powered Project Manager is at the heart of this software. It allocates tasks intelligently, predicts time requirements for each project, and adjusts workloads in a way that prevents burnout and helps to meet deadlines.
- The Meeting Scheduler simplifies the often cumbersome process of finding suitable times for meetings across different time zones. This way, it promotes more effective collaboration and communication within distributed teams.
Capterra rating: 4.3 (44 reviews)
Pros:
- Works better for single users or small teams
- Saves time on project and task organization
Cons:
- Can make mistakes when assigning tasks
- Problems communicating with Motion’s support and sales teams
Pricing:
- Free trial
- Plans start at $12 per user/month
☝ Jump back to free project management apps
How to Choose a Mobile Project Management App for Your Needs?
The main observation that we’ve made compiling this list is that project management apps can mean very different things. Some apps rely on collaboration features like chats and discussions, some provide project management tools that are difficult to customize or navigate.
In our opinion, reliable project management apps and software should be stable and secure, data-based, intuitive, easy to use, and reasonably priced. Luckily, more than 10 years ago we developed actiTIME – a time tracking and project management app that meets all these criteria.
It is one of the leading software tools on the market and is one of the most highly appraised apps on our list. Unlike half of this list, it offers a free subscription plan, meaning you can try the software without any risks and keep on using it for free if your team has up to 3 members.
Sign up for a 30-day trial now – no credit card required!
