Software of February 2026
Compare the best project management software, find the
perfect tools for your organization, and start your free trial today
and task software to boost productivity
- Award-winning, all-in-one platform
- Easily assign tasks and prioritize
- 100% customizable to your team’s needs
- Get a 14-day free trial of the Pro plan
- Automate project busywork with AI
- Your all-in-one productivity hub
- Trusted by over 2,000,000 teams
- AI-powered assistance tailored to your needs
- Tailored views for cross-functional projects
- Marketing, sales, and CRM in one place
- Manage all projects in one place
- Connect tasks to your email and calendar
- No third-party tools or log-ins required
- Powerful automated workflows
- Choice of pre-built or custom templates
- Syncs data across critical business apps
- Free 30-day trial
- Award-winning, all-in-one platform
- Easily assign tasks and prioritize
- 100% customizable to your team’s needs
- Get a 14-day free trial of the Pro plan
- Automate project busywork with AI
What is project management software?
Project management software makes it easy for managers and teams to plan, track, and collaborate on projects. Project management software programs also help teams control costs, improve productivity, and meet deadlines. The best project management software for small teams typically includes preset workflow templates and a visual interface where users can track progress and assign tasks to one another. In particular, many of these platforms also offer a project management template to streamline onboarding and daily task handling.
Whether you’re working remotely or in-office, the best project management tools allow for seamless integration with your daily operations. Choosing the right project management tools can significantly impact the efficiency and success of your team. Businesses are now shifting towards free project management software to cut costs without sacrificing functionality, especially startups and small teams seeking scalable solutions.
The top project management tools are usually cloud-based and highly intuitive, requiring no coding or technical know-how. Just choose the project management software you need for your team, set user permissions for each person, and watch productivity soar. A solid project management template included in the setup can help teams get started faster, reducing the learning curve for new users.
What features and functions does project management software have?
Project management software is actually quite a broad term encompassing a range of project management tools. Some project management software providers specialize solely in project management, while others offer project management apps as part of a broader setup incorporating sales, marketing, and/or operations tools. With so many project management apps available, it’s easier than ever to match your team’s workflow needs.
The best project management apps include functionality for both collaboration and oversight, helping teams stay aligned and productive. The best project management tools often come bundled with pre-built options, such as a best project management template, allowing teams to hit the ground running with minimal setup.
The free project management software typically provides just a few basic tools for file sharing or communicating with one another. Subscription-based project management software may contain any number of features, including:
- Workflows: Ready-made and customizable templates for working and collaborating with one another. These can often be adapted from a project management template or built from scratch.
- Visualization: Dashboards showing progress of the team and individual members in a variety of formats, including Kanban, Gantt, calendar, map, and timeline view, features you’ll find in many of the best project management software options
- File sharing: A Central depository where team members can upload, search for, tag, and give feedback on each other’s work, often included even in free project management software tiers.
- Calendar sharing: Project timelines that automatically update and sync across all user accounts, a standard feature in many project management apps.
- Time tracking: Enables team members to track time spent on tasks for third-party stakeholders. This is a must-have for teams looking for the best project management tools with advanced reporting.
- Automation: Automation of repetitive workflows through sets of rules, triggers, and alerts. Most of the best project management software and even some free project management software options offer these capabilities to streamline processes.
- Integrations: Third-party apps that expand the capabilities of your project management software. The best project management apps support deep integrations with popular platforms, enhancing team productivity.
- Insights: Customized dashboards enable managers to track and analyze trends in team performance and make data-driven decisions. This feature is often found in the best project management tools, especially when paired with a project management template that defines key KPIs.
Are project management programs easy to set up?
Like other SaaS platforms, the setup process really depends on how complex you want your features to be. The best project management tools can be used straight off the shelf or customized to suit your needs. For 99% of small businesses, it’s enough just to purchase project management software and use whatever features and integrations are on offer. Most platforms include a ready-to-use project management template to make onboarding smoother. For the 1% of businesses with the technical capabilities, you may also want to build your own custom tools and project management apps.
Many of the best project management apps simplify setup through guided workflows, built-in templates, and pre-configured dashboards. Even teams that opt for free project management software will often find starter project management template options that accelerate the setup process without needing external consultants.
How easy are project management tools to use?
The best project management tools are easy to use; after all, the entire reason they exist is to improve your team’s workflow. With intuitive drag-and-drop functions and a user-friendly interface, it shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours for your team to use your new project management app like pros.
Today’s project management apps are designed with usability at the core. Whether you're using free project management software or investing in a premium platform, most tools come with learning resources and templates, including the best project management template formats for quick adoption. Usability is a key differentiator when comparing the best project management software solutions.
How much does the best project management software cost?
You don’t have to be a Fortune 500 enterprise to get access to the best project management tools. The best project management software for small teams can be had for as little as $5 per user per month, often after a free trial period. Good project management software is scalable, meaning you can start with a cheap (or free project management software) plan and then upgrade to a more expensive package as your team and needs grow. Whether you're using a basic task manager or transitioning to one of the best project management apps, costs are structured to suit any team size.
From a scan of the top 10 project management software providers in the U.S. market, here’s what you can get at each price level:
- Free: Basic project tracking, file sharing, desktop and mobile project management apps, limited (~2 GB) storage space. Some even offer a pre-loaded project management template to jumpstart your workflow.
- $5 to $15 per user per month: Visualization tools, collaboration tools, limited integrations, 5–10 GB storage. Many in this range qualify as the best project management apps for growing teams.
- $15 - $25 per user per month: Custom workflows, advanced insights and analytics, real-time report sharing, time tracking, project and task approvals, automations, up to 50 GB of storage space. This tier is where the best project management tools truly shine.
- Enterprise solution – custom pricing: App builders, 24/7 dedicated support, advanced user controls, advanced security features, 100 GB+ of storage space. Most enterprise-grade project management software options also provide access to the best project management template libraries and customization options tailored to your industry.
Our Top 3 Project Management Services
In a Nutshell
Monday.com is a comprehensive work operating system (Work OS) designed to empower teams to plan, execute, and track projects and workflows efficiently. Its intuitive interface and customizable features make it suitable for a wide range of industries and team sizes.
Features
- Award-winning, all-in-one platform
- Easily assign tasks and prioritize
- 100% customizable to your team’s needs
- Get a 14-day free trial of the Pro plan
- Automate project busywork with AI
Most Popular Products
Pros
- Highly customizable workflows
- User-friendly interface
- Robust integration capabilities
- Advanced automation features
Cons
- Some advanced features are limited to higher-tier plans
- Pricing can be higher for smaller teams
In a Nutshell
ClickUp is an all-in-one project management platform designed to streamline workflow, improve collaboration, and increase productivity. With its extensive customization options, ClickUp is ideal for teams of all sizes, offering features such as task management, multiple project views, automation, integrations, and real-time collaboration tools. The platform's scalability makes it a great fit for businesses ranging from startups to large enterprises. ClickUp's free plan provides a strong entry point, while its paid tiers unlock more advanced functionalities tailored to various team needs.
Features
- Your all-in-one productivity hub
- Trusted by over 2,000,000 teams
- AI-powered assistance tailored to your needs
- Tailored views for cross-functional projects
Most Popular Products
Pros
- Comprehensive free plan
- Highly customizable interface
- Robust integration capabilities
- Multiple project views
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Occasional performance issues
In a Nutshell
HubSpot’s project management tool is designed to work seamlessly within its CRM ecosystem, making it an excellent choice for teams that prioritize marketing, sales, and customer service alignment. The platform offers a suite of tools including task tracking, workflow automation, collaboration features, and reporting, all integrated with its broader CRM functionality. While it may not have the advanced capabilities of dedicated project management software, its strength lies in its ability to connect projects with customer data, making it a great fit for businesses looking to unify their operations.
Features
- Marketing, sales, and CRM in one place
- Manage all projects in one place
- Connect tasks to your email and calendar
- No third-party tools or log-ins required
Most Popular Products
Pros
- Seamless integration with HubSpot CRM
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Pre-built templates for faster project setup
- Customizable workflows and task automation
Cons
- Limited advanced project management features
- Higher cost for larger teams
AI was used in the creation of this content, along with human validation and proofreading.