Do you want to learn about what software is available for project managers? Do you want to learn about project management software free? Would you like to know what the best software for managing project managers is? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this article is for you.
It’s a complete myth that you need to spend a fortune on fancy project management software. In fact, there are some really awesome, affordable options out there which make great software for managing project managers. Here’s what I use, but if money is an issue for you or if you want free alternatives, this post will also shine a light on those options.
Slenke
Slenke is a comprehensive small business project management tool that simplifies work by organizing tasks and improving communication. It allows you to streamline all stages of project management starting from the plan to the final stage. You can make use of this tool’s several templates, monitor your progress, and keep an eye on the overall time and resources you are spending.
- Project and task management
- Seamless project collaboration for everyone
- Excellent project visualization
- Integration with other tools
- Project time tracking
- End-to-end encryption
When it comes to functionality, Slenke does not limit the features based on the package you have. However, the premium plan allows you to run more projects and does not limit the number of users. Here are the details:
- Free Plan – All Slenke features are available for a single project and up to 5 users.
- Premium plan ($18/user/month) – Add unlimited users and run multiple projects at a time with some other benefits like priority support, custom branding, and unlimited storage.
Projecturf
Small businesses are generally more chaotic in nature. To stimulate growth, such entities must consistently punch above their weight, and this leads to some unique issues for project managers. Smaller teams, fewer resources, and stricter schedules are some of the most common challenges that small businesses face.
Some of the top features of Projecturf are:
- Task delegation
- Project visualization
- Collaborative interface
- Little to no learning curve
- Scalability
The software offers 3 payment plans:
- Basic ($50 flat/month) – A simple collaborative interface to get everyone on the same page.
- Standard ($15/user/month) – Basic task and project management features with 50 GB storage and 3 project templates.
- Advanced ($30/user/month) – A comprehensive project management tool with unlimited templates and open projects. It also offers storage space of 100 GB.
CROOW
Best for workflow customization & automation
Project teams can plan projects with customizable Kanban, Gantt, calendar, and list views.
CROOW is a project management platform with a simple and flexible structure for project collaboration. The tool supports waterfall and agile methodologies, offers multiple views such as Gantt and Kanban, and automates workflows through customizable templates.
The tool includes project planning features for managing to-dos, timelines, and deliverables. Users can also create tasks, assign due dates, and communicate with team members through comments and message boards. Another great feature is the option to create custom workflows that correspond with specific project plans.
CROOW offers additional project and business management features such as automated processes and notifications, forecasting and reporting on dashboards, and Kanban and Gantt views. Users can also manage workloads with resource scheduling capabilities, as well as manage digital assets within the platform. CROOW also provides users with the use and integration of their Agile Management System framework.
CROOW offers a freemium plan, as well as paid plans starting at $20 per month.
Flowzone
Flexibility and customization are among the top requirements of any tool that caters to small businesses. In their initial stages, businesses deal with high-impact projects and need to deliver results with consistency. Flowzone can help you with that. Being true to its name, this small business project management software tool comes with an inherent flexibility that makes it a great fit for any industry.
From the simplest projects to complex setups, Flowzone has everything you need.
- Simplified task and project management features
- Team views for transparency
- Separate project scheduling system for remote teams
- All communication in a centralized location
Contrary to the pricing structure of many tools in this list, Flowzone does not limit its features based on the plan you purchase. All features are available from day one and the only limit is on the number of users.
Here are the plans:
- 10 – 50 users: Monthly charges of $12/user. The minimum number of users is 10.
- 51 – 100 users: Monthly charges of $9/user.
- 100+ users: Monthly charges $6 per user.
Asana
Great Features, and an Even Better Free Plan
More details about Asana:
- Pricing: Free, or $10.99 per user per month for the Premium plan
- Website: asana.com
Pros:
- Great free plan
- Colorful interface
- Great advanced features
Cons:
- Pricey
Our second pick is Asana, and for two reasons. On the one hand, it’s the best free project management software out there, allowing up to 15 people to use a good chunk of its features without spending a penny. On the other, it has some amazing advanced features, making it a good pick for small companies that aspire to future growth.
The free plan is likely the biggest draw, as it’s just that good. Users get most of the features found in the Premium plan, but with a cap at the aforementioned 15 users and 1,000 tasks. Some smart planning can keep you under that limit, easy. We go into more detail in our article on Asana pricing, but do note that the free plan includes unlimited storage, which is generous.
Using Asana is pretty easy. It works much like monday.com in that you use the list to enter tasks and then sort them through different views. We like monday.com’s interface a smidge better, but that’s likely down to taste. What sets Asana apart aren’t its run-of-the mill features (read our Asana review for more on these), but rather its advanced ones.
Advanced Business Plans & Features
The Business and Enterprise plans include a number of really cool functions for larger companies, like setting milestones and plotting timelines. Though they’re likely not on the top of a small business’ list, it makes Asana an interesting option for a company planning for growth.
That said, these advanced plans are pretty pricey and, truth be told, so is the Premium plan, which is the upgrade from the free plan. With Asana, it seems you either pay nothing or a lot. Still, it’s good value for the money, and we recommend either giving the free version a spin or trying out one of the paid plans with a 30-day free trial.
Toggl Plan
Toggl Plan is beautifully simple project management software. It’s a tool that needs no training. And, your team can start using it from day one to plan and manage projects.
Toggl Plan comes with three primary features — plan timelines, team timelines, and boards. Depending on your PM method, you can either use timelines or boards to manage your project.
Plan timelines make planning projects a breeze. To plan project tasks, simply drag and drop tasks on the timeline. Also, you can add color-coded milestones to the timeline.
Team timelines help plan your team’s availability and workloads. They offer similar features to the Plan timeline. In addition to the Plan timeline, you can see if your team members are over or underworked on the team timeline.
If you prefer Agile methodologies, you’ll find boards helpful to manage task workflows. Plus, boards are fully customizable. So you can adapt boards to your way of working.
You can assign timeline and board tasks to one or more team members. Team members can work together on tasks using file attachments and comments.
Additional Features
- Manage recurring tasks.
- Track time spent on tasks with the Toggl Track integration.
- Grant role-based access to guests and external team members.
- Get in-app notifications when tasks and plans change.
- Mark a timeline/board as favorite for quick access.
- Track personal work from the “My Work” screen.
Toggl Plan Pricing
Toggl Plan’s free plan is perfect for individuals. You can manage unlimited projects and keep track of unlimited tasks with the free plan.
Paid plans range from $9-$15 per user per month. When you upgrade, you get team timelines, recurring tasks, time-tracking, and role-based access. Also, all paid plans have a 14-day free trial.
Get started with Toggl Plan for free.
Basecamp
Basecamp is a remote team collaboration tool with simple project management features. If you need collaboration features with simple task lists, Basecamp may be suitable for you.
With Basecamp, you can manage projects using simple task lists. You can assign a task to a team member. Also, you can set a due date for each task.
Task workflows are not customizable in Basecamp. So, tasks are either in the to-do or done status. Team members can discuss tasks using comments. Also, you can schedule milestones or critical events on the project calendar.
Basecamp comes with three ways to collaborate — message boards, team chat, and shared files.
Besides, you can also set up automatic check-ins. So, you don’t have to ask team members for status updates every day.
If Basecamp’s simple to-do lists are a no-go for you, take a look at other Basecamp alternatives as well.
Additional Features
- Get pop-up notifications when tasks and projects change.
- Set work hours to prevent notifications from popping up during non-work hours.
- See everything on your plate on the “My Stuff” screen.
Basecamp Pricing
With Basecamp’s free plan, you can manage up to 3 projects and 20 team members.
The paid plan costs $99 per month. With the paid plan, you can manage unlimited projects and team members. You also add unlimited clients and get access to ready-made project templates.
Conclusion:
Tech software is the place you should look if you are a manager who is thinking of optimizing their projects. As they say, managing a project begins with documenting it and planning it out step by step. But in order to keep track of it, you need some software that helps you with scheduling, reporting, task tracking and time management options.