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Whether you work on a team or individually, project management software helps you stay organized and focused on achieving your goals.
Whether you’re managing projects for yourself or clients, project management software can help you get everything done on time and under budget.
But finding the right tool for your needs isn’t always easy. There are dozens of different types of project management software out there, many of which cost hundreds of dollars per month.
Why do you need project management software?
If you’ve ever worked on a project, you know that managing projects can be a difficult task.
You have to juggle tasks, deadlines, and deliverables; sometimes, you just want to get something done.
That’s where project management software comes in.
Project management software helps you plan, assign tasks, track progress, and communicate with team members.
It’s an essential tool for any company that needs to work together on a single project.
Features and benefits of project management software
Project management software offers a variety of benefits.
Collaborative workflows: Collaborate with multiple teams across departments and locations using a single platform.
Real-time collaboration: Share documents, files, and ideas online in real time.
Task tracking: Keep track of projects and tasks by assigning due dates, milestones, and comments.
Time tracking: Track hours spent on each task and project.
Project management: Manage projects and tasks from start to finish.
Gantt charts: Create timelines and organize task lists by date.
Reports: Generate reports that show progress toward goals and deadlines.
But if you’re looking for free project management software, you might be surprised by the options available.
We’ve rounded up some of the best free project management software solutions.
FREE Project Management Software
ClickUp
ClickUp is a project management software designed for small business owners who want to run projects efficiently without sacrificing quality or control.
ClickUp has a simple yet powerful interface that allows users to plan, track quickly, and communicate about their projects.
The tool allows users to organize projects, assign tasks, track progress, and communicate effectively with clients.
It also includes built-in reporting capabilities to ensure you know exactly what went right and wrong during every process step.
The app includes a calendar, task-list management, file storage, team chat, and other helpful features.
Best for: Small business owners looking for a project management software tool
Wrike
Wrike is a project management software designed to help small business owners organize projects and collaborate with colleagues.
Wrike has been used by over 10 million users worldwide, including companies like Airbnb, Microsoft, and Uber.
It allows you to track progress and communicate effectively with clients, employees, and other stakeholders.
Wrike has a simple user interface that allows users to quickly add new tasks, assign them to teammates, track progress, and collaborate on documents.
The application includes a calendar, task lists, and file-sharing capabilities.
Moreover, the software also includes a task manager, calendar, file storage, team chat, and reporting capabilities.
Best for: Small business owners who want to stay organized and keep everyone on the same page.
Trello
Trello is a free project management tool designed to make collaboration simple.
It allows users to organize projects into boards, add cards to those boards, assign a task list to specific people or groups, and track progress using checklists.
Trello makes it easy to collaborate on any type of project, whether it’s a personal task like writing a blog post or a greater organizational effort like launching a new website.
Trello has been used by over 100 million people worldwide since its launch in 2011.
It’s simple enough for anyone to use but powerful enough for teams of any size.
Best for: Managing large projects and organizing teams
Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a project management software designed for small business owners and freelancers.
It includes everything you need to run your business efficiently, including task tracking, invoicing, customer relationship management, etc.
Bitrix24 allows users to collaborate on projects, track progress, and share files within one place.
The tool includes a calendar, task manager, file sharing, team chat, and document editor.
Moreover, it also has a built-in CRM system that makes it easy to keep track of clients and customers.
Bitrix24 has been used by over 1 million users worldwide since its launch in 2013, and it continues to evolve to meet the needs of modern entrepreneurs.
Best for: Freelancers and Business owners who need a simple way to organize projects and communicate with clients.
Asana
Asana is a free project management app designed to make teamwork simple, accessible, and effective.
Asana allows users to organize projects, assign a task list, track progress, and communicate with one another using a simple interface.
Moreover, it allows users to collaborate on projects and share information using a simple task board format.
The app’s simple design makes it easy to navigate and use, even if you have no previous project management software experience.
Asana’s focus on simplicity doesn’t require any training or complex setup.
Over 10 million people have used the app since its launch in 2009.
Best for: Managing projects and unlimited tasks with a small team
Todoist
Todoist is a free task management app designed to make project management simple.
Todoist allows users to group tasks into projects, assign them to specific people, add due dates, comments, and notes, and track progress using customizable reports.
Todoist has been used by over 50 million people worldwide and was named one of Time Magazine’s Best Apps of 2013.
The free version of Todoist includes unlimited categories, reminders, labels, sub-tasks, and recurring tasks.
If you want to add advanced features like custom fields or tags, upgrade to Todoist Premium.
The app integrates with many other apps, including Gmail, Slack, Trello, Asana, Basecamp, and Zapier.
Best for: Managing projects and organizing your day
Freedcamp
Freedcamp is a free project management software designed for small business owners and freelancers who need to organize unlimited projects, track progress, and communicate with clients.
Freedcamp allows users to collaborate efficiently and effectively with other team members, helping them plan, schedule, and execute projects.
Moreover, Freedcamp allows you to organize your projects into different categories, assign them to specific people, track progress, and even add notes to your tasks.
The app also includes a calendar function that lets you see what needs to be done at any given moment.
The app includes task lists, file storage, calendar integration, invoicing, etc.
Best for: Freelancers and small businesses
MeisterTask
MeisterTask is a simple yet powerful project management tool designed to make managing projects simpler and more effective.
Moreover, MeisterTask allows you to quickly organize your daily activities into different categories, assign them to yourself or others, and track progress using checklists.
It allows users to organize unlimited projects using milestones or phases, allowing them to break down large tasks into manageable chunks.
Each task has its own calendar, progress tracker, and notes section, providing a visual representation of what needs to be done.
MeisterTask also includes project dashboards where users can see at a glance how many hours have been spent on each task, how much money has been raised, and other key metrics.
Additionally, the app syncs automatically between devices, making it easy to stay organized.
You can also integrate the MeisterTask app with other task management applications such as Slack, Dropbox, Google Drive, or GitHub. This type of automation will increase your task management efficiency.
Best for: Project managers who want to improve efficiency and visibility
Teamwork Projects
Work smarter, not harder, with teamwork projects.
Teamwork Projects is a web-based project management app designed to make managing projects simple, fast, and fun.
It allows users to collaborate on projects from anywhere at any time using a shared calendar, task lists, chat, and file sharing.
The app includes powerful features like real-time updates, notifications, and reporting.
Moreover, the app allows you to organize your team’s projects, assign them to specific people, track progress, and communicate with your teammates using real-time messaging.
Teamwork Projects has been used by over 100,000 users worldwide since its launch in 2013.
Best for: Project managers who want to keep track of everything going on in one place
nTask
nTask is one of the best free project management tools designed to help small business owners run their businesses efficiently.
nTask allows users to collaborate on projects, track progress, and communicate effectively using a shared calendar, task dependency, and Gantt chart.
Moreover, the app has been designed to make managing your day-to-day activities simple and effective.
Also, the app allows users to add tasks, assign them to different people, and keep track of deadlines and milestones.
It also includes built-in invoicing, task management features, time tracking, and reporting capabilities.
Best for: Simple project management for small businesses
Airtable
Airtable is a project management tool designed for small teams.
It allows users to create forms quickly, track progress, collaborate workflows on documents and spreadsheets, and even build custom dashboards using prebuilt widgets.
Moreover, Airtable allows users to collaborate seamlessly and share information without relying on technology or traditional communication methods.
Also, Airtable is built around a simple concept: organize anything. The app helps you manage projects, contacts, events, files, and other items in one place.
Best for: Teams of any size who want to collaborate without relying on technology or traditional communication channels.
TeamGantt
TeamGantt is a simple yet powerful free project management tool designed to make managing projects as easy as possible.
TeamGantt has two main components: the Gantt chart and the task board.
The Gantt chart allows users to see precisely what needs to be done throughout a project.
Tasks can be assigned to specific people or groups, and progress can be tracked.
TeamGentt also includes a calendar component that lets you plan events and meetings.
Moreover, TeamGantt allows you to organize projects, task dependencies, and deadlines in one place.
The app is available on iOS and Android devices, but there’s also a web version if you prefer a desktop experience.
Best for: Project management, scheduling, and task tracking
Paymo
Paymo is a project management tool designed to make managing projects, tasks, deadlines, and milestones quick and easy.
It was built to give non-tech users the ability to track progress, communicate effectively, and collaborate with others.
The software is available on desktop or web platforms and has been developed to help users stay organized and focused throughout the entire process.
Paymo includes task tracking, calendar integration, file storage, document sharing, and a robust reporting system.
Best for: Teams wanting to stay organized and focused during the entire project lifecycle
Podio
Podio is a free online collaborative project management tool designed to help small business owners and nonprofits organize projects, collaborate, and share information.
Podio makes managing projects simple and accessible no matter what size or complexity your project may be.
It allows users to create task lists, track progress, assign tasks to other users, and even send reminders to keep everyone on track.
Moreover, Podio makes it simple to collaborate on projects, share files, track progress, and stay organized.
It has a clean user experience that allows users to quickly find what they need without spending hours searching for information.
Best for: Project management and collaboration
Toggl Plan
Toggl is a project management app that allows you to collaborate on projects with others over Slack or other messaging platforms.
Toggl makes it easy to track progress and stay organized throughout the entire process of a project.
The free version includes unlimited users and one project per month, but paid plans are available if you want to start using Toggl for more significant projects.
Over 1 million users have used Toggl since its launch in 2013, and the company continues to add new features regularly.
The app includes a calendar, task manager, and notes feature, allowing you to organize projects, prioritize tasks, and keep track of everything going on at any given moment.
Best for: Productivity and managing small business operations
Redbooth
Redbooth is a free project management software designed for small business owners, freelancers, and entrepreneurs.
It has easy drag-and-drop interfaces and is equipped with robust reporting capabilities.
The free version includes basic project management capabilities, but you can upgrade to premium plans if you need more advanced features.
Redbooth is available on the desktop or online, meaning you can access your projects anywhere at any time.
Best for: Business owners who want to make sure everything gets done on time
Basecamp
BaseCamp is a free project management tool designed to make managing projects simple.
Moreover, Basecamp provides a visual timeline and task board, allowing users to see at a glance what needs to be done next.
It also includes a calendar to keep track of deadlines and events. BaseCamp a great alternative to using Excel or Gmail to track project progress.
Additionally, it allows you to collaborate with others on projects, track progress, and keep everyone informed of what’s going on.
Basecamp has three main components: Projects, Tasks, and Time Tracking.
Projects allow you to organize your ideas into manageable chunks, assign them to people, and track their progress.
Tasks give you a place to store information and notes about your project.
Time tracking lets you see where you spend your time and how much money you’ve spent on your project.
Best for: Projects that need a visual timeline
Zenkit
ZenKit is a project management software designed for small business owners.
It allows you to organize projects and assign them to different team members. You can also track progress using milestones and deadlines.
Zenkit has built-in collaboration features, allowing users to collaborate easily on projects.
The app also includes a calendar feature, task management feature, task reminders, and file-sharing capabilities.
ZenKit has a simple user interface that makes it easy to navigate and learn.
Best for: Small business owners who want to keep things organized and streamlined.
Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects is a free online project management tool that allows users to collaborate on projects, track progress, and share files.
Moreover, Zoho Projects has a simple user interface that makes it easy to navigate and find what you need quickly.
It also includes built-in file sharing and collaboration capabilities, allowing you to upload documents, presentations, and other files.
Zoho Projects includes a calendar, task management feature, document storage, and invoicing options.
The tool supports integration with popular apps like Gmail, Dropbox, Slack, Trello, and Salesforce.
Best for: Simple project management
Yodiz
Yodiz is a free project management software designed for small business owners and nonprofits who want to keep track of projects, task planning, and milestones.
Yodiz has been built to be simple to use and highly customizable. Moreover, Yoditz allows users to organize tasks, track progress, collaborate with others, and share files and documents.
It also includes built-in calendar integration, task tracking, file sharing, and document editing.
Further, It allows users to assign tasks to different team members, add notes to each task, and attach files to each task.
The software also includes a calendar feature that lets users schedule meetings and events for every day of the week.
Best for: Project managers who want to keep things organized
Jira
JIRA is a powerful issue-tracking system that allows you to organize unlimited projects, track progress, collaborate with teammates, and communicate effectively.
Moreover, JIRA supports agile development practices and has a modern user experience built to make collaboration easy.
It allows users to create projects, assign them to people or groups, track progress, add comments, and attach files to projects.
Jira has a robust API that lets developers connect to its service using any programming language.
The software is available on any device and works well for small and large teams.
Best for: Project management, agile development, and communication
PivotalTracker
Pivotal Tracker is a project management tool that allows teams to plan and track projects.
Create task lists, organize them into projects, and assign tasks to teammates using the simple drag-and-drop interface.
Pivotal Tracker also has built-in reporting functionality, allowing you to see what your team is accomplishing and where there might be room for improvement.
It includes everything needed to plan, track, and complete any type of project, including personal and professional ones.
Pivotal Tracker allows you to collaborate with others in real time, share files, and even add custom fields to keep things organized.
Best for: Managing small projects or teams
Monday.com
Monday.com is a project management tool that makes managing projects simple and fun.
Moreover, Monday.com allows users to collaborate on projects using the latest version control technology.
Every change made to a file or folder is tracked and stored in history. Users can also comment on changes, add files and folders, share files and folders, and assign tasks to other people.
It allows users to build project schedules, track progress, and collaborate with others on any task or project.
Monday.com has been used by over 1 million people since its launch in 2012 and is now available in 14 languages.
Best for: Simple project management
Conclusions
Free project management software is precious for businesses of all sizes.
It can help keep projects organized and on track while freeing up time and resources that would otherwise be spent on administrative tasks.
Various software options are available, so it is crucial to find one that meets the specific needs of your business. With the right software in place, you can confidently take on any project, large or small.
