Did you know that 77% of high-performing projects use project planning software? It’s clear this technology helps immensely in keeping projects on track. Yet only 22% of organizations actually use it.
If you’re one of the 78% that doesn’t use project planning software, then it’s time for a change. Not only can it help you cut down on manual work, but it can also improve workplace efficiency.
Interested in hearing more? Here are 10 tools you should consider.
Trello
Best for:
- Tasks scope visualization
- Workflow automation
With Trello, you can easily visualize tasks through boards, lists, and cards. You can assign stakeholders to the cards, as well as drag and drop them to different boards.
In addition, there’s the Butler AI available, which allows you to automate workflows. Because it’s so easy to use, Trello can even be utilized for individual projects or even personal tasks.
Trello has a free plan, which does have its limitations. But if you’re working with a small team (or alone), the available functions should be more than enough.
monday.com
Best for:
- Teamwork
- Progress tracking
monday.com is a platform that allows you to neatly put all tasks down in a list. You can make categories, such as month and weekly tasks.
If you like visuals, you’ll be pleased to know that you can assign pictures to stakeholders, see a timeline progress bar, and make status color codes. You can also automate tasks.
The most basic plan starts at $10 per user (up to 5), per month. monday.com does have a free trial available.
JIRA
Best for:
- Agile teams
- Integration with developer tools
If you run agile teams, then you’ll want to check out JIRA. This software combines scrum, kanban, and mixed methodology.
Like the other programs on this list, you can automate tasks for better efficiency. You can also integrate JIRA with other developer tools, like Confluence.
JIRA is available for free (up to 10 users). Otherwise, their plans for up to 100 users are very affordable.
Asana
Best for:
- Collaboration
- Team communication
Asana functions very similarly to monday.com. Asana focuses more on the collaboration side of things, while monday.com focuses more on complete project management. So this tool has slightly fewer features than monday.com.
However, it’s great for team communication and management. Asana will help you track tasks and share resources better.
This tool has a free plan, but most organizations will need to use the most basic plan, which you can try for free.
Microsoft Project
Best for:
- Project portfolio management
- Custom workflow
If you like to stick to Microsoft programs and tools, you might want to give Microsoft Project a try. It’s great for all projects, small or big.
Microsoft Project’s strength is in project portfolio management. Also, it supports scrum, kanban, and custom workflows. This leaves you free to use whatever methodology you prefer.
Prices start at $10 per user, per month.
Backlog
Best for:
- Linux
- Roadmap overview
For those of you using Linux, you don’t have many choices when it comes to project planning software. Thankfully, Backlog is the perfect one for you, especially if you’re in the software development industry.
You’ll get boards similar to those on Trello and task assignments like with monday.com. You’ll also get a streamlined way to view roadmaps and track bugs.
Backlog has a free version that includes up to 10 users.
ProWorkflow
Best for:
- Mobile devices
- Designers
Need a mobile project planning tool? Then download ProWorkflow. You can use it on any touchscreen device!
ProWorkflow comes with an Adobe extension app, which means you can access tasks and projects without leaving any design you have open. It also has Microsoft Teams integration, so you’ll have full chat support.
This tool costs $20 per month, per user (no limit).
Freedcamp
Best for:
- Milestones tracking
- Wiki creation
Freedcamp is software that utilizes cloud computing for project management. You can view a calendar, have discussions, and list milestones for your project. You can even put together a wiki for all documents.
What’s great about Freedcamp is this tool can send notifications, which can keep all stakeholders up-to-date about projects. This means they have a mobile app as well.
Freedcamp is available for free with unlimited essential features.
Wrike
Best for:
- IT projects
- Integrations
Wrike is a fantastic tool for IT project management. Choose from pre-built templates to save on time. You can also create custom workflows.
If you’d like to integrate Wrike with other tools, then it’ll be easy to do so. This is because it provides you with APIs for you to build these integrations. This makes Wrike ideal for medium to large-sized projects.
You can use Wrike for free if you have under 5 users.
ProjectManager.com
Best for:
- Medium and large companies
- Real-time overview
How can we have a list of project management tools without including one called ProjectManager? ProjectManager is best used for medium to large-sized businesses.
This tool has a simple and easy to use dashboard where you can see information in real-time. For visual workers, this is excellent, as you can do workload management and tracking easily from the dashboard.
Prices start at $15 per user (up to 5 users), per month. There is a free trial available.
Bonus: actiTIME
Best for:
- Project time tracking
- Increased productivity
In addition to project management software, you’ll probably also need extra tools to help you manage your teams and company. In that case, you should try out actiTIME.
actiTIME is time tracking software that allows you to easily assign work to your team, as well as record everyone’s work hours. When you combine this with project management software, it’ll streamline your workload and help you make your teams more efficient by allowing you to identify bottlenecks.
Find the Best Project Planning Software for Your Needs
Now you have a fantastic list of the best project planning software in 2020.
The next step is to give the ones that interest you a try. By taking a hands-on approach, you’ll find out if a platform is suited for your personal needs and preferences.
Considering many of these offer free trials, make sure you take your time and figure out the best project planning software for your company. It’ll be well worth it when you feel all your stress melt away.
