Top Project Management Software Tools for 2021

Top Project Software for 2021.png

What is the best Project Tool for 2021? Your one-stop-shop for the top 6!

  • Asana

  • Monday

  • ProofHub

  • Trello

  • Scoro

  • Workzone

 

Deciding which top project management software tools to use can be tough. Finding one you can test out for free can be that much harder. Get your 2021 Software summary here. 

What are the professional-level best online free project management software tools for 2021. These tools can save you time and money. Knowing how these tools work can help build a reputation for having the right skills. And for delivering organized and well-managed projects. So read on, and fast-track your next project success.

What are your PM Tool needs?

Before looking for a Project Management software, ask yourself some questions and make a note. This way, you are not swayed by the different ‘shiny offering’ but get the tool that will work for you.

  • What functionality do you need?

  • How many users will access the tool?

  • What intergration should be supported?  

  • Is your team implementing new methodologies or just software? 

  • Do you want to start with Freemium options to test out the solution first?

Knowing what tools will work best in your situation is important. Employers expect you to level up your skills and learn these new tools fast. So understand what you are looking for and why it is important to your project.

The options below offer free software tools fit for a small team or an individual running a small project. But they can scale up to handle larger complex projects as well. Some of these tools are capable of running multi-year programs or large government contracts.

Freemium: free software with limited functionality before you buy. Although free software may be limited, it can still be very helpful in many ways.

  1. Allow you to get a feel for the product.

  2. Assess specific functionality

  3. Test usability with your team

  4. Use the free tool for smaller projects

  5. Begin your project on freeware and upgrade as needed.

Finding the right Project Management software can be a pain.jpg


The Best software options fit for any Project

So let's get to the list and break down the choices.

Click the software graphic to go to the website.

And see the comparison chart below for a “side-by-side’ detail overview.


Asana

This software is one of the best cloud-based project management software tools. It helps plan every detail of your organization's project. Asana enables you to plan your work in a way that is best suited for you. It is flexible, allowing you to adapt it to your needs.

Features:

  • Basic dashboard and search in the free tool

  • Groups of the tasks into sections or columns

  • Tasks can be shown as a list or project "Kanban style" board

  • Gantt chart style reports are avaialble

  • A personalized inbox notifies employees

  • Shows the projects in a Gantt style

  • Generate detailed Progress reports

Pros:

  • Freeplan

  • Variety of integrations

  • Prioritization

  • Security

  • Customization

  • Team collaboration

Cons:

  • Overwhelming for new users

  • Too many features

  • Single assignee for tasks

  • No time tracking

  • Limited exporting functionality


Monday.com



This is an intuitive tool that helps people meet deadlines, manage their work, and build a culture of transparency. This free project management software tool is considered best for streamlining discussions, checking who is working on what, working on the right task, and keeping everyone in the know.

Features:

  • Centralized communication and document management

  • Visual project management and tracking

  • Analytics and reporting are well-executed

  • Works well with almost any file sharing and project management tool

Pros:

  • Built for multiple users

  • Great tracking features

  • Alternative Views

  • Powerful communication tool

  • Reliable project organization and management

Cons:

  • Per-user pricing limits the number of people

  • Difficult to track time and expenses

  • Can overwhelm users with too much going on

  • Limited mobile app

  • Integration problems

ProofHub

This is a useful software management tool used by many prominent organizations and corporate companies like NASA, Taco Bell, and Disney, and the list goes on. This powerful all-in-one tool comes with a great package of features and capabilities. It is an all-in-one software. It eliminates the need to depend on multiple products and integrate tools.

Features:

  • Task Management

  • Time Management

  • Project Communication

  • Collaboration

  • Project Planning

  • Project Reporting

Pros:

  • Easy to set up and use

  • Great proofing tool

  • A good combination of tools and features

  • Powerful file management and generous storage

  • Affordable solution

Cons:

  • Limited integration

  • Interface needs improvement

  • Missing messages/tasks

  • Good for simple projects for small teams


Scoro

Scoro is another great PM software tool. It is a versatile software specially designed for comprehensive business management for professional and creative services. Scoro is a good PM software for those who want to bring more structure to their work. 


Features:

  • One place for all users: projects, clients, and teams

  • Seamless workflow and organization of every aspect of the project

  • Automated reports, real-time overview of the project

  • Integration possible with tools like Dropbox, MailChimp, Outlook, etc

Pros:

  • Strong help center and learning materials

  • Enhanced bonus features like CRM and budgeting for business management

  • Advanced filtering and general settings

  • Strong reporting capabilities

Cons:

  • Light collaboration features

  • Super costly onboarding

  • Cluttered interface


Trello

This software started as an easy-to-use, user-friendly visual system of boards, cards and to manage to-do lists. But then it quickly grew to become a tool that ticked every box for a basic project user. The tool is easy to learn since users can add cards between boards and across apps with this software. It launched almost a decade ago, becoming an important and central hub for managing and controlling all project-related tasks. Businesses are now using it for their working teams—organizations with multiple locations like its user-friendly design and ability to multi-task actions. 

It has continued to provide top functionality in its free version for years. The additional views and features provided make Trello a long-time favorite. Users can add cards between boards and across apps with this software.

Features:

There are many features of Trello. Some of them are listed below:

  • Front/Back cards' detailed quick view

  • In-line editing

  • File attachment

  • Voting options

  • Information retrieval

  • Mobile friendly views

Pros:

  • Well-Organized Board & Card System

  • Smooth Editing

  • Collaboration

  • Reasonable use of timeframes

  • Searchable database

  • Security

  • Integrations

  • Mobile Optimization

Cons:

  • Limited Email integration

  • No free form tags

  • Limited number of labels

  • No Gantt (project bar chart)

Workzone

This best-in-class Project Manager software gives professional managers full control and visibility over their projects. They can all send and share their work in a central place in this software, and that's how they can track the progress of the project and stay on the same page.


Features:

  • Top-level reports

  • Faster communication

  • Improved collaboration with features like creating tasks, to-do lists, and easy file sharing

  • Grant permission to different users also the clients

Pros:

  • Solid project management

  • Just the right set of tools

  • Secure platform

  • Great customer support

  • Easy to use

Cons:

  • Schedule tracking issues

  • Workload tracking issues

  • Archiving issues

  • Search issues

  • Features need more frequent improvements


Top Tools Comparison Chart

Sources: Tool websites, Trustradius.com, Financesonline.com

Sources: Tool websites, Trustradius.com, Financesonline.com

Using the best Project Management software tools makes the difference between a Project Manager's success or failure. Be aware of what your needs are and map them to the best tool for the job.  

If you are running a long-term project, look at the company behind the tool to ensure they continue to scale up the product and regularly add functionality. 

Also, spend time on user training to ensure your team understands how your project uses the various features and uses them consistently. Training will ensure the data and reporting is reliable.

I hope you found this article helpful. Let me know in the comments below: what tool you use today and what tool you may be considering for the future! And please don't forget to share this information with others.

 
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