Asana and Monday.com lead the market for teams seeking intuitive, scalable solutions. Asana suits enterprises needing powerful workflow automation, whilst Monday.com excels for creative and mid-market teams. Jira dominates technical and software development environments.
RANKENTRYSCORETRENDFROM
1AsanaUsed by over 150,000 customers including Microsoft, Nike, and Tesla95.0NEWFree (Premium £9.99/month per user) 2Monday.comPublicly traded on NASDAQ with 200,000 customers worldwide92.7NEW$9 per user per month 3JiraUsed by 90 per cent of Fortune 500 companies for software delivery90.3NEWFree (Cloud Standard from £5.25/month per user) 4Microsoft ProjectRemains the industry standard for Gantt chart-based portfolio management88.0NEW$10 per user per month 5ClickUpSupports 15+ customisable view types including List, Board, Calendar, and Gantt85.7NEWFree plan available 6TrelloAcquired by Atlassian in 2017 and boasts 50+ million users83.3NEWFree (Premium £7.99/month per user) 7SmartsheetUsed by 80 per cent of Fortune 100 companies81.0NEW$14 per user per month 8WrikeSupports agile, waterfall, and hybrid project methodologies78.7NEW$9.80 per user per month 9NotionValued at over $10 billion with rapid adoption by knowledge-intensive teams76.3NEWFree plan available 10BasecampOffers flat monthly pricing for unlimited users rather than per-seat fees74.0NEW$99 per month flat rate The ranking, in detail
01
Project management with time tracking capabilities
Asana provides a comprehensive platform for task management, project planning, and team collaboration. It offers customizable project views, timeline management, and automation capabilities designed for enterprise and mid-market teams.
From Free (Premium £9.99/month per user)Best for Cross-functional teams managing multiple interdependent projects
95.0
02
The platform for managing projects and team workflows
Monday.com delivers an intuitive, visual work management platform with no-code automation, time tracking, and customisable templates. It serves creative teams, marketing departments, and growing businesses seeking flexibility.
From $9 per user per monthBest for Creative agencies and marketing teams
92.7
03
Issue tracking with integrated time logging
Jira is purpose-built for software development and technical teams, offering agile boards, sprint planning, and comprehensive reporting. It integrates deeply with development tools and supports both Scrum and Kanban methodologies.
From Free (Cloud Standard from £5.25/month per user)Best for Software development teams and technical project management
90.3
04
Enterprise project portfolio management
Microsoft Project delivers robust portfolio and programme management with advanced scheduling, resource allocation, and reporting. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 and serves large enterprises managing complex project dependencies.
From $10 per user per monthBest for Large enterprises with complex programme management needs
88.0
05
All-in-one work management platform
ClickUp combines task management, time tracking, goal setting, and documentation into one customisable platform. It targets teams seeking an all-in-one alternative to multiple productivity tools.
From Free plan availableBest for Small to mid-sized teams seeking an all-in-one solution
85.7
06
Card-based project management with time tracking extensions
Trello provides simple, card-based task management using the Kanban methodology. Its intuitive interface and visual boards make it ideal for teams preferring simplicity over complexity.
From Free (Premium £7.99/month per user)Best for Teams preferring simple Kanban workflows with light time tracking
83.3
07
Platform for dynamic work management
Smartsheet combines spreadsheet familiarity with project management features, offering Gantt charts, resource management, and automation. It appeals to organisations familiar with Excel seeking to upgrade.
From $14 per user per monthBest for Teams transitioning from spreadsheets to modern project management
81.0
08
Collaborative work management platform
Wrike provides task management, time tracking, and project analytics designed for marketing, creative, and professional services teams. It emphasises collaboration and real-time visibility.
From $9.80 per user per monthBest for Marketing and professional services teams
78.7
09
All-in-one workspace for notes, databases, and projects
Notion combines documentation, databases, and project management in one flexible workspace. It suits teams valuing knowledge management alongside task tracking.
From Free plan availableBest for Teams seeking integrated documentation and project management
76.3
10
Simple project management and team communication
Basecamp combines project management, team communication, and file storage in a simplified, focused interface. It emphasises simplicity and all-in-one functionality without overwhelming features.
From $99 per month flat rateBest for Small to mid-sized teams prioritising simplicity and flat pricing
74.0
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Asana and Monday.com?
Asana excels in complex workflow automation and enterprise-scale project dependencies, particularly for technical teams. Monday.com emphasises visual simplicity and creative flexibility, making it faster for non-technical teams to adopt without extensive training.
Should I use Jira for non-software projects?
Whilst Jira is optimised for software development with agile and sprint features, it can manage other projects. However, tools like Asana or ClickUp typically offer better user experience and feature relevance for general business projects.
Is there a truly free project management tool suitable for teams?
Yes. Trello, ClickUp, and Notion all offer substantial free tiers supporting small teams and simple workflows. Basecamp's flat $99 monthly rate is also cost-effective for unlimited users compared to per-seat pricing.