Kanban boards are quite the buzzword when it comes to free process manamagement softwares for modern teams, mostly because they offer a visual and intuitive approach to task management. 

Many of the top-rated tools are flexible and easy-to-use, but they can come at a hefty cost that discourages startups and organizations on a budget from subscribing. The best free Kanban board options give you free access, but advanced functionalities may come at a hidden (and often high) cost.

In this guide we delve deep into which Kanban boards deliver on their promise, combining full free access with efficient project management.

What is a Kanban Board?

A free Kanban board can be described as a visual tool that helps your team organize work efficiently, leading to improved productivity and smoother workflows. To explain it in its simplest format, a Kanban board represents the flow of tasks through different stages, typically organized in columns like ‘To Do’, ‘In Progress’, and ‘Done.

Tasks are represented by cards that can be moved from one column to the next, giving a clear, visual overview of progress. The system is very simple, but powerful, allowing you and your team to instantly understand what’s pending, who’s responsible, and what has been completed. 

Having access to a free Kanban board is useful no matter what level you are in the hierarchy. Whether you’re a team lead, a C level, a head of department or even an external freelancer, the tool will help you keep on top of your workload and see where you fit in the larger picture. It keeps everyone on the same page without the need of meetings, updates or much effort.

The Best Free Kanban Boards at a Glance

Feature	Teamplate	Pipify	Kanban Flow	Asana	ClickUp	Kanban Tool	Miro	Monday.com	Taskworld
Free Plan	Unlimited free plan including all functionalities	Up to 10 users	No file attachments, analytics, integrations or customizations	Up to 15 users	Up to 5 spaces	No file attachments, time tracking or automation	Up to 3 boards	Up to 2 users, basic functions only	Up to 1GB storage & 15 users
Visual Workflow	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Task Cards	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Customizable Columns	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Limited	Yes
WIP Limits	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Real-Time Collaboration	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Analytics & Reporting	High	High	Low	High	High	Moderate	Moderate	Low	High
Dashboard Integrations	Email, Calendar, Chat, Video Conferencing, Screen Recording, Project Management,	Chat, Email,	Google Calendar, Slack	Slack, Google Drive,	Slack, Google Drive, Calendar	Email, Slack, Zapier	Google Drive, Slack,	Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Calendar	Slack, Email, Calendar, Google Drive
Ease of Use	Intuitive	Intuitive	Intuitive	Difficult	Moderate	Moderate	High	Moderate	High
Task Prioritization	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Automated Notifications	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Top Free Kanban Board Tools – Detailed Reviews

Want to learn more about the free Kanban board tools listed above, and why they made it on our list. Below, our experts have compiled more detailed reviews that are the result of practical testing on a number of mock projects.

Teamplate

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A fully-integrated Kanban-style platform that is entirely free.

What you get in a nutshell:
Teamplate is an all-in-one project management tool that provides a range of features without any cost, making it an ideal solution if you’re looking for comprehensive task management and collaboration capabilities. Unlike many competitors, Teamplate is an actual free Kanban board with no hidden costs. It offers all features at no cost, making it highly accessible to teams of any size.

Pros:

• 100%  free: Teamplate provides access to all its features at no cost, allowing teams to use the full range of capabilities without needing to upgrade or pay for premium versions.
• Integrated platform: The tool combines project management, task tracking, time tracking, and team communication in a single platform, reducing the need for multiple applications.
• Visual task boards: Kanban-style boards make it easy to organize, prioritize, and track the progress of tasks and projects visually.
• Built-in communication tools: Integrated chat and messaging features make it easy for the entire team to collaborate and communicate without relying on external apps.
• Customizable templates: You can set up projects quickly and tailor them to the specific needs of your team.
• Time tracking: The built-in time tracking feature helps you monitor the time spent on tasks, improving accountability and productivity.
• Real-time updates: All team members are always on the same page, fostering better coordination and productivity.

Cons:

• Limited third-party integrations: Teamplate is designed to be a standalone platform that covers all communication needs (chat, email, video-conferencing, screen recording) and project management, so the focus is not on integrating with other external tools.

Best use cases:
Teams looking for a free Kanban board without the need to pay for advanced features, especially those who prefer an integrated platform that handles task management, communication, and time tracking all in one place. 

Verdict:
Teamplate is a standout digital management tool, especially for teams looking for a no-cost solution with a rich set of features. The all-in-one approach makes it highly convenient, and the intuitive dashboard doesn’t require a steep learning curve.

Pipify

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆
A free Kanban tool with powerful automation for small teams.

What you get in a nutshell
Pipefy is one of the best project management tools for startups, featuring a customizable Kanban board, making it suitable for visually organizing tasks while also incorporating automation for more efficient workflows.

Pros:

• Customizable Kanban board: You can carry out drag-and-drop customization, making it easy to adapt to specific workflow requirements without advanced setup.
• Built-in automation: Automation rules are accessible even in the free version, so you can automate routine tasks, such as moving cards or updating fields based on triggers.
• Ready-to-use templates: Pipify provides pre-designed templates for processes like recruitment, onboarding, and task management, which speeds up the setup process.

Cons:

• Limited field customization in free plan: The free version restricts customization of fields and card properties, which you’ll probably find too 
• limiting for more complex processes requiring specific data.
• Basic Analytics: The reporting features do not allow for deep analysis or customized data views, so you won’t be able to extract actionable insights from workflow performance.

Best use cases:
Small teams or startups looking for a straightforward, free Kanban board with added automation features.

Shortcomings:
Pipefy’s free plan lacks advanced integration options with other major productivity tools, which can hinder your workflow if you’re using a range of platforms. Additionally, the limited custom field options make it difficult to adapt to workflows that require highly specific data tracking.

Verdict:
Pipefy is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a simple, but efficient, free Kanban board with built-in automation. But if you need in-depth analytics or advanced customization it comes at a cost.

Kanban Flow

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆
A simple yet effective Kanban tool with integrated time tracking.

What you get in a nutshell:
Kanban Flow is a lightweight Kanban project management tool that integrates time-tracking features, perfect if you need to enhance personal productivity or manage small team projects efficiently.

Pros:

• Time tracking integration: Built-in Pomodoro timer and time-tracking capabilities help you monitor how long tasks are taking.
• Swimlanes for enhanced organization: You can organize tasks into categories, making complex workflows more manageable.
• Task dependencies: This ensures that tasks are completed in the proper order, which reduces workflow bottlenecks.

Cons:

• Limited integration options: KanbanFlow has very few integrations with other productivity or communication tools, making it challenging to use within a broader software ecosystem.
• No mobile app: Lacks a dedicated mobile app, so if you often need to manage tasks on-the-go it may not be the right solution for you.

Best use cases:
Individuals or small teams that need a straightforward Kanban board with effective time-tracking features.

Shortcomings:
KanbanFlow lacks more sophisticated reporting and analytics features, so it’s less suitable if you’re running a larger team that needs data-driven insights. Functionalities aren’t integrated in one hub, so you’ll need to deal with different platforms.

Verdict:
KanbanFlow lives up to its description as a free Kanban board and is a great tool for personal productivity, but the lack of advanced features, including integration and analytics, means it’s not ideal for largescale or complex projects.

Asana

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
A robust task management tool for teams of all sizes with powerful project tracking features.

What you get in a nutshell:
Asana’s versatility makes it one of the best online collaboration platforms,  offering a mix of task management, project planning, and team collaboration tools. Its combination of customizable workflows and easy-to-use interface makes it well-suited for teams ranging from small startups to large enterprises.

Pros:

• Customizable workflows: You can tailor these to fit a wide range of project needs, from simple task lists to complex project timelines.
• Multiple project views: Choose from list, board, calendar, and timeline, so as to visualize projects in a way that best suits your workflow.
• Integration with popular tools: You can combine it with a vast number of third-party tools, such as Slack, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Teams.

Cons:

• Limited free plan features: This is far from being a 100% free Kanban board, and many advanced features – like timeline view and task dependencies – need to be paid for. This will limit its use for larger teams.
• Difficult to master: The number of features can be overwhelming for new users, leading to a longer onboarding process.

Best use cases:
Teams needing to track complex projects with multiple tasks and wanting the flexibility of a free Kanban board with different visualization tools to manage work effectively.

Shortcomings:
The notification system can be overwhelming, especially for larger teams, leading to potential missed updates or alert fatigue. The absence of built-in time tracking means users may need third-party integrations to manage task durations effectively.

Verdict:
Asana is an excellent project management tool for teams looking for a robust solution to track tasks, projects, and team communication. If you’re looking for the best free online collaboration tools you also need to be very aware that most functionalities require payment.

ClickUp

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Offering extensive customization options.

What you get in a nutshell:
This is a comprehensive management and productivity platform designed to meet the needs of teams of all sizes. It comes with a vast range of features and customization options, to help you manage tasks, workflows, goals, and projects in one space.

Pros:

• Highly customizable: There are extensive options for views, fields, and workflows, allowing you to tailor your platform to your unique needs.
• Multiple task views: You can switch between list, board, Gantt, and more, so you decide how you want to organize your projects.
• Native time tracking: You can monitor your team’s progress without needing third-party tools.

Cons:

• Complex interface: The extensive features and customization options can make ClickUp’s interface feel cluttered, leading to a steeper learning curve.
• Limited mobile functionality: Some functionalities that are present in the desktop version are absent on mobile.

Best use cases:
Teams that need a highly customizable project management tool.

Shortcomings:
This free Kanban board has a vast number of features, but these can lead to overcomplication, making it challenging for smaller teams or those looking for a straightforward tool. 

Verdict:
Aversatile and powerful project management tool, particularly suitable if you like having a wide range of features in one platform. However, smaller teams may prefer a simpler, more streamlined interface.

Kanban Tool

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆
A simple and effective visual management tool with real-time collaboration.

What you get in a nutshell:
The OG, the Kanban Tool is a straightforward project management platform that focuses on visual task management through Kanban boards. This free Kanban board is simple and intuitive and was created specifically for teams seeking real-time collaboration without the clutter of excessive features.

Pros:

• Real-time collaboration: Your team can view changes as they happen, which improves transparency and coordination.
• Swimlanes for organization: Users can create swimlanes to categorize tasks, which is very helpful in manageing different workflows and prioritizing projects visually.
• Time tracking add-on: You can choose to add a time tracking add-on to gain insight into how long tasks take and help your productivity analysis.

Cons:

• Limited integration options: This places it at a disadvantage for interconnected workflows.
• Very basic analytics: Reporting features are quite simple, which may not be sufficient for teams needing in-depth insights.

Best use cases:
Small teams or individuals who would like a visual way to manage tasks and projects, with minimal setup and straightforward features.

Shortcomings:
The lack of realintegration options will be a weakness if your team relies on multiple software tools. Additionally, the platform’s simplicity, while viewed as an advantage by some, may not provide enough advanced features if you’re part of a larger team with more complex project needs.

Verdict:
This free Kanban board offers an effective a simple solution for visual task management, but its limited integrations and basic analytics make it less suitable for larger or more feature-demanding teams.

Miro

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
A versatile online collaborative whiteboard for brainstorming and visual project planning.

What you get in a nutshell:
Miro is a flexible online collaborative whiteboard platform that will help you brainstorm, plan projects, and visualize workflows via its free Kanbard board functionalities. Its intuitive interface and wide range of features make it ideal for creative teams and those who need a collaborative visual space to ideate and plan.

Pros:

• Versatile templates: You’ll find a wide selection of pre-built templates for brainstorming, mind mapping, retrospectives, and more, to get you started off quickly.
• Real-time collaboration: Multiple members of your team can work on the board simultaneously.
• Integration with popular tools: There’s a variety of tools like Slack, Google Workspace, Jira, and Microsoft Teams that can be incorporated into existing workflows.

Cons:

• Difficult to get used to: Due to its extensive features and flexibility, it can be overwhelming to learn and navigate at first.
• Performance issues with large boards: Some users have reported performance slowdowns when working with very large or complex boards/

Best use cases:
Teams that need a collaborative space for visual brainstorming, mind mapping, and planning, especially in the context of remote team collaboration tools. 

Shortcomings:
Its very flexibility can lead to overcomplication, especially if you only need a simple, structured workflow without too many options. Additionally, setting up the many integrations, setting them up can be time-consuming, especially for less tech-savvy users.

Verdict:
Miro is a powerful collaborative tool if you need a visual, flexible space to brainstorm, plan, and innovate. Its versatility and real-time collaboration capabilities are its main strengths, but the learning curve and potential performance issues may be a drawback for some users.

Microsoft Planner

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆
A simple task management tool integrated with Microsoft 365.

What you get in a nutshell:
Microsoft Planner is a task management tool that integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, providing a simple way for you to create, assign, and track tasks. Its intuitive Kanban-style interface makes it easy to visualize project progress and to collaborate within the Microsoft environment.

Pros:

• Integration with Microsoft 365: Microsoft Planner is tightly integrated with Microsoft 365, allowing you to link tasks with tools like Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint.
• Easy task assignment and tracking: It’s ideal for basic project management and keeping your team organized at a basic level.
• Simple, visual interface: This free Kanban board provides an easy-to-use visual overview of tasks, which is particularly useful if you’re looking for a basic way to manage workload.

Cons:

• No advanced project management features: This limits its use for more complex project needs.
• Limited customization options for workflows and task details: This may reduce its effectiveness for teams that require more tailored solutions.

Best use cases:
Small to medium-sized teams that are already using Microsoft 365 and need a straightforward way to manage tasks and collaborate without the complexity of advanced project management tools.

Shortcomings:
The lack of advanced features means it struggles to handle complex projects, which makes it less viable if you’re part of a larger team or you work on intricate project timelines. Moreover, its limited reporting capabilities can make it challenging for managers to gather detailed insights into project performance.

Verdict:
Useful in terms of simple task management solutions within the Microsoft ecosystem, but unsuitable for managing complex projects.

Taskworld

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
A feature-rich project management tool with built-in performance tracking and visual task boards.

What you get in a nutshell:
Taskworld combines task organization with performance tracking, providing a comprehensive tool for managing tasks, collaborating, and gaining insights into productivity. It comes with a colorful and intuitive interface designed to help teams you stay organized no matter the size of your team.

Pros:

• Built-in performance tracking: You can easily track task completion rates and productivity without a third-party tool.
• Visual task boards: These make it easy to visualize progress, organize tasks, and track individual responsibilities.
• Chat and collaboration: Integrated chat and messaging allows you to communicate directly within the platform.

Cons:

• Limited field customization: The free version restricts customization of fields and card properties, which can be limiting for more complex processes requiring specific data.
• Basic Analytics: The reporting features do not allow for deep analysis or customized data views, so there’s no ability to extract actionable insights.

Best use cases:
Teams that need a free Kanban board with visual task boards and advanced communication tools.

Shortcomings:
Limited third-party integrations can be a drawback, while the platform’s pricing structure might not be the best fit for small businesses or startups that are looking for a budget-friendly option with advanced features.

Verdict:
A well-rounded project management tool with visual task boards that’s ideal for mid-sized to larger teams. However, if you’re after an actual free Kanban board, higher pricing for advanced features may be challenging for smaller teams or those with complex software needs.

How We Evaluate and Test Apps

To ensure we recommend only the best free Kanban tools, we use a data-driven process where we evaluate each app based on a number of key criteria. 

These are the main features that will determine whether the tool provides a positive experience for members of the team while being a worthwhile addition to your organization as a whole.

• Affordability: We have only included a tool if it offers a free Kanban board functionality beyond a free trial. The majority don’t give you access to all features for free, but you will at least have a basic level accessible without the need to pay a subscription.
• Customization: The best free Kanban board should be flexible, allowing you and each member to tailor workflows, boards and views to match your unique needs.
• Integration: Seamless integration with other essential tools like email, calendars, chat and video conferencing is crucial to avoid wasting time with multiple tools and to keep everyone aligned.
• Ease of Use: An intuitive interface is essential when picking a free Kanban board.Your team shouldn’t need to use up time and energy on onboarding tools as this impacts productivity.
• AI Automation: Features like AI-driven task assignment or priority setting can significantly boost both morale and productivity, letting your team focus more on meaningful work rather than repetitive tasks. Brownie points if these are easy to use and don’t require knowledge of coding.

What Makes the Best Free Kanban Tool?

Given all the above, the best free Kanban tool is one that adapts seamlessly to the specific needs of your team while remaining simple and efficient to use. 

We view real-time collaboration, flexible visual customizations, insightful analytics, and smooth integrations as being essential features. So is the ability to maintain clear communication through easy tagging, comments, and automated updates. 

How does a Free Kanban Board Improve Your Productivity & Team Workflows?

The right free Kanban board can provide a very powerful tool for boosting productivity and streamlining teamwork. By visualizing work as a series of manageable tasks, Kanban makes it easy for your team to see priorities and deadlines at a glance. This visual clarity reduces miscommunication and prevents tasks from falling through the cracks. 

Additionally, the visual flow of tasks highlights where bottlenecks occur, allowing you to address issues before they become major obstacles. Your team is empowered to take responsibility, regularly moving tasks across the board according to each task owner’s progress. This encourages accountability and helps establish a rhythm of steady progress, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. 

In short, an excellent, free Kanban board has the potential to transform your task management process into a visual, efficient, and collaborative experience, making complex projects feel more under control.

Is it worth doing the groundwork to find the best free Kanban tool? Undoubtedly. While figuring all this out may sound like a lot of effort, the comparison table we’ve provided above will give you answers to the most common questions at a glance. Once you have a basic understanding of the capacities of each app, you can use our detailed reviews to find out more information about specific functionalities.

Why Teamplate is the Best Free Kanban Board Creator

Starting with the obvious, Teamplate is 100% free. It comes at no cost at all and will allow you to access advanced capabilities without putting a strain on your budget. But it’s not just about costings – if you’re managing multiple projects you will undoubtedly find the visual task boards and customizable templates a huge help. The boards also make it easy to keep track of productivity and accountability thanks to the built-in time tracking feature, so it’s easy to monitor the way time is allocated across various projects and tasks. 

Finally, the real-time collaboration and integrated communication tools are invaluable for keeping the workflow smooth without needing to switch between multiple applications.

How to Create a Free Kanban Board with Teamplate

1. Start off by creating Spaces by topic – eg Tasks, Events etc
2. Choose the Space where you want to create a project – let’s assume you’re picking Tasks
3. Click on the 3 dots next to ‘Tasks’ and choose ‘Add project’
4. Name your new project and create a prefix for easier filing
5. Customize the project as you wish, with deadlines, tags, assignees etc
6. Invite team mates to your project

And that’s it, your free kanban board is done! Ready to start using Teamplate for your team for free? Click here to hit the ground running.

By opting for process management software free of charge, companies can improve efficiency considerably, while staying within budget. This applies especially to startups, where it’s vital to set up efficient workflow processes that allow your team to perform at its best efficiency without burdening you with a steep monthly subscription.

Finding the right free task management software may sound like a big ask, but it’s not. Granted, there are many confusing options out there, with many business process management tools (BPMs) claiming to be free when in reality you’ll be asked to pay as soon as you access crucial features apart from the very basic.

Here, we’ve ranked all the  best tools for remote teams that also come with a free version. Our team has tested each app in depth to discover which of these offer process management software free of charge, 100%. We’ll start off with a comparative overview, before taking a deep dive into the pros and cons for each.

The Best Free Process Management Softwares at a Glance

Tools	Best For	Standout Features	Free Plan
Teamplate	All-in-one, streamlined workflow	Flexible template-based workflow management that includes chat, email, video calls, file sharing, calendar & more	100% free plan with unlimited users and features
Trello	Visual task management	Simple board-based project tracking	Up to 10 boards per Workspace
Asana	Teams needing comprehensive task and project management	Task assignment, timelines, project tracking,	Up to 15 users with basic task and project management features
ClickUp	Customized task views	Project management with time tracking	Free up to 5 spaces, 100MB storage limit
Jira	Software development teams and agile methodologies	Issue tracking, sprint planning	Free up to 10 users with basicfeatures
Monday.com	Visual project tracking	Customizable dashboards, automation	Free up to 2 users with access to basic boards
Confluence	Detailed documentation management and knowledge sharing	Version control, permission management	Free plan for up to 10 users with basic documentation features
Wrike	Complex project management needs	Advanced Gantt charts, real-time reporting	Free up to 1 shared space, basic project management only
Notion	Notes and databases	Collaboration in a flexible digital workspace	Free up to 10 users
Hive	Project management with communication features	Integrated project management with communication tools	Free up to 10 users with limited project and task management features

What Makes the Best Free Process Management Software?

What makes the above the best free process management softwares? All of them possess certain basic features that are an essential requirement for the top online communication platforms. Let’s take a look in more detail below.

Top Features to Look For in Free Process Management Softwares

• A free version: You can use any of the above process management software free of charge at least in their basic format.

• Strong collaboration features: Every software allows your team to collaborate seamlessly across various functionalities.

• Flexibility: Features like permission controls, addition of members, and even customized views are available.

• Hosted: You don’t need specialized knowledge to set up any of these free process management softwares as they’re hosted by the company that created them.

• Advanced Integrations: The above process management software free options can all be integrated with other popular tools and apps for a fully seamless workflow. 

How We Evaluated & Tested the Apps

While testing process management software free of charge we followed a specific process to decide which of these deliver the full suite of functionalities that are needed for efficient remote team collaboration.

First of all we went through the actual signup process for each of them, and completed any onboarding provided. This gave us a good indication of exactly how intuitive or time consuming these tools are.

For the purpose of reviewing, we created a test project and applied the same methodology while using each process management software free of charge. We also set up a handful of fake tasks, complete with details like deadlines, attachments, users, adding links and so forth to determine whether all functionalities are supported.

Our experts then had free reign to customize each project as they saw fit, toggling between view options, adding new users, automating some processes and so forth.

By carrying out these process management software free trials we gained a 360-degree view of the capabilities of each tool, allowing us to reach a final verdict as to which ones are truly the best.

How to Choose the Best Free Process Management Softwares

So maybe you’d like to carry out your process management software free trials? In this case, it helps to have a structured plan so that you know what to look for and to help you pick the best solution for your team. The below checklist will help you reach an informed decision.

Feature	What to Consider
Budget	Is the process management software free to use? Or does it come  with hidden costs?
Value	Does the free version provide enough features to meet your core requirements before upgrading?
Ease of Use	Is the software intuitive enough for your team to start using it without a steep learning curve?
Scalability	Can the software adapt as your team’s needs expand and projects become more complex?
Customizability	Are the workflows flexible enough to adjust to your team’s specific processes and preferences?
Collaboration Features	Does it facilitate efficient teamwork, with tools for communication and real-time collaboration?
Security Safeguards	Does the platform ensure robust data security and comply with industry standards?
Integrations	Does it seamlessly connect with your team’s existing tools and platforms?
Mobile Access	Is the software optimized for managing tasks and workflows remotely from mobile devices?

A Detailed Look at the Best Free Process Management Softwares

Several platforms offer process management software free trials, allowing you to test the features before committing. But what we’re looking for here are remote tools that you can use for free in the longterm. Below, we go into more detail about which apps allow you to do this and to which extent, delving into pros, cons, user reviews, and pricing details.

Teamplate – Best Streamlined Workflows & Comprehensive Functionalities

Pros

✔ All communication needs are centralized in one hub: You won’t need to use any third party applications such as email or Kanban boards. Instead, you can do everything from one comprehensive dashboard.

✔ Instant Messaging: Your chats will be stored and you can convert them straight to tickets automatically.

✔Integrated Email: There is no need to switch applications, and full automation is also available here to turn emails into tasks.

✔ Integrated Calendar: Schedule your daily meetings and stay on track right through the dashboard.

✔ Board and Tickets: Plan, track, and oversee all your team’s tasks from a Kanban-style dashboard

✔ Video Calls & Screen Recordings: Unlimited remote meetings which can be recorded for improved reporting.

✔ Data Room: A secure place where to keep all your company’s files and documents, with flexible permission controls.

✔ Spaces & Personal Space: A secure place where to collaborate with other team members. Each team member also has access to their own personal space where to keep track of personal notes and ideas. 

✔ 100% Free: This is the only process management software free of charge that gives you access to the full suite of functionalities.

Cons

To date, Teamplate is the only product on this list to have received consistent five stars on verified user review platforms like TrustPilot and Capterra.

Customer Stories

Using process management software free has never been easier with Teamplate, and user reviews confirm this. Users on G2.com all agree that Teamplate is easy to use, facilitates collaboration and has no real ‘cons’ to speak of. The five star ratings reflect these views, such as the one pictured above by Arash T.

Price Options

• 100% Free, Every Time: Includes all features like chat, email, video conferencing, screen recording, project management and more without limitations.

Trello – For Visual Project Management

Pros

✔ Attachments and Due Date Management: Trello allows you to attach files directly to cards and set due dates, making it easy to keep track of important documents and deadlines.
✔ Visual Task Tracking with Boards and Cards: The board and card layout provides a clear, visual way to manage tasks and projects, perfect for teams that prefer visual organization.
✔ Butler Automation for Repetitive Tasks: Trello’s Butler feature automates repetitive tasks such as moving cards, sending reminders, and updating fields, saving time for teams.

Cons

✘ Limited Free Plan Features: The free plan limits users to only 10 boards per workspace, which can be restrictive for larger teams or more complex projects.
✘ No Built-in Gantt Charts: Trello lacks native Gantt charts, a key feature for project timelines, forcing you to rely on third-party integrations or Power-Ups.
✘ Basic Reporting and Analytics: It doesn’t offer advanced reporting or analytics features, so it’s difficult to track project progress at a high level.
✘ Limited Dependency Management: The process isn’t straightforward, so handling complex workflows with interdependent tasks is an issue.
✘ Storage Limit on Free Plan: There is a 10MB attachment limit per file, which can be limiting when working with larger documents or media files.
✘ Power-Ups Can Be Costly: Although you can enhance functionalities by adding Power-Ups for added functionality, many of these come with additional costs after a certain number on the free plan.

Customer Stories

Not everyone is as fond of Trello’s visual boards as you might imagine. Some users like David D have reported problems when dealing with larger project where you “have to scroll back and forth”.

Price Options

• Free Plan: Unlimited cards and members, 10 boards per Workspace, and 1 Power-Ups per board.
• Standard Plan: $5 per user/month, adds unlimited boards, custom fields, and advanced checklists.
• Premium Plan: $10 per user/month, includes dashboard and calendar views, timeline, and unlimited automation.
• Enterprise Plan: Starting at $17.50 per user/month, designed for larger organizations with enhanced security, permissions, and admin controls.

Asana – For Large Teams

Pros

✔ Task Assignment with Due Dates: You’ll find it very easy to assign tasks to team members with specific due dates, ensuring accountability and clarity on project timelines.
✔ Custom Project Views: You can switch between list, board, calendar, and timeline views to manage tasks in a way that fits your team’s preferences.
✔ Integration with Over 100 Tools: Asana integrates seamlessly with popular tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Microsoft Teams.

Cons

✘ No Built-in Time Tracking: There are no native time-tracking capabilities, so if you’re after detailed time management you’re going to need third-party apps.
✘ Limited Free Plan for Large Teams: The free plan is best suited for small teams, as it lacks advanced features like project milestones and dependencies.
✘ Learning Curve for New Users: You can use a very wide range of features and views, but these are often overwhelming for new users and require training or time to get used to.
✘ Advanced Features are Not Included: Features like workload management and detailed project reporting are only available in the paid tiers.
✘ Dependency Management is a Paid Add-On: You can only access task dependencies like ‘waiting on’ or ‘blocked by’ in the paid versions, so there is very limited flexibility for complex projects in the free plan.
✘ Limited Mobile App: Although you can carry out basic task management via the mobile app, it lacks full functionality compared to the desktop version.

Customer Stories

While many users appreciate its myriad functionalities, most users complain that Asana is less flexible than its competitors, while the visual dashboard is not intuitive when it comes to data integrations.

Price Options

• Free Plan: Includes unlimited projects, tasks, and basic collaboration for up to 15 users, but lacks advanced features.
• Premium Plan: $10.99 per user/month (billed annually), includes advanced project tracking features such as timelines, reporting, and task dependencies.
• Business Plan: $24.99 per user/month (billed annually), adds portfolio management, goals tracking, and workload management.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing with advanced security, admin controls, and priority support for large organizations.

ClickUp – For Customized Task Views

Pros

✔ Built-In Time Tracking: ClickUp includes a native time-tracking feature, so you and your team can monitor how much time is spent on each task without needing third-party integrations.
✔ Highly Customizable Dashboards: You can create custom dashboards with widgets for tracking key metrics, tasks, and goals, giving you full visibility over team productivity.
✔ Unlimited Task Hierarchy: The software supports subtasks, checklists, and nested folders, making it easy to organize even the most complex projects with multiple levels of tasks.

Cons

✘ Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features: ClickUp’s vast customization options can be overwhelming for new users, requiring more time to master.
✘ Limited Offline Functionality: The platform requires an internet connection for most of its features, which can be a drawback for teams working in areas with unreliable connectivity.
✘ Mobile App Can Be Buggy: The ClickUp mobile app, while feature-rich, can occasionally suffer from slow loading times and bugs, making it less reliable for mobile task management.
✘ Complex Setup for Automations: Setting these up  can be tricky, especially for users unfamiliar with automation logic, requiring more effort to configure correctly.
✘ Limited Free Plan Features for Larger Teams: While the free plan is generous, it lacks some advanced features like goal tracking and detailed reporting, which larger teams might need.
✘ Overly Complex for Simple Projects: ClickUp can feel bloated due to its wide array of features, leading to unnecessary complexity.

Customer Stories

ClickUp’s functionalities and integration options come in for criticism for users, with some pointing out that competitors do a much better job where these are concerned.

Price Options

• Free Plan: Offers unlimited tasks and users, with limited storage (100MB), up to 5 spaces, and basic project management features.
• Unlimited Plan: $5 per user/month (billed annually), includes unlimited storage, integrations, and dashboards.
• Business Plan: $12 per user/month (billed annually), adds advanced features like goal tracking, timelines, and custom fields.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing, offering advanced security, white labeling, and dedicated support for large organizations.

Jira – For Developers

Pros

✔ Solid Agile Tools: Jira is tailored for agile teams, offering features like sprint planning, backlogs, and real-time agile boards, making it ideal for software development projects.
✔ Comprehensive Issue Tracking: It excels in tracking bugs, issues, and tasks with detailed workflows and custom statuses, making it easier to manage complex development cycles.
✔ Advanced Reporting and Dashboards: The platform provides highly customizable reports and dashboards, offering insights into team performance, progress, and workload distribution.

Cons

✘ Steep Learning Curve for Non-Technical Teams: Jira’s technical nature and focus on software development can make it difficult for non-technical teams to adopt and fully utilize its features.
✘ Limited Free Plan for Large Teams: The free plan only supports up to 10 users, which is insufficient for larger teams that need strong project management tools.
✘ Overly Complex for Simple Projects: For teams not using agile methodologies or working on simple tasks, Jira’s extensive features can feel unnecessarily complex and overwhelming.
✘ Expensive for Smaller Teams Needing Advanced Features: If you want to use Jira’s more advanced features, like advanced roadmaps and reporting, you will need to fork out for higher-tier plans.
✘ Heavy Reliance on Add-Ons: Functions like time tracking or invoicing require add-ons, which can quickly increase costs.

Customer Stories

While Jira is one of the most recognisable process management software free-to-use, this does not remove the fact that many find it too complicated, requiring a steep learning curve that can put off some team members.

Price Options

• Free Plan: Supports up to 10 users with limited features, including agile boards and backlog management.
• Standard Plan: $7.75 per user/month (billed annually), includes up to 35,000 users with additional storage (250GB) and permissions management.
• Premium Plan: $15.25 per user/month (billed annually), includes unlimited storage, advanced roadmaps, and 24/7 support.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing, includes enterprise-level security, administration controls, and dedicated support.

Monday.com – For Visual Project Tracking

Pros

✔ Highly Visual Interface: Monday.com offers a visually appealing interface with customizable columns, colour-coded tasks, and drag-and-drop functionality, making project tracking simple and intuitive.
✔ Automations for Repetitive Tasks: The platform allows you to set up automations to handle repetitive tasks, such as status updates and notifications, reducing manual work without requiring any coding.
✔ Multiple Project Views: Your team can switch between multiple views like Kanban, Gantt, timeline, and calendar to suit their specific project management needs.

Cons

✘ Limited Free Plan for Small Teams: The free plan is restricted to 2 users and lacks access to advanced features such as automations, integrations, and Gantt charts, which limits its usefulness for growing teams.
✘ Complexity Increases with Advanced Features: While the platform is easy to start with, more advanced features like automations and detailed reporting require a steeper learning curve to configure properly.
✘ No Native Time Tracking: Team that need this feature must rely on third-party integrations or external tools.
✘ Price Increases Quickly with Larger Teams: As the number of users grows, the pricing can escalate rapidly, especially when adding premium features and integrations.
✘ Limited Customization in Basic Plans: While there are customization options in the basic tier, full flexibility (such as creating advanced dashboards or using complex automations) is reserved for higher-tier plans.
✘ Mobile App Missing Key Features: The mobile app is functional but lacks some key features available in the desktop version, such as certain integrations and advanced project views.

Customer Stories

Once again, simplicity is key when using process management software free. As the above user April L points out, project management functionalities on their own aren’t enough to make it a winner if the overall UX is “confusing”.

Price Options

• Free Plan: Allows for up to 2 users with basic task tracking features and limited project boards.
• Basic Plan: $8 per user/month (billed annually), includes unlimited boards, 5GB of storage, and a few integrations.
• Standard Plan: $10 per user/month (billed annually), adds timeline views, automations (250 actions/month), and guest access.
• Pro Plan: $16 per user/month (billed annually), includes advanced integrations, unlimited automations, and time tracking.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing, offering enhanced security, advanced reporting, and premium support for larger organizations.

Confluence – For Centralized Knowledge Sharing

Pros

✔ Centralized Knowledge Sharing: Confluence excels as a documentation and knowledge-sharing tool, allowing you to store, share, and collaborate on company knowledge in a central location.
✔ Page Versioning and History: It offers version control, enabling users to track changes, view past versions of documents, and easily revert to earlier drafts when necessary.
✔ Integration with Jira: If your team is already using Jira, this is a great companion for project management and issue tracking.

Cons

✘ Steep Learning Curve for Non-Technical Users: Confluence’s feature set and layout can be intimidating for non-technical teams, requiring some initial training to use effectively.
✘ Limited Collaboration on Free Plan: Only basic collaboration features are free, so advanced features like team calendars and real-time collaborative editing need to be paid for.
✘ Search Functionality Can Be Weak: Despite its strength in storing documentation, Confluence’s search feature sometimes struggles to retrieve relevant information from large databases.
✘ Limited Customization on Basic Plans: Customizing pages and workflows requires premium features.
✘ Requires External Apps for Full Functionality: To unlock additional features like diagrams or reporting, Confluence often relies on third-party apps from the Atlassian Marketplace, which can increase costs.

Customer Stories

When the main complaint is that “there are better out there”, you’ve got to take notice and look at other process management software free trials before committing. In the words of Brandon S, Confluence is “just okay”, and your organization needs more than just okay.

Price Options

• Free Plan: Available for up to 10 users, offering basic document creation and collaboration with limited storage (2GB).
• Standard Plan: $5.75 per user/month (billed annually), includes up to 35,000 users, more storage (250GB), and enhanced collaboration tools.
• Premium Plan: $11 per user/month (billed annually), adds advanced features like analytics, admin insights, and team calendars.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing, offering unlimited storage, advanced security features, and enterprise-level admin controls.

Wrike – For Spreadsheet-like Features

Pros

✔ Advanced Task and Project Dependencies: Wrike allows you to set multiple task dependencies, making it easy to manage complex projects with interrelated tasks and milestones.
✔ Customizable Workflows: Your team can create and modify workflows to fit their specific processes, allowing for a more tailored approach to project management.
✔ In-Depth Reporting and Analytics: Wrike offers detailed reporting capabilities with customizable dashboards, providing insights into project progress, team performance, and workload.

Cons

✘ Overwhelming for Small Teams: Wrike’s feature set can be too extensive for small teams or simple projects, leading to unnecessary complexity for those who only need basic task management.
✘ Limited Features on Free Plan: The free plan restricts access to advanced features such as Gantt charts, time tracking, and custom workflows, making it less suitable for growing teams.
✘ Difficult to Navigate at First: Wrike’s interface can feel cluttered, and new users often complain about the steep learning curve when trying to navigate the platform efficiently.
✘ Expensive for Full Feature Access: Unlocking features such as advanced reporting, resource management, and integrations can drive up costs.
✘ Customization is Limited on Lower Plans: Only higher-tier plans offer full customization options, such as custom fields and advanced workflows, which can be limiting on the lower-cost plans.

Customer Stories

User-friendliness comes under fire again with this free process management software. The main complain here appears to be that Wrike requires a specialist project manager to oversee admin, which is far from ideal.

Price Options

• Free Plan: Limited to basic task management for up to 5 users with simple boards and task lists.
• Professional Plan: $9.80 per user/month (billed annually), includes Gantt charts, dashboards, and up to 200 tasks.
• Business Plan: $24.80 per user/month (billed annually), adds custom workflows, time tracking, and reporting for more advanced project management.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing, includes advanced security, user permissions, and enhanced integrations for large-scale projects.

Notion – A Hub for Notes, Tasks & Databases

Pros

✔ All-in-One Workspace: Notion combines note-taking, databases, task management, and wikis into a single platform, removing the need for multiple tools to manage projects and documents.
✔ Highly Customizable Databases: You can create custom databases with different views, filters, and properties, allowing for a flexible way to manage information and tasks.
✔ Collaborative Editing in Real-Time: Teams can collaborate on documents and projects in real-time, with changes instantly reflected across the workspace.

Cons

✘ Limited Features on Free Plan for Teams: While the free plan is great for personal use, it lacks advanced collaboration features and restricts file uploads, which can hinder team productivity.
✘ No Native Time Tracking: There is no built-in time-tracking functionality, requiring integrations or workarounds for users who need to track time spent on tasks.
✘ Complexity with Large Databases: As Notion databases grow larger, they can become slow and difficult to navigate, especially when using complex filters or views.
✘ Steep Learning Curve for New Users: The flexibility and customization options in Notion can overwhelm new users, who may need significant time to learn how to structure their workspace effectively.
✘ Mobile App is Less Intuitive: The mobile version of Notion is not as user-friendly as the desktop version, making it harder to manage complex projects and databases on smaller screens.

Customer Stories

This is a recurring complaint with Notion, where users are under the impression they’re using a process management software free and then they are slapped with unexpected charges. Using 100% subscription-free collaboration tools like Teamplate eliminates such surprises.

Price Options

• Free Plan: Available for individual use with basic note-taking and task management features, up to 5MB file uploads, and limited sharing options.
• Plus Plan: $8 per user/month (billed annually), adds unlimited file uploads, advanced permission settings, and team collaboration.
• Business Plan: $15 per user/month (billed annually), includes advanced collaboration features, API access, and team permissions for large teams.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing, offering enhanced security, compliance, and dedicated support for larger organizations.

Hive – For Seamless Project Management

Pros

✔ Built-In Email Integration: You and your team will be able to send and receive emails directly within the platform.
✔ Native Time Tracking: Hive comes with built-in time tracking, allowing teams to monitor how much time is spent on individual tasks without needing additional integrations.
✔ Flexible Project Views: The software offers a variety of views—such as Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and calendar views—giving teams the flexibility to manage projects in the way that works best for them.

Cons

✘ Steep Pricing for Full Features: Access to advanced features such as resourcing analytics, advanced reporting, and time tracking requires higher-tier plans, which can be costly for small teams.
✘ Limited Free Plan for Teams: The free plan only allows access to basic task management features, limiting collaboration tools and advanced analytics.
✘ Occasional Performance Issues: Hive can experience performance lags when dealing with large projects or extensive data, which may disrupt workflows for teams working on complex projects.
✘ Learning Curve for New Users: While Hive offers powerful tools, new users often face a learning curve when navigating the platform and setting up workflows.
✘ No Native Offline Mode: Hive requires an internet connection to function, which can be a drawback for teams needing to manage tasks offline.

Customer Stories

Using process management software free is still expensive if your team is using valuable time just to figure out how it works. Judging by user reviews, Hive has fallen into this trap that makes it appear too overwhelming for it to be efficient.

Price Options

• Free Plan: Allows access for unlimited users but limits features to basic task management and chat functionality.
• Teams Plan: $12 per user/month, includes project views, action templates, unlimited storage, and external integrations.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing, offering advanced security, dedicated support, and customized solutions for larger organizations.

Benefits of Free Process Management Softwares Like Teamplate

Using process management software free of charge remains the best way to optimize operations, but only one software actually delivers the full range of features and gains consistently positive user reviews – Teamplate. This remote collaboration tool offers end-to-end project management in one powerful platform, with all features available for free.

The award-winning product includes all the communication and project management tools that your team needs on a daily basis – all without charging a cent. Here are some of the benefits that have been reported by over 1,000 customers who are using Teamplate’s process management software free.

• Centralized information: All documents and digital communication like email and chats are stored in one hub, reducing the risk of miscommunication, lost data, or simple time wasting.
• Reduced resources: Your team will need less time to complete the same amount of work, thanks to the automation of repetitive tasks.
• Increased transparency and accountability: All project deliverables and deadlines are clearly visualized alongside task goals.
• Increased collaboration: Your team will find it easier to brainstorm, collaborate, and share ideas thanks to the dedicated spaces and tools.
• Improved resource allocation: Visualization of projects ensures that tasks are assigned to the right people, correctly distributing workload and reducing delays.

Best of all, all the above are available to your team for free. If you’d like to start enjoying these benefits for a smoother, more efficient workflow, get in touch with the Teamplate team here and we’ll guide you through the process.

Securing the right project management tools for startups is a very important step in your journey. After all, starting out your own business is complicated enough without also having to hassle about the organization of workflow. 

Here we’re going to present detailed, expert reviews for affordable project management tools. These have all been personally tested by our team and include details about essential features, pricing and performance. 

The Benefits of Using the Right Project Management Tools for Startups

In the excitement of starting a new business, some new organizations forget to set up structured processes, remote team collaboration tools and workflows to optimize productivity. This inevitably leads to repercussions down the line. Let’s take a look at exactly why it’s essential to source the top project management software for small businesses.

Why does your startup need the right project management tools?

• Increased Productivity: The best project management tools for startups allow you to automate repetitive tasks, oversee workflow, refine processes and manage your team’s time better so the focus is placed on important tasks. 
• Better Team Collaboration: Remote teams may be located in different countries and timezones. This is a potential block for effective communication, but the right project management tools for startups resolve it. Instant messaging, video conferencing, real-time updates and other features enable both synchronous and asynchronous communication.
• Improved Project Tracking: You and your team can easily visualiza projects and dependencies, keeping an overview on tasks and subtasks for effective prioritization, assignment and management.
• Hassle-Free Reporting: Most project management tools for startups offer reporting features so you can automatically collect information and make data-driven decisions.
• Take Time & Resource Management to the Next Level: Features like deadlines, calendars, task lists and reminders help you track progress. It’s also easier to visualize the team’s workload for better resource management. 

Best Project Management Tools for Startups: Our Experts’ Choices

Time to see which top 10 project management tools for startups made it on our experts’ list. The team carried out meticulous testing of each of these online collaboration platforms over a long period of time to gain better insite into their performance with realistic conditions.

Teamplate – Best Free All-Rounder

Photo: Teamplate

Pros & Cons

✔️ Kanban style project management with easy setup

✔️ Drag-and-drop editor

✔️ Real-time collaboration with email & video conferencing

✔️ Screen recording

✔️ Secure Data Room

✔️Spaces for team collaboration

✔️Personal spaces for individuals 

✔️Integrated calendar

✔️ 100% free

Photo: Teamplate

Teamplate is regularly voted one of the best free online collaboration tools, offering comprehensive features at no cost. This makes it one of the most sought-after project management tools for startups, allowing entire teams to carry out daily communications, project management and more from one central hub. 

There’s nothing listed under our ‘cons’ column for the simple reason that many user reviews have struggled to find any disadvantages for this remote team software app. In fact, it has a 100% five-star rating on TrustPilot. 

Teamplate is easy to set up and won’t require a lengthy onboarding process for yourself or your team. It provides a central hub for all collaboration and project management needs, with pre-set templates so you can hit the ground running. 

Whether you want to communicate instantly via chat, send an email, access a file or schedule a meeting – it’s all there, on one, easy-to-use dashboard.Seriously, what’s not to like?

Photo: Teamplate

Teamplate User Reviews

Positive User Reviews	Negative User Reviews	Overall User Review
“Its unique selling proposition lies in consolidating essential features like chat, project boards, file sharing, video calls, and calendaring into a single, unified interface.Streamlined Workflow is its main benefit, and Switching between chat, file sharing, and project boards within the same platform can boost efficiency.” – Cristian Teuma	None! 100% 5 star rating on TrustPilot	“Teamplate is easy to use and helped me eliminate the need to use multiple apps.Now everything is in one tool and it’s made me more productive and efficient. While it’s simple to use, it’s also very powerful. It really depends on the users. But I’ve found it makes myself and my team more collaborative whether I’m in the office or remote.” – BRMFiveSeven

Trello – Simplified Task Management

Pros & Cons

✔️ Customizable boards for task organization
✔️ Integrates with apps like Slack, Drive
✔️ User-friendly for quick setup

❌ No instant messaging or email integration
❌ Lacks robust reporting and analytics tools
❌ No built-in time tracking features
❌ Limited handling of complex workflows
❌ Automation features are less advanced

Trello excels in remote collaboration by offering customizable boards, lists, and cards that visually organize tasks. Its integration with apps like Slack and Google Drive allows seamless file sharing and communication directly within the platform. 

However, compared to tools like Teamplate, it lacks built-in email and instant messaging, which limits remote team communication. Moreover, its simplicity doesn’t cater well to highly complex workflows, so start-ups may find it difficult to scale up. While it’s great for straightforward task management, teams needing in-depth analytics or automation may find Trello’s features insufficient.

Trello User Reviews

Trello has only gathered an average 3.3 star rating on TrustPilot. Here’s why.

Positive User Reviews	Negative User Reviews	Overall User Review
“I just started using Trello again this year. I love it tbh. Use it for my own personal task management, as well as for a few of my clients.” – David	“It was an amazing app, till atlassian came to the game changing it from a easy going app to a freaking complicated way to connect“ – Zeca Veloso	“The software was a game-changer when it was first released in 2011. However since then it’s continued to get more expensive for features that aren’t really that useful.“ – Point101.com

Asana – Detailed Task Management

Pros & Cons

✔️ Advanced reporting and analytics features
✔️ Built-in time tracking with integrations
✔️ Handles complex project workflows seamlessly

❌ Lacks native document editing facilities
❌ Overwhelming for small, simple projects
❌ Free version has limited features
❌ No built-in instant messaging feature
❌ Limited offline functionality

Asana stands out for its ability to handle complex workflows with advanced features like task dependencies, project timelines, and custom fields. Unlike Trello, the reporting capabilities provide in-depth analytics, so it’s very suitable for teams needing detailed project tracking. 

However, it falls short in instant messaging, a feature that platforms like Teamplate provide, which may be frustrating for teams seeking an all-in-one workspace. While powerful, the interface can overwhelm users managing smaller projects, where simpler tools like Monday.com  might be more efficient. 

Asana User Reviews

Asana reviews 2024 on TrustPilot aren’t looking too rosy, with a 2 star average from users. 44% of reviewers actually gave it 1 star.

Positive User Reviews	Negative User Reviews	Overall User Review
“It’s cost effective and my team love using it. They communicate daily. We can track progress of all jobs easily“ – Hayleigh Barrett	“I tried using Asana, but it automatically started a paid plan. I contacted support to request a downgrade because I couldn’t do it myself, but the support team required too much verification and ultimately, it was not downgraded. I continued using it, and now I’ve lost access to my tasks because it requires payment“ – Shota Teliashvili	“I’ve used every level of Asana’s products. The free product is fantastic. But with the rise of other free softwares like Notion and Trello I would say their pricing for the paid versions is way more expensive than it should be. And it lacks a lot of customization that Notion has right off the bat.“ – Mark Taylor

Clickup – Customizable Project Views

Pros & Cons

✔️ Highly customizable workspace and views
✔️ Comprehensive task and project management features
✔️ Built-in time tracking and reporting

❌ Steep learning curve for new users
❌ Overwhelming interface with too many features
❌ Mobile app can be glitchy
❌ Limited offline functionality
❌ Free version lacks advanced automation
❌ Occasional slow performance with large projects

ClickUp offers a highly flexible project management platform, with customizable task views, advanced reporting, and time tracking built directly into the system. It excels in providing detailed insights, similar to Teamplate, but with a lot less flexibility for teams looking to adjust their workflows. 

It also falls behind competitors like Monday.com and Teamplate in terms of built-in instant messaging and video conferencing, which limits real-time communication. ClickUp does offer screen recording, a feature that is rare among project management tools, but it lacks seamless email integration. 

The platform’s vast array of features can be overwhelming, especially for smaller teams or simpler projects, requiring your team to use up time on familiarization.

ClickUp User Reviews

Once again, ClickUp fails to impress TrustPilot, with users giving it a 2.7 star average. While its efficiency isn’t in dispute, its prices and steep learning curve have led to multiple complaints.

Positive User Reviews	Negative User Reviews	Overall User Review
“Really good platform with amazing customer support. ClickUp is so versatile and has so many great features with constant updates“ – Tamino	“I am unable to recommend ClickUp. On the positive side, they have many features. Unfortunately, those features tend to make the service far too complicated. It becomes a full-time job just trying to stay on top of the software“ – Patrick Cooper	“Been a user for 4+ years with 30+ accounts and noticed the platform getting slower each year!! We’ve recently been left with no option but to look elsewhere for a new platform“ – Nameless

Zoho Projects – Strong Milestone Tracking Capacities

Pros & Cons

✔️ Strong project planning and milestone tracking
✔️ Built-in time tracking and invoicing tools
✔️ Excellent integration with other Zoho apps

❌ Difficult to master the different functionalities
❌ Limited customization of workflows
❌ Mobile app lacks full functionality
❌ No built-in instant messaging feature
❌ Automation features are not as advanced
❌ Free version has limited features and users

Zoho Projects is typically used by startups that need detailed project planning, with integrated milestone and time tracking to facilitate billing. It’s best suited for users who are already integrated within the Zoho suite ecosystem, as it depends on extensive integrations for full functionality.

It doesn’t offer built-in instant messaging, so it lags behind platforms like Teamplate and Monday.com, where team communication is more seamless. Moreover,  automation capabilities are not as advanced as competitors like ClickUp, limiting how much repetitive work can be streamlined. 

The mobile app requires fine-tuning, making on-the-go management harder compared to more mobile-friendly tools like Teamplate.

Zoho Projects User Reviews

Zoho is one of those project management tools for startups that truly has a lot going for it, attracting a solid 4.2 star rating on TrustPilot and making many users happy. Nevertheless, the customer experience has come in for some serious flak, while some users have found the interface too complicated.

Positive User Reviews	Negative User Reviews	Overall User Review
“So far, Zoho Social has helped to streamline our digital marketing processes, making it easy to schedule, respond to messages, and view data“ – Maria DB	“It is completely unintuitive to use, everything is so complicated. I contacted support, got the bare minimum reply – so was completely unhelpful.“ – Mickey	“A great tool… especially for businesses already using other Zoho products“ – Bryn Elise

Jira – Intensive Workflow Management

Pros & Cons

✔️ Excellent for software development and agile teams
✔️ Advanced issue tracking and workflow management
✔️ Strong integration with development tools like Git

❌ Limited reporting features in lower plans
❌ Requires plugins for basic project management needs
❌ Complex setup for non-software teams
❌ Search functionality can be unintuitive
❌ Permissions system is overly complicated
❌ No built-in resource management tools

Jira is one of the most powerful project management tools for startups, but it’s designed primarily for software development. It offers robust features for agile teams such as issue tracking, sprint planning and backlog management, but may be a bit too bloated for typical startup processes. 

Unlikes user-friendly dashboards like Teamplate and Notion, its setup can be daunting for non-technical users or teams that aren’t focused on software, Moreover, its reporting capabilities in lower-tier plans are limited, requiring upgrades or plugins to unlock more detailed analytics. 

Finally, compared to tools like Asana and Teamplate, Jira lacks native resource management features, which can make workload balancing more difficult when you scale up with larger teams.

Jira User Reviews

With a 1.6 average star rating on TrustPilot, many startups may be wary of investing in a tool that has great functionalities but also many shortcomings. 

Positive User Reviews	Negative User Reviews	Overall User Review
“After using Atlassian for the last 5 years, I have to say, the product is overall good and the pricing is fair.There are of course still things that could be better” – SysAdminFromGermany	“It’s awfully slow and complicated to add a new task/subtask. The task goes to the backlog after being created and you need then to put it in your board. Doesn’t compare to the intuitiveness of others” – Fred	“My experience has gone from positive to frustrating due to their poor customer service and questionable billing practices.” – Budd

Teamwork – Great for Client Collaborations

Pros & Cons

✔️ Strong time tracking and billing tools
✔️ Excellent for client-focused project management
✔️ Easy task delegation and collaboration features

❌ Limited customization options for workflows
❌ Steep pricing compared to competitors
❌ Mobile app lacks full desktop functionality
❌ Lacks built-in video conferencing tools
❌ Automation features are basic and limited
❌ Free version is restricted to small teams

Teamwork is well-suited for client-focused projects, offering excellent time tracking, billing and client collaboration functionalities. It excels in managing tasks, allowing for easy delegation and tracking across different team members, something that smaller tools like Trello don’t emphasize as much. 

However, its customization options for workflows are more limited compared to Teamplate and ClickUp, which might be a drawback for teams with unique processes. Additionally, while it supports task management well, it doesn’t include built-in video conferencing, unlike platforms such as Monday.com and Teamplate. 

Teamwork User Reviews

Teamwork gathers a highly respectable 4.3 star rating on TrustPilot, with users praising the intuitive interface. However, recent changes don’t appear to have gone down so well.

Positive User Reviews	Negative User Reviews	Overall User Review
“I have always found it to have a manageable learning curve, and it provides ample options for people without being overwhelming“ – Doyle Martin	“Extremely slow and clunky user interface. Hover-pop-ups take some time to show, tagging people, dragging tasks or opening/closing/toggling UI is all very laggy and slow“ – Stef Van Wiychen	“For a long time Teamwork worked smooth. But last (say) 2 years ‘nice features’ were implemented that aren’t so nice at all. Support questions about those nice features, working less nice working in a live area and not in a test area, is disappointing.“ – Petra

Slack – Excellent Real Time Communication

Pros & Cons

✔️ Real-time communication with instant messaging
✔️ Integrates with a wide range of apps
✔️ Easy file sharing and collaboration

❌ Limited functionality for detailed project management
❌ Search history is restricted in free plan
❌ Notification system can become overwhelming
❌ No built-in time tracking or task management
❌ Requires third-party integrations for advanced features
❌ Lack of threaded conversation support in group DMs

Slack is a top choice for real-time communication, offering seamless messaging and quick file sharing, making it one of the go-to project management tools for startups that usually need immediate responses. 

There is a wide range of integrations allowing teams to connect with tools like Google Drive and Trello for smoother workflows. However, unlike project management platforms such as Teamplate or Asana, Slack lacks built-in task management and time tracking. This means you’ll need to bring in external tools for this purpose. 

The search functionality is very limited in the free version, restricting access to older messages, which can be a drawback for teams needing comprehensive history. 

Slack User Reviews

Despite being an efficient messaging platform, Slack is one of those project management tools for startups that are plagued by low ratings. The reason is possible the fact that it’s not as comprehensive as many organizations would wish it to be.

Positive User Reviews	Negative User Reviews	Overall User Review
“For communication and simple team management tools, I find it quite useful. It’s easy to use, beginner or not“ – Dave Seagraves	“The notification system is a constant source of frustration. Despite considering myself pretty tech-savvy, I can’t seem to get my phone to alert me properly when new messages come in” – Tim K	“Slack used to be amazing, now it’s a complete mess. No idea why they took something that worked and made it almost unworkable“ – Alex

Notion – Seamless Note Taking

Pros & Cons

✔️ Highly flexible and customizable workspace
✔️ Combines note-taking, task management, and databases
✔️ Supports collaborative editing in real-time

❌ Overly complex navigation with nested pages
❌ No built-in time tracking or billing tools
❌ Limited offline functionality, especially for mobile
❌ Lacks robust project management features like Gantt charts
❌ Performance can slow down with large databases
❌ Permissions and user roles can be confusing to manage

Notion blends note-taking, task management and databases into one cohesive platform. Its real-time collaboration feature allows you to work on shared documents or projects simultaneously. 

However, unlike dedicated project management tools like Teamplate or ClickUp, Notion lacks advanced features such as Gantt charts or time-tracking. Its limited offline functionality, particularly on mobile devices, can be a significant drawback for users who need constant access. 

Another downside is that navigating through complex nested pages can make it harder to keep track of information compared to more streamlined apps like Trello.

Notion User Reviews

With a 2.6 star average on TrustPilot, customer support has really failed to impress users, as has the ease with which you’ll find yourself paying for unexpected upgrades. The latter appears to be a commonality to many other project management tools for startups which would otherwise be great.

Positive User Reviews	Negative User Reviews	Overall User Review
“I use it for basic tracking of projects and organising each of these projects. It has been thoroughly useful to have all this is one place“ – Andy	“They make it very easy to accidently upgrade to expensive business plan with single misclick which charges your card immediately. “ – Peagamr	“The product is amazing, but if you have a problem, customer service is one of the worst I’ve seen“ – Felipe Urzua

Hive – Versatile Project Management

Pros & Cons

✔️ Built-in email integration for seamless communication
✔️ Strong project management tools with Gantt and Kanban views
✔️ Advanced automation features for recurring tasks

❌ Limited reporting options in lower-tier plans
❌ Mobile app lacks full desktop functionality
❌ Complex setup required for custom workflows
❌ Task dependencies can sometimes be glitchy
❌ No native time tracking without integrations
❌ Slow performance when handling large projects or teams

Hive offers a robust platform for project management with features like Gantt and Kanban views, making it versatile for different workflows. You can manage communications and tasks in one place thanks to built-in email integration, which is something not all competitors like Trello offer. 

However, Hive’s reporting capabilities are limited in lower-tier plans, unlike tools such as Teamplate, which offers both inbuilt communications and excellent reporting. 

Additionally, while Hive offers powerful automation, setting up custom workflows can be very time-consuming compared to simpler platforms like ClickUp and Teamplate.

Hive User Reviews

Hive comes in at a respectable 4.1 star rating, but if you or your team often need to use it on the go you will likely run into some issues.

Positive User Reviews	Negative User Reviews	Overall User Review
“Chatting inside tasks or letting task owners turn sub tasks into their own projects is great. Everyone can keep up with who is working on what“ – Robert	“The mobile app has significantly reduced functionality compared to desktop”  – Robert	“Fundamental functions lacking included: cut, copy, paste,undo (if software does not have these features working, run don’t walk from it“ – Anonymous

The Top Project Management Tools for Startups Compared

Don’t have time to sift through all the above? This table makes it easier to identify at a glance which project management tools for startups offer all the features you’re after.

Feature	Teamplate	Trello	Asana	ClickUp	Slack	Zoho Projects	Jira	Teamwork	Slack	Notion	Hive
Instant Messaging	✔️	❌	❌	✔️	✔️	✔️	❌	✔️	✔️	❌	✔️
Screen Recording	✔️	❌	❌	✔️	❌	❌	❌	✔️	❌	❌	✔️
Built-in Email Integration	✔️	❌	❌	✔️	❌	✔️	❌	✔️	❌	❌	✔️
Video Conferencing	✔️	❌	❌	✔️	✔️	❌	❌	✔️	✔️	❌	✔️
Time Tracking	✔️	❌	✔️	✔️	❌	✔️	❌	✔️	❌	❌	✔️
Integrated Calendars	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	❌	✔️	✔️	✔️	❌	❌	✔️
Pre-built Templates	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	❌	✔️	❌	✔️	❌	✔️	✔️
Team Spaces	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Private Spaces	✔️	❌	✔️	✔️	❌	✔️	❌	✔️	❌	✔️	✔️
File Sharing	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Free Access to all Features	✔️	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌

How to Choose the Right Project Management Tools for Your Startup

The features of project management tools for startups can be as comprehensive or as basic as you need, but our experts give the highest scores to tools that perform strongly across all important features. Here are our selection criteria for the best startup management software: 

• Comprehensive Features: We prefer software that offers the entire suite of project management functions like task management, team collaboration, file sharing, and reporting. Integrated email and chat are a big plus, as is meeting scheduling.
• User-friendliness: The best project management tools for startups are those that take minutes to set up and have a very low (or non-existent) learning curve. There are better things your team should spending time on! 
• Pricing: Startups typically have tight budgets, so the best apps are undoubtedly free, or at least offer free access to the majority of features. 
• One centralized hub: If you need to bring in third party integrations, you’re already using more time and resources than you should. Hence our reference to integrated email earlier on. 
• On Point Customer Support: Reliable and fast customer service is a huge priority, because you don’t want to find your operations blocked simply because your software is having a day. We like to see live chat options, email, FAQs and community resources – the whole range of options for faster resolution.

How Much do Project Management Tools for Startups Cost?

This is the million dollar question, if you’ll pardon us for being too on the nose. Many project management tools for startups do offer free versions, but invariably you will not have access to all the features that you need. The only one that offers a 100% free service currently is Teamplate – you’ll be able to access everything without paying anything.

Pricing for other project management tools for startups  typically depends on the following elements:

• Number of users
• Features
• Customization
• Add-Ons
• Support

Tool	Basic/Entry Paid Plan	Pro/Business Plan
Teamplate	100% Free	Not applicable
Trello	$5 per user/month	$10 per user/month
Asana	$10.99 per user/month	$24.99 per user/month
ClickUp	$5 per user/month	$12 per user/month
Slack	$7.25 per user/month	$12.50 per user/month (Business+)
Zoho Projects	$5 per user/month	$10 per user/month
Jira	$7.75 per user/month	$15.25 per user/month
Teamwork	$5.99 per user/month	$10.99 per user/month
Notion	$8 per user/month	$15 per user/month
Hive	$12 per user/month	Custom pricing

Why Teamplate is the Best Solution for Startups

Teamplate stands out as the best project management tool for startups because it’s completely free, allowing small businesses to scale without worrying about software costs. Startups often have limited resources and, with Teamplate, your entire team can access essential features like task management, customizable templates, and team spaces without the burden of expensive subscriptions. 

But it’s not just about being free. It also needs to be effective and comprehensive. Teamplate delivers on all counts. Its built-in automation capabilities help streamline repetitive tasks, which is critical for startups trying to maximize efficiency with smaller teams.

Moreover, the intuitive user interface reduces the time spent onboarding new members, meaning startups can quickly adapt and hit the ground running. The platform includes a host of integrated features you’ll use on the daily, such as email, instant messaging, video conferencing, file sharing and more. This removes the need to switch between different tools and keeps all collaboration in one place. This level of efficiency is key for startups that need to stay agile, meet deadlines and manage evolving project needs effectively.

Start your start-up on the road to success and join Teamplate here.

FAQs

Why do startups need project management software?

Project management software helps startups streamline task management, improve team collaboration, and track progress. It ensures an efficient workflow from one centralized hub.

Are all project management software options suitable for startups?

No, not all options suit startups. Many tools like Jira cater to large enterprises with features that may overwhelm smaller teams. Startups should prioritize software like Teamplate, with affordability, scalability, ease of use, and essential features.

What are some common mistakes startups make when choosing project management software?

Startups often choose tools with too many unnecessary features, leading to confusion and inefficiency. Teamplate offers functionalities that are streamlined and easy to use, so you don’t get bogged down in the architecture.

Can startups use free project management software?

Yes, Teamplate is one of very few project management tools for startups that offers its entire suite of features for free. You won’t be asked to pay a subscription. 

Looking for the best tools for remote teams that are 100% free? Setting up an efficient communication system for your organization is crucial in an age where workers are likely to be scattered across different countries and timezones, especially given the increasing need to facilitate asynchronous communication.

But sourcing the best collaboration software that offers comprehensive features without putting your budget in the red is not easy. Many team tools promise the world, but deliver very little unless you provide your credit card. 

Which is why we’ve collected our personal list of tried and tested free online collaboration tools. In this guide you’ll find details about our top choices and how these can work for you, alongside any shortcomings they may have.

What are Free Online Collaboration Tools?

To put it simply, the best online collaboration platforms allow you to communicate effectively with your team by offering a very wide range of services in digital format – all without spending anything. It’s a tall order we know, mostly because the vast majority of such software applications claim to be free, but this will only be true at the most basic tier. This means that you’d need to pay in order to benefit from the full features, with the monthly cost sometimes making the tool unviable.

And yet, such tools for remote teams do exist – you just need to dig deep within the T&Cs to ensure that your chosen software does what it promises to do for free. We’ve carried out this research, digging deep so you don’t need to use up your own time, and we’ll be pointing you in the right direction soon. 

But first, it helps to understand exactly what you should look for in free online collaboration tools.

What Should You Look For In Free Online Collaboration Tools?

The whole point of free online collaboration tools is that they cover all your team and office needs without a subscription fee, thus removing the need to spend money and time on a multitude of tools. Here are the main elements you should look for:

Comprehensive Features: It’s useless having free document sharing if you need to go elsewhere for project management. The best free online collaboration tools offer the whole spectrum of functionalities.

Intuitive Interface: No one wants to use up their time trying to learn a new software instead of improving productivity. This is why an intuitive, easy-to-use interface is a must.

Security: Free features shouldn’t come at the expense of your organization’s security. This one’s non-negotiable for obvious reasons.

Below, you’ll find a list of the nine most well-known free online collaboration tools:

1. Teamplate
2. Trello 
3.  Asana
4. Monday.com
5. Microsoft Teams
6. Google Space
7. Miro
8. Notion
9. Slack

Question is: do they actually satisfy all requirements? We went for a tried-and-tested approach to find out more.

A Detailed Look at Our Tried & Tested Best Picks

Our experts have tested each one of the above recommendations to understand whether they live up to the hype. Here’s what we discovered.

Teamplate: All-In-One 100% Free Online Collaboration Tool

Think of Teamplate as an entire army of office tools, all rolled in one, easy-to-use package. The best thing? It’s totally free and you won’t be asked for payment to access specific features. 

It’s been described as a state-of-the-art project management tool, and with good reason as it covers areas of remote communication that other apps fail to include. Its forte lies in the fact that it allows entire organizations to create and manage customized templates for workflows, increasing operational efficiency. 

Sounds like a complicated setup? It really isn’t. Template achieves all this via a dynamic dashboard where you can track task progress, set deadlines and assign responsibilities. It can fully integrate with third-party apps like Slack, Google Drive, and Jira for seamless communication and document sharing within teams. But it’s unlikely you’ll need to, as Teamplate fulfills all the functionalities of such other apps so you won’t need to use other free online collaboration tools. 

Additionally, it features real-time editing, notifications, and automation, making task management and collaborative efforts both within and across departments a lot more efficient.

Pros

• 100% free
• Integrates all aspects of office communication
• Easy-to-use
• Scalable without hassle

Why It Stands Out

• Dashboard with Kanban and Gantt Views: You will be able to visualize tasks using Kanban boards or Gantt charts to get a clear picture of task progress, timelines, and dependencies.
• In-app Messaging: Team members can communicate directly within the platform using built-in messaging features, allowing for quick discussions and feedback without switching tools.
• Email Integration: Automatically send email notifications for task updates, deadline reminders, or new assignments, ensuring everyone stays informed even if they’re not in the app.
• Comment Threads on Tasks: Leave comments on specific tasks or projects, enabling focused discussions and keeping all communication tied to the relevant work.
• Direct Mentions: You can use ‘@mentions’ to tag team members in comments or discussions to send out instant notifications.
• Spaces for Organized Collaboration: Each project or team can have its own dedicated Space,”where all relevant tasks, files, and discussions are grouped, so that everything is organized and easily accessible.
• File Storage & Sharing: You can upload and store files directly in spaces or tasks, with the ability to link files from other free online collaboration tools like Google Drive or Dropbox, ensuring all project assets are in one place.
• Progress Tracking: You can keep tabs on how projects are advancing with visual progress bars and status updates.
• Custom Notifications: Set personalized alerts for important deadlines or task changes, so as to ensure you don’t miss out on critical updates.

What Teamplate Users Say

It’s not just us waxing lyrical on Teamplate as being one of the top free online collaboration tools. Online reviews are consistently excellent, with the below user hitting all the important points and not even finding any real cons to the app, despite trying very hard.

Arash T. on Capterra: “Overall, my experience with Teamplate has been positive. With continued updates and enhancements to the user interface, I believe Teamplate has the potential to become an indispensable tool for businesses seeking to optimize their collaboration efforts.

“What I liked most about Teamplate is its comprehensive approach to communication and collaboration. Having all the essential tools like chat, board, data room, calendar, and video calls integrated into one application makes it incredibly convenient and efficient. It eliminates the need to switch between multiple platforms, saving time and streamlining workflows.”

Trello 

Trello uses flexible and highly visual Kanban boards that allow you to easily manage tasks. This is done by dragging and dropping cards between lists, offering simplicity that tools like Jira may lack for basic project management. 

Its automation features help you move cards, set due dates or set up other repetitive tasks in a more user-friendly way compared to other tools like Asana. 

It excels in its straightforward task management approach, but the reporting and analytics features are more limited compared to competitors like Teamplate or Monday.com, both of which offer more advanced tracking and visualization tools.

Pros	Cons
Simple, visual interface	Limited advanced reporting tools
Easy-to-use automation	No built-in instant messaging
Customizable boards and lists	No integrated email
Free tier available	Minimal built-in analytics features
Mobile-friendly interface	Limited scalability for large teams
	Less robust for complex projects
	No native time tracking tools
	Full functionalities require a paid plan

What Trello Users Say

Many users have a lot of good things to say about Trello, but they also mention a number of disadvantages. The fact that you need to pay for full functionalities is one of them. A relaxed approach to project permissions is another. Here’s what user ‘balfordev’ had to say on Reddit:

“I wanted to bring up a discussion about a pain point many of us might have encountered while using Trello – the absence of robust user roles functionality. One glaring issue with Trello is that it lacks proper user roles, allowing any user to delete tasks or columns. While Trello excels in simplicity and flexibility, this freedom can sometimes lead to accidental deletions or modifications by team members who shouldn’t have such permissions.”

Asana

One of the more well-known free online collaboration tools, Asana is praised for a timeline feature that allows users to map out project dependencies. This means that you can visually track how tasks relate to one another. It is similar to Gantt charts in tools like Monday.com, but with more flexibility in re-arranging tasks. 

The dashboard provides real-time insights into each team member’s capacity, easily surpassing the over-simplicity of Trello’s basic task assignments. Asana does not include built-in email or instant messaging features like Teamplate, so if you’re looking for the best free online collaboration tools this isn’t it. 

Moreover, the free version only offers access to very basic functionalities, with very limited project views and a cap on 15 users.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Advanced timeline view for project dependencies	No built-in email or instant messaging features
Custom rules for complex task automation	No instant messaging
Workload management dashboard for team capacity	Access to full features starts at $10.99/user/month
Goal-tracking system for aligning team objectives	Not very intuitive
	Limited customization of task views

What Asana Users Say

Sadly, Asana’s free model has come in for a lot of criticism on sites like Reddit and Trustpilot. The main issue appears to be that it’s not quite clear what you’ll be getting for free and when you start getting charged for it, not without diving deep into a sheaf of terms and conditions before clicking ‘Accept’. Which, let’s be honest, none of us do.

Here’s what one particular reviewer had to say on Trustpilot: “Once the trial ended I was not able to access the simple task list I had created and I kept getting an error message saying I was using paid features and custom fields. Working with their support team is like banking your head against the wall.”

Monday.com

Monday.com is one of the free online collaboration tools that offers the most customizable workflows. You can build tailored dashboards by choosing from over 30 column types, enjoying Trello-like flexibility. 

It also supports file sharing and collaborative editing directly within the platform, making it a better option than Asana (which requires third-party integrations for this).

However, its automation setup requires extensive configuration, unlike free online collaboration tools like Teamplate where you can implement custom rules a couple of clicks. Another downside is that it requires external apps for data collection – even here, Template emerges as the winner as these functionalities are inbuilt. 

Pros	Cons
Highly customizable workflows with over 30 column types	Limited functionality in the free version
Robust timeline and Gantt chart for project tracking	New users will find some functions complicated
Advanced automation tools for tasks and notifications	Complex setup for smaller teams or simpler projects
Built-in file sharing and collaborative editing	Requires third-party integrations for more advanced reporting
	Automations are very limited even in paid-up, lower-tier plans
	Lacks built-in time tracking in basic plans
	Can become expensive, starting at $10/user/month.

What Monday.com Users Say

The steep learning curve is a recurring complaint for Monday.com users, with reviews mentioning the lack of intuitive interface for certain functionalities such as automation. Its mobile responsiveness also leaves a lot to be desired, so if you often work on the go you’re probably going to want to look at one of the other free online collaboration tools.

This is what user SpecialistTale7438 had to say:

“Monday’s mobile app isn’t great. It’s improved since the first time I used it but it lacks flexibility. The desktop experience is much better. One example of an area they can improve is the my tasks section. It’s supposed to provide us with a simple view of the tasks we need to complete but it doesn’t allow us to easily add filters to see what we want.

“Depending on the work we have to do, there are some tasks that repeat peat weekly and even daily. In other tools like Asana or Trello you can set up recurring tasks in literally like three clicks but on Monday it requires you to use automations. These processes use a system similar to that of IFTTT (if this then that) so it’s complicated and it takes too long to set up. I wish they made it simpler to set up these tasks.”

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams combines chat, video conferencing and document sharing in one platform that is very tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel and OneDrive.

It also offers robust video conferencing with features like breakout rooms, meeting recordings, and transcription services, making it a more comprehensive alternative to Zoom’s free tier, which lacks some advanced collaboration features. 

Moreover, it lacks flexibility in task management and workflow automation compared to tools like Teamplate. It does not offer customizable workflows or built-in task automations, requiring users to rely on third-party tools like Microsoft Power Automate for similar functionality, adding complexity to the process

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 apps	Free tier has a time cap for conference calls and doesn’t give access to integration and compliance tools.
Real-time document collaboration within the app	Microsoft 365 subscription starts at $4/user/month
Robust video conferencing with advanced features	Lacks built-in task management and workflow automation
Built-in security and compliance features	Requires Power Automate for advanced automations
	Limited customization for workflows compared to Teamplate
	External integrations needed for detailed project management
	Performance issues with large-scale video meetings
	Steep learning curve for non-Microsoft users

What Microsoft Teams Users Say

While Microsoft Teams is praised for its effortless integration with the Microsoft suite of apps, the user journey has come in for some serious flak, as have its pricing models. Here’s what user ‘janekslv’ had to say on TrustPilot:

“Horrible experience every time. Installs updates on start, not in background, so I’m late for the meeting. Sometimes it just shows white screen, then hangs and doesn’t connect. Common Excel files sent in chat are opened in-web for some reason, then it asks to register, sends an authorization code, asks me to register on Sharepoint. Endless problems which will make a stressful meeting worse. Avoid if you can.”

Google Workspaces

Google Workspace integrates Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Meet into a one platform, allowing all users to collaborate on documents in real-time without leaving the workspace. 

Unlike Microsoft 365, where apps function as standalone entities, it offers seamless interconnectivity, such as directly editing a Google Doc from within a Gmail thread. 

Google Workspace does not offer a completely free version, but there is a free tier for individuals called Google Workspace Essentials Starter, which provides limited access to some functionalities. However, it doesn’t offer 360 degree free services like other free online collaboration tools such as Teamplate.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Seamless integration across Google apps (Gmail, Drive, Docs)	Lacks advanced project management features
Real-time collaboration within documents	Limited offline functionality for apps like Docs and Sheets
Built-in Google Meet for video conferencing	Custom email domains are only available with paid plans
User-friendly interface for easy adoption	Limited administrative controls in lower-tier plans
	Only 15 GB is offered in free storage
	Paid subscriptions start at $6/user/month
	Advanced security features require higher-tier plans

What Google Workspaces Users Say

We found a number of complaints on reviewing site Gartner.com, detailing issues with unexpected charges and slow customer support. Here’s what some anonymous, but verified, users placed under the ‘Dislikes’ column:

• Offline functionality limitations, Integration with non-Google products, performance issues with large files

• Very divided environment with many functions that could be working in a more synchronized way and still in the same environment

Miro

This collaborative online whiteboard platform that allows your teams to create, share and edit visual content in real-time. It uses features like sticky notes, diagrams and flowcharts to facilitate brainstorming sessions. 

Miro excels in visual collaboration, especially for remote teams, compared to Trello or Asana, which focus more on task management rather than free-form idea generation. However, it lacks the more structured project tracking and timeline features of Teamplate or Monday.com.

Another significant limitation is that its free tier only allows for three editable boards, making it less suited for larger teams unless upgraded to the paid version.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Excellent for visual brainstorming and collaboration	Free plan limited to 3 boards
Real-time editing for remote teams	Paid plans start at $8/user/month
Integration with apps like Slack, Jira, and Google Workspace	Lacks structured project management tools
Wide variety of templates for different use cases	Advanced features, such as user permissions, are behind paywalls
	Difficult to manage large-scale projects with multiple dependencies
	Steeper learning curve for non-design-oriented teams

What Miro Users Say

While most Miro users enjoy the features of the app, the tool has attracted criticism for the UX-journey in terms of using the controls and the practicality of the way these are used. Here’s what user Hamid G had to say on GetApp.

“The usability of the software is a little difficult. While it’s a feature-rich program, it tried to emulate physical tools such as a white-board, but fails on several facets.”

Notion

Notion combines note-taking, task management and databases. It allows you to build custom pages with linked databases, making it more versatile than some other free online collaboration tools like Trello. 

While Notion’s real-time collaboration and commenting features allow teams to work together, it falls short compared to the deeper integration with email and in-app messaging offered by other software like Teamplate.

Additionally, Notion’s customization options can be overwhelming for new users, making it less user-friendly compared to the more streamlined setup of other free online collaboration tools.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Combines note-taking, databases, and task management	No built-in email or messaging features (requires integrations)
Highly customizable with relational databases	Steep learning curve for new users
Real-time collaboration and commenting	Free plan limits file uploads to 5MB per file
Templates available for a wide variety of use cases	Limited automation tools compared to alternatives like Teamplate
	Paid plans start at $8/user/month
	Overly complex for simple tasks

What Notion Users Say

While the platform is well-loved for its wiki-like functionalities, the free vs paid up membership options has given rise to more arguments than we can paste here. Suffice it to say that not only don’t you get many of the features that are necessary for good free online collaboration tools, but it’s also complicated to stop your subscription.

Here’s what user ‘toferr’ had to say on TrustPilot:

“I’m unable to remove my card, and they’ve charged me through an authomatic deduction. When I reached out via email to request a refund, they claimed they couldn’t process it because it’s been more than three days since the invoice.”

Slack

Slack offers real-time messaging, file sharing and integration with over 2,000 apps, allowing you to centralize workflows and discussions. Unlike Microsoft Teams, it offers customizable channels so you can organize conversations by projects or topics.

It also supports built-in automation through Workflow Builder, but it is less robust compared to the advanced automations available in Teamplate. One limitation of Slack is its relatively high pricing for advanced features, such as unlimited message history and larger file sharing, which are restricted to paid plans starting at $7.25 per user per month.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Highly customizable channels for organized conversations	Advanced features like message history not available for free
Integration with over 2,000 apps for workflow centralization	Lacks deep integration with office tools
Real-time messaging and file sharing	No built-in video recording feature
Workflow Builder for custom automations	Free plan limits message storage to 90 days
	Search functionality can become cumbersome in large workspaces
	Video conferencing limited to 15 participants in free version
	Paid plans start from $7.25/user/month

What Slack Users Say

The main issues users encountered with Slack are strongly related to the claim that it’s free. In reality, many functionalities are not available and the paid plans are quite expensive. What’s worse, if you attempt to use the paid features on a free plan you may find yourself unknowingly upgraded and facing a bill.

Here’s what user Eliam Puente wrote on TrustPilot:

“I signed up recently to test it out and a few days later they upgraded my account to a pro trial without my consent. The issue with this is if your team members start using pro services without knowing then you are basically force to pay for pro to keep any work that was done. I find this wrong. One thing is offering the customer a free pro trial and another thing is changing your account status without your permission.”

How We Chose The Best Free Collaboration Tools

The above list features the most popular brands in remote collaboration software. Our reviewers took into consideration several key elements that we look for in free online collaboration tools, mainly the following:

• Features – What range of features does the tool provide? Is it an all-in-one hub or will you need to use third party apps?
• Reviews – What do other users think about it? Are they satisfied with the tool’s performance?
• Scalability – How easy is it to grow with your organization? When your team grows, will you need to migrate to other free online collaboration tools?
• Free Features – Does the free version give you access to everything you need, or will you suddenly be faced with a bill, after all.

The Best Free Collaboration Tools at a Glance

Tool	Project Management	Document Editing	Team Communication	Video Conferencing	Task Management	File Storage	File Sharing	100% Free
Teamplate	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Trello	✓	x	x	x	✓	x	✓	x
Asana	✓	x	x	x	✓	x	✓	x
Monday.com	✓	x	x	x	✓	x	✓	x
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Teamplate: The Best Online Collaboration Tool With All Free Features Included

The jury’s in. Template wins hands down – it provides by far a much more comprehensive suite of free online collaboration tools than any of its competitors. All features are included for free, which means that your entire team will enjoy access to functionalities that are viewed as ‘advanced’ and requiring a paid plan by other competitors. Here’s a list of features you will be able to access for free when you migratei your remote team to Teamplate:

• Integrated email
• Instant Messaging
• Project management
• File sharing
• A secure Data Room
• Gantt and Kanban like functionalities
• Integrated calendar
• Team and personal spaces

Want to start using the best free remote team collaboration software. You’ll help your organization’s productivity soar through the sky. Click here to join Teamplate.

Since its inception in 2007, Teamwork has risen to prominence as a favored tool for managing projects and facilitating team collaboration. However, it’s important to acknowledge that Teamwork isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Various teams are on the lookout for different options that align more closely with their specific requirements and preferences.

Fortunately, there’s a wealth of alternatives to Teamwork available for monitoring and enhancing team productivity.

We will explore a range of other project management applications, focusing on their functionalities, benefits, limitations, cost, and user feedback. This exploration of Teamwork substitutes and their diverse offerings will equip you with the necessary knowledge to assess software effectiveness comprehensively, enabling you to choose the most appropriate platform for your team’s needs.

What Should You Look for in Teamwork Alternatives?

When searching for a suitable replacement for Teamwork, there are certain critical aspects you should prioritize to ensure the tool meets your team’s specific needs.

• Keep an eye for a platform that offers detailed reporting on the progress of projects, updates you on task completion, provides insights into the productivity of your team, and has effective time tracking features.
• Choose a platform with a straightforward, user-friendly interface. The dashboards should be clear and easy to navigate, ensuring that pages load quickly, especially as your projects grow in complexity and data volume.
• It’s essential to have a tool that allows you to have a clear overview of the project’s status, including the distribution of tasks, the prioritization of various project elements, and an understanding of potential risks.

Teamplate

Teamplate emerges as a robust alternative to Teamwork distinguishing itself as a versatile project management tool celebrated for its comprehensive array of sophisticated features. These features are meticulously crafted to simplify the process of task management, enabling the efficient handling of various project components like checklists, epics, and sprints. This innovative approach transforms the way teams tackle project management, introducing an elevated standard of organization and implementation.

At its foundation, Teamplate offers a broad spectrum of capabilities that inject both clarity and effectiveness into project administration. This potent solution is highly capable of accommodating teams of diverse sizes, granting them the ability to handle projects with notable accuracy and nimbleness. Teamplate transcends the rudimentary elements of project management, delivering a cohesive platform that adapts to the changing nature of team collaboration and project progression.

Key Features:

• Teamplate enables teams to seamlessly generate and oversee epics, providing a comprehensive view of project advancement and fostering a deep understanding of project goals.
• By highlighting the critical role of timing in project management, Teamplate’s sprint feature allows teams to segment work into manageable pieces, concentrating on specific tasks within set periods. This approach not only boosts efficiency but also assists in monitoring project progression.
• Teamplate surpasses basic tools by integrating agile methodologies, equipping teams to thrive in fast-paced project settings.
• The user-centric interface of Teamplate prioritizes task management over the complexity of features, positioning it as a prime choice for companies of varying sizes.
• Teamplate’s checklist functionality adopts a detailed approach to task breakdown, ensuring thorough supervision and oversight.

Advantages of Teamplate:

• The synergistic blend of checklists, epics, and sprints provides unmatched flexibility in project management, diminishing uncertainty in project execution.
• Adaptable to both small teams and large corporations, Teamplate’s per-user pricing model serves a broad spectrum of business requirements.
• Embracing agile practices guarantees quick adjustment to evolving project conditions.
• A straightforward interface facilitates rapid adoption and smooth operation.
• Promotes collaboration with tools specifically designed for effective communication and joint decision-making.

Pricing:

• Available as a ‘Free Forever’ plan.

ClickUp

ClickUp stands as a comprehensive project management solution, tailored for adaptability across a wide range of teams. It’s ideal for diverse groups, from software companies with multifunctional teams to agencies coordinating with clients.

For teams aiming for increased speed and productivity, ClickUp offers a host of potent features designed to enhance time management and workload efficiency.

Advantages of ClickUp:

• Highly adaptable dashboards that allow team members to visualize their daily tasks, establish tasks, and improve resource management.
• Facilitates goal setting and tracking through the organization of OKRs and milestones, coupled with real-time progress reporting.
• Offers a vast selection of pre-designed templates for various tasks and needs, which can be personalized to fit specific requirements and automate workflows.

Limitations of ClickUp:

• For those new to robust project management software, there may be a learning curve to fully grasp and utilize all of ClickUp’s advanced functionalities.
• The free version is limited to 100MB of storage, but this limitation is removed with the affordable $5 per month plan.

Pricing:

• Free Forever
• Unlimited: $5/month per user
• Business: $12/month per user
• Business Plus: $19/month per user
• Enterprise: Contact for pricing

ProofHub

ProofHub stands out as a notable alternative among various teamwork-focused project management tools. It centralizes project management activities, offering an all-in-one solution. Its features include task boards for efficient work organization, discussion threads for team communication, and an integrated calendar for deadline tracking. This project management tool is both user-friendly and cost-effective, making it an ideal option for teams aiming to enhance their workflow, monitor project progress, utilize Gantt charts, and handle complex tasks.

Advantages of ProofHub:

• Offers Gantt charts and Kanban boards, essential tools for teams in delivering projects.
• Includes time tracking and invoicing, along with other financial tools, making it a comprehensive project management solution.
• Supports integrations with leading cloud storage applications.
• Provides a robust mobile app tailored for project managers.
• Features built-in collaboration and discussion tools, fostering effective team communication.

Limitations of ProofHub:

• Faces some constraints in terms of integrations with widely-used business apps and software.
• Training resources are somewhat limited and might present challenges in project execution for some users.

Pricing:

• Essential: $45/month per user
• Ultimate Control: $89/month per user

Freedcamp

Freedcamp stands out as a simplistic yet efficient alternative among other project management tools, offering a fuss-free approach to project management. It’s equipped with fundamental project management tool features that project managers often seek, including task management, time tracking, and a calendar view. This configuration makes it exceptionally straightforward for managing tasks and monitoring project progress.

Advantages of Freedcamp:

• Task lists are central in Freedcamp, enabling teams to assign and oversee tasks, track project progress and status, and share essential resources like documents and graphics across various tasks.
• The platform integrates team calendars on its dashboard, which is instrumental for teams to visualize all assigned tasks and priorities, thus facilitating efficient planning.
• Time management features are also available, allowing for tracking the time dedicated to each task and creating invoices as necessary.

Limitations of Freedcamp:

• Compared to other project management tools, Freedcamp’s basic dashboard design can make it a bit cumbersome to locate essential features such as discussions and reporting without conducting a search.
• Freedcamp offers fewer native integrations in contrast to other project management tools, which might limit its functionality in broader project management scenarios.

Pricing:

• Free: Unlimited projects and tasks
• Minimalist: $1.49/month per user
• Business: $7.49/month per user
• Enterprise: $16.99/month per user

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams stands out not only as a communication platform but also as one of the best teamwork alternatives for comprehensive project management. Excelling in task management, it integrates flawlessly with the entire Microsoft Office Suite, positioning itself as a valuable asset in project planning and handling projects. As a teamwork alternative, Teams provides video conferencing, file sharing, and tailored collaboration spaces, making it more than just a chat tool but rather the best project management tool for teams seeking to manage projects with efficiency.

Advantages of Microsoft Teams:

• Simplified integration with other Microsoft apps such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, crucial for effective project planning and task management.
• Supports real-time document collaboration, a key feature for teams tackling complex projects.
• Offers video meetings and screen sharing, enhancing communication and collaboration, essential aspects of the best teamwork practices.

Limitations of Microsoft Teams:

• For larger teams, the pricing plans can be a consideration, especially when comparing with other best teamwork alternatives.
• Potential compatibility issues arise if a team doesn’t exclusively use Microsoft products and tools, which is an important factor when considering all the tools necessary for effective project management.

Pricing:

• Free: Basic features with limitations
• Microsoft 365 Business Essentials: $4/per user/month
• Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $6/per user/month
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50/per user/month

Slack

Slack has gained widespread recognition as a leading business application for team communication, making it one of the best teamwork alternatives, particularly with its native chat functionalities. Imagine a user-friendly platform where all forms of communication are efficiently organized into specific channels. Slack transforms the way teams communicate by replacing the clutter of emails with a more organized, streamlined approach, enhancing team communication.

Yet, it’s important to note that Slack doesn’t provide many in-built features that cater directly to task management, project planning, and managing resources, which are crucial in handling complex projects.

Advantages of Slack:

• Enables direct messaging and video calls, vital for effective team communication.
• Offers file sharing capabilities, an essential feature for teamwork alternatives.
• Boasts robust security and privacy features.
• Provides integration with numerous popular third-party apps, making it a versatile tool in project management.

Limitations of Slack:

• Users may experience performance issues during times of high usage.
• The abundance of communication options and frequent notifications can become overwhelming and distracting.
• Lacks extensive native features for tracking tasks and other detailed aspects of managing projects not related to communication and collaboration, which might prompt a need for additional project management softwares to ensure all the tools needed for comprehensive project management are at hand.

Pricing:

• Free
• Pro: $7.25/month per user
• Business Plus: $12.50/month per user
• Enterprise: Contact for pricing

Taskworld

Taskworld emerges as a standout project management solution, particularly as a teamwork alternative, focusing on enhancing collaboration among team members and managing tasks effectively. It provides an all-in-one platform where you can craft visual project timelines, delegate tasks, and engage in team communications.

Advantages of Taskworld:

• Task management in Taskworld is streamlined and intuitive, allowing teams to monitor project progress with ease using handy checklists to track each task’s advancement.
• The platform boasts intuitive project dashboards, making it easy to understand and quick to navigate, thus enhancing team performance and making it one of the best teamwork alternatives.
• Includes features like time tracking and Gantt charts, vital for managing recurring tasks and keeping a close eye on deliverables and timelines.

Limitations of Taskworld:

• The platform could benefit from a broader range of external app integration options, which are key in comprehensive project management solutions.
• Taskworld users may find challenges in importing data from other platforms and tools, which can be a limitation when transitioning from different project management systems.

Pricing:

• Free: Basic features with limitations
• Premium: $8/month per user
• Business: $15/month per user
• Enterprise: Contact for pricing 

Celoxis

Celoxis is a project management platform that excels as one of the best teamwork alternatives, particularly suitable for teams that focus on detailed and precise project execution. Its affordability makes it a viable option for most teams, even though it may not have the advanced features or numerous integration options found in the best teamwork alternative platforms. Its standout feature is its high customizability, which is essential in resource planning and delivering projects.

Advantages of Celoxis:

• Highly customizable workflows and project management features, pivotal for effective resource planning and task management.
• Offers flexible customization for dashboards, enabling users to create an interface that best suits their project management needs.
• Boasts an array of project templates complete with ready-to-use KPIs, a key feature for efficiently assigning tasks and tracking progress.

Limitations of Celoxis:

• The user interface of the mobile app can be cumbersome, which might affect the efficiency of managing projects on the go.
• Compared to other teamwork alternatives, Celoxis lacks features for billing and invoicing, which could be crucial for teams that need comprehensive capabilities in their project management platform for time tracking and file sharing.

Pricing:

• Cloud: $25/month per user
• On-Premise: Contact for pricing

Workzone

Workzone stands out in the landscape of popular project management solutions and teamwork alternatives in 2024. It offers a user-friendly platform with a well-rounded suite of features, aiding in effective workload management. Workzone excels in task management, project templates, and time tracking. Its unique offering includes personalized to-do lists and straightforward workload reports, enhancing overall team performance and resource allocation.

Ideal for remote teams requiring a balance between simplicity and functionality, Workzone simplifies project management, integrating features like calendar management and communication tools without overwhelming users. However, its pricing may be a consideration for smaller teams.

Advantages of Workzone:

• Features an outstanding dashboard providing a comprehensive overview of teams, projects, and clients, crucial for workflow automation and keeping track of multiple elements.
• Includes convenient to-do lists and automated email reminders, helping users to efficiently assign tasks and prioritize their workload.
• Boasts robust file management tools and is known for its exceptional customer service.
• Incorporates Kanban boards, aiding in visualizing tasks and project progress.

Limitations of Workzone:

• Does not offer a free version beyond the trial period.
• The platform’s interface can feel outdated and less intuitive, particularly when it comes to task assignments and setting priorities.
• Users may find the volume of emails for project updates excessive, which could affect the efficiency of communication within teams, an important aspect of teamwork competitors.

Pricing:

• Team: $24/month per user
• Professional: $34/month per user
• Enterprise: $42/month per user

Podio

Podio shines in the world of simple project management with its highly customizable platform, offering a unique space for crafting your ideal work management system. This tool stands out for its ability to let users design their own workflows, ensuring a personalized management experience.

Select the modules that suit your needs, integrate your favorite apps, and even customize your dashboards to your liking. Beyond its flexibility, Podio enhances team connectivity with integrated chat and video features, promoting a transparent and collaborative work environment.

Podio is all about empowering users with the freedom to manage work their way, making it an ideal choice for businesses seeking both flexibility and control in their work processes.

Advantages of Podio:

• Offers extremely customizable and intuitive project dashboards, simplifying the creation and automation of tasks, especially recurring tasks.
• The platform boasts a well-designed interface, aligning with the needs of simple project management.

Limitations of Podio:

• A noticeable lack of regular updates and new feature development.
• Customer support is limited to enterprise clients.
• Users may experience frequent downtime.
• Data remains isolated within various apps, restricting its use across the entire platform.
• The design is not optimized for mobile use, posing challenges in today’s mobile-centric work environments.

Pricing:

• Free
• Plus: $14/month per user
• Premium: $24/month per user 

Find the Best Teamwork Substitute for Your Team

If your current experience with Teamwork isn’t meeting your team’s needs, rest assured that there are numerous alternatives available in the realm of project management tools. While many options exist, Teamplate stands out as a compelling choice. Its comprehensive feature set, user-friendly interface, and adaptability to various project methodologies make it a strong contender.

By considering Teamplate, your team can benefit from enhanced collaboration, streamlined workflows, and increased productivity. Its ability to handle complex projects while maintaining a clear focus on essential tasks is a testament to its effectiveness.

So, if you’re seeking a project management tool that can elevate your team’s performance and drive success, Teamplate is well worth exploring.