Key Takeaways: Freelance Project Management
- Many leading project management platforms have free plans that can help freelancers get the tools they need without breaking the bank.
- If you’re managing simple projects and don’t need many advanced tools or views, platforms such as Notion and Trello will appeal to you.
- If you work on complex tasks or need support for Scrum teams, you’re in luck as monday.com, Asana, ClickUp, Jira and more will have your back.
Our team of experts has created many project management software roundups covering everything from the best software for architects to the best software for creatives. Many contain fantastic options for those in specific fields, but what about software for freelancers who work in multiple fields or need to save a buck? Well, our roundup of freelance project management software is for you.
In this roundup, we’ll focus on project management software suites that are loaded to the rafters with features and tools, support multiple project management methodologies and have robust free plans or paid tiers that won’t make freelancers cry into their wallets. We know you’re eager to learn more, so we’ll jump right in.
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12/02/2021 Facts checked
Added TickTick and Todoist to the list, changed the order of the ranking.
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10/22/2023 Facts checked
Our roundup of the best project management software for freelancers has been updated with new information and now uses an easy-to-read format.
What Makes the Best Project Management Software for Freelancers?
We know you want to get right into the nitty gritty of this roundup, so we won’t keep you waiting. Below, we will list the best project management apps for freelance project managers. It’s worth noting that the list is not in any specific order. Our favorite options are simply listed. Only you can decide which option from the list will be best for you and your team.
Top Suggestions: Best Project Management for Freelancers
- Asana — Versatile project management tool with one of the best free plans in town.
- ClickUp — Powerful task management and collaboration tools and a great free plan.
- monday.com — Incredibly user-friendly, do-it-all platform with affordable plans.
- Zoho Projects — Affordable all-in-one tool that taps into Zoho’s ecosystem of tools.
- Jira — Robust, agile platform with a useful free plan that’s ideal for Scrum teams.
- Trello — One of the best Kanban tools created, and you can use it for free.
- Notion — Powerful collaboration platform that’s also suitable for task management.
- nTask — For freelancers who need lots of tools without breaking the bank.
What makes a good project management tool for freelance project managers? Our experts believe the ideal software should offer robust free plans for decently-sized teams or incredibly affordable paid plans. There should also be plenty of tools, integration and automation support, good reports, support for multiple projects and enough security to keep your data secure.
The 8 Best Project Management Software for Freelancers
Now that you have seen the project management tools on our list, it’s time to dive deeper into each provider. Below, you’ll learn about specific features, plans and more. Let’s dive right in.
1. Asana
file uploads for up to 15 team members.
More details about Asana:
- Pricing: $10.99 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: Yes, limited to 15 users and basic views
- Provider website: asana.com
Pros:
- Fantastic free plan
- Many tools & integrations
- Friendly user interface
Cons:
- Big price jump between plans
- Many tools behind paywalls
Thanks to a friendly user interface, teams can get to work quickly in Asana. Asana’s views support work styles like Kanban and Scrum and traditional project management methodologies like waterfall thanks to colorful Gantt charts.
However, it’s worth noting that many views are only available in paid plans. Still, a freelance team of up to 15 can use Asana’s free tier that supports unlimited projects.
Asana can integrate with over 100 applications and features a friendly automation builder, which makes the platform incredibly versatile. Asana also offers reports and security features like two-factor authentication.
Freelance project managers using Asana will have no problem planning, assigning and tracking tasks, and completing projects. For more details, check out our Asana review.
Aside from the free plan, Asana offers three paid tiers: Premium, Business and Enterprise. The Premium plan costs $13.49 per member monthly or $10.99 per user per month if you pay annually. The Business plan costs $30.49 per user per month or $24.99 per member per month if you pay yearly. You must contact Asana for an Enterprise quote. Read our Asana pricing guide for more details.
- 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
2. ClickUp
choice for freelance project managers.
More details about ClickUp:
- Pricing: $7 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: Yes, limited to 5 spaces/projects
- Provider website: clickup.com
Pros:
- Many tools & views
- Feature-packed free plan
- Robust collaboration tools
Cons:
- Clunky interface at times
- Steep learning curve
- Mobile apps could be better
ClickUp is a do-it-all project management tool with a free plan that should satisfy many freelance project managers. The only catch is that many tools and views on offer in the free plan, like Gantt charts, workload and timeline views, have use restrictions. Still, small teams will have no problem managing multiple complex projects with no out-of-pocket expense.
Where ClickUp shines compared to other platforms is in collaboration tools. Users will find a powerful real-time chat tool, whiteboards and mind maps for brainstorming. ClickUp also offers many free templates for different project types, integrations, automations, time tracking, detailed dashboards and more. You can learn more about ClickUp in our ClickUp review.
from the likes of Asana and monday.com.
ClickUp offers four plans, Free Forever, Unlimited, Business and Enterprise. The Unlimited plan costs $10 per user per month or $7 per member per month when paying annually. Business costs $12 per member monthly or $12 per member per month when paying annually. You must contact ClickUp for an Enterprise quote. Read our ClickUp pricing guide for more.
- Basic functionality with some limitations
- All prices per user
- All prices per user
3. monday.com
the Standard plan offers outstanding value for money.
More details about monday.com:
- Pricing: $8 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: Yes, but limited to two team members and three boards
- Provider website: monday.com
Pros:
- Easy to learn
- Gorgeous interface
- Many integrations & tools
Cons:
- Lackluster free & Basic tiers
monday.com is a popular project management app thanks to its gorgeous user interface. You’ll find the usual bevy of tools like Kanban boards, Gantt charts, timelines, lists, calendars and dashboards for tracking and managing projects.
monday.com offers plenty of integrations and security features that include single sign-on tools. There are mobile apps, time-tracking tools, whiteboards and more.
The real beauty of monday.com is just how easy it is to use. Even newcomers to the project management game can pick it up and hit the ground running. monday.com also offers the most comprehensive collection of training and learning materials we’ve seen. Thanks to carefully curated articles and videos, you can learn the platform quickly. Read more in our monday.com review.
While monday.com’s free plan isn’t great, the paid plans — Basic, Standard, Pro and Enterprise — make up for it. The Standard plan has a three-member minimum but offers outstanding value for money. It costs $10 per member per month or just $8 per member per month with annual pay. For more information, look at the chart below or read our handy monday.com pricing guide.
- 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.
4. Zoho Projects
you need to manage simple and complex projects.
More details about Zoho Projects:
- Pricing: $4 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: Yes, but limited to three users and two projects
- Provider website: zoho.com/projects
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Plenty of tools
- Cheap paid plans
Cons:
- Weak free plan
- Bland user interface
Zoho Projects is one of the best project management software options for freelancers, thanks to its many tools, third-party integrations and just how easy it is to navigate. The Kanban boards are straightforward, the lists are detailed, and the timesheets and calendars are intuitive. Zoho Projects doesn’t break the project management app mold, but it does everything very well.
One of Zoho Projects’ key features is the mobile apps for iOS and Android devices. The apps let you access critical features, task management, chat, file uploads and more. Zoho Projects can become even more potent if you integrate it with any of Zoho’s ecosystem of tools, like Zoho CRM, People, Invoice, Analytics, Sprints or others. For more, see our Zoho Projects review.
any project management platform.
Zoho has a free feature-limited plan. However, the paid Premium and Enterprise plans are loaded and affordable. The Premium plan costs just $4 per user per month if you pay annually or $5 per user when paying monthly. The Enterprise plan is just $9 per user monthly with yearly payments and $10 per user monthly. Zoho Projects is a fine option for freelance project managers.
5. Jira
software and product development fields.
More details about Jira:
- Pricing: $65.83 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: Yes, free for ten users and features unlimited project boards
- Provider website: jira.com
Pros:
- Strong free plan
- Easy to use
- Excellent issue tracking
Cons:
- Heavy on technical jargon
- Not very versatile
Jira is one of the best project management tools for freelance project managers working in the software and product development industries. With Jira, you’re limited to Kanban or Scrum boards. Still, if you’re a project manager specializing in Scrum or Kanban, you can manage and track progress with ease thanks to straightforward tools, integrations and helpful automations.
Jira’s standout features are the product backlogs and issue trackers. These tools excel when it comes to backlog refinement and solving problems. Jira also integrates with Confluence, which makes creating agendas for sprint reviews and retrospective meetings simple. For Scrum masters or managers needing robust, agile software, Jira (here’s our Jira review) is hard to beat.
Jira’s fantastic free plan supports 10 members and unlimited projects. If you need more, you have three options: Standard, Premium and Enterprise, all of which are scalable. Standard costs $7.75 per member per month or $790 annually for up to 10 members. Premium runs $15.25 per user per month or $1525 annually for up to 10 members. You must contact Atlassian for Enterprise pricing. Be sure to read our Jira pricing guide for more details.
- 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.
6. Trello
More details about Trello:
- Pricing: $5 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: Yes, it supports unlimited members, power-ups (integrations).
- Provider website: trello.com
Pros:
- Powerful Kanban boards
- Top-tier free plan
- Unlimited integrations
Cons:
- Lacks versatility
- Only for simple projects
- Lacks collaboration tools
Our team of experts agrees that Trello is one of the best pieces of free project management software. Without paying a penny, you’ll have support for unlimited team members, cards, integrations and logs. In fact, it offers everything needed to manage simple projects, including assignee and due date functions, templates, mobile device management and mobile apps.
Trello is ideal for those who use automations. Its Butler and automation builder are top-notch. You can automatically send task updates to Slack (here’s our Slack review), remove old cards without lifting a finger and create custom event triggers. If free project management software and Kanban are all you need, Trello will serve you well. Learn more in our Trello review.
Free plan aside, there are paid plans — Standard, Premium and Enterprise — to consider. If you need custom fields and unlimited boards, the $5 per member per month Standard plan (one-year plan) is for you. If you like Gantt chart, timeline and dashboard views, the $10 per user per month (one-year plan) Premium plan is an option.
The feature-loaded, scalable Enterprise plan, which features everything from the Premium plan and adds advanced administration tools and more, is $17.50 per user per month or $210 annually per user (based on 50 users). You can learn more in our Trello pricing guide.
- Unlimited users, 10 boards, Unlimited power-ups, Unlimited storage
- Price is per user, Unlimited boards, Custom fields, Invite guests
- Price is per user, Several new views
- Price is per user, Advanced admin & security settings
7. Notion
for freelance project managers who work in creative fields.
More details about Notion:
- Pricing: $8 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: Yes, but features are limited for teams of two or more
- Provider website: notion.so
Pros:
- Powerful collaboration
- New AI features
- Affordable paid plans
Cons:
- Clunky interface
- Not a feast for the eyes
Notion is a real-time document collaboration platform and project management solution. Although Notion might not allow you to manage complex projects, its wikis, lists, roadmaps, calendars, Kanban boards and third-party integrations still let you manage simple projects efficiently. You can even use mobile apps to collaborate in real time and track project progress.
With its many advanced features for collaboration, like real-time document creation and page builders, Notion is ideal for freelancers working in creative fields. Notion is also pushing boundaries with AI. Notion AI (a paid extra) can help create projects, automate tasks, write agendas, send messages and more. You can learn more in our Notion review.
Notions free plan is lacking, but the Plus, Business and Enterprise paid plans are affordable. The Plus plan adds some unlimited features and costs $8 per member per month (one-year plan). Business adds security features and analytics for $15 per user per month (one-year plan). You must contact Notion for Enterprise pricing.
- 1 user only, Up to five guests, 5MB file upload limit
- 1 user only, Unlimited guests, Unlimited file uploads, Version history
- Unlimited users, Unlocks workspace, User permission settings
- Advanced security features
8. nTask
More details about nTask:
- Pricing: $3 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: Yes, for five members and features unlimited tasks and workspaces
- Provider website: ntaskmanager.com
Pros:
- Fantastic value for money
- A wide range of features
Cons:
- Outdated visuals
- Confusing navigation
Rounding out our roundup of project management apps for freelancers is one of the most affordable platforms, nTask. This all-in-one tool includes Gantt charts, Kanban boards, lists, calendars and dashboards for easy task management. You’ll also find timesheets, time tracking, file uploads, integrations, real-time collaboration features and document management tools.
One of nTask’s standout features is its ability to manage meetings. Managers can plan, organize and hold collaborative meetings, which is ideal for remote teams. nTask also has powerful risk management tools to help project managers avoid pitfalls. nTask is easily one of the best project management software platforms for those on a budget. You can learn more in our nTask review.
meeting features to risk management tools.
nTask does have a free Basic plan, but it’s limited. However, the paid plans are easy on the bottom line. The Premium plan costs just $3 per user per month when billed yearly and $4 per user monthly. The Business plan runs $8 per user with yearly billing and $12 per user when paying monthly. nTask’s Enterprise plan is customizable and requires a custom quote.
- Maximum 5 team members.
- No minimum or maximum team members.
- No minimum or maximum team members.
- Self-hosted option. 50 team members minimum.
Why You Should Use Project Management Software as a Freelancer
Whether you’re a freelance project manager or a paid staff member at a Fortune 500 company, all project managers should use project management software. Modern projects have so many moving parts it would be risky to manage them with old-school Post-it notes on a whiteboard.
The best project management tools make it easy to manage projects, monitor project progress, assign tasks, add due dates, keep track of project costs (and avoid scope creep), communicate and collaborate with teams, and track time. Most software also provides resource management tools and gives managers complete control. These are just a few benefits of using project management software.
Final Thoughts: The Best Project Management Software Options
As you can see, there are project management tools for freelance project managers who work in software and product development, sales, human resources, creative agencies and more. You don’t need to break the bank to use most of these powerful tools, either. In fact, if you manage a small team, you may get away with using a free plan, and that’s hard to beat.
Are you a freelance project manager? Have you used any of the project management suites listed in this roundup? Are you going to take any for a spin? Have you used other platforms we haven’t listed that you would recommend? Let us know in the comments, and as always, thanks for reading.
FAQ: Top Project Management Tools
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Absolutely! As long as you have experience and certifications (check out our guides to the best project management certifications and Scrum certifications) that prove you have the skills, knowledge and passion to do the job, you’ll be able to find freelance project management work.
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It depends on the complexity of the project you are managing. However, when creating a quote, don’t forget to take into account the cost of the project management software you’re using. If you have multiple team members, software costs can climb quickly.
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Any of the project management tools listed in this roundup will help you keep an eye on project progress. You’ll be able to track tasks, use tools for time tracking, assign tasks and much more.
The post 8 Best Freelance Project Management Software in 2023: Solo Professional Plans & Features appeared first on Cloudwards.
