20 Best Monday.com Alternatives for Project Management in 2023

Why you need Monday.com Alternatives

Designed to come across as colorful and friendly, Monday aims to help you kick your case of the Monday blues through the use of its software. Monday markets itself as a “work operating system” capable of helping teams manage everything from their everyday workloads to complex team projects. However, its inviting interface doesn’t mean it’s capable of handling your project needs. In fact, its lack of features leaves busy teams wanting something more. This comprehensive list of free and paid Monday.com alternatives should help you find the best solution for your team. 

Ranking the top Monday Alternatives for Project Management

Compared to #1 rated Workzone, Monday ranks third in major project management categories. Monday comes close in functionality, but falls short in Value for Money and Customer Support at leading software review sites Capterra, Software Advice, and GetApp. Data as of April 1, 2022

About the #1 Ranked Monday Alternative: Workzone

Better visibility to your team’s work

Monday excels at managing simple task lists but lacks visibility in some key areas.

Only Workzone lets users see all their projects in one glance on its Project Dashboard.

See it in Action

Expert project managers by your side

Monday offers a free trial, but limited personalized onboarding and support.

Workzone provides unlimited support for every customer. No other software on the market offers such an extensive onboarding and training process included with their subscription

Learn more

Everything you need to manage your projects

Monday offers an updated interface but lacks the most critical tools most teams need to be successful.

Perfected over 20 years, Workzone combines ease of use with robust functionality. Giving you access to advanced features that help you manage projects more successfully.

View the product tour

Comparing Monday to it’s Top Competitor

Top 20 Monday.com Alternatives for Project Management

1. Workzone

Workzone, based outside Philadelphia, PA, has been a major player in the project management world for over 18 years. Because of its ability to handle more complex work but retain its usability, Workzone makes the top of this list of Monday.com alternatives.

Pros: Priding itself on being more than just a software solution, Workzone understands the importance of support and focuses on providing the training and service needed to drive sustained project management success.

Compared to Monday.com, Workzone shines:

• Project dashboards that provide you with a portfolio view of all your teams’ projects
• Personalized to-do lists that help keep team members on track
• Customized project request forms, approvals workflows, and reporting features
• Securely associate, share, and store your documents by project and task
• Set security permission levels by project and document, so people only see what’s appropriate
• Interactive Gantt Charts and Calendars for visual big-picture project tracking
• Unlimited support and comprehensive onboarding plans, so your team gets up to speed quickly

Cons: Some users report that navigation can be improved.

Review: “Workzone is a great project management software for collaboration among teams. It is robust and easy to use. It works well for decentralized teams as it is cloud-hosted. Another thing I like most about Workzone is their exemplary customer support. With Workzone, you can easily monitor the progress of your project. The automatic email reminders about priority project tasks to team members is also a nice feature.” – Source: G2

2. Basecamp

Basecamp has made it onto this list of Monday.com alternatives due to their similar feature sets, specifically designed for smaller teams handling less complex work. Its user-friendly interface and essential features streamline project management, allowing teams to collaborate efficiently and track progress without unnecessary extra functionalities.

Pros:

• Experience a user-friendly interface with an effortlessly intuitive design
• Say goodbye to clutter and remain on track with only the essential project management tools
• Stay connected on-the-go with the mobile app

Cons: Basecamp only allows users to view one project at a time, making it difficult to keep track of multiple projects simultaneously, especially for teams working on various tasks concurrently. Additionally, the absence of features such as dependency tracking and workload reports further limits the tool’s effectiveness in managing complex projects. These limitations make it challenging to identify potential delays and address them promptly, potentially jeopardizing the timely delivery of project deliverables.

Pricing:

• $15/Month/User
• $299/Month – Unlimited users

Need project management software more like Basecamp? Check out our list of the top alternatives.

3. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 makes communication a breeze, simplifies task assignment, and enables easy progress tracking. It also offers powerful sales automation features, streamlining the entire sales process. Overall, Bitrix24 empowers teams to collaborate effectively and achieve their goals with ease.

Pros:

• Bring all your conversations, projects, and company updates together in one place
• Choose between self-hosted or cloud-hosted options
• Boost your business operations with a suite of 35 seamlessly integrated tools

Cons: Each tier of Bitrix24 has set limits for storage, number of tasks and projects, communication volume, and more. This makes it complicated to figure out which option is right for your team, and you may end up having to select a higher cost model just because you need a higher limit on one or two features.  

Pricing:

• $43/Month for 5 users
• $87-175/Month 50-100
• users $325/Month/250 Users

4. Freedcamp

With Freedcamp, you have access to essential features, unlimited storage, and seamless collaboration. You can customize permissions and roles for effective teamwork. Their robust free plan supports your needs and nurtures growth. Whether you’re a solo-entrepreneur or part of a team, Freedcamp has you covered for unlimited possibilities.

Pros:

• Freedcamp’s active user warning system is a game-changer when it comes to saving you money. 
• No matter which plan you choose, you’ll enjoy the benefits of unlimited tasks, projects, and storage.
• And to top it off, Freedcamp offers a 14-day free trial for all plans, allowing you to experience its full potential without any commitment.

Cons: The speed and dependency of support are contingent upon the plan you choose. Additionally, completing sub tasks does not automatically mark the parent task as completed. There is a learning curve associated with using Freedcamp, and some users may find the number of notifications overwhelming. The homepage can also be overwhelming due to its abundance of information, and the user interface may be confusing for some.

Pricing:

• Free
• $1.49-7.49/Month/User
• $16.99/Month/User

Want to improve you project planning process? Check out this list of 46 Project Planning Quotes to help you reach your goals.

5. JIRA

Atlassian’s flagship product, JIRA, is a leader in DevOps.

Pros: Highly customizable, this tool can support Scrum, Lean, or Kanban project methods. You can also create great reports within the tool for road mapping and agile project management. Plus, JIRA has issue tracking and prioritization abilities.

Cons: If your team isn’t technical and you don’t work on software development projects, then JIRA isn’t a great choice. Its main strengths are for bug tracking and issue tracking, rather than other areas of project management. Plus, the tool has a language all its own that can be difficult to learn.

Pricing: Free, Standard ($7/user/month), and Premium ($14/user/month.)

Check out more Jira alternatives here.

6. Mavenlink

Mavenlink is a project management tool that includes robust resource and task tracking capability. It also includes finance-tracking functionality. 

Pros: Mavenlink includes detailed security permissioning, which is critical if you have a highly sensitive project with a lot of security and access concerns. The tool is also highly customizable and offers many advanced project features. 

Cons: Due to the complexity of the tool and the lack of training and support, the learning curve is steep. If you’re not handling high-security projects, the permissioning requirements may be aggravating for your team. Every user must be invited to a project to participate, and there is no ability to add an admin user who can be a central manager of the tool. 

Pricing: Starts at $19/user/month; Enterprise packages quoted separately

Check out more Mavenlink alternatives here.

7. NutCache

NutCache has a clear, focused vision: to help you team up, organize, track, and deliver projects.

Pros: Designed around the project delivery lifecycle, Nutcache aims to help you capture everything from the project estimate to the client billing within one system. If you handle a lot of small projects and bill your clients hourly, this tool could be a great option for your team.   

Cons: Nutcache still retains some of the usability issues stemming from its original use as an accounting firm’s invoicing software. While it has grown into project management software over time, it’s still missing some of the traditional functions such as Gantt Charts and customizable templates. Nutcache also only supports the Agile methodology of project management.

Pricing: $6 – $12/month/user

8. Podio

Based in the US, Podio is an “all-in-one” collaboration solution that is based on the idea of an “open-plan online office.” Podio makes this list of Monday.com alternatives because it offers a similar “all-in-one” feature set.

Pros: Podio has social features like peer recognition and sharing built right in, which is unique for a project management tool. It’s also a flexible and customizable tool that was designed with mobile in mind and tends to work great when used as an app. 

Cons: Podio lacks a built-in project structure, so if you don’t already have a strong internal method for planning and managing projects, you could end up with a mess. The tool is also missing some key PM features such as an all-projects dashboard or portfolio view. 

Pricing: Free, Basic ($9/user/month), Plus ($14/user/month,) and Premium ($24/user/month.)

9. ProjectLibre

ProjectLibre is another unique solution on this list. It is the only tool here that offers free, open-source software. 

Pros: ProjectLibre boasts some of the best Gantt chart features on the market. Thanks to its user-friendliness and versatility, it’s used by large and small businesses alike. The tool is also compatible with other software such as Microsoft Project, Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.

Cons: The ProjectLibre interface is awkward, and it doesn’t have great UX, so your team may struggle with it. Plus, there are none of the extras that most paid solutions have, and while a cloud version is in the works, currently you’re limited to the desktop version. 

Pricing: Free for the desktop version. The cloud version will have a monthly subscription cost when released; prices not announced

10. ProjectManager.com

Primarily designed for customers in the IT industry, ProjectManager.com is as if Trello and TeamGantt were combined. ProjectManager makes the list of Monday.com alternatives because it adds features IT teams love.

Pros: If you have an IT team that loves the Kanban method of project management, this tool could be an excellent option. Many users find this software user-friendly and effective in helping keep various projects and teams organized. It also helps you manage and report progress, track time, and collaborate.

Cons: Projectmanager lacks subtasks with limited filtering. There is also a lack of customization, especially for alerts and reports. While Kanban is a popular project method, it’s not great for managing long or complex projects. 

Pricing: $15-$25/user per month.

Check out more Basecamp alternatives here.

11. Asana

With a lot of weight behind its name because of heavy venture capital funding, Asana is a popular project management software solution. Asana makes the list of Monday.com alternatives because they are similar tools geared towards less complex work.

Pros: Asana is a well-designed software solution that is a regular hit with small teams. At various pricing levels, teams can add more traditional project management features as their projects grow. Asana also offers plenty of integration capability and multiple ways to manage projects. 

Cons: As your team grows their projects in complexity and number, Asana may have trouble keeping up. A major drawback of Asana lies in having to rely on adding plugins and modules in order to scale. The software also has limited reporting and comes with no onboarding help. 

Pricing: Free – $24.99/month/user; Enterprise quoted upon request. 

Check out our article on the best Asana alternatives…

12. Redbooth

Redbooth is a user-friendly task and project management tool that was designed to help teams improve their productivity.

Pros: Redbooth allows you to generate interactive Gantt charts for your projects. The tool also boasts clean simplicity and an intuitive design that many find easy to use. Plus, Redbooth offers some more advanced features such as assignable subtasks, productivity reports, and more. 

Cons: Users complain that the software’s customization capability is limited and that it doesn’t allow you to mass upload tasks or data from Excel. If you’re currently tracking projects on a spreadsheet or want to transition from another software, switching to Redbooth could be a nightmare. 

Pricing: Free to $15/month/user.

13. Smartsheet 

As a well-funded venture-backed company, Smartsheet offers a “work management” tool designed around spreadsheets.

Pros: If you love spreadsheets but are looking for something that helps address the problems of managing projects in Excel, then Smartsheet might be a good option. It was designed to combine power with a traditional spreadsheet –- You can still utilize classic Excel formulas, but now you also get some traditional project management features such as Critical Path management.

Cons: Because Smartsheet was built to mimic a spreadsheet, its interface is limited. Plus, people can create an unlimited number of “sheets” like in Microsoft Excel. Without a way to control this, you may end up stuck with many of the same problems of Excel, such as a slowed down or constantly crashing system.

Pricing: Individual for $14/month, Team for $15/user/month, Business for $25/user/month, and Enterprise, which is quoted separately.

Don’t miss our article on the best Smartsheet alternatives…

14. TeamGantt

As you can likely guess from its name, TeamGantt is built around Gantt charts. Much like Basecamp, it’s primarily a Gantt chart tool with commenting functionality. 

Pros: If your team loves Gantt charts, they may love TeamGantt. Its interface is designed around focusing on who is assigned which tasks on a certain timeline. The Gantt charts in the tool are flexible and dynamic and offer an easy way to manage projects.

Cons: Gantt charts are great, but most mid-size project management tools offer Gantt chart capabilities within their tools, as well as other important project management functionality that this software is missing. You also can’t upload projects from Excel or MS Project — only manual entry. So, if you’re switching from another system, transferring the data will likely be a nightmare. 

Pricing: Free–$62/month for up to five users.

15. Teamwork

Teamwork is similar to Trello in that it is a drag and drop card-based system designed to support Kanban project management. But, unlike Trello, it comes with some advanced reporting features.

Pros: If your team uses Kanban, but needs more functionality than Trello, Teamwork could be the perfect solution. Some stand-out features include privacy and permissions, real-time team member status updates, and invoice tracking. Teamwork also offers a full suite of productivity tools such as a sales CRM, chat, and help desk software that you can integrate with its project management software. 

Cons: Teamwork suffers a lack of advanced project management features. Users also complain about the inability to bulk move tasks –- everything must be done individually, which is time-consuming. Another common pet peeve is that there is no way to save filters within the software. You must apply them again each time. 

Pricing: Small Office plan for $44.92/month, Professional plan for $136.58, Business plan for $228.25/month, and Enterprise plan, which is quoted upon request.

16. Trello

Trello is a popular drag and drop card-based project management system designed for the Kanban methodology. It’s similar to using sticky notes to track which phase of a project different tasks are in. Trello makes the list of monday.com alternatives because of its similarity in lightweight usage.

Pros: Trello is generally very easy to use and mostly free –- which is why it’s one of the most popular project tools on this list. With Trello, you can invite outside members, such as clients, to view or collaborate on specific project boards. It’s also easy to share task lists and drag and drop ‘cards’ to show movements in task progress. 

Cons: Although great for task management, Trello has limited functionality when it comes to managing projects. You cannot link tasks or track dependencies. It also doesn’t have the ability to monitor budgets or estimates. Trello lacks the project oversight and reporting features of more powerful tools.

Pricing: Free – $20.83/user per month.

17. Wrike

Wrike is a project management system built around the concept of using folders to organize work.

Pros: Wrike offers many ways to manage projects, as well as many options for viewing them. It has timelines, Gantt Charts, Kanban boards, and cards so your team members can work how they want. The tool also offers robust API/Integrations. 

Cons: Wrike is so customizable that it feels a little unfocused, which can make it hard to learn. The tool tries to be everything to everyone – at the cost of usability. Plus, because the tool was originally designed as a document-sharing solution, you’re stuck with a hard-to-navigate folder system. 

Pricing: Free – $36.40/user/month with Enterprise plans quoted separately.

Here’s our list of top Wrike alternatives…

18. Zenkit

Zenkit may be best described as an all-in-one collaboration suite that includes bug tracking, project management, CRM, and invoicing.

Pros: If you’re in the software development field and want a tool that helps with project visualization, then Zenkit is worth considering. It offers member-level swimlanes for your Kanban board and allows you to input time estimates for tasks or Sprints. 

Cons: “All-in-one” solutions suffer the same flaw –- trying to do too many things makes them less than excellent in any one area. If you need advanced features, this isn’t the right tool. Also, if you don’t use agile project methodologies, you won’t find Zenkit useful.

Pricing: Personal (Free), Plus ($9/user/month), Business ($25/user/month), and Enterprise (quoted upon request.)

19. Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project has been used in project management for years. Professionals and major enterprises with official Project Management Offices still use it today. Microsoft Project is a project and task management tool that enables all project managers to keep on top of the constantly changing demands of their jobs with flexibility.

Pros: MS Project provides the ability to be extremely detailed in your planning and integrates MS Planning into their software to be even more extensive with project management. The ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in one view is also beneficial. 

Cons: When it comes to storing files in Microsoft Project, only some can be opened by this system or managers have to go out of their way to create formats that are compatible with other various programs. This causes a decrease in productivity. 

Pricing: $12.80 – $70.40/user/month for cloud-based solutions, and $769 – $1,719 for on-premise solutions, with project servers quoted individually.

Need more Microsoft Project alternatives? Here’s a list of the best MS Project alternatives.

20. Workfront

Workfront enhances openness and enables real-time collaboration from all over as a single work platform. Users can easily explore, prioritize, and allocate work, and automate workflows and run reports to track progress.

Pros: Workfront is a great software for medium to large companies or corporations. It is filled with features that are a bit more complex but offered at a great price. 

Cons: As an alternative to Monday, Workfront has a steeper learning curve and requires more training in order to be able to use the software effectively.

Pricing: Not public, request pricing

Need more enterprise-level solutions like Workfront? Check out our comprehensive list here.

21. AdaptiveWork (Formerly Clarizen)

Clarizen is a sought-after project management software with a sleek interface that empowers employees to be more efficient. It offers exceptional features, flexible pricing plans, and a valuable free trial. Its precise methodology allows for easy project initiation and re-planning, seamlessly integrating changes within the company.

Pros:

• Clarizen is a versatile personal assistant that helps organize a wide range of tasks such as work reports and note-taking.
• Its primary objective is to streamline and adapt to all your management needs, making it user-friendly for all organizations.
• The interface is designed to simplify administrative tasks, and all modules are easily accessible.

Cons:

• The application lacks proper reporting tools.
• Though the selection of integrations with other cloud apps is growing, more could be added.
• It’s not user-friendly and requires proper training to use efficiently.
• The options for exporting timesheets into other formats are limited.

Pricing:

• Unavailable – Contact Sales

Conclusion

If you’re considering Monday.com alternatives, this comprehensive list of the best project management software should help you find the right solution for your team. 

If you’re still trying to decide which software to select, check out our Buyer’s Guide for tips on determining your needs and evaluating your options. 

Remember to consider not only the technical features of the tool, but also the onboarding, training, and support offerings. 

Our battle-tested adoption process, unlimited training, and ongoing quarterly support calls have proven to be 2.7x more effective at helping businesses adopt consistent project management habits.

Does your team need a project management tool that the whole team will adopt and use? Workzone may be just the ticket…

Ready to try a Monday.com alternative?