Trello is the best kanban tool currently available, which is why our Trello review was full of praise and why it regularly tops our list of best kanban apps. However, while Trello does kanban boards very well and offers space for unlimited users, it has shortcomings in other areas. So we have put together a roundup to help you find the best Trello alternative for your needs.
Key Takeaways: Top Trello Alternatives
- Trello is the best project management software for fans of kanban boards, but if you want more views or need a slightly more advanced project management tool, you have many options.
- monday.com is our best overall pick as a Trello alternative thanks to its well-rounded set of tools and the Standard plan, which opens up many powerful features.
- We have listed Trello alternatives to suit every budget, so you’ll find a great mix of free and paid software here to help you easily manage your projects.
Perhaps you don’t like that Trello only offers kanban boards, or it could be that Trello’s pricing structure is not your cup of tea. On the other hand, you may need more advanced reports or better security. Whatever it is you’re looking for, we’re sure that the project management tools we have selected in this roundup will help scratch your project management itch.
There are plenty of project management software fish in the sea, but monday.com is the best Trello alternative for most tasks. Still, we would be remiss to stop with our suggestions there. Let’s crack on and take a look at the 10 best Trello alternatives.
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12/09/2021 Facts checked
Revamped the criteria and completely reworked the list with more entries.
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02/25/2023 Facts checked
Our Trello alternatives guide has been rewritten with new information and uses an easier-to-read format.
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Trello is a free project management platform that offers a number of features that will help your project progress. However, Trello also offers a couple of paid plans that add a few more tools for large teams that need them.
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The most significant disadvantage of Trello is that the software is almost entirely dependent on kanban boards. If you prefer something other than kanban boards, like Gantt charts, a timeline view or task lists, Trello is not for you.
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Project managers and team members will be pleased to know that dozens of workflow management tools can take the place of Trello. Have a look at our roundup and take the various free trials for a spin until you find a project management alternative that works for you.
Top Trello Board Alternatives
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What Is the Best Trello Alternative: Free & Paid Options
While Trello sets the standard for customizable kanban boards, its strength is also its biggest weakness. Compared to the alternative project management software listed below, Trello comes up quite short in the features department. All 10 of the Trello alternatives we have listed below outperform Trello in at least one area.
- monday.com — An all-rounder that can easily handle complex projects
- Wrike — A good free plan, views galore and robust features
- Asana — Beautiful, easy to use and feature-packed
- ClickUp — User-friendly, packed with features and competitively priced
- nTask — Budget-friendly software with lots of bells and whistles
- TeamGantt — For Gantt chart lovers who appreciate integration options
- Basecamp — For project managers who value collaboration
- Jira — A fantastic project management tool that’s adored by Agile teams
- Airtable — Easy to learn, use and master; solid free plan
- Todoist — A simple list-based project management tool
We’re sure that there’s at least one piece of project management software on this list that will do everything you need to manage projects more efficiently.
Why Do I Need a Trello Alternative?
There are many reasons why you might be here with us today. However, the top reason is likely that Trello doesn’t do or offer something you need to manage projects. The software we use has to make our lives easier; otherwise, it will end up being counterproductive.
Your reasons could range from needing a Gantt chart (TeamGantt is excellent for that), or maybe you need more than 10 projects in a free plan (which Asana offers). You may need better communication tools without integrations. There are several reasons why you and your team members might need an alternative project management tool.
Here’s the deal: Trello is great at what it does and can be even more powerful with integrations. However, not everyone wants to rely on third-party integrations to get the job done. Trello’s limited views, lack of task dependencies and light communication solutions hold the software back. The good news is that there are plenty of Trello alternatives for you to try.
The Best Free Alternative to Trello
The great thing about most of the Trello alternatives we’ve listed in this roundup is that they offer robust free plans. So don’t let cost be a deciding factor when picking your next software.
There are plenty of free Trello alternatives that will please company accountants and project managers. So have a look at the list below and pick the best free Trello alternative that’s right for you.
The 10 Best Alternatives to Trello
You’ve seen our list of alternative project management software options, and we’ve talked about why it may be time for you to seek out different solutions. Now, let’s take a closer look at Trello’s competitors.
1. monday.com
More details about monday.com:
- Pricing: Free, $8 per month (one-year plan) per user
- Provider website: monday.com
Pros:
- Easy to learn & use
- More feature rich than Trello
- Fun to use interface
Cons:
- Free & Basic plans are lacking
- Kanban board Trello’s
Our top pick for a Trello alternative is monday.com. This project management software is easy to use, easy on the eye and does everything Trello does and much more without relying on multiple integrations. You can read more about this in our monday.com vs Trello guide.
Because so many tools are baked into monday.com, users get a smooth, seamless experience, which Trello users who use lots of integrations and plug-ins don’t always get. Gone will be the days when you have to hope all the services you use will play nice together. You and your team members can log in to monday.com and get cracking. Find out more in our monday.com review.
Manage Multiple Projects With Ease
While Trello features a dashboard, it pales in comparison to the dashboard in monday.com’s software. The dashboard is customizable and can display views, project progress widgets and workload data. The dashboard is available in the free plan but comes into its own in the paid plans, as it can display information from multiple tasks and projects. It’s a game-changer.
To unlock most of Trello’s features, you’ll pay $10 per user per month or $8 per user per month on the annual plan.
Amazingly, monday.com’s Standard plan, which has more key features, is $12 per user per month and just $10 per month when paid yearly. This value and the overall ease of use make monday.com the best alternative to Trello. Find out more about monday.com’s paid plans, and don’t forget about your free trial.
- Maximum users: 2, Kanban Board, & list
- Minimum users: 3, Price per user, Basic features
- Minimum users: 3, Price per user, Expanded features
- Minimum users: 3, Price per user, Advanced features
- Enterprise-level features.
2. Wrike
More details about Wrike:
- Pricing: Free, $9.80 per month (one-year plan)
- Provider website: wrike.com
Pros:
- Lots of views
- Good security features
- Comprehensive free version
Cons:
- Bland UI
- Questionable privacy policy
If you like the idea of using a platform that offers a kanban board view, but you want more views to organize tasks, Wrike should be on your radar. You should also know that Wrike placed highly in our roundup of best kanban apps. While Wrike’s UI might be less visually impressive than most, its feature set and workflow tools help make it a great Trello alternative.
Wrike is also better than Trello when it comes to project reports. Project managers who love to take deep dives into their projects will be in reporting nirvana. Organizations will also love that Wrike’s security is better than most. To learn more about Wrike’s advanced reports, security and how they impact project management, read our Wrike review.
Views Equal Versatility
Wrike places high on our list of best Trello alternatives due to the views it offers and other key features. Throughout the different paid plans, Wrike users will find a kanban board, easy-to-use Gantt charts, workload and resource planning views, calendars, tables and dashboards. The views work seamlessly with each other and make it easy to assign tasks.
Like other project management software options, Wrike offers a comprehensive free plan, which should be enough for many users. What’s impressive, though, is that Wrike’s Team plan, which eclipses Trello’s equivalent plan in every area, is cheaper than Trello at just $9.80 per user per month. To find out how Wrike stacks up to Trello, check out our Trello vs Wrike comparison.
- Unlimited users. Basic features.
- Price is per user. Plans for 5, 10 and 15 users.
- Price is per user. No monthly option. Plans for 5 to 200 users.
- Plans for 5 to an unlimited number of users.
3. Asana
More details about Asana:
- Pricing: Free, $10.99 per month (one-year plan)
- Provider website: asana.com
Pros:
- Many advanced features
- Beautiful user interface
- Generous free version
Cons:
- Expensive paid tiers
- Plan progression is messy
Asana is a jack-of-all-trades task management platform that project managers love. The free version of Asana is robust, thanks partly to its support of unlimited projects and how many users it allows. Asana also has a beautiful user interface that’s easy to use. These are just a few reasons why Asana tops our list of best free project management software.
With a variety of key features on offer, you’ll find Asana a much more versatile task management tool than Trello. The kanban view is not as good as Trello’s, but Asana makes up for it with its Gantt, calendar, list and timeline views. Asana’s resource management tools also make task management easy. You can find out more about key features in our Asana review.
Asana’s User Interface Makes Everything Easy
If you sign up for a free Asana trial, you’ll see just how wonderful Asana is to use. Thanks to the colorful user interface, well-laid-out menus, powerful tools and just how slick every aspect of the software is, going back to Trello or any other project management system will be painful. If you’re looking for form and function, Asana could be for you.
Asana’s free plan destroys Trello’s free tier, but its paid plans and odd progression let it down. For advanced tools, you’ll need the Premium plan, which costs $13.49 per user per month. If you need even more tools, you can expect to pay $30.49 monthly for the Business plan.
Ouch. Still, thanks to the free plan with its unlimited essentials, Asana is a great alternative to Trello.
- Up to 15 users
- Price is per user. unlimited users, expanded features
- Price is per user. unlimited users, even more features
- Custom pricing, advanced security features
4. ClickUp
More details about ClickUp:
- Pricing: Free, $5 per month (one-year plan)
- Provider website: clickup.com
Pros:
- Free forever plan
- Affordable paid options
- Robust set of features
Cons:
- Spartan user interface
- Not very intuitive software
As far as alternatives to Trello go, ClickUp is an option that project managers should pay attention to, especially if budget is a consideration. The Free Forever plan is jam-packed with key features, including native time tracking that outshines the limited power-up time tracking solution Trello offers and real-time chat, making it a powerful team collaboration tool.
While ClickUp pushes its list view more than anything, there are kanban and Gantt views and an “everything” (global) view. Of course, we can’t forget the unique mind map, either. For us, ClickUp is better suited to complex tasks than Trello, thanks to its views, document sharing and sprint management capabilities. Learn more about the software in our ClickUp review.
Keep an Eye on the Time
ClickUp’s time tracking, which is available in every plan including the Free Forever option, is very handy. You can track how much time a team member spends on a project, and you can create time sheets. Estimates can be added to calculate resource usage, and you can create reports for billable time (on the right plan) without integrations. Trello cannot compete here.
ClickUp’s Free Forever plan allows access to most tools with a caveat that they can be used a limited number of times per month. Still, paid options are affordable. ClickUp’s Unlimited plan is $9 per user per month, and offers more features at a lower price than Trello’s equivalent plan. ClickUp’s $19 Business and $29 Business Plus plans are also sound options. See what all the fuss is about by grabbing a free trial.
- Basic functionality with some limitations
- All prices per user; most limitations removed
- All prices per user; extra features added, especially security
- Even more features added
5. nTask
More details about nTask:
- Pricing: Free, $3 per month (one-year plan)
- Provider website: ntaskmanager.com
Pros:
- Incredibly affordable
- On par with Trello’s features
- Good collaboration tools
Cons:
- Uninspiring design
- No kanban board
In fifth place is nTask, a project management tool that packs a punch in all the areas that count. While nTask’s design splits opinions, the software offers good value for the money overall, even though it might be a little lighter than the competition in the features department. Be sure to read our nTask review for a deeper key features dive.
While the free basic plan of nTask isn’t as good as Trello due to limited team members and its rudimentary project management tools, you do get access to a nifty meeting manager. However, paid plans take things up a notch or 10 with integrations, more views, advanced tools and reporting, and risk tracking. nTask is also easy to use.
Making Meetings Manageable
One of nTask’s key features is its meeting manager. We wish more project management tools would incorporate features like this, as they benefit team collaboration. The meeting planner allows you to link the meeting to a task, take notes, integrate audio and video apps, and create an action plan for your projects. It’s a powerful tool.
To get the most out of nTask and to get it on even ground with Trello, you’ll have to get your money ready. Still, don’t fret. nTask is one of the most affordable options here, with the Premium tier costing just $4 per user per month and the business plan priced at $12 per user per month. Considering the software’s benefits, you can see why nTask is one of the top Trello alternatives.
- Maximum 5 team members.
- No minimum or maximum team members.
- No minimum or maximum team members.
- Self-hosted option. 50 team members minimum.
6. TeamGantt
More details about TeamGantt:
- Pricing: Free, $19 per month (one-year plan)
- Provider website: teamgantt.com
Pros:
- The best Gantt charts
- Very user-friendly
- Exemplary support team
Cons:
- Limited features overall
- Paid plans are pricey
- Free plan only has a Gantt chart
TeamGantt is to Gantt charts what Trello is to kanban boards. Both products hyperfocus on one thing (for the most part) and do it very well. Unfortunately, TeamGantt’s free plan is not much to write home about, as it features a Gantt chart with limited team member support. However, dive into the paid tiers and you’ll see that the software gives Trello a run for its money.
TeamGantt offers board, calendar and list views, but that’s not why you’re here. You’re here for the Gantt charts, time tracking, communication and collaboration tools that outperform what Trello offers. You’ll also be shocked at just how efficient the colorful Gantt charts will make you and your team. You can learn more about this platform in our TeamGantt review.
Superior Team Collaboration
One of the key features of Team Gantt (in the Pro tier and up) is the ability to have discussions with your team. “Discussions” is a valuable team collaboration feature that lets you talk with your team about whatever projects you’re working on. The chat boards, which look like many popular chat apps, allow real-time discussions, which can help you save a ton of time.
TeamGantt’s platform is stellar at what it does and made our list of the best Gantt chart software for project management for good reasons. However, it’s costly. The Lite plan runs $19 per month, which is more expensive than Trello’s Enterprise plan, and the Pro tier is $49 per manager per month. Still, it’s a fine option if you want to get away from Trello.
- 2 users (1 manager)
- 5 users (per manager)
- Unlimited
- Unlimited
7. Basecamp
More details about Basecamp:
- Pricing: $15
- Provider website: basecamp.com
Pros:
- Great communication tools
- Document sharing
- Powerful global views
Cons:
- Few project management tools
- Steep learning curve
- Limited paid plan options
Basecamp is an all-in-one project management solution for managers who need decent task management, document sharing tools and a top-notch communication suite. Despite using basic kanban views, charts and to-do lists, Basecamp manages to impress, which makes it a suitable replacement for Trello.
From a task management standpoint, Trello smokes Basecamp. However, Basecamp’s basic project management tools, like the hill chart and its team collaboration tools (which Trello can’t touch) make it work. Project/task management may take more work than usual, but Basecamp is still a good Trello alternative. You can learn more in our Basecamp review.
The Leader of Team Collaboration
When it comes to communication and collaboration, we can’t think of many project management tools that are as good as Basecamp. The message boards, direct messages, file sharing solutions and the simple yet effective “campfire” tool — excellent for quick collabs — are great. There’s no reason for any team member to be on a different page than you.
Basecamp eschews a free plan but offers a 30-day trial, and there are two paid plans: a $15-per-user-per-month tier, with all features unlocked, or a $349-per-month Pro Unlimited plan ($299 per month when billed annually) with no restrictions and more storage. The project management tools could be better, but Basecamp isn’t too shabby overall.
- Per user. Unlimited projects, Unlimited users, All features. 500GB storage.
- Unlimited users. 5TB storage. Priority support.
8. Jira
More details about Jira:
- Pricing: Free, $7.75 per month (one-month plan)
- Provider website: atlassian.com/software/jira
Pros:
- Sleek interface
- Great for Agile teams
- Nice & easy to use
Cons:
- Not very versatile software
- Weak for common projects
- Pricing can be a little strange
Jira might be the project management tool for you if you like Trello’s aesthetics. This software, designed with Agile development teams in mind, is made by the same company that developed Trello. However, while the tools look similar, they’re different beasts under the hood. You can find out more about their differences in our Trello vs Jira article.
While Jira provides a kanban board and several other views, Jira falls a little flat as a regular project management tool. However, if you manage an Agile team, Jira will be a blessing, thanks to how the software handles sprints via the scrum method. Add in “pages” — a robust collaboration tool for team members to create project plans — and you have a powerful platform.
Dependencies and Sprints Set Jira Apart
Jira’s biggest strengths are a clean user interface that’s silky smooth in use and just how painless it is to create and use dependencies and sprints. Thanks to the fantastic views and self-explanatory nature of Jira, those who are using Agile will quickly create complex projects with multiple tasks and dependencies and will develop and master sprints in no time at all.
In terms of pricing, Jira is quite competitive and almost matches Trello’s fees. The free tier is suitable for small teams of up to 10 members. You’ll find most features are unlocked, while the Standard plan, at $7.75 per month (one-month plan) per user per month, and the Premium plan, at $15.25 per user per month, build on that foundation. For Agile teams, Jira is a no-brainer. You can learn more in our full Jira review.
- Max. 10 users. unlimited boards, reports and insights; backlog; basic roadmaps; 2GB of storage; community support
- Annual price is for 10 users; with more than 10, annual pricing changes based on the number of users. Monthly pricing changes with teams over 100.
- Annual price is for 10 users; with more than 10, annual pricing changes based on the number of users. Monthly pricing changes with teams over 100.
9. Airtable
More details about Airtable:
- Pricing: Free, $10 per month (one-year plan)
- Provider website: airtable.com
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Features packed free plan
- Hardly any learning curve
Cons:
- Limited paid plans
- Big price jumps
If you’re old school and like using spreadsheets, you’ll probably like Airtable, which has some of the best around. This cloud-based platform has more features than Trello, but quite shockingly, it’s just as easy to use. Aside from spreadsheets, you’ll also get kanban, Gantt, calendar and gallery views, and the free plan has more features than Trello.
The features in the paid plans are nicely fleshed out. You can make it even more potent with integrations and automations that help with recurring tasks. To top it off, Airtable is easy to learn and use, thanks to a great knowledgebase and a bright, friendly interface. Spreadsheets have never looked better. Learn more in our Airtable review.
Views Make Airtable Versatile
While Airtable is a well-made piece of software, it’s not what we would call innovative. Having said that, it’s a worthy Trello alternative that’s ideal for small- to medium-sized teams and simple and complex projects. What makes Airtable approachable is its views. Every view is easy to come to grips with, thanks to the large work areas and how expertly they have been crafted.
Airtable’s free plan is stellar and is great for small teams. Still, should you need more, Airtable has a few paid plans ranging in price from $10 to $20 per user per month. While the plans are more expensive than Trello’s, you’re getting more for your money. As a result, Airtable deserves its place on our list of best free project management software and its spot in this roundup.
- All views (except Gantt), 1,200 record, 2GB file storage
- 5,000 records, 5GB storage
- Gantt view, 50,000 records, 20GB storage
10. Todoist
More details about Todoist:
- Pricing: Free, $4 per month (one-year plan)
- Provider website: todoist.com
Pros:
- Simple list-based software
- Easy to pick up & use
- Very affordable paid tiers
Cons:
- Not very versatile
- Weak kanban board
- Bland user interface
As the name of our 10th pick implies, Todoist is less of a project management app and more of, well, a to-do list. Like Trello, most of the key features of Todoist are present in the free plan, with the paid tiers adding a few trivial features and support for more team members. What we like about Todoist is that it doesn’t get in its own way, which even Trello does occasionally.
Todoist’s interface is clinical, but the lists, basic calendar and kanban board are easy to use. While Todoist is not ideal for complex projects, those with small teams who work on basic tasks will thrive in this environment. If you need a little more functionality, you can add a few integrations to the mix too. If you’d like to learn more, head over to our Todoist review.
Beauty in Simplicity
We’ve waxed lyrical about software with gazillions of features and bold interfaces, but Todoist doesn’t try to emulate others by throwing everything into the pan. Instead, Todoist has kept things simple. The software isn’t flashy; there are just enough tools to get by, and we have to say, there’s something quite beautiful in simplicity. Kudos to Todoist.
Like the software itself, there’s not much to the plans Todoist offers. The Todoist free plan is feature packed and is ideal for small teams. Still, if you want to roll this software out to larger teams, you’re looking at spending between $4 and $8 per user per month.
- 1 main user 5 active projects 5 collaborators (per project) 5MB file uploads
- 1 main user 300 active projects 25 collaborators (per project) 100MB file uploads
- Multiple users, (price is per user) 500 active projects (per member) 50 people (per project)
Final Thoughts: Best Trello Alternatives
If you’re a project manager who wants to migrate from Trello, hopefully our list of Trello alternatives has inspired you to take a closer look at our top pick — monday.com — and a few of the others listed here, like Asana, Jira, ClickUp and nTask. We’re sure that there’s an option listed here for you and your team members that will help you become more efficient.
Which Trello alternatives would you suggest? Have you tried any of the project management solutions we have listed here? Are there other platforms that are worthy alternatives to Trello? Let us know in the comment section.
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