Juggling multiple project tasks without a proper scheduling tool is like trying to keep a dozen balls in the air at once. Sooner or later, something is going to drop.

This can lead to missed deadlines, budget blowouts, and a stressed-out team.

Thankfully, project scheduling tools can help you keep all your project balls in the air, ensuring nothing gets dropped.

A project scheduling tool project managers and teams to visualize the project timeline, allocate resources efficiently, and monitor progress in real-time. These tools often include features such as task assignment, Gantt charts, time tracking, and collaboration tools.

By providing a centralized platform for all project-related activities, a project scheduling tool becomes a teams best friend and keeps projects on a smoother path to success.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the top project scheduling tools, examining their key features, benefits, and pricing to help you choose the right tool for your needs.

How Does Project Scheduling Make A Difference?

So, you’ve got a project on your hands.

It could be anything from launching a new product, developing a software application, or even planning a corporate event. Now, it’s not just about what needs to be done, but also when and by whom.

That’s where project scheduling comes in.

Project scheduling, if we talk about it at its basic level, is all about organization.

It’s the process of turning the project’s goals and objectives into a detailed, time-bound action plan. It’s like a roadmap for your project, outlining the sequence of tasks, the dependencies between them, and the resources needed for each task.

But it’s not just a one-and-done thing.

Project scheduling is a dynamic process.

As the project progresses, you might need to adjust your schedule to accommodate changes and unforeseen challenges. That’s why flexibility is key in project scheduling.

Now, doing all this manually can be a Herculean task, especially for complex projects. And that’s why businesses and project managers have turned to project scheduling tools to reduce the time scheduling takes to compile.

These tools automate the scheduling process, making it easier to create, update, and monitor your project schedule.

With a project scheduling tool, you can visualize your project timeline, assign tasks to team members, track progress, and even get alerts when deadlines are approaching. Some tools also offer features like time tracking, collaboration tools, and integration with other software, making it easier to manage all aspects of your project in one place.

However, a tool is only as good as the person using it.

So, it’s important to understand your project’s needs and choose a tool that fits those needs. With many different tools on the market, some may suit your needs better than others. And some good news–many tools offer free plans which will meet the needs of small business or entrepreneurs without the need to spend a single dollar.

What Features Should A Project Scheduling Tool Include?

Project scheduling tools come in all shapes and sizes, each with its own set of features. However, there are certain features that are universally important for effective project scheduling.

Let’s take a look at these must-have features and why they make such a difference to the workplace.

Task Management

Task management is the backbone of any project scheduling tool. It allows you to create, assign, and track tasks, ensuring that everyone knows what they need to do and when.

With task management, you can break down complex projects into manageable tasks, making it easier to monitor progress and identify bottlenecks. The manual alternative – using spreadsheets or even physical boards – can be time-consuming and prone to errors.

Timeline or Gantt Chart View

A visual representation of your project timeline, often in the form of a Gantt chart, is essential. It provides a clear overview of the project’s schedule, including task durations, dependencies, and milestones. This makes it easier to plan and adjust your schedule as needed.

Resource Allocation

Knowing who’s doing what is important, but so is knowing who’s available. Resource allocation features help you assign tasks based on team members’ availability and workload.

This can help prevent overloading certain team members while others are underutilized. Manually tracking this can be complex and inefficient, especially for larger teams.

Real-Time Collaboration

Offices and teams are more spread out than ever, working between states and countries and even often in complete remote work environments. Real-time collaboration is no longer a nice to have, but a central must of a modern office.

Features that allow team members to communicate, share files, and update task statuses in real-time can greatly enhance productivity and ensure everyone is on the same page. The manual alternative, such as email chains or physical meetings, can be slower and less efficient.

Integration Capabilities

Your project scheduling tool shouldn’t exist in isolation. It should be able to integrate with other tools your team uses, such as email, CRM, or document management systems. This can streamline your workflow and reduce the need for switching between different platforms.

Manually transferring data between different systems can be time-consuming and prone to errors.

Reporting and Analytics

A good project scheduling tool should provide reporting and analytics features. This can help you track project performance, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.

Trying to manually compile and analyze this data can be a long drawn out process, which would waste precious man hours, especially for larger projects.

Your team will have individual needs that should be considered when picking the best project scheduling tool. So, consider these features in the context of your project and team requirements.

Below we’ll jump into our top recommendations for project scheduling software to help you narrow down your options.

Teamly

Streamlining project management with powerful scheduling and collaboration tools for teams of all sizes.

Why Choose Teamly?

When it comes to project scheduling, Teamly stands out from the crowd.

While it’s a complete project management solution, its scheduling capabilities make it a great solution for any time who needs more streamlining.

Teamly understands that scheduling is more than just setting deadlines.

It’s about creating a clear, visual roadmap of your project that everyone can follow. With Teamly, you can easily break down your project into tasks and subtasks, assign them to team members, and set start and end dates. This gives everyone a clear understanding of what needs to be done and when.

Teamly’s scheduling features go the extra mile by boosting your teams collaboration.

Team members can update their task status, share updates, and communicate in real-time, right within the schedule. This keeps everyone on the same page and ensures that your schedule is always up-to-date.

Teamly also offers resource allocation features that make scheduling more efficient.

You can see who’s available and who’s overloaded, and assign tasks accordingly. This helps ensure that work is evenly distributed and that no one is overworked.

And let’s not forget about tracking.

With Teamly, you can track the progress of your schedule, see if you’re on track to meet your deadlines, and get alerts if you’re falling behind. This allows you to take corrective action early and keep your project on track.

Teamly takes the complexity out of project scheduling.

It provides the tools you need to create, manage, and track your schedule, all in a user-friendly interface. With Teamly, project scheduling is not just easier, but also more efficient and effective.

Real-time Chat

Communication is key in any project, and Teamly makes it easy with its real-time chat feature. This allows team members to discuss tasks, share updates, and solve problems together, no matter where they are. The direct and group messaging options ensure that everyone stays in the loop.

Workflow and Task Management

Teamly’s workflow and task management feature allows you to organize your tasks effectively using Kanban-style workflows. This visual approach to task management makes it easy to see the status of tasks and understand what needs to be done next. You can also set priorities and due dates to ensure that important tasks don’t fall through the cracks.

Screen Capture Video & Audio Recording

With Teamly, you can capture important details and share them with your team using the screen capture video and audio recording features. This is particularly useful for explaining complex tasks or providing feedback. The ability to comment on videos and screenshots further enhances collaboration.

Employee Time Tracking & Monitoring

Keeping track of work hours and productivity is easy with Teamly’s time tracking and monitoring feature. You can set hourly rates, monitor employee work, and generate payroll reports, making it easier to manage your team and ensure that everyone is working efficiently.

Project and Department Management

Teamly allows you to organize your work in a way that suits your team’s structure. You can create projects and departments, making it easier to assign tasks and track progress. This feature is particularly useful for larger teams or teams working on multiple projects.

Automations

Automate repetitive tasks with Teamly’s automation feature. This allows you to focus on what matters most and ensures that your workflows run smoothly. With unlimited uses of automations in the Business plan, you can automate as many tasks as you need.

Pricing Information

Teamly offers a range of pricing options to suit teams of all sizes:

• Free Plan: This plan is free forever and includes 2.5 GB of storage, 1 project, 5 public departments, and 1 workflow. It also includes 200 uses per month of automations and a maximum of 5 minutes per video for screen capture.
• Starter Plan: Priced at $47 per month, this plan includes unlimited users, 5 GB of storage, unlimited active chat messages, 5 projects, 10 departments (public or private), and 5 workflows. It also includes 1,000 uses per month of automations and a maximum of 10 minutes per video for screen capture.
• Business Plan: Priced at $97 per month, this plan includes unlimited users, 10 GB of storage, unlimited active chat messages, unlimited projects, unlimited departments, and unlimited workflows. It also includes unlimited uses of automations and unlimited screen capture video time.

All plans come with a free 14-day trial, allowing you to test out the features and see if Teamly is the right fit for your team.

TeamGantt

A project scheduling tool that simplifies project management with Gantt charts and team collaboration features.

Why Choose TeamGantt

TeamGantt is a user-friendly project scheduling tool that offers a visually appealing and intuitive interface. It provides a clear overview of project timelines and tasks using Gantt charts.

TeamGantt allows team members to communicate on tasks, upload documents, and update their progress, all within the platform. This not only keeps everyone on the same page but also makes it easier to track project progress and manage resources.

Key Features of TeamGantt

• Gantt Charts: Drag-and-drop simplicity for creating and modifying tasks, with visually appealing Gantt charts for clear project timelines.
• Collaboration Features: Task-level communication, document sharing, and progress updates to foster a collaborative work environment.
• Resource Management: Availability and workload management features to balance team resources effectively.
• Customizable Views: Daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly views for tailored project overviews.
• Progress Tracking: Progress percentage on tasks to track completion and stay updated.
• Scheduling Features: Dependencies and milestones for comprehensive project scheduling.

Pricing Information

TeamGantt offers a unique pricing model where you only pay for managers, while collaborators can join for free. This makes it a cost-effective solution for teams of all sizes.

They offer a free plan for personal projects. Their paid plans include:

• Lite Plan: $19/month per manager. This includes 5 projects per manager, 150 tasks per project, and 5 collaborators per manager.
• Pro Plan: $49/month per manager. This includes 20 projects per manager and unlimited tasks and collaborators.
• Enterprise Plan: Starting at $99/month per manager. This plan offers unlimited projects, tasks, and collaborators.

For larger teams or more extensive needs, TeamGantt advises contacting them directly for more information.

Celoxis

Celoxis is a project management software offering advanced project scheduling tools and optimized workflows for data-driven insights.

Why Choose Celoxis

Celoxis is a comprehensive project management solution that caters to both small and large teams. It provides advanced scheduling capabilities, including interactive Gantt charts, resource load charts, and project health indicators. It also supports project collaboration and includes comprehensive reporting tools.

With Celoxis, you can automate capturing project requests, optimize resource utilization, and monitor schedules and margins with fully customizable portfolio dashboards.

Key Features of Celoxis

• Advanced project scheduling with interactive Gantt charts
• Resource management tools including resource load charts
• Comprehensive reporting and analytics tools
• Project collaboration features including discussions and file sharing
• Custom workflow and process automation capabilities
• Portfolio monitoring with fully customizable dashboards
• Intake management to automate capturing project requests
• What-if Analysis for strategic and tactical project planning

Pricing Information

Celoxis offers two types of plans:

Cloud Plan: This plan is billed per user per month. The pricing details are as follows:

• Billed Monthly: $25 per user
• Billed Yearly: $22.50 per user (10% discount)
• Billed 2-Yearly: $21.25 per user (15% discount)
• Billed 3-Yearly: $20 per user (20% discount)

This plan includes free support, free clients & virtual users, and 2GB file space per user. Additional file space can be purchased at $10 per 10 GB per month.

On-Premise Plan: This plan is billed once per user.

The pricing details are available upon request. This plan includes free support for 1 year, free clients & virtual users, and includes all upgrades. An annual maintenance contract (AMC) at 33% is available from the 2nd year, which is optional.

Trello

Visual, flexible project organization for teams of all sizes.

Why Choose Trello?

Trello is designed to be intuitive, with a clear visual layout that makes it easy to track the progress of tasks and projects. Trello’s strength lies in its simplicity and flexibility. It uses a board-and-card system that can be customized to fit any workflow, making it a great choice for teams of all sizes and types.

Key Features of Trello

• Boards: Trello boards keep tasks organized and work moving forward. In a glance, see everything from “things to do” to “task completed”
• Lists: The different stages of a task. Start as simple as To Do, Doing or Done—or build a workflow custom fit to your team’s needs. There’s no wrong way to Trello.
• Cards: Cards represent tasks and ideas and hold all the information to get the job done. As you make progress, move cards across lists to show their status.

Pricing Information

Trello offers four pricing plans:

• Free: Ideal for individuals or small teams starting out. Includes basic features like unlimited cards, up to 10 boards per workspace, and 2-factor authentication.
• Standard: $5/user/month (billed annually). Designed for small teams needing more advanced features like unlimited boards, advanced checklists, and custom fields.
• Premium: $10/user/month (billed annually). Suitable for larger teams needing to visualize multiple projects. Includes calendar, timeline, table, dashboard, and map views, and admin and security features.
• Enterprise: $17.50/user/month (billed annually). For organizations needing advanced security and controls. Includes organization-wide permissions, public board management, and free SSO with Atlassian Access.

Hub Planner

A project scheduling tool that offers resource management, timesheets, and advanced reporting.

Why Choose Hub Planner

Hub Planner is a tool that provides a solution for project scheduling and resource management. It’s designed to help teams of all sizes effectively plan and execute their projects.

With its intuitive interface, Hub Planner makes it easy to schedule resources, track time, and generate detailed reports.

Key Features of Hub Planner

• Resource Scheduler: Efficiently manage and schedule your resources.
• Reports & Dashboard: Get a clear overview of your projects with detailed reports and a customizable dashboard.
• Unlimited Projects: There’s no limit to the number of projects you can manage.
• Timesheets & Approval: Track time and streamline the approval process.
• Vacation & Leave Management: Easily manage leaves and vacations.
• Skills Matching with Custom Fields: Find the right resources for your projects based on their skills.
• Resource Requesting: Request resources as per project requirements.
• Financial budgets and spend: Keep track of your project budgets and expenditure.
• Single Sign On (SSO) and 2FA Security: Ensure secure access to your project data.

Pricing Information

Hub Planner offers three pricing plans:

• Plug & Play: $7 per resource/per month

  Includes Resource Scheduler, Reports & Dashboard, Unlimited Projects, Full access to all updates, M-F Support, and GDPR Ready.

• Premium: $18 per resource/per month

  Includes everything from Plug & Play, plus Timesheets & Approval, Vacation & Leave Management, Skills Matching with Custom Fields, Resource Requesting, Financial budgets and spend, and 24/7 Support.

• Business Leader: Custom pricing

  Includes everything in Premium, plus Single Sign On (SSO), 2FA Security, Availability Finder, Dedicated Support Rep, and Service Level Agreement.

Scoro

Scoro is a solution that combines project scheduling, contact management, and financial reporting into one platform.

Why Choose Scoro

Scoro is an all-in-one project management tool that offers a wide range of features. It provides a centralized platform where teams can manage projects, schedule tasks, track time, generate invoices, and even handle customer relations.

The platforms reporting capabilities offer valuable insights into project performance and financial health.

Key Features of Scoro

• Project management: Manage your projects from start to finish, with features like task scheduling, time tracking, and progress tracking.
• Contact management: Keep track of all your contacts and customers in one place.
• Financial reporting: Generate detailed financial reports to gain insights into your project’s financial health.
• Time tracking: Keep track of how much time is spent on each task and project.
• Invoicing: Generate and send invoices directly from the platform.
• Integration capabilities: Scoro can be integrated with over 1000+ tools, enhancing its functionality and making your workflow even smoother.

Pricing Information

Scoro offers four different pricing plans:

• Essential Plan: $28 per user/month (Minimum 5 users). Includes basic project management and financial reporting features.
• Standard Plan: $42 per user/month (Minimum 5 users). Adds Gantt charts, time tracking, and detailed financial reports.
• Pro Plan: $71 per user/month (Minimum 5 users). Includes advanced features like project budgets, sales pipeline management, and utilization reports.
• Ultimate Plan: Contact Scoro for pricing. This plan offers additional features like single sign-on, customer portal, and multi-account reporting.

Height

Height is a project management tool that streamlines task coordination and enhances team collaboration.

Why Choose Height

Height stands out with its flexibility and adaptability, accommodating various workflows whether your team prefers sprints, milestones, or recurring tasks. It’s not just about managing tasks, but also about fostering effective communication.

With real-time chat on tasks, team members can discuss, clarify, and update task status on the go. Plus, its integration capabilities mean you can connect it with your favorite tools, creating a unified workspace that keeps everyone in sync.

Key Features of Height

• AI-boosted task management
• Multiple project views: Spreadsheet, Kanban, Gantt, and Calendar
• Real-time task chat with markdown support
• Integrations with Slack, GitHub, Figma, and more
• Automation capabilities

Pricing Information

Height offers a range of plans to suit different needs:

• Free Plan: For small teams starting with project management. Includes unlimited members, tasks, and basic task management features.
• Team Plan: For growing teams managing multiple workstreams at $6.99 per member/month (billed annually). Adds unlimited lists, task forms, custom attributes, and up to 100MB file uploads.
• Business Plan: For larger teams needing advanced features at $11.99 per member/month (billed annually). Includes everything in the Team plan, plus SAML SSO, up to 1GB file uploads, and priority support.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom solutions for large companies, pricing available on request. Offers personalized features and support.

ProofHub

ProofHub is team collaboration software that allows teams to plan, collaborate, organize, and deliver projects on time.

Why Choose ProofHub

ProofHub offers a unified platform where teams can manage tasks, collaborate, and ensure timely project delivery. It eliminates the need for multiple apps like Slack, Trello, Evernote, or Google Docs, thereby saving time and money.

Whether you’re working with remote teams, need custom access roles, or want to control who sees what, ProofHub has tools to help.

Key Features of ProofHub

• Task Management: Manage your tasks effortlessly using boards, table view, and workflows.
• Gantt Chart: Set dependencies, pinpoint roadblocks, and stay ahead of deadlines.
• Board View: Visualize project progress, spot bottlenecks, and create unique workflows.
• Table View: Easily update the status, resources, comments, and progress of multiple projects.
• Calendar: See events, reminders, tasks, and milestones all in one place.
• Time Tracking: Accurately track your team’s time and create time reports in one place.
• Collaboration: Start quick conversations, send timely updates, and receive quick feedback.
• Proofing: Review and proof files with markup tools and approve them right where you are.
• Custom Roles: Create custom roles and decide who gets to access what.
• Project Templates: Save time by adding project templates and use them to later create similar projects.
• Reports: Get a clear idea of where work stands and measure your entire team’s progress.

Pricing Information

ProofHub offers two pricing plans:

• Essential Plan: Priced at $50 per month when billed monthly. This plan includes 40 projects, unlimited users, and 15GB storage. It also includes core features, custom roles, white labeling, workflows, project manager, IP restrictions, manage trashed items, and API access.
• Ultimate Control Plan: Priced at $99 per month when billed monthly. This plan includes unlimited projects and users, 100GB storage, and all the features of the Essential Plan.

ProofHub also offers heavy discounts on subscriptions for non-profits.

Hive

A project management tool designed for flexibility and integrations, facilitating efficient team collaboration.

Why Choose Hive?

Hive is project management software that offers a centralized platform for teams to manage their projects, tasks, and processes. It’s designed to support the way teams work, whether that’s with Gantt charts, Kanban boards, or matrix-style layouts.

Hive also integrates with over 1,000 apps, making it a hub for all your team’s work.

Key Features of Hive

• Flexible Project Views: Choose from Gantt, Kanban, portfolio, and other project views.
• Action Cards: Assign tasks, due dates, and labels to team members.
• Hive Analytics: Use machine learning to predict future project risks.
• Hive Mail: Integrate your email inbox into your project management tool.
• Hive Chat: Communicate with your team without leaving the platform.
• 1,000+ Integrations: Connect Hive with your existing tools and streamline your workflow.

Pricing Information

Hive offers three pricing tiers:

• Free Plan: Suitable for small teams with light project management needs. It includes up to 10 users, 200MB storage, and unlimited tasks.
• Teams Plan: At $12 per user per month, this plan is designed for running multiple projects. It includes unlimited storage, workspace members, and additional features like time tracking and cloud storage integrations.
• Enterprise Plan: This plan is for teams needing Hive’s full suite of add-ons, extra support, and enterprise security. It includes enhanced security controls, custom analytics, and a dedicated Customer Success Manager. Pricing is available upon request.

ProjectManager

ProjectManager helps you manage tasks, track progress, and collaborate in real-time.

Why Choose ProjectManager

ProjectManager provides a platform for managing projects of all sizes. It’s designed to streamline IT processes, reduce lead time, ensure quality, and perfect your process.

Whether you’re in manufacturing, construction, IT, or professional services, ProjectManager can help you create schedules, manage crews, and deliver under budget.

Key Features of ProjectManager

• Gantt Charts: Set milestones, connect dependencies, and track progress.
• Dashboards: Collect and view real-time data on your work for key insights.
• Project Portfolios: Manage portfolios, align objectives, and get high-level overviews.
• Reports: Generate in-depth, easy-to-read reports to share progress.
• Kanban Boards: Prioritize and execute your work with transparency and agility.
• Task Lists: Organize and manage your tasks to boost team productivity.
• Collaboration: Share files, add comments, and work together in real-time.
• Workflow Automation: Create automated workflows and improve productivity.

Pricing Information

ProjectManager offers three pricing plans:

• Team Plan: $16/user/month (billed monthly). This plan includes project planning and scheduling, task management, essential reports, and more.
• Business Plan: $28/user/month (billed monthly). It includes all features from the Team plan, plus advanced analytics, custom templates, and timesheets and approvals.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing available upon request. It offers all features from the Business plan, plus personalized training, a dedicated account manager, and priority support.

Try Teamly Today for Streamlined Project Scheduling

We’ve explored a variety of project scheduling tools in this article, each with its own strengths and unique features.

We invite you to try Teamly for free and see the difference it can make in your project scheduling.

Teamly is not just about setting deadlines, it’s about creating a clear, visual roadmap for your project that everyone can follow. It’s about boosting collaboration within your team, ensuring work is evenly distributed, and keeping your project on track. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, Teamly takes the complexity out of project scheduling.

But don’t just take our word for it.

Whether you’re a small team just getting started or a large organization with complex projects, Teamly has a plan to suit your needs.

Are you, in search of free project management software for the year 2023? With projects becoming more complex and diverse the demand for user tools to manage them has never been greater.

Using the right project management tools allows teams to plan, execute and monitor projects with ease. These platforms are crucial in ensuring that deadlines are met and objectives are accomplished. They help manage aspects of a project while facilitating communication among team members.

However, what if you’re on a budget or just starting out and cannot afford premium project management solutions?

But, what if you’re on a tight budget or just starting and can’t afford to invest in a premium project management solution?

These cost effective options provide features to their paid counterparts making them ideal, for startups, small businesses or teams who wish to test the waters before committing to a paid plan.

This article will present 20 of the project management tools that can help your business thrive online and make the most of your tech stack without spending any money.

How Project Management and Tools Help Different Industries

Project management plays a pivotal role in ensuring the successful completion of projects, regardless of the industry. With a wide range of tools available, it’s essential to understand their capabilities and select the one that best aligns with your industry’s unique requirements.

Effective project management can help organizations streamline workflows, enhance communication and collaboration, reduce risks, make informed decisions, and improve customer satisfaction. By delivering projects on time and within budget, project management fosters long-term relationships and contributes to overall success.

Different industries have unique project management needs, and various types of tools cater to these specific requirements. Some popular industries and their corresponding project management tool types include:

• Software development: Agile project management tools with robust features like issue tracking, customizable workflows, and integration with development tools are commonly used in this industry. These tools often include Kanban-style boards that offer a visual and flexible approach to managing software development projects.
• Marketing and creative agencies: Versatile tools with easy-to-use interfaces, customizable templates, and extensive collaboration features are popular choices for marketing and creative teams. Centralized hubs for project communication, file sharing, and task management are ideal for managing client projects in creative agencies.
• Construction and engineering: Comprehensive suites of tools designed specifically for construction and engineering projects, including document management, scheduling, and budget tracking, are commonly used in these industries. Spreadsheet-like interfaces are also popular for managing projects that require extensive data input and analysis.
• Event planning: Customizable boards and templates that make it easy to manage event planning tasks, track progress, and collaborate with team members are popular choices for event planning professionals. Tools that blend spreadsheet and database functionality are perfect for managing event logistics and tracking various event-related information.
• Non-profit organizations: Flexible tools with free tiers and limited budgets are often an excellent option for non-profit organizations looking to manage projects. These tools should allow for easy management of projects, tracking volunteer efforts, and reporting on project outcomes.

While selecting a project management tool, it’s essential to consider your industry’s specific needs and evaluate the available options accordingly. By doing so, you can ensure that your chosen tool supports your team and drives the successful completion of your projects.

The 20 Best Free Project Management Software

We’ve compiled a list of the best project management tools available today that are completely free to use. Many tools offer a free plan that can cater to individuals or smaller teams who are in the early stages of developing their product.

Let’s take a quick look at 20 project management tools we’ve selected before we dive into our review of each:

• Teamly
• Airtable
• Nifty
• Todoist
• Wrike
• Teamwork
• Notion
• Trello
• Confluence
• Asana
• Hive
• nTask
• ActiveCollab
• GoodDay
• Monday.com
• Indy
• SmartSheet
• Jira
• Coda
• Podio

Before we dive into each of them, let’s first discuss what kind of features you should look for in a project management tool.

Key Features to Look for in Free Project Management Softwares

When searching for the perfect free project management software, it’s essential to consider the core features that will help you manage your projects effectively.

Here’s a more comprehensive rundown of some of the most crucial features to look for when evaluating your options:

Task Management

Effective task management is the backbone of any project management software. The best free tools will offer an intuitive and easy-to-use interface for creating, assigning, and organizing tasks.

Key task management features include:

• Task lists: Organize tasks into lists to create a clear structure for your project.
• Subtasks: Break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces.
• Task dependencies: Establish relationships between tasks to ensure they are completed in the correct order.
• Prioritization: Assign priority levels to tasks to help your team focus on what’s most important.
• Labels and tags: Categorize tasks using custom labels and tags for quick filtering and sorting.
• Custom fields: Add additional information to tasks using custom fields tailored to your project’s needs.

Collaboration and Communication

• File sharing: Easily share files and documents with team members, ensuring everyone has access to the latest information.
• Real-time editing: Collaborate on documents in real-time to avoid version control issues.
• Threaded comments: Keep project-related discussions organized with threaded comments on tasks and files.
• Centralized communication channels: Use chat or discussion boards to keep all project-related conversations in one place.

Time Tracking and Scheduling

Keeping your project on schedule is crucial for success. Free project management tools with built-in time tracking and scheduling features can help you stay on top of deadlines and avoid bottlenecks.

Important time tracking and scheduling features to consider are:

• Calendar views: Visualize project timelines and deadlines in a calendar format.
• Gantt charts: Track project progress and dependencies with an easy-to-read visual representation.
• Kanban boards: Organize tasks by status or priority in a visual, drag-and-drop interface.
• Time tracking: Monitor team productivity and estimate time required for future tasks or projects.

Reporting and Analytics

Data-driven insights can help you make more informed decisions and optimize your project management processes. The best free project management software will offer reporting and analytics features that enable you to track your project’s performance, identify trends, and uncover potential issues before they become critical.

Key reporting and analytics features include:

• Customizable dashboards: Create personalized dashboards to display the most relevant project metrics.
• Detailed reports: Generate in-depth reports on various project metrics, such as task completion, time spent, and team productivity.
• Trend analysis: Identify patterns and trends in your project data to inform future strategies.

Integration with Other Tools

Chances are, your team already relies on a variety of tools and apps to get work done. A good free project management tool should integrate seamlessly with these existing solutions, allowing you to streamline your workflows and reduce the need for manual data entry.

Look for integrations with:

• File storage services: Sync your project files with popular cloud storage providers like Google Drive or Dropbox.
• Email clients: Connect your project management tool with your email client to easily send updates and notifications.
• Team communication platforms: Integrate with tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams to keep your team in the loop on project progress.

Teamly – Best for Remote Teams

Teamly is a comprehensive project management tool designed to facilitate remote team collaboration and productivity.

Why Choose Teamly

Choosing Teamly as your project management tool can revolutionize the way your remote team works. The platform is designed with a deep understanding of the dynamics and challenges of remote work. It provides a suite of tools that facilitate seamless communication, efficient task management, and effective collaboration.

Teamly’s real-time chat feature ensures that team members can communicate instantly, eliminating the delays that can often hamper remote work. The workflow and task management feature allows for the organization and tracking of tasks, ensuring that everyone knows what they need to do and when.

The screen capture video and audio recording feature is a game-changer for explaining complex tasks or providing feedback. It eliminates the misunderstandings that can arise from written instructions.

And importantly, the employee time tracking and monitoring feature provides valuable insights into how team members are spending their time, enabling managers to identify bottlenecks, improve processes, and enhance productivity.

Key Features of Teamly

Teamly offers a set of features designed to streamline remote work:

• Real-time chat: This feature facilitates instant communication between team members, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and can respond quickly to developments.
• Workflow and task management: This feature allows for the efficient organization and tracking of tasks. It ensures that everyone knows what they need to do, when they need to do it, and what tasks are dependent on others.
• Screen capture video and audio recording: This feature allows team members to record their screens and voices, making it easier to explain complex tasks or provide detailed feedback. This can significantly reduce misunderstandings and improve the quality of work.
• Employee time tracking and monitoring: This feature provides insights into how team members are spending their time. It can help identify bottlenecks, improve processes, and enhance overall productivity.

Free Tier Details

Teamly offers a generous free tier that includes a wide range of features:

• Unlimited users: You can have as many team members as you need without incurring additional costs.
• 2.5 GB of storage: This allows for the storage of files and documents related to your projects.
• 1,000 active chat messages: This ensures that your team can communicate effectively.
• 1 project: You can manage one project at a time.
• 5 departments (all public): You can organize your team into five different departments.
• 2 minutes max per audio message: Each audio message can be up to two minutes long.
• 1 workflow: You can create one workflow to manage your tasks.
• 200 uses/month for automations: Automations can be used 200 times per month to streamline processes.
• 5 minutes max per screen capture video: Each screen capture video can be up to five minutes long.
• Additional features included in the free tier are Kanban-style workflows, task creation, file uploading, setting priorities, setting due dates, viewing activity history, and many more.

The free tier is compatible with both PC and Mac and is always free, making it a great option for small teams or startups.

Airtable

Airtable offers a high degree of efficiency with its intuitive interface and AI-powered functionalities.

Why Choose Airtable

Airtable is a platform that allows you to create custom workflows, automate tasks, and integrate with your favorite tools. It’s designed to be simple to build and intuitive to use, enabling those closest to the real-world details of your business to customize or create apps that accelerate how work gets done.

With its native AI components, dynamic AI functionality is at your fingertips in minutes. Airtable’s relational database allows you to organize, connect, and share critical business information while staying up-to-date and in sync with other systems of record.

Key Features of Airtable

• Interface Designer: Turn your base into a working product with a drag-and-drop experience.
• Views: Explore different ways to view data with grid, calendar, form, kanban, and gallery views.
• Sync: Sync data across teams and tables.
• Reporting: Visualize impact right in Airtable.
• Integrations: Bring your favorite tools into Airtable.
• Enterprise Overview: See how Airtable scales for large and complex organizations.
• AI Components: Transform workflows with the power of AI.

Free Tier Details

Airtable’s free tier comes packed with a variety of features that can cater to small teams or those just starting out.

Here’s what you get with the free tier:

• Unlimited Bases: You can create as many bases as you need to manage different projects or aspects of your business.
• Up to 5 Creators or Editors: You can have up to five users who can create and edit records in your bases.
• Unlimited Commenter & Read-Only Users: You can add an unlimited number of users who can comment on records or view them without making changes.
• 1 Extension Per Base: You can add one extension to each base to enhance its functionality.
• 1 Sync Integration: You can sync data from one base to another.
• 1,200 Records Per Base: Each base can hold up to 1,200 records, allowing you to manage a substantial amount of data.
• 2GB of Attachments Per Base: You can store up to 2GB of attachments in each base, making it easy to keep all relevant files and documents in one place.

Nifty

Nifty is a project management tool that helps teams plan, track, and manage their work with ease.

Why Choose Nifty?

Nifty is designed to streamline your project management process. It offers a centralized workspace that brings together all aspects of a project, from task assignment and progress tracking to communication and document sharing.

With Nifty, you can keep your team aligned, foster transparency, and ensure everyone is on the same page, thereby enhancing productivity and efficiency.

Key Features of Nifty

• Task Management: Assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress in real-time.
• Milestone Tracking: Break down projects into manageable milestones and track their completion.
• Team Collaboration: Facilitate team communication with built-in chat and discussion features.
• Document Sharing: Share and manage project-related documents and files in one place.
• Time Tracking: Keep track of the time spent on tasks for better project management and billing.
• Reporting: Generate detailed reports to gain insights into project performance and team productivity.

Free Tier Details

Nifty offers a free tier that is best suited for getting started. This includes:

• Unlimited members
• 100 MB storage space
• 2 active projects
• Core features like tasks, milestones, discussions, docs, files, team chat, portfolios, recurring tasks, task dependencies, and milestone dependencies
• Two-factor authentication
• Access to the self-serve help center

Please note that the free tier does not include advanced features like time tracking & reporting, custom fields, budget tracking, workflow automations, file proofing, cross-project overviews, team workloads, custom roles & permissions, and native forms. For these features, you might want to consider their paid plans.

 

Todoist

Todoist is a to-do list app designed to help you organize your work and life, providing a clear and calm productivity experience.

Why Choose Todoist

Todoist is trusted by over 30 million people worldwide to manage their tasks and to-dos. It offers a unique blend of simplicity and advanced features, making it an excellent choice for both personal and professional use.

With Todoist, you can clear your mind by quickly adding tasks and to-dos, focus on what’s important with automatically sorted tasks, and manage all your tasks in one place with workspaces. Todoist’s natural language recognition makes it easy to add tasks, and its various views help you prioritize your work.

Key Features of Todoist

• Task Management: Quickly add tasks and to-dos using natural language recognition.
• Views: Your tasks are automatically sorted into Today, Upcoming, and custom Filter views.
• Workspaces: Manage all your tasks in one place with separate workspaces for personal, work, and team tasks.
• Collaboration: Share tasks and projects with others, assign tasks, and collaborate in real-time.
• Integrations: Connect Todoist with tools like IFTTT, Alexa, Google Calendar, and more.
• Mobile Apps: Stay organized on the go with apps for iOS and Android.

Free Tier Details

Todoist offers two free tiers to cater to different user needs:

Beginner Plan:

• A personal workspace
• Up to 5 active projects
• Up to 5 guests per project
• 5 MB file uploads
• 3 filter views
• 1 week of activity history

Starter Plan:

• A team workspace
• Up to 5 active projects
• Unlimited admins and guests
• 5 MB file uploads
• 1 week of activity history

These free tiers provide a solid foundation for managing your tasks and projects. If you need more features or capacity, Todoist offers premium plans starting at $4 per month.

Wrike

Wrike is a project management tool that helps teams collaborate effectively and streamline their work processes.

Why Choose Wrike

Wrike is a project management solution that offers a wide range of features to help teams plan, track, and deliver their work. It’s designed to support various types of teams, including marketing, professional services, project management offices, and creative & design teams.

With its robust set of integrations, Wrike can easily fit into your existing tech stack, enhancing your team’s productivity and efficiency.

Key Features of Wrike

• Project Management: Implement Agile methodologies, keep a close eye on deadlines, and ensure successful project delivery.
• Workflow Management: Customize statuses to suit your team’s needs and automate workflows for increased efficiency
• Task Management: Streamline the management of incoming tasks and reduce the burden of repetitive work.
• Resource Management: Keep track of your team’s workload and reassign tasks as needed to prevent burnout.
• Integration with Popular Apps: Seamlessly integrate with over 400 popular applications, including Slack, Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and Adobe Creative Cloud, for a unified work experience.

Free Tier Details

Wrike’s free tier is designed to provide a comprehensive project management solution for teams of all sizes.

Here’s what you get with the free tier:

• Unlimited Users: There’s no limit to the number of users you can have in your team.
• Multi-Language Support: Wrike supports multiple languages, making it a great choice for international teams.
• Desktop and Mobile Apps: Wrike offers applications for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, allowing you to manage your projects on any device.
• 2 GB Storage Space: You get 2 GB of storage space for your account, enough to store essential project files and documents.
• Task and Subtask Management: Manage your tasks and subtasks effectively with Wrike’s intuitive interface.
• Email Integration & Notifications: Stay updated with email notifications and integrate your tasks with your email.
• Open RESTful API: Customize your experience with Wrike’s open RESTful API.
• Collaborators: Invite collaborators to work on your projects.
• Enterprise-Grade Security: Wrike provides enterprise-grade security to keep your data safe.
• Authentication via G Suite: Easily authenticate your account using G Suite.

Teamwork

Teamwork is a project management software that helps teams improve collaboration, visibility, accountability, and ultimately results.

Why Choose Teamwork

Teamwork is a comprehensive project management tool that offers a wide range of features to help teams collaborate effectively, manage tasks, track time, and deliver projects on time.

It’s designed to cater to the needs of different teams, whether they are small businesses or large enterprises, making it a flexible solution for managing work.

Key Features of Teamwork

• Task Management: Create tasks, assign them to team members, set priorities, and track progress.
• Time Tracking: Keep track of the time spent on tasks and projects.
• Collaboration Tools: Use message boards, notes, and file uploads to enhance team communication.
• Gantt Charts: Visualize your project timeline and dependencies between tasks.
• Reporting: Generate detailed reports to gain insights into project performance.
• Integrations: Connect with popular tools like Slack, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Teams.

Free Tier Details

The Free Forever plan of Teamwork offers a solid foundation for small teams or startups to manage their projects effectively.

Here’s what you can expect:

• User Limit: The free plan allows up to 5 users, making it perfect for small teams or startups.
• Project Limit: You can manage up to 5 active projects at a time, which is a good starting point for new businesses.
• Storage: The plan comes with 100MB of storage, enough to store essential documents and files.
• Integration: Teamwork can be integrated with popular tools like Slack, Zapier, MS Teams, and more, enhancing its functionality and making it easier to work with the tools your team is already familiar with.

Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace where you can write, plan, collaborate, and get organized in one place.

Why Choose Notion

Notion stands out for its versatility and ease of use. It’s a great tool for teams that need a central hub for their work, but it’s also robust enough for personal use.

With Notion, you can create a customized workspace that fits your needs. Its clean, intuitive interface makes it easy to manage tasks, write and organize notes, and more.

Key Features of Notion

• All-in-one workspace: Notion combines notes, tasks, wikis, and databases into one platform, reducing the need for multiple tools.
• Customizable: You can tailor your workspace to your needs with a variety of templates and customization options.
• Collaborative: Notion allows for real-time collaboration, making it easy to work with your team, share ideas, and keep everyone on the same page.
• Integrations: Notion integrates with a variety of other tools, including Google Calendar, Google Drive, Evernote, Trello, and more, allowing you to streamline your workflow.

Free Tier Details

Notion’s free plan offers a generous range of features, making it a great choice for individuals or small teams just getting started.

Here’s what you get with the free tier:

• Unlimited pages and blocks: Create as much content as you need.
• Collaborate with up to 10 guests: Share your workspace with others and work together in real time.
• Upload up to 5MB of files: Attach files to your pages for easy access and organization.
• Access to a version history of up to 7 days: Easily track changes and revert back if needed.

For more advanced features, such as unlimited file uploads, priority support, and access to the API, Notion offers affordable premium plans. But for many users, the free tier will be more than sufficient.

Trello

Trello is a project management tool that offers a visual way to organize your work and tasks. 

Why Choose Trello

Trello is a tool that can be used by any team, regardless of the project or workflow. It’s designed to keep tasks organized and work moving forward. Whether you’re launching a new product, managing workflows, or keeping your remote team connected, Trello can help keep things organized.

It’s as simple as signing up, creating a board, and getting started.

Key Features of Trello

• Boards: Trello boards keep tasks organized and work moving forward. You can see everything from “things to do” to “aww yeah, we did it!” at a glance.
• Lists: The different stages of a task. Start as simple as To Do, Doing, or Done—or build a workflow custom fit to your team’s needs. There’s no wrong way to Trello.
• Cards: Cards represent tasks and ideas and hold all the information to get the job done. As you make progress, move cards across lists to show their status.
• Automation: Automate tasks and workflows with Butler automation.
• Power-Ups: Integrate with more than 200+ apps and tools your team depends on like Slack, Google Drive, Salesforce, and more directly into your Trello boards.
• Templates: Give your team a blueprint for success with easy-to-use templates from industry leaders and the Trello community.

Free Tier Details

Trello’s free plan is designed for individuals or small teams looking to keep work organized. It includes:

• Unlimited cards
• Up to 10 boards per Workspace
• Automation with up to 50 command runs per month
• Assignee and due dates
• iOS and Android mobile apps
• Desktop app
• Unlimited activity logs
• Trello templates
• 2-factor authentication
• Mobile device management
• Unlimited power-ups

For more advanced features, Trello offers Standard, Premium, and Enterprise plans.

Confluence

Confluence is a collaborative workspace that helps teams create, share, and collaborate on projects all in one place.

Why Choose Confluence

Confluence is a powerful tool that allows teams to create, share, and collaborate on documents in one place. It’s designed to make team collaboration more efficient and productive.

With Confluence, you can create project plans, meeting notes, product requirements, and more. It’s a great tool for teams that want to work together more effectively and keep everything organized in one place.

Key Features of Confluence

• Collaborative workspace: Create, share, and collaborate on documents in one place.
• Page versioning: Keep track of who made changes to your document and what changes were made.
• Structured page tree organization: Organize your work in a way that makes sense for your team.
• Macros: Enhance your pages with macros to embed files, create dynamic lists, and more.
• Template library: Use pre-made templates or create your own to make page creation faster and easier.

Free Tier Details

Confluence offers a free tier that includes:

• Up to 10 users
• Unlimited spaces and pages
• Access to features like macros, structured page tree organization, and a template library
• Whiteboards
• Template library
• 2GB file storage
• Community support

Please note that some features, such as space and page permissions, page insights, and external collaboration, are not available in the free tier. For access to these and other advanced features, you may need to consider their Standard, Premium, or Enterprise plans.

Asana

Asana is a project management tool that helps teams orchestrate their work, from daily tasks to strategic initiatives.

Why Choose Asana

Asana stands out as a project management tool due to its blend of simplicity, power, and flexibility. Its user-friendly interface is designed for quick onboarding, making it easy for teams to hit the ground running.

Despite its simplicity, Asana doesn’t compromise on functionality. It’s packed with robust features that cater to a range of project management needs, from basic task tracking to complex project planning.

Key Features of Asana

• Task Management: Assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress.
• Project Visualization: Utilize list, board, and calendar views to visualize your project.
• Timeline: Create a Gantt chart to map out your project timeline.
• Workflow Builder: Automate routine tasks and processes.
• Integrations: Connect with over 100+ apps for a more streamlined workflow.
• Mobile Apps: Manage your projects on the go with iOS and Android apps.

Free Tier Details

Asana’s free tier, known as the Basic plan, is suitable for individuals or teams just getting started with project management. It includes:

• Unlimited tasks, projects, and messages
• Collaboration with up to 15 teammates
• List, board, and calendar view projects
• Assignee and due dates
• Project Overview and Project Brief
• Time tracking with integrations
• 100+ free integrations with your favorite apps
• Unlimited file storage (100MB per file)

This free tier provides a solid foundation for simple task and project management. As your team grows and your needs become more complex, Asana offers paid plans with additional features.

Hive

Hive is a flexible project management tool that empowers teams to work better together.

Why Choose Hive?

Hive is a tool that is designed to adapt to your team’s workflow. It offers a centralized platform where teams can track projects, manage resources, and collaborate effectively.

With Hive, you can streamline your processes, reduce manual work, and focus on what matters most – delivering quality work on time.

Key Features of Hive

• Project and task management: Assign and allocate work to teammates with a few clicks. You can even set work to recur on a custom daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
• Multiple assignees: More than one responsible party? Add multiple assignees to any task.
• Dependencies: Link tasks together that rely on each other and track their joint progress.
• Collaboration: Hive provides a platform for seamless communication and collaboration among team members.
• Time tracking: Keep track of how much time is spent on each task for better project management and resource allocation.
• Analytics: Gain insights into your team’s performance and project progress with powerful analytics.
• Integrations: Hive integrates with popular tools like Slack, Zoom, and many others to provide a unified work experience.

Free Tier Details

Hive offers a free tier that is best suited for light project management for small teams.

The free tier includes:

• Up to 10 users
• 200MB storage
• Unlimited tasks and notes
• Gantt, Kanban, calendar & table views
• Email in Hive
• Desktop, iOS, and Android apps
• Native chat messaging
• Custom emojis

For more advanced features and larger teams, Hive offers a paid “Teams” tier at $12 per user per month.

nTask

nTask is a project management tool that helps teams plan, track, and manage all their work in one place.

Why Choose nTask

nTask is designed to streamline your team’s workflow by providing a platform that integrates task management, meeting scheduling, issue tracking, and more. It’s an all-in-one solution that eliminates the need for multiple tools, making project management more efficient and effective.

Key Features of nTask

• Task Management: Create, assign, and track tasks with ease.
• Meeting Management: Schedule and manage team meetings directly within the platform.
• Issue Tracking: Identify and track issues, ensuring they’re resolved efficiently.
• Time Tracking: Keep track of the time spent on tasks for better productivity analysis.
• Gantt Charts: Visualize your project timeline and progress.
• Kanban Boards: Organize tasks in a flexible and visual way.
• Risk Management: Identify and manage potential risks to your project.

ActivCollab

ActivCollab is free project management software that offers a platform for collaboration, time tracking, and invoicing, all in one place.

Why Choose ActivCollab

ActivCollab is a great choice for teams and businesses that need to manage their workflow in a single place. It offers a wide range of features that facilitate work management, team collaboration, time management, resource management, client management, and business profitability. It also provides multiple task views, making it ideal for Kanban boards and Gantt charts.

Key Features of ActivCollab

• Work Management: Automate your process, organize the team, and gain complete control over deadlines.
• Team Collaboration: Ensure smooth collaboration with all team members, in real-time or asynchronously.
• Time Management: Manage your billable time like a pro.
• Resource Management: Balance the workload to prevent team members from being idle or burning out.
• Client Management: Include your customers from the start and maintain the relationship with them more easily.
• Business Profitability: Keep the costs under control, never breach the budget, and increase your profitability.
• Apps & Integrations: Integrate your existing apps into your ActiveCollab account quickly.
• Multiple Task Views: Manage your projects in Column, List, or Timeline views.

Free Tier Details

ActiveCollab offers a free tier that includes:

• Capacity for up to 3 team members
• 1 GB of storage space
• Unlimited access to projects, tasks, discussions, and notes
• Task management features such as assignee designation, start and due dates
• Capability to import projects from other applications
• List and Kanban views for project management
• Personal Timesheet for time tracking
• Stopwatch time tracker for projects
• Activity log for tracking changes and updates
• Access through mobile and desktop applications

This free tier is a great way to start organizing your work without any charge.

GoodDay

GoodDay is a work management platform that offers a suite of tools to help teams plan, execute, and track their work.

Why Choose GoodDay

GoodDay is a versatile tool that can be used by teams of all sizes. It offers a range of features that make it easy to manage tasks, projects, and teams. With its intuitive interface and robust functionality, GoodDay can help you streamline your project management processes and improve productivity.

Key Features of GoodDay

• Unlimited projects, tasks, and events
• Customizable workflows and views
• Integrated productivity suite with meetings, files, reminders, chats, and more
• Mobile and desktop apps for on-the-go access
• Native integrations and APIs to connect to tools you are already using
• Advanced analytics for in-depth insights
• Custom fields and views for personalized work management
• Time tracking and Gantt views for detailed project planning and tracking

Free Tier Details

GoodDay offers a free tier for teams of up to 15 users. This includes:

• Unlimited projects and tasks
• 1 GB of storage
• Unlimited project hierarchy
• Basic analytics
• Integrations with other tools
• Activity stream
• Access to over 100 templates
• Custom views
• Basic support
• Mobile and desktop apps

This makes GoodDay a great option for small teams or startups looking for a free project management software to get started with.

monday.com

A project management platform that helps teams plan, execute, and track projects in one visual, collaborative space.

Why Choose monday.com

monday.com is a platform that offers a variety of features to help teams manage their work. It’s highly customizable, allowing you to tailor workflows to your team’s specific needs.

With its intuitive interface, monday.com makes it easy to see the big picture at a glance, while also providing the tools to dive into the details when needed.

Key Features of monday.com

• Visual Project Tracking: monday.com offers a visual and intuitive interface that makes it easy to track the progress of projects.
• Customizable Workflows: You can tailor the platform to your team’s specific needs, creating custom workflows that align with your processes.
• Collaboration Tools: monday.com includes features for real-time communication, document sharing, and feedback, making it easy for teams to collaborate.
• Integrations: monday.com integrates with a variety of other tools, including email, cloud storage services, and more, allowing you to bring all your work into one place.
• Automations: You can automate routine tasks, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.

Free Tier Details

monday.com offers a free tier that includes:

• Up to 2 seats
• Up to 3 boards for organizing your work and data
• Unlimited docs for real-time collaboration
• Access to over 200+ templates for various industries
• 8 different column types for customizing your boards
• Access to monday.com via iOS and Android apps

Please note that the free tier is best suited for individuals looking to keep track of their work. For more comprehensive features and larger teams, monday.com offers several paid plans.

Indy

Indy helps freelancers to send proposals, sign contracts, track billable hours, create invoices, and receive payments all in one place.

Why Choose Indy

Indy is free project management software designed for freelancers, providing a range of features to help manage various aspects of a freelance business. Its capabilities span from creating and sending proposals, signing contracts, to tracking time and generating invoices.

The aim of Indy is to consolidate these functions into one platform, potentially reducing the need for multiple subscriptions. The tool’s design focuses on efficiency, aiming to minimize time spent on administrative tasks and maximize focus on the core work.

Key Features of Indy

• Proposals: Secure clients and begin projects faster with engaging, easy-to-create proposals and estimates.
• Contracts: A simple editor to create, sign, and send contracts to your clients in minutes.
• Invoices: Easily generate and send invoices—get paid faster than ever.
• Tasks: Keep track of all your project work with simple task management.
• Time Tracker: Record, report, and get paid for your time—all at the same time.
• Files: Store, track revisions, and get feedback and approval on your work files.
• Forms: Grow your leads, gather project information, request testimonials, and more.
• Chats: Communicate in real time and on your time.
• Calendar: Schedule meetings and keep tabs on your work with day, week, and month views.

Free Tier Details

Indy’s free tier offers a range of features to support your freelance business:

• Unlimited use of basic tools: tasks, time tracker, files, forms, chats, and calendar.
• 3 free proposals, contracts, and invoices per month.
• 10 GB of file storage with a maximum of 500 MB per file.
• Free forever with no credit card required.

For those who need more advanced features, Indy offers a Pro Bundle for $9/month (paid yearly) that includes unlimited access to all tools and 1 TB of total storage with no size limit per file.

SmartSheet

SmartSheet is a platform that enables teams to oversee projects, streamline processes, and swiftly construct solutions on a large scale.

Why Choose SmartSheet

SmartSheet is a tool that offers a set of capabilities to manage projects, automate workflows, and build solutions quickly. It’s designed to align global teams, build and scale business-driven solutions, and enable IT to manage risk and maintain compliance.

It’s a great choice for teams looking to streamline their project management processes and collaborate more effectively.

Key Features of SmartSheet

• Dynamic workspace for managing projects and workflows
• Capabilities for team collaboration and workflow automation
• Content management features to organize, manage, and review content production
• Portfolio management at scale for project consistency and visibility
• Secure request management to streamline requests and process ticketing
• Integration capabilities to share information across platforms
• Streamlined business apps for easy navigation
• Governance and administration features for global controls and settings
• Intelligent workflows to automate business processes across systems
• Resource management to find the best project team and forecast resourcing needs

Free Tier Details

SmartSheet offers a free tier for people just getting started with task and project management. The free tier includes:

• Up to 2 editors
• 2 sheets
• Gantt, Grid, Card, Calendar views
• Dashboards and reports
• 500 MB attachment storage

Alongside its free tier, SmartSheet offers pro, business, and enterprise tiers for those that need higher limits and additional features.

Jira

Jira is a project management tool designed to help teams plan, track, and release software.

Why Choose Jira

Jira is a popular choice for project management, particularly in the software development industry. It offers a robust set of features that support Agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban.

With Jira, teams can create user stories, plan sprints, distribute tasks across the team, prioritize work, and track team activity. It also integrates well with other tools, making it a flexible solution for teams of all sizes.

Key Features of Jira

• Agile methodology support (Scrum and Kanban)
• Customizable workflows
• Advanced reporting
• User story mapping
• Sprint planning tools
• Seamless integration with other Atlassian products and third-party tools
• Robust API for custom integrations

Free Tier Details

Jira offers a free tier that includes:

• Up to 10 users
• 2 GB file storage
• Basic features such as customizable workflows, backlog, and project boards
• Access to community support

For teams that need more advanced features or have more than 10 users, Jira offers paid plans starting at $7.75 per user per month.

Coda

Coda is free project management software that brings together all your words, data, and teamwork into one powerful doc.

Why Choose Coda

Coda is a comprehensive solution that replaces the need for multiple apps. It’s designed to be familiar like a doc, yet engaging like an app, allowing your team to quickly jump in and collaborate effectively.

As your team grows or plans change, Coda’s building blocks allow your doc to evolve seamlessly. It also offers connected data, meaning tables talk to each other and edits show up everywhere, keeping your data fresh and up-to-date.

Key Features of Coda

• Powerful building blocks to create custom tools
• Connected data for real-time updates
• Compatibility with thousands of apps
• Ability to replace multiple apps, reducing tool sprawl
• Pre-baked templates for quick start

Free Tier Details

Coda’s free tier offers a comprehensive set of features for teams looking to create collaborative documents.

Here’s what you can expect:

• The ability to create collaborative docs that bring your team’s work together.
• Access to connected tables, charts, Kanban boards, and forms that help you visualize and organize your data.
• Powerful formulas and automations that streamline your work processes.
• The ability to pull in data from third-party tools and services via Packs, ensuring your documents are always up-to-date with the latest information.

Podio

Podio is a project management solution that allows you to streamline your work processes and collaborate with your team more effectively.

Why Choose Podio

Podio stands out for its high level of customization, allowing you to tailor your workspace to fit your team’s unique needs. It’s an all-in-one workspace where you can manage projects, share files, and communicate with your team, all in one place.

With Podio, you can create custom apps to structure your work, automate workflows to save time, and integrate with your favorite tools to enhance productivity.

Key Features of Podio

• Customizable workspaces and apps
• Task management and assignment
• File sharing and collaboration
• Workflow automation
• Integration with popular tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Evernote
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android

Free Tier Details

Podio offers a free tier for up to five employees. This includes:

• Task management
• Apps and workspaces

For more advanced features like automated workflows, user management, and unlimited items, you can upgrade to their Plus or Premium plans.

Give Your Remote Team the Tools They Need

Whether it’s real-time chat for instant communication, workflow and task management for efficient organization, screen capture video and audio recording for clear instructions, or employee time tracking and monitoring for productivity insights, Teamly has got you covered.

And the best part?

You can start with Teamly’s generous free tier, which offers a wide range of features including unlimited users, 2.5 GB of storage, 1,000 active chat messages, management of one project, and much more. This makes Teamly not just a powerful tool, but also a cost-effective solution for small teams or startups.

You can start with Teamly’s generous free tier, which offers a wide range of features including unlimited users, 2.5 GB of storage, 1,000 active chat messages, management of one project, and much more. This makes Teamly not just a powerful tool, but also a cost-effective solution for small teams or startups.

So why wait? Take the first step towards revolutionizing your remote team’s productivity. Try Teamly for free today and experience the difference it can make in your project management journey.

Imagine you’re about to launch a new project, but before you dive headfirst into the details, you need a rough idea of the time, resources, and cost it’ll demand.

Wouldn’t it be helpful to have a broad, ballpark figure to start with?

Absolutely! That’s where the concept of Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) comes into play.

In our day-to-day life, we often underestimate or overestimate things, from the time we need to get ready in the morning to the budget we require for a weekend getaway. The same applies to businesses and projects. It’s a human tendency to guess, but when it comes to critical business decisions, “guesswork” might not be the most trustworthy ally.

Enter ROM – an efficient tool to navigate the choppy waters of initial project planning. By definition, ROM is a high-level estimation technique used to forecast the cost, time, or resources required for a project.

It’s a tool employed not just in project management but across many industries, including construction, software development, and event planning.

By the end of this article, you’ll understand why ROM is a critical tool for project managers and other professionals and how to utilize it effectively. We’ll delve deep into the realm of ROM, highlighting its uses, misconceptions, and real-life applications.

What is a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM)?

At the heart of every project, there’s a series of questions begging to be answered:

• How long will it take?
• How much will it cost?
• How many resources will it need?

This is where the Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) comes to the rescue.

So, what exactly is a Rough Order of Magnitude?

In simple terms, ROM is a technique used to provide a very high-level, early estimate of project effort. It gives us a rough ballpark figure, typically presented as a range.

For instance, you might estimate that a project will take between six months to a year, or it might cost anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million.

What makes ROM special is its focus on the word ‘rough.’ It’s an acknowledgement that in the early stages of a project, when many variables and risks are still unknown, a precise estimate is next to impossible.

But, instead of providing no estimate at all, ROM offers an initial, broad-brush picture, which helps kickstart the project planning process.

To break it down further, let’s use a real-world analogy.

Imagine you’re planning a road trip, but you haven’t yet worked out all the details – your destinations, stops, the car you’ll drive, etc. Yet, you want to have an idea about how long the journey might take.

So, you make a rough guess based on your previous trips and general knowledge about road trips. That’s exactly what ROM does in a project scenario.

Importantly, ROM estimates are not meant to be the final word on a project’s cost, time, or resource requirements. Instead, they act as a preliminary guideline, setting a broad framework for more detailed planning to follow.

By providing these early estimates, ROM plays a critical role in decision-making processes, facilitating informed choices about whether to proceed with a project or not. This makes ROM an essential tool in the project management toolbox.

How ROM Differs From Traditional Estimates

Traditional estimates, also known as definitive estimates, are generally detailed, precise, and are prepared when most of the project’s variables are known. They take into consideration specific activities, tasks, resources, and timeframes.

For instance, an estimate that a project will cost $1,275,000 and take 11 months to complete is a definitive estimate. It provides specific figures and is usually prepared when a substantial amount of information about the project is available.

On the other hand, ROM is a high-level estimate that is used during the early stages of a project, when many of the project’s aspects remain unclear. It’s an estimate made with limited information, providing a broad range that the final cost or time frame should fall within.

As a rule of thumb, ROM estimates are expected to be within -25% to +75% accuracy.

Using rough order of magnitude in your projects comes with a range of benefits and drawbacks which are worth considering before implementation:

Benefits of ROM:

• Speed: ROM estimates can be produced quickly as they require less detailed information. This is particularly helpful in the early stages of a project when decisions need to be made promptly.
• Simplicity: The process of calculating ROM is not as complex as definitive estimates. It’s easier to comprehend, especially for stakeholders who might not be involved in the nitty-gritty details of the project.
• Early Decision Making: ROM provides an early indication of the project’s viability, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions about whether to proceed.

Drawbacks of ROM:

• Lack of Precision: ROM’s nature of being a rough estimate means it lacks the precision that definitive estimates provide. This might not sit well with stakeholders who prefer specific figures.
• Risk of Misunderstanding: There’s a risk that some stakeholders might misunderstand or misuse ROM, treating it as a more precise estimate than it truly is.
• Dependent on Experience: The accuracy of a ROM estimate is heavily dependent on the expertise and experience of the person making the estimate. In the hands of someone less experienced, it can lead to gross over or underestimations.

In the end, it’s all about understanding the nature of these estimates. ROM is a great tool for early decision-making, but it should be refined and replaced by a more detailed estimate as more information becomes available and the project moves forward.

When to Use Rough Order of Magnitude

The most common use of ROM is during the project’s initial stages, often at the ideation or conceptualization phase.

At we’ve disscussed, ROM often takes place in the early stages of a project since many aspects are unknown, or at best, only vaguely defined. However, stakeholders still need a ballpark figure for cost, resources, or timelines to make initial strategic decisions.

ROM steps in at this point to provide rough guidance on the important questions stakeholders may have, but that’s not the only time it comes into play.

Rough order of magnitude also helps project stakeholders in comparing different project ideas.

A company might have several projects they wish to undertake, but limited resources to do so. ROM estimates for each project can provide a quick, initial comparison to help prioritize which projects to take forward.

But why is ROM so critical in these scenarios? Let’s explore:

• Less Resources: Creating a ROM estimate is faster and less resource-intensive than producing a detailed, definitive estimate. At the early project stages, speed is often essential, and investing a lot of time and resources in an in-depth estimate may not be practical or even possible.
• Iteration: ROM encourages an iterative approach to estimation. Starting with a ROM estimate and then refining it as more information becomes available helps prevent ‘analysis paralysis,’ where projects are delayed because everyone is waiting for the perfect estimate.
• Risk Management: ROM promotes early discussions around project risks and uncertainty. By acknowledging the broad range in a ROM estimate, project teams are forced to confront and plan for the inherent uncertainty in any project. This leads to better risk management and project planning, setting the project up for success from the very beginning.

How A Project Manager Uses Rough Order of Magnitude

The world of project management is replete with uncertainties, from shifting deadlines to unexpected costs, and everything in between.

Amidst these uncertainties, ROM in project management serves as a guiding beacon, helping project managers navigate the early phases of project planning.

One of the fundamental duties of a project manager is to estimate the project’s cost and timeline accurately.

However, these estimates aren’t merely pulled out of thin air.

They require careful consideration and planning, and that’s where ROM comes into play.

In the initial stages, when concrete data is scarce, ROM helps provide a high-level estimate. This not only gives project managers a baseline for their planning but also helps align stakeholders’ expectations.

For instance, if a software development project is in its ideation phase, it would be impossible to determine exactly how many lines of code will be required or how many specific bugs will need to be addressed.

However, a project manager can use ROM to provide an initial estimate based on similar past projects, industry standards, or expert judgment. This ROM estimate then helps in setting a preliminary budget, planning resources, and discussing timelines with stakeholders.

ROM’s role isn’t just confined to estimating costs and timelines, though. It also plays a significant part in risk management.

The broad range provided by a ROM estimate is a reminder of the uncertainty and risks involved in a project. By putting these uncertainties in the spotlight from the start, ROM prompts project teams to consider potential risks, contingencies, and mitigation strategies.

What this all means for a project manager is project management ROM acts as a starting point – a foundation on which further plans are built. By facilitating early decision-making, guiding resource allocation, setting stakeholder expectations, and enabling proactive risk management, ROM truly proves its worth in the toolbox of project managers.

Rough Order of Magnitude Across Industries

Rough order of magnitude can be used across various industries to help guide early parts of a project. We’ve put together some examples of what this might look like for software development, construction, and event planning.

ROM Example in Software Development

Imagine you’re a project manager in a software company tasked with developing a new mobile application. Based on your experience with similar projects, you estimate the project could cost anywhere between $80,000 to $120,000 and take four to six months. This is a ROM estimate. It’s based on limited data and provides a range rather than an exact figure.

As you gather more information and the project begins, you refine your estimate. However, your ROM estimate has already helped set initial expectations with stakeholders and informed early project decisions.

Key Takeaways:

ROM estimates help provide an initial cost and time framework in industries where project specifications are likely to evolve, like software development. They facilitate early decision-making and expectation setting.

ROM Example in Construction

In the construction industry, a developer wants to build a new residential complex. Based on their experience and the size and nature of the project, they use a ROM estimate to predict that the construction cost would be between $5 million and $8 million.

This initial ROM estimate allows them to make a preliminary decision about financing the project. They can begin securing funds and deciding on key project aspects like scale, design, and materials, knowing they need to stay within that broad cost range.

Key Takeaways:

ROM estimates are a critical tool in industries like construction, where projects involve large investments. They allow for early evaluation of project feasibility and assist in making strategic decisions like securing financing and selecting project design.

ROM Example in Event Planning

Consider an event planning company that’s been approached to organize a major corporate event. The event is still in the conceptual stage with many variables undefined. The planners estimate, using ROM, that the event might cost between $20,000 to $30,000 and require three to four months of planning.

This ROM estimate helps them discuss initial ideas with their client, negotiate their fees, and start preliminary planning.

Key Takeaways:

In industries like event planning, where customer requirements can be fluid, ROM estimates provide an initial cost and time framework to start discussions and negotiations. They set the stage for detailed planning and execution to follow.

Common Misconceptions and Myths about ROM

Detailing rough estimates may not sound like a natural benefit to everyone. There are some misconceptions about ROM which can lead to people overlooking its usefulness. In this section, we will debunk some of these myths and show that using rough order of magnitude in your projects can provide useful guidance.

Myth 1: ROM is an Accurate and Final Estimate

ROM, by its very nature, is a ‘rough’ estimate. It’s a high-level, preliminary calculation based on limited data available at the early stages of a project. Some people, however, fall into the trap of viewing ROM as an accurate and final estimate.

In reality, ROM is merely a starting point that provides a broad range for cost, time, or resources. As a project progresses and more data becomes available, ROM should be refined and replaced with more detailed, definitive estimates.

Myth 2: ROM can be used throughout the project

ROM is most valuable in the early stages of a project when uncertainties are high and detailed estimates are not feasible. It’s not intended to be used throughout the life of a project. If a project manager continues to rely on ROM after the project’s details have been fleshed out, it suggests a lack of precision and understanding of the project’s intricacies.

Myth 3: ROM is a ‘wild guess’

While ROM does involve some level of guesswork, it’s far from a wild or random guess. A well-crafted ROM estimate draws upon historical data, industry benchmarks, and expert judgment. It’s a structured, thoughtful approximation, not a shot in the dark.

Understanding these myths and misconceptions is crucial to appropriately using and interpreting ROM estimates. It’s about grasping the balance between early-stage simplicity and the need for refinement as the project evolves.