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Monday.com Review 2026: Is the $228 Price Tag Justified?

Aron Kantor — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 14:19:45 +0000

Monday.com is one of the most popular project management tools on the market. Still, after testing it against 20+ alternatives, I asked myself: Is its $228 yearly price tag actually justified for its Pro plan?

In this Monday.com review, I’ll break down what actually stood out during testing, where the platform feels worth the price, where it didn’t meet my expectations, and give you a no-fluff answer if it’s for you or you should skip.

Let’s dive in!

Verdict

Here’s the quick verdict if you don’t want to read the full review:

Best for: Teams that want a simple, visual, easy-to-use project management tool
Not ideal for: Power users needing deep customization or budget-friendly pricing
Biggest strength: Best-in-class UI and dashboards
Biggest weakness: Expensive compared to many competitors

Verdict: Monday.com is one of the most user-friendly project management tools on the market, but its pricing makes it harder to justify for some teams.
Score: 4.2 / 5

Tested with our review & scoring methodology Real-world testing Unbiased evaluation

Monday.com

Review

Project & task management features

Collaboration & teamwork

Automation & workflows

Customization & flexibility

Reporting & analytics

Integrations

User interface

Performance & reliability

Pricing

My experience

Summary

Monday.com is an intuitive project management platform mostly for teams, but individuals can also utilize its free version. Ultimately, I had a positive experience with Monday.com, and the higher-tier plans have all the features a small business might need to manage projects.

4.2

pros

	Intuitive user interface
	Great task management features
	Customizable dashboard
	Many view options for projects
	An easy-to-use software

cons

	Recurring tasks
	Buggy mobile app
	Expensive

Try Monday

How We Test Project Management Tools

To keep our reviews & final score for each project management app fair and consistent, we evaluate every tool using the same testing framework based on real-world usage, feature depth, and overall value.

We score every project management tool using this weighted framework based on hands-on testing and real use cases.

Our scoring breakdown after testing 20+ project management apps:

Features & functionality — 60%
User interface — 10%
Performance & Reliability —10%
Pricing — 10%
Real-world experience — 10%

Want a detailed breakdown of how we test each category?

Learn exactly how we test tools → Review methodology

Short on time? Here’s a quick overview of Monday.com

What is Monday.com?

Monday.com is an intuitive project management platform mostly for teams, but individuals can also utilize its free version. Thanks to its security measures and integration options, Monday.com is ideal for enterprises as well.

With this project management tool, you can create workflows, automate processes, and collaborate on projects with your team members.

You can use Monday.com on the web and on your desktop for both Mac and Windows, and offers mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.

What using Monday.com felt like after testing 20+ alternatives

In this video, I show you how to get started with Monday, so you can decide more easily if this project management app is for you.

Compared to more robust project management apps like Jira or ClickUp, Monday has a significantly faster learning curve. Monday.com’s task management tools are easy to use, and you can customize the columns and parameters easily.

When testing, I particularly enjoyed using Monday.com’s project views. It offers a wide range of options for reviewing your projects from different angles.

Furthermore, the fully customizable dashboard stood out to me during my Monday.com review. Using its dashboard, you can utilize various widgets and apps to track your projects.

Nonetheless, I ran into a few bugs while testing the mobile app, and there were also some missing features I genuinely expected to find in a project management tool at Monday.com’s price point.

Why Monday.com didn’t score higher (and where it loses points)

Monday.com lost points in pricing (2.5/5) due to its relatively high cost, and in reliability (3.5/5), mainly because of occasional bugs in the mobile app.

Where it truly stood out during testing and earned the maximum score was in its advanced reporting, extensive integrations, and highly intuitive user interface.

Who Monday.com is a good fit for

Teams that want a simple, visual, and easy-to-use project management tool
Small to mid-sized businesses looking for a fast onboarding and short learning curve
Teams that rely on dashboards, reporting, and multiple project views to track progress
Users who value a clean UI and intuitive workflow over deep complexity
Teams that need solid collaboration features without heavy setup

Who Monday.com is not ideal for

Power users who need deep customization and advanced workflow logic
Teams managing highly complex or technical projects (e.g., dev-heavy workflows)
Users looking for a budget-friendly project management app
Users who rely heavily on mobile apps (due to occasional bugs)

The features that mattered during testing

These were the parts of Monday.com I relied on most while testing it.

Home page

Whenever I test project management tools, I always love to take a look at the home page, as it can provide a quick overview of your projects and tasks. So, a good home page or dashboard can save time and give you the comfort of knowing what you need to deal with today.

Monday.com’s home page is more like a workspace overview that shows your recent projects and gives you quick access to your content, collaborators, and permissions. If you want to get a better overview of your tasks, you need to go to the My Work tab.

Here, you can view your assigned tasks in a table or calendar view and customize the information displayed using options such as people, boards, status, date, and priority.

Nevertheless, I discovered during my Monday.com review that other software like ClickUp or Asana provides more options to customize your home page. Monday.com offers such customization and a more detailed dashboard view under your workspaces, but I will talk about it later.

Now, let’s move on to Monday.com’s project management tools!

Project management software

With Monday.com, you can organize your projects into several workspaces. When creating a project, you can decide whether you need a new workspace for it or if you want to involve it in an existing one.

I was honestly surprised by how fast the setup process was. I could usually create a new project from scratch and start organizing tasks in around five minutes.

You need to select the column types you want to include and the project view you want to apply.

Once you are done with it, you can start adding your tasks and their parameters. Let’s talk about the view options for a minute.

I ended up using the Kanban, and workload views the most. The Gantt view looked polished, but for smaller projects, it felt unnecessary for me.

Besides these, you can use the calendar, timeline, files gallery, map, chart, form, cards, and pivot board views, and if you tap the plus icon, more view options will appear. And there will be even more if you select “Explore more,” which I genuinely valued when managing my projects.

I believe this project management software provides more project views than most of the ones I tried. It is also great that the views do not take too much time to load and that new project view options are added regularly.

For teams, the workload view could be very helpful in reviewing resource allocation. As I work alone, it is not that suggestive, but it can clearly represent how the workload is allocated in your team.

Furthermore, Enterprise customers can create portfolios, where you can get a holistic view of all your projects in one place.

One thing I liked was how quickly I could restructure workflows. Using Monday.com’s project views, I rebuilt my content pipeline for the next few months in about 20–30 minutes.

Try Monday

Templates

Monday.com offers some templates for different industries and teams. Using such ready-made templates, you can create projects even faster.

Overall, I loved that there are plenty of templates, and you can easily personalize them. Just a quick side note: maybe it is just me, but to access the templates, Monday.com loaded at least a few minutes.

Task management features

During my Monday.com review, I realized how easy it is to add and assign tasks to others. You can add a new task with one click and select its status, priority level, timeline, owner, and due date.

In addition, Monday.com allows you to drag and drop individual tasks and move them irrespective of the view option you use.

I liked that that you can create more columns to track your tasks effectively. Furthermore, you can customize the label or create your own.

Once you have created a task, you can add subitems to break down more complex tasks. As you can see, I added 5 subtasks to my main task called AI note-takers YT video. If you click on the task, it will show the additional tasks under this item.

After reviewing Monday.com’s task management tools, I was satisfied, but not perfect. Something that annoyed me repeatedly is that recurring tasks are handled through automation rather than as a dedicated task function.

You can create recurring tasks using Monday.com’s automation, including setting them to repeat daily, weekly, or on a custom schedule.

Try Monday

Custom dashboard

Custom dashboards are useful for displaying the key information of all your projects in a single layout. You can apply up to 30 widgets and apps here so you can understand better the project progress, workloads, budgets, and more.

This is exactly what I expected from a good dashboard view, and this is what I missed on the home page. Overall, the customized dashboard was one of the best project management tools I discovered during my Monday.com review.

Collaboration tools

You can invite your team members to your workspace and start working on projects right away. The first step to getting your team onboard and collaborating is to add them as owners to the tasks.

You can start discussions in your projects, mention others, attach files, and leave comments. Furthermore, you can do the same under each task.

Another useful team collaboration feature is the update feed. Using this Monday.com feature, you get notified when someone mentions or assigns a task to you.

Lastly, you can share projects with your team members and change the permission level to a member, admin, or viewer.

Ultimately, Monday.com has decent team collaboration tools. It has all the essential features a project management tool needs to organize a team’s work.

Automation

You can manage and create custom automation with Monday.com. The automation feature is quite an intuitive and simple tool.

You only need to select the criteria for when the automation should be triggered and the required action in such cases. Depending on the trigger you’ve picked, you might need to select a condition as well.

Docs

Using Monday.com, you can create and draft documents. You can either start from scratch or use a template.

You can add numerous types of formats, such as text, tables, widgets, lists, and more. Furthermore, you can use Monday.com’s AI Sidekick to create a workdoc, generate and refine text, and summarize the text or the entire document.

During my Monday.com review, I found this an easy-to-use tool, which is completely ideal for creating a company knowledge base or writing meeting notes.

Time tracking

When adding columns to your projects, you can select the time-tracking tool as well. Once you add it to your tasks, you only need to hit the start button, and that is. However, the Time Tracking Column is available on the Pro and Enterprise plans.

If you need to export the time tracking column to Excel, you only need to click the column title and select “Export Column Data to Excel.” With this, you can collect the time you spend on each task and report it easily.

I think such a tracking feature is sufficient for most people. If you need more advanced time tracking, I typically recommend using a dedicated app for this, as it can give you a much more detailed breakdown of how you manage your time.

AI features

I was curious whether Monday’s newer AI tools were actually useful or just marketing. Monday.com has started putting much more focus on AI, which is now integrated directly into boards, workflows, docs, and automations.

One feature I found interesting is AI Blocks. These can be added to automations and workflows to perform actions like summarizing text, generating content, translating text, detecting sentiment, assigning labels, or pulling key details from documents.

Monday.com also offers AI Sidekick. This works like an assistant inside the platform. You can use it to write updates, summarize discussions, generate content, create workdocs, and take actions such as updating work or creating boards and other items.

AI Workflows let you build multi-step, cross-board workflows with AI-powered actions. You can use AI-powered blocks such as Sidekick, web search, and agents within the workflow builder.

For more specialized tasks, AI Agents can work across teams and workflows based on instructions and context. You can build and customize these agents using prompts without coding.

Monday Vibe takes a different approach, acting as an AI-powered app builder that lets you create custom applications from natural-language instructions. Meanwhile, AI Notetaker can transcribe meetings, generate summaries, and extract action items. It can also link summaries and action items to boards, items, and workflows.

However, these features run on AI credits, which are consumed whenever you use them.

Try Monday

Connecting Monday.com with other tools

Monday.com integrates with 850+ third-party apps and integrations, making it surprisingly flexible across different workflows and team setups. I found it easy to connect with the tools I already used without needing much extra setup.

It also supports Zapier integrations, which provide access to thousands of third-party apps and automations if you want to build Monday.com into your tool stack.

Monday.com’s user interface

Monday.com has an incredibly intuitive user interface. It is easy to navigate on it, and you can find all the key features with a few clicks. I love that it is simplified, and I do not have the feeling that it is packed.

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Monday.com’s mobile app

Monday.com has a mobile version that is available for Android and iPhone users as well. Its user interface is okay, but it has fewer features compared to the web and desktop apps. The mobile bug happened when I started adding lots of tasks to one of the projects.

Also, during my testing, I occasionally experienced issues with new items not syncing immediately with the desktop or web app.

Try Monday

Cost vs value

After testing Monday.com, pricing was one of my biggest concerns.

Free plan

Monday.com’s free version has some limitations, and it is only sufficient for individuals or very small teams. With the Free plan, you can access 3 boards, 8 column types, +200 templates, up to 3 docs, and the iOS and Android apps. You can also have up to 2 seats on the Free plan.

Basic plan

Monday.com has four paid plans. Whenever you decide to buy one of the paid plans of Monday.com, you need to know that paid plans start at three seats.

If choosing the Basic plan, you can add unlimited items, access to 5GB file storage, prioritized customer support, and you can create a dashboard based on 1 board. You can also give read-only access to unlimited free viewers.

You can get the Basic plan for $9 monthly per seat if purchasing the annual subscription. If you choose the monthly billing, it is $12 per month per seat.

Based on my experience, this plan might be ideal for small businesses, but lacks some critical features.

Standard plan

With the Standard plan, you can use the timeline, Gantt, and calendar views and access 250 automation and 250 integration actions per month. You also get 2,000 AI credits per month. Additionally, you can create a dashboard that combines five boards and provides 20GB of file storage.

It is $12 per month per seat if billed annually. If you want to pay on a monthly basis, it will cost $14 per month per seat.

Compared to the Basic plan, the Standard plan offers more options to visualize projects, more space for your files, longer activity logs (i.e., 6 months), and access to automation and integrations.

Pro plan

The Pro plan starts at $19 per month per seat if the annual billing is chosen. Otherwise, it is $24 monthly per seat.

With the Pro Plan, you access private boards, chart view, time tracking, formula columns, and 25,000 automation and 25,000 integration actions per month. You can also create a dashboard that combines up to 20 boards.

This plan is excellent for small and mid-sized businesses.

Enterprise plan

Lastly, Monday.com offers an Enterprise plan for larger businesses with custom pricing.

You get enterprise-scale automation and integrations with up to 250,000 automation and 250,000 integration actions per month, enterprise-grade security, advanced reporting and analytics, and enterprise support. AI credits are available with custom quantities for Enterprise customers.

Try Monday

Where Monday.com impressed me (and where it didn’t)

After testing real workflows in Monday.com, these were the biggest strengths and frustrations I noticed.

Where It Excels

Intuitive user interface and a shorter learning curve than other project management tools
It has great task management features with numerous customization options
The customizable dashboard made my workflows more clear
The high number of project views surprised me
An easy-to-use project management software compared to ClickUp, Jira, or SmartSuite

Where It Falls Short

You can not add recurring tasks unless you use automation, which was frustrating when managing my projects
Its mobile app has some bugs, and it’s one of Monday’s biggest pain points
The Pro plan is expensive compared to the depth of features

Monday.com alternatives

If you need something cheaper, more customizable, or better suited for complex workflows, these alternatives are worth considering.

App	Best for	Description
Hive	Best for small teams	A project management app for small teams with advanced collaboration and AI features. Full Hive review \| Quick Hive overview
SmartSuite	Best for no-code workflow building	A collaborative work management solution for teams to track and manage workflow. Full SmartSuite review \| Quick SmartSuite overview
ClickUp	Best all-in-one	An easy-to-use AI-powered project management software. Full ClickUp review \| Quick ClickUp overview
Taskade	Best lightweight AI tool	An AI-powered workflow and lightweight project management app. Full Taskade review \| Quick Taskade overview
Coda	Best for custom workflows	An all-in-one app that is similar to Notion, however, with more massive project management tools. Full Coda review \| Quick Coda overview
Notion	Best for notes & projects	It provides a centralized workspace where you can organize your thoughts, notes, tasks, projects, and documents in one place. Full Notion review \| Quick Notion overview
Motion	Best for AI scheduling	It is an AI calendar app, but it also works as a project management software. Full Motion review \| Quick Motion overview
Asana	Best for ease of use	A popular and easy-to-use project management tool. Full Asana review \| Quick Asana overview
Teamwork.com	Best for client work	An excellent project management software for client-facing teams. Full Teamwork review \| Quick Teamwork overview
Zoho Projects	Best for structured planning	A structured project management tool designed to help teams plan, track, and deliver projects with clear processes and long-term visibility. Full Zoho Projects review \| Quick Zoho Projects overview
ProofHub	Best for approvals & feedback	A project and team management app with outstanding collaboration, proofing, and customization options. Full ProofHub review \| Quick ProofHub overview
Jira	Best for agile teams	An advanced project management and issue tracking tool, built mainly for agile software and IT teams. Full Jira review \| Quick Jira overview
Vaiz	Best lightweight all-in-one	A lightweight project management platform that combines tasks, docs, collaboration, automation, and AI in one workspace. Full Vaiz review \| Quick Vaiz overview

Compare Monday.com vs alternatives

ClickUp VS Monday.com

ClickUp vs Monday

Notion VS Monday.com

Notion vs Monday

Monday.com VS Asana

Monday vs Asana

Teamwork VS Monday.com

Teamwork vs Monday

SmartSuite VS Monday.com

SmartSuite vs Monday

Final verdict: Is Monday.com worth it?

After testing Monday.com against more than 20 project management tools, I can see exactly why so many teams like it. It’s not overwhelming at all to build workflows thanks to its ease of use and polished interface.

What stood out most to me was that I could go from an empty workspace to building up my content schedule and other projects without spending hours configuring everything.

However, Monday.com is expensive for what it offers. It’s nowhere near ClickUp or Jira in terms of feature depth, yet its pricing doesn’t reflect that.

Ultimately, I think Monday.com makes the most sense for teams that value simplicity, clean design, and fast onboarding rather than feature depth.

8 Best Project Management Software in 2026 | My Honest List

Looking for similar tools?

Visit the link to explore other apps we’ve reviewed in this space and how they compare.

See overview

Why you can trust our reviews

At thebusinessdive.com, our team tests, reviews, and compares hundreds of productivity apps every year — from project management tools to note-taking apps. We dive deep into real-world use cases to help you find the right tools that actually improve your workflow, not just add noise.

Our mission? No fluff, no shortcuts—just honest, hands-on insights from productivity pros.

Discover how we stay transparent, read our review methodology, and let us know about any tools we missed.

Frequently asked questions

Is Monday.com actually good?

After my Monday.com review, I realized that it is quite a good project management tool. It offers numerous view options and customization options, and it is an easy-to-use project management app overall.

Is Monday.com actually free?

Monday.com has a free plan for one or two seats, but it has a limited feature set. With the Free version, you can access 3 boards, 8 column types, +200 templates, up to 3 docs, and the iOS and Android apps.

With the paid plans starting from $9 per user monthly, you can get more advanced features to manage your projects.

What is the difference between ClickUp and Monday.com?

Both ClickUp and Monday.com are fantastic project management tools. As for pricing, ClickUp is more affordable. Nevertheless, Monday.com has a shorter learning curve than ClickUp.

If we take a look at the features of both project management software, I would say ClickUp has more robust tools. However, the customer support team at Monday.com is better than ClickUp.

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, may earn a small commission. Read the full privacy policy here.

Aron Kantor

Hey there! I am Aron, the founder of Thebusinessdive. I have been testing productivity apps for almost three years now. I reach 25.000 -50.000 people monthly with the mission to help you find the perfect productivity apps. Subscribe to my YouTube channel, newsletter, and social media to hear more about the best productivity tools. Let’s dive in!

thebusinessdive.com

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7 Best ClickUp Alternatives | +25 Apps Tested (2026)

Aron Kantor — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:51:35 +0000

Finding the right ClickUp alternative is not easy because most project management tools solve different problems.

I personally tested over 25 possible apps and these are my top picks:

Monday.com → Best alternative for large teams
Backlog by Nulab → Top alternative for developer teams
Vaiz → Best alternative for teams tired of paying for features they don’t use
Hive → Best alternative for small teams
SmartSuite → Best free alternative
Teamwork.com → Best alternative for client work
ProofHub → Best ClickUp alternative for growing teams

How These ClickUp Competitors Stack Up

Tool	Best replacement for ClickUp if…	What I liked during testing	Biggest limitation	Starting price
Monday.com	You want a platform that’s easier to learn and scales well across larger teams.	Clean interface, excellent project views, and customizable dashboards.	Less flexibility than ClickUp, and recurring tasks require automation.	Free + paid from €9/user/month)
Backlog	Your team manages software development and wants built-in Git and issue tracking.	Git repositories, Issues view, and Wiki all worked together seamlessly.	Limited automation and reporting.	Free + paid from $35/month)
Vaiz	You want a lightweight all-in-one workspace that’s quick to set up.	Fast onboarding, clean interface, and excellent Docs integration.	Reporting and automation are still fairly basic.	Free + paid from $5/user/month)
Hive	You run a small team and want collaboration built into your workspace.	Chat, email, collaborative notes, and dashboards all worked well together.	Advanced features require the Teams plan or paid add-ons.	Free + paid from $5/user/month)
SmartSuite	You need a generous free plan and database-style work management.	Spreadsheet-like workflows, powerful customization, and permissions.	Steeper learning curve.	Free + paid from $12/user/month)
Teamwork.com	You manage client projects with budgets, invoices, and billable hours.	Client management, reporting, budgeting, and profitability tracking.	Fewer project views and a longer learning curve.	Free + paid from $9.99/user/month)
ProofHub	Your team is growing and you want predictable software costs.	Flat pricing, collaboration features, and proofing tools.	No workflow automation or free plan.	$45/month

How we decided which ClickUp alternative to choose

When selecting the best ClickUp alternatives, I used our standardized testing framework for project management software, developed over 3+ years of testing productivity apps.

The recommendations in this article are based on hands-on testing across multiple categories, including project management, task management, collaboration, reporting, automation, AI features, pricing, integrations, customization, and overall user experience.

Since every team has different priorities, I didn’t rank these ClickUp alternatives purely by their overall score.

Instead, I organized them based on where they outperform ClickUp and who they’re best suited for, whether that’s developer teams, client-facing businesses, growing organizations, or teams looking for a simpler or more affordable project management solution.

We evaluate every project management tool using this weighted framework, based on hands-on testing with real projects and everyday workflows.

Our scoring breakdown after testing 20+ project management apps:

Features & functionality — 60%
User interface — 10%
Performance & Reliability —10%
Pricing — 10%
Real-world experience — 10%

Want a detailed breakdown of how we test each category?

Learn exactly how we test tools → Review methodology

My Full Breakdown of Each Alternative

Monday.com

4.2/5

Monday.com is an intuitive project management platform built primarily for teams. Thanks to its enterprise-grade security, reporting capabilities, and extensive integration options, I think it’s one of the strongest choices for larger organizations.

Full Monday review Visit Monday

Best alternative for large teams

Quick verdict

Choose Monday over ClickUp if:

You want a project management tool that’s easier to learn and scales better for larger teams.

Stick with ClickUp if:

You need deeper customization, more advanced workflow logic, and a broader feature set.

Biggest advantage over ClickUp:

A cleaner interface with a significantly shorter learning curve.

Main tradeoff:

You give up some customization and advanced project management features.

Why I Recommend Monday for Teams Leaving ClickUp

If your team finds ClickUp too overwhelming, Monday.com is one of the first tools I’d consider. It keeps the core project management features most teams rely on, but getting started takes far less time.

While ClickUp gives you more control over how you build your workflows, Monday.com gets you from an empty workspace to an organized project much faster.

It still offers multiple project views, customizable dashboards, automation, and solid collaboration tools, but everything is easier to find and quicker to set up. That combination stood out to me throughout my testing.

Overall, I think Monday.com is a great choice for larger teams that want a visual project management platform with a short learning curve. If your team doesn’t need highly customized workflows, I think it’s much easier to roll out than ClickUp.

What I Liked (and What I Missed Compared to ClickUp)

As I already mentioned, I liked how quickly I could start managing projects in Monday. Creating tasks, customizing columns, and organizing boards only took a few minutes.

I also spent a lot of time using Monday.com’s project views. I switched between Kanban, Timeline, Calendar, and Workload depending on the project, and they all loaded quickly.

The customizable dashboards were another highlight, giving me a clear overview when managing multiple projects.

The biggest thing I missed was ClickUp’s flexibility. I was also surprised that recurring tasks aren’t available as a built-in feature and require automation instead. If your workflows depend on deeper customization or more advanced task management, ClickUp still has the advantage.

Monday.com‘s top features

Project views: I probably used the project views more than any other key features. Monday.com offers Kanban, Timeline, Calendar, Gantt, Workload, and several additional views. Switching between them was fast, and I never experienced long loading times while managing my projects.

Custom dashboards: The dashboards quickly became the place where I tracked my projects. I customized them with different widgets depending on the data I wanted to monitor, so I rarely needed to jump between multiple boards throughout the day.

Workload management: The Workload View gives you a clear picture of how work is distributed across your team. While I mostly tested Monday.com as a solo user, I can see this being valuable for larger teams that regularly review team capacity and resource allocation.

Automation: Monday.com uses a simple trigger-and-action system for automation. I created custom workflows in a few minutes, and the setup process required very little configuration compared to some other project management tools I tested.

AI features: Monday.com recently introduced AI Blocks, AI Sidekick, and AI Agents. During testing, I mostly used AI Blocks to summarize content and generate text inside workflows. While the AI tools are still evolving, I liked that they are available directly inside boards, docs, and automations.

Monday.com‘s pricing

Free plan available
Basic plan: €9/user/month with annual billing
Standard plan: €12/user/month with annual billing
Pro plan: €19/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Wins & trade-offs when choosing Monday.com

Pros

Intuitive user interface and a shorter learning curve than other project management tools
It has great task management features with numerous customization options
The customizable dashboard made my workflows clearer
The high number of project views surprised me
An easy-to-use project management software compared to ClickUp, Jira, or SmartSuite

Cons

You can not add recurring tasks unless you use automation, which was frustrating when managing my projects
Its mobile app has some bugs, and it’s one of Monday’s biggest pain points
The Pro plan is expensive compared to the depth of features

How does Monday stack up against other ClickUp alternatives (and ClickUp itself)?

ClickUp VS Monday.com

ClickUp vs Monday

Notion VS Monday.com

Notion vs Monday

Monday.com VS Asana

Monday vs Asana

Teamwork VS Monday.com

Teamwork vs Monday

SmartSuite VS Monday.com

SmartSuite vs Monday

Read my full review: Monday.com Review 2025: Is the $228 Price Tag Justified?

Try Monday

Backlog by Nulab

4.3/5

Backlog by Nulab is a project management platform designed primarily for software development teams. It combines project planning, issue tracking, collaboration, and version control in a single workspace.

Visit Backlog

Best ClickUp alternative for developer teams

Quick verdict

Choose Backlog over ClickUp if:

You want project management software with built-in Git repositories, issue tracking, and developer tools.

Stick with ClickUp if:

You need advanced automation, reporting, or a more flexible workspace for non-technical teams.

Biggest advantage over ClickUp:

Developer tools are built directly into the platform.

Main tradeoff:

Backlog has fewer automation and customization options than ClickUp.

Why I Recommend Backlog for Developer Teams Leaving ClickUp

The biggest reason I recommend Backlog over ClickUp is its developer-focused feature set. Instead of adapting a general project management tool for software development, you get built-in Git repositories, issue tracking, pull requests, and Wikis from the start.

For development teams, having these tools inside the same platform helps keep projects, code, bugs, and documentation organized. During my testing, this was the biggest difference compared to ClickUp.

Overall, I think Backlog is the better choice for engineering teams. However, if you need one platform for many different departments, ClickUp gives you more flexibility.

What I Liked (and What I Missed Compared to ClickUp)

One of the things I liked most about Backlog was how well everything related to development worked together. I spent most of my time in the Issues view, where it was easy to review bugs, feature requests, and assigned work.

Having Git repositories, pull requests, and issue tracking inside the same platform also meant I didn’t have to switch between multiple tools throughout the day. I also appreciated the built-in Wiki, which made it easy to keep documentation connected to projects instead of storing it elsewhere.

Finally, Backlog’s flat pricing stood out to me, especially compared to ClickUp’s per-user pricing.

What I missed were some of ClickUp’s more advanced project management features. Reporting is much more limited, and there isn’t a native automation builder for creating workflow automations.

I also think ClickUp is the better option if your team manages projects outside software development, as it gives you far more flexibility when building different types of workflows.

Backlog’s top features

Built-in Git and SVN repositories: The biggest advantage over ClickUp is that Backlog includes version control directly inside the platform. I could manage repositories, pull requests, and issues without relying on external development tools.

Issues view: I used the Issues view throughout my testing. It provided a clear overview of bugs, feature requests, and open tasks, and filtering by priority or assignee only took a few clicks.

Wiki: Backlog’s Wiki became the central place for documentation during testing. It’s useful for onboarding guides, technical documentation, and internal knowledge that development teams access regularly.

Flat pricing: Unlike many project management tools, Backlog charges by plan instead of per user. I think this pricing model makes much more sense for growing engineering teams.

Gantt charts: While Backlog is primarily built for developers, I still found the Gantt charts useful for tracking project timelines and milestones across larger projects.

Backlog’s pricing

Free plan available
Starter plan: $35/month
Standard plan: $100/month
Premium plan: $175/month
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Wins & trade-offs when choosing Backlog

Pros

Built-in Git and SVN repositories
Excellent issue tracking for development teams
Flat pricing instead of per-user pricing
Simple interface with a short learning curve
Built-in Wiki for documentation

Cons

Limited automation compared to ClickUp
Fewer customization options
Reporting isn’t as advanced as ClickUp’s

Try Backlog

Vaiz

4.4/5

Vaiz is a work management platform that combines project management, docs, collaboration, automation, and AI tools inside a single workspace. It focuses on usability and fast setup, making it a strong option for small and mid-sized teams.

Full Vaiz review Visit Vaiz

Best for teams tired of paying for features they don’t use

Quick verdict

Choose Vaiz over ClickUp if:

You want an all-in-one workspace that’s much easier to set up and navigate than ClickUp.

Stick with ClickUp if:

Your team requires SOC 2 compliance, SAML-SSO, or a procurement-heavy purchasing process.

Biggest advantage over ClickUp:

Replaces your task tracker and docs tool in one workspace without ClickUp’s price and complexity.

Main tradeoff:

Reporting and automation aren’t as advanced as ClickUp’s.

Why I Recommend Vaiz for Teams Leaving ClickUp

The biggest reason I would recommend Vaiz over ClickUp is its simplicity. While ClickUp offers one of the deepest feature sets among project management tools, many teams end up paying for functionality they rarely use.

Instead of trying to compete feature for feature, Vaiz focuses on the tools most teams use every day. It delivers project management, documentation, collaboration, and automation in one place while keeping the platform intuitive and easy to navigate. That balance between usability and functionality stood out to me throughout my testing.

Overall, I think Vaiz is a great choice for small and mid-sized teams that have outgrown simple task managers but find ClickUp too complex. You give up some advanced reporting and automation, but in return, you get a platform that’s much faster to learn and easier to manage.

What I Liked (and What I Missed Compared to ClickUp)

Compared to ClickUp, Vaiz was much easier to get started with. Creating projects, setting up boards, and organizing workflows only took a few minutes, and I rarely needed to spend time configuring the platform before I could start working.

Another thing I appreciated was how closely tasks, docs, and collaboration features were connected. I could manage most of my work from one place instead of constantly moving between different sections.

Even after adding multiple projects, I never had trouble finding the features I needed. The interface remained organized throughout my testing, which made navigation much more straightforward than in ClickUp.

Nevertheless, I missed some of ClickUp’s more advanced capabilities. Reporting and dashboards are still fairly basic, and the automation system doesn’t offer the same depth for more complex workflows. If your team relies on advanced reporting or highly customized automations, ClickUp still has the advantage.

Vaiz’s top features

Project setup: Creating a new project only took a few clicks, and I could start building workflows almost immediately. Vaiz also offers templates for different teams and project types, but you can just as easily build everything from scratch.

Project Docs: The built-in Docs quickly became one of my favorite features. I liked that documentation stayed connected to projects, tasks, and discussions instead of being stored in a separate tool.

Collaboration: Vaiz integrates collaboration directly into projects. I could assign work, leave comments, @mention teammates, create collaborative diagrams in tasks and docs, and review activity without leaving the project itself.

Multiple project views: Vaiz supports Cards, List, Calendar, Milestones, and Gantt views. I switched between them depending on the project, and each one gave me a different way to organize and review my work.

AI assistant: The AI assistant is built directly into Project Docs, where it can summarize, rewrite, translate, and organize content. Vaiz also supports Claude MCP integration and Cursor — meaning your team can create tasks, pull context, and manage work directly from the AI tools you’re already using. A native AI agent is launching summer 2026.

Integrations: Connect Vaiz with Slack, GitHub, GitLab, and 9,000+ apps via Zapier, or import projects from Asana, Jira, Trello, and Notion (tasks only, full import in development) — with ClickUp, Monday.com, and Wrike coming soon.

Vaiz’s pricing

Free plan available & a 30-day trial of the paid plans
Pro plan: $5/user/month with annual billing
Premium plan: $9/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing with self-hosted deployment options available

Wins & trade-offs when choosing Vaiz

Pros

Very easy to set up and learn
Clean and lightweight interface
Strong collaboration features
Project Docs integrated into workflows
Multiple project views for different workflows

Cons

Reporting is relatively basic
Automation isn’t as advanced as ClickUp’s
SOC 2 compliance and SAML-SSO not yet available

Read my full review: Vaiz Review 2026 | Lightweight Done Right

Try Vaiz

Hive

4.3/5

Hive is a project management platform designed for agencies, marketing teams, nonprofits, and other collaborative teams. It combines project management, communication, AI tools, and workflow automation in one workspace while keeping the platform easy to use.

Full Hive review Visit Hive

Best for small teams

Quick verdict

Choose Hive over ClickUp if:

You want an easy-to-use project management platform with excellent collaboration and built-in communication tools.

Stick with ClickUp if:

You need deeper customization, enterprise-level workflows, or advanced automation.

Biggest advantage over ClickUp:

Built-in collaboration features, including chat, email, and collaborative notes.

Main tradeoff:

Many advanced features are only available on the Teams plan or as paid add-ons.

Why I Recommend Hive for Teams Leaving ClickUp

The reason I recommend Hive over ClickUp is that it gives small teams most of the features they actually use, but in a much easier-to-manage platform. While ClickUp offers deeper customization and more advanced workflows, many smaller teams simply don’t need that level of complexity.

What makes Hive different is how much emphasis it puts on collaboration. Chat, email, collaborative notes, dashboards, and project management all work together inside the same platform, so your team spends less time switching between tools.

Overall, I think Hive is a great choice for small and mid-sized teams that want a project management tool that’s easy to learn but still offers strong collaboration features.

What I Liked (and What I Missed Compared to ClickUp)

I particularly liked Hive’s collaboration tools. The built-in chat, collaborative notes, update feed, and email integration made it easy to keep conversations connected to projects.

I also appreciated the App Library, which let me add features like Goals, Automations, and Time Tracking only when I needed them. Another highlight was the dashboards, which gave me a quick overview of projects and tasks throughout my testing.

What I missed was some of ClickUp’s flexibility. Hive doesn’t offer as many project views, and many advanced features are only available on the Teams plan or through paid add-ons. I also would have liked to see Hive’s AI integrated into the email feature, as that felt like a missed opportunity.

Hive’s top features

Collaboration tools: Hive’s collaboration features were easily my favorite part of the platform. Besides comments and task assignments, it also includes collaborative notes, instant messaging, and an update feed, so I rarely needed to switch to another communication tool while managing projects.

App Library: One feature I really liked was the App Library. Instead of filling the platform with features you may never use, Hive lets you enable add-ons like Goals, Time Tracking, Forms, or Automations only when you need them. I especially enjoyed using the Goals add-on to connect objectives directly to my projects.

Dashboards: The dashboards gave me a quick overview of my projects, tasks, and workspace activity. I also appreciated how easy they were to customize with widgets, goals, notes, filters, and external embeds depending on what I wanted to track.

AI tools: Hive’s AI assistant, Buzz, answered my questions quickly and helped create projects, dashboards, and workflows. I also used the AI tools inside Notes to generate and rewrite content, and they worked reliably throughout my testing.

Inbox: After connecting my email account, I could read and send emails directly from Hive. I liked having emails, messages, tasks, and projects available inside the same platform.

Hive’s pricing

Free plan available
Starter plan: $5/user/month (annual billing)
Teams plan: $12/user/month (annual billing)
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Wins & trade-offs when choosing Hive

Pros

Excellent collaboration and communication tools
Intuitive interface with a short learning curve
Strong AI features for automated workflows
Customizable dashboards
Built-in productivity tools, for example, email and instant messaging

Cons

Most advanced features require the Teams plan
Fewer project views than some competitors
AI isn’t integrated into the email feature

Read my full review: Hive Review: The Best Project Management App? (2025)

Try Hive

Explore our Apps directory

A curated directory of software tools we’ve independently reviewed, with links to full reviews, comparisons, and category guides.

Explore Apps directory

SmartSuite

4.4/5

SmartSuite is a collaborative work management platform that helps teams manage projects, workflows, and company data in one place. It combines project management with spreadsheet and database capabilities, making it a great fit for teams that need more than task tracking.

Full SmartSuite review Visit SmartSuite

Best free ClickUp alternative

Quick verdict

Choose SmartSuite over ClickUp if:

You want a generous free plan and highly customizable workflows with database-style project management.

Stick with ClickUp if:

You prefer a simpler interface with a shorter learning curve.

Biggest advantage over ClickUp:

One of the most generous free plans I’ve tested.

Main tradeoff:

It takes longer to learn than ClickUp.

Why I Recommend SmartSuite for Teams Leaving ClickUp

The value you get from its free plan is my biggest reason for recommending SmartSuite. Compared to most project management tools, it includes an impressive number of advanced features without requiring a paid subscription.

I also think SmartSuite offers much more than traditional project management. Besides managing tasks and projects, you can build databases, customize workflows, and organize company information using the same platform. That flexibility is what surprised me the most during my testing.

Overall, I think SmartSuite is an excellent ClickUp alternative for small teams that need advanced work management but want to keep costs low.

What I Liked (and What I Missed Compared to ClickUp)

What stood out to me first was SmartSuite’s performance. Everything loaded almost instantly, even when working with larger tables and multiple records.

I also loved the spreadsheet-like approach to managing projects. Linking records, sorting information, creating custom fields, and organizing databases were much more powerful than I expected.

Another thing I appreciated was the level of detail in the permissions and roles, which gave me much more control over who could access different parts of each project.

The biggest thing I missed was a shorter learning curve. SmartSuite’s structure is quite different from most project management tools, so it took me some time to understand how everything worked. I also experienced a few issues with the mobile app, particularly when saving records.

SmartSuite’s top features

Database-style project management: SmartSuite combines spreadsheets and project management in a very natural way. I spent a lot of time sorting, filtering, grouping, and linking records, and it was much more powerful than a traditional task manager. With this setup, SmartSuite is a capable software for managing complex projects.

Custom fields: SmartSuite gives you an impressive number of field types. During testing, I added formulas, time tracking, addresses, and other custom fields to build workflows that matched exactly what I needed.

Permissions and roles: One feature that really stood out was the level of control over permissions. Between role-based access, guest permissions, and solution permissions, I could decide exactly who could view or edit different parts of my workspace.

Templates: I tried several of SmartSuite’s templates and was impressed by both the quality and variety. They made it much faster to build new projects without starting from scratch.

Automation: Setting up automations only took a few minutes. I also liked that SmartSuite supports email-based automation through its Outlook and Gmail integrations, which gives you more flexibility when building workflows.

SmartSuite’s pricing

Free plan available
Team plan: $12/user/month with annual billing
Professional plan: $30/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: $45/user/month with annual billing

Wins & trade-offs when choosing SmartSuite

Pros

One of the best free plans available in the project management space
Combines project and data management
Excellent permissions and role management
Powerful customization options
High-quality templates

Cons

Steeper learning curve than ClickUp
Mobile app still needs improvement
Paid plans become expensive as your team grows

How does SmartSuite stack up against other ClickUp alternatives (and ClickUp itself)?

SmartSuite VS ClickUp

Compare SmartSuite vs ClickUp

SmartSuite VS Monday.com

Compare SmartSuite vs Monday

Read my full review: SmartSuite Review 2025: A Hidden Gem

Try SmartSuite

Teamwork.com

4.3/5

Teamwork.com is a project management platform built specifically for agencies, consultants, IT service providers, and other client-facing teams. It combines project management, time tracking, budgeting, reporting, and client collaboration in one platform.

Full Teamwork review Visit Teamwork

Best ClickUp alternative for client work

Quick verdict

Choose Teamwork.com over ClickUp if:

You manage client projects and need built-in budgeting, invoicing, and profitability tracking.

Stick with ClickUp if:

You mainly manage internal projects or want more flexible workflows.

Biggest advantage over ClickUp:

Client management, budgeting, and reporting are built directly into the platform.

Main tradeoff:

It offers fewer project views and has a longer learning curve.

Why I Recommend Teamwork.com for Teams Leaving ClickUp

If your business revolves around client work, Teamwork.com solves problems that ClickUp only partially covers. Besides managing projects, it helps you track billable time, monitor budgets, manage client relationships, and measure project profitability without relying on additional tools.

Another reason I recommend it is that many of these features work together naturally. Time tracking, budgeting, reporting, invoices, and client access are all connected, making it much easier to manage projects from the initial request to the final invoice.

Overall, I think Teamwork.com is one of the best ClickUp alternatives for agencies, consultants, creatives, and service-based businesses. If your projects are mostly internal, ClickUp remains the more flexible option.

What I Liked (and What I Missed Compared to ClickUp)

I particularly liked how much attention Teamwork.com puts on client work. The client management features, budgeting tools, built-in time tracking, and proofs all worked together, making it much easier to manage projects from both an operational and financial perspective.

I also appreciated the reporting features, which gave me a detailed overview of profitability, billable hours, workload, and project performance.

Compared to ClickUp, I missed having more project view options. Teamwork.com offers the essentials, but I occasionally had trouble finding certain features, such as invoicing. I also wasn’t a big fan of the Gantt view, which was less intuitive than in some other project management tools.

Teamwork.com‘s top features

Client management: The Client view is what separates Teamwork.com from most project management tools. I could see every client’s projects, budgets, owners, and key details in one place, while client users could review files, leave comments, and contribute to projects with limited permissions.

Budgeting & invoicing: I really liked having budgeting, time tracking, and invoicing inside the same platform. With this centralized platform for invoicing, I could monitor billable hours, project costs, profit margins, and prepare invoices in one place.

Reporting: Teamwork.com has some of the most advanced reporting features I’ve tested. I regularly checked profitability, tracked time, workload, and project reports, and I also liked that I could build custom reports when the pre-built ones weren’t enough.

Proofs: Proofs were one of my favorite features for client work. Clients could review files, leave feedback, and approve deliverables directly inside Teamwork.com, while the rest of the team could review everything before requesting final approval.

Resource management: Although I mostly tested Teamwork.com as a solo user, I spent some time exploring the workload and resource management features. They provide detailed information about team capacity, availability, and future workload, which I think would be valuable for larger teams.

Teamwork’s pricing

Free plan available and a 30-day free trial of the paid plans
Basics Plan: $9.99/user/month with annual billing
Accelerate Plan: $24.99/user/month with annual billing
Optimize Plan: Custom pricing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Wins & trade-offs when choosing Teamwork.com

Pros

Outstanding features for client work
Advanced reporting and financial tracking
Excellent budgeting and time tracking tools
Built-in client collaboration
Strong workload and resource management

Cons

Fewer project views than ClickUp
Longer learning curve

How does Teamwork stack up against other ClickUp alternatives (and ClickUp itself)?

Teamwork VS ClickUp

Teamwork vs ClickUp

Teamwork VS Monday

Teamwork vs Monday

Teamwork VS Asana

Teamwork vs Asana

Read my full review: Teamwork.com Review 2025: Here Is My Honest Opinion

Try Teamwork

ProofHub

4/5

ProofHub is a project management and team collaboration platform designed for growing teams. It combines project management, proofing, reporting, time tracking, and collaboration tools, while its flat pricing model keeps costs predictable as your team expands.

Full ProofHub review Visit ProofHub

Best alternative for growing teams

Bottom line

Choose ProofHub over ClickUp if:

Your team is growing and you want predictable pricing with strong collaboration features.

Stick with ClickUp if:

You rely on advanced automation, extensive integrations, or highly customized workflows.

Biggest advantage over ClickUp:

Flat pricing with unlimited users on every paid plan.

Main tradeoff:

Automation and integrations aren’t as advanced as ClickUp’s.

Why I Recommend ProofHub for Teams Leaving ClickUp

The main reason I recommend ProofHub over ClickUp is that it becomes more cost-effective as your team grows.

Unlike ClickUp, which charges per user, ProofHub’s flat pricing includes unlimited users on both paid plans. If you’re planning to expand your team, that pricing model can save a significant amount over time.

Another reason is that ProofHub still covers the core features most growing teams need. Project management, collaboration, proofing, reporting, and time tracking are all built into the platform, so you don’t have to sacrifice essential functionality to get predictable pricing.

Overall, I think ProofHub is a great choice for teams that want to scale without seeing their software costs increase every time they add a new team member.

What I Liked (and What I Missed Compared to ClickUp)

ProofHub exceeded my expectations during testing. I particularly liked how much attention it puts on team collaboration.

Chat, comments, announcements, proofing, and file sharing all worked well together, and I also appreciated how much I could customize projects, dashboards, reports, and user roles. The interface was intuitive, so I didn’t spend much time learning where everything was.

What I missed compared to ClickUp were its automation and integration options. ProofHub doesn’t include workflow automation, and the number of third-party integrations is fairly limited. I also think a free plan would make it a more attractive option for freelancers and smaller teams.

ProofHub’s top features

Proofing tools: The proofing tools were one of my favorite parts of ProofHub. I could review files, highlight specific areas, leave comments, and approve documents directly inside the platform. Version history was also useful when reviewing updated files.

Team collaboration tools: ProofHub offers chat, comments, file sharing, notifications, custom roles, and discussions in one place. All these tools help to keep conversations connected to projects.

Announcements: Announcements are a feature I rarely see in project management software. They let you share company updates, achievements, or important reminders with the whole team, while also allowing comments and file attachments.

Task management: ProofHub offers recurring tasks, custom fields, dependencies, custom workflows, templates, and multiple project views. I also liked the project overview, which combines milestones, logged time, activity, and project progress on one page.

Dashboard: The dashboard gave me quick access to projects, announcements, bookmarks, timers, sticky notes, and agenda items. I also liked that I could rearrange widgets and customize the layout based on what I wanted to see first.

ProofHub’s pricing

No free plan, only a 14-day free trial
Essential plan: $45/month (annual billing)
Ultimate Control plan: $89/month (annual billing)

Wins & trade-offs when choosing ProofHub

Pros

Predictable flat pricing with unlimited users
Excellent collaboration features
One of the best proofing tools I tested
Extensive task customization
User-friendly interface with a short learning curve

Cons

No workflow automation
Limited third-party integrations
No free plan

Read my full review: ProofHub Review 2026 | A Unique Project Management App

Try ProofHub

Summary: Best ClickUp Alternatives in 2026

After my long research and continuous testing, I found these as the top ClickUp alternatives in 2026 and tried to categorize them based on use cases. This way, you can select which one fits you.

Looking for similar tools?

Visit our library of PDF editors to explore other apps we’ve reviewed in this space and how they compare.

See overview

Why you can trust our reviews

Every month, 35,000–50,000 people trust us to find the best productivity apps at the best price.

Our mission? No fluff, no shortcuts—just honest, hands-on insights from productivity pros, so you can make an easier decision.

Have a question or suggestion? I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out anytime at aronkantor@thebusinessdive.com.

Frequently asked questions

Is there anything better than ClickUp?

I think Monday, Backlog, Hive, SmartSuite, Teamwork.com, and Coda are the best alternatives to ClickUp right now. Nevertheless, there are many project management apps out there, so I am open to debate on this one.

Some additional alternatives to ClickUp which you can consider:

Notion: Notion offers a powerful and flexible combination of collaborative documents and project management with a generous free plan.
Wrike: It is best for larger teams and enterprise-level workflows, providing advanced analytics and cross-collaboration features.
Jira: The good old Jira. It is superior for software development and agile tracking, but I personally do not prefer it too much.
Trello: Trello is well-known for its Kanban-style task management and is often recommended as a cost-effective substitute for ClickUp. However, it has more basic project management features than ClickUp.
Basecamp: Basecamp’s simplicity and fixed pricing structure attract users looking for a straightforward project management tool instead of ClickUp.
Airtable: Airtable’s database management abilities make it an outstanding alternative for businesses requiring complex data handling.
Nifty: Nifty is mentioned for its effective milestone tracking, offering users a simplified alternative to ClickUp.
Motion: An all-in-one AI workspace for project management, automation, and team collaboration.

Which is the best project management tool?

It depends on your preferences and current processes. For me, SmartSuite, Monday, Teamwork.com, and Motion are definitely among the best project management apps.

Full article here: 8 Best Project Management Software in 2025 | My Honest List

Is Asana or ClickUp better?

After my ClickUp vs Asana review, I discovered that both software solutions are great for project managers, teams, and business owners to increase team collaboration and streamline workflows. However, my pick is ClickUp for several reasons.

ClickUp offers more project management tools to allow you to have complete creative control over your projects. It is an all-in-one tool for project management, note-taking, and team collaboration with a more robust feature set. For example, time-tracking tools, more comprehensive spreadsheet functionality, and advanced customization options.

While I enjoy using Asana’s features, and I think it is an ideal tool for managing projects, it is a no-go for me due to its misleading pricing model.

Full article about ClickUp vs Asana: Asana Vs ClickUp: This will save you $300 (2025)

Which is better, ClickUp or Notion?

After my Notion vs ClickUp review, I discovered that both apps are great. While I have used Notion for more than 2 years, even for managing my projects, it only has the essentials for project management.

So, here is what I can say to you: If you want a project management app solely, ClickUp is a better choice. While it has a longer learning curve, ClickUp has all the features you need to manage your projects and tasks.

Nevertheless, if you want an all-in-one solution and do not need advanced project management tools, give Notion a try. With this app, you can integrate numerous workflows into one single platform.

Full article about ClickUp vs Notion: Notion Vs ClickUp: What I Discovered in 90 Days! (2025)

Aron Kantor

thebusinessdive.com

The post 7 Best ClickUp Alternatives | +25 Apps Tested (2026) appeared first on .

7 Top Trello Alternatives I’d Recommend After Testing Them Myself

Aron Kantor — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:38:21 +0000

You outgrew simple Kanban boards and are now looking for a Trello alternative?

After testing productivity apps for over 3 years, these are the ones I’d recommend:

Vaiz → Best Trello alternative for modern collaborative workspaces
Monday.com → Best Trello alternative for larger businesses
Hive → Best Trello alternative for small teams
Motion → Best all-in-one Trello alternative
Coda → Best simple Trello alternative
AppFlowy → Best open-source Trello alternative
ClickUp → Best free Trello alternative

Quick Comparison Before Switching From Trello

Tool	Where it beats Trello	My favorite feature	Where Trello is stronger	Price
Vaiz	More complete workspace with docs, AI, and automation	Clean interface & Project Docs	Simpler for basic Kanban workflows	Free / From $5/user/mo
Monday.com	More advanced project planning and reporting	Custom Dashboards	Better value for small teams	Free / From $9/user/mo
Hive	Built-in collaboration with chat, email, and docs	Team collaboration	Better free plan for simple task management	Free / From $5/user/mo
Motion	AI automatically schedules your work	AI Scheduling	Simpler project management and lower pricing	No free plan / From $19/user/mo
Coda	Combines docs, databases, and project management	Flexible documents	Easier to learn for basic boards	Free / From $10/user/mo
AppFlowy	Open-source, offline, and self-hosted	Local AI & self-hosting	More integrations and mature workflows	Free / From $10/user/mo
ClickUp	Much deeper project management with a generous free plan	Whiteboards & Docs	Simpler interface and shorter learning curve	Free / From $7/user/mo

How we selected the best Trello alternatives

When selecting the best Trello alternatives, I used our standardized testing framework for project management software, developed over 3+ years of testing productivity apps.

The recommendations in this article are based on hands-on testing across multiple categories, including project management, collaboration, automation, AI, pricing, and overall user experience.

Since every tool focuses on a different type of user, I didn’t rank these Trello alternatives purely by their overall score. Instead, I organized them by where they outperform Trello and who they’re best suited for, whether that’s small teams, larger businesses, open-source workflows, or all-in-one productivity.

We evaluate every project management tool using this weighted framework, based on hands-on testing with real projects and everyday workflows.

Our scoring breakdown after testing 20+ project management apps:

Features & functionality — 60%
User interface — 10%
Performance & Reliability —10%
Pricing — 10%
Real-world experience — 10%

Want a detailed breakdown of how we test each category?

Learn exactly how we test tools → Review methodology

A Closer Look at Each Trello Alternative

Vaiz

4.4/5

Vaiz is a modern work management platform that combines project tracking, documentation, collaboration, automation, and AI in one workspace. It offers more structure than Trello while remaining easy to learn and navigate.

Full Vaiz review Visit Vaiz

Best for modern collaborative workspaces

Quick verdict

Best Trello replacement for:

Cross-functional product and tech teams currently running tasks in one tool and docs in another — Vaiz replaces both at roughly half the cost.

Not ideal if:

Your team requires SOC 2 compliance, SAML-SSO, or a procurement-heavy purchasing process.

Biggest advantage over Trello:

More complete workspace without a steep learning curve.

Main tradeoff:

Lighter reporting and automation than larger PM tools.

How Vaiz’s Features Performed During My Testing

Project management: Creating projects only took a few clicks, and I could start building workflows almost immediately. I mostly worked in the Cards view, but I also switched between List, Calendar, Milestones, and Gantt depending on the project. I also liked that Vaiz offers templates for different teams and workflows that make the initial setup even faster.

Task management: The task view includes everything I needed while testing, including subtasks, milestones, dependencies, comments, and activity history. Moving tasks between workflow stages was simple with drag-and-drop, and I could also reorganize work or link related tasks without much effort.

Collaboration: Most collaboration features are built directly into projects and tasks. I could leave comments, mention teammates, collaborate on subtasks, work in shared docs, and create diagrams in tasks and documents without leaving the workspace.

Project Docs: The Project Docs are connected with the rest of the workspace, so it was easy to keep documentation together with tasks and discussions. The editor supports slash commands and collaborative editing, which is practical for project planning and internal documentation.

Dashboards: The dashboards gave me a centralized overview of tasks, workloads, and project activity. Setting them up was straightforward, and I could customize them with different widgets depending on what I wanted to track.

Automation: Vaiz uses a simple “when → then” automation builder. It handled routine workflow automation well, especially for task updates and status changes, but it does not yet offer the same level of flexibility as larger project management platforms.

AI assistant: I mainly used the AI assistant inside Project Docs for writing, editing, and summarizing content. It worked well for documentation. Vaiz also supports Claude MCP integration and Cursor — meaning your team can create tasks, pull context, and manage work directly from the AI tools you’re already using. A native AI agent is launching summer 2026.

Integrations: Vaiz covers the integrations most teams need, including Slack, GitHub, GitLab, and Zapier. I also liked that it supports one-click imports from Trello, Asana, Jira, and Notion (tasks only, full import in development), and several other project management tools, making migration much easier — with ClickUp, Monday.com, and Wrike support coming soon.

User interface: The interface is clean and lightweight, and it was easy to move between boards, tasks, dashboards, docs, and automations. I particularly liked the Home page, which brings together recent documents, assigned tasks, favorite items, and projects in one place.

Vaiz pricing

Free plan available + a 30-day free trial of the paid plans
Pro plan: $5/user/month with annual billing
Premium plan: $9/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing with self-hosted deployment options available

Vaiz’s Strengths

Very easy to learn and set up
Clean, modern interface
Excellent balance between simplicity and functionality
Strong collaboration features built directly into projects and tasks
Multiple project views, including Kanban, List, Calendar, Milestones, and Gantt
Solid integrations
Smooth migration from Trello and other project management platforms

Short wrap-up: I recommend Vaiz for startups, agencies, and small to mid-sized teams that have outgrown Trello but don’t want the complexity of enterprise project management software.

Vaiz’s Limitations

Reporting and dashboards are relatively lightweight
Automation system is less advanced than larger PM platforms

Short wrap-up: If your team depends on advanced reporting, highly customizable automations, or enterprise-level workflows, you’ll likely be better served by ClickUp or Monday.com.

Read my full review: Vaiz Review 2026 | Lightweight Done Right

Try Vaiz

Monday.com

4.2/5

Monday.com is an intuitive project management platform mostly for teams. Thanks to its security measures and integration options, Monday.com is ideal for enterprises as well.

Full Monday review Visit Monday

Best alternative for larger businesses

Quick verdict

Best Trello replacement for:

Growing teams and larger businesses managing multiple projects.

Not ideal if:

You want the lowest-cost project management solution or rely heavily on mobile apps.

Biggest advantage over Trello:

More project views, customizable dashboards, and advanced team management features.

Main tradeoff:

The higher-tier plans can become expensive, and the mobile app still has some limitations.

How Monday.com‘s Features Performed During My Testing

Project management: Monday.com offers one of the widest selections of project views I’ve tested, including Kanban boards, Gantt charts, calendars, workload views, and portfolio management. I enjoyed switching between these views, and I was impressed by how quickly they loaded. It also offers some project templates, which saved me 15-30 minutes when kicking out a new project.

Task management: Adding and assigning tasks only took a few clicks, and I could customize statuses, priorities, timelines, owners, and columns with ease. The only feature I missed was recurring tasks, which require automation instead of being built in.

Custom dashboards: The dashboards were one of my favorite parts of Monday.com. I found them easy to customize with widgets, charts, and apps, and simple to monitor projects, track progress visually, and manage budgets from one place.

Team collaboration: Monday.com includes all the collaboration features most teams need, including comments, mentions, file attachments, project sharing, and an activity feed. Everything stayed well organized inside projects, so collaboration was straightforward.

Time tracking: Thanks to the built-in time tracking tools, it was easy to record time spent on tasks. I also liked that exporting tracked time to Excel only took a few clicks.

Automation: Monday.com has an intuitive automatic builder, so creating automations was simple. Setting up trigger-and-action workflows didn’t require much learning, even when adding conditions.

Docs: Monday Docs allows you to create documents using text, tables, widgets, lists, and templates. I also liked having AI available inside documents for writing and summarizing content.

Integrations: Monday.com integrates directly with over 200 applications and supports thousands more through Zapier. It was easy to connect it with the tools I already use.

Mobile app: I also tested Monday.com’s mobile app on iOS. While it covers the core functionality, I noticed occasional syncing issues when adding new board items, and it still offers fewer features than the desktop version.

User interface: Monday.com has one of the most intuitive interfaces among the project management tools I tested. Although there is still a learning curve, it was easy to find features.

Monday.com pricing

Free plan available
Basic plan: $9/seat/month with annual billing
Standard plan: $12/seat/month with annual billing
Pro plan: $19/seat/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Monday.com‘s Strengths

Intuitive interface
Excellent task management with extensive customization options
Powerful dashboards for tracking simple and complex projects
Flexible data visualization options
Easier to get started compared to tools like ClickUp, Jira, or SmartSuite

Short wrap-up: I recommend Monday.com for growing teams and larger businesses that need a scalable project management platform without the complexity of more technical tools.

Monday.com‘s Limitations

No built-in recurring tasks without automation
Mobile app still has bugs and fewer features than the desktop version
Pro plan is relatively expensive for the features it includes
Offers less advanced project management experience than ClickUp

Short wrap-up: If recurring tasks, a polished mobile experience, or lower pricing are your priorities, there are better Trello alternatives on this list.

Read my full review: Monday.com Review 2025: Is the $228 Price Tag Justified?

Try Monday

Hive

4.3/5

Hive is a project management platform built for small and mid-sized teams. Besides project and task management, it includes team chat, collaborative docs, dashboards, automation, AI tools, and even email, making it a much more complete workspace than Trello.

Full Hive review Visit Hive

Best Trello alternative for small teams

Quick verdict

Best Trello replacement for:

Small teams that need built-in collaboration and communication tools.

Not ideal if:

You need advanced features on a tight budget.

Biggest advantage over Trello:

Team chat, email, AI, and collaborative docs in one platform.

Main tradeoff:

Most advanced features are only available on the Teams plan.

How Hive’s Features Performed During My Testing

Project management: Hive offers enough project views for most small teams, including Kanban boards, Lists, Tables, Gantt charts, and Calendar. During testing, switching between views was smooth, and I particularly liked the Workload view for getting a quick overview of team capacity.

Task management: Creating tasks was straightforward, and Hive includes everything I expected, from assignees and due dates to dependencies, labels, comments, and file attachments. It also records time directly inside tasks, which is useful if your team tracks billable work.

App library: Hive’s App Library lets you customize the platform with additional features depending on your workflow. I liked that there are plenty of add-ons available, although some require one of the higher-tier plans.

Collaboration: This was one of my favorite parts of Hive. Besides task comments and collaborative documents, it includes built-in team chat and an activity feed, so most project communication stays inside the workspace instead of moving to another app.

Dashboards: The dashboards made it easy to monitor projects and workloads in one place. I also liked that I could customize them with different widgets, filters, and external embeds depending on what I wanted to track.

Time tracking: Hive includes built-in time tracking and timesheets, which were easy to use during testing. Filtering recorded time by project also made reporting much simpler.

Email: Unlike most project management tools I tested, Hive lets you access your emails directly inside the platform. Once I connected my inbox, I could manage emails without leaving my workspace.

Automation: Hive uses a simple automation builder that follows the same logic as most modern project management tools. Setting up automated workflows only took a few clicks.

AI tools: Hive’s AI assistant, Buzz, can answer questions, help build projects, create dashboards, and automate workflows. I also used the AI tools inside Hive Notes, where they helped generate and improve content much faster.

Mobile app: I also tested Hive’s iOS app, and it stayed well synchronized with the desktop version throughout my testing. It made it easy to manage projects, tasks, and team communication while away from my computer.

Integrations: Hive offers native integrations with tools like Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, and Dropbox. Through Zapier, you can also connect it with thousands of additional apps.

User interface: The interface is clean and easy to navigate, and I had no issues finding the features I needed. I also appreciated the Hive University section, which includes tutorials and guides for new users.

Hive pricing

Free plan available
Starter plan: $5/user/month with annual billing
Teams plan: $12/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Hive’s Strengths

Easy-to-use interface with a short learning curve
Excellent collaboration features for small teams
Built-in chat, email, and collaborative documents
AI assistant for project management and content creation
Customizable dashboards with useful reporting widgets
Strong value for small and growing teams

Short wrap-up: Hive is an excellent choice for agencies, startups, and small businesses that want project management and team communication in one platform.

Hive’s Limitations

Most advanced features require the Teams plan
Fewer project views than tools like Monday.com
AI tools aren’t available across every part of the platform

Short wrap-up: If you’re looking for enterprise-level reporting or need advanced features without upgrading to a higher plan, ClickUp or Monday.com are better options.

Read my full review: Hive Review: The Best Project Management App? (2025)

Try Hive

Motion

4.1/5

Motion has evolved far beyond a scheduling app. It combines project management, task management, AI scheduling, meeting notes, documents, and calendar management in one platform. It’s an excellent choice if you want to replace several productivity tools with a single app.

Full Motion review Visit Motion

Best all-in-one alternative

Bottom line

Best Trello replacement for:

Professionals and teams looking for one app to manage projects, meetings, calendars, and tasks.

Not ideal if:

You only need a simple Kanban board or want a free project management tool.

Biggest advantage over Trello:

AI scheduling automatically prioritizes and schedules your work across projects and meetings.

Main tradeoff:

It takes longer to learn than Trello, and there is no free plan.

How Motion’s Features Performed During My Testing

Project management: Motion offers all the essential project management features, including Kanban boards, Gantt charts, list views, and customizable filters. I could quickly create projects, assign tasks, and manage everything from one place. However, compared to ClickUp or even Monday.com, Motion has basic project management capabilities.

Task management: Adding and managing tasks was straightforward throughout my testing. I could easily set priorities, durations, due dates, and assignees, and let Motion automatically schedule tasks into my calendar.

Calendar: Motion brings together Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and Apple Calendar into a single view. Having all my events in one place made planning my work much easier.

AI scheduling: The AI scheduling feature is what makes Motion different from most project management tools. Once I added my tasks, Motion automatically scheduled and rescheduled them based on deadlines, priorities, and my availability, which quickly became one of my favorite features.

Team collaboration: Motion has fewer collaboration features than some other project management tools, but it still covers the essentials. I could assign tasks, communicate within projects, and use the Team Schedule to keep track of everyone’s priorities.

Meeting Assistant: Setting up my booking page took me around 10–15 minutes while I learned the available options. Once everything was configured, sharing booking links and managing meetings became very straightforward.

AI meeting note-taker: Motion automatically records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings while turning action items into tasks. I liked that meeting notes become part of the rest of my workflow instead of staying in a separate tool.

Documents: Motion’s Documents feature made it easy to keep notes together with projects and tasks. I also liked that I could link projects and tasks directly inside documents without switching between different tools.

Integrations: Motion integrates with Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, iCloud Calendar, Siri, Zapier, and many other productivity tools. Through Zapier, you can also connect Motion with over 8,000 additional apps.

Mobile app: I tested Motion on iOS, and the mobile app stayed well synchronized with the desktop version throughout my testing. It’s also great to see that the developer team frequently updates the app with new features.

User interface: Motion has a practical interface that made it easy to find the main features. While navigation was straightforward, I found the learning curve steeper than most productivity tools because of the number of customization options available.

Motion pricing

No free plan available, only a 7-day free trial
Pro AI plan (individuals): $29/month with annual billing
Business AI plan (individuals): $39/month with annual billing
Pro AI plan (teams): $19/seat/month with annual billing
Business AI plan (teams): $29/seat/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Motion’s Strengths

All-in-one tool for calendar, tasks, and projects
Strong AI auto-scheduling
Syncs all calendars in one place
Efficient for small team project management
Easy to add and manage tasks

Short wrap-up: Motion is an excellent choice for professionals, founders, and small teams who want one app to replace multiple productivity tools and automate daily planning.

Motion’s Limitations

No free plan
Higher pricing
A more basic project management software compared to a dedicated platform

Short wrap-up: If you only need a simple Kanban board or your team depends on advanced collaboration features, you’ll probably be better off with Trello, Hive, or ClickUp.

Read my full review: Motion App Review: My $348 Experience and Why I Don’t Regret It

Try Motion

Coda

4.5/5

Coda is an all-in-one workspace that combines project management, documents, note-taking, and collaboration in one platform. It’s a great choice if Trello feels too limited but more advanced tools seem overwhelming.

Full Coda review Visit Coda

Best simple Trello alternative

Bottom line

Best Trello replacement for:

Individuals and teams looking for a simple all-in-one workspace.

Not ideal if:

You need an offline desktop app or enterprise-level project management.

Biggest advantage over Trello:

Combines documents, notes, databases, and project management in one workspace.

Main tradeoff:

No offline desktop app, and the Enterprise plan is expensive.

How Coda’s Features Performed During My Testing

Project management: Coda offers multiple project views, including boards, tables, calendars, and Gantt charts. During testing, I liked how easy it was to customize layouts, filters, and dashboards to organize projects exactly the way I wanted.

Task management: Task management is highly customizable thanks to the different column types, formulas, and conditional formatting options. I also liked that I could comment, mention teammates, and attach files without leaving the task.

Note-taking: Coda uses a block-based editor similar to Notion, making it easy to build structured notes. I found the note-taking experience intuitive, and the drag-and-drop editor made creating documentation quick. I also used this feature for knowledge management purposes for TheBusinessDive.

Data & document management: Coda works equally well for documents, databases, spreadsheets, and internal wikis. During testing, I appreciated the different sharing permissions. This made it easy to control who could view, edit, or interact with each document.

Team collaboration: Collaboration is built directly into documents and projects. I could edit documents with teammates in real time, assign tasks, leave comments, and share pages with only a few clicks.

Automation: Coda uses a simple “When → Then” automation builder for repetitive workflows. Setting up automations was straightforward, and I had no issues creating simple workflow rules.

Coda AI: Coda AI can write, summarize, brainstorm ideas, analyze information, and even convert text into tables. I found it very useful when working with documents and organizing project information.

Integrations: Coda integrates with many third-party tools and also supports Zapier. Through Zapier, you can connect it with over 8,000 additional applications.

Mobile app: Coda offers mobile apps for both iOS and Android, so it’s easy to access documents and projects while away from your computer.

User interface: Coda has a clean and modern interface that was easy to learn during testing. While it offers many advanced features, the navigation stayed simple, and the available templates helped me get started much faster.

Coda pricing

Free plan available
Pro plan: $10/month per Doc Maker with annual billing
Team plan: $30/month per Doc Maker with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Coda’s Strengths

Highly customizable project management with multiple project views
Excellent note-taking experience with a flexible block-based editor
Powerful Coda AI for creating, summarizing, and organizing content
Generous free plan for individuals
Short learning curve despite its broad feature set

Short wrap-up: I recommend Coda to individuals and small teams looking for a simple project management tool that also works as a note-taking app and collaborative workspace.

Coda’s Limitations

No desktop app, so you’ll always need an internet connection
Enterprise plan is more expensive than many competing tools

Short wrap-up: If offline access or enterprise pricing are important factors for your team, you’ll probably be better off with another project management platform.

Read my full review: My Honest Coda.io Review: Here’s What Surprised Me! (2026)

Try Coda

Explore our Apps directory

A curated directory of software tools we’ve independently reviewed, with links to full reviews, comparisons, and category guides.

Explore Apps directory

AppFlowy

4.2/5

AppFlowy is an open-source workspace that combines project management, notes, wikis, and collaboration in one platform. It offers a familiar interface, offline access, and self-hosting capabilities, making it a great Trello alternative for users who want full control over their data.

Visit AppFlowy

Best open-source alternative

Quick verdict

Best Trello replacement for:

Privacy-focused users and teams looking for an open-source project management tool.

Not ideal if:

You rely on advanced automations or extensive third-party integrations.

Biggest advantage over Trello:

Offline access, self-hosting, and complete control over your data.

Main tradeoff:

Fewer integrations and less mature workflow features than larger platforms.

How AppFlowy’s Features Performed During My Testing

Project management: AppFlowy works well as a lightweight project management tool. I found it easy to organize projects using different views, and sharing projects with team members only took a few clicks.

Task management: Managing tasks was straightforward, with support for assignees, dates, progress tracking, and custom statuses. It has all the essentials for project organization.

Note-taking: The note editor uses a block-based structure similar to Notion, and it’s easy to create documentation alongside projects. Slash commands also speed up building pages with tables, boards, images, and other content.

Collaboration: AppFlowy includes the collaboration features most small teams need. Sharing projects, assigning tasks, and working together on documents all worked smoothly during testing.

AI features: The built-in AI assistant can generate drafts, summarize content, and answer questions directly inside your workspace. I also liked that AppFlowy supports Local AI, which allows privacy-focused users to run AI models on their own devices.

Integrations: While AppFlowy doesn’t offer as many native integrations as some competitors, it supports Zapier, giving you access to thousands of third-party apps.

User interface: The interface seemed familiar from the beginning and was easy to navigate. If you’ve used tools like Notion before, getting started with AppFlowy takes very little time.

AppFlowy pricing

Free plan available
Pro plan: $10/user/month with annual billing
Self-hosted plans: start at $1/month

AppFlowy’s Strengths

Open-source platform with self-hosting support
Offline access and local-first architecture
Easy-to-use interface with a short learning curve
Combines notes, projects, and wikis in one workspace
Affordable pricing for individuals and small teams
Supports Local AI for privacy-focused workflows

Short wrap-up: AppFlowy is a great choice for individuals, developers, and small teams who want an open-source Trello alternative with offline access and full control over their data.

AppFlowy’s Limitations

Limited native integrations
Basic workflow automation
Fewer advanced project management features than larger platforms

Short wrap-up: If your team depends on advanced automations, extensive integrations, or enterprise-level project management features, you’ll likely be better off with ClickUp, Monday.com, or Hive.

Try AppFlowy

ClickUp

4.3/5

ClickUp is a project management platform built for teams that need more than simple task tracking. Compared to Trello, it offers significantly more features, including docs, dashboards, automation, time tracking, and AI, while still providing one of the most generous free plans available.

Full ClickUp review Visit ClickUp

Best free alternative

Quick verdict

Best Trello replacement for:

Teams that need advanced project management without paying for premium features.

Not ideal if:

You prefer a lightweight tool with a very short learning curve.

Biggest advantage over Trello:

A generous free plan packed with advanced project management features.

Main tradeoff:

The platform can feel overwhelming at first and still has occasional performance issues.

How ClickUp’s Features Performed During My Testing

Project management: ClickUp is an advanced project management tool that offers numerous views, including List, Kanban, Calendar, Gantt, Workload, and Team. I frequently used the customization options, especially filters, layouts, permissions, and workload views, when reviewing project progress.

Task management: It’s useful for structured task management for teams. Setting up tasks only took a few clicks, and each task supports subtasks, priorities, reminders, attachments, comments, and relationships. The amount of information you can add makes ClickUp suitable for managing more complex projects.

Team collaboration: ClickUp brings project management, documentation, and communication into one workspace. I used Whiteboards, Docs, and Chat throughout my testing instead of switching between separate collaboration tools.

Time tracking: The time tracking tools are available on desktop, web, and mobile. Filtering tracked time by projects and workflows made reporting much easier.

Automation: ClickUp uses simple “When → Then” automation rules. Creating automation for task updates, due dates, and communication was very fast and made it easier to manage complex projects more effectively.

AI tools: ClickUp Brain answers questions about projects, tasks, and documents, and it can also generate content or transcribe meetings. Since it’s an optional add-on, I focused most of my testing on ClickUp’s core project management features.

Integrations: ClickUp integrates directly with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Calendar. Through Zapier, it also supports more than 8,000 additional apps.

Mobile app: I used the iOS app to access projects and tasks while away from my computer. The interface is well designed, but I occasionally noticed slower performance, and several desktop features are still unavailable.

User interface: ClickUp includes more tools than most project management platforms, so there is more to explore after signing up. The built-in search helped me locate features quickly, and ClickUp University offers tutorials for learning the platform.

ClickUp pricing

Free plan available
Unlimited plan: $7/month with annual billing
Business plan: $12/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

One of the most generous free plans available
Extensive project and task management features
Robust collaboration features, including Whiteboards and Docs
Wide range of integrations
Customizable dashboards for tracking projects and workloads

Short wrap-up: ClickUp is an excellent choice for teams and individuals who have outgrown Trello and want advanced project management features without immediately paying for a premium plan.

ClickUp’s Limitations

Can feel overwhelming for new users
Occasional slow performance, especially when using Whiteboards
Mobile app still has bugs and lacks some desktop features
Customer support could be improved

Short wrap-up: If you prefer a lightweight project management tool with a minimal learning curve, you’ll probably find Trello, Coda, or Vaiz easier to get started with.

Read my full review: My Honest ClickUp Review After Using It For +3 Months (2026)

Try ClickUp

Summary: Best Trello Alternatives in 2026

After I spent numerous months testing project and task management apps, I found these as the top Trello alternatives in 2026. I tried to categorize them based on the most frequent use cases to help you get a full picture of the tools you can choose from.

Looking for similar tools?

Visit our library of PDF editors to explore other apps we’ve reviewed in this space and how they compare.

See overview

Why you can trust our reviews

Our mission? No fluff, no shortcuts—just honest, hands-on insights from productivity pros.

Have a question or suggestion? I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out anytime at aronkantor@thebusinessdive.com.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better than Trello?

There are many project management software options on the market if you are looking for a Trello alternative. I would recommend a different app for software development teams than someone who runs an agency and needs an agile project management app.

However, after spending +100 hours with personal testing, these six are the best Trello alternatives for me:

Vaiz
Hive
Motion
Coda
Monday.com
AppFlowy
ClickUp

What is the free alternative to Trello?

If you work alone, there are numerous great Trello alternatives. For me, ClickUp, Notion, and Coda are definitely among the top free Trello alternatives.

What replaced Trello?

Well, in the past +5 years, many project management tools have risen up & become more than a solid Trello alternative. For example, Asana, ClickUp, Monday.com.

What are the best Trello competitors?

In addition to the apps mentioned here, I would add Notion, Todoist, Asana, Airtable, Microsoft Project, and Jira. For software development project managers, I can also recommend SmartSuite and Nulab Backlog.

Aron Kantor

thebusinessdive.com

The post 7 Top Trello Alternatives I’d Recommend After Testing Them Myself appeared first on .

7 Best Asana Alternatives: The Tools I’d Actually Switch To

Aron Kantor — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 12:30:18 +0000

Asana is a popular project management tool, but there are some reasons many users have started looking for alternatives due to concerns around its pricing model and customer support. So, I decided to collect the best Asana alternatives in 2026 to help you find the one that fits you.

These are my top picks after trying over 20 project manager tools to handle my workflows:

SmartSuite → Best free Asana alternative for small teams
Vaiz → Best alternative for teams tired of paying for tools they don’t fully use
Motion → Best Asana alternative for solo entrepreneurs
Teamwork.com → Best Asana alternative for client work
Monday.com → Best Asana alternative for large teams
Hive → Best Asana alternative for small teams
ClickUp → Best Asana alternative for team collaboration

Finding the Right Asana Alternative: Side-by-Side Comparison

Tool	Better than Asana for	What stood out during testing	What You’ll Miss Compared to Asana	Pricing starts
SmartSuite	Small teams that need project management and databases in one workspace	Extremely fast performance, flexible databases, and one of the best free plans I tested	A shorter learning curve and a more polished mobile experience	Free + paid from $12/user/month
Vaiz	Growing teams looking for a simple all-in-one workspace	Clean interface, quick setup, and an excellent balance between simplicity and functionality	More advanced reporting, dashboards, and workflow automation	Free + paid from $5/user/month
Motion	Solo entrepreneurs managing tasks, meetings, and schedules	AI scheduling automatically reorganized my calendar as priorities changed	A free plan and stronger team collaboration features	Paid plans from $19/user/month
Teamwork.com	Agencies and service businesses managing client work	Built-in budgeting, client management, time tracking, and profitability tools	A simpler interface and a wider selection of project views	Free + paid from €9.99/user/month
Monday.com	Large teams managing multiple projects	Intuitive interface, excellent dashboards, and numerous project views	Built-in recurring tasks on lower plans and more affordable pricing	Free + paid from $9/user/month
Hive	Small teams that want collaboration and communication in one place	Built-in chat, collaborative notes, AI tools, and an intuitive interface	More advanced customization and premium features in lower-tier plans	Free + paid from $5/user/month
ClickUp	Teams with complex workflows that need deep customization	Extensive collaboration features, flexible workflows, and a generous free plan	A shorter learning curve and more consistent performance	Free + paid from $7/user/month

How we test project management apps

When selecting the best Asana alternatives, I used our standardized testing framework for project management software, developed over 3+ years of testing productivity apps.

The recommendations in this article are based on hands-on testing across multiple categories, including project management, task management, collaboration, automation, AI features, pricing, integrations, and overall user experience.

Since every team has different priorities, I didn’t rank these Asana alternatives purely by their overall score.

Instead, I organized them based on where they outperform Asana and who they’re best suited for, whether that’s small teams, solo entrepreneurs, client-facing businesses, large organizations, or teams that need more advanced collaboration and customization.

We evaluate every project management tool using this weighted framework, based on hands-on testing with real projects and everyday workflows.

Our scoring breakdown after testing 20+ project management apps:

Features & functionality — 60%
User interface — 10%
Performance & Reliability —10%
Pricing — 10%
Real-world experience — 10%

Want a detailed breakdown of how we test each category?

Learn exactly how we test tools → Review methodology

My Experience Testing Each Asana Alternative

SmartSuite

4.4/5

SmartSuite is a work management platform that helps teams deliver projects, run more efficient processes, and streamline workflows. It has a fresh design compared to the typical project management software. It is the best free Asana alternative for three team members.

Full SmartSuite review Visit SmartSuite

Best free Asana alternative for small teams

Quick verdict

Best Asana replacement for:

Small teams that need project management and database management in one tool without paying for expensive plans.

Not ideal if:

You need an intuitive platform with a short learning curve or you rely heavily on a polished mobile app.

Biggest advantage over Asana:

SmartSuite offers one of the most generous free plans I tested while combining spreadsheets, databases, and project management into a single workspace.

Main tradeoff:

It takes longer to learn than Asana, and its mobile app still has some bugs and performance issues.

Why I Recommend SmartSuite for Teams Leaving Asana

During my SmartSuite review, the first thing I noticed was its performance. It is super fast, and I experienced almost no loading time while switching between projects, databases, and different views.

I particularly enjoyed its Excel-like approach when working with tables. It was easy to sort, filter, and group information, and I could customize records with many different fields without making my workspace confusing.

I also liked how SmartSuite combines project management and database management in one place. It offers numerous project views, solid collaboration tools, automation, and detailed permission settings, so I could manage different workflows without using additional tools.

Overall, SmartSuite was a huge surprise for me. It is one of the most flexible project management tools I tested, and I think it is definitely among the best Asana alternatives for teams that need to manage projects and company data in one place.

The Good and Not-So-Good After Testing SmartSuite

Pro	Why It’s Important
Generous free plan	Includes real-time collaboration, multiple project views, automation, and task management features for up to 3 users.
Combines project and data management	Lets you manage projects, databases, spreadsheets, and workflows in one platform.
Detailed permissions and roles	Makes it easy to control who can view, create, modify, or delete records.
Numerous project views	Gantt, Kanban, timeline, dashboard, and table views help you track projects from different perspectives.
Extensive customization	You can customize records with custom fields, formulas, time logs, addresses, and more.
Fast performance	I experienced almost no loading time while using SmartSuite.
Pre-built templates	Helps you create projects faster for marketing, product development, and other workflows.

Con	The Tradeoff
Steep learning curve	It took me time to understand SmartSuite’s structure and everything I could do with it.
Mobile app has bugs	The iOS app was slow during my testing and sometimes did not save fields or records.

SmartSuite’s pricing

Free plan available
Team plan: $12/user/month with annual billing
Professional plan: $30/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: $45/user/month with annual billing

How SmartSuite compares to other alternatives

SmartSuite VS ClickUp

Compare SmartSuite vs ClickUp

SmartSuite VS Monday.com

Compare SmartSuite vs Monday

Read my full review: SmartSuite Review 2025: A Hidden Gem

Try SmartSuite

Vaiz

4.4/5

Vaiz is a work management platform that combines project management, documentation, collaboration, automation, and AI tools inside a single workspace. It is one of the easiest project management tools I tested and a great Asana alternative for small and mid-sized teams

Full Vaiz review Visit Vaiz

Best Asana alternative for teams tired of paying for tools they don’t fully use

Quick verdict

Best Asana replacement for:

Cross-functional product and tech teams currently paying for Asana plus a separate docs tool — Vaiz replaces both at roughly half the cost.

Not ideal if:

Your team requires SOC 2 compliance, SAML-SSO, or a procurement-heavy purchasing process.

Biggest advantage over Asana:

Combines tasks, docs, and collaboration in one workspace — replacing the Asana + Notion stack at a lower combined cost.

Main tradeoff:

Its reporting, dashboards, and automation are not as advanced as those offered by larger project management platforms.

Why I Recommend Vaiz for Teams Leaving Asana

One thing I appreciated during my Vaiz review was how little time it took to get started. Creating projects, boards, and workflows only took a few clicks, and I did not need to spend much time configuring the workspace.

Compared to many project management tools I tested, Vaiz is much more focused. The interface is clean, navigation is straightforward, and I had no trouble moving between projects, tasks, docs, dashboards, and automations.

I also liked the balance between simplicity and functionality. While Vaiz is easy to use, it still includes the collaboration, documentation, and project management features that most small and mid-sized teams need for their daily work.

Another feature I enjoyed was the built-in documentation. Since Project Docs are connected with tasks, milestones, and discussions, it was easy to keep everything related to a project in one place.

The only area where I felt Vaiz was behind some larger competitors was reporting and automation. They work well for everyday workflows, but they are not as advanced as what you get with tools like ClickUp or Monday.com.

Overall, I think Vaiz is a solid Asana alternative for small and mid-sized teams. It combines the core project management features most teams need with an interface that is easy to learn and navigate.

The Good and Not-So-Good After Testing Vaiz

Pro	Why It’s Important
Easy project and board setup	You can start managing projects in just a few clicks.
Clean and lightweight interface	Makes it easy to navigate between projects, tasks, docs, and dashboards.
Good balance between simplicity and customization	You can personalize workflows without spending much time on setup.
Strong collaboration features	Team members can collaborate on tasks, docs, dashboards, and discussions in one workspace.
Multiple project views	Includes Kanban Cards, List, Calendar, Milestones, and Gantt views for different workflows.
Good range of integrations	Connects with Slack, Zapier, GitHub, GitLab, and thousands of other apps through Zapier.
Free plan for up to 10 users	Small teams can test the platform before upgrading.

Con	The tradeoff
Lightweight reporting and dashboards	Larger teams may need more advanced reporting and analytics.
Less advanced automation	It covers everyday workflows but offers fewer automation options than larger PM platforms.

Vaiz’s pricing

Free plan available & a 30-day trial of the paid plans
Pro plan: $5/user/month with annual billing
Premium plan: $9/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing (self-hosted deployment options available)

Read my full review: Vaiz Review 2026 | Lightweight Done Right

Try Vaiz

Motion

4.1/5

Motion is an AI-based scheduling tool with task and project management features. Besides many other use cases, Motion can auto-schedule meetings, synchronize your work and personal calendar, and block time slots for recurring tasks and certain projects.

Full Motion review Visit Motion

Best Asana alternative for solo entrepreneurs

Bottom line

Best Asana replacement for:

Solo entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to combine project management, scheduling, meetings, and tasks in one app.

Not ideal if:

You need a free plan or advanced collaboration features for larger teams.

Biggest advantage over Asana:

Motion automatically schedules and reschedules your tasks based on your priorities, deadlines, and calendar.

Main tradeoff:

It is more expensive than most Asana alternatives and has a steeper learning curve.

Why I Recommend Motion for Teams Leaving Asana

During my Motion review, I quickly realized that it is much more than a scheduling tool. Besides managing projects and tasks, I could also organize my meetings, calendars, and documents in one place.

I particularly liked Motion’s AI scheduling feature. Once I added my tasks, it automatically scheduled them into my calendar based on my priorities, deadlines, and availability. When my schedule changed, Motion adjusted my tasks automatically.

Another feature I found useful was the calendar sync. Motion brings together Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and Outlook Calendar into one place, so I could manage all my events from a single view.

Motion also provides many customization options when creating tasks and projects. Entering tasks, changing existing tasks, and adding new tasks to projects worked smoothly during my testing.

While Motion has a steeper learning curve than many productivity tools, there are many tutorial videos and support articles that make it easier to learn the platform.

Overall, I had a very pleasant experience using Motion in my daily work life. I particularly liked it as a combination of a project management software and scheduling tool, and I think it is one of the best Asana alternatives for solo entrepreneurs.

The Good and Not-So-Good After Testing Motion

Pro	Why It’s Important
AI auto-scheduling	Automatically plans and reschedules your tasks based on deadlines and priorities.
Combines multiple productivity tools	Replaces your calendar, task manager, project management tool, and AI meeting assistant.
Calendar sync	Brings Google, Outlook, and Apple calendars into one view.
Easy task management software	Adding, assigning, and managing tasks is quick.
AI meeting note-taker	Records meetings, creates summaries, and turns action items into tasks.

Con	The Tradeoff
No free plan	You only get a one-week free trial before choosing a paid plan.
Higher pricing	Costs more than many other Asana alternatives.
Steep learning curve	Some features take time to learn, especially when setting up workflows.

Motion’s pricing

No free plan available, only a 7-day free trial
Pro AI plan (individuals): $29/month with annual billing
Business AI plan (individuals): $39/month with annual billing
Pro AI plan (teams): $19/seat/month with annual billing
Business AI plan (teams): $29/seat/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

How Motion compares to other alternatives

Motion VS ClickUp

Motion vs ClickUp

Motion VS Asana

Motion vs Asana

Read my full review: Motion App Review: My $348 Experience and Why I Don’t Regret It

Try Motion

Explore our Apps directory

A curated directory of software tools we’ve independently reviewed, with links to full reviews, comparisons, and category guides.

Explore Apps directory

Teamwork.com

4.3/5

Teamwork.com is a project management platform built for client work. It combines project management with time tracking, budgeting, reporting, and client collaboration, making it an excellent Asana alternative for agencies and consultants.

Full Teamwork review Visit Teamwork

Best Asana alternative for client work

Quick verdict

Best Asana replacement for:

Agencies, consultants, and service-based businesses managing client work and billable projects.

Not ideal if:

You mainly manage internal projects or want a simple task management tool.

Biggest advantage over Asana:

Teamwork.com offers dedicated client management, budgeting, time tracking, invoicing, and reporting features in one platform.

Main tradeoff:

It has fewer project views than many competitors and takes longer to learn because of its extensive feature set.

Why I Recommend Teamwork.com for Teams Leaving Asana

During my Teamwork.com review, this project management software surprised me numerous times. Due to the number and depth of features, it has a longer learning curve, but I think it is worth the time.

What I liked most was that Teamwork.com was clearly built for client work. Besides managing projects, I could track billable hours, create budgets, manage client users, review proofs, and monitor project profitability from one place.

Another thing I appreciated was how well the client management features were integrated into the platform. It was easy to organize multiple projects for the same client, share updates, and give clients limited access when they needed to review or approve work.

I also found its reporting and workload management features particularly useful. They made it easy to understand how projects were performing, how my team’s capacity was allocated, and where more resources might be needed.

The built-in time tracking also worked well during my testing. Combined with budgeting and invoicing, it helps keep client projects organized from planning to delivery.

Overall, I think Teamwork.com is one of the best Asana alternatives for agencies, consultants, creatives, and marketing teams. It offers the project management features most teams need while adding specialized tools for managing client work.

The Good and Not-So-Good After Testing Teamwork.com

Pro	Why It’s Important
Advanced client management	Lets you manage clients, projects, budgets, and client users from one place.
Built-in time tracking and budgeting	Makes it easy to track billable hours, project costs, and profitability.
Advanced reporting	Gives you detailed insights into profitability, tracked time, workload, and project performance.
Resource management	Helps you understand team capacity and plan future projects more effectively.
Proofs and client approvals	Streamlines feedback and approval workflows with clients.
Strong collaboration tools	Team members can communicate, share files, and create tasks directly from Teamwork Chat.
Decent free plan	Includes the core project management features and basic client work tools for up to five users.

Con	The Tradeoff
Longer learning curve	It takes time to learn because of the extensive feature set.
Fewer project views	Offers fewer visualization options than some other project management platforms.

Teamwork’s pricing

Free plan available and a 30-day free trial of the paid plans
Basics Plan: $9.99/user/month with annual billing
Accelerate Plan: $24.99/user/month with annual billing
Optimize Plan: Custom pricing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

How Teamwork.com compares to other alternatives

Teamwork VS ClickUp

Teamwork vs ClickUp

Teamwork VS Monday

Teamwork vs Monday

Teamwork VS Asana

Teamwork vs Asana

Read my full review: Teamwork.com Review 2025: Here Is My Honest Opinion

Try Teamwork

Monday.com

4.2/5

Monday.com is a modern project management software mostly for teams. Thanks to its security measures and integration options, Monday.com is ideal for enterprises as well.

Full Monday review Visit Monday

Best Asana alternative for large teams

Quick verdict

Best Asana replacement for:

Large teams that need an intuitive project management platform with advanced dashboards, reporting, and multiple project views.

Not ideal if:

You need deep workflow customization or you’re looking for a budget-friendly project management tool.

Biggest advantage over Asana:

Monday.com combines one of the most intuitive interfaces I tested with customizable dashboards and numerous project views for managing work at scale.

Main tradeoff:

The paid plans are expensive, and some features, like recurring tasks, still rely on automation.

Why I Recommend Monday.com for Teams Leaving Asana

After testing Monday.com, I understood why it is one of the most popular project management tools. It has a short learning curve, and I could create projects and organize workflows much faster than with many other platforms I tested.

I particularly enjoyed using Monday.com’s project views. Between the Kanban, Gantt, calendar, workload, and many other view options, it was easy to review projects from different angles and quickly reorganize my workflows.

The customizable dashboards were another highlight during my testing. They gave me a clear overview of project progress, workloads, budgets, and other key data, which I think is especially valuable for larger teams managing multiple projects.

Monday.com’s task management tools were also easy to use. I could quickly add tasks, customize columns, and organize projects, although I missed having a built-in recurring task feature.

Overall, I had a positive experience with Monday.com. I think it is one of the best Asana alternatives for large teams that want an intuitive project management platform with excellent dashboards, reporting, and visual project management features.

The Good and Not-So-Good After Testing Monday.com

Pro	Why It’s Important
Intuitive user interface	Makes it easy for teams to get started and manage projects with minimal training.
Wide range of project views	Kanban, Gantt, calendar, workload, and many other views help teams visualize work in different ways.
Customizable dashboards	Lets you monitor project progress, workloads, budgets, and key metrics from one place.
Easy task management	Adding, assigning, and organizing tasks is quick and straightforward.
Strong automation	Helps automate repetitive workflows using a simple automation builder.
Extensive integrations	Connects with 200+ apps directly and thousands more through Zapier.

Con	The Tradeoff
Expensive paid plans	Higher-tier plans cost more than many competing project management tools.
No built-in recurring tasks	You need to use automation for recurring tasks.
Mobile app bugs	I experienced occasional syncing issues and some missing features on mobile.

Monday.com‘s pricing

Free plan available
Basic plan: €9/user/month with annual billing
Standard plan: €12/user/month with annual billing
Pro plan: €19/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

How Monday.com compares to other alternatives

ClickUp VS Monday.com

ClickUp vs Monday

Notion VS Monday.com

Notion vs Monday

Monday.com VS Asana

Monday vs Asana

Teamwork VS Monday.com

Teamwork vs Monday

SmartSuite VS Monday.com

SmartSuite vs Monday

Read my full review: Monday.com Review 2025: Is the $228 Price Tag Justified?

Try Monday

Hive

4.3/5

Hive is a project management tool designed for teams, whether it is an agency, a remote team, or a non-profit organization. It has numerous features to track projects, collaborate with team members, and build automated workflows.

Full Hive review Visit Hive

Best Asana alternative for small teams

Quick verdict

Best Asana replacement for:

Small teams that want an easy-to-use project management tool with built-in collaboration and communication features.

Not ideal if:

You need deep customization, enterprise-level workflows, or all advanced features included in lower-tier plans.

Biggest advantage over Asana:

Hive combines project management, chat, email, notes, dashboards, and AI tools in one easy-to-use workspace.

Main tradeoff:

Many advanced features are only available in the Teams plan or as paid add-ons.

Why I Recommend Hive for Teams Leaving Asana

Hive was one of the easiest project management tools to learn during my testing. The interface is intuitive, the navigation is straightforward, and I was able to start managing projects almost immediately.

Its collaboration features were the biggest highlight for me. Besides task management, Hive includes built-in chat, collaborative notes, email, and project updates, so I could manage both communication and work from one place.

I also found the dashboards and workspace customization useful. The dashboards gave me real-time insights into projects and tasks, while the add-ons made it easy to customize Hive based on different workflows.

Another area where Hive performed well was its AI tools. The AI assistant helped create projects, dashboards, and workflows, while the AI writing features were useful for creating content inside notes.

Overall, Hive delivers a great combination of collaboration, AI, and project management features. I think it is one of the best Asana alternatives for small teams that want an easy-to-use platform for managing their daily work.

The Good and Not-So-Good After Testing Hive

Pro	Why It’s Important
Easy to use	The short learning curve makes it easy for small teams to get started quickly.
Strong collaboration tools	Built-in chat, collaborative notes, email, and project updates keep communication in one place.
AI features	The AI assistant helps create projects, dashboards, workflows, and content faster.
Customizable dashboards	Gives you real-time insights into projects, tasks, and team activity.
Workspace customization	Add-ons let you personalize Hive based on your team’s workflow.
Good mobile experience	During my testing, the mobile app worked smoothly and stayed synced with the desktop version.

Con	The Tradeoff
Advanced features require higher plans	Many of the most valuable tools are locked behind the Teams plan or paid add-ons.
Less advanced than top-tier competitors	It offers all the essentials, but it does not match tools like ClickUp for customization and workflow depth.

Hive’s pricing

Free plan available
Starter plan: $5/user/month with annual billing
Teams plan: $12/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Read my full review: Hive Review: The Best Project Management App? (2025)

Try Hive

ClickUp

4.3/5

ClickUp is a project management software designed for teams to help them organize tasks, collaborate effectively, and manage complex projects. It is a popular option for project management, streamlines work processes, and improves team productivity.

Full ClickUp review Visit ClickUp

Best Asana alternative for team collaboration

Quick verdict

Best Asana replacement for:

Teams that need advanced collaboration features and highly customizable workflows.

Not ideal if:

You want a simple project management tool with a short learning curve.

Biggest advantage over Asana:

ClickUp offers deeper customization, more collaboration tools, and greater flexibility for managing complex projects.

Main tradeoff:

Its extensive feature set comes with a learning curve, and I experienced occasional performance issues during testing.

Why I Recommend ClickUp for Teams Leaving Asana

After using ClickUp for several months, I realized it is one of the most feature-rich project management tools I have tested. It combines project management, team communication, documentation, AI, and time tracking in a single platform.

What stood out to me most was the flexibility. ClickUp offers numerous project views, customizable dashboards, advanced resource management, and collaboration tools that make project planning smooth.

I also enjoyed using features like Whiteboards, Docs, and Chat. Instead of switching between different tools, I could plan projects, collaborate with my team, and organize documentation in one workspace.

ClickUp also offers a generous free plan, which includes many collaboration and project management features. That makes it easy to explore the platform before moving to a paid plan.

That said, I experienced occasional performance issues, especially when using heavier features like Whiteboards. It also takes time to learn because of the number of customization options and tools available.

Overall, ClickUp surprised me in the right way. I think it is one of the best Asana alternatives for teams that need advanced collaboration, customization, and a feature-rich project management platform.

The Good and Not-So-Good After Testing ClickUp

Pro	Why It’s Important
Extensive collaboration tools	Whiteboards, Docs, Chat, and Clips keep teamwork in one platform.
Highly customizable workflows	Multiple project views, dashboards, and workspace customization fit different teams.
Advanced project management features	Includes resource management tools, workload planning, automation, and detailed task management capabilities
Generous free plan	You can access many core collaboration and project management features without upgrading.
Wide range of integrations	Connects with thousands of third-party apps through native integrations and Zapier.
AI-powered features	ClickUp Brain and the AI note-taker help automate documentation and everyday work.

Con	The Tradeoff
Longer learning curve	It takes time to learn because of the platform’s depth and flexibility.
Occasional performance issues	I experienced slowdowns when using more advanced features like Whiteboards.
Mobile app still needs improvement	Some features are missing, and the app can be slow at times.

ClickUp’s pricing

Free plan available
Unlimited plan: $7/user/month with annual billing
Business plan: $12/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

How ClickUp compares to other alternatives

Notion VS ClickUp

Notion vs ClickUp

ClickUp VS Monday.com

ClickUp vs Monday

SmartSuite VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs SmartSuite

Teamwork VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs Teamwork

Taskade VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs Taskade

Motion VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs Motion

Coda VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs Coda

Asana VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs Asana

Read my full review: My Honest ClickUp Review After Using It For +3 Months (2026)

Try ClickUp

Summary: Best Asana Alternatives in 2026

After my long research and continuous testing, I found these as the top Asana alternatives in 2026 and tried to categorize them based on use cases. This way, you can select which one fits you.

Looking for similar tools?

Visit our library of PDF editors to explore other apps we’ve reviewed in this space and how they compare.

See overview

Why you can trust our reviews

Our mission? No fluff, no shortcuts—just honest, hands-on insights from productivity pros.

Have a question or suggestion? I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out anytime at aronkantor@thebusinessdive.com.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Asana?

Depends on your preferences and needs. Besides the ones I showed you in the article, my additional alternative to Asana would be Coda.

It is an all-in-one collaborative workspace for individuals and teams. It integrates note-taking, task management, project management, document management, and team collaboration features into one platform.

Who competes with Asana?

There are numerous Asana alternatives out there that offer similar or even better project manager capabilities. One of the most popular alternatives are Monday.com and ClickUp.

Is Asana worth the price?

My main problem with Asana’s pricing is that there is no single-user subscription, and you will charged for at least two seats without clear notice from Asana. Because of this reason, Asana has become a no-go for me.

Full article about Asana’s pricing: Asana Pricing For 2025 | This Will Save You +$300

Aron Kantor

thebusinessdive.com

The post 7 Best Asana Alternatives: The Tools I’d Actually Switch To appeared first on .

10 Best Project Management Software I Recommend (500+ Businesses Helped)

Aron Kantor — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:29:59 +0000

After testing 30+ project management tools and helping 500+ businesses find the right software, I found that choosing the best platform comes down to answering two simple questions:

Do you need simplicity or flexibility? And what type of work will you manage?

Below, you can find my top recommendations using this logic:

Tool	Best for	Pricing
SmartSuite	Free project management	Free + paid from $12/user/mo
Monday.com	Large businesses	Free + paid from $9/user/mo
Vaiz	Lightweight project management	Free + paid from $5/user/mo
ClickUp	Complex projects	Free + paid from $7/user/mo
Teamwork.com	Client work & agencies	Free + paid from $9.99/user/mo
Hive	Small teams	Free + paid from $5/user/mo
Jira	Software development & Agile teams	Free + paid from $7.91/user/mo
Zoho Projects	Structured workflows	Free + paid from €4/user/mo
Motion	AI-powered project management	7-day trial + paid from $19/user/mo
ProofHub	Growing teams	Free + paid from $45/month (flat fee)

How to read this table:

Simple – Easy to learn and quick to set up.
Balanced – Good mix of ease of use and customization.
Highly flexible – Powerful, but requires more setup and a steeper learning curve.

How do I rank the best project management tools?

When selecting the best project management software, I used our standardized testing framework, developed over 3+ years of testing productivity apps.

The recommendations in this article are based on hands-on testing across project management, task management, collaboration, automation, AI features, pricing, integrations, customization, and overall user experience.

Since every team has different priorities, I didn’t rank these tools purely by their overall score.

Instead, I organized them based on where they perform best, whether that’s free project management, complex workflows, client work, software development, AI-powered planning, or structured business processes.

We evaluate every project management tool using this weighted framework, based on hands-on testing with real projects and everyday workflows.

Our scoring breakdown after testing 20+ project management apps:

Features & functionality — 60%
User interface — 10%
Performance & Reliability —10%
Pricing — 10%
Real-world experience — 10%

Want a detailed breakdown of how we test each category?

Learn exactly how we test tools → Review methodology

Top project management software breakdown

SmartSuite

4.4/5

SmartSuite is a highly customizable work management platform that combines project management, databases, and workflow automation in one place. Its generous free plan and flexible structure make it an excellent choice for teams that need more than basic task management.

Full SmartSuite review Visit SmartSuite

Best free project management software

Quick verdict

Best project management tool for:

Teams that want a highly customizable work management platform with one of the best free plans available.

Not ideal if:

You need a simple project management app with almost no learning curve.

Biggest advantage:

Combines project management and database capabilities in a highly flexible workspace.

Main tradeoff:

It takes time to learn, and the mobile app still needs refinement.

Why I Recommend SmartSuite for free project management

SmartSuite offers one of the most generous free plans I tested. Instead of limiting the core functionality, it includes project views, workflow automation, collaboration features, permissions, and task management tools that many competitors reserve for paid plans.

Another reason I recommend SmartSuite is its flexibility. During testing, I could organize projects, databases, and spreadsheets inside the same workspace, which gave me far more control than a traditional project management app.

I also liked how much I could customize every project. Custom fields, formulas, automations, permissions, and templates allowed me to build workflows that matched different use cases rather than adapting my work to the software.

It certainly takes longer to learn than tools like Monday.com or Asana, and I noticed a few issues with the mobile app. Still, considering everything included in the free plan, SmartSuite delivers outstanding value and easily earned its place as my top free project management tool.

Standout features

Project views: You can switch between Kanban boards, Gantt charts, timelines, dashboards, and spreadsheet-style tables depending on how you prefer to manage your projects.

Task customization: Every task supports custom fields, formulas, time logs, color coding, and many other field types, giving you plenty of flexibility when building workflows.

Workflow automation: Automate repetitive work using simple “When → Then” rules for record updates, form submissions, email triggers, and other recurring processes.

Permissions & roles: Control exactly who can view, edit, create, or delete records by setting detailed workspace, solution, and guest permissions.

Templates: Get new projects up and running faster with ready-made templates for marketing, CRM, product development, operations, and many other workflows.

My Key Takeaways After Using SmartSuite

What impressed me	Why it made a difference
Generous free plan	It includes collaboration tools, multiple project views, workflow automation, and advanced task management features for up to three users
Combines project and data management	I could organize projects, databases, and spreadsheets in one workspace instead of relying on multiple tools
Detailed permissions and roles	It was easy to control who could view, edit, create, or delete records across different projects
Extensive customization	Custom fields, formulas, and flexible workflows made it easy to adapt SmartSuite to different use cases
Fast performance	I experienced almost no loading time while switching between projects, views, and databases.

What I’d improve	Who it could affect
Steep learning curve	Teams looking for a simple project management tool may need extra time to learn SmartSuite’s structure
Mobile app	Users who primarily manage projects from their phones may notice occasional bugs and missing polis

Plans & costs

Free plan available
Team plan: $12/user/month with annual billing
Professional plan: $30/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: $45/user/month with annual billing

SmartSuite vs other tools

SmartSuite VS ClickUp

Compare SmartSuite vs ClickUp

SmartSuite VS Monday.com

Compare SmartSuite vs Monday

Read my full review: SmartSuite Review 2025: A Hidden Gem

Try SmartSuite

Monday.com

4.2/5

Monday.com is one of the easiest project management software solution to learn, yet it still offers enough depth for growing teams and larger organizations. Thanks to its security measures and integration options, Monday.com is ideal for enterprises as well.

Full Monday review Visit Monday

Best project management software for large businesses

Quick verdict

Best project management tool for:

Large businesses that want an intuitive platform with strong reporting and collaboration features.

Not ideal if:

You need advanced customization or enterprise-level features at a lower price.

Biggest advantage:

An exceptionally intuitive interface combined with powerful dashboards and project views.

Main tradeoff:

Pricing is higher than many competitors with similar feature sets.

Why I recommend Monday.com for large businesses

I recommend Monday.com for large businesses because it’s one of the easiest project management tools to roll out across a team.

I could build new projects, organize workflows, and onboard team members in just a few minutes. Despite offering dashboards, automation, AI tools, reporting, and dozens of project views, the interface is very easy to navigate.

The customizable dashboards, workload view, and project portfolio management features also made it effortless to track progress.

My biggest concern was the pricing, as Monday.com costs more than many alternatives, and I also missed built-in recurring tasks. Still, if your team values fast onboarding and an intuitive workspace, Monday.com is an excellent choice.

Standout features

Project views: You can manage tasks and projects using Kanban boards, Gantt charts, workload, calendar, timeline, and many other views to see your work from different perspectives.

Custom dashboards: Track project progress, workloads, budgets, and other key metrics by combining more than 30 widgets into a personalized dashboard.

Task management software: Task creation is super fast, and you can organize them with custom columns, priorities, subitems, and statuses, then move them freely across different project views.

Automation & AI: Automate routine tasks and use AI Blocks, AI Sidekick, and AI Agents to summarize content, generate updates, and streamline everyday work.

Team collaboration: Keep conversations, file sharing, mentions, comments, and project updates in one place so everyone stays aligned throughout the project.

My Key Takeaways After Using Monday.com

What impressed me	Why it made a difference
Intuitive user interface	I could build projects and organize workflows quickly, even compared to other project management software like ClickUp or Jira.
Custom dashboards	They gave me a clear overview of project progress, workloads, and key metrics without switching between multiple pages.
Wide selection of project views	Having so many ways to visualize projects made it easier to adapt workflows for different teams and use cases.
Easy task management	Creating, assigning, and organizing tasks felt fast and required very little setup.

What I’d improve	Who it could affect
No recurring tasks	Teams with recurring workflows may find it frustrating to rely on automation for something many competitors offer natively.
Higher pricing	Smaller businesses and budget-conscious teams may struggle to justify the cost compared to similarly capable alternatives.
Buggy mobile app	Teams that frequently manage projects from mobile devices may occasionally run into syncing issues and missing functionality.

Plans & costs

Free plan available
Basic plan: €9/user/month with annual billing
Standard plan: €12/user/month with annual billing
Pro plan: €19/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Monday.com vs other tools

ClickUp VS Monday.com

ClickUp vs Monday

Notion VS Monday.com

Notion vs Monday

Monday.com VS Asana

Monday vs Asana

Teamwork VS Monday.com

Teamwork vs Monday

SmartSuite VS Monday.com

SmartSuite vs Monday

Read my full review: Monday.com Review 2025: Is the $228 Price Tag Justified?

Try Monday

Vaiz

4.4/5

Vaiz is a work management platform that combines tasks, docs, collaboration, automation, and AI in one workspace. Compared to many project management tools I tested, it takes far less time to set up while still covering everything most small and mid-sized teams need.

Full Vaiz review Visit Vaiz

Best work management platform for growing product teams

Quick verdict

Best project management tool for:

Cross-functional product and tech teams currently paying for Jira and Confluence separately — Vaiz replaces both at roughly half the cost.

Not ideal if:

Your team requires SOC 2 compliance, SAML-SSO, or a procurement-heavy purchasing process.

Biggest advantage:

Replaces your task tracker and documentation tool in one workspace — without the combined price tag.

Main tradeoff:

Reporting and automation are still less advanced than in larger project management platforms.

Why I recommend Vaiz for growing product teams

Some project management tools require a lot of setup before you can actually start working. Vaiz was the opposite. I could create a project, choose a template, invite team members, and start organizing tasks within a few minutes.

Despite its simplicity, Vaiz covers much more than basic project management. It includes project docs, dashboards, automation, collaboration tools, and multiple project views, but everything remains easy to find and use. It also sits in a nice middle ground: more structured than Notion, yet much less overwhelming than ClickUp or Jira.

The only areas where I think Vaiz still has room to grow are reporting and automation. Both work well for everyday project management, but they don’t offer the same depth as larger PM platforms. For small and mid-sized teams, though, I think Vaiz gets the balance right.

Standout features

Project management: You can create projects in just a few clicks, choose from 15+ templates, with new ones added regularly, and manage work using Cards, List, Calendar, Milestones, and Gantt views.

Task management: Organize tasks with subtasks, milestones, dependencies, comments, activity history, and drag-and-drop workflows that are easy to manage.

Project Docs: Keep documentation connected to your projects, collaborate with teammates in real time, and use the built-in AI assistant to write, summarize, or edit content.

Collaboration: Work together through task comments, @mentions, real-time co-editing, and collaborative diagrams in tasks and docs, plus shared dashboards for tracking progress.

Integrations: Connect Vaiz with Slack, GitHub, GitLab, and 9,000+ additional apps via Zapier, or quickly import projects from Asana, Jira, Trello, and Notion (tasks only, full import in development) — with ClickUp, Monday.com, and Wrike coming soon.

AI: Use the built-in AI assistant in docs and tasks to write, summarize, and organize content. Connect Vaiz to Claude and Cursor via MCP to create tasks, pull project context, and manage work directly from your AI tools. A native AI agent is also available in beta it sees your tasks, projects, docs, and team members, and can search, analyze, create tasks, build reports, and generate diagrams directly inside Vaiz.

My Key Takeaways After Using Vaiz

What impressed me	Why it made a difference
Fast project setup	I could create projects, choose templates, and start collaborating within minutes instead of spending time configuring the workspace.
Clean and lightweight interface	The workspace stayed organized, making it easy to switch between projects, docs, dashboards, and tasks.
Good balance between simplicity and customization	Vaiz offers enough flexibility for real project work without becoming overwhelming.
Strong collaboration tools	Docs, comments, dashboards, and whiteboards are built into the workspace, so teamwork happens in one place.

What I’d improve	Who it could affect
Basic reporting	Larger organizations that depend on advanced analytics and reporting may outgrow Vaiz fairly quickly.
Less advanced automation	Teams with complex operational workflows may find the automation system too lightweight compared to ClickUp or Monday.com

Plans & costs

Free plan available & a 30-day trial of the paid plans
Pro plan: $5/user/month with annual billing
Premium plan: $9/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing with self-hosted deployment options available

Read my full review: Vaiz Review 2026 | Lightweight Done Right

Try Vaiz

ClickUp

4.3/5

ClickUp is an all-in-one project management platform built for teams that need more than basic task tracking. It combines project management, docs, chat, whiteboards, AI, time tracking, and collaboration tools into a highly customizable workspace.

Full ClickUp review Visit ClickUp

Best project management software for complex projects

Quick verdict

Best project management tool for:

Teams managing complex projects that need advanced workflows, collaboration, and customization.

Not ideal if:

You prefer a simple project management tool that works with minimal setup.

Biggest advantage:

One of the deepest feature sets I’ve tested, with extensive customization across nearly every part of the platform.

Main tradeoff:

The learning curve is steeper, and performance can occasionally be inconsistent.

Why I recommend ClickUp for complex projects

The first thing that stood out during my testing was just how much ClickUp could do. Every time I thought I had explored its main features, I found another tool that could replace a separate app, whether it was Docs, Whiteboards, AI meeting notes, chat, or advanced dashboards.

I also appreciated how much control ClickUp gives you over your workspace. I could switch between different project views, customize dashboards, build automations, manage workloads, and adjust almost every part of the workspace to fit the project instead of changing the way I work.

This flexibility is exactly why I recommend ClickUp for complex projects.

That said, all these features come with a learning curve. I also noticed occasional slowdowns, especially when using heavier tools like Whiteboards. Still, if your projects involve multiple teams, detailed workflows, and lots of moving parts, ClickUp is one of the most complete platforms I tested.

Standout features

Project management: Manage project schedules using List, Board, Calendar, Gantt, Workload, Box, and Team views, then customize each workspace with filters, layouts, and permissions.

Task management: You can organize work with subtasks, priorities, tags, reminders, dependencies, forms, templates, and custom fields that handle even complex workflows.

Collaboration tools: Work together using Docs, Chat, Whiteboards, comments, screen recordings, and AI meeting notes without relying on separate collaboration apps.

Automation & AI: Automate repetitive workflows with ready-made templates and use ClickUp Brain to summarize meetings, answer workspace questions, and generate content.

Time tracking & reporting: Track time across projects, build customized reports, monitor workloads, and manage team capacity from a single workspace.

My Key Takeaways After Using ClickUp

What impressed me	Why it made a difference
Extensive feature set	ClickUp combined project management, documentation, collaboration, AI, and time tracking into one platform.
Highly customizable workspace	I could tailor views, dashboards, workflows, and permissions to fit different projects and teams.
Advanced collaboration tools	Docs, Chat, Whiteboards, Clips, and AI meeting notes reduced the need for additional software.
Strong resource management	Workload views, dashboards, and reporting made it much easier to manage multiple projects at the same time.

What I’d improve	Who it could affect
Steep learning curve	Teams looking for a lightweight or plug-and-play solution may find ClickUp overwhelming at first.
Occasional performance issues	Larger teams using advanced features like Whiteboards or complex automations may notice slower performance.
Mobile access	Users who rely heavily on mobile project management may miss some desktop functionality or encounter bugs.

Plans & costs

Free plan available
Unlimited plan: $7/user/month with annual billing
Business plan: $12/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

ClickUp vs other tools

Notion VS ClickUp

Notion vs ClickUp

ClickUp VS Monday.com

ClickUp vs Monday

SmartSuite VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs SmartSuite

Teamwork VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs Teamwork

Taskade VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs Taskade

Motion VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs Motion

Coda VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs Coda

Asana VS ClickUp

ClickUp vs Asana

Read my full review: My Honest ClickUp Review After Using It For +3 Months (2026)

Try ClickUp

Teamwork.com

4.3/5

Teamwork.com is a project management solution specialized for client work. It helps to keep your client projects on track, manage your resources, and keep tabs on every billable hour.

Full Teamwork review Visit Teamwork

Best project management app for client work

Quick verdict

Best project management tool for:

Agencies, consultants, and service businesses managing client projects.

Not ideal if:

You mainly manage internal projects or just need a simple task management app.

Biggest advantage:

Purpose-built features for client work, including budgeting, billing, reporting, and time tracking.

Main tradeoff:

Fewer project views and a steeper learning curve than simpler PM tools.

Why I recommend Teamwork.com for client work

Most project management tools treat client work the same as any other project. During my Teamwork testing, though, I kept finding features that were clearly designed for agencies and service businesses rather than general project management.

The client workspace was one of the biggest differences. Instead of simply organizing projects, I could group them by client, track project costs, monitor billable hours, and even prepare invoices from the same platform.

I was also impressed by the reporting. Profitability reports, workload planning, resource management, and detailed time tracking gave me a much clearer picture of how projects were performing beyond just checking whether tasks were completed.

The downside is that Teamwork.com isn’t as flexible as tools like ClickUp, and some project views feel limited. Still, if most of your work revolves around clients, I think Teamwork.com offers one of the most complete workflows I tested.

Standout features

Client management: Keep all client projects in one place, invite client users with limited permissions, and track budgets, project health, and ownership from a dedicated client workspace.

Budgeting & invoicing: Monitor project budgets, billable hours, profitability, and prepare invoices directly inside the platform without relying on separate tools.

Time tracking: Track time with a built-in timer or manual entries, review detailed timesheets, and filter hours by project, client, or team member.

Reporting & workload management: Monitor profitability, optimize resource allocation, and team capacity through advanced reports that help you plan future projects more confidently.

Proofs: Share files with clients, collect feedback, manage approvals, and keep the entire review process connected to your projects and tasks.

My Key Takeaways After Using Teamwork.com

What impressed me	Why it made a difference
Purpose-built client management	Managing clients, projects, budgets, and billable work from one place made the platform feel very different from traditional PM tools.
Advanced reporting	Profitability, workload, and resource reports helped me understand how projects were performing beyond task completion.
Excellent time tracking	Built-in timers, timesheets, and billable hour tracking fit naturally into client-based workflows.
Proofs and client collaboration	Clients could review files, leave feedback, and approve work without getting full access to internal projects.

What I’d improve	Who it could affect
Limited project views	Teams that rely heavily on different visual project views may find the available options restrictive.
Steeper learning curve	Smaller teams looking for a lightweight project management tool may need extra time to learn the platform.

Plans & costs

Free plan available and a 30-day free trial of the paid plans
Basics Plan: $9.99/user/month with annual billing
Accelerate Plan: $24.99/user/month with annual billing
Optimize Plan: Custom pricing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Teamwork.com vs other tools

Teamwork VS ClickUp

Teamwork vs ClickUp

Teamwork VS Monday

Teamwork vs Monday

Teamwork VS Asana

Teamwork vs Asana

Read my full review: Teamwork.com Review 2025: Here Is My Honest Opinion

Try Teamwork

Hive

4.3/5

Hive is a project management tool designed for teams, whether it is an agency, a marketing team, or a non-profit organization. It has numerous features to track projects, collaborate with team members, and build automated workflows.

Full Hive review Visit Hive

Best project management software for small teams

Quick verdict

Best project management tool for:

Small teams that want an easy-to-use workspace with strong built-in collaboration.

Not ideal if:

You need enterprise-level customization or want every advanced feature included in the base plans.

Biggest advantage:

Built-in chat, email, collaborative notes, and AI tools help keep communication and project work in one place.

Main tradeoff:

Many advanced features and add-ons are only available on the Teams plan.

Why I recommend Hive for small teams

Small teams rarely need the most advanced project management platform on the market. They usually need something everyone can learn quickly, collaborate in every day, and maintain without spending hours on setup or administration. That’s exactly why I recommend Hive.

When using Hive, I discovered that it covers the key features most small teams actually use to complete projects efficiently. Project management, chat, email, collaborative notes, dashboards, and AI tools are all available in one workspace, so there was no need to rely on several separate apps.

I also liked that Hive doesn’t require much time to learn. Creating projects, assigning tasks, sharing updates, and collaborating with teammates all felt straightforward from the beginning.

The only downside is that some advanced features require the Teams plan or paid add-ons. Still, for most small teams, Hive offers everything needed to manage projects and collaborate effectively.

Standout features

Built-in communication: Chat with teammates, send emails, leave task comments, and keep project discussions in one place.

Collaborative notes: Create and edit shared documents with your team, add images, tables, and attachments, and collaborate across desktop, web, and mobile.

Project views: Track projects using Kanban boards, Gantt charts, tables, calendars, and other views that give you different ways to organize your work.

Dashboards: Build custom dashboards with widgets, charts, goals, notes, and external embeds to keep your most important project data in one place.

AI assistant: Use Hive Buzz to answer questions, generate content, create dashboards, and automate everyday work directly inside your workspace.

My Key Takeaways After Using Hive

What impressed me	Why it made a difference
Excellent collaboration tools	Chat, email, notes, and project discussions worked together naturally, reducing the need for separate communication apps.
Easy-to-use interface	I could start managing projects quickly without spending much time learning the platform.
Useful AI features	Hive Buzz and the AI writing tools helped speed up content creation and everyday project work.
Custom dashboards	They made it easy to monitor projects, goals, and team activity from one central place.

What I’d improve	Who it could affect
Advanced features require higher-tier plans	Smaller teams on the Free or Starter plans may miss tools like advanced reporting, time tracking, and premium add-ons.
Less customization than top competitors	Teams managing highly complex workflows may eventually outgrow Hive’s feature set.

Plans & costs

Free plan available
Starter plan: $5/user/month with annual billing
Teams plan: $12/user/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Read my full review: Hive Review: The Best Project Management App? (2025)

Try Hive

Jira

4.3/5

Jira is one of the few project management tools I tested that focuses primarily on software development. Between its issue tracking, Agile boards, customizable workflows, and developer integrations, it offers everything technical teams need to manage complex projects.

Full Jira review Visit Jira

Best project management software for software development teams

Quick verdict

Best project management tool for:

Software development, IT, and DevOps teams managing complex Agile workflows.

Not ideal if:

You want a simple project management tool that works with little setup.

Biggest advantage:

Deep customization for workflows, issue tracking, and Agile project management.

Main tradeoff:

The learning curve is one of the steepest of any project management tool I tested.

Why I recommend Jira for software development teams

I wouldn’t recommend Jira for every team, but I would absolutely recommend it for software development. Almost every feature I tested was designed around the way development teams work, from issue tracking and backlogs to Scrum boards, sprint planning, and highly customizable workflows.

Another reason is the level of control Jira gives you. I could customize issue types, workflows, custom fields, automations, and project structures far more than in most other PM tools. That flexibility becomes much more valuable once multiple developers and complex release cycles are involved.

Jira also fits naturally into development workflows thanks to its native integrations with GitHub, Bitbucket, and other Atlassian products.

The tradeoff is complexity. Jira takes considerably longer to learn than tools like Monday.com or Hive, and many teams simply won’t need everything it offers. For software development teams, though, that extra complexity translates into much greater control.

Standout features

Issue tracking: Track bugs, features, epics, and custom work items with detailed fields, priorities, dependencies, and workflows that match your development process.

Agile project management: Manage Scrum and Kanban projects with backlogs, sprints, timelines, calendars, and reporting tools built specifically for Agile teams.

Workflow customization: Customize issue types, fields, automations, and project structures to support everything from simple development projects to complex enterprise workflows.

Developer integrations: Connect Jira with GitHub, Bitbucket, and more than 1,000 apps through the Atlassian Marketplace to keep development workflows connected.

AI & automation: Use Jira AI and Rovo to improve tasks, summarize content, automate repetitive work, search your workspace, and create AI-powered workflows.

My Key Takeaways After Using Jira

What impressed me	Why it made a difference
Extensive workflow customization	I could adapt almost every part of the platform to match different development processes and team structures.
Powerful issue tracking	Managing bugs, epics, features, and development tasks felt much more structured than in general-purpose PM tools.
Developer ecosystem	Native integrations with GitHub, Bitbucket, and other Atlassian products fit naturally into software development workflows.
Strong Agile support	Scrum boards, backlogs, sprint planning, and reporting covered everything I expected from an Agile project management platform.

What I’d improve	Who it could affect
Very steep learning curve	Small teams and non-technical users may struggle to learn Jira or never use many of its advanced capabilities.
Additional Atlassian products cost extra	Teams that need Confluence or Jira Service Management should expect additional subscription costs.

Plans & costs

Free plan available & a 7-day free trial for its paid plans
Standard plan: $7.91/user/month with monthly billing
Premium plan: $14.54/user/month with monthly billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Read my full review: Brutal Honest Jira Review 2026 | Before You Use It

Try Jira

Zoho Projects

4.3/5

Zoho Projects is a structured project management platform built around planning, reporting, and long-term project organization. It works particularly well for teams that follow repeatable processes and want consistent workflows rather than endless customization.

Full Zoho Projects review Visit Zoho Projects

Best project management software for structured workflows

Quick verdict

Best project management tool for:

Teams that manage structured, process-driven projects with clear workflows.

Not ideal if:

You prefer highly visual project management or extensive workspace customization.

Biggest advantage:

Strong planning, reporting, and workload management backed by the Zoho ecosystem.

Main tradeoff:

The interface is more traditional, and customization is more limited than in tools like ClickUp.

Why I recommend Zoho Projects for structured workflows

I recommend Zoho Projects for teams that already have established processes. During testing, I found it much easier to build projects around milestones, task lists, dependencies, and timelines than in tools that focus more on flexible layouts.

Reporting is another reason I recommend it. Workload reports, time logs, planned vs. actual reports, and portfolio dashboards gave me a much clearer picture of project progress and team capacity than basic task boards alone.

I also liked how naturally Zoho Projects connects with the rest of the Zoho ecosystem. If your business already uses Zoho CRM, Books, Invoice, or other Zoho apps, project work becomes part of a much larger workflow instead of existing on its own.

My biggest complaint is the lack of flexibility. Compared to ClickUp or Monday.com, there are fewer customization options, and the interface is more traditional.

Standout features

Project planning: Organize projects with milestones, task lists, dependencies, templates, and timelines that make repeatable workflows easy to manage.

Reports & insights: Track workload, planned vs. actual progress, time logs, and custom reports to understand project performance and team capacity.

Automation: Automate approvals, notifications, assignments, and status updates with no-code workflow rules that are easy to maintain.

Time tracking: Log billable and non-billable hours, approve timesheets, and monitor project time without relying on third-party integrations.

Zoho ecosystem: Connect Projects with Zoho CRM, Books, Invoice, Analytics, and other Zoho apps to keep project work aligned with the rest of your business.

My Key Takeaways After Using Zoho Projects

What impressed me	Why it made a difference
Structured project planning	Milestones, dependencies, project templates, and task hierarchies made recurring projects much easier to organize.
Advanced reporting	Workload, time log, and portfolio reports provided a much better overview of project health than simple dashboards.
Built-in time tracking	Tracking billable hours and approving timesheets worked smoothly without additional software.
Strong Zoho integrations	Connecting projects with CRM, finance, and other Zoho tools helped create a more connected business workflow.

What I’d improve	Who it could affect
Limited customization	Teams that like building highly personalized workspaces may find Zoho Projects too structured.
No native desktop app	Users who prefer desktop software instead of browser-based apps may find daily use less convenient.

Plans & costs

Free plan available & a 15-day free trial for the paid plans
Premium plan: €4/user/month when billed annually
Enterprise plan: €9/user/month when billed annually
Ultimate plan: €14/user/month when billed annually
Projects plus plan: Custom pricing

Read my full review: Zoho Projects Review: My Honest Experience (2026)

Try Zoho Projects

Explore our Apps directory

A curated directory of software tools we’ve independently reviewed, with links to full reviews, comparisons, and category guides.

Explore Apps directory

Motion

4.1/5

Motion combines AI scheduling, task management, calendars, meetings, and lightweight project management in a single workspace. It focuses less on managing projects and more on making sure the work actually gets done on time.

Full Motion review Visit Motion

Best AI-powered project management software

Bottom line

Best project management tool for:

Busy professionals and small teams that want AI to plan their work automatically.

Not ideal if:

You need advanced project management, reporting, or enterprise-level workflows.

Biggest advantage:

AI automatically schedules tasks, meetings, and projects based on your priorities.

Main tradeoff:

Higher pricing and fewer project management features than dedicated PM platforms.

Why I recommend Motion for AI-powered project management

I recommend Motion because it’s the only project management tool I tested that actively builds your schedule for you. Once I added my tasks, deadlines, priorities, and meetings, Motion automatically found time for everything on my calendar and kept adjusting the schedule whenever something changed.

I also liked how well the calendar, tasks, meetings, and projects worked together. Adding a new task, changing a deadline, or blocking time for deep work immediately affected the rest of my schedule, so I rarely had to reorganize my calendar myself.

The biggest drawback is that Motion isn’t a replacement for a full project management platform like ClickUp or Jira. Reporting is limited, and the pricing is higher than most competitors.

If your biggest challenge is managing time rather than managing complex projects, though, Motion is one of the most useful tools I’ve tested.

Standout features

AI scheduling: Motion automatically schedules tasks around your meetings, deadlines, priorities, and working hours, then continuously optimizes your calendar as plans change.

Smart calendar: Bring together your Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple, and iCloud calendars, then manage meetings, events, and tasks from one centralized view.

Task management: Create tasks from almost anywhere in the app, assign priorities, estimate durations, and let Motion automatically decide when each task should be completed.

AI meeting tools: Record meetings, generate transcripts and summaries, then turn discussions into actionable tasks that sync directly with your projects.

AI Employees: Create AI assistants trained on your workflows to generate project plans, summarize documents, draft emails, and automate repetitive work.

My Key Takeaways After Using Motion

What impressed me	Why it made a difference
AI auto-scheduling	Motion continuously reorganized my schedule based on deadlines, priorities, meetings, and available time.
Calendar and task management	Tasks, meetings, and projects stayed connected, so planning my week required very little manual work.
Fast task management	I could create and update tasks from almost anywhere in the app, making it much easier to capture work as it came up.
AI productivity tools	AI meeting notes, AI Docs, and AI Employees reduced repetitive work beyond simple scheduling.

What I’d improve	Who it could affect
Limited project management depth	Teams managing large, complex projects may outgrow Motion’s reporting and project management capabilities.
Higher pricing	Individuals and smaller teams looking for a budget-friendly solution may find Motion difficult to justify.

Plans & costs

No free plan available, only a 7-day free trial
Pro AI plan (individuals): $29/month with annual billing
Business AI plan (individuals): $39/month with annual billing
Pro AI plan (teams): $19/seat/month with annual billing
Business AI plan (teams): $29/seat/month with annual billing
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

Motion vs other tools

Motion VS ClickUp

Motion vs ClickUp

Motion VS Asana

Motion vs Asana

Read my full review: Motion App Review: My $348 Experience and Why I Don’t Regret It

Try Motion

ProofHub

4/5

ProofHub combines project management, collaboration, reporting, and proofing tools in one platform with a flat-fee pricing model. Unlike most project management software, the cost doesn’t increase as your team grows, making it a practical choice for larger teams on a budget.

Full ProofHub review Visit ProofHub

Best project management software for growing teams

Bottom line

Best project management tool for:

Growing teams that want predictable pricing and strong collaboration features.

Not ideal if:

You rely on advanced automations or a large library of third-party integrations.

Biggest advantage:

Flat pricing with unlimited users, plus excellent collaboration and proofing tools.

Main tradeoff:

Automation features and integrations lag behind many competitors.

Why I recommend ProofHub for growing teams

I recommend ProofHub because its pricing becomes more attractive as your team grows. Most project management tools charge per user, so adding new teammates quickly increases your monthly costs. ProofHub keeps pricing predictable by charging a flat monthly fee regardless of team size.

The pricing wouldn’t matter much if the software couldn’t support larger teams, but that wasn’t my experience. I found everything needed to manage projects, collaborate, review files, and share updates from one workspace.

Features like announcements and proofing tools also gave ProofHub an advantage over many competitors I tested. I also appreciated how easy the platform was to learn.

The biggest limitation is automation. ProofHub doesn’t support workflow automations like ClickUp or Monday.com, and its integration library is relatively small. If predictable pricing matters more than advanced automation, though, ProofHub is one of the strongest options I tested.

Standout features

Flat-fee pricing: Add unlimited users on both paid plans without paying extra for every new team member, making costs much easier to predict as your team grows.

Proofing tools: Review PDFs, images, and creative assets by leaving comments directly on files, highlighting specific areas, and approving work without extra software.

Task management: Organize projects with custom fields, recurring tasks, dependencies, custom workflows, labels, and multiple project views.

Team collaboration: Keep conversations organized through chat, comments, file sharing, announcements, and notifications that stay connected to your projects.

Reporting: Generate progress, resource, and project reports in just a few clicks, then export them as PDFs for sharing with your team or stakeholders.

My Key Takeaways After Using ProofHub

What impressed me	Why it made a difference
Flat pricing model	Unlimited users made ProofHub significantly more affordable than per-user alternatives as the team grows.
Excellent proofing tools	Reviewing creative files and collecting feedback happened directly inside the project workspace.
Strong collaboration features	Chat, comments, announcements, and file sharing kept communication organized around project work.
Easy-to-use interface	New projects and team members could be onboarded quickly with very little training.

What I’d improve	Who it could affect
No workflow automation	Teams that automate repetitive processes may find ProofHub too limited.
Limited integrations	Businesses that rely on connecting many third-party tools may outgrow the platform.

Plans & costs

No free plan, only a 14-day free trial
Essential plan: $45/month (annual billing)
Ultimate Control plan: $89/month (annual billing)

Read my full review: ProofHub Review 2026 | A Unique Project Management App

Try ProofHub

Summary: Best project management software in 2026

There are many other excellent project management tools out there. The real question is, how do you choose project management software?

After my long research and continuous testing, I found these as the best project management software in 2026 and tried to categorize them based on use cases. This way, you can select which one fits you.

I hope I was able to find the best project management apps in 2026. As always, I will keep updating this list to ensure it reflects the reality.

Looking for similar tools?

Visit our library of PDF editors to explore other apps we’ve reviewed in this space and how they compare.

See overview

Why you can trust our reviews

Our mission? No fluff, no shortcuts—just honest, hands-on insights from productivity pros.

Discover how we stay transparent, read our review methodology, and let us know about any tools we missed.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the most popular project management software?

Some of the most popular project management software include Monday.com, ClickUp, Jira, and Zoho Projects. That said, popularity doesn’t always mean it’s the right project management software for you.

After testing more than 30 project management tools, I also found excellent alternatives like SmartSuite, Teamwork.com, Vaiz, and Hive that outperform more established platforms for specific use cases.

Which project management software is best for beginners?

When selecting project management software as a beginner, I’d recommend Monday.com, Vaiz, or Hive.

All three are easy to learn, quick to set up, and don’t require much training before your team can start managing projects.

If you need something more advanced later, ClickUp or SmartSuite offer much greater flexibility, although they come with a steeper learning curve.

What is the best PMO tool?

It depends on the preferences and teams. For example, I would recommend a different project management app for agile software development teams than an agency.

I tried to cover most of the possible use cases with my list of best project management software to ensure you can find the perfect one for you.

Which is the best free project management software?

Small teams or project managers can use Notion, Coda, ClickUp, or SmartSuite’s free plan. While my top free project management software is SmartSuite, all of these solutions include solid free plans.

Aron Kantor

thebusinessdive.com

The post 10 Best Project Management Software I Recommend (500+ Businesses Helped) appeared first on .

Vaiz Review 2026 | Lightweight Done Right

Aron Kantor — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:40:07 +0000

There’s no shortage of project management tools promising to be your ‘all-in-one workspace’, and Vaiz is one of them.

It combines project management, docs, collaboration, dashboards, automation, and AI tools inside a single workspace, while trying to stay much simpler and less overwhelming than platforms like ClickUp or Jira.

In this Vaiz review, I tested the tool across multiple real workflows to see how well it actually works in practice, where it stands out, where it still feels limited, and who it’s really a good fit for.

Let’s dive in!

Verdict

Here’s the quick verdict if you don’t want to read the full review:

Best for: Small and mid-sized teams looking for a simple all-in-one workspace
Not ideal for: Organizations that need advanced reporting and enterprise-level workflow automation
Biggest strength: Ease of use and fast setup
Biggest weakness: Limited reporting and analytics

Verdict: A well-designed project management platform that combines tasks, docs, collaboration, and automation in one place without the complexity of larger PM tools.
Score: 4.4 / 5

Tested with our review & scoring methodology Real-world testing Unbiased evaluation

Vaiz Review

Project & task management features

Collaboration & teamwork

Automation & workflows

Customization & flexibility

Reporting & analytics

Integrations

User interface

Performance & reliability

Pricing

My experience

Summary

Vaiz is a lightweight project management platform that combines tasks, docs, collaboration, automation, and AI in one workspace. It’s easy to set up, simple to navigate, and offers a good balance between usability and functionality. While reporting and automation are less advanced than in larger PM tools, Vaiz is a strong choice for small and mid-sized teams looking for an all-in-one workspace.

4.4

pros

	Clean and lightweight user interface
	Very easy project and board setup
	Good balance between simplicity and customization
	Strong collaboration features built directly into workflows
	Multiple project views, including Kanban Cards, List, Calendar (newly launched), Milestones, and Gantt
	Good range of integrations
	Easier learning curve than heavier PM tools

cons

	Reporting and dashboards are relatively lightweight
	Automation system is less advanced than larger PM platforms

Try Vaiz

How We Test Project Management Tools

We score every project management tool using this weighted framework based on hands-on testing and real use cases.

Our scoring breakdown after testing 20+ project management apps:

Features & functionality — 60%
User interface — 10%
Performance & Reliability —10%
Pricing — 10%
Real-world experience — 10%

Want a detailed breakdown of how we test each category?

Learn exactly how we test tools → Review methodology

Short on time? Here’s a quick overview of Vaiz

What is Vaiz?

Vaiz brings project management, docs, collaboration, and automation together in one workspace.

Vaiz is a relatively new work management platform that combines project management, documentation, collaboration, automation, and AI tools inside a single workspace.

Positioning itself as a simpler alternative to heavier platforms like Jira, ClickUp, and Asana, the platform is gaining traction among small and mid-sized teams, particularly agencies, development teams, and startups looking for an all-in-one workspace.

How Vaiz performed during testing

My experience with Vaiz was generally very positive, especially when it comes to usability and setup speed. Compared to many project management platforms that require a lot of configuration before becoming usable, Vaiz is much lighter and easier to get started with.

I would say Vaiz sits somewhere between overly simple tools and complex enterprise platforms. It’s more organized and workflow-oriented than Notion, while also being much less overwhelming than platforms like ClickUp or Jira.

That said, reporting and dashboards are relatively basic, and automation is not as advanced as what you get in tools like Monday.com or ClickUp.

While the AI features I tested were primarily focused on documentation and writing assistance, Vaiz also supports Claude MCP integration and is expanding its AI capabilities with a native AI agent currently being rolled out.

Overall, for small and mid-sized teams that want a modern project management platform, but not the complexity of heavier systems, Vaiz is a solid option.

Why Vaiz got a 4.4 / 5 score

Vaiz scored highest in areas like collaboration, usability, and overall workspace experience. The platform is very easy to navigate, and setting up projects, workflows, docs, and dashboards is fast. The positive experience is also reflected in user reviews, with Vaiz maintaining strong ratings across platforms like G2, Trustpilot, Crozdesk, and SoftwareSuggest.

At the same time, some areas are still less developed than what you get with larger PM platforms. Reporting and analytics remain fairly limited, and automations are useful but not as advanced as those offered by tools like ClickUp or Monday.com.

However, Vaiz’s AI capabilities are expanding, with Claude MCP integration and a native agent joining the existing docs assistant.

Who I would recommend Vaiz to

Small and mid-sized teams
Startups and agencies
Teams that want an all-in-one workspace for tasks, docs, and collaboration
Users who find tools like Jira or ClickUp too overwhelming
Content, marketing, and development workflows
Teams looking for a lightweight but structured PM tool

Who Vaiz is probably not for

Large enterprise teams with highly complex workflows
Companies needing advanced reporting and analytics
Teams heavily dependent on advanced automation systems
Organizations looking for mature enterprise-grade AI workflow automation
Organizations that need very mature enterprise ecosystems and integrations

Try Vaiz

Vaiz features overview

To get a better sense of how Vaiz works in practice, I tested its main project management, collaboration, automation, and workspace features across several real workflows.

Project management

Creating projects is straightforward, with multiple templates available for different workflows.

Creating a new project is very simple and only takes a few clicks. The onboarding process is lightweight, and you can start building workflows almost immediately.

After creating a project, you add boards. Vaiz offers multiple templates for different teams and workflows, including marketing, sales, recruitment, development, production, and non-profit teams. There are also framework-based templates for Kanban, Scrum, Waterfall, etc. workflows.

The Cards view makes it easy to organize tasks and track progress across workflow stages.

For users migrating from another platform, Vaiz supports one-click imports from Asana, Jira, Trello, YouTrack, Linear, and Notion (with ClickUp, Monday.com, and Wrike coming soon).

You can also choose a default or empty template if you want to build your own structure from scratch. Another useful option is cloning existing Vaiz boards to reuse workflows.

Once you select a template, you can personalize the board and define which users or groups can access it. After that, you can immediately start organizing tasks and collaborating with your team.

Lastly, Vaiz supports Cards, List, Calendar (newly launched), Milestones, and Gantt views, with Smart List coming soon.

Task management

Tasks include subtasks, milestones, assignments, dependencies, comments, and activity history.

Tasks are easy to create, and once you open one, you get a full task view with the most important fields. You can set a milestone, choose a type, add dates, assign team members, manage blockers and dependencies, and link related work.

The task panel offers a good amount of structure – you can add subtasks, write descriptions, leave comments, and follow the activity history. That makes the system useful for real collaborative work, especially when tasks require context or multiple steps.

Tasks can be quickly moved between workflow stages using drag-and-drop.

Vaiz also includes a good level of flexibility within tasks. You can easily reorganize work, move tasks across boards, convert them into milestones, or manage them through different workflow stages. Combined with activity tracking and task history, the system is capable enough for ongoing project work.

In the Cards view, tasks are easy to scan and move between stages with a simple drag-and-drop workflow. The overall experience is clean and intuitive, and during testing, it was easy to switch between quick task management and more detailed task editing.

Collaboration features

Inviting team members and setting up collaboration takes only a few clicks.

Vaiz puts a strong focus on collaboration throughout the platform, so most teamwork features are built directly into projects, boards, and tasks.

Once you create a board, you can define which users or groups can access it. Inside tasks, team members can leave comments, follow activity history, assign work, and collaborate on subtasks or milestones.

The platform also includes shared dashboards, discussion threads, whiteboards, and project documents, which reinforces Vaiz’s “connected workspace” approach.

Project docs

Project Docs combine documentation, collaboration, and AI assistance inside the same workspace.

Vaiz includes built-in project docs, which are tightly connected to the rest of the workspace, so you can connect documentation with tasks, milestones, and discussions.

The editor itself is clean and easy to use, and it was simple to create structured documents during testing. Vaiz also supports slash commands and collaborative editing features, which make the experience similar to modern workspace tools like Notion or ClickUp Docs.

It works well for internal project documentation, planning, and collaborative workflows.

Dashboards

Dashboards provide a centralized overview of tasks, workloads, and project activity.

To keep track of everything happening across projects and boards, Vaiz also lets you create customizable dashboards. These dashboards work as a centralized overview where you can monitor task progress, project activity, workloads, and ongoing workflows.

Setting them up is fairly simple. You can add different cards and widgets depending on what you want to track, rearrange layouts, and create multiple dashboards for different teams or projects.

However, the reporting experience still feels lighter than what you get on larger platforms like ClickUp or Monday.com. Still, for small and mid-sized teams, the dashboards provide a clean and practical way to monitor projects.

Automation

Vaiz uses a simple “when → then” automation builder for handling repetitive workflow actions.

Once projects and workflows are set up, you can automate repetitive actions through a simple “when → then” automation builder.

You can build automations around task updates, status changes, priorities, due dates, and workflow actions. For example, tasks can automatically move between stages, update progress, or trigger notifications when certain conditions are met.

The system handles practical day-to-day workflow automation well, but it does not yet offer the same depth of multi-step conditions or advanced operational logic found in larger PM tools.

AI assistant

The built-in AI assistant helps with summarizing, rewriting, translating, and organizing content directly inside Project Docs.

On top of its core project management features, Vaiz includes an AI assistant directly in its Project Docs editor, focused on writing, editing, and organizing documentation. Vaiz also offers Claude MCP integration and a native AI agent currently being rolled out, which were outside the scope of this review

Try Vaiz

Integrations

Vaiz offers native integrations with Slack, Zapier, GitHub, GitLab, and other developer tools.

Vaiz covers a solid range of integrations for a project management tool. It offers native connections with Slack and Zapier, plus developer-focused options like GitHub, GitLab, webhooks, a REST API, a Python SDK, and Claude MCP integration.

Through Zapier, Vaiz can also connect to 9,000+ additional apps. It also supports one-click imports from Asana, Jira, Trello, YouTrack, Linear, and Notion, with ClickUp, Monday.com, and Wrike imports coming soon.

Beyond standard app integrations, Vaiz supports embedded tools directly inside documents, including Figma, Miro, Excalidraw, YouTube, Vimeo, Swagger/OpenAPI, GraphQL Editor, Mermaid Chart, and CodeSandbox.

Vaiz user interface

The Home tab gives a clear overview of projects, tasks, documents, and recent activity.

Vaiz has a clean and lightweight interface that is easy to navigate. During testing, it was simple to move between boards, tasks, dashboards, automations, and docs. I also liked the level of customization. You can personalize workflows, boards, dashboards, and project structures quite freely.

Another thing I liked is the Home tab, which gives you a clear overview of recent documents, assigned tasks, favorite items, projects, and quick notes in one place. It makes the workspace more organized and easier to navigate, especially when working across multiple projects.

Vaiz is also preparing an iOS app scheduled to launch in summer 2026, which should make the platform more accessible for teams that rely on mobile project management.

Try Vaiz

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Vaiz plans and pricing

Vaiz offers a free plan alongside Pro, Premium, and Enterprise options.

Vaiz offers a free plan, three paid tiers, and a generous 30-day free trial.

The free plan supports up to 10 users, and includes 2 GB storage, core project management tools, and 100 automations per month. It’s more than enough for small teams to properly test the platform before upgrading.

The Pro plan removes user limits and automation limits, increases storage to 500 GB, and unlocks unlimited history. It costs $5/user/month with annual billing.

The Premium plan is $9/user/month on a yearly subscription. It adds unlimited storage and priority support.

For larger organizations, Vaiz also offers an Enterprise plan with custom pricing and self-hosted deployment options.

What works well in Vaiz and what could improve

Strengths

Clean and lightweight user interface
Very easy project and board setup
Good balance between simplicity and customization
Strong collaboration features built directly into workflows
Multiple project views, including Kanban Cards, List, Calendar (newly launched), Milestones, and Gantt
Good range of integrations
Easier learning curve than heavier PM tools

Limitations

Reporting and dashboards are relatively lightweight
Automation system is less advanced than larger PM platforms

Vaiz alternatives

While I think Vaiz is an excellent project management software, here are some alternatives you might want to check if you think it is not ideal for you:

App	Best for	Description
ClickUp	Best all-in-one	An easy-to-use AI-powered project management software. Full ClickUp review \| Quick ClickUp overview
Hive	Best for small teams	A project management app for small teams with advanced collaboration and AI features. Full Hive review \| Quick Hive overview
SmartSuite	Best for no-code workflow building	A collaborative work management solution for teams to track and manage workflow. Full SmartSuite review \| Quick SmartSuite overview
Monday.com	Best for visual workflows	An intuitive project management app with advanced features for teams. Full Monday.com review \| Quick Monday.com overview
Taskade	Best lightweight AI tool	An AI-powered workflow and lightweight project management app. Full Taskade review \| Quick Taskade overview
Coda	Best for custom workflows	An all-in-one app that is similar to Notion, however, with more massive project management tools. Full Coda review \| Quick Coda overview
Notion	Best for notes & projects	It provides a centralized workspace where you can organize your thoughts, notes, tasks, projects, and documents in one place. Full Notion review \| Quick Notion overview
Motion	Best for AI scheduling	It is an AI calendar app, but it also works as a project management software. Full Motion review \| Quick Motion overview
Asana	Best for ease of use	A popular and easy-to-use project management tool. Full Asana review \| Quick Asana overview
Teamwork.com	Best for client work	An excellent project management software for client-facing teams. Full Teamwork review \| Quick Teamwork overview
Zoho Projects	Best for structured planning	A structured project management tool designed to help teams plan, track, and deliver projects with clear processes and long-term visibility. Full Zoho Projects review \| Quick Zoho Projects overview
ProofHub	Best for approvals & feedback	A project and team management app with outstanding collaboration, proofing, and customization options. Full ProofHub review \| Quick ProofHub overview
Jira	Best for agile teams	An advanced project management and issue tracking tool, built mainly for agile software and IT teams. Full Jira review \| Quick Jira overview

Final thoughts on Vaiz

As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, Vaiz is one of those ‘all-in-one’, but not too limited and not too complex tools.

After testing the platform, I can definitely see the appeal. It’s especially strong if you want a clean, easy-to-use tool for projects, tasks, docs, collaboration, and basic automation without the learning curve that comes with bigger PM platforms.

Hopefully, this Vaiz review gave you a clearer picture of how the platform works in practice and whether it’s the right fit for your workflow.

Try Vaiz

Looking for similar tools?

Visit our library of PDF editors to explore other apps we’ve reviewed in this space and how they compare.

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Discover how we stay transparent, read our review methodology, and let us know about any tools we missed.

Frequently asked questions

Is Vaiz free to use?

Yes, Vaiz offers a free plan for up to 10 users. It includes core project management features, 2 GB of storage, and limited automations, which is enough for small teams to test the platform properly before upgrading.

What is Vaiz best used for?

Vaiz works best for collaborative workflows that combine project management, documentation, and team communication inside one workspace. It’s especially well-suited for startups, agencies, content teams, and small to mid-sized businesses.

Is Vaiz better than ClickUp?

That depends on what you need. Vaiz is simpler, easier to navigate, and much faster to set up, which makes it a strong fit for smaller teams or users who prefer a cleaner workspace. ClickUp offers more depth in automation, reporting, and enterprise workflows, but comes with a steeper learning curve.

Aron Kantor

thebusinessdive.com

The post Vaiz Review 2026 | Lightweight Done Right appeared first on .

How to Use Jira: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Aron Kantor — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:08:59 +0000

Jira can feel overwhelming at first, and it’s not a surprise since it’s full of features and functions. Even a guy like me who tests apps daily took me some time to understand how to use Jira.

But once you learn the basics of how to use Jira, it’s a practical way to organize tasks, track progress, and help team members work together.

Here, I will show you everything step by step — workspace setup, project management, and connecting workflows.

Let’s dive in!

What is Jira?

Jira is Atlassian’s project management tool. Originally built for software development teams to track bugs, but IT, marketing, HR, and operations use it for agile work.

Perfect for Scrum or Kanban teams (tasks, processes, real-time visibility)
Unlike a basic to-do list, you can customize boards + run reports to prioritize, track, and see what’s happening

From a simple task management to a complex product launch, Jira helps you organize tasks and manage work.

Wondering if Jira is the right project management tool for you?

Check out my Jira review here.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Jira

You’re likely using Jira Cloud (most common for beginners). I made these steps detailed so you can skip the usual setup mistakes.

Step 1 – Creating a Workspace

Before managing tasks, you need a workspace. That’s Jira’s name for your team’s home. Here’s the setup:

Go to Atlassian’s site. Click “Get it free.” Sign up with a work email or Gmail to create a Jira account.
Choose the Free plan. Works for up to 10 users. Includes boards and basic reports.
Pick a unique URL. Like yourcompany.atlassian.net. Make it memorable.
Verify your email. Then you’ll see the main dashboard.
Invite teammates right away. Settings (gear icon) > User management > Invite users. Add emails. Grant Atlassian access.

Pro tip: Use business email addresses when inviting people. It makes things much easier to manage later on.

Step 2 – Adding a Project

If you are looking for projects in Jira, you’re not going to find them, at least in this way. Instead of projects, Jira uses spaces to better represent the workflows as flexible, ongoing work containers rather than just time-bound projects.

In Jira, a project serves as a container for all associated tasks. For instance, you may have two projects: “Customer Support Tickets” and “Website Redesign.”

When creating spaces, you can choose from numerous templates for software development, marketing, finance, product management, and more. It takes 30-40 seconds, and Jira will add it to your workspace.

Step 3 – Adding Tasks

In your spaces, you can create tasks with a few clicks. But the tasks can be different work types, like a feature, an epic, or a simple task. You can customize and add work types to your workflows.

Look for the blue Create button (top of screen) or + on your board. A pop-up appears. Fill out:

Work Type: “Task” or “Epic” or “Feature”
Summary: Short and action-driven. Bad: “Fix website.” Good: “Fix broken ‘Contact Us’ form validation.”
Description: Add details, links, screenshots. Use bold or bullets.
Assignee: Pick who’s responsible.
Priority: Highest → Low. Be honest.

Click Create — it shows up in “To Do.”

Sub-tasks (optional): Open the task → More (···) > “Create sub-task.” Example: “Launch newsletter” → “Write copy,” “Design banner,” “Send test email.”

Power tip: Use Jira’s quick-create shortcut for faster actions. Press the C key on your keyboard from anywhere in Jira to instantly open the task creation window.

Step 4 – Visualizing Projects

Jira’s real magic is its visual boards. A board shows all tasks as cards that move through columns representing your workflow stages.

Go to your project and click the Board link in the sidebar (for Kanban) or Active sprints (for Scrum).
Customize your columns: Click the Board settings button (gear icon, usually top-right). Under “Columns,” you can rename, add, or remove columns.
1. Default Kanban columns: To Do, In Progress, Done.
2. Better columns for beginners: Backlog, To Do, In Progress, Review/QA, Done.
Drag and drop cards: Take your task (e.g., “Fix broken form”) and drag it from “To Do” to “In Progress.” Then drag it to “Done” when finished. The card’s status updates automatically.
Add swimlanes: Swimlanes are horizontal rows that group tasks. Click Board settings > Swimlanes. You can group by assignee (“Show all of Anna’s tasks in one row”) or by priority (“Show all High priority tasks at the top”).
Use fast filters: You may make filter buttons above the board, such as “Only show my tasks” or “Only show blocked tasks.” When you have more than fifty cards on your board, this is helpful.

Example: A marketing team might set columns to: Drafting → Design → Legal Review → Ready to Publish → Live.

As the graphic designer finishes a Facebook ad, they drag it from “Drafting” to “Design.” The copywriter sees it move and knows it is no longer their responsibility.

Step 5 – Task and Issue Tracking

Tracking is what separates Jira from a simple whiteboard. You can see exactly who did what, when, and why.

Unlike a whiteboard, Jira tracks everything. You see who did what, when, and why.
Click any card → the issue detail view opens with an activity log on the right.
Tag people: Type @username in a comment. Example: “@John, here’s the broken form screenshot. Can you check by 3 PM?” John gets an email.
Log work hours: Go to More (···) > Log work, enter 2h 30m + a comment. That updates timesheets and burndown charts.
Move tasks along: Click “In Progress” or “Done” at the top. If something’s blocked (e.g., waiting on client), set status to “Blocked” and add a reason.
Find anything: Use the Issues menu or search bar. Filter by assignee (assignee = currentUser()), date (created >= -7d), or label. Save frequent searches as one-click filters.

How does it work in practice? Your manager asks, “Why is task QM-12 still open?” You open the task, scroll to the activity log, and see that you commented “Waiting for legal sign-off” three days ago. Furthermore, you notice that the assignee has not logged any work since then, so you know where the process is exactly and how to take the next step.

Step 6 – Integrating Jira Into Your Workflows

A standalone project management tool is useful, but a connected tool is transformative. Integrating Jira into your existing workflows means your team no longer needs to switch between 5 different apps to update a task status.

Start with these essential integrations:

Slack: Auto-post high-priority tasks to a channel. Create Jira issues with /jira create.
GitHub / Bitbucket: Link commits and pull requests to Jira issues. Push a message like QM-12 fixed the form – Jira auto-comments with the commit link.
Google Drive / Microsoft Teams: Attach Drive files without downloading. Pin the Jira tab in Teams to view your board without leaving chat.

Many teams use Jira for internal work (bugs, features, sprints) and Salesforce for customer-facing data (cases, opportunities, accounts). The problem? These two systems often live in silos.

A support agent resolves a Salesforce case, but the engineering team never knows. A salesperson promises a feature in an opportunity, but the product manager cannot see that promise.

This is when it makes sense to think about connecting Jira with Salesforce. If you connect both platforms, you can:

Bidirectional sync: A high-priority Salesforce case automatically creates a Jira bug. When a developer moves that bug to “Done,” the Salesforce case status updates to “Resolved – Fix Deployed.”
Contextual data: From within a Jira issue, you can see the related Salesforce opportunity amount, account owner, and case history. No more “What customer requested this?” confusion.
Automated SLAs: If a Salesforce case is marked “Urgent,” Jira creates a task with a 24-hour due date and assigns it to the on-call engineer.

To set this up without writing custom code, many teams use a dedicated connector. You can learn more about the best practices and technical setup through this resource on Jira Salesforce integration.

This integration is particularly valuable for organizations where customer success, sales, and product development share responsibility for the same deliverables.

Other workflow automations (no coding required):

Navigate to Automation under Project Settings.
Make a rule: Send a message to the #urgent Slack channel and designate the job to the Project Lead when its priority shifts to “Highest.”
Another rule is to add a label “stale” and ping the assignee in Jira when a task has been in “In Progress” for five days without a remark.

Your workflow becomes a single, cohesive system instead of a collection of disparate phases when you integrate Jira with your development, communication, and CRM applications.

Final thoughts: How to use Jira

Jira is a robust project management tool with a steep learning curve. However, in the right hands, it can become a versatile engine for any team that values openness, accountability, and continuous progress.

When getting started with Jira, first you need to understand the basics, such as creating a workspace, adding work items, checking the project types, visualizing projects, and collaborating with your team members.

Do not try to enable all features on the first day. Begin with a simple Kanban board with three columns. Once your team is comfortable, introduce Scrum sprints, then automations, and lastly complex connections such as Jira-Salesforce.

And after these, focus on continuous improvement: watch tutorials, discover more advanced topics and features, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Jira free for small teams?

Yes. The Free plan includes up to 10 users and core features like boards and reports, which is sufficient for most new teams.

Can I use Jira for HR or marketing projects?

Yes. Atlassian offers templates for different departments. Choose one and customize the columns to fit your process.

What are the main differences between Jira products?

Jira Software is designed for development teams, while Work Management is lighter and better for business users. Jira Service Management focuses on support and request handling.

Beginners usually start with Jira Software.

How do I delete a task in Jira?

Issues cannot be permanently deleted. Mark them as Done to preserve history. Only administrators can delete test items.

Does Jira work with Gmail or Outlook?

Yes, through Marketplace integrations that allow you to turn emails into tasks easily.

What is an Epic?

An Epic is a large project that groups several smaller tasks. It helps organize related work and keep the board clear.

Why is my board missing some tasks?

Review your board filter and confirm that all statuses are mapped to columns.

How long is the Jira learning curve?

The basics can be learned in a few hours. Full proficiency usually develops over 2–4 weeks.

Aron Kantor

thebusinessdive.com

The post How to Use Jira: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners appeared first on .

Best 7 Notion Alternatives In 2026 | 100+ Personally Tested Tools

Aron Kantor — Thu, 14 May 2026 12:59:48 +0000

There are 500+ Notion alternatives out there. The question is, which one should you try?

I am gonna be honest. Notion is a great productivity tool, and I have been using it for years. But as much as I love Notion, I know that it’s not the perfect fit for everyone. The good news is that there are many Notion alternatives on the market.

Over the last year, I spent 500+ hours testing more than 100 productivity tools.

Now, using this experience and knowledge, I have decided to put together my list of the best Notion alternatives for 2026.

Let’s dive in!

Best Notion alternatives in 2026 (Quick Picks)

Best overall Notion alternative: Coda
Best for visual note-taking: Xtiles
Best for software development teams: Backlog by Nulab
Best for AI-powered task management: Taskade
Best for complex project management: ClickUp
Best open-source Notion alternative: AppFlowy
Best for secure & private note-taking: Anytype

How We Selected The Best Notion Alternatives

Notion is one of the most versatile productivity tools, but it isn’t the perfect fit for everyone. Some users need stronger project management features, better offline support, more privacy, or more advanced note-taking features.

While we use standardized testing frameworks for categories like project management and note-taking apps, we cannot compare apples to oranges.

That’s why the scores you see throughout this article come from category-specific testing frameworks and reflect how well each tool performs within its intended category and use case.

Therefore, I selected these Notion alternatives based on the following criteria:

My real-world hands-on testing experience
Features & overall value
Pricing compared to Notion
Ease of use & user experience

Comparing the top Notion alternatives

Notion alternatives	Ideal for	Biggest Strength	Biggest Weakness	Learning curve	Pricing starts
Coda	Best overall Notion alternative	Powerful docs + databases	No desktop app for Windows	Moderate	Free plan + paid from $10/user/month billed annually
Xtiles	Best for visual note-taking	Beautiful UI	Less versatile feature set than Notion	Easy	Free plan + paid from $15/month billed annually
Backlog	Best for software development teams	Built-in Git & issue tracking	Less flexible for notes	Moderate	Free plan + paid from $35 up to 30 users /month billed annually
Taskade	Best for AI-powered task management	AI agents & automation	Limited note-taking features	Easy	Free plan + paid from $6/user/month billed annually
ClickUp	Best for complex project management	Advanced workflows	More limited knowledge management experience	Advanced	Free plan + paid from $7/user/month billed annually
AppFlowy	Best open-source Notion alternative	Offline & self-hosted	Less extensive feature set	Moderate	Free plan + paid from $10/user/month billed annually
Anytype	Best for privacy-focused note-taking	Offline + encrypted	Long learning curve	Advanced	Free plan + paid from $4/user/month billed annually

In-Depth Look at the Best Notion Alternatives for 2026

In this video, I break down the best Notion alternatives after testing 100+ productivity tools and spending 500+ hours reviewing note-taking and project management apps.

Let’s break down the 7 best Notion alternatives for 2026!

Coda

4.5/5

Coda is an all-in-one collaborative workspace for individuals and teams. It integrates note-taking, task management, project management, document management, and team collaboration features into one platform

Full Coda review Visit Coda

Best overall Notion alternative

Review Summary

Best for:

Teams and individuals who want a powerful all-in-one workspace with strong automation

Not ideal for:

Offline-first workflows or users needing a desktop app for Windows

Where Coda beats Notion:

Powerful docs + databases

Where Notion still wins:

Coda lacks a dedicated Windows desktop app, unlike Notion

Coda is probably the closest alternative to Notion. It has quite similar features for note-taking. However, it has more advanced project management features, and it is a more user-friendly app than Notion, with a shorter learning curve.

Testing Coda in everyday use

It was a surprise to me, especially its project management features. Its ease of use, wide range of display options, and customization possibilities make Coda a perfect choice.

Coda blends documents, spreadsheets, and apps into a single flexible workspace known for powerful formulas and automation features.

It has many templates for specific use cases, so you can speed up the document creation process. Also, I appreciated that it has powerful note-taking capabilities.

During my Coda.io review, I discovered that Coda is a powerful alternative for building custom pages, with robust database and formula capabilities.

I had only one issue with Coda: it does not have a desktop app for Windows that you can access even without an internet connection.

Overall, my experience with Coda was 10/10, and I highly recommend it to individuals and small teams.

Who Coda is a good fit for

Teams and individuals who want an all-in-one workspace (docs, tasks, projects, databases)
Teams looking to automate workflows directly inside documents
People who want a Notion alternative with stronger structure and easier setup
Small to mid-sized teams managing projects, knowledge bases, and internal tools in one place

Who Coda is not ideal for

Large organizations needing advanced reporting or enterprise-level analytics
Users who prefer a simple, no setup tool for project and task management
Teams that need an offline-first alternative to replace Notion

Try Coda

Main features

Note-taking tools: Writing notes works similarly to Notion. It uses blocks to structure your content. You can use different paragraph styles, add quotes, callouts, and more. If you click on the “/” tab, you can create blocks. When creating them, you can choose from many formats, from templates, text, tables, images, calendars, and so on.

Project management tools: Coda offers numerous view options that help to visualize dependencies, making the project planning and tracking much smoother. For example, it has tables, grids, boards, calendars, Gantt charts, and many other views.I t is very easy to create customized dashboards and apply filters.

Task management tools: You can add different columns for each task. When adding columns, you can change their types, which is great because it makes filling in data easier. When considering what type you want to add, there is a full list from which you can choose. You can insert text, dates, checkboxes, links, files, assignees, and many other elements.

Templates: Coda’s Gallery includes many templates for project management, meetings, knowledge management, project briefs, OKRs, and more. Templates are great for creating documents and projects faster.

Automation tools: Coda’s automation has two steps: When and Then. However, you can also add the “If” condition to your rules. You can easily create automation with Coda and streamline many workflows.

Collaboration features: You can edit text in real-time, mention and tag others, or assign tasks to your team members. Also, you can share documents easily with your team members with a click, so you can be on the same page. It offers tools for permission management and workflow automation, helping to make your team’s collaboration smoother.

AI tools: Similarly to Notion AI, it has an AI assistant that helps you in many ways when taking notes. For instance, it can summarize, translate, answer questions, or help you brainstorm an idea or convert it into a table. The use cases of Coda AI are almost endless. As you use Coda along the way, you will implement it in more workflows than you think.

Integrations: You can connect Coda with multiple third-party apps, including Zapier. Thanks to the Zapier integrations, Coda supports integrations with more than 8,000 third-party apps.

Mobile app: Coda has a mobile version as well. It is not as versatile as the desktop version and has fewer features, but you can use it to track your projects and tasks and read your notes.

Pricing structure

The Free plan includes essential features such as unlimited doc size for unshared docs, collaborative docs, tables, charts, kanban boards, forms, and automation. The free version is ideal for individuals or teams that want to test whether Coda suits the whole team.

The Pro plan is $10 per month and is ideal for small businesses or individuals who need advanced features. This plan includes a 30-day version history, hidden pages, custom domains, branding, icons, and AI credits.

If you want unlimited automation, version history, and AI credits, you should go with the Team plan, which costs $30 per month. Using Coda’s Team plan, you will access the folder access, which can be crucial for teams.

Lastly, Coda offers an Enterprise plan for large businesses with custom pricing.

Coda’s pros and cons

To make your decision easier, here are the main reasons you might choose or skip Coda.

What I Loved

Coda has solid project management features that you can customize in detail. I particularly loved how many view options it has and how easy it is to change between them.
Furthermore, Coda is an ideal tool for note-taking. It uses building blocks for your notes, like Notion, and you can easily move them around.
Moreover, Coda AI is a useful addition that saves you time when creating documents, projects, and notes.
Finally, Coda has a generous free plan that is ideal for individuals.

What Could Be Better

Coda does not have a desktop app for Windows

Coda vs Notion

If you want a deeper look at how Coda compares to Notion, check out my full side-by-side comparison covering features, pricing, ease of use, and my experience with both apps.

Notion VS Coda

Notion vs Coda

Why is it the best Notion alternative overall?

If you are looking for a tool that is very similar to Notion, with a more user-friendly user interface and a shorter learning curve, even for your team, Coda is a perfect choice.

Its feature set and advanced project management tools make Coda a great Notion alternative.

Read my full Coda.io Review: Here’s What Surprised Me! (2026)

Try Coda

Xtiles

4.2/5

Xtiles is a visual note-taking app that lets you organize notes and manage your projects and tasks. Xtiles refers to itself as the baby of Notion and Miro, as it uses tiles for note-taking. This Notion alternative was designed for individuals, creators, teams, and people with ADHD.

Full Xtiles review Visit Xtiles

Best Notion alternative for visual note-taking

Review Summary

Best for:

Best for individuals, teams, and visual thinkers who want to organize ideas, notes, and projects using a flexible tile-based workspace

Not ideal for:

Advanced project management and knowledge base management

Where Xtiles beats Notion:

Beautiful UI and easy-to-use functions

Where Notion still wins:

Notion has a more robust feature set ideal for more use cases

Xtiles is a visual workspace where you can organize notes and manage your projects and tasks. People refer to Xtiles as the baby of Notion and Miro, and it is somewhat true.

Xtiles lets users build dashboards with visual tiles, making it a more visually appealing option. With Xtiles, you can access your notes offline as well. You can use this note-taking app for personal or business purposes.

How Xtiles performed in my daily workflow

The other main difference between Notion and Xtiles is the user interface and learning curve. Xtiles is a visually appealing app that offers many ways to visually organize your notes. But most importantly, it is a very simple app with a short learning curve compared to Notion.

Although Xtiles is an easy-to-use note-taking app, it offers great flexibility for organizing your notes and tasks. And the best thing is the whole organization process on a visual board similar to Miro.

However, don’t expect Xtiles to have such extensive note-taking capabilities as Anytype or even Notion. Xtiles is not the app that you will use to create complex knowledge management centers, visualize relations, and more.

If we compare it to Notion, Xtiles has significantly fewer use-cases and can’t compete with the feature-set of Notion, at least not yet. But if we consider only the note-taking and collaboration features, Xtiles can be a competent Notion alternative.

Who should choose Xtiles over Notion?

Visual thinkers and creatives who prefer organizing ideas using boards and tiles
Individuals managing personal projects who want a simple, intuitive way to structure notes
Content creators, marketers, and designers planning ideas, workflows, or campaigns visually
People with ADHD or those who prefer visual organization over linear note-taking systems
Teams looking for lightweight collaboration without the complexity of tools like Notion or Coda

Who should stick with Notion instead?

Advanced users building a “second brain” or complex knowledge management system
Teams needing structured workflows, databases, or automation-heavy setups
People looking for a full, all-in-one workspace comparable to Notion’s flexibility
Power users who want deep customization and extensibility
Those managing large-scale projects or operations with multiple dependencies

Try Xtiles

Feature Breakdown

Note-taking tools: The visual boards include tiles, which are the elements on a page to display and organize information. It has a super-easy drag-and-drop interface, so you can create a tile of any size if you click on the canvas. You can add different types of content with Xtiles, such as text, lists, tables, images, videos, code, etc. In the end, it offers a way more personalized experience for your notes than any other app. Luckily, you can create sub-pages, which give you an extra layer for structuring your notes.

Project management tools: Xtiles is an ideal project management app for small teams, individuals, and creatives. It has basic features designed for simple project management, so you will learn it fast. Finally, Xtiles offers various views for databases, including gallery, calendar, table, and board.

Task management tools: You can create to-do lists in Xtiles as well. Using this feature, you can add a task, assign it to your team members or yourself, and give a due date. It is a useful feature for those who do not want to use a different app to handle the to-do list and want to integrate every function into one app.

Templates: Xtiles offers numerous templates, from project trackers to weekly, monthly, or yearly planners. However, there are templates for productivity, education, brainstorming, teams, and meetings. If you click on the template gallery, you will see all the templates, and you can add them with one click.

Automation tools: Xtiles does not have automation tools.

Collaboration features: If you work with others, you can effortlessly share everything with your team and manage your projects from here. Also, you can assign tasks to others easily.

Integrations: You can connect Xtiles to +7000 third-party apps using the Zapier integration. Also, if you have paid plans, Xtiles offers instant syncing with Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Slack.

Mobile app: Xtiles has a mobile version for Android and iOS. The mobile version lacks some features compared to the desktop version.

Pricing explained

The free plan includes unlimited blocks, projects, free templates, one workspace to share, three personal workspaces, unlimited storage (5MB/file), and five pages per project. The free plan is ideal for individuals, mainly for personal use.

The Plus plan is $15 per month per user. In addition to the features included in the free plan, it offers unlimited personal spaces and pages, premium templates, unlimited storage, recurring task features, and Google Calendar integration.

Furthermore, Xtiles offers the Family plan at $25 per user per month. With this plan, an additional three family members can access the Plus plan’s features.

Lastly, there is a Team plan for $35 per month per team, which is a generous price for small teams. It includes personal onboarding, no member limits, and all the Plus features.

Xtiles’ strengths & weaknesses

Here are the areas where Xtiles stood out the most and where it still needs improvement.

Xtiles’ strengths

First of all, Xtiles is a beautiful and easy-to-use app that keeps your data and workflow organized. It offers a visually appealing experience on a day-to-day basis.
Secondly, using tiles for your notes provides more customization options for Xtiles users.
The free plan is quite generous. It includes all the features you need for personal use.
I loved the sub-pages feature. Creating sub-pages helps to structure your ideas, projects, and notes on a deeper level.
The Team plan is a budget-friendly option for small teams if they need a Notion alternative for note-taking

Xtiles’ weaknesses

The mobile app still needs some development
It offers fewer functions than Notion
There are no advanced project management and automation features

Xtiles vs Notion

I also compared Xtiles vs Notion side by side, including their features, pricing, learning curve, and ideal use cases.

In this video, I break down the key differences between Notion and Xtiles based on hands-on testing and real-world use.

Xtiles VS Notion

Xtiles vs Notion

Why is it the best Notion alternative for visual note-taking?

Xtiles is a simple but effective Notion alternative for note-taking and even project management. It offers an easy way to organize tasks and notes and has a user-friendly interface.

Read my full Xtiles Review: Is It The Best Notion Alternative In 2026?

Try Xtiles

Backlog by Nulab

If you’re managing software projects or working with a tech-heavy team, Backlog by Nulab is a strong Notion alternative. It combines project management, task tracking, documentation, and built-in version control—so teams can plan work, track issues, and collaborate without switching tools.

Visit Backlog

Best for software development teams

Review Summary

Best for:

Best for developer teams combining documentation, task management, and other software development tools in one place

Not ideal for:

Individuals and non-tech-heavy teams

Where Backlog beats Notion:

Centralizing functions for software developers in one place

Where Notion still wins:

Notion is a more versatile app covering more use cases

While we did not prepare a dedicated review article for Backlog, we also tested it extensively (find the screenshot below). When testing and selecting the top alternatives to Notion, Backlog didn’t come to mind first, as it’s not a traditional all-in-one app.

However, when testing its capabilities, we surprisingly found it to be quite a competent Notion alternative for tech-heavy teams. Nevertheless, outside of this niche, there are more suitable alternatives on this list.

My hands-on experience with Backlog

After using Backlog for several weeks, I found it surprisingly adaptable—even for non-technical work sometimes.

While developer-focused features like Git and bug tracking may be more meaningful to engineering teams, Backlog’s project organization and documentation tools make it valuable for a wide range of tech-focused businesses.

Overall, it delivers a smooth experience and keeps projects structured without adding unnecessary complexity.

Who should use Backlog

Developer teams that need project management, issue tracking, documentation, and Git repositories in one place
Startups and growing software teams looking for a more structured alternative to Notion
Teams that want a simple and affordable tool with flat pricing instead of per-user pricing
Product and engineering teams managing bugs, sprints, and technical documentation together

Who should NOT use Backlog

Individuals are mainly looking for a flexible note-taking or personal knowledge management app
Non-technical users who do not need developer-focused tools like issue tracking or Git integration
Creative teams that prefer a more visual and modern workspace experience, like Xtiles or ClickUp

Try Backlog

Capabilities & Tools

Project management tools: Backlog gives you multiple ways to visualize and track work. You can use Gantt charts, Kanban-style Boards, and detailed Issue views to monitor progress and spot bottlenecks early. Filters help you drill down into specific projects, assignees, and task types, making it easy to stay focused.

Task management features: In Backlog, all work items are created as “issues,” which can represent tasks, bug reports, requests, or custom workflows. Each issue supports priority, assignee, due date, category, estimated hours, file attachments, and more. This makes Backlog much more structured than Notion’s lightweight task databases.

Tools for developers: Backlog shines for engineering teams. It centralizes Git and SVN repositories alongside issues, enabling developers to link commits, pull requests, and code reviews directly to the work they’re completing. The Issues tab also makes it simple to review open bugs, tasks, and requests in one place.

Dashboard: Backlog’s dashboard provides a snapshot of everything happening across projects. If you open a specific project’s Home tab, you’ll get a detailed view of tasks, progress charts, and recent updates.

Team collaboration tools: You can comment on issues, mention teammates, and track conversations as work progresses. Backlog’s Wiki adds an internal knowledge base for guides, processes, troubleshooting steps, or dev documentation. Teams can structure pages easily and include images, links, and code.

File management: Each project includes its own file storage area. You can upload files, organize them into folders, and share direct links to items when needed. Designers, developers, and project managers can keep important assets tied to the work they belong to.

Documents: Backlog’s Documents feature works similarly to Notion’s page editor. It uses a flexible block-based interface for text, images, tables, and subpages—making it easy to take notes, create pages, document processes, or build an internal knowledge center. For teams who love Notion’s structure but need deeper project and issue tracking, this strikes a great balance.

Integrations: You can connect Backlog with Slack, Dropbox, Microsoft Teams, and other tools commonly used in development workflows.

Mobile app: Backlog’s mobile apps for iOS and Android let you check tasks, respond to comments, and stay on top of project updates when you’re away from your desk.

Pricing structure

Backlog offers one free plan and four paid plans—each with flat pricing rather than charging per user.

You can use the Free plan, up to 10 users, 1 project, and limited storage. Enough for small teams testing the app.

The Starter plan is $35/month and works up to 30 users, 5 projects, 1GB storage, and subtasking.

The Standard plan is $100/month and includes no user limit, 100 projects, 30GB storage, Gantt/Burndown charts, and issue templates.

Finally, it offers an Enterprise plan with custom pricing for organizations needing advanced security and administration.

Highlights & drawbacks of Backlog

Before replacing Notion with Backlog, these are the pros and cons I think you should know about.

Backlog’s highlights

Purpose-built tools for developers
It offers a straightforward, intuitive interface
The flat pricing makes it cost-effective for teams compared to Notion
It provides built-in Git and SVN support
Backlog has Wikis and Documents to help centralize knowledge
Gantt charts stood out to me and offer clear visibility into your projects

Backlog’s drawbacks

Backlog offers limited advanced reporting
Automation options aren’t as robust as some of the options on this list of Notion alternatives
Compared to Notion, it is suitable only for tech-heavy teams

Why is it the best Notion alternative for developer teams?

Backlog brings together documentation, task management, and software development tools in one place—making it a powerful Notion alternative for engineering and product teams.

It’s simple to use, designed for collaboration, and its flat pricing makes it an especially cost-effective solution for growing organizations.

Try Backlog

Explore our Apps directory

A curated directory of software tools we’ve independently reviewed, with links to full reviews, comparisons, and category guides.

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Try Backlog

Taskade

4.3/5

Taskade is an AI-powered productivity tool for task, work, project management, and note-taking. While its note-taking capabilities are more limited compared to Notion, it has more solid features for automating your workflows, projects, and task management.

Full Taskade review Visit Taskade

Best Notion alternative for AI-powered task management

Review Summary

Best for:

Professionals and small teams that need AI-powered task management, automation, and lightweight project workflows

Not ideal for:

Advanced project management or deep note-taking systems

Where Taskade beats Notion:

AI agents & automation

Where Notion still wins:

Notion is clearly superior for note-taking & creating a knowledge base

Taskade is an interesting Notion alternative. While its note-taking capabilities are more limited than Notion’s, it offers stronger automation features for workflows, projects, and task management.

In 2026, Taskade launched vibe-coding features as well, but since you are looking for features similar to what Notion offers, I will not cover those below.

What it’s like to use Taskade in the long term

I had a great experience with Taskade during testing, and I think it is the best Notion alternative for task management and automation.

I was skeptical of the AI features, including the agents, but they proved me wrong. Taskade also has great real-time collaboration tools, and I especially enjoyed the chat feature.

To wrap it up, Taskade is a feature-rich Notion alternative. However, unlike Notion, Taskade has a laser focus on AI automation rather than note-taking or creating a second brain.

When Taskade makes the most sense

Individuals and teams looking for an AI-first productivity tool
Users who want to automate workflows, tasks, and processes with AI agents
Freelancers, creators, and small teams managing lightweight projects and daily tasks
Teams that value real-time collaboration with built-in chat and shared workspaces
Users who want to quickly generate workflows, dashboards, or systems using AI

When you should stay with Notion

Teams needing advanced project management features (e.g., detailed reporting, resource planning)
Users who rely on robust note-taking or knowledge management systems (like Notion or Obsidian)
Large organizations requiring enterprise-level project tracking and analytics
Users who prefer structured, traditional project management tools over AI-driven workflows
Teams that need advanced customization for complex workflows beyond AI-generated setups

Try Taskade

Real-World Features

Note-taking tools: Taskade can also work as a note-taking app. Nevertheless, compared to note-taking apps like Notion, Obsidian, Anytype, or Xtiles, Taskade lacks advanced note-taking capabilities. It doesn’t offer features like relational databases and more sophisticated knowledge-management systems. But to be honest, Taskade was not originally designed as a traditional note-taking tool. It uses a task-based structure where most content can easily be turned into actionable items, connected to projects, or automated with workflows.

Project management tools: This is lightweight project management software. I say it is a lightweight project management app because it lacks advanced features, such as time tracking. Also, it is not as complex as ClickUp’s project management app. However, it has many valuable features like numerous view options, advanced automation, and many other tools to enhance project management.

Task management tools: Taskade is a task management software that allows you to manage multiple projects and tasks effectively. You can easily add and assign tasks to your team members. With one click, you can create task lists and give due dates, tags, and notes to each task.

Templates: Taskade offers numerous templates for task management, project management, mind maps, team management, etc. They can save you massive time, as you no longer need to start from scratch when creating a new project.

Automation tools: Taskade’s automation allows you to streamline repetitive tasks by setting up triggers and actions. You can design custom workflows and integrate them with Google Sheets, Slack, or WordPress.

Collaboration features: Taskade offers a shared space for teams to communicate, collaborate, and manage their projects. This app is full of collaboration features. You can easily share your workspaces and projects with your team members. In your projects, Taskade has a built-in chat feature that allows you to communicate with your team members. Also, Taskade has robust features when it comes to real-time collaboration. You can assign tasks to your team members, edit your projects together, and create a knowledge management center for your company.

AI tools: This tool is one of the most polished Notion alternatives when it comes to AI capabilities. Taskade has a common AI assistant that helps you pull out information, summarize documents, and so on. Nevertheless, it has a unique AI tool called AI agents, which is Taskade’s standout feature. They are useful for collecting information, helping you to brainstorm, delegating tasks, and ultimately improving productivity. You can tailor your AI agents to your specific needs by providing them with sources, commands, and instructions.

AI app builder: Taskade also includes an AI app builder that allows you to generate workflows, dashboards, and internal tools from a single prompt. Instead of building everything manually, you can describe what you want and Taskade will generate the structure with tasks, automations, and AI agents.

Integrations: During my Taskade review, I discovered that it offers a wide range of seamless integrations. You can connect Taskade with Zapier, which allows you to integrate Taskade with more than 8000 third-party apps.

Mobile app: Taskade has a mobile version for iOS and Android as well. The mobile app works really great compared to many Notion alternatives.

Free plan & paid options

Taskade offers a generous Free plan that allows you to explore the platform and test its core capabilities. It includes one AI agent, and you can invite one teammate and organize projects into one workspace. You will receive 3,000 AI credits (one-time) to build one AI-powered app.

The Starter plan is designed for individuals who want to use Taskade more seriously.

It will get you unlimited workspaces, premium AI models, 100+ integrations, and 10,000 AI credits, enough for around 10 apps. It includes up to 3 AI agents, and you can invite up to 3 team members.

The Pro plan is designed for professionals and power users who rely on Taskade daily. It includes unlimited AI agents and workspaces, and you can invite up to 10 team members. The 50,000 AI credits that you get on this plan can make about 50 apps.

The Business plan expands Taskade’s capabilities for organizations. It includes everything in the Pro plan, plus 3x the AI credits and apps, unlimited team members, a custom domain, and API access.

For large organizations, Taskade offers an Enterprise plan with custom pricing.

One more thing worth mentioning is that you can buy top-up credit packs if you run out of AI credits. This way, it is easy to scale AI usage without upgrading your entire plan.

Pros and cons of Taskade

To summarize my experience, these are the biggest wins and compromises of switching away from Notion to Taskade.

Taskade’s pros

Taskade has outstanding collaboration features
It offers excellent AI-powered agents and automations
Generous pricing compared to other project management apps
Has an intuitive user interface with a short learning curve

Taskade’s cons

Limited note-taking capabilities compared to Notion or other apps
Lacks advanced project management tools
Don’t expect it to become an all-in-one app like Notion

Taskade vs Notion

I also compared Xtiles vs Notion side by side, including their features, pricing, learning curve, and ideal use cases.

Want to see how Taskade stacks up against Notion? Check out my full comparison video covering features, pricing, usability, and real-world experience with both tools.

Notion VS Taskade

Notion vs Taskade

Why is it the best Notion alternative for AI-powered task management?

Taskade is a practical Notion alternative for those who are looking to automate workflows and tasks with AI-powered solutions. Thanks to its recently released vibe coding features, you can create your own workflows.

Read my full review: Taskade Review: I Nearly Spit Out My Coffee (2026)

Try Taskade

ClickUp

4.3/5

ClickUp is project management software designed to help teams organize tasks, collaborate effectively, and manage multiple projects. Besides its advanced project management features, collaboration capabilities, and note-taking capabilities, AI tools make ClickUp a solid Notion alternative.

Full ClickUp review Visit ClickUp

Best Notion alternative for complex project management

Review Summary

Best for:

Teams that need advanced project management features

Not ideal for:

Users looking for simplicity or a lightweight experience

Where ClickUp beats Notion:

ClickUp offers more robust project management, task management, and team collaboration features than Notion

Where Notion still wins:

Notion is a more advanced app for note-taking and knowledge management

ClickUp is one of the best Notion alternatives for project management. It is an incredibly versatile app and can work as a central hub for project coordination and collaboration.

My experience with ClickUp after 3+ months of daily use (real workflows)

I used ClickUp daily for 3 months to manage real workflows, and I found it to be one of the most feature-rich project management apps. It effectively combines project management, note-taking, AI note-taking, and collaboration into one platform.

And during my ClickUp review, I experienced that it combines these tools with high flexibility, making it a well-rounded choice for more complex project management workflows.

That said, this flexibility comes with a learning curve. It takes time to fully understand how everything works, and I experienced occasional performance issues, for example, when we used the whiteboards with my team.

The mobile app also feels less polished compared to the desktop version.

When to consider switching from Notion to ClickUp?

You want an all-in-one project management platform with an extensive feature set
You manage complex workflows, multiple projects, or larger teams
You need advanced customization (views, dashboards, automations, structures)
You rely heavily on team collaboration features (docs, chat, whiteboards, tasks)
You want a powerful free plan with lots of functionality
You don’t mind a learning curve

When to use Notion instead of ClickUp?

You prefer a simple, lightweight, and easy-to-use tool
You want something that works instantly without a longer setup like Notion
You need fast, highly reliable performance at all times
You mainly work on mobile and expect a polished mobile experience
You don’t need advanced features and just want basic task management

Try ClickUp

Key Features

Note-taking tools: ClickUp has pretty solid note-taking features, considering it is a project management software. Using the slash command menu, you can add many types of blocks, such as text, headings, lists, embeds, tables, and more. Ultimately, its note-taking system and functions are similar to Notion.

Project management tools: It has all the project management tools you need to organize complex projects. Your dashboard works as your headquarters. You can customize what you want to see here by adding cards. For example, you can access your task lists, workloads, total and completed tasks, and more here. I enjoyed the extensive customization options here. You can drag-and-drop these cards so you can personalize your dashboard one hundred percent.

Task management tools: ClickUp has many task management tools. You can smoothly assign, track, add deadlines, prepare to-do lists, and so on. Your dashboard is also valuable for organizing all your tasks. With your dashboard, you can get a quick breakdown of other aspects regarding your tasks, like open tasks by the assignee or total tasks by the assignee.

Templates: This project management tool offers numerous templates to create projects, wikis, meeting notes, and many more.

Automation tools: Using ClickUp, you can choose from 100+ automations to streamline workflows and complex processes. It has many templates for automation as well, so you do not have to spend time setting up rules one by one.

Collaboration features: ClickUp is full of collaboration features. It shows if a teammate is simultaneously viewing a task or adding a new comment. Whenever someone makes a change in the document, it updates instantly in real-time. Also, it provides a virtual whiteboard where you can collaborate with your teammates.

AI tools: ClickUp’s Brain connects all the tasks, projects, documents, team members, and your company’s knowledge with AI. It makes ClickUp’s AI feature very powerful, as it has all the data to answer your questions. It offers a great way to increase your productivity and save time.

Integrations: ClickUp offers seamless integration with Zapier and many third-party apps, including Slack, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and some Microsoft apps.

Mobile app: ClickUp has a mobile version for Android and iOS. It covers the most essential project management features, but sometimes I feel it is slow.

Pricing options

ClickUp offers four pricing plans. The free plan covers 60MB of storage, unlimited tasks, unlimited members, collaborative docs, and many views. Considering other tools, ClickUp has an extensive free plan and is ideal for individuals.

The Unlimited plan is $7 and excellent for small teams who need unlimited storage, integrations, folders and spaces, chat messages, and others.

If you want more features and higher security, you need to go with the Business plan. It is a good choice for medium-sized businesses, as it comes with tools for timesheets and workload management.

Finally, ClickUp offers an Enterprise plan as well for larger teams at custom pricing. They also provide a demo here so you can check whether ClickUp is the right project management tool for you.

It’s also worth noting that ClickUp’s AI features are offered as a separate add-on. ClickUp Brain, AI Notetaker, Super Agents, and other AI-powered workflows are not automatically included in the base plans.

Strengths & limitations of ClickUp

If you are considering using ClickUp instead of Notion, these pros and cons should help you make a decision more quickly.

Strengths of ClickUp

It has a generous free plan
Numerous features for managing projects and tasks, and other advanced tools
Wide range of integrations
Customizable dashboards for tracking key projects and tasks more easily
Offers very good collaboration tools, making it an ideal option for teams

Limitations of ClickUp

It was slow sometimes, especially when using the whiteboards
The mobile app has bugs
Users complain about its customer support

ClickUp vs Notion

For a more detailed breakdown, check out my full ClickUp vs Notion comparison covering everything from note-taking and project management to ease of use and customization.

Notion VS ClickUp

Notion vs ClickUp

Why is it the best Notion alternative for project management?

ClickUp is a great Notion alternative for project management at a reasonable price. It is ideal for any size of business and offers the full tool stack to effectively organize tasks, projects, and data in a centralized place.

Read my full review: My Honest ClickUp Review After Using It For +3 Months (2026)

Try ClickUp

AppFlowy

AppFlowy is an open-source AI-driven workspace to bring projects, wikis, and teams together. It has a similar layout to Notion, and it is an easy-to-use app. Thanks to its collaboration, document, and project management features, it is an ideal Notion alternative that you can access with offline mode as well.

Visit AppFlowy

Best open-source Notion alternative

Review Summary

Best for:

Privacy-focused users and small teams who want an open-source Notion alternative with offline access

Not ideal for:

Teams needing advanced automation, deep integrations, or enterprise-grade collaboration features

Where AppFlowy beats Notion:

Open-source flexibility, local-first data control, and offline functionality

Where Notion still wins:

More integrations, templates, and functions

Similar to Backlog, while we tested AppFlowy, we did not prepare a dedicated review article on it, but it made a good impression on us.

Its focus on data privacy, speed, and offline functionality made it a serious contender for those who need an open-source alternative to Notion.

My hands-on experience with AppFlowy

I had a positive experience with AppFlowy. It was easy to navigate its pages and find the key features.

AppFlowy offers a straightforward solution for organizing tasks and projects. It is particularly useful for small teams thanks to its pricing structure.

I particularly found the auto-fill option outstanding during review, which uses AI to turn databases into actionable insights.

When it comes to the AI capabilities, AppFlowy supports top-tier models (GPT, Claude) for generating drafts, expanding on topics, and extracting insights. However, you can access these for internet-based workflows.

If you prioritize 100% data privacy and want to work offline, AppFlowy’s Local AI feature (LAI) supports open-weight models, but you can run them through third-party apps.

Who will benefit most from AppFlowy

Privacy-focused users who want full control over their data with offline mode and self-hosting support
Individuals and small teams looking for an open-source Notion alternative with a familiar interface and lower cost
Developers, creators, and users who appreciate customization, extensibility, and community-driven development
Teams wanting a lightweight workspace for notes, tasks, wikis, and simple project management in one app

Who should skip AppFlowy

Teams that rely heavily on advanced automation and integrations like those in ClickUp, Coda, or Notion
Users looking for a polished enterprise collaboration platform with mature workflow management
People who want the easiest possible setup without dealing with open-source or self-hosting concepts

Try AppFlowy

Key Functions

Note-taking tools: Appflowy uses building blocks when creating content. It enables you to use the slash command menu so you can insert headings, text, images, boards, grids, and calendars more quickly. Appflowy is a very capable tool for writing notes or tracking your tasks and projects.

Project management tools: AppFlowy works like a lightweight project management app, and you can organize projects easily. I loved how simple it is to use numerous view options for project management. Also, it is very simple to share your projects with your team members.

Task management tools: With AppFlowy , you can add status, assignees, progress, dates, and many others to each project. It has all the tools you need to effectively manage tasks with your team members.

Templates: AppFlowy has a template gallery where you can find the template that fits you and change the properties.

Collaboration features: AppFlowy has some easy-to-use collaboration features. For instance, you can share projects with your team members and assign tasks to them.

AI tools: AppFlowy has an AI writer feature as well. If you press slash, you can use AI to come up with new ideas, summarize text, or answer questions.

Integrations: It supports Zapier integrations, so you can connect AppFlowy with more than 7000 third-party apps.

Mobile app: AppFlowy has a mobile version as well. You can use this productivity tool on Android and iOS devices.

Plans & pricing

The free plan includes one collaborative workspace for up to two members, unlimited pages & blocks, 5 GB storage, 10 AI responses, Intelligent search, real-time collaboration, and a mobile app.

The Pro plan includes all these features, and you can use it for up to 10 workspace members for $10 per member per month.

AppFlowy also offers self-hosted plans starting at $1/month.

Pros and cons of AppFlowy

After spending days testing this Notion alternative, these were the key strengths and weaknesses I found.

Pros of AppFlowy

An affordable solution for teams compared to Notion
It offers easy-to-use features
AppFlowy has a relatively short learning curve
The offline access makes AppFlowy a capable Notion alternative for those who value data ownership & privacy
You can even run AI models locally on your own device without sending data to external APIs

Cons of AppFlowy

No extensive integration options
AppFlowy offers limited automation for your workflows

Why is it the best open-source alternative to Notion?

Unlike Notion, which stores all data on its own servers, AppFlowy offers local-first usage and robust self-hosting. This gives users far more control over their data and eliminates many of the privacy concerns that come with proprietary, cloud-only tools like Notion.

Try AppFlowy

Explore our Apps directory

A curated directory of software tools we’ve independently reviewed, with links to full reviews, comparisons, and category guides.

Explore Apps directory

Anytype

4/5

Imagine Anytype as a combination of Notion and Obsidian. It adopted object-based note-taking, which makes it easier to connect ideas and notes. While some people love it, others find it too complex. It has a fantastic community behind it and could become the best Notion alternative in the future for note-taking.

Full Anytype review Visit Anytype

Best Notion alternative for privacy-focused note-taking

Review Summary

Best for:

Individuals who want to build a safe knowledge base and visualize connections between notes

Not ideal for:

Users looking for a simple note-taking app with a short learning curve

Where Anytype beats Notion:

Anytype offers more advanced note-taking capabilities than Notion, resulting in almost endless options for creating a knowledge base and connecting your notes

Where Notion still wins:

Notion is an all-in-one app ideal for many use cases, while Anytype is niche software for a relatively small user base that doesn’t mind the extremely long learning curve and works for significantly fewer use cases

Anytype is a powerful all-in-one workspace that combines notes and databases into a single platform. Compared to Notion, it offers more robust note-taking capabilities, and you can access it offline on your devices, including your mobile, using its offline mode.

Anytype offers maximum data ownership & privacy. It has a local-first approach that supports on-device end-to-end encryption, and you are the only one with the key to the notes.

It is also worth noting that this is a quite complex note-taking app with a steep learning curve.

My take on Anytype after using it for months (and trying to figure out how it works)

I am not going to lie; Anytype is a complex app and requires a significant investment. Even after helping more than 20,000 people to learn how to use Anytype, I can’t say it for sure, I completely know this note-taking app.

Anytype introduces an object-based approach to note-taking, and while it offers real-time collaboration, it is currently better for personal use.

However, it is one of the best Notion alternatives since it offers a safe place where you can take notes. Anytype implements a decentralized model that emphasizes privacy and security, which makes it one of the most privacy-focused note-taking apps.

Lastly, it has more advanced features for managing and organizing your notes than Notion and most of the note-taking apps.

Who will benefit most from Anytype

Individuals who are willing to invest time upfront to build a highly customized and scalable note-taking system
Individuals building a personal knowledge base or “second brain” who want deep structure and flexibility
Users who need to connect ideas, objects, and relationships at scale
Privacy-focused users who want full control over their data with local-first storage and end-to-end encryption
Developers, researchers, and technical users are comfortable learning complex systems and workflows
Obsidian or Notion power users looking for a more decentralized and object-based alternative

Who should stick with Notion

Users who don’t want to spend weeks learning a system before seeing value
Beginners looking for a simple, intuitive note-taking app with no learning curve
Users who want quick note-taking without setup or system-building
Teams and businesses that rely on seamless collaboration and easy onboarding
People who prefer structured, ready-to-use workflows instead of building everything from scratch
Users who need strong integrations with tools like Slack, Google Workspace, or project management apps

Try Anytype

Top features

Note-taking tools: Anytype uses object-based note-taking. In the world of Anytype, everything you see and interact with is an object. Whether you add a page, image, text, file, or task, they are all objects in this note-taking app. Similarly to Notion, you can quickly add an object if you press the “slash” button. Anytype uses types to categorize these objects, and you can connect them with links and relations. Using its graph view, you can quickly overview the relations between your objects.

Project management tools: Anytype is an open-source, local application that allows for real-time collaboration. Although it has no project management tools, you can create your own project trackers inside the app.

Task management tools: It has the basic functionality to manage your to-do list. Anytype allows you to create task lists, and you can use different filter options. Although Anytype has task management features, it is a complex tool for those who just want to have a task management app.

Templates: Anytype has some templates prepared by the community. They help you to create and scale your object creation workflows.

Automation tools: Anytype has no automation tools.

Collaboration features: You can share your spaces with your team members, where you can collaborate with each other. Compared to other Notion alternatives, Anytype has very limited features when it comes to team collaboration.

Mobile app: Anytype is available on mobile devices, including iOS and Android. It worked smoothly on my mobile.

Free and paid plans

Anytype offers four plans.

The free plan includes 1 GB of network space, three shared spaces, and three space members per shared space. Using the free plan, you can sync your devices, get backup storage, and even collaborate in small groups.

The builder plan provides a unique name for you: 128 GB of network space, three shared spaces, 10 Editors per shared space, unlimited viewers per shared space, and priority support. This plan works great for small teams.

The co-creator plan is quite similar to the builder plan. However, this plan offers 256 GB of network space and a shorter unique name. This plan is ideal for teams.

Lastly, Anytype offers business plans upon request, where you have the option to determine the size of the network space, number of editors, or shared spaces, and gives unlimited Viewers per shared space. This plan could be fit for bigger teams.

Wins & Trade-Offs

Here’s a quick breakdown of what this Notion alternative does really well and where it could improve.

Pros of Anytype

Anytype has high-security standards and follows a local-first approach
It has an extensive free plan
Anytype is one of the most advanced note-taking apps available
Anytype supports seamless syncing across desktop and mobile devices

Cons of Anytype

It has an extremely long learning curve
Expect that some features will evolve as it’s a relatively new app, which makes the app even more overwhelming for beginners (this is what happened with the Sets feature)

Anytype vs Notion

Here, I compare Anytype with Notion based on features, pricing, pros & cons.

If you’re still not sure whether to give this Notion alternative a chance, check out a more detailed breakdown below where I compare Anytype to Notion.

Anytype VS Notion

Anytype vs Notion

Why is it the best Notion alternative for privacy-focused note-taking?

Anytype is currently the safest note-taking app on the market, and it has an extensive free plan that is sufficient for individuals. With this note-taking app, you can store all your data in a safe place, and it provides almost infinite options for data organization.

Considering all these aspects, Anytype is the best free Notion alternative for individuals who need a safe note-taking app.

Read my full Anytype Review: The Best Note-Taking App In 2026?

Try Anytype

Summary: Best Notion alternatives in 2026

Notion is a fantastic productivity tool overall, and it is hard to beat. But, if you need something else, I think these are the best Notion alternatives in 2026. These Notion alternatives offer a feature-rich set and affordable pricing.

And most importantly, I also had a positive experience with them when testing these tools.

I hope I was able to find the best alternatives to Notion. As always, I will keep updating this list to ensure it reflects reality.

Looking for similar tools?

Visit the link to explore other apps we’ve reviewed in this space and how they compare.

See overview

Why you can trust our reviews

Our mission? No fluff, no shortcuts—just honest, hands-on insights from productivity pros.

Discover how we stay transparent, read our review methodology, and let us know about any tools we missed.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best Notion alternatives?

If you are not sure if one of the Notion alternatives in the list can help your daily work, check out these options:

Capacities: One of my favorite Notion alternatives that just barely missed this list. It provides journal pages for quick capturing of daily tasks.
Airtable: Airtable is often compared to a powerful spreadsheet, excellent for users needing robust database and visualization features.
Trello: Trello is best for teams who prefer a simple, straightforward Kanban board for visual task management, and don’t need advanced project management tools.
Monday.com: Monday.com focuses on visual project tracking, work management, and automation, making progress easy to see.
Asana: Personally, it’s not my favorite, but Asana is a popular choice for managing large-scale projects with features for multiple project views.
Confluence: Confluence is designed to be a collaborative workspace for teams, ideal for wikis and technical documentation within the Atlassian ecosystem.
Evernote: Evernote offers powerful search functionality, easy organization via notebooks and tags, and reliable cross-platform syncing. Although it is extremely expensive, it is an okay Notion alternative for note-taking.
Slite: Slite is strong for teams needing to build an internal wiki, focusing on knowledge management and collaboration.

Is there anything better than Notion?

Notion has undoubtedly become one of the most popular productivity tools. However, there are some capable Notion alternatives that have similar features with even more advanced features. For me, the best overall Notion alternative is Coda.

7 Best Note-Taking Apps For 2026 | +2 Years Personal Testing

What is better, Notion or Xtiles?

Both Notion and Xtiles are great productivity tools. Xtiles is ideal for people who need a simple note-taking tool that offers a visual representation. It is a powerful tool for creating visually engaging content, whether it is about project management or complex workflows. Although it does not have as many collaboration features as Notion, Xtiles is a cost-effective solution for teams.

If you are looking for a more versatile app that you can use for note-taking, project, task, and database management, Notion is a better alternative. It has a minimalist design with robust collaboration features.

Is Obsidian better than Notion?

Overall, Obsidian is a more powerful app than Notion for personal note-taking. While it is a complex app with a long learning curve, it offers many possibilities to organize your notes and brainstorm ideas. And most importantly, you can do it safely.

Nonetheless, if you are looking for an app for note-taking, project, task management, or team collaboration, Notion is a way better tool than Obsidian. Obsidian is simply not ideal for team collaboration or managing projects within a team.

Does Notion or Coda have better project management tools?

If we consider the project management features, Coda is a more powerful productivity tool. It offers more views, customization, and automation features than Notion.

Aron Kantor

thebusinessdive.com

The post Best 7 Notion Alternatives In 2026 | 100+ Personally Tested Tools appeared first on .

An Honest Akiflow Review 2026: Is It Worth $34 For YOU?

Jovana Simić — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:19:50 +0000

In this Akiflow review, I look at a productivity app that tries to solve a familiar problem: your tasks live in one place, your meetings in another, and your ideas are scattered across multiple apps.

Instead of spreading your work across multiple tools, Akiflow aims to bring everything into one simple daily view that feels closer to a focused daily planner app than a basic task list.

On Trustpilot, many users praise how well it delivers on that. On Reddit, people are more cautious, often pointing to the high price or not fully clicking with its time-blocking mindset that many productivity apps are built around.

So, what is the TRUTH? Is it worth $34 monthly for you?

Stay here, because in this Akiflow review, I will share where it actually lands between the excitement and the skepticism, and whether it can really help with managing tasks across different tools.

Let’s dive in!

Verdict

Here’s the quick verdict if you don’t want to read the full review:

Best for: Professionals who rely on time blocking and want to manage tasks and calendar in one focused daily planner
Not ideal for: Users looking for a free, lightweight to-do list or full project management tool
Biggest strength: Seamless task capture and calendar-based planning in one unified workflow
Biggest weakness: Relatively high price and lacks a free plan

Verdict: A highly focused productivity app that excels at daily planning and reducing context switching, but its premium pricing won’t suit everyone.
Score: 4 / 5

Tested with our review & scoring methodology Real-world testing Unbiased evaluation

Akiflow Review

Jovana Simić

Task management

Calendar & time blocking

Planning experience and workflow

Smart features

Integrations

User interface

Cross-platform performance

Free plan

Paid plans

My experience

Summary

Akiflow is a calendar-centered productivity app that brings all your tasks, events, and inbox items into one place for structured daily planning and time blocking. It feels polished, fast, and thoughtfully designed, especially if you like planning directly on a calendar, but its higher pricing and lack of a free plan mean it will appeal most to people who already take their productivity system seriously.

pros

	Intuitive design and user-friendly interface
	Smooth capture and scheduling
	Simple, clear task views
	Handy integrations
	Built-in share availability for quick scheduling
	Lightweight AI workflows and statistics

cons

	No free plan
	Higher price than most to-do apps

Try Akiflow

How We Test Daily Planners

To keep our reviews & final score for each daily planner app fair and consistent, we evaluate every tool using the same testing framework based on real-world usage, feature depth, and overall value.

We score every daily planner app using this weighted framework based on hands-on testing and real use cases.

Our scoring breakdown after testing 10+ daily planner apps:

Features & functionality — 50%
User interface — 10%
Cross-platform performance—10%
Pricing — 20%
Real-world experience — 10%

Want a detailed breakdown of how we test each category?

Learn exactly how we test tools → Review methodology

Short on time? Here’s a quick overview of Akiflow

What is Akiflow?

Akiflow is a productivity app built around one idea: keeping all your tasks, events, and plans in a single place. It combines a universal inbox, a fast calendar, natural language task creation, and simple time blocking so you can plan your day without switching between task management apps or calendar tools.

Instead of acting as a traditional to-do list, Akiflow works more like a daily command center. You capture tasks from anywhere, drag them into your schedule, and use lightweight features like AI workflows, statistics, and share availability to keep your day structured without feeling overwhelmed.

It sits somewhere between classic task management and calendar management, without trying to be a full project management tool. Akiflow’s ultimate goal is to reduce context switching and make daily planning feel less chaotic.

My experience with Akiflow

I tested Akiflow on the Windows desktop app, and it felt smooth from the start. What stood out the most was how easy it was to keep my day realistic.

Dragging tasks into the calendar, adjusting time blocks, and checking the Today view helped me see very quickly when I was trying to fit too much into one day and when all my tasks simply did not fit in the available time slots.

Overall, Akiflow felt reliable and thoughtfully designed, especially for planning my day in a realistic way. It did not radically change how I work, but it made the parts I already do like scheduling, reviewing, and committing to tasks noticeably smoother.

Why Akiflow got a 4/5 score

From feature-wise- Akiflow delivered, and only got a “worst score” (4) for its task management features because it lacks some more advanced tools. Apart from that, it delivered excellent features.

However, I cannot say the same about the pricing. It does not offer a free plan; only a trial. Plus, it’s a relatively pricey daily planner compared to other alternatives like Todoist.

Who Would be a Good Fit for Akiflow?

Professionals who work across multiple tools and want everything in one place
Users who rely on time blocking and calendar-based planning
People who want to reduce context switching and plan their day realistically
Productivity-focused users who like structured daily workflows and fast task capture

Who Would be a Bad Fit for Akiflow?

If you need advanced project management features
Users looking for a free or a cheap daily planner
If you don’t use time blocking as the main planning method

Key features

Here, I will share the key features and how they performed during my Akiflow review.

Capture and task creation

Akiflow’s inbox is built to catch everything you need to act on, no matter where it comes from. Emails, calendar invites, saved links, Slack messages, and browser tabs all land in one place, which makes it easier to start your day without jumping between various apps.

The inbox is practical because every item can be processed in seconds. You can turn it into a task, schedule it, snooze it, or send it to a project. Task creation is quick whether you use the Command Bar at the top, click directly on the calendar, or convert something from the inbox.

It all feels smooth and consistent and works well as a quick capture tool for consolidating tasks from other tools. Yet, if you require more advanced features, complex subtasks, or custom fields, Akiflow might underperform expectations.

That said, Akiflow is not a project management app, so I can rate it 4 out of 5 based on our daily planner scoring system.

Planning and time blocking

If you prefer visual planning, dragging a task into the calendar instantly turns it into a time block. The block takes your project color, shows the duration, and becomes part of your schedule, which is great if you want more control over how you plan calendar tasks.

You can also plan from list views like Today, Upcoming, or Inbox. Assign a time slot, set a deadline, or leave the task flexible. Tasks behave like events when placed in the calendar, but they stay easy to move and adjust, which keeps the day from feeling rigid.

The Today view brings everything into one screen. It brings tasks, calendar events, and time blocks in a way that makes it easier to see what realistically fits in your day and how your daily tasks line up with your daily routine.

Considering these features and my experience with Akiflow when planning my days, it earned 4.5/5 based on our scoring system.

Try Akiflow

Calendar management

Akiflow’s calendar supports multiple accounts, including Google Calendar & Outlook, and keeps your meetings, personal plans, and deadlines in one place.

Events and tasks appear side by side, but only tasks stay flexible until you schedule them. Tasks with deadlines show up as small flags at the top of the calendar, which makes due dates visible without filling your day with fake events.

The calendar sits next to every major view rather than living in its own tab, which makes it feel more integrated into the workflow.

It is also customizable. You can show the whole month, a few days, or the full week, and resize the panel however you like. Color coding helps the layout stay readable at a glance and gives you a clear calendar experience.

Navigation is simple. You can jump through days and weeks quickly or return to Today with a single click. Dragging tasks into the calendar turns them into time blocks instantly, and everything syncs across your accounts without delay.

For basic meeting scheduling and everyday calendar management, Akiflow covers the essential features most people actually use, so I can give it 4.5/5.

Natural language input

Akiflow lets you create tasks the way you would say them out loud. You can type “Call the vet tomorrow at 9” or “Pay rent on the first of every month,” and the app turns that into a scheduled task. It feels more like capturing a thought than filling out a form.

The same logic works inside the Command Bar, which is always visible. You can type or use voice input, speak a sentence, and Akiflow will parse it on the spot.

It understands simple phrases like “tomorrow,” “next week,” or “every weekday,” which is enough for everyday task entry and makes new tasks quick to add.

Task Management

Akiflow keeps task management straightforward. Tasks sit in four main views: Inbox, Today, Upcoming, and All Tasks. This makes it easy to see what needs attention now, what is coming up next, and what still needs to be processed in your task list.

Each task can be scheduled, snoozed, assigned a project or label, or turned into a time block. You can also convert a task into an event or keep it flexible until you decide where it fits. No matter where the task comes from, the actions are predictable and fast, which helps when you are managing tasks across many tools.

Projects and labels help you group related work without becoming full project management boards. Akiflow is not designed to manage projects at the same depth as a dedicated project management tool, and it does not try to replace larger projects that live in ClickUp or Notion.

Priorities stay simple. Instead of multiple priority levels, Akiflow uses pinning to highlight the few things you truly want to focus on.

AI Workflows

Akiflow includes several AI workflow templates that automate small parts of your day, like schedule previews, weather updates, or reminders about overdue tasks. You choose the time and recurrence, and Aki sends the message when it is most useful.

If you want something more personal, you can create a workflow from scratch. Write your own prompt, set when it should run, and Aki turns it into a recurring message. It works well for simple routines and habit check-ins.

The workflows stay lightweight and do not try to plan your day for you, but they add basic AI capabilities on top of your existing time management system.

Try Akiflow

Focus and Timer

Akiflow includes a simple focus timer that helps you stay committed to one task at a time. You can start a session directly from a task or from a time block in the calendar. The timer shows your progress, stays out of the way, and mutes distractions while you work.

It is not a full Pomodoro system, but it pairs naturally with time blocking. Drag a task onto the calendar, lock it, start the timer, and you have a small routine that keeps you grounded in the work you want to finish and helps you stay focused during focused work sessions.

Share availability

Akiflow also covers basic scheduling through its Share availability feature. You choose a few time slots, set the meeting duration, and Akiflow generates a simple booking link. The other person picks one of the times you offered, and the event is added to your calendar automatically.

The setup panel is easy to use. You can customize the event title, choose the meeting location, such as Google Meet, set reminders, add buffer time, and decide how far into the future people can book. Locked calendars help keep private events protected while still showing your real availability.

Other Features

Akiflow includes a long list of keyboard shortcuts that make the app quick to navigate. You can move between views, create tasks, open the Command Bar, or start a focus session without lifting your hands from the keyboard, which is especially nice for power users.

The universal search is fast and flexible. You can jump to tasks, projects, labels, or calendar views with a few letters. Search also doubles as a command launcher, which helps when you do not remember the exact shortcut.

Notifications and reminders stay simple. Tasks can be snoozed, overdue items surface naturally, and deadlines appear as small calendar flags. You can enable desktop notifications or keep everything inside the app if you prefer a quieter workflow, without adding cognitive overload on top of your existing productivity system.

Akiflow’s user interface

The first thing that stood out to me with Akiflow was how polished it feels. This is easily one of the better-designed apps in this category, in my opinion. It looks like a serious tool, but not a heavy one.

The onboarding and everyday guidance are very well done. I always felt like the app was quietly showing me what to do next. Everything is highly customizable in a practical way, and most things worked exactly how I expected the first time I clicked on them.

Try Akiflow

Akiflow’s integrations

Akiflow offers seamless integration with most tools you probably already use. You can connect Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Gmail and Outlook email, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Todoist, Notion, Asana, ClickUp, Trello, Linear, Jira, Zoom, and more.

Multiple accounts are supported, so it is easy to keep both personal and work setups in the same place and integrate tasks from different systems.

With Gmail, you can simply star an email and have it show up in Akiflow as a task, which is much nicer than forwarding or copying things around. You can even send a quick WhatsApp message to Aki, the built-in assistant, and turn that into a task.

For everything else, Akiflow leans on Zapier and IFTTT. That is where the more unusual options show up, such as Spotify and YouTube. These are not native integrations, but simple automations you set up once.

They exist for one purpose: capturing tasks from anything you are doing online. If you hear something useful in a podcast or want to save a video for later, you can turn it into a task with one click. Everything flows into your central inbox, so you never lose track of content you want to revisit.

Explore our Apps directory

A curated directory of software tools we’ve independently reviewed, with links to full reviews, comparisons, and category guides.

Explore Apps directory

Akiflow’s pricing

In the course of my Akiflow review, I found that it has one feature set with three billing options.

The monthly subscription costs $34 per month, the yearly subscription drops the price to $17 per month billed yearly, and the Believer 730 plan goes down to $14.90 per month billed every two years.

All three include unlimited tasks, integrations, meetings, full access to Aki, and a 1:1 onboarding call, while the Believer plan adds perks like priority customer success, early access to new features, and AI productivity coaching.

Akiflow offers a 7-day free trial for new users, and the subscription can be canceled at any time. When I clicked to cancel during my trial, Akiflow offered to extend it by another 14 days for free, and I have seen other users report the same experience, so this seems to be a common safety net rather than a one-off gesture.

Students, researchers, and teams can also request special pricing, which is helpful if you are testing Akiflow in a professional or academic setting. Still, the price is higher than most to-do lists and simple task management apps, and there is no free plan.

Akiflow positions itself closer to time-blocking and workflow tools like Motion or Sunsama. It is aimed at people who want to run their whole day from one place, not just manage a basic task list.

Try Akiflow

Pros and cons I found during my Akiflow review

With all that being said, let’s take a look at the pros and cons I found throughout my Akiflow review.

Pros of Akiflow

Intuitive design and user-friendly interface
Smooth capture and scheduling
Simple, clear task views
Handy integrations
Built-in share availability for quick scheduling
Lightweight AI workflows and statistics

Cons of Akiflow

No free plan
Higher price than most to-do apps

Akiflow alternatives

If you are still unsure whether Akiflow is the right fit for you, check out these other tools with similar features:

App	Best for	Description
Morgen	Best for calendar-based planning	A daily planner that prioritizes your most important to-dos, events, and projects in one app. Full Morgen review \| Quick Morgen overview
Todoist	Best for task management	A popular alternative to Sunsama that offers a free plan and is great for task management and collaboration. Full Todoist review \| Quick Todoist overview
Notion Calendar	Best for flexible planning	A flexible calendar built into Notion’s workspace, great for users who already manage projects, notes, and tasks there and want task integration within one platform. Full Notion review \| Quick Notion overview
Motion	Best AI daily planner	An AI-powered planner that automatically fills your professional and personal schedule using real-time scheduling links and auto-adjusted events. Full Motion review \| Quick Motion overview
Reclaim AI	Best for smart calendar automation	Reclaim is half the price of Sunsama and offers similar task management and time blocking capabilities, but is only available for Google Calendar. Full Reclaim AI review \| Quick Reclaim AI overview
ClickUp	Best for complex workflows	It is another alternative that provides extensive features for project management, but has a steeper learning curve. Full ClickUp review \| Quick ClickUp overview
Routine	Best minimalist planner	Routine is a minimalist productivity app that combines calendars, tasks, notes, and simple journaling in one place. Full Routine review \| Quick Routine overview
Sunsama	Best for mindful planning	A mindful productivity tool designed to help you create balanced days and focus on priorities, with built-in task scheduling and reflective daily planning. Full Sunsama review \| Quick Sunsama overview

Compare Akiflow vs alternatives

Akiflow VS Sunsama

Akiflow vs Sunsama

Akiflow VS Motion

Akiflow vs Motion

Wrap up: Akiflow review

After testing it, Akiflow felt like a tool that knows exactly what it wants to be. It focuses on making your day easier to plan by putting everything you need in one place and helping you see what realistically fits. So, I can see why Akiflow is often recommended for busy professionals and freelancers who use multiple tools.

Whether it is worth the price depends on how much you rely on time blocking and how often you plan your day around a calendar. If that is already part of your workflow, Akiflow makes those habits smoother and more structured.

During my Akiflow review, I discovered that Akiflow is not recommended for users who are budget-conscious due to its higher pricing compared to other task management tools. If you prefer simple to-do lists or want deep project features, it will probably feel like more than you need.

For me, it landed somewhere in the middle of the Trustpilot enthusiasm and Reddit skepticism. This well-designed, well-thought-out tool helps with daily planning, but it also asks for a level of commitment that will not be for everyone.

As always, I will update this Akiflow review over time so you guys have the latest information on this productivity app.

Try Akiflow

Looking for similar tools?

Visit the link to explore other apps we’ve reviewed in this space and how they compare.

See overview

Why you can trust our reviews

At thebusinessdive.com, our team tests, reviews, and compares hundreds of productivity tools every year — from project management tools to note-taking apps. We dive deep into real-world use cases to help you find the right tools that actually improve your workflow, not just add noise.

Our mission? No fluff, no shortcuts—just honest, hands-on insights from productivity pros.

Discover how we stay transparent, read our review methodology, and let us know about any tools we missed.

Frequently asked questions

Is Akiflow free?

No. Akiflow does not offer a free plan, only a 7-day free trial. After that, you need a subscription, and the Akiflow pricing is closer to premium time blocking apps than simple to-do lists. There is no free tier or believer plan, but it runs on multiple platforms and includes all calendar functionalities.

Is Akiflow worth it?

It depends on your workflow. If you rely on time blocking and want task consolidation instead of switching between multiple tools and other apps, Akiflow excels at keeping all your tasks in one place. If you only need a lightweight task list or want to manage projects in depth, other competitors may fit better.

What does Akiflow do?

Akiflow combines time management, task management, and calendar features into one daily planner app. You can drag tasks into time slots, sync them with Google or Outlook Calendar using simple two-way sync, and use easy-to-use features like the Command Bar, daily shutdown feature, and basic progress visualization.

Jovana Simić

Hey! I’m Jovana, a content writer who loves writing, researching, and testing new productivity apps. With a background in philosophy, I bring a thoughtful but no-bullshit approach to everything I do. Let’s connect on Linkedin!

The post An Honest Akiflow Review 2026: Is It Worth $34 For YOU? appeared first on .

My Honest Notion Review After Using It For +2 Years (2026)

Aron Kantor — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:08:28 +0000

I have been a massive Notion user for more than two years, and in this Notion review, I’ll break down exactly how it performs in real-world use.

During this time, I have also tested 20+ project management and note-taking tools, which gave me a clear perspective on where Notion truly stands—both as a note-taking app and as a flexible project management solution.

In this review, I’ll combine my personal experience with direct comparisons to other tools, so you can clearly see Notion’s strengths, weaknesses, and whether it’s the right fit for your workflow.

Let’s dive in!

Verdict

Here’s the quick verdict if you don’t want to read the full review:

Best for: Building a centralized workspace for notes, tasks, and projects
Not ideal for: Users who need advanced project or task management features
Biggest strength: Flexibility and ability to replace multiple tools
Biggest weakness: Limited offline support and requires setup time

Verdict: Notion is one of the most versatile productivity tools available. While it is not a traditional project management app, its flexibility allows you to build powerful systems for notes, tasks, and workflows. However, it lacks the structure and depth of dedicated project management tools.
Score: 4.3 / 5

Tested with our review & scoring methodology Real-world testing Unbiased evaluation

Notion Review

Aron Kantor

Project & task management features

Collaboration & teamwork

Automation & workflows

Customization & flexibility

Reporting & analytics

Integrations

User interface

Performance & reliability

Pricing

My experience

Summary

Notion is not just a note-taking app, but a workspace that can be used as a flexible project management system. It provides a centralized space where you can plan projects, manage tasks, build workflows, and organize notes all in one place. Over the past years, Notion has become a must-have tool in my workflow, helping me manage both projects and notes without relying on multiple separate apps.

4.3

pros

	Easy-to-use note-taking app
	Fantastic all-in-one app
	Advanced collaboration features
	Extensive tutorials
	Feature-rich free plan

cons

	Limited offline access
	No password protection
	Steep learning curve for new users

Try Notion

How We Test Project Management Tools (and how flexible tools like Notion are evaluated)

We score every project management tool using this weighted framework based on hands-on testing and real use cases.

Our scoring breakdown after testing 20+ project management apps:

Features & functionality — 60%
User interface — 10%
Performance & Reliability —10%
Pricing — 10%
Real-world experience — 10%

Want a detailed breakdown of how we test each category?

Learn exactly how we test tools → Review methodology

Since tools like Notion, Coda, and Taskade are not traditional project management apps, we also evaluate how well they can be adapted into project management systems, including flexibility, structure, and scalability.

Short on time? Here’s a quick overview of Notion

What is Notion?

Notion is like a Swiss army knife; you can use it for many purposes. It provides a centralized workspace where you can organize your thoughts, notes, tasks, projects, and documents in one single app. Personally, I use Notion to write scripts, track projects, and organize learning.

You can create pages for almost every purpose, such as reading lists, meeting summaries, goals, etc. Every item on a page is customizable; you can easily drag and drop items and insert pictures or videos.

It is also a great app with numerous team collaboration tools. You can invite your team members to work on pages in real-time, create and assign tasks and projects to others, and much more.

My experience after 2+ years of daily use

After using Notion daily for over two years, it has become a must-have tool for me to keep my notes and projects organized, even while constantly testing other alternatives.

While there are tools with more advanced note-taking or project management features, Notion’s flexibility and all-in-one approach make it an ideal choice for anyone who wants to avoid using separate tools for notes, projects, email, and more.

That said, it does come with a learning curve, especially compared to simpler tools. But if you invest the time, Notion can easily replace 4–5 tools and become the backbone of your entire workflow.

Why Notion didn’t score higher (and where it loses points)

Notion earned a strong overall score thanks to its excellent customization (5/5), integrations (5/5), user interface (4.5/5), and pricing (5/5). In my experience, you get this flexibility even with the free plan, which makes it powerful if you need a no-budget setup to manage notes and projects.

However, the lower scores in project & task management (4/5), automation (2.5/5), and reporting (3/5) reflect its biggest limitations. Don’t expect it to become a robust project management software; it lacks advanced automation and reporting tools, and you’ll need to invest time in setting up workflows before it becomes truly efficient.

These trade-offs, combined with limited offline and password support, are the main reasons it doesn’t score higher. While Notion is extremely versatile, it’s not the best choice if you need advanced project management or note-taking features.

Who Notion is a good fit for

You want an all-in-one workspace for notes, tasks, projects, and knowledge management
You prefer flexibility and customization over rigid structure
You want to replace multiple tools with a single platform
You’re a freelancer, solo user, or small team
You want a generous free plan with powerful features
You don’t mind investing time to set up your system

Who Notion is not ideal for

You need advanced project management features (automation, reporting, dependencies)
You want a tool that works out of the box without setup
You manage a large team with complex permissions and scalability needs
You need strong offline access or built-in security features (like password protection)
You prefer specialized tools over flexible, all-in-one platforms

Let’s take a closer look at the features to see why I reach this conclusion.

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Notion’s key features

Here, I collected all the essential features I found during my Notion review.

Note-taking app

Notion is one of the most popular note-taking tools, and it is not an accident. Just to give you a background on how this app works: You can have multiple workspaces in which you structure your notes and basically everything. For example, you can have a workspace for personal or work-related items. The workspaces include your pages.

The Notion pages are the fundamentals of your workspaces. You can use them for notes, projects, tasks, and so on. There are no strict rules on how you structure your pages or what information you want to include in them.

For instance, in my Notion’s workspace, there are pages dedicated to self-development, money plans, YT scripts, admin info, and notes. Now, let’s go back to note-taking!

Notion is a sophisticated text editor that allows you to easily add and organize different types of content called blocks. When writing your notes, you can add headings, sub-pages, bullet points, and tables without touching your mouse.

In your notes, you can insert images, bookmarks, videos, code, kanban board, and more by simply hitting the “/” button on your keyboard. I especially love the embedded functions. Notion offers multiple embedded forms like YouTube videos, Google Docs, Google Maps, Miro, and more.

Notion is incredibly useful for note organization and knowledge management. You can tag notes with custom keywords, add teammates, set a due date, etc. You can access all your notes with your sidebar on the left.

Overall, Notion is a solid note-taking app, but it lacks some advanced features to connect your notes compared to some dedicated note-taking apps I tried, like Obsidian or Anytype.

Project management tool

Notion also works as a lightweight task and project management software, where you can plan and execute your projects with your team. Let’s start with the project management features.

With Notion, you can visualize your projects’ workflows in different formats, from calendars to boards. Depending on the format you choose, Notion allows you to use progress bars to show how your project is moving forward.

You can also create charts or visualize dependencies to see when one task is blocking another and avoid bottlenecks. Such data visualization options help a lot in project tracking.

When checking your projects, you can utilize filters to show only the tasks assigned to you or the urgent ones.

Notion’s task management features have everything that you need. You can break your projects into manageable tasks and add status, assignee, or due dates.

Nevertheless, if you need in-depth reporting features or automation, you’ll need to set them up yourself. For automation, you can connect Notion with third-party apps, and the reporting needs to be updated manually. Therefore, I can only give 2.5 stars for automation and 3 stars for reporting.

As for the pure project management features, I think 4 out of 5 stars is justified for Notion’s project and task management features. While it lacks a few advanced features and takes longer to set up projects manually than dedicated project management apps, it still provides the features most teams need.

Templates

Whether you want to use Notion for project or task management, you do not have to spend hours creating the proper form for you or your team. This is where you can use the templates.

Notion currently has more than 20,000 free templates from which you can browse. This is an insane number. Just to give you an example: if you want to create a to-do list, you can choose from almost a thousand templates.

Utilizing the templates, you do not have to go through the time-consuming process of creating pages to track your projects or tasks. With a few clicks, you can insert a template you like, and you just need to add the databases.

Collaboration features

You can share workspaces and pages with others. Here, you can customize access levels so others can comment, edit, view, or all of them.

Furthermore, you can create pages and publish them on the web. Once it’s done, anyone with the link can view the page’s content and see contributor names and emails.

Moreover, when managing projects, you can assign tasks to your team members, add comments, and enable simultaneous editing, mentions, and granular permissions.

Ultimately, I give 4.5/ 5 for collaboration for Notion. It’s because it offers significantly more team features than note-taking apps but a bit fewer than project management tools.

Notion AI writing assistant

Notion’s AI writing assistant is one of Notion’s AI features. It can greatly improve your writing by detecting errors and correcting misspelled words and incorrect grammar. But it can do much more.

In the bottom left corner of Notion, you can access the AI assistant feature that answers your questions, gives you summaries, translates your page, finds action items, and helps you improve your writing. Basically, it works like a built-in ChatGPT.

But it can do more than just work with text. The AI writing assistant’s feature can help you gather information from various file types, including PDFs and images.

Overall, these tools help you to become more efficient when taking notes. However, it’s worth noting that Notion AI is not included in the standard plans and requires a separate paid add-on.

For individuals or teams who heavily rely on AI for daily workflows, this can be justified, but for casual use, the additional cost may feel unnecessary.

Wikis & knowledge management

Team members often struggle to find the information they need. Using Notion, you can create your own knowledge library. These hubs can help your team members find and understand the information they need to do their jobs.

Imagine how powerful it could be when onboarding new employees or just wanting to have organized databases where your team members can access the information they need to do their jobs.

Calendar

You can connect your Google Calendar with your existing Notion workspace, so you will be able to see your meetings and appointments in your Notion calendar. Notion’s calendar is synced with your entire workspace, so you can make references to specific pages in the meeting invite.

Notion Calendar is available for iPhone and Android devices and integrates with Google Calendar and Apple iCloud, while Outlook support is still pending.

Ultimately, Notion’s integrated calendar helps you to centralize your calendar management, notes, and project management tasks in a centralized app.

AI meeting notes

Notion recently released its AI note-taker for Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet calls. Basically, it joins your calls without a bot and transcribes & summarizes them.

It is a useful AI feature for your calls, as it can turn your conversations into insights and action items in your Notion workspace.

Notion’s integrations

During my Notion review, I realized this is one of the note-taking apps with the most integrations. You can connect Notion with many other tools. First of all, you can connect it with Zapier, which will give you access to more than 8000 apps.

Besides the Zapier integration, you can integrate Notion with more than 100 other apps including Asana, ClickUp, Dropbox, Google Drive, or Jira.

Notion’s user interface

Notion’s user interface is simple. It has a minimalist design with white space, clear typography, and subtle colors as the focus. Even if you are a first-time Notion user, you will be able to quickly navigate the pages, as you will find all the important information on the sidebar.

As you can see, Notion has many features. This is the only thing that might feel overwhelming at first. Even though I have used Notion for more than 2 years, I have not fully explored its features or potential.

When working in Notion, you will quickly realize that it uses a block system that works like Lego. It transforms all the content into movable, customizable pieces, which gives you the flexibility to move these blocks around.

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Notion’s pricing plans

Notion has a free plan and three paid plans.

The free plan includes a collaborative workspace, basic forms and sites, Notion Calendar and Mail. It also supports databases with subtasks, dependencies, and custom properties. Based on my experience, Notion’s free version is totally sufficient for individuals to organize their notes and projects.

The plus plan is $10 per seat per month. It has unlimited collaborative blocks, unlimited file uploads, charts, custom forms and sites, and basic integrations. The plus plan is ideal for small teams and individuals who work a lot with others.

The business plan costs $20 per seat per month. It offers features such as granular database permissions, private teamspaces, domain verification, conditional form logic, and premium integrations. Business users also get access to Notion AI features, including AI meeting notes. I recommend the business plan for bigger teams that want to utilize more advanced features.

Finally, Notion has an enterprise plan as well with custom pricing. By choosing the enterprise plan, you will receive a dedicated success manager, advanced integrations, and advanced security and control features, among other things.

Keep in mind that, while Notion AI is included in the price of Notion’s Business and Enterprise plans, there is only a trial usage on Free and Plus plans.

For users who rely heavily on documentation and structured workflows, the pricing still makes sense, especially if Notion replaces several other tools.

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Notion’s pros and cons

Let’s see the pros and cons I found during my Notion review!

Pros of Notion

Easy to use
Great all-in-one solution
Advanced collaboration features
Extensive tutorials on its webpage
Feature-rich free plan

Cons of Notion

Offline access is limited (downloaded pages only)
Steep learning curve for new users
No password protection; more advanced security would be great

Notion alternatives

In this video, I show my top 5 Notion picks.

Here are some of the best Notion alternatives:

App	Best for	Description
Hive	Best for small teams	A project management app for small teams with advanced collaboration and AI features. Full Hive review \| Quick Hive overview
SmartSuite	Best for no-code workflow building	A collaborative work management solution for teams to track and manage workflow. Full SmartSuite review \| Quick SmartSuite overview
Monday.com	Best for visual workflows	An intuitive project management app with advanced features for teams. Full Monday.com review \| Quick Monday.com overview
Taskade	Best lightweight AI tool	An AI-powered workflow and lightweight project management app. Full Taskade review \| Quick Taskade overview
Motion	Best for AI scheduling	It is an AI calendar app, but it also works as a project management software. Full Motion review \| Quick Motion overview
Coda	Best for custom workflows	An all-in-one app that is similar to Notion, however, with more massive project management tools. Full Coda review \| Quick Coda overview
Asana	Best for ease of use	A popular and easy-to-use project management tool. Full Asana review \| Quick Asana overview
ClickUp	Best all-in-one	An easy-to-use AI-powered project management software. Full ClickUp review \| Quick ClickUp overview
Teamwork.com	Best for client work	An excellent project management software for client-facing teams. Full Teamwork review \| Quick Teamwork overview
Zoho Projects	Best for structured planning	A structured project management tool designed to help teams plan, track, and deliver projects with clear processes and long-term visibility. Full Zoho Projects review \| Quick Zoho Projects overview
ProofHub	Best for approvals & feedback	A project and team management app with outstanding collaboration, proofing, and customization options. Full ProofHub review \| Quick ProofHub overview
Jira	Best for agile teams	An advanced project management and issue tracking tool, built mainly for agile software and IT teams. Full Jira review \| Quick Jira overview
Vaiz	Best lightweight all-in-one	A lightweight project management platform that combines tasks, docs, collaboration, automation, and AI in one workspace. Full Vaiz review \| Quick Vaiz overview

Compare Notion vs alternatives

See how Notion stacks up against other alternatives

Notion VS ClickUp

Notion VS Monday

Notion VS Asana

Notion VS Coda

Notion VS Taskade

Notion vs Taskade

Todoist VS Notion

Todoist vs Notion

Notion VS Motion

Notion vs Motion

Xtiles VS Notion

Xtiles vs Notion

Notion VS NotebookLM

Notion vs NotebookLM

Evernote VS Notion

Evernote vs Notion

Anytype VS Notion

Anytype vs Notion

Final thoughts: Notion review

Even before my Notion review, I knew that it was a fantastic note-taking app. But honestly, it is much more than “just” a note-taking app.

One of the standout features of Notion is its versatility in organizing information. Notion users can create databases, projects, Kanban boards, and more, all within the same platform. It can effectively replace many other apps, which makes it a must-have app for my tool stack.

With its wide range of collaboration features and affordable pricing, I highly recommend Notion for teams as well.

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Looking for similar tools?

Visit the link to explore other apps we’ve reviewed in this space and how they compare.

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Discover how we stay transparent, read our review methodology, and let us know about any tools we missed.

Frequently asked questions

Is Notion worth it in 2026?

In 2026, Notion is still a great tool that you can implement in multiple workflows. For example, note-taking, project and task management, generating summaries or to-do lists, or fixing spelling.

It has affordable pricing, especially if you consider how many apps it can replace for this money, whether you’re using it as part of a personal plan or within a team setup.

What is the disadvantage of Notion?

The biggest disadvantage for me is that this note-taking app has no offline mode. It would be awesome if I could reach my notes without an internet connection.

Also, you can not protect your pages with passwords. As my notes include sensitive data, I would feel safer if I could protect them with a password.

What is better than Notion?

Notion is an outstanding app for note-taking. However, if you want to try out other apps, I recommend trying Xtiles, Anytype, Evernote, Taskade, or Coda. They are all great note-taking apps and can improve your productivity.

Is Notion really free?

Notion has a generous free plan. It covers a collaborative workspace, basic forms and sites, Notion Calendar and Mail.

It also supports databases with subtasks, dependencies, and custom properties. Based on my experience, Notion’s free version is totally sufficient for individuals to organize their notes and projects.

Aron Kantor

thebusinessdive.com

The post My Honest Notion Review After Using It For +2 Years (2026) appeared first on .