10 Best Task Management Software List
The Reclaim 2022 Task Management Productivity Trends Report defends the use of task management software, noting up to a 41% increase in productivity when the question "What to do next?" is already answered by your to-do list tool of choice.
Of course, if you aren’t a fan of high-tech solutions, you can always use a simple task management approach. You can rely on generic programs with note-taking and organization functions like Google Sheets, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel. These require more manual input from the user, though.
Sophisticated task tracking tools can help you go beyond a simple to-do list. The best task planner apps will help you stay organized, provide micro and macro points of view of your workflow, identify delays and problem areas, and keep everyone on the same page.
This article will help you quickly compare and evaluate the 15 best task management software on the market today.
If you have questions about task management software, go to our FAQ at the bottom of the page. Or, you can jump right to the best task management software overviews if you're ready to start comparing.
How I Selected the Best Task Management Software
If you're wondering how I selected the best task management software, here's where I'll break it all down for you. First of all, I started with task management software that have high user review and satisfaction ratings. Then, using my experience in digital project management, I discerned what key criteria were most important for task management software and compared how each of them stacked up against the rest.
After careful consideration, I've determined that these are the most important criteria when selecting the best task management software.
User Interface
When it comes to task management software reviews, user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) play a major role in my decision-making process. A great UI should be intuitive and easy to use; not only does this create better customer experiences, but it can also drastically reduce onboarding and training costs for businesses. Additionally, UX design helps users navigate websites and apps quickly and accurately by using effective visual cues, making it easier for users to access information they need in order to do their jobs efficiently.
Usability
Usability is an important factor to consider when selecting task management software. It refers to how intuitive and user-friendly a software is and can be the deciding factor in whether or not it’s suitable for your needs. Task management software has become increasingly sophisticated over the years and some programs are more complex than others. It’s important to ensure that your choice of software is easy to navigate so that you can use all its features with ease. Not only will this save time but it will improve productivity as fewer mistakes are likely to be made if users don’t have to wrestle with complicated interfaces.
Software Integrations
Software integration allows programs and applications from different providers to work together seamlessly and efficiently. This provides businesses with easier access to data, faster workflow processes, improved scalability, and enhanced communication between systems – all of which are essential components of success for any organization. In each task management software review, I consider whether integration capabilities for each tool are available out-of-the-box or if they need to be added on as an extra cost or feature.
Pricing
As you can see from my list below, task management software pricing ranges from totally free to $99+/month. This depends on what features you want, how many users you need, the types of integrations you require, and other considerations. If you just need a basic to-do list, there are tons of free task management software options.
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The Best Task Management Software Summary Chart
| Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best for visual project planning | Free plan available | From $9/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 2 | Best for Salesforce-native project management | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 3 | Best for scaling organizations | Free trial + free demo available | From $9/member/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 4 | Best for handling project lifecycles | 14-day free trial + free demo available | From $8/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 5 | Best for customizability | 30-day free trial | From $35/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 6 | Best for team collaboration | Free plan available | From $13/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 7 | Best for milestone tracking | Free plan available | From $39/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 8 | Best for cross-device task synchronization | 14-day free trial available | From $7/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 9 | Best for custom workflows | 30-day free trial + free demo available | From $24/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 10 | Best for developers | Free plan + free 30-day trial available | From $35/month (up to 30 users) | Website |
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Checkr
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.5 -
Paycor
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.3 -
Deel HR
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.8
Overviews Of The 15 Best Task Management Tools
Here are detailed overviews of the best task management tools available right now:
For those seeking a task management solution that fits into diverse workflows, monday.com presents an adaptable platform tailored to your team's needs. Whether you're coordinating a project in a creative agency or managing tasks in a tech startup, monday.com offers customizable workflows, facilitating real-time collaboration and task prioritization. By improving communication and providing insightful overviews of team performance, it addresses the challenges of managing dynamic teams and complex projects, making it an ideal choice for enhancing productivity and cohesion across various industries.
Why I Picked monday.com
I picked monday.com for its exceptional visual project planning capabilities that make it a standout choice for task management software. The platform's visual boards, including Kanban, timeline, and calendar views, allow your team to track tasks and project timelines effectively, ensuring everyone stays aligned and reducing miscommunication. Additionally, the customizable dashboards provide real-time insights into project progress and team performance, enabling informed decision-making. With these features, monday.com addresses the challenge of managing complex projects by enhancing team collaboration and boosting productivity.
monday.com Key Features
In addition to its visual project planning capabilities, monday.com offers several features that enhance your team's task management experience.
- Automations: Automate repetitive tasks and workflows to save time and ensure consistency across your projects.
- Time Tracking: Monitor how much time is spent on each task, helping your team manage workloads and improve productivity.
- File Sharing: Share and store files directly within tasks, ensuring that all necessary documents are accessible to everyone involved.
- Collaborative Docs: Create and edit documents together in real-time, fostering collaboration and keeping all team members on the same page.
monday.com Integrations
Integrations include Slack, Gmail, Microsoft Teams, Google Calendar, Trello, Dropbox, Excel, Zoom, HubSpot, and Salesforce.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Versatile platform suitable for diverse industries and teams.
- Helpful visual/color coding customization
- Long list of supported integrations
Cons:
- Limited file storage on basic plans (5GB).
- Gantt charts locked to mid-level plan
New Product Updates from monday.com
monday.com Adds Managed Columns Across Boards
monday.com adds Managed Column to let teams standardize and reuse column labels across multiple boards from a single source of truth. The update helps organizations maintain consistency, clarity, and centralized control at scale. For more information, visit monday.com’s official site.
TaskRay is a Salesforce-native task management solution that lets teams organize projects, assign tasks, customize workflows, and collaborate directly within the Salesforce platform.
Who Is TaskRay Best For?
TaskRay is a strong fit for Salesforce-centric teams in industries like SaaS, finance, or professional services that need integrated project and task management.
Why I Picked TaskRay
I picked TaskRay as one of the best because it’s built directly on Salesforce, so my team can manage projects and tasks without leaving our CRM. I like how we can automate project creation from Salesforce opportunities and use native reporting to track progress. The ability to customize task workflows within Salesforce helps us align project management with our sales and service processes.
TaskRay Key Features
- Kanban board views: Visualize and organize tasks using drag-and-drop Kanban boards.
- Checklist templates: Standardize recurring processes with reusable task checklists.
- Time tracking: Log and monitor time spent on individual tasks and projects.
- Role-based permissions: Control access to projects and tasks based on user roles within Salesforce.
TaskRay Integrations
TaskRay is built natively on Salesforce and leverages Salesforce’s platform integrations. It offers an API for custom integrations.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Provides detailed project progress dashboards
- Offers reusable project and task templates
- Supports granular role-based permissions
Cons:
- Customization depends on Salesforce admin skills
- Requires Salesforce subscription to use
Smartsheet is a versatile platform that caters to professionals and teams seeking a reliable task management solution. With its unique approach to project management, Smartsheet offers a familiar spreadsheet-like interface that can be particularly appealing to those in industries such as marketing, construction, and IT. The platform addresses the need for streamlined collaboration and workflow automation, making it easier for teams to stay organized and aligned on their objectives.
Why I Picked Smartsheet
I picked Smartsheet because it stands out as an ideal choice for scaling organizations, thanks to its powerful automation capabilities and customizable dashboards. The platform's automation features allow you to set up workflows that can handle repetitive tasks, freeing up your team's time for more strategic work. Additionally, Smartsheet's dashboards provide real-time visibility into project progress, enabling you to make informed decisions quickly. These features make Smartsheet a valuable tool for businesses looking to grow without getting bogged down by administrative tasks.
Smartsheet Key Features
In addition to its scalability, Smartsheet offers several features that enhance task management for any team.
- Gantt Charts: Visualize project timelines and dependencies to keep your team on track.
- Kanban Boards: Organize tasks in a visually intuitive way to improve workflow management.
- Resource Management: Allocate and monitor resources effectively to ensure project efficiency.
- Automated Alerts: Keep everyone informed with automatic notifications for task updates and deadlines.
Smartsheet Integrations
Integrations include Jira, Power BI, Salesforce, SAP, ServiceNow, Tableau, Workday, Slack, Adobe Creative Cloud, and DocuSign.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Real-time collaboration on shared documents enhances teamwork.
- Excel-like interface simplifies data management and collaboration.
- Effective task management with robust automation tools.
Cons:
- Jira, Salesforce, Dynamics connector limited to Premier plan
- Limited data visualization options compared to other tools.
New Product Updates from Smartsheet
Smartsheet Adds AI Dashboard and Chart Creation
Smartsheet now lets you create dashboards with AI by describing what you need in natural language, selecting up to five sheets, and generating a preview with up to 10 widgets, plus AI chart creation and editing in the dashboard editor. For more information, visit Smartsheet's official site.
For teams navigating the complexities of task management, Workzone offers a solution that addresses the unique challenges faced in industries such as marketing, IT, and operations. Designed to facilitate collaboration and streamline processes, Workzone appeals to professionals seeking a tool that enhances teamwork and project visibility.
Why I Picked Workzone
I picked Workzone because of its exceptional ability to simplify task management across project lifecycles. The software's project tracking feature allows you to keep tabs on every aspect of your projects, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. Additionally, the intake organization through request forms simplifies the process of managing requests and approvals, providing your team with a clear structure to follow. These features directly address the need for organized task management, particularly for teams juggling multiple projects.
Workzone Key Features
In addition to its project tracking and request form capabilities, I like that Workzone offers:
- Collaboration Tools: Facilitate real-time communication and feedback sharing, helping your team stay aligned on project goals.
- Document Proofing and Approvals: Streamline the review process with tools that allow for easy document sharing and editing.
- Pre-Built Reports: Access workload and budget management reports to gain insights into project performance and resource allocation.
- Industry-Specific Templates: Utilize over 1,000 templates to quickly launch projects tailored to your industry’s needs.
Workzone Integrations
Integrations include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Salesforce, Box, Dropbox, Outlook, Excel, SharePoint, and an API for custom integrations.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Offers real-time project visibility for better team coordination.
- Features pre-built templates for quick project initiation.
- Ensures unlimited training and support for all users.
Cons:
- May lack advanced features compared to larger competitors.
- Customization options may not meet all needs.
New Product Updates from Workzone
Workzone Improved Project Creation and Document Approvals
Workzone introduced redesigned Documents module beta, a guided Add Project flow beta, and new admin improvements to simplify project setup and approval workflows. For more information, visit Workzone’s official site.
Quickbase offers a unique solution for those seeking to simplify complex project management tasks. If you're a professional in industries like construction, telecommunications, or retail, Quickbase's ability to centralize project data and enhance team collaboration can help you keep your projects on track and within budget. The platform's low-code development feature allows you to customize applications to meet your specific needs without requiring extensive programming knowledge, making it an appealing choice for organizations looking to streamline their project management processes.
Why I Picked Quickbase
I picked Quickbase for its outstanding customizability, making it a standout choice for task management software. One of the key features is its low-code application development capability, allowing you to tailor workflows and applications to suit your specific project needs without extensive coding. Additionally, Quickbase's ability to centralize data offers your team real-time visibility into project progress, enhancing collaboration and decision-making. These features make Quickbase an ideal choice for organizations that require a flexible and adaptable task management solution.
Quickbase Key Features
In addition to its customizability, Quickbase offers a variety of features that enhance task management:
- Automations: Streamline repetitive tasks by automating workflows, reducing manual effort, and minimizing errors.
- Mobile Access: Manage your tasks and projects on the go with Quickbase's mobile capabilities, ensuring you stay connected wherever you are.
- Integrations: Connect Quickbase with other tools and platforms you use daily to create a seamless workflow across your organization.
- Reporting Tools: Generate detailed reports to gain insights into project performance, helping you make informed decisions and optimize your processes.
Quickbase Integrations
Integrations include Salesforce, Google Drive, Slack, Microsoft Office 365, Dropbox, DocuSign, Mailchimp, Zendesk, QuickBooks, and HubSpot. Additionally, Quickbase offers API access for custom integrations tailored to your specific needs.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Highly customizable to suit various business contexts
- Offers low-code application development, enabling non-technical user participation.
- Highly customizable to suit various business contexts
Cons:
- Some features come as paid add-ons
- Not all integrations are available with all plans
MeisterTask is designed for creative teams and marketing professionals, offering an intuitive, Kanban-style interface to visualize projects and enhance collaboration without extensive onboarding. By focusing on streamlining workflows and reducing reliance on meetings and emails, MeisterTask helps your team stay organized and productive, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a user-friendly solution to manage tasks effectively.
Why I Picked MeisterTask
I picked MeisterTask because it excels in fostering team collaboration, which is crucial for any task management tool. Its Kanban-style boards allow your team to visualize tasks and workflows clearly, facilitating better communication and coordination. Additionally, the real-time updates ensure everyone stays informed about project progress without constant meetings. The ability to automate repetitive tasks further enhances productivity, allowing your team to focus on more strategic activities.
MeisterTask Key Features
In addition to its collaborative strengths, MeisterTask offers several features that support efficient task management:
- Task Assignment: Easily assign tasks to team members and set due dates to ensure accountability and timely completion.
- Time Tracking: Monitor how much time is spent on tasks to improve productivity and resource allocation.
- Customizable Dashboards: Create personalized dashboards to view tasks and projects that matter most to your team.
- Recurring Tasks: Automate repetitive tasks by setting them to recur at specified intervals, reducing manual workload.
MeisterTask Integrations
Integrations include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Dropbox, GitHub, Bitbucket, Box, Zapier, Microsoft Outlook, and MindMeister. An API is also available for custom integrations.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- User-friendly interface with intuitive functionality
- Includes the ability to automate recurring steps
- Gantt-style timeline feature for scheduling tasks on a calendar
Cons:
- Recurring tasks limited to paid users
- No subtasks possible, only checklist items
Nifty brings together task management, collaboration, and communication tools into a single platform, making it an ideal choice for teams looking to enhance efficiency and streamline operations. Designed for businesses across industries such as engineering, marketing, and client management, Nifty helps you keep projects on track with its visual roadmaps and real-time collaboration features. By integrating tasks, discussions, and documentation into one cohesive environment, Nifty addresses the challenge of fragmented workflows, offering a centralized solution that promotes seamless team coordination and productivity.
Why I Picked Nifty
I picked Nifty for its standout capability in milestone tracking, a key feature that sets it apart in the realm of task management software. With its intuitive roadmaps feature, Nifty allows your team to visualize project milestones and deadlines, ensuring everyone stays aligned and focused on achieving goals. The platform's ability to link tasks directly to these milestones provides clarity and accountability, which I find especially valuable for teams managing complex projects. Additionally, Nifty’s dynamic progress reporting offers real-time insights into project status, keeping your team informed and proactive.
Nifty Key Features
In addition to its excellent milestone tracking, Nifty offers several other features that enhance task management:
- In-App Chat: Facilitates real-time communication within projects, keeping your team connected without leaving the platform.
- Time Tracking: Enables you to monitor how much time is spent on each task, helping your team stay within budget and manage resources effectively.
- Document Management: Allows you to create and store project-related documents directly within Nifty, ensuring all necessary information is easily accessible.
- Custom Workflows: Provides flexibility in managing tasks by allowing you to customize workflows to suit your team’s processes and preferences.
Nifty Integrations
Integrations include Harvest, Webex, Zoom, Slack, GitHub, Microsoft Suite, Google Suite, Miro, and Typeform. Nifty also provides an API for custom integrations.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Drag-and-drop interface facilitates easy task organization.
- Reliable syncing across apps ensures up-to-date information access.
- Easy document storage, creation, and management.
Cons:
- Time tracking & reporting is available with paid account only.
- Guests & clients can only be invited on paid plans.
Google Workspace includes a set of integrated applications built for productivity and collaboration, which makes it a practical option for teams that need basic task management. With tools like Google Tasks, Calendar, and Gmail, you can capture, organize, and prioritize tasks directly within the apps you already use. Whether you’re managing personal to-dos or coordinating team work, everything stays connected in one system, reducing the friction of switching between tools.
Why I Picked Google Workspace
I picked Google Workspace because task management is built into the same tools most teams already rely on for email, scheduling, and documents. Google Tasks lets you turn emails in Gmail into tasks, so important messages don’t get buried in your inbox. Its integration with Google Calendar allows you to schedule tasks, assign due dates, and set reminders, so your deadlines are visible alongside meetings. Together, these features create a single environment where communication and task tracking happen side by side, making it easier for teams to stay aligned.
Google Workspace Key Features
In addition to these core functionalities, Google Workspace offers several other features that enhance task management:
- Task Delegation: Assign tasks within shared Google Docs, automatically populating the assignee's task list.
- Recurring Tasks: Set tasks to repeat automatically, ensuring ongoing responsibilities are managed without manual input.
- Device Syncing: Sync tasks across devices logged into the same Google Account, enabling seamless access from both mobile and desktop.
- Multiple Access Points: Access Google Tasks via tasks.google.com or within the side panels of Gmail, Calendar, Chat, and Drive.
Google Workspace Integrations
Integrations include Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Meet, Google Chat, Google Keep, Google Sites, Google Forms, and Google Slides.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Real-time document task assignment
- Calendar-based task scheduling
- Native Gmail task conversion
Cons:
- Basic reporting and analytics tools
- Limited advanced project management
New Product Updates from Google Workspace
Google Workspace Enhances Email Proofreading In Gmail
Google Workspace introduces enhanced email proofreading in gmail. This update uses gemini to refine drafts for clarity, tone, and conciseness before sending. For more information, visit Google Workspace’s official site.
Kintone offers a flexible task management solution for teams aiming to coordinate their workflows and improve collaboration. Ideal for sectors like healthcare, education, and real estate, it centralizes tasks, data, and communication. By integrating conversations with data and automating workflows, Kintone tackles issues like fragmented information and inefficient task tracking, making it a standout choice for those seeking a customizable task management tool.
Why I Picked Kintone
I picked Kintone for its unique ability to create custom workflows that cater specifically to your team's needs. Its drag-and-drop interface allows you to design workflows that automate repetitive tasks, making your processes more efficient. With Kintone, you can integrate conversations directly within your databases, ensuring that all relevant discussions are easily accessible and eliminating information silos. This feature is particularly beneficial for teams that require seamless communication and data tracking in their task management software.
Kintone Key Features
In addition to its custom workflow capabilities, Kintone offers a range of features designed to enhance task management:
- Dynamic Databases: Convert spreadsheets into interactive databases, providing a centralized location for all your team's data.
- Integrated Communication: Embed discussions within databases, making past conversations easily retrievable and ensuring all team members are on the same page.
- Granular Permissions: Control access to data and applications with detailed permission settings, ensuring security and privacy.
- App Templates: Utilize a variety of customizable app templates for different functions, streamlining the process of setting up new workflows.
Kintone Integrations
Integrations include Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Evernote, OneDrive, Zapier, Salesforce, and Tableau.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Data is easy to pull and manipulate into good looking reports
- Admin accounts have access to tons of customization tools
- Flexible pricing that includes special deals for schools and NPOs
Cons:
- Limited to 5GB/user storage on every pricing tier
- No single-user plan available (minimum 5 users)
Backlog is a task management tool for product and project managers, as well as developers on their teams. The tool is available both as a self-hosted solution and as a SaaS, which makes it scalable to fit small teams or enterprises with thousands of users. In my opinion, this makes it stand apart from other competitors that only offer cloud solutions. An app for both Android and iOS is also available, so clients and teams can access the tool from mobile devices.
Why I Picked Backlog: I chose this software because it has an intuitive interface. Users can view and make edits to projects and calendars using task updates, Kanban-style Boards, and Gantt charts. I also appreciate how it enables pull requests, merge requests, and branches, and it provides features for code review and collaboration (wiki, Git, and Subversion repositories).
Backlog Standout Features & Integrations
Features include a built-in bug tracking feature that allows teams to report, assign, and resolve issues alongside project tasks. Additionally, Backlog’s task hierarchy feature enables users to create parent and child tasks, offering a clear structure for managing complex projects while maintaining flexibility and organization.
Integrations include Typetalk, Cacoo, Redmine, Jira Importer, iCal, email, and Google Sheets. You can build additional custom integrations through Backlog’s API.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Easy bug identification and logging
- Can customize the issue characteristics for each project
- Easily separate tasks through projects and milestones
Cons:
- Difficult to backup all contents and versioning
- Can’t sort using multiple filters at the same time
Other Task Software
Here’s a few more that didn’t make the top list. If you need additional suggestions for handy task management software, check these out.
- ProofHub
For visual task tracking
- Teamwork.com
For project tracking
- Basecamp
For personal use
- beSlick
For process improvement
- FunctionFox
For creative teams
- ProjectManager
For real-time dashboards
- Confluence
For team knowledge sharing
- Jira Service Management
For IT and service teams
- Ravetree
For versatile project frameworks
- Height
For cross-functional task management
- Swit
For a built-in chat
- GanttPRO
For Gantt chart timelines
- Quire
For nested task lists
- Connecteam
For mobile usage
- Ayoa
For online task whiteboards
- Hubstaff
For task reporting & analytics
- Celoxis
For real-time project insights
- ProWorkflow
For time tracking and resource planning
- Deltek Replicon Time
For billable and non-billable tasks
Task Management Software FAQs
Here are a few questions I get a lot about task management tools.
What is a task management tool?
What is task management software used for?
Are there other task system options?
What is the best task management software?
What is the difference between task management and project management?
What's Next?
If you're in the process of researching task management softwares, connect with a SoftwareSelect advisor for free recommendations.
You fill out a form and have a quick chat where they get into the specifics of your needs. Then you'll get a shortlist of software to review. They'll even support you through the entire buying process, including price negotiations.
