Efficient task management is crucial in project management. The right task management software can streamline workflows, enhance collaboration, and ensure timely project completion. With thousands of options available, choosing the best solution for your project can be daunting.
Therefore, in today’s article, I will provide you with the top 11 task management software, highlighting their features, benefits, and suitability for various needs. You can review these software and select the one that best suits your requirements.
Before I provide the software platform, let us understand the task management software and why you need it.
What is Task Management Software?
Task management software is designed to help you organize, prioritize, and track tasks and projects. It provides a centralized platform for managing workflows, assigning responsibilities, setting deadlines, and monitoring progress. This software also includes to-do lists, calendars, project timelines, and collaboration tools that help you streamline your work processes.
Using task management software, you can break complex projects into manageable tasks, allocate resources effectively, and ensure accountability. The software facilitates communication and collaboration by allowing team members to share real-time updates, files, and feedback.
You can identify bottlenecks and improve productivity using insights, data analytics, and reporting provided by the software.
Why Do I Need a Task Management Software?
Task management is vital in project management. During the pandemic, organizations realized the importance of task management software. Many organizations started promoting work from home and switched to task management software for improved productivity.
Task management software helps improve productivity and ensure accountability. It helps you prioritize and manage tasks effectively by breaking down complex projects into actionable steps. These software provide useful features like reminders, deadlines, progress tracking, etc., to keep you on schedule and prevent tasks from slipping through the cracks.
The software facilitates collaboration, enabling seamless communication and file sharing among team members. A clear overview of tasks and projects helps identify bottlenecks and streamline workflows.
Task management software boosts efficiency and keeps you focused on achieving your project objectives.
The Best Task Management Software Platforms
The following are the top task management software platforms available in the market:
- monday.com
- Hubstaff Tasks
- Nifty
- Wrike
- Asana
- Smartsheet
- Zoho Projects
- Portfolio Manager
- Jira
- Projectmanager.com
- Oracle Netsuite
1. monday.com
monday.com is a cloud-based intuitive software platform for task management. It allows you to delegate and monitor tasks across the team. Based on your specific requirements, you can select from over 200 ready-made templates and customize them as per your requirements or create workflows from scratch using a blank canvas.
monday.com is a complete CRM tool. It helps in project management, marketing, sales, design, software development, task management, construction, HR and recruitment, IT, etc.
You can view data as a map, calendar, timeline, Kanban, etc. The enterprise plan has over fifty boards per dashboard. It is a popular platform with a user base of over 100,000. The support is 24X7, with a 60-minute response time. It has an in-depth tutorial to help you understand the process or how-to.
Key Features of monday.com
- Highly customizable
- Support for all devices
- Over 200 pre-built templates
- Slack integration for chat
- Daily webinars to help you get most of monday.com
- Enterprise-grade security
- Over 30 customization column types
- Due date reminder
- Calendar sync
- Time tracking
- Forms
New AI Features of monday.com
- Automated Task Generation
- AI-Powered Summarization and Rephrasing
- Document creation using AI-generated templates
- Formula Builder
- AI-Driven Updates and Replies
- Future AI Features for Email Management
monday.com Pros
- Easy to use
- Many useful integrations
- Open API
monday.com Cons
- Expensive
- No chat feature
monday.com Pricing Plan
monday.com has four pricing plans:
- Basic: The price is 9 USD/user/month with a minimum of three users, so the minimum price is 27 USD/month.
- Standard: The price is 12 USD/user/month with a minimum of three users, so the minimum price is 36 USD/month.
- Pro: The price is 19 USD/user/month with a minimum of three users, so the minimum price is 57 USD per month.
- Enterprise: This plan is for users who need enterprise-level features and support. Contact monday.com support to get a quote for this plan.
The yearly plan offers an 18% discount on all plans.
2. Hubstaff Tasks
Hubstaff Tasks is a cloud-based project management tool built with the Agile methodology. It offers several features that simplify task management and planning, so your team can finish their work on time.
Its highly visual interface lets you quickly create and organize tasks via drag-and-drop. You can also create labels, set deadlines, and attach files to tasks so you never lose track of your progress. You can also communicate with teammates using task comments and send them notifications by mentioning them.
Hubstaff Tasks makes prioritizing tasks easier with its Sprints feature. It lets you focus on the most important tasks and maintain a balanced workflow. Additionally, Hubstaff Tasks includes customizable workflows that ensure that the right people are always working on the right tasks.
Key Features of Hubstaff Tasks
- Kanban-style task boards
- Multiple task management elements
- Agile Sprints
- Automated workflows
- Timelines view
- Daily stand-ups
- Visually Appealing Videos
- Personalized Notifications
- Task Lists
Notable AI Features
- Adapted Interfaces
- Text Prompts
- Visually Appealing Videos
- Personalized Notifications
- Task Lists
Hubstaff Tasks Pros
- Easy-to-use, intuitive interface
- Multiple project views
- Robust collaboration features
- Hassle-free team progress tracking
- Great free plan
Hubstaff Tasks Cons
- Web app only
Hubstaff Tasks Pricing Plan
Hubstaff Tasks has two pricing plans:
- Free: The Free plan comes with all Kanban boards and custom workflows and supports up to five users.
- Premium: The Premium plan costs 5 USD/user/month. It includes unlimited users and projects, Timelines, and stand-ups.
3. Nifty
Nifty is a cloud-based collaborative task management platform. You can keep track of all your task assignments, activities, and time logs across projects. You can view all assigned tasks using the ‘My Work’ section and sort them by deadlines.
You can build customized task lists to suit your workflow requirements or import existing tasks into Nifty to pick up where you left off. Defining, assigning, and automating day-to-day tickets and activities, as well as working while keeping files and feedback, is quick with the Nifty task management platform.
You can assign the task list to team members and set recurring tasks by date or status to automatically re-create the schedule.
The dashboard lets you view data as a List, Kanban, Gantt Swimlane, and more.
Key Features of Nifty
- Highly customizable
- Multi-device support
- Import from other task management tools like Basecamp, Asana, and JIRA
- Real-time feedback
- Chat
- 1 click Zoom meetings
- Cross collaborate between multiple projects
- Comprehensive Time Tracking and Reporting
- Milestone Planning with Gantt Charts
Key AI Features
- Automate Projects
- Generate Documents
- Create Tasks
Nifty Pros
- Popular integration included
- Free trial without credit card
Nifty Cons
- Average user interface
- No free plan
- Learning curve
- Mediocre mobile app
Nifty Pricing Plan
Nifty has four pricing plans:
- Free: It will help users to get started. It has unlimited users, 100 MB storage, and can only add two projects.
- Starter: This plan costs 39 USD per month and allows ten members. The allowed storage is 100 GB, and you can have ten active projects.
- Pro: This plan costs 79 USD per month and allows 20 members. The allowed storage is 500 GB; you can have unlimited active projects.
- Business: This plan costs 124 USD per month and allows 30 members. The allowed storage is 1 TB, and unlimited active projects can exist.
- Unlimited: The price is 399 USD per month. This is a fully scaled solution. In this plan, you have unlimited members and unlimited storage.
4. Wrike
Wrike is a cloud-based task management system that helps you share details with teams, including clients and contractors. You can use the drag-and-drop function to reassign tasks or reschedule the work.
You can view your team’s tasks for any specified duration and track the time spent on each task in minutes. These time-tracking features help you bill your customers.
Wrike’s online task management software lets you customize time reports for easy billing.
Wrike syncs your to-do list across browsers, computers, and mailboxes. It tracks all deadlines, sends the team automated updates, and notifies you of status updates and progress.
Wrike task management saves time by reminding team members of their to-do lists and deadlines.
Key Features of Wrike
- Multi-device support
- Sync tasks and milestones with Google and iCalendar
- Chat support
- Real-Time Collaborative Editing
- Easy Billable Hours Tracking
- Real-Time Reporting and Analytics
- Resource Management and Allocation
- Native Mobile App Accessibility
AI Content Creation
- Content Editing
- Risk Prediction
- Task Summarization
- Mobile Integration
- Action Items
Wrike Pros
- Free plan for up to five users
- Affordable plans
- Trial without credit card
Wrike Cons
- Not useful for billing projects
Wrike Pricing Plan
Wrike has four pricing plans:
- Free: In this plan, you can have five users.
- Team: The price of this plan is 9.8 USD/user/month, and you can have 2-25 users.
- Business: This plan costs 24.80 USD/user/month and can accommodate 5-200 users.
- Enterprise: For more advanced requirements, you can go for this plan. The pricing is based on requirements, and you have to contact Wrike customer support to get a custom quote.
- Pinnacle: If your team has complex requirements, you can choose this plan. It has Advanced tools and analytics for complex work.
5. Asana
Asana is a cloud-based task management software platform that helps you track project tasks. It makes team tasks easy, including exchanging files and task assignments, monitoring project progress, and getting alerts, updates, comments, etc.
Asana lets you view your data in various forms, such as a List, Board, Timeline, Calendar, Files, Progress, Portfolios, Workload, Inbox, and Tasks.
Key Features of Asana
- Multi-device support
- Real-time feedback
- Free plan
Key Features of AI Asana
- Get quick project and task updates for informed decision-making.
- AI-powered responses to streamline project management queries.
- Automatically complete and update task details with AI assistance.
- Concise project, task, and portfolio overviews for quick insights.
- Enhance task descriptions with AI-generated suggestions for clarity.
- Automate workflows with customized AI-driven rules for efficiency.
- Improve goal-setting with AI insights and suggestions for enhanced effectiveness.
- Quickly create customized projects with AI-generated descriptions and sections.
Asana Pros
- Easy to use
- Highly customizable
- Generous free plan
- 30-day free trial without credit card
Asana Cons
- No time tracking
- Steep learning curve
Asana Pricing Plan
Asana has four pricing plans:
- Basic: This plan is for individuals or teams, starting with project management.
- Starter: The price is 13.49 USD/user/month if paid monthly; it is reduced to 10.99 USD per month for a yearly payment.
- Business: The price is 30.49 USD/user/month if paid monthly; it is reduced to 24.99 USD per month for a yearly payment.
- Enterprise: Pricing is based on requirements, and you must contact customer support for a custom quote.
6. Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a leading cloud-based task management platform. It has a versatile and robust collection of features that organizations can rely upon. Smartsheet is like an advanced version of Excel. It transforms the spreadsheet’s rows and columns into a hybrid that can be used for reporting, budgeting, task tracking, and even resource management.
This task management software makes spreadsheets much smarter and allows more processes to be carried out. Since everybody uses spreadsheets, it’s simpler to use Smartsheet, so the learning curve is small.
You can view data as a Gantt chart or card.
Smartsheet has automated requests for updates and can be used for waterfall and agile projects. You can see which team members are busy and which are idle in real time.
Key Features of Smartsheet
- Highly customizable
- Cross-device support
- Resource Management
- Content Management
- Process Management
- Secure Digital Asset Management
- Task Automation
- Seamless Platform Integration
Key Features of AI Smartsheet
- Generate Formulas for Data-Driven Decisions
- Text and Summaries for Efficient Data Utilization
- Analyze Data for Instant Business Insights
Smartsheet Pros
- Very simple to use
- Free trial without credit card
Smartsheet Cons
- No time tracking
- Expensive
- Limited calendar
- Not all Excel formulas work
Smartsheet Pricing Plan
Smartsheet has pricing plans for two groups of users. The first price plan is for growing organizations, and the other is for enterprise users. The enterprise users’ pricing plan is unavailable on the site, and you need to contact Smartsheet customer care to get a custom quote.
Here, we will discuss the pricing plan for Standard Group for growing organizations.
Smartsheet has two plans for growing businesses:
- Free: It is for people just getting started with task and project management.
- Pro: The price for this plan is 7 User/USD/month.
- Business: The pricing for this plan is 25 USD/user/month.
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing. It is for organizations that run processes at scale with enterprise-grade security and controls.
7. Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects is a cloud-based, robust project management solution. It is a popular project management collaboration software and is used by over 100,000 users worldwide.
Zoho Projects is one tool for teams to create, collaborate, and communicate. It has built-in Gantt chart reports, Kanban boards, forums, social feeds, resource usage charts, models, timers, and chat. Teams can easily schedule, monitor, and collaborate online, all bundled into one package without additional costs.
Here, you can see your data as a Gantt chart.
Key Features of Zoho Projects
- Multi-device support
- Document and file management
- Time tracking and timesheets
- Live chat
- Task Automation with Zoho Projects
- Customizable Gantt Charts
- Project Planning Features
- Effective Reporting Tools
- Google Integration Features
- Dropbox Integration Benefits
Zoho Projects Pros
- Easy to use
- Free plan
- Free trial without credit card
Zoho Projects Cons
- Lack of pre-built templates
Zoho Projects Pricing Plan
Zoho Projects has five pricing plans:
- Free: The Zoho Projects free plan allows three users, two projects, 5 GB file storage, a Gantt chart, and more.
- Premium: The pricing is 5 USD/user/month.
- Enterprise: The pricing is 10 USD/user/month.
8. Portfolio Manager
Portfolio Manager is cloud-based smart online task management software that offers predictive capabilities for modern business problems. It is a priority-based approach that automatically changes project timetables as users change task dates or priorities. Portfolio Manager is a centralized platform where teams can track time, coordinate, and collaborate.
It is a versatile framework for projects of all sizes and complexities, with a simple drag-and-drop GUI, social media tools, and integration.
Portfolio Manager is a complete project collaboration tool with an interesting project management approach that allows teams to set practical deadlines based on best-case and worst-case conditions.
Key Features of Portfolio Manager
- Smart schedules and resource management
- Visibility of cross-projects
- Time and budget monitoring
- Advanced analytics
- Time tracking
- Priority alignment
Portfolio Manager Pros
- Great dashboard
- Free trial without credit card
Portfolio Manager Cons
- Expensive
- Steep learning curve
Portfolio Manager Pricing Plan
Portfolio Manager has three pricing plans:
- Essentials: This plan costs 15 USD/user/month. The tool can accommodate medium-sized portfolios and teams.
- Professional: This plan costs 28 USD/user/month and includes comments on tasks, time tracking, and iOS and Android apps. It also has more features for powerful planning.
- Ultimate: The pricing is 42 USD/user/month. It has ultimate features, service, API, and enterprise pricing.
9. Jira
Jira is an Agile project management platform for scheduling, monitoring, and releasing software products. Its simple dashboard makes it easy to track software bugs.
Jira lets you produce reports to help develop teams and create their workflows besides developing stories, organizing sprints, monitoring problems, and delivering up-to-date deliverables. It integrates various tools as part of Atlassian to manage their projects and products from end to end.
Jira has Scrum Kanban boards built to function seamlessly on their iterations and provide incremental value. It helps you see the work in progress and planned work.
The Roadmap tool communicates the plans to stakeholders, and ready-made reports show real-time details of the work.
Jira is a popular agile-based task management platform used by over 70,000 users.
Key Features of Jira
- Custom workflows
- Detailed reports
- Great Agile Scrum boards
- Powerful Agile View
- Task prioritization and scheduler
- Mobile app
- Comprehensive Project Tracking with Jira
- Mobile Applications for Remote Team Management
- Insightful Reports in Jira for Project Analytics
- Robust Security Features in Jira
- Extensive Connectivity with Jira Add-Ons
- Efficient Issue Creation in Jira
- Strategic Roadmaps in Jira for Project Planning
- Customizable Dashboards in Jira
Jira Pros
- Easy to use
- Free plan
- Affordable
- Free trial without credit card
Jira Cons
- No time tracking
- No cost tracking
Jira Pricing Plan
Jira has four pricing plans:
- Free: In this plan, you can have ten free users.
- Standard: The pricing is 7.16 USD/user/month, and the minimum number of users required is 300.
- Premium: The pricing is 12.48 USD/user/month, and the minimum number of users required is 300; it comes with unlimited users.
- Enterprise: The pricing for this plan is not mentioned on their pricing page, so you need to contact Jira customer support for a custom quote.
10. ProjectManager.com
ProjectManager.com is an online task management platform that allows users to assign tasks, schedule, track, and prepare reports online. It offers a comprehensive suite to help with everything from planning to monitoring progress and reporting.
ProjectManager.com is helpful for remote teams as it allows you to share and discuss tasks online, build group conversations, and invite team members to talk online or via smartphone.
Key Features of ProjectManager.com
- Attach files and comments to collaborate on tasks
- Seamless importing and round-tripping of MS Project plans, CSV, and Excel files
- Real-time dashboards show your status at a glance (e.g., Gantt charts)
- Project planner
- Timesheets
ProjectManager.com Pros
- Free trial without credit card
Projectmanager.com Cons
- Schedule creation is challenging
- Expensive
- Outdated user interface
- Poor customer service
- Buggy software
ProjectManager.com Pricing Plan
ProjectManager.com has three pricing plans:
- Team: The pricing is 13 USD/user/month and requires at least ten users.
- Business: This plan’s pricing is 24 USD/user/month and has no user limit.
- Enterprise: For pricing, please contact customer care.
11. Oracle Netsuite
Oracle NetSuite is a software built on the cloud that enables project visibility and collaboration between teams. It has a common ERP software cloud that includes modules for financials, CRM, and e-commerce. It can be used by organizations of all sizes, configured and personalized, and delivers essential business data from its user interface.
Key Features of Oracle NetSuite
- Accounting
- Asset management
- Audit trail
- Barcode integration
- Budgeting
- Case management
- CRM
- Customer management
- Email integration
- Event management
- Expense management
- Expense tracking
- Financial management
- Inventory management
- Invoice
Oracle NetSuite Pros
- Highly customizable
- Time tracking
- Expense tracking
Oracle NetSuite Cons
- Expensive
Oracle NetSuite Pricing Plan
I did not find Oracle NetSuite pricing plans on their website. However, some sites mention that customers receive custom pricing based on their requirements. The base cost is 999.00 USD/month, with 99.00 USD/month access costs.
Benefits of Using a Task Management Software
A few benefits of task management software are as follows:
1. Improved Organization and Prioritization: It consolidates all requests, projects, and deadlines in one place. You can easily prioritize tasks based on deadlines, importance, and dependencies. You can also plan and schedule tasks to optimize workflow and ensure timely completion.
2. Enhanced Collaboration: Different project teams can collaborate in real time on shared projects. You can assign tasks to team members and track their progress. It provides tools like integrated chat, comments, and file sharing to facilitate communication and collaboration.
3. Increased Productivity: You can monitor the time spent on tasks to improve efficiency. You can automate repetitive tasks and reminders to save time. Features like focus mode or Pomodoro timers to enhance concentration and productivity.
4. Accountability and Transparency: You will have task visibility and see who is working on what transparently, ensuring accountability. You can see the activity log, track changes, updates, and activity history for tasks and projects, and generate reports to analyze performance, identify bottlenecks, and improve processes.
6. Data and Insights: Analytics provides insights into productivity trends, project progress, and task completion rates. You can visualize data through customizable dashboards for a quick overview of project status.
How to Choose the Best Task Management Software?
Choosing the best task management software involves evaluating your needs, team size, workflows, the features each software offers, and, most importantly, the price.
Most software provides a free trial; use this feature to test the software and its support.
Below is the step-by-step guide to help you select the right task management software for your business:
1. Identify Your Needs and Objectives
First, define your requirements and list the key features you need (e.g., task assignment, time tracking, collaboration tools). Considering your team size, ensure the software can accommodate your team size and future growth.
Set a budget for task management software, considering initial and ongoing costs.
2. Evaluate Key Features
Test key features of the software regarding task creation and assignment. Check if tasks can be easily created, assigned, and categorized. Look for features that allow you to set priorities and deadlines. Ensure the software supports team collaboration with features like shared workspaces, comments, and file sharing.
Assess the software’s capabilities for tracking progress and generating reports. Determine if time tracking is important for your workflow and if the software supports it. Verify if the software provides alerts and reminders for due dates and updates.
3. User Experience
Choose software with an intuitive and user-friendly interface. Look for customizable workflows, templates, and dashboards. Ensure the software has a mobile application; if not, it should provide a mobile-responsive site to manage tasks.
4. Security and Privacy
Data protection and security is vital. Ensure the software adheres to industry standards for data security and privacy. Look for features that allow you to control access and permissions for different users.
5. Read Reviews and Testimonials
Read reviews on software review sites to get insights into the experiences of other users. Look for case studies and testimonials on the software’s website.
6. Compare Pricing Plans
This is the most important step. Compare pricing plans to determine the best value for your desired features.
Check for any hidden costs or additional fees for extra features or users.
Which is the Best Task Management Software Options?
This depends on your needs, requirements, and budget. However, my observations are as follows:
- Asana: Offers robust project management features and integrations.
- monday.com: Highly customizable with a variety of templates and automation features.
- Wrike: Suitable for larger teams with complex project management needs.
Summary
Choosing the right task management software is vital for boosting productivity, enhancing collaboration, and ensuring efficient project execution.
In this article, I have explained the top task management software available, each offering unique features tailored to different needs. Robust task management software can transform your workflow, helping you stay organized and focused. By integrating these tools into your daily routine, you can achieve greater efficiency and success in your endeavors.
Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you make a purchase after clicking. Please understand that I recommend these resources because they are useful, not because of the commissions I make. Please do not subscribe to any platform unless you feel that the materials will help you achieve your goals. Thank you for your support.
I am Mohammad Fahad Usmani, B.E. PMP, PMI-RMP. I have been blogging on project management topics since 2011. To date, thousands of professionals have passed the PMP exam using my resources.
Nice list, but why don’t I see kanbantool.com in there? It’s a great task management tool, I think it deserves a spot there!