Project management software solutions are tools that can add real value to your business. They can do all sorts of organizational tasks, from scheduling and task management to tracking performance, handling payments, and more.
All of this and more makes project management software solutions one of the most valuable tools for your business.
However, the more functionality and feature you can expect from a program, the more you can expect to pay for that program.
There are 27-29 million small businesses in the US alone. 64% of those businesses start at $10,000 or more, and 75% of those small businesses are self-financed and self-funded.
That means that ‘paying more’ or sometimes even ‘paying’ at all is not even an option.
However, this doesn’t mean you should get back to doing things the old way using pen and paper because there are always cheaper or completely free alternatives in our day and age.
But first, let’s answer the questions:
Should you pay for a Project Management System?
I’m not going to make this complicated for you; If you can, you should!
Investing in a project management software, or more precisely: investing in the right project management software, is more likely to be a good investment. This is because it’s better to spend on a project management software tool than to deal with expensive mistakes and problems, which means paying “negative costs” for those mistakes.
Besides, you will often find that cloud-based SaaS solutions for small businesses cost way less than you expect them to. Some of them are even completely free to use!
Can a Free Project Management Software do the work?
In short: Yes. Free project management solutions have come a long way, and they are now just as professional as some of the solutions you have to pay to use. In addition, they now come fully equipped with collaboration-empowered systems where everyone can see the work done and track it.
Some free project management apps will be valuable to store data in the cloud and help create project-related content. In addition, some will track time and expenses with accuracy to help you with smart budgeting.
What kind of ‘free’ are we talking about exactly?
Yeah, I get that. However, so many things are ‘free’ and not wholly free now that the term ‘free’ has become something one needs to investigate to know what kind of hidden expenses there are – if there are any.
Free project management tools are either completely free or freemium packages by popular vendors.
In the first case, a completely free project management app is usually an open-source system, and you will rarely, if ever, find any functionalities or features that you have to pay for.
In the case of freemium packages, it is usually a pricing plan offered by vendors at no cost but one which is usually restricted to small groups, provide a lower number of projects, has less storage, and you would often find features and functionalities that you have to pay for to use.
A Freemium package will come with limited functionalities and features. Still, most small business owners and project managers often find those packages have everything they need and don’t need those premium features. Of course, you will only need to upgrade if your business starts growing large, but you will be likely more than willing and capable of paying more for more features and functions in this scenario.
Best Free Project Management Software:
- Asana
- Trello
- Wrike
- BaseCamp
- KanbanFlow
- FreedCamp
- Bitrix24
- Clubhouse
- MeisterTask
- Avaza
- Redbooth
Let’s dive into our list of the best free project management software solutions with that in mind.
1- Asana![]()
Asana is one of the most popular free project management software globally. The solution is a direct competitor to Trello, and the two have a lot in common. However, the secret to Asana’s success is its ease of use and flexibility. It offers a unique combination of project management and collaboration tasks, which helps stream complex workflows in large teams.
Asana allows users to create projects and tasks and follow said tasks’ progress from any device. In addition, you can add team members to the projects, communicate with them, share ideas, notes, and upload attachments in several formats.
The solution borrows some features from social platforms, such as liking, commenting, and following updates. Users will also get notifications once a change has been made, so everyone is always in the loop.
Asana also offers unique advanced features such as searching public tasks, following and relating, changing management, and prioritizing completion. Asana is flexible, customizable, and scalable, making it one of the best options for small business owners.
What is free?
For teams with less than 15 members, Asana is entirely free. This means you get all the essential project management and collaborations features. What makes it a great choice is:
- Unlimited projects
- Unlimited Tasks
- Unlimited Conversations
- Basic Dashboard c
What is Not free?
Of course, with the paid plans you get some advanced features such as:
- Unlimited Dashboards
- Data export
- Private Teams
- Private projects
- Unlimited Guests
- Customer Success Program
- Centralized Administration
- SSO & SAML
- Dedicate Customer Success Manager
- Custom Branding
- Advanced Admin Control
- More Advanced security options
2- Trello![]()
Trello is a free project management software solution with any PM solution’s most entertaining and recognizable interface. However, Trello doesn’t come with the traditional hierarchy of project-task-subtask. And instead, it has a unique board concept.
You can have many boards such as “To-Do,” “Doing,” “To-Be-Reviewed,” Published,” etc. In addition, you can create tasks and projects in cards that you can move from one board to another.
Trello is packed with collaboration hints, functions, and integrations. In addition, the solution is very intuitive to use, so it takes almost no time to learn.
Trello is perfect for small groups since it is straightforward to use, and their free plan doesn’t limit the number of projects or team members. It also works for larger groups thanks to it being easily customizable to fit businesses of all sizes.
With Trello, you can create an unlimited number of cards and checklists, you can add deadlines and comments, you can add files, you can measure progress and efficiency, and you can maintain advanced administrative control of who’s updates and checks the data.
Trello is an online solution, and it offers native mobile apps for Android and iOS. It also provides developer API and power-ups for custom integration.
What is Free?
Trello’s basic package offers:
- No Limit on the number of users
- Unlimited boards, cards, lists, checklists, and attachments
- No limit on collaboration
- File Attachments limited to 10 MB
- All Basic Integrations (Google, Dropbox, and Box)
- Customer Support
- One Power-Up Board
What is Not Free?
Trello offers two premium plans to get more advanced features, personalization options, and better security.
Here’s what you get with the paid plans:
- Backgrounds and Stickers for Personalization
- Unlimited Power-Ups (Evernote, Slack, Google Hangouts, etc.)
- Control of private and public boards with file encryption, 2-factor authentication, and SAML 2.0
- Premium Email support
- Comprehensive legal contract review
3- Wrike![]()
Wrike is an ever-evolving project management software that offers all the necessary features that make a great option and go beyond expected expectations. New features and functionalities are always being added to the system to make it a non-stop shop system that allows users to plan, coordinate, govern, and execute projects without looking at other options.
Wrike offers a well-organized collaborative environment that allows team members to exchange opinions, ideas, and more while being ready to handle any unexpected changes as they come along.
Wrike’s most notable feature is its 3-pane project view. This feature represents all essential data with details on a single screen. That enables users to react fast in any scenario since they have all information easily accessible in one location.
You can arrange functionality around the hierarchy you prefer, making it easier to organize assignments by priority and forecast the absolute deadline possible.
You can segment tasks and projects into subtasks and activities and keep track of the status of each job.
Data Categorization is another valuable advantage f the system that allows users to arrange information in folders and tag them, making viewing and sharing easier.
Wrike comes with a social network to notify users of recent updates while connecting more directly.
Wrike can integrate smoothly with many third-party applications and systems for more functionality and easy data transfer.
The solution is cloud-based and offers native mobile apps for those looking to stay on top of things while on the go.
What is Free?
Wrike doesn’t distinguish between the plans with functionality and features but rather with team size. That means that Wrike’s free plan is just as comprehensive and comes with all the features but is limited to 5 users only.
The free version is even given the same access to support and integrations.
It means you get:
- Task Management
- Discussions, Comments, and more tasks
- File Sharing
- Spreadsheet view
- Third-party apps and services integrations
- Advanced email integration
- Real-time activity stream
What is Not Free?
Some administrative capabilities, creative tools, and dedicated extensions are only available to premium plans.
Some of the features that are Not free:
- Subtasks
- Resource Management
- Time Tracking
- Advanced filtering
- Requests and Forms
- Dynamic Timelines and Gantt Charts
- Branded Workspace
- Custom Reporting
- Notification Center and Approvals
- Adobe Creative Cloud Extensions
4- Basecamp![]()
Basecamp combines project and staff management in one easy-to-use system made by people who have over 17 years of experience in digitized Project Management.
Unlike other project management tools, Basecamp is more focused on how projects are completed and whether they remain within the planned timeline and budget rather than being focused on planning and execution.
This means users can drill into the details by arranging tasks in due-range to-do lists. Users can also reorder and change the prioritization of tasks at any given time.
Users can also use Basecamp as their teams’ communication hub and private data manager. Basecamp also offers one of the best reporting tools in the business as it’s able to summarize each type of accomplishment easily, saving you more time than most solutions out there would do.
Basecamp is entirely free for schools and educational institutions. In addition, it’s suitable for representatives of both corporate and non-corporate environments alike.
What is Free?
As mentioned earlier, Basecamp is free for K-12 teachers and students. The vendor also offers a 50% discount on all plans for the non-profit organization. All you need to do is contact the company and claim the discount.
The free version you will receive is not different in any way from the premium paid packages the company offers.
What features do you get in the free version?
- To-do lists
- Scheduling and prioritization
- Recurring Tasks
- Project Templates
- File storage and sharing
- Gantt Charts
- Task History
- Feeds
- Issue History
- Instant messaging
- Reports
- Resource allocation
What is Not Free?
Basecamp doesn’t distinguish between plans based on the number of users or the features they get, but rather on the type of user looking to get the package.
This means you get the same toolkit regardless of the package you opt for, but the cost depends as follows:
- Free of Charge for K-12 educational institutions
- 50% off the price for non-profit organizations
- Client-oriented business ($50/mo.)
- International corporate team ($29/mo.)
- Large enterprise ($3000/year)
5- KanbanFlow![]()
KanbanFlow is a free project management software that is more performance-focused and concentrates on showing the users the full picture of the progress of their projects.
KabanFlow is suitable for teams of all sizes. Still, it shines with larger groups thanks to its Pomodoro time management method that lets you evaluate the performance of each team member by tracking the exact time taken to complete a task.
This helps businesses plan their future work and prioritize projects and assignments.
Projects are arranged as cards with different levels of importance. Kanban allows users to combine those cards in Kanban boards with a simple drag-and-drop. Kanban’s search filters are one of its strengths as they make sure you always get the right information and never get lost in a pile of data.
However, Kanban’s most significant advantage is turning emails (Gmail, Outlook, and other providers’ emails) into recurring tasks. Moreover, it can do that even on your mobile device, which is valuable and time-saving.
The company offers a REST-based API that integrates and connects KanbanFlow and third-party apps and services.
What is free?
Kanban’s free plan doesn’t have a limit on the number of users or projects and offers a wide range of management and productivity features and functionalities that include:
- Kanban boards
- Automated email Tasks
- File Attachment and Sharing
- Data import/export
- Real-time collaboration
- Time tracking with Pomodoro support
- Copying boards
- Customizing boards
- Search filters
- Revision History
- Swimlanes
- Tracking subtasks
- REST-based API for integrations
- Customer support
What is Not free?
If you find your team is growing and you need to upgrade, Kanban offers only one premium plan that costs $5/user/month and for which you get:
- Instant Support
- Premium Boards
- No setups or installation fees
- No long-term commitments
6- Freedcamp![]()
Freedcamp is a simple but effective project management software. The system is famous for its customizability and the unlimited number of users and projects. It also offers unlimited storage.
All of that is offered at no cost whatsoever, making Freedcamp popular among freelancers, professionals, and small groups.
Freedcamp also has a distinguished look since it is designed as a scratchboard that can keep your sticky notes under control and organized while being searchable. The creative mess is turned into an organized space, thanks in part to the collaboration capabilities of Freedcamp. This is why Creatives admire the software so much since it gives them their creative space while also making sure everything is kept under control.
What is free?
Freedcamp’s basic free plan is for freelancers and small teams that need a PM solution to manage short and straightforward projects and already have a CRM system that takes care of the other things Freedcamp can’t take care of.
This is what you get for free:
- Tasks and Subtasks
- Personal task manager
- Discussion Board
- Time Tracking
- Messaging board
- Shared file management
- Discussion boards
- Integrations with Google Calendar, Google Drive, Dropbox, and more.
- Team Milestones
- Passwords Manager
- Access to “Getting Started” On-demand webinars
- Support response
What is Not free?
Freedcamp offers three professional plans: CRM and invoicing features, dedicated migration assistance, and more access to support, retrieval, and security.
Here’s what you can expect to get with the premium packages:
- CRM
- Billing and invoicing
- Gantt Charts
- Read-only Guest Access
- Team Wikis
- White labels
- Data Backup and intrusion detection
7- Bitrix24![]()
Bitrix24 is a popular project management solution that offers CRM, project management, document management, tasking, and time management tools in a social-style environment with user profiles, instant messaging, commenting, and content sharing.
Bitrix24’s social features simplify communications by subscribing to groups or discussions, liking, commenting, and notifications. It also offers robust internet services such as files, calendars, photo galleries, tasks, conversations, and wiki.
The time management tools include regular work reports, a daily planner, and check-in/out feature, and the time planning features include meeting manager, event scheduler, calendar, and Outlook Synchronization.
What is free?
- Up to 12 Users
- Only one admin
- 5 GB of online storage
These are the only limitations of Bitrix24, meaning users of the free plan will enjoy all the features and functionality of the solutions with the limitations mentioned above.
This means you get all the following features
- CRM & CRM reports
- Tasks & Tasks Reports
- Daily Planner
- File sharing & versioning
- Calendar Sharing & Outlook Synch.
- Kanban boards
- Gantt charts
- Daily planner
- Sales Funnel
- User profiles
- Email notifications
- Bulk Email
- Photo albums
- Project Groups
- Workflows
- Simple access assignment
- Android & iOS applications
What is Not free?
- More than 12 users
- More than one admin
- More than 5 GB of Storage
All the paid plans include these limitations except the pricey professional plan (costs $199/mo.), unlimited users, unlimited online storage, and unlimited admins.
8- Clubhouse![]()
Clubhouse is a task management solution designed to help software teams streamline their workflow by displaying every process across the board. This means that whenever a bug or an issue is encountered, all team members can be informed of it momentarily.
Clubhouse offers teams smoother work processes and provides them with the connections and tools that make their work more comfortable. However, the software is designed not to be bloated with unnecessary or non-useful features to keep it fast and snappy.
The graphics process tracker and predictive analytics give teams insights on the progress of projects and tasks and allow managers to determine if the team will meet its deadline or if the deadlines hadn’t been realistic in the first place.
The robust API also means users will connect the software to other applications and platforms for additional functionality and streamlining workflow.
What is free?
- Up to 3 users
- No limit on projects
- No limit on integrations
- API Access
These are the main differences between the free plan and the paid plans. This means you still get:
- Deadlines
- Relationships
- Comments
- Flags & Labels
- Estimates
- Deadlines
- Story Types
- Milestones
- Visual Progress Tracking
- Customizable Workflow
What is Not free?
- Priority Support
- Consolidated Billing
- Single Sign-on
- Advanced features
9- MeisterTask![]()
MeisterTask is an online project management solution that helps managers stay atop their projects and control their plans. The solution allows managers to monitor the progress of their projects. It also gives team members a comfortable and productive environment to collaborate seamlessly.
MeisterTask offers a wide range of project management features and tools, including Project Monitoring, Kanban project Dashboards, Automation, and reports. In addition, MeisterTask integrates seamlessly with Google Drive, Dropbox, and other project and task management applications to give users more features and functionality.
The solution is flexible, intuitive, straightforward, and beautiful. The customizable dashboard enables users to adjust the application for better productivity, and the flexible project boards can be configured easily to adapt to your existing workflows.
What is free?
- Unlimited Tasks & Projects
- Unlimited Project Members
- Customizable dashboards
- Customizable project boards
- iOS and Android Applications
- Up to two integrations
- File Attachments up to 120 MB
What is Not free?
- Custom Backgrounds
- Priority Support
- Workflow Automation
- Statistics and Reports
- Project Groups
- Searchable Task Archives
- Roles & Permissions
- Custom Security Review
- Compliance exports and Backups
- Personalized Onboarding Assistance
- Dedicated Account Manager
10- Avaza![]()
Avaza is a beautiful suite for small teams that offers project management, collaboration, invoicing, expense management, time tracking quoting, and timesheets. It provides one single integrated view of clients and projects so that managers and teams can make smarter, better-informed decisions.
You can automate expenses, invoices, and recurring tasks, and you can set up automatic reminders for team members to fill out timesheets. Through Zapier, Avaza offers robust integrations with more than 500 applications and services to automate task creation and lead capture.
The billing and invoicing feature enables users to send professional invoices in no time and accept online payments readily. Users will also be able to enjoy multi-currency tracking, credit note functionality, and the robust tracking tools that you can use to track receivables, review customer interactions, issue statements, and gain a better understanding of your revenue.
What is free?
- Up to 10 customers
- Up to 5 active projects
- Up to 5 invoices per month
- 1 Admin
- 1 Timesheet
- Support via Email only
What is Not free?
- Priority Email Support
And an increase in the limits of active projects, number of invoices per month, admins, timesheets, and customers, depending on the paid plan you choose to go for. You can also get additional Timesheets/Expense Users at $5/mo. and additional storage ($0.5/mo. for 1GB)
11- Redbooth![]()
Redbooth is a project management tool designed to help teams streamline their workflow, stay focused on their most important tasks, and improve productivity. The solution has a simple interface that’s intuitive and easy to use.
Redbooth is an excellent collaboration and communication software for companies of all sizes and industries. The solution offers the features of task management, chat, notes, file sharing, and HD video conferences to act as a centralized workplace for international teams.
Redbooth can increase employee engagement and track it through the reporting tool, resulting in better productivity and more profitability.
What is free?
- Gantt Charts
- Reporting
- Tasks assignment
- Subtasks
- Due Dates
- Project Templates
- Email support
- iOS, Android, and Apple TV applications
But it has its limitations, which are:
- Limited to 2 Workspaces
- File Storage Space Limited to 2GB
What is Not free?
- Unlimited Workspaces
- Pro Reporting
- HD Meetings with Zoom
- Time Tracking
- Private Tasks
- Private Workspaces
- Guest Users/Externals
- Priority Support
- Subtasks Assignment
- Business Reporting
And that’s it for now! These have been 11 of the best free project management software.
We hope you enjoyed this article. If so, you might enjoy these resources:
- Why is Project Management Important for Your Business?
- 13 Best Marketing Project Management Software Tools
- 11 Best Project Management Software for Nonprofits
- 11 Best Project Management Software for Freelancers
- Best 22 Time Management Tools and Apps for Your Business
- 14 Best HR Software Solutions for Startups
- 9 Best HR Software for Nonprofits
