Project management software is no longer a nice add-on. It’s an essential tool that helps companies effectively organize workflows and achieve more impactful results with less effort. More importantly, this tool makes it easy for everyone — whether they work in-house or remotely — to stay on track without juggling multiple spreadsheets.
The catch? Not all project management solutions are designed equal. Some of them are designed for small teams, while others come loaded with features, making them better suited for big companies. So, before choosing one, it’s important to do your homework.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular project management software that’s been widely used by various teams across the world. We’ll look at their core features and discuss who they are best suited for, so you can make an informed choice when picking one for your business needs. Sit tight, and let’s get right into it. And if you manage distributed teams, resources like this remote team management guide can help you understand what features actually support smooth collaboration.
What Makes a Great Project Management Tool
Before we move on to discussing the trending project management software, let’s start by defining what separates good software from the rest. At the end of the day, the last thing you want is to get a tool your whole team will hate. Your perfect software should feel like a helpful extension, not a burden.
Here are the key features to look at when choosing a tool:
- Ease of use – You don’t want to pay for a course to learn how to create a task or track progress; the tool should be user-friendly and easy to use.
- Scalability – It’s important to look for software that can be easily scaled as your team becomes bigger.
- Collaboration features – A good project management software should come with a bunch of features, making it easy for your team to communicate, update tasks, and share documents.
- Integrations – If you already use some other tools, it’s worth investing in a project management platform that can seamlessly integrate with them.
- Automation – If you want to speed up production and save time, consider solutions with built-in automation features.
- User-friendly interface – Your ideal software should come with a clear and user-friendly interface so you can understand what’s going on at a glance.
Of course, the budget also matters. If you’re working on a budget, it might make more sense to start with an inexpensive tool to see how well it suits you. Once you see the payoff, you can then decide if you want something more advanced and feature-rich. Alternatively, you can opt for a software at a lower price and upgrade it as you go.
10 Most Trending Project Management Software Worth Checking Out
Now that we’ve covered the key criteria worth checking out when making your choice, it’s time to look at the top solutions available in the market. Below, we’ve picked our favorites.
- ClickUp
ClickUp is one of the most flexible tools on the market. It brings everything — tasks, docs, chat, and goals — into one place. You can organize work in lists, boards, or timelines and customize almost everything to fit your process.
Why teams love it:
- Clean interface with deep customization options;
- Built-in time tracking and goal-setting;
- Hundreds of automation templates;
- A free plan that’s more generous than most competitors.
Things to keep in mind:
ClickUp is flexible, but for someone new, it might come across as overwhelming at first. It’s almost like you can do everything with it, but the structure is not there.
Verdict:
ClickUp is a perfect solution for teams that want a single workspace for everything, from brainstorming ideas to tracking progress.
2. Asana
Asana remains one of the top choices for businesses of all sizes. It’s simple, intuitive, and helps teams manage projects from kickoff to delivery.
Why teams love it:
- User-friendly and visually clear;
- Custom views like List, Board, Timeline, and Calendar;
- Great for setting dependencies and due dates;
- Excellent progress tracking and reporting features.
Things to keep in mind:
While you get quite a lot in a starter plan, many advanced features like automation or workload tracking can only be assessed by switching to premium plans.
Verdict:
If your team values clarity, easy navigation, and reliable collaboration tools, Asana is a safe bet.
3. Monday.com
Monday.com is all about visuals. It turns task lists into colorful, easy-to-read boards that make progress tracking almost fun. It’s flexible enough for marketing campaigns, product launches, and even HR planning.
Why teams love it:
- Intuitive, easy-to-navigate design;
- Automation features are easy to set up;
- Pre-made templates make it perfectly suitable for different use cases.
- Real-time collaboration and timeline updates.
Things to keep in mind:
If your company’s involved in managing highly technical projects or you need tools for tracking resource allocation, the functionality of Monday.com may feel a bit surface-level to you.
Verdict:
Monday.com can be the best solution for creative, cross-functional teams that want to track their work progress at a glance.
4. Notion
Notion isn’t just a project management tool —it is a support system that combines notes and documentation in one place. For teams looking for a well-rounded software that makes it easy to organize ideas and centralize tasks, Notion does the trick.
Why teams love it:
- Combines wikis, databases, and tasks in one place;
- Simple drag-and-drop interface;
- Lots of pre-set templates;
- Live social feed integration;
- Excellent for remote teams that want to stay on track and share insights.
Things to keep in mind:
Large workspaces with many databases can get slow. Also, it lacks native Gantt charts or advanced reporting tools.
Verdict:
For startups and small teams looking for a tool that combines planning with note-taking and creative collaboration, Notion would be hard to beat.
5. Jira
If your company develops software, then you’ve most likely already checked on Jira. This tool is designed for agile and scrum teams that need to manage sprints, bugs, and backlogs.
Why teams love it:
- Deeply customizable workflows for developers;
- Strong reporting and sprint tracking;
- Integrates with Confluence, Bitbucket, and other Atlassian tools;
- Built for agile and DevOps environments.
Things to keep in mind:
Getting the knack of Jira may take more than a day, especially for non-savvy users. It’s powerful, but not beginner-friendly.
Verdict:
Jira is the go-to option for IT teams and tech-driven organizations practicing Agile development.
6. Wrike
Wrike shines in dynamic environments where teams need to move fast and stay aligned. It offers task tracking, workload balancing, and time logging in a polished interface.
Why teams love it:
- Dashboards and workload charts make it easy to track work progress;
- Advanced proofing tools for creative teams;
- Scales easily to accommodate the needs of small teams and large enterprises;
- Offers integration with apps like Slack, Google Drive, and Salesforce.
Things to keep in mind:
The number of features this software offers may feel overwhelming at first. Smaller teams might find many of them impractical.
Verdict:
If you’re a growing company juggling multiple projects at once, Wrike can be the right fit for you.
7. Trello
Somewhat similar to Asana, Trello is a great tool for teams on a budget. Its card-and-board system makes it easy to stay on track, and it comes with most of the features you’d need for task management.
Why teams love it:
- Extremely easy to set up and use;
- Ideal for small teams that need to visualize tasks;
- Allows integrations with tools like Slack, Google Drive, Fellow, and Zapier.
- Custom automation with “Butler.”
Things to keep in mind:
Trello is great for simple workflows, but might feel limited for large-scale projects.
Verdict:
For teams that are just starting with project management or those who value simplicity over feature-loaded tools, Trello can be a top choice.
8. Smartsheet
Smartsheet feels familiar to anyone who loves spreadsheets but needs more than formulas. It combines the flexibility of a sheet with the power of a project tracker.
Why teams love it:
- Spreadsheet-style interface that’s easy to adjust to your team’s needs;
- Built-in Gantt charts and resource views;
- Strong automation and integration capabilities;
- Excellent for data-heavy or operations teams.
Things to keep in mind:
This tool is powerful, but its interface may feel a bit off. It may also come across as overly complex for teams looking for lightweight workflows.
Verdict:
Smartsheet is a popular project management software used by teams working on projects that require a high degree of accuracy and data control.
9. Teamwork
Teamwork is designed for client service teams that juggle multiple projects and need to track time, budgets, and progress. It’s often used by marketing agencies and consulting firms.
Why teams love it:
- Great time tracking and invoicing tools;
- Built-in client portal for transparent communication;
- Excellent resource and workload management;
- Integrates smoothly with financial and CRM tools.
Things to keep in mind:
The interface is more functional than flashy, which may feel dated to some users.
Verdict:
Teams that work with clients and need tools to generate detailed tracking reports will find a lot to love about Teamwork.
10. Basecamp
Basecamp is somewhat different from the others. It keeps it to the essentials. You won’t find any extra stuff here. It’s all about tasks, messages, and files that you need for work.
Why teams love it:
- Straightforward interface with no steep learning curve;
- Combines to-do lists, file sharing, and group chat;
- Great for keeping client communication clean and organized;
- Flat pricing model — one fee for unlimited users.
Things to keep in mind:
You won’t find advanced automation or detailed analytics here.
Verdict:
If you’re looking for a simple and affordable project management software that would work for your small team, Basecamp is worth a look.
Final Thoughts
Modern project management solutions have long transformed from simple task lists to advanced tools where it’s easy to track everything – without the need to juggle multiple tools or spreadsheets. They’ve become the backbone of how teams plan, strategize, and deliver work.
However, no single tool fits all. And it’s not the list of features that make software great. A good software is one that fits your site, goals, and how your team prefers to work, making your daily grind easier and more predictable.