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10 Best Online Project Management Tools Shortlist

Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 20 tools reviewed.

Project management tools live at the center of your project team operations. Therefore, choosing the right tool is crucial to support the execution of your project plan.

Further, you want to pick a tool that promotes team collaboration, helps you assign tasks, track progress in a project dashboard, and overall makes you look to your boss like you are Henry Gantt himself.

Every project management app on this list is an option you should consider as your next, and the comparison criteria below will help you understand what I'm looking for.

How I Picked The Best Project Management Tools

I’ve researched, reviewed and selected some of the most popular project management tools. To decide which tools to feature in this list, I weighed a variety of key factors, including the following criteria.

  1. User Interface (UI): I look at the tool's interface design and if it's easy on the eye. Some interfaces can become crowded as they increase the number of features.
  2. Usability: I analyze how easy it is to learn and navigate the app. Does the company offer good tech support, user support, tutorials, and training? Is it intuitive?
  3. Integrations: Is it easy to connect with other tools that can fill any gaps in the software, such as time tracking software, Gantt chart software, workflow management tools, and more? Any pre-built integrations?
  4. Value for $: I look at the pricing details, features it includes, and tiers (if any). In addition, I research the free trials or free versions of the software you can use to further support your decision-making.

Overview Of The 10 Best Project Management Tools

Here are overviews of the best tools on the market right now.

Best for supporting multiple methodologies

  • Freemium plan available
  • From $7/user/month
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Rating: 4.7/5

ClickUp is a project management tool with powerful features for managing and completing all your team's projects on one platform.

Why I picked ClickUp: You can plan projects, schedule tasks, and manage resources in a centralized workspace, as well as communicate and collaborate with team members and guests. The platform is visually easy on the eye despite the elevated number of features. However, I'll make it even easier for you to learn.

The content hierarchy for this platform is Workspace > Spaces > Folders > Lists > Tasks > Subtasks. Now, you can focus on learning about tasks and how to filter, sort, search for, easily reorder, and view tasks in the manner most convenient for the team.

ClickUp has close to a dozen different task views, including timeline, table, box, and board. In addition, their collaboration features focus on interactive chats, wiki-type collaborative documents, and whiteboards. Your project team can comment on documents and tasks, assign comments, and chat with other team members easily.

Finally, its reporting features allow you to create custom dashboards, as well as six built-in report types for team reporting.

ClickUp Standout Features & Integrations

Features include real-time reporting, whiteboards and shared documents for collaboration, task management with different views, goal tracking, and templates.

Integrations include native connections to Slack, G Suite, Jira software, Dropbox, and many more tools, as well as over 1,000+ integrations through Zapier.

Check out ClickUps free plan, which lets you use all features for a limited time and really know if it's the best solution for you and your team.

Best for real-time collaboration

  • Free plan available
  • From $9/user/month
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Rating: 5/5

Visor is a cloud-based project management tool that is designed to assist businesses in planning, tracking, and managing their projects.

Why I Picked Visor: With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, Visor's project management tool simplifies project planning, organization, and progress tracking. Users can easily customize project timelines, set deadlines, and assign tasks and responsibilities. 

Additionally, Visor allows for real-time collaboration and communication among team members. The software's standout feature is its ability to provide a comprehensive view of a project's progress, displaying completed tasks, upcoming deadlines, and potential roadblocks, making it easier for teams to stay on track and on schedule.

Visor Standout Features & Integrations 

Features include API, dashboards, data export/data import, data visualization, external integrations, Gantt charts, multi-user, project management, task scheduling/tracking, resource management and third-party plugins/add-ons. 

Integrations include Jira Software, Salesforce, and Hubspot.

Visor is free to use with some feature limitations. Paid plans cost from $9/users/month. 

Best for capacity planning

  • 30-day free trial
  • From $7/user/month (billed annually)
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Rating: 4.2/5

Hub Planner is an online project management and scheduling software that helps businesses manage their teams and projects with easy-to-use timelines and workflows. 

Why I Picked Hub Planner: Hub Planner stands out as an excellent online project management tool thanks to its comprehensive resource management system, advanced scheduling capabilities, time tracking feature, collaboration tools, and customizability. Resource management in Hub Planner allows businesses to efficiently allocate resources, track availability, and schedule across multiple teams and projects.

Hub Planner's Gantt chart feature provides a visual representation of project tasks, dependencies, and milestones, making it easy to monitor progress and adjust schedules accordingly. Time tracking enables teams to record their hours and track progress more accurately, while collaboration features like team calendars, project messaging, and file sharing facilitate real-time collaboration and help teams stay up-to-date. Additionally, Hub Planner is highly customizable, allowing businesses to tailor the tool to their specific needs with custom fields, templates, and reports, among other features. 

Hub Planner Standout Features & Integrations

Features include resource management, PTO planning, timesheets, reporting, skills matching, task management, templates, drag and drop scheduler, project budgets, approval flow, smart scheduler, and third-party integrations/add-ons.

Integrations include DIY options via their Hub Planner API and webhook. Or, open an account with Zapier for more options (may incur an additional cost). 

Overall, Hub Planner's robust features and flexibility make it a great choice for businesses looking for an online project management tool that can handle complex projects and teams.

Best for small business

  • Free trial available
  • From $5/user/month (billed annually).
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Rating: 4.2/5

Zoho Projects is a low-cost project management software that comes with features such as Gantt charts to plan projects, Kanban boards to organize work items, resource utilization charts to allocate work, and numerous dashboards, reports and charts to analyze and track project metrics.

Why I picked Zoho Projects: It allows team members to virtually meet online, converse over chats, discuss in comments, or collaborate within documents. Zoho Projects also provides issue tracking, budgeting and portfolio management capabilities. Additionally, your team can track their time using the timer or the check in and check out button right within Zoho Projects.

Finally, the tool lets you automate routine work processes like assigning users to work items, updating fields or sending notifications with workflow rules and blueprints. These automations can save you a considerable amount of time in the long run.

Zoho Projects Standout Features & Integrations

Features include task management, task automation, blueprints, time and issue tracking, reporting, and forums for detailed discussions with your team.

Integrations include tools such as Google Drive, Google Calendar, Slack, Github, Bitbucket, and Dropbox. Access even more integrations through Zapier. Additionally, being part of the Zoho ecosystem allows you to connect to several of Zoho’s other services such as Zoho Books and Zoho’s finance suite.

Zoho Projects has a free plan that you can use for a limited number of projects and test if it's the right option for you.

Best for collaborative whiteboarding & visualization

  • Free plan available
  • From $10/user/month
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Rating: 4.8/5

Miro serves as an online collaborative whiteboard platform, distinguished by its wide selection of over 1,000 templates suitable for various project management applications, including mind maps, Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and more.

Why I picked Miro: Miro's platform supports project management through features like built-in video conferencing, Agile workflows, and wireframing tools. Key functionalities include task visualization by sprint, status, and team, which simplifies project planning and execution.

The platform's integration with Jira also allows for direct project tracking within Miro, and its Dependencies App aids in identifying task dependencies across sprints, improving project flow and resource management. These features collectively support a comprehensive and visually interactive project management experience.

Miro Standout Features and Integrations

Features include real-time collaboration tools, such as sticky notes and comments, an infinite canvas, custom frames and shapes, presentation mode, TalkTrack to record process explanation videos, Miro Assist AI, document and image embedding, voting and polling features, mind mapping tools, screen sharing, timeline and roadmap planning, access control and permissions management.

Integrations include Zoom, Figma, Asana, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Slack, Monday.com, Confluence, Google Drive, Box, Airtable, Notion, Azure, and Webex. Some integrations are limited to paid plans only.

Miro is free to use for unlimited members with up to 3 editable boards. Paid plans start at $8/user/month (billed annually).

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Free forever plan available
  • Intuitive and easy setup
  • Built-in communication features for streamlined collaboration

Cons:

  • Visitor/guest accounts locked to paid plans only
  • Zooming can be jumpy on larger projects
  • Free version does not allow high-quality export to pdf

Best for remote team collaboration

  • Free plan available
  • From $3/user/month
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Rating: 4.7/5

FigJam by Figma is an online whiteboard tool designed to facilitate collaborative brainstorming and ideation among teams.

Why I picked FigJam: FigJam is an excellent tool to use either in conjunction with another project management tool or by itself to help remote teams brainstorm, plan, and organize project-related information, such as plans and workflows, both asynchronously and in real-time. It also allows users to create flowcharts, mind maps, and diagrams that can clarify project scopes, processes, and responsibilities. 

The tool offers features such as sticky notes, shapes, connectors, and drawing tools to help teams map out ideas and processes. FigJam also supports real-time collaboration, enabling multiple participants to contribute to the board simultaneously. Users can add comments and reactions to provide feedback and express opinions, which can be particularly useful for ensuring that all team members can contribute to remote or distributed team meetings. 

FigJam Standout Features & Integrations

Features include cursor chat, which displays short messages next to the user's cursor, widgets like timers, voting, and sorting, and built-in audio tools that allow for verbal discussion while collaborating on the whiteboard.

Integrations include Asana, Jira, Github, and Bitmoji.

FigJam costs from $3/user/month. A free plan is also available.

Best for team management

  • 14-day free trial
  • Pricing plan from $39/month (min 5 seats).
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Rating: 4.7/5

Nifty is a project management software with roadmapping, task management, and reporting tools. It also has time tracking, live chat, forms, and file management to support collaboration and team management.

Why I picked Nifty: This platform offers comprehensive project management features. You can develop roadmaps, assign tasks, create dependencies, set deadlines, and automate repetitive tasks. It has various views so you can oversee your work in whatever way is most helpful to your context.

In addition to its project and task tracking tools, the software has live chat and file sharing to help team members collaborate on their work. Employees can track their time in the system, helping you get an accurate picture of how much time goes into various tasks and projects. You can also create reports to better understand team performance.

Nifty Standout Features and Integrations

Features include Gantt charts, Kanban boards, swimlane and calendar views, project homes, task management, document and file sharing, in-app messenger, time tracking, workflow automation, form builder, and portfolio management.

Integrations include Slack, Zoom, Harvest, Github, Miro, Typeform, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Microsoft Suite, and Webex. You can import existing project data from Jira, Asana, Basecamp, Clickup, Wrike, Trello, or a .CSV file. Additional integrations can be configured with Zapier.

Best for small and medium teams

  • 15-day free trial + free version available
  • From $5.95/user/month
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Rating: 4.6/5

Paymo is the best project management tool for small and medium teams, especially in digital, creative, and marketing ecosystems. It gives freelancers and teams all the needed features to lead a project from planning to payment.

Why I picked Paymo: It keeps your PM tools in one place to help you manage projects and tasks, track work time, and bill clients from one platform. Create workflows and templates for your tasks, assign multiple users, collaborate in real-time, and monitor the progress by switching between multiple views including Kanban. Track time spent on tasks and projects and turn those timesheets into reports and invoices.

You can manage everything on the go using the mobile app for both iOS and Android. Use the app for its native stopwatch, add time manually or in bulk and see who’s working on what through the ‘active timers’ view. You have all the tasks in place, which you can group by priority, progress, or due date.

Paymo Standout Features & Integrations

Features include file proofing, invoicing an estimates, a leave planner, in-app time tracking, multiple project views, and workload information using the team scheduler.

Integrations include Google, Slack, Jotform, Pabbly, Google Calendar and thousands more available through Zapier.

Free for freelancers and teams of up to 10 users. Paymo comes with a 15-day free trial.

Best for all-in-one project accounting

  • Free demo available
  • From $29/user/month (min 10 seats, billed annually)
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Rating: 4.7/5

Forecast is a project management tool that unites your projects, resources, and financials in one AI-powered platform. Project managers can leverage Forecast’s workflow automation capabilities to create smart schedules, estimate timeframes and budgets, and populate timesheets instantly.

Why I picked Forecast: You can control the workflow by building out detailed task lists and flagging clear priorities. Task cards allow every team member to easily comment, share files, and register time spent. Everything related to the specific task appears in one place, including dependencies and subtasks. You can put together projects for any type of work: fixed price, time and material, or retainer.

Forecast’s AI learns from previous work and suggests the number of hours you normally register on similar tasks to help you log time faster. You can monitor time registrations from a team perspective and notify each member if they forget to enter something in. Time tracking utilization on a company-wide level is calculated for you for easy alerts, estimates, and reporting.

Forecast Standout Features & Integrations

Features include resource management, project accounting, business intelligence, retainer budget-type projects, auto-schedule, and AI-based recommendations.

Integrations include Slack, Microsoft Teams, iCloud Calendar, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Outlook, Harvest, Trello, Asana, GitLab, Github, and dozens more using a paid plan through Zapier. Higher-tier subscriptions include native integrations with Timelog, Xero, QuickBooks Online, JIRA, Azure DevOps, Salesforce, Okta, OneLogin, and Azure Active Directory.

Forecast cost from $29/user/month with a minimum of 10 users and offers a 14-day free trial.

Best for client work

  • 30-day free trial
  • From $10/user/month (billed annually)
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Rating: 4.4/5

Used by the likes of PayPal and Disney, Teamwork is a project management tool that focuses on centralizing all your client work in one platform. Therefore, it contains a full suite of tools, including project management, helpdesk, team chat, CRM, and content collaboration called 'Spaces.'

One of their outstanding features is 'Portfolio' makes it easy for project managers to get a high-level overview of multiple projects at once. Use Portfolio to see every project represented as a card and manage them all from one central place. Other features include time tracking, resource management, unlimited client users, and automations.

Teamwork’s chat app introduces easy communication seamlessly into your workflow, be it internal messaging or external client-facing collaboration. With one central place for users to share ideas and look for feedback, your project teams can reach a consensus and make decisions faster.

Teamwork integrates with over a hundred apps, including Gmail, HubSpot, Slack, Float, KingswaySoft, Databox, Numerics, Automate.io, Easy Insights, Integromat, and Chatify. Plus, you can always connect through Zapier with thousands more.

Teamwork has a freemium plan for up to 3 projects and 5 users. Their paid plan starts at $10/user/month, requiring 5 users or more.

The Best Project Management Tools Comparison Chart

Nothing like a nice table with summarized information on what we just discussed.

Tools Price
ClickUp From $7/user/month
Visor From $9/user/month
Hub Planner From $7/user/month (billed annually)
Zoho Projects From $5/user/month (billed annually).
Miro From $10/user/month
FigJam by Figma From $3/user/month
Nifty Pricing plan from $39/month (min 5 seats).
Paymo From $5.95/user/month
Forecast From $29/user/month (min 10 seats, billed annually)
Teamwork.com From $10/user/month (billed annually)
Preview Image - <h2 class="c-block__title b-summary-table__title c-listicle__title h3" > Compare Software Specs Side by Side</h2>

Compare Software Specs Side by Side

Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.

Compare Software

Other Project Management Tool Options

Here are a few more tools that didn’t make the top list.

  1. Hubstaff

    Best free online project management tool

  2. KeepSolid Goals

    Best project tracking tool with roadmap and goal map functionality.

  3. FunctionFox

    Best project management tool for creative teams and agencies

  4. Basecamp

    Best for a simple, straightforward user interface

  5. ProWorkflow

    Project planning and workflow platform that helps you assign staff, track time or reschedule projects, quote and invoice your clients.

  6. nutcache

    Project management tool with mobile time tracking functionality and capable of processing invoices.

  7. GoodDay

    Best for detailed task and action tracking

  8. RAIDLOG.com

    Best with a focus on risk management

  9. Height

    Best project management tool for its AI-based task management

  10. TeamGantt

    Gantt chart maker software to manage complex projects.

Project Management Tools FAQs

Find answers to common questions around this topic.

What are the different types of project management tools?

Below, I’ve listed the software reviews I’ve written according to the type of tools they cover so you can check out the other project management platform lists on The Digital Project Manager site and find the best project management software for your needs

What's Next?

If you are just getting started in project management, I recommend you read our article on how to become a digital PM. Otherwise, why not refresh your memory by reading the common types of project constraints and how to manage them?

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