Categories   >   Creative Project Management Software
Last Reviewed: November 11th, 2024

Best Creative Project Management Software Of 2024

What is Creative Project Management Software?

Creative Project Management Software (CPMS) is designed to streamline and optimize the workflows of creative teams. It addresses common issues such as disjointed collaboration, inefficient resource utilization, and loosely structured project timelines in creative environments. Key benefits include simplified task management, enhanced team collaboration, and better visibility over creative processes. State-of-the-art integrations are bringing about features like AI-powered efficiency tracking, improved file sharing, and robust discussion boards. Firms employing artistic staffing, like advertising agencies, design studios, and media production houses, find the most value in CPMS. Notable limitations could include the learning curve of adopting new software and the possible overwhelm from extensive feature sets. In summary, the real value of CPMS rests in organizing the chaotic creative process, making it more efficient and manageable, thereby empowering creative teams to focus on their principal task: creating outstanding work.

What Are The Key Benefits of Creative Project Management Software?

  • Simplifies task management
  • Enhances team collaboration
  • Improves workflow visibility
  • Boosts project efficiency
  • Streamlines resource allocation
  • Aids deadline management
  • Facilitates file sharing
  • Promotes clear communication
  • Supports remote working
  • Encourages creative productivity
Read more

Overall

Based on the latest available data collected by SelectHub for 56 solutions, we determined the following solutions are the best Creative Project Management Software overall:

Wrike
Wrike
Start Price
$9.80
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked Wrike

Wrike, a cloud-based project management platform, has attracted significant attention for its comprehensive features and ability to streamline workflows. Users frequently highlight its intuitive interface, robust functionality, and scalability as key strengths. The platform's customizability empowers teams to tailor their project management processes to their specific needs, enhancing efficiency and productivity. Wrike's Gantt charts, for instance, provide a clear visual representation of project timelines and dependencies, enabling project managers to track progress and identify potential bottlenecks. Additionally, Wrike's automation capabilities, such as automated workflows and custom request forms, free up valuable time for teams to focus on high-impact tasks.

However, some users note that Wrike's extensive features can lead to a steeper learning curve compared to simpler project management tools. Navigating the interface and discovering all the functionalities may require some initial investment of time and effort. Additionally, while Wrike offers various pricing plans to accommodate different team sizes and requirements, some users find the cost to be relatively high compared to other options in the market. Despite these considerations, Wrike remains a popular choice for teams seeking a powerful and versatile project management solution. Its ability to adapt to diverse workflows, coupled with its robust features and scalability, makes it particularly well-suited for larger teams and organizations with complex project requirements. Wrike's comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities further enhance its value proposition, providing valuable insights into team performance and project progress.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly Interface: Approximately 60% of users mention Wrike’s user-friendly interface and features in addition to easy installation.
  • Collaboration: According to 90% of users, it's easy to share files and collaborate with internal and external team members, stakeholders and business partners.
  • Support and Learning Materials: Wrike offers helpful customer support to help with implementation questions and any other concerns that arise as stated by 65% of users.
  • Customizable and Flexible: Approximately 75% of users say Wrike has a customizable and flexible system to fit their business needs.
  • Organization: There are plenty of folders and labels to keep files and projects organized, as reported by 85% of users.
  • Notifications: Wrike delivers various project notifications and alerts as stated by 61% of users.
  • Helpful Tools: Approximately 71% of users appreciate Wrike's various dashboards, Gantt charts, reports and other distinct modules.
  • Steep Learning Curve: Of the users who describe Wrike's user interface, 39% say the interface has a steep learning curve and is hard to understand.
  • Training: Approximately 35% of users iterate that implementation training and support is available but is difficult to learn.
  • Alerts: Of the users who discuss Wrike's alerts and notifications, 38% of them say there's no way to adjust how many they receive.

Key Features

  • Gantt Charts: Zoom out to see the full view of a project’s tasks, dependencies, timeline and scope. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to adjust task dates and add dependencies. It’s also easy to toggle between different views (day, week, month, etc.). Wrike facilitates data transfer for users switching from Microsoft Project, ensuring all elements are imported for MPP, MPX and XML formats. 
  • Task Management: Wrike brings together all aspects of your project — tasks, schedules and team communications — into a single location for more efficient project management. The platform connects with Gmail, Apple Mail and Outlook, allowing you to manage tasks directly from your inbox. It also facilitates time tracking and reporting. 
  • Project Templates: A range of pre-built templates allow teams to start with key elements already in place. Specific template types include agile teamwork, project scheduling, event management, product launches, Kanban projects, ticketing and helpdesk, sprint planning, and product roadmaps. 
  • Reports: Wrike offers reporting capabilities to users with business and enterprise accounts. The report builder takes you through the four-stage process of creating a report, with inputs for type, source data, filters and layout (table or column). Report topics include weekly project status, unassigned tasks, active tasks by assignee and others. 
  • Wrike Resource (premium add-on): This feature provides resource management and is available with Business, Wrike for Marketers and Enterprise plans. A visual, intuitive interface facilitates workload planning and changes, providing full visibility of team performance. You can also customize resource utilization analytics tools to track KPIs for better insight. 
  • Wrike Proof (premium add-on): Streamline feedback processes and review cycles with visual tools and a centralized system that keeps version control in check. You can assign approvers internally as well as invite external reviewers. The software also connects with Adobe Creative Cloud tools, letting creatives review feedback and make updates from the app they work in. 
  • Wrike Lock (premium add-on): Wrike provides cloud security and privacy with encryption keys. Both your data and the keys are encrypted, letting you determine who can access and edit the information stored on the platform. You have full control over the individual keys via a master key that’s stored by the Key Management Service from AWS. 
  • Wrike Publish (premium add-on): This feature enables digital asset management (DAM). Integrations with DAM platforms provide a range of capabilities, including stakeholder collaboration and file proofing. You can also attach files to tasks, quickly search your workspace for the right asset and gain brand consistency across campaigns. 
Asana
Asana
Start Price
$10.99
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked Asana

Asana is a work management platform designed to help users organize and streamline operations with a user-friendly, customizable interface, automation and AI. Key features include the ability to create custom fields, deadlines, and subtasks, utilize various project views like Kanban boards and timelines, and leverage AI for summarizing tasks and drafting workflows. During my test of the software, I liked how easy it was to create a task by email and create project and task summaries using their AI tool.

Customization was also a win. I built a task template for my Content Creation project with custom fields, relative due dates, assignees and a bulleted checklist. However, head’s up, adding task templates to existing tasks requires creating a new task with the template and merging it. Hands down, workflow management was one of my favorite parts of testing Asana. Adding in new sections (without having to go to the list view) and creating custom rules for transitions with a little help from their version of prompts was a breeze.

Collaboration is another plus, with in-card comments and mentions, an inbox, group and individual messaging in platform and guest accounts with custom permissions for external users.

On the downside, if you don’t have access to a free trial of the paid version (like I did), the free version may not be as effective. You won’t be able to access AI features, certain project views and resource management. The setup also isn’t exactly intuitive, and you may need training plus multiple visits to the help center to conceptualize your project and pick the right template.

Overall, Asana is a fantastic all-in-one project management solution for users looking for a flexible tool with AI assistance and don’t mind springing for one of the paid plans.

Pros & Cons

  • User Friendly: Reviewers appreciated that the system is easy to use and intuitive with a clean UI, even if you’re new to projects.
  • Overall Functionality: Workflows and automation, task management and collaboration are everything you’d look for in a project management system, according to users.
  • Customization: Users liked the customization options for unique team needs, projects and workflows.
  • >Cost: Users mentioned Asana’s paid plans were too expensive for smaller businesses making it difficult to upgrade from the limited free version.
  • Set-Up: Getting started can be overwhelming with so many customizations and task options. Users said you may need extra time to implement it effectively.
  • Advanced Features: Reviewers noted some features like AI, advanced project views, resource management and multiple task assignees require expensive plan upgrades.

Key Features

  • Task Management: Create tasks with custom fields, deadlines, tags, subtasks, dependencies and descriptions during setup, adding tasks to the section you want when you create your first project or forwarding an email to [email protected]. Save time by converting your custom tasks into a template you can apply to new tasks and using AI to summarize tasks and draft subtasks. Switch between list, board, timeline, calendar and Gantt views to optimize visualization and drag-and-drop tasks between sections.
  • Project Planning and Scheduling: Kick your projects off with a plethora of templates ranging from product rollouts to hiring pipelines, or import your project from a spreadsheet. Convert tasks into milestones on the card and add details about why it’s a milestone. Add tasks to multiple projects and organize strategic initiatives by creating a portfolio where you can track the updates of all your projects.
  • Resource Management: Keep track of what’s on everyone’s plate by switching to the workload view. Drag and drop tasks to manage timelines and assignees and assign custom values like hours or points to tasks to accurately factor in employee effort.
  • Sprint Management: Hit the ground running by applying the sprint template to a new project. Add custom fields, use the timeline tab to map out sprint tasks and deadlines and set start and finish dates in the project view.
  • Collaboration Features: Add updates, questions and notes into the description. Comment on cards with mentions, files, lists, code blocks and even AI assists. Send messages directly to individuals or teams using the inbox. Keep your clients in the loop by creating guest accounts and sharing specific tasks and projects with them.
  • Reports and Insights: Tap into a bird’s eye view of your project by clicking on the dashboard tab where you can monitor overdue, complete and incomplete tasks and burnup charts and create custom charts with their AI tool. Visit the reporting tab to view trends, progress, resourcing and work health.
  • Custom Automations and Workflows: Build a workflow that’s a perfect fit for your project in the workflow tab by adding sections for each step in the process with custom transitions and rules when tasks are moved. Add custom automations and rules from scratch, use the options provided as a starting point or get a helping hand from the AI studio. Check out the automations we built in depth below.
Jira
Jira
Start Price
$10
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked Jira

Jira is an agile-based project management platform that caters to a vast range of industries thanks to its all-in-one functionality, customization and flexibility. It allows users to fully customize workflows, issue types, fields and automations.

After watching a few tutorials, I personally found it quite simple to create my own projects using the templates and modifying it to meet my needs. Although some of the automation actions and issues have some programming language involved, it’s not a huge roadblock and I created and tested multiple automations successfully.

Task (or issue) management was on point, with multiple views, custom workflows, task assignment, in-card collaboration and time tracking and custom fields. It offered comprehensive (but not overly advanced) reports and a helpful summary dashboard.

Sprints were intuitive and easy to execute, and I especially appreciated the drag-and-drop feature for planning. Some users mentioned a learning curve, and I would agree, as I relied on videos to guide me through some parts of the setup lest this test take weeks not days.

Overall, Jira is a match made in heaven for agile enthusiasts and users who want a flexible, customizable project management platform and don’t mind getting into the weeds with learning courses and tutorials.

Pros & Cons

  • Functionality: Users appreciated the ability to customize workflows, issue types and fields and the flexibility to navigate complex projects and problem-solve.
  • Collaborative: The system helps users collaborate with other teams, projects, and stakeholders and efficiently bridges gaps between remote teams, noted reviewers.
  • Integrations: Reviewers liked the extensive integrations with most third-party modules like Slack, Bitbucket and more to complete workflows and processes.

What Users Like

  • Customization: “We were able to tailor the workflow to fit our specific needs, which greatly enhanced our efficiency. For instance, we created custom issue types that aligned with our unique project phases, making it easier for team members to understand their tasks at a glance.” - Balázs Keszthelyi, Founder and CEO at TechnoLynx
  • Project Visualization: “[Jira’s robust roadmapping and dependency tracking capabilities are] invaluable for coordinating multiple product launches. Also, the premium version's Advanced Roadmaps feature lets us visualize our entire product pipeline so that's from sourcing to launch, but you've got to invest time in learning the system, and I think for smaller operations, it might be overkill.” - Dennis Sanders, Founder and CEO of Burning Daily
  • Task Management: “Jira has given us the structure to break down our complex workflows into clear, manageable steps, which was exactly what we needed as we expanded our customer base. With Jira, we can create specific 'boards' for each client’s SEO campaign, where every task is detailed and assigned to the right team member. Each board has phases, like keyword research, content writing, and on-page optimization, with clear deadlines. Having this setup has helped us catch any bottlenecks early. If the content team takes longer to deliver, for instance, we can adjust the timeline for the next steps right away instead of rushing it.” - Mushfiq Sarker, CEO of LaGrande Marketing
  • Lags: Reviewers noted that the system sometimes lags and takes time to load, especially for multiple projects and large data sets.
  • Learning Curve: Its UX can feel complex, and it takes time to set up, customize and use to its full ability. An internal Jira expert may be required, according to some users.
  • Administration: Users mentioned that the system is difficult to administer, and its back-end is hard to manage.

What Users Dislike

  • Slow Loading Time: “Its interface moves like molasses.” - Dennis Sanders, Founder and CEO of Burning Daily
  • Learning Curve: “We had some initial challenges with team members who were not familiar with the platform, which required additional training sessions to ensure everyone was on the same page. However, once they became accustomed to the interface, the benefits outweighed the initial hurdles.” - Balázs Keszthelyi, Founder and CEO at TechnoLynx

Key Features

  • Agile Boards: Manage your tasks, or issues using Scrum and Kanban boards with custom statuses, fields and transitions. Create new issues using the button below each status. You can view projects using a list, board or timeline view.
  • Reports and Insights: Get insights into where your team is at throughout every stage of the project by generating custom reports like the average age report, created vs. resolved issues report and sprint report. Manage workloads with the time tracking report, user workload report and version workload report. Use the summary view to monitor activity, status overview, priority breakdown and related projects.
  • Collaboration Features: Communicate with team members and assignees directly on the issue card with comments and mentions. Attach files, view card activity and add descriptions for additional instructions. Integrate with Outlook, Slack and other communication tools.
  • Custom Automations: Build custom automation rules by setting a trigger with the option to add an action, a condition or a branch. Get a helping hand by searching for triggers related to what you want to automate and selecting recommended actions and conditions.
  • Sprint Management: Use the Scrum option to run sprints. Fill in project details like name, duration and scope and add tasks and drag and drop them to your sprint using the backlog. Complete your sprints and auto-add pending tasks to the backlog or to a new sprint and run a sprint report for insights.
  • Task Management: Manage tasks by creating customizable issue cards under each status or by importing issues from CSV files. Add assignees, due dates, time tracking, comments, descriptions, teams, labels, status and priority to issues. Move tasks from status to status using transitions and workflow automation.
  • Customizable Workflows: Create custom workflows for your tasks and subtasks by going to project settings and clicking on issue types. Set statuses based on the type of task you’re completing or from the project template you select. Automate actions by setting rules for transitions from one status to another.
monday.com
monday.com
Start Price
$9
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked monday.com

monday.com is a cloud-based project management platform that caters to a wide range of industries thanks to its customization, user-friendly interface and templates. It allows users to build boards from templates or from scratch and view projects through multiple views like list, calendar, Ganntt and Kanban. During our test, we enjoyed using the platform's pre-built templates and drag-and-drop feature to set up projects and reorganize tasks.

Its task management features are stellar. We liked how easy it is to custom groups for tasks, assign them to specific team members, and leverage various communication tools like comments, mentions and board discussions. The updates feature means everyone is on the same page and the view option boosts accountability. On the automation front, we successfully used the built-in automation engine, which comes with both pre-made templates and no-code customization options, to build a custom automation for status changes with little to no difficulty.

On the flip side, monday.com may have a slight learning curve for users who aren’t familiar with project management tools. Additionally, some advanced features, such as custom notifications and time tracking, require upgrading to a higher pricing tier, which could become expensive for larger teams.

All in all, we thought monday’s intuitive interface, customization options and no-code automations make it a great option for users without a ton of technical expertise and a flexible budget.

Pros & Cons

  • Task Management: Users appreciated how easy it is to monitor tasks with customized views, an activity feed and task updates.
  • Collaboration: Instant messaging, integrations, board discussions and easy scheduling and planning were a plus for reviewers.
  • User-Friendly: Reviewers said it was simple to set up and use for less tech-savvy users, and liked the attractive, colorful interface with helpful templates.

What Users Like

  • Project Tracking: "The ability to customize columns and task dependencies lets us create a clear, tailored workflow." - Jeffery Zhou, CEO and Founder of Fig Loans
  • Interface: "The timeline and calendar views were particularly useful when we had multiple projects running alongside each other, helping everyone stay aligned without a lot of back-and-forth." - Rob Stevenson, Founder of BackupVault
  • Notifications: “The automation features were especially useful in notifying different people responsible at different steps of the journey while maintaining transparency and accountability with the rest of the team and building a frictionless and trust-based culture.” - Alok Jain, CEO of Reveal
  • Cost: Reviewers noted that advanced features like customized notifications or time tracking required a plan upgrade which could become expensive.
  • Learning Curve: It takes time to get used to the navigation and features according to users.
  • Mobile App: Some users said the mobile app doesn’t have all the features available.

What Users Dislike

  • Complexity: “[monday.com] lacked some flexibility in handling complex, multi-step tasks that needed a lot of customization, which sometimes left us manually tracking those details elsewhere.” - Rob Stevenson, Founder of BackupVault
  • Time-Based Automations: “Creating an automation to notify a user three days after a certain date, for example, was more complex than it needed to be. We had to set up custom date columns to drive these instead of just being able to calculate it as a part of automation.” - Alok Jain, CEO of Reveal

Key Features

  • Custom Dashboard: Build your own custom dashboard using built-in widgets and third-party integrations. Get a bird’s eye view of your boards and teams along with individual team member and board views. Monitor workload, timelines, feed activity and custom charts, like in-progress tasks, from a central location.
  • Multiple Views: Toggle between different views to track your projects using Gantt charts, Kanban boards, calendar views, project reports and custom filters like task owner, status and timeline.
  • Task Management: Create tasks under custom groups like To-Do, In-Progress, On-Hold, and Complete and add personalized fields, assignees, due dates, labels, statuses and priorities. Mention assignees, add comments, files, links and tables directly in the tasks using the Updates tab. Drag and drop tasks and groups to reorganize things.
  • Automations: Streamline workflows with no-code automations using templates or building custom automations from scratch using conditions and actions. Apply automations to specific boards and save your custom automations as a template to use on other boards.
  • Templates: Create boards suited to your project needs by accessing the template center and choosing from a range of templates, including marketing, project management, sales and CRM, design, software development, and HR.
  • Workflow Management: Organize your processes by creating custom workflows. Search for the trigger you’re looking for and add it as a starting block. Build on those blocks by choosing from several options: action, if or else or delay. Select the board where you want the action to happen, add conditions and edit blocks. View active workflows and pause or edit workflows as processes change.
Smartsheet
Smartsheet
Start Price
$9
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a cloud-based work management platform that helps users streamline and organize processes with a spreadsheet-esque interface, flexible templates, multiple views and team collaboration. Apart from the grid view, you can visualize projects using a Gantt chart, Kanban board, calendar view, card view or timeline view. No-code automations are another note-worthy feature, where you can build from templates or scratch.

It streamlines project creation with templates suited to different industries and end goals, so you have a jumping-off point instead of going in blind. Team collaboration is another area where Smartsheet shines, with comments, conversations and file and sheet sharing (even with people outside your organization). It also offers a customizable dashboard view, although I did find some of the chart widgets a little tricky to work, without training.

Highlights for me were definitely the familiarity of spreadsheet formatting (but with more views and automations), robust collaboration capabilities and guided explainers throughout the setup. However, user reviews noted limited filters and integrations, lags and expensive add-ons as downsides.

Overall, Smartsheet is a great option for teams familiar with spreadsheets but are on the lookout for more visualization and collaboration, along with the budget to spend on advanced features.

Pros & Cons

  • Automation: Reviewers appreciated the no-code automation and said that it helps to eliminate productivity killers and saves time.
  • Collaboration: Users liked the sharing option with level-based permissions that allow collaboration with non-users and help coworkers and external stakeholders stay up-to-date on projects and processes.
  • Ease of Use: A user-friendly interface and templates make it easy to set up, customize and access multiple views, according to reviewers.

What Users Like

  • Customization: “We can customize it to fit various projects, whether we’re tracking client cases, managing document revisions, or planning team tasks. For instance, I created a project tracker for a major client contract negotiation. The ability to set deadlines, assign tasks, and update statuses in real time has streamlined our communication and kept everyone on the same page.” - Russ Johnson, Founder of Linx Legal
  • Collaboration: “We had this one job in a high-rise condo that put Smartsheet to the test. The sliding door system was an older model with custom-sized panels that aren’t easy to source, and it needed specific adjustments due to the unique structure of the frame. Typically, coordinating the right parts, tools, and technician experience for something like this would require several phone calls and a lot of back-and-forth. With Smartsheet, we were able to set up the job details to track not only the special parts needed but also assign a technician who was experienced with that model. When the parts came in, the technician was notified directly through Smartsheet, so he knew the moment everything was ready. It saved us from potential delays and kept the customer fully updated on when the work could be done.” - Gal Cohen, Business Development Leader and Field Area Manager JDM Sliding Doors
  • System Integration: Limited integrations and complex configurations were an issue for reviewers.
  • Premium Add-Ons: Reviewers noted that advanced features come with a price tag that can be prohibitive for some businesses.
  • Slow Loading Time: Users reported it takes time to display screens export formats occasionally.

What Users Dislike

  • Integration: “Despite its many benefits, integrating Smartsheet with other systems posed some challenges. Initially, we experienced issues with data syncing between Smartsheet and our CRM software, leading to discrepancies in our financial reporting. Recognizing this, I allocated specific time for thorough testing before our full implementation, allowing us to identify and resolve any integration issues early on.” - Austin Rulfs, Founder of Zanda Wealth Mortgage Brokers
  • Learning Curve: “While Smartsheet is powerful, it can feel a bit overwhelming at first. I found that investing time in training sessions helped bridge that gap, making it easier for everyone to adapt and use the tool effectively.” - Russ Johnson, Founder of Linx Legal

Key Features

  • Dashboards and Reports: Customize your dashboard by adding widgets like reports, project-specific charts, shortcuts, images and text. Consolidate data from multiple sheets into a summary view using system reports. Track sheet changes using bi-directional functionality. Send reports via collaborative tools and change statuses to recur.
  • Multiple Views: View your tasks using the grid view, akin to a spreadsheet, a Gantt view as an add-on to your grid view, a Kanban board where you can drag and drop tasks and group them by assignee or status, a timeline view, a card view with customizable lanes and a calendar view that displays your tasks across its duration or by start dates only.
  • Task Management: Add your tasks and subtasks into each cell and use the indent and outdent buttons to divide tasks into groups that can be minimized to provide a project overview. Create or modify custom fields with your own text, dropdown lists and symbols to show status, assignees, priority, dates and latest comment. Attach files and proofs, write comments and mention users and set reminders for tasks.
  • Automations and Workflows: Save time with custom processes and workflows you can build by modifying templates for reminders and alerts, document generation, row changes, sheet changes and updates, and approval requests. Build your own workflow automations from scratch by choosing your trigger, setting conditions and adding actions. Manage automations by deactivating, deleting, duplicating or unsubscribing.
  • Templates: Use pre-built templates ranging from event management to HR workflows and marketing to streamline project creation. View complexity, task management and process before you apply a template. Build and save your own templates by customizing pre-built templates or creating them from scratch.
  • Integrations: Drive productivity with integrations like Office 365, Dropbox, DocuSign and Google Workspace and use iCal or Google Calendar to track project statuses.
  • Team Collaboration: Communicate with team members by commenting and mentioning users in individual tasks, adding files for additional information and chatting via the conversations tool where everyone with access to the sheet can see your comments. Integrate with Slack or Microsoft Teams to receive updates about your sheet and send messages to channels.
Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project
Start Price
$10
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project remains a robust project management software, praised for its intuitive interface and comprehensive feature set. Users appreciate its Gantt charts, resource management capabilities, and integration with other Microsoft products. However, some find its advanced features overwhelming and its reporting capabilities limited compared to specialized project management tools.

Project differentiates itself with its ease of use and integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. Its intuitive interface makes it accessible to users of all skill levels, while its integration with tools like Microsoft Teams and SharePoint streamlines collaboration. These strengths make it an excellent choice for teams heavily reliant on Microsoft products.

Microsoft Project is best suited for small to medium-sized businesses and teams that prioritize ease of use and Microsoft integration. Its intuitive interface and comprehensive feature set make it a valuable tool for managing projects effectively, while its integration with other Microsoft products enhances collaboration and productivity.

Pros & Cons

  • User Friendly: The platform’s functionalities are intuitive and easy to use, as noted by approximately 80% of users who mention the system’s usability.
  • Project Scheduling: Approximately 81% of the users find its project scheduling capabilities helpful.
  • Feature-Rich: Approximately 81% of the users who mentioned features said the system provides everything required for proper project handling. It can handle complex projects, create Gantt charts, project timelines and reports.
  • Customization: Nearly 61% of users who mentioned customization said its customization options were helpful. It integrates with ClearQuest seamlessly and 67% of users find its integrations helpful.
  • Support: Support is responsive, knowledgeable and helpful, as reported by 100% of reviewers who mention support.
  • Templates: Approximately 80% of users who mentioned templates find them to be helpful as they display data in an organized manner.
  • Learning Curve: Nearly 96% of the users that mentioned accessibility think that the software has a steep learning curve.
  • Efficiency: About 72% of users that mentioned efficiency said the software improved their process optimization.
  • Collaboration: Close to 83% of the users who mention collaboration said that Project does not facilitate collaborative processes well.
  • Cost: Approximately 94% of the users who mention cost think that its price is prohibitive and that the software is very expensive for the features it offers.

Key Features

  • Resource Management: Set up teams for success by requesting resources. Heat maps help identify overworked or underused resources. Lets managers project usage, monitor progress and address issues using analytics.  
  • Portfolio Optimization: Models different scenarios using tools like analysis scatter charts. Weigh project proposals against strategic business drivers with organizational cost and resource constraints in mind. 
  • Reports: Offers a number of reports that include a dashboard, progress and cost that provide insight into project metrics. Individual reports include burndowns, project overviews, critical tasks, cash flow, earned value, late tasks and more. Create a customized report from four template types: blank, chart, table and comparison.  
  • BI Capability: Connect with business intelligence apps like Power BI Pro to gain visibility across portfolios. Supports data aggregation to gain comprehensive insights. 
  • Proposal Evaluation: Gather project ideas, use standardized processes to evaluate them and funnel project charters and business cases to management for review and approval.
OpenAir
OpenAir
Start Price
$399
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked OpenAir

OpenAir, a project management software solution, has received positive feedback from users for its ability to streamline project management processes. Users appreciate its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and comprehensive features that enhance efficiency and organization. The software's task management, resource management, collaboration tools, and reporting capabilities have significantly improved project outcomes for many businesses.

Compared to similar products, OpenAir stands out due to its ease of use and adaptability to various project types and sizes. Users have highlighted its intuitive design, which allows for quick adoption and minimal training time. Additionally, OpenAir's flexibility enables businesses to customize workflows, dashboards, and reports to align with their specific needs. This adaptability is crucial for organizations with diverse project requirements and evolving processes.

OpenAir is well-suited for businesses of all sizes seeking to enhance their project management practices. Its scalability and comprehensive features make it an ideal choice for small teams, large enterprises, and everything in between. The software's ability to centralize project information, facilitate collaboration, and provide real-time insights empowers teams to make informed decisions, optimize resource allocation, and deliver projects on time and within budget.

Pros & Cons

  • User Friendly: The system is easy to use and intuitive, as noted by approximately 86% of users who mention the system’s usability.
  • Time Tracking and Expense Reports: Approximately 90% of the users reviewed think this feature increases their productivity and effectiveness.
  • Customization: Nearly 75% of the users reviewed find this feature to be quite robust.
  • Reporting: About 57% of the users reviewed find its reporting capabilities to be helpful and informative.
  • Support: Nearly 67% of the users reviewed think the support offered by OpenAir is helpful.
  • Cost: Nearly 100% of users who mentioned cost reported that OpenAir’s offerings were too expensive for smaller businesses or prohibitive.
  • Implementation: The physical implementation process misses the mark, and can be difficult according to 70% of reviewers who mention implementation.
  • Intuitive Interface: Nearly 65% of the users reviewed think that the interface is not intuitive and that administrative tools are limited.
  • Bugs: Approximately 100% of users that mentioned bugs or slowdowns think that the system is clunky and disrupts work.
  • Integration: Nearly 60% of the users who mention integration think that integration between OpenAir and NetSuite is not seamless. Also, Microsoft Projects importing is not smooth.

Key Features

  • Time Tracking: Customizes timesheet approvals by client and project, supports multi-level and project-based approvals and lets users track leave and vacation time. View who is in or out of the office to schedule meetings and appointments. Add notes and descriptions to each input, and sort time by billable and non-billable hours.  
  • Project Management: Users can view the complete status of a project to keep tasks on-track and reduce the potential for errors or incomplete deliverables. Develop “what if” project planning scenarios to adjust margins, billing rates, pricing and staffing. Also supports Gantt charts, project status summaries and exceptions reports.  
  • Reporting/Dashboard: Dashboards reflect KPIs on initial login. Present profit margins, resource utilization and projected vs. actual budgets as graphs to make development of actionable insights faster and easier. Build reports using drag-and-drop tools. 
  • Resource Management: View labor resource allocation and deploy staff members to different projects based on experience, skills, availability and more. using the resource management tool. Deploy labor resources from across the globe, attribute work back to the correct project teams and bill labor resources in the appropriate currency.  
  • Expense Tracking: Integrates with workflows like project accounting and invoicing to expedite the expense management cycle, including expense submission, approval and reporting. Expenses are tied directly to projects, eliminating confusion regarding where an expense came from and who should be billed.  
  • Invoicing: Supports multi-currency and multi-taxation requirements such as PST, VAT and GST. Manages finances from the time a bid is prepared to the time an internal charge-back is issued. Project profitability is tracked on a case-by-case basis due to the complexity of measuring ROI for diverse projects. Revenue recognition is conducted separately from project billing. 
Trello
Trello
Start Price
$5
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Why We Picked Trello

Trello includes robust workflow management and organizational capabilities for users to efficiently manage a project lifecycle. Its intuitive UI and clean dashboards simplify task delegation and monitoring, along with streamlining workflows. Its collaborative tools foster team communication and information sharing, while flexible integration capabilities help complete workflows. However, it lacks enterprise-grade project management abilities and is not suitable to handle large projects that require bulk movements. Additionally, the system provides limited features in its basic plan, and its mobile application lacks several functionalities offered by the desktop version.

Pros & Cons

  • Functionality: Trello offers robust organizational tools that simplify task delegation and streamline workflows, as reported by nearly 88% of the users who mention the product’s functionality.
  • Easy to Use: The system is intuitive, user friendly and doesn’t require a steep learning curve to understand its features, as noted by approximately 82% of users who referred to its usability.
  • Collaborative: Approximately 79% of users who talked about collaboration noted that project collaborations are a breeze with Trello as it shares information with team members and clients in an organized manner while adding specific members to project cards.
  • Customizable: The system is highly customizable with numerous display choices and features to adapt to users’ requirements, as reported by nearly 74% of reviewers who referred to customization.
  • Scalability: Nearly 75% of reviewers who mention scalability note that it is cumbersome to scale the system to a company’s growing needs and cannot manage complex projects.
  • Cost: Trello offers limited functional and storage capabilities in its basic version, and advanced version requires per-user licensing, making it expensive for large teams, reported nearly 83% of users who mentioned cost.
  • Mobile Application: The system doesn’t perform well on mobile platforms, and its mobile application cannot perform all the functions of the desktop version, as reported by nearly 71% of users who mentioned mobile accessibility.
  • Installation: Trello is challenging to install and can overwhelm new users with its host of features, as reported by nearly 69% of users who talked about product set-up.

Key Features

  • Boards: Create multiple boards for different projects, workflows or other needs. Keep all related information organized in a single location. 
  • Cards: Build processes, follow progress and manage all aspects of a project. Foster collaboration and organization within teams. 
  • Task Management: Represent tasks on each card and move them through the workflow. Set up and manage task dependencies by creating checklists and linking associated cards to one another. 
  • Templates: Create real-world boards from the inspiration section for teams. Use pre-built or custom templates to create boards, lists or cards. 
  • Power-Ups: Integrate it with apps like Slack, Zapier, Google Drive, MailChimp, Salesforce, Dropbox, SurveyMonkey and Zendesk to complete workflows. Choose from over 130 modules for file management, reporting, automation and developer tools.
  • Mobile Apps: Access it through iOS and Android devices, including smartphones, iPads, smart watches and Kindle fire tablets. 
Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects
Start Price
$4
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects offers comprehensive solutions for its customers to tackle multiple business needs with ease. Users have full control of their projects as they can manage every stage of project progress, allocate resources, manage tasks, record timesheets and automate workflow processes for standardization. It offers an extensive knowledge base and fosters team collaboration for efficient project completion. However, its UI is clunky and difficult to use, it requires a steep learning curve to make optimal use of its full capabilities, comes with limited features in its basic version and offers sluggish customer support.

Pros & Cons

  • Functionality: Zoho Projects offers robust tools to manage multiple business needs, including project management, resource allocation, efficient collaboration and timesheets, as reported by approximately 90% of the users who mention the product’s functionality.
  • Flexible: The system is highly flexible and can be configured for different purposes like marketing and other business requirements, noted nearly 85% of customers who talked about its flexibility.
  • Integrations: Approximately 75% of the reviewers who mentioned integrations observed that the solution offers multiple APIs and seamless integration with other Zoho suite products and popular external modules for project planning and implementation.
  • Centralized Communication: The system centralizes all project communication between teams, which makes it easy to search and fix issues, noted nearly 72% of the users who talked about its communication capabilities.
  • Not Intuitive: The system is not user-friendly with a clunky and unintuitive UI compared to its competitors, reported 88% of reviewers who mentioned the system’s usability.
  • Cost: Nearly 92% of the users who mentioned cost remarked that Zoho Projects is expensive for small teams looking for more features on a limited budget, doesn’t offer options to customize functionality and its package price is a costly investment for bigger teams with more users.
  • Data and Reporting: Data generated by the system is difficult to comprehend, and it doesn’t allow report customization using different fields and visuals, observed by about 86% of customers who mentioned reporting.
  • Support: Customer support is slow and doesn’t offer enough support documentation or tutorial videos to exploit the system’s capabilities fully, noted 80% of reviewers who talked about support.

Key Features

  • Task Management: Control important task details, add important information such as priority or duration with tasks and subtasks. Link tasks to create dependencies. Highlight each project phase with milestones. Organize tasks using drag-and-drop Kanban boards and custom layouts. 
  • Social Project Management: Communicate and collaborate for effective project management. Create public or private chat rooms, pages for team knowledge base and forums to engage in discussion. Centralize project updates with feeds. Create new posts while adding comments to existing posts. 
  • Charts and Reports: View project details and metrics using a variety of charts. Get a high-level view of project tasks and dependencies through Gantt charts while resource utilization charts break down each team member’s workload by day. Gain insights into project performance across a wide range of KPIs with over 50 out-of-the-box reports and dashboards. 
  • Time Tracking: Let employees log their hours on a timesheet automatically or manually while allowing managers to view reports based on personnel, time or project. Transform a timesheet to an invoice with a few simple steps. Compare the expected task duration with the actual time spent on a task. Track each member’s availability, issues and milestones using calendar views. 
  • Issue Tracking: Report issues with all the relevant details and assign them for attention. Importing issues in bulk keeps them all in one place, and you can then export them as an XLS or CSV file. Track all issues according to criteria using filtered views. View committed changes with all changeset details included. 

COMPARE THE BEST Creative Project Management Software

Select up to 2 Products from the list below to compare

 
Product
Score
i
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Creative Project Management Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
Start Price
Free Trial
Company Size
Deployment
Platform
Logo
Wrike
$9.80
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Wrike
Asana
$10.99
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Asana
Jira
$10
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Jira
monday.com
$9
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
monday.com
Smartsheet
$9
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Smartsheet
Microsoft Project
$10
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Microsoft Project
OpenAir
$399
Per User, Monthly
No
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
OpenAir
Trello
$5
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Trello
Zoho Projects
$4
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Zoho Projects
Mavenlink
$45
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Mavenlink

All Creative Project Management Software (56 found)

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Avaza

by Avaza
Avaza
Avaza is a cloud-based resource management and collaboration solution that helps businesses accomplish their projects and tasks efficiently. It integrates resource and expense management, task tracking, online payments and time and expense management. Users can collaborate on projects with clients online and drag and drop files and tasks when required. Teams can initiate discussions, exchange emails and access crucial project updates and notifications from activity feeds. It monitors time and expense for every project and online payments via invoices. Detailed reports on metrics like financial transactions, status estimates, customer expenses and more provide insights to make crucial business decisions.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Daylite

by MacWorks
Daylite
Exclusively designed for Mac, iPhone and iPad, Daylite from Marketcircle is ideal for small businesses that need to track leads, projects, clients, contacts and tasks in a centralized platform. It helps nurture customer relationships with follow-up reminders and effective communication. Users can leverage it to prioritize opportunities, gain visibility into short- and long-term business goals, track potential sales and measure project progress by milestone. It integrates with Apple Mail, Contacts and Calendar.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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GitLab

by GitLab
GitLab
GitLab’s DevSecOps Platform is a collaborative software development interface and open source code repository. It provides a secure environment for companies and individuals to monitor, test and deploy their code, and develop and operate their software.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
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Deployment
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ProjectManager

by Project Manager Online Ltd
ProjectManager
ProjectManager is a cloud-based solution that combines planning, scheduling and tracking with collaboration tools for teams. Real-time updates are reflected in their dashboards, giving users a quick look at tasks, project status and more. Reports are easily generated, providing managers with insights on time, budget, and team workloads, among others. Timesheets are synchronized with tasks and workload features, allowing managers to quickly approve them.It provides free templates for IT, project planning and initiation. Available on Mac, Windows, Android and iOS, users can collaborate and see updates from anywhere. It serves industries like IT, healthcare, logistics and more. It also offers a 30-day trial and three paid plans afterward.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
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Airtable

by Airtable
Airtable
Airtable is a versatile software platform designed to streamline project management and other organizational tasks. It's particularly well-suited for teams and businesses seeking a customizable solution to manage their workflows, projects, and data in a collaborative environment. One of the key benefits of Airtable is its flexibility; it allows users to create a tailored system that can adapt to various project types and sizes. Its popular features include a user-friendly interface, the ability to integrate with other apps, and a range of templates and views (such as Kanban, Grid, and Calendar) to visualize projects. When compared to similar products, users often highlight Airtable's ease of use and the depth of customization it offers, making it a strong choice for those who need more than a one-size-fits-all approach. Pricing for Airtable varies, with options ranging from a free basic plan to premium subscriptions, billed on a per-user, per-month basis, allowing businesses to scale their use according to their needs and budget.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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ClickUp

by ClickUp
ClickUp
ClickUp is an all-in-one cloud-based solution designed to help users streamline project cycles with collaboration, customization and visibility. It allows you to assign comments and tasks to specific team members or groups of team members and view time spent on those tasks. Other collaboration features include reminders, docs, calendars, goals, scheduling and an inbox.An activity stream displays tasks in real time in the order of their creation and completion. Businesses can configure team-specific notifications while viewing projects on an Agile dashboard. It sends alerts to relevant employees in a discussion thread while allowing them to edit and post comments. You can create a personalized workspace with no-code automations, customizations for statuses, fields and views and ClickApps.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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WorkflowMax

by Xero Limited
WorkflowMax
WorkFlowMax is a cloud-hosted job management solution designed for small to mid-sized service-based organizations. It offers capabilities like timesheets, job costing and quote creation to handle projects. It integrates with popular third-party document management modules to execute projects faster and payroll modules to simplify payroll. Employees can work within their timesheets using the timesheet functionality. It stores all cost-related information in one place and offers a sales dashboard that displays closed, hot or cold leads.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Zoho Sprints

by Zoho Corporation
Zoho Sprints
Zoho Sprints is a cloud-based agile management tool to help agile teams plan, track and deliver projects seamlessly. It includes a drag-and-drop center that boosts planning by prioritizing tasks and setting reminders for each sprint. It allows users to create user stories, add estimation points, use timesheets to track work hours, leverage a personalized dashboard and schedule reviews and agile meetings. Different reports can be generated to monitor progress and identify bottlenecks such as burn-up and burn-down reports and velocity charts. Users can log in using a single password for all programs. It serves businesses of all sizes in industries like startups, IT, real estate, marketing and more. It offers a free plan that supports five users, five projects and 500 MB of storage space. Its professional plan provides a 15-day free trial, and subscriptions are available by month or year. Their pricing page provides a calculator to simplify subscriptions based on the number of users. It also offers a separate hybrid methodology plan for teams with varied approaches by combining classical and agile methods to create a flexible and collaborative approach to managing complex projects.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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GreenRope

by Synchronous Technologies
GreenRope
GreenRope is an all-in-one CRM aiming to unify sales, marketing, and operations under one platform. It caters to businesses seeking streamlined workflows and improved team collaboration. GreenRope boasts features like lead generation, email marketing automation, social media management, and customer service tools. Users praise its user-friendly interface, comprehensive reporting capabilities, and 24/7 customer support. Compared to similar options, GreenRope is lauded for its affordability, offering unlimited users and emails at a flat monthly fee. However, some users mention occasional limitations in customization and integrations compared to more established CRMs. Overall, GreenRope shines for businesses seeking a cost-effective, user-friendly solution to manage customer relationships across departments. Pros User-friendly interface Unlimited users, emails Comprehensive reporting Affordable flat fee 24/7 customer support Cons Limited customization Fewer integrations Occasional feature glitches
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Todoist

by Todoist
Todoist
Todoist is a task management software designed to enhance productivity and organization for individuals and teams. Its user-friendly interface simplifies task creation, assignment, and tracking, making it ideal for those seeking a straightforward solution to manage their workload. Key benefits include its ease of use, diverse features, and integrations with other applications, promoting seamless workflow management. Todoist offers features like task prioritization, recurring due dates, and progress visualization, enabling users to stay on top of deadlines and track their accomplishments effectively. Todoist provides a range of pricing options, including a free plan with basic features and paid plans with more advanced functionalities such as team collaboration and project management tools. The paid plans are generally considered affordable, making Todoist a cost-effective solution for individuals and businesses seeking to improve their task management processes. While user experiences with similar products may vary, Todoist is often praised for its intuitive design and comprehensive features, making it a strong contender in the task management software market.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Toggl

by Toggl
Toggl
Toggl is a project management and time tracking solution. It is cloud-based, with apps on desktop, iOS and Android. It allows for time logging, project creation and activity tracking. Projects can be tracked with an estimated completion time, giving insight into operations efficiency and deadlines. Worker productivity can be monitored through its timeline, which shows all sites and programs viewed for more than 10 seconds.Custom tags can help filter data, which can be displayed on the timeline, in dashboard visualizations or reports, which are exportable in a variety of formats. Unique permissions and billing rates allow for employees at different levels and different locations to track time. It offers scaled pricing.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Podio

by Citrix
Podio
Podio by Citrix is an online collaboration solution that offers businesses a marketplace to customize apps according to requirements. The free pre-built applications help perform several functions, including issue management, task management, customer relationship management, project portfolio management and applicant tracking. Its apps feature social collaboration tools like video chat, internal messaging and file sharing across the system. Users can build additions without any technical skills and use them to manage unique workflows and multiple business processes. It is customizable, flexible and scales as an organization grows. Businesses can manage content, conversations with customers and create customer profiles by linking a contact with its digital footprint. A dashboard provides more information on a contact when required.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Quickbase

by QuickBase
Quickbase
Quickbase is a cloud-based solution that empowers businesses to optimize project management through customization, workflow automation, data consolidation and analysis. Its no-code approach allows users with minimal coding experience to build custom applications and reports for their specific needs. Intuitive interfaces and drag-and-drop functionality expedite application development, saving time and resources.Improve accessibility and eliminate silos by consolidating data from various sources into a central hub, providing a 360-degree view of projects. Users can tailor applications, dashboards, triggers and user roles to suit their workflows. Advanced analytics capabilities enable users to track key metrics, identify trends and generate custom reports for insightful decision making. The platform also integrates with third-party tools via pre-built channels or API access.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
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Platform
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Aha!

by AHA Labs
Aha!
Aha! is a roadmapping tool that helps users organize documents and spreadsheets while boosting team collaboration. It helps share and create visual roadmaps, drive strategy and prioritize projects. Users can showcase their vision and track dependencies. Any number of teams can leverage workspaces that include services, business, product, project, IT and marketing.It offers 30 integrations and a robust API with tools in development, communication applications and file storage. Users can customize views, terminology and workflow to synchronize with the way users’ team works.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
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Platform
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Replicon

by Replicon, Inc.
Replicon
Replicon is a workforce management and time tracking software built for capturing employee work data across various applications and platforms. It automatically logs activity within specific tools like Slack, Jira, and Zoom, then compiles pre-filled timesheets for team members to review and submit. This automation reduces manual time entry, improving data accuracy and saving administrative time. Its features cater to businesses of all sizes, with functionalities like project budgeting, invoicing, and expense management. Team leaders can leverage insights gleaned from time data to optimize resource allocation, track project progress, and boost overall productivity. While user experiences vary, reviewers often praise Replicon's comprehensive approach to time tracking, its ability to adapt to diverse workflows, and its user-friendly interface. However, some mention a learning curve for advanced features and occasional technical hiccups. Pricing starts at a per-user monthly fee, but the exact cost depends on the chosen features and plan tier. Organizations with larger teams or complex needs might require higher-priced plans. Ultimately, Replicon shines for businesses seeking an automated, data-driven solution to time tracking and workforce management, especially those juggling multiple applications and projects. Pros Easy time entry Robust reporting Customizable features Mobile app access Integrations with other tools Cons Steeper learning curve Occasional glitches Limited customization options Can be expensive for large teams Customer support can be slow
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Backlog

by Nulab
Backlog
Backlog is a cloud-hosted issue tracking and resource management solution that helps developers work with design, IT and marketing teams. Its core capabilities include subtasking, bug tracking, file sharing, Gantt charts, burndown charts and watchlists. Businesses can track overall work progress while prioritizing tasks and to-do lists through team collaboration. Developers can integrate it with SVN and Git to manage project tasks and source codes. It offers businesses visibility into project workflows and daily timelines using Gantt charts, which get updated in real time. Managers can track and compare project modifications, monitor document changes and leave comments on pull requests. Users can dissect Gantt charts by milestone, assignee or category and export to Excel sheets.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Freedcamp

by Freedcamp
Freedcamp
Freedcamp is a web-based solution that enables companies to oversee and execute projects. Its free version caters to businesses and individuals who require basic functionality and includes core features such as time tracking, task management, collaboration and a calendar. Users with more robust needs can choose one of the paid plans to receive extra capabilities like reports and templates.Enterprise features include daily backups, two-factor authentication, the option to host on a private cloud and single sign-on (SSO) using SAML. All plans provide users with on-the-go access via mobile apps for iOS and Android.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Knowify

by Knowify
Knowify
Knowify is a robust software solution designed to streamline construction management tasks, making it particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized contractors and subcontractors in the construction industry. It offers a comprehensive suite of features including project management, job costing, contract management, and time tracking, all integrated into a user-friendly platform. One of its standout features is the ability to manage both commercial and residential projects with ease, providing real-time insights into project progress and financials. Users appreciate its intuitive interface and the seamless integration with accounting software, which enhances operational efficiency. While specific pricing details are not readily available, Knowify typically offers subscription-based pricing, which may vary based on the number of users and specific needs of the business. For precise pricing information, it is advisable to contact SelectHub for a tailored quote. Knowify's unique blend of features and ease of use makes it a compelling choice for construction professionals.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$100 - $500
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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MeisterTask

by MeisterLabs
MeisterTask
MeisterTask is a cloud-hosted task management solution that allows businesses to collaborate with team members, create project dashboards and work together in real time. Users can personalize project sections via customizable dashboards while getting an overview of all notifications and projects. Managers can create project plans while collaborating with teammates using an online mind-mapping module. Its section actions capability delegates tasks, modifies task status and moves tasks to various channels. It fosters real-time communication while sending instant task completion notifications.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
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Platform
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Streak CRM

by Rewardly
Streak CRM
Streak CRM is built into Gmail, allowing users to manage common sales tasks directly from their inbox. It facilitates pipeline management so users can track leads, follow up, collaborate and close deals. Three different pricing tiers make it useful for both individuals who need basic functions and companies that require more advanced capabilities. In addition to managing a pipeline, users can also leverage it to manage projects, foster business relationships, run fundraisers, provide customer support and execute other projects that require tracking details.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
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Buyer's Guide

Creative Project Management Software Is All About Collaboration

By Ananya Avasthi, Technical Content Writer at SelectHub

Creative Project Management Software BG Intro

Creative project management software is your digital sidekick, aiding your team in crafting brilliant new media, innovative designs or engaging ad campaigns. It's like having a virtual workshop, giving your creatives a place to gather whether they're in the same room or scattered around the world.

As your business grows, the software does too. It's designed to keep pace with you, adapting to new projects and creative demands. Plus, it plays nicely with other tools your team loves, from drawing apps to content management systems. This makes for a smooth, integrated experience where creativity meets efficiency.

In this guide, we'll dive into the world of creative project management software and help you pick the one that's just right for your needs.

Executive Summary

  • Creative project management software enhances workflows, communication and storage for better team collaboration.
  • Key features include collaboration tools, version control, project tracking, task management and integration.
  • Choosing the right software requires understanding team needs, comparing options, considering costs and exploring top market solutions.
What This Guide Covers:

What Is Creative Project Management Software?

Creative project management software is a digital tool designed to help creative teams brainstorm, plan, design and execute their projects. It offers features like idea boards, design collaboration, feedback loops and digital asset management, making it easier for both co-located and distributed teams to work together in real time.

For example, an advertising agency working on a nationwide campaign may use creative project management software to coordinate a team of copywriters, designers and strategists scattered across different locations. Having a unified platform helps the team collaborate on creating compelling ad copy, design eye-catching visuals and strategize the campaign roll-out.

The software is used to keep track of project timelines, delegate tasks, collect feedback and manage revisions. It gives project managers a bird’s eye view of the whole creative process, helping them monitor progress, manage resources and keep everyone on the same page. Extensive media storage makes storing and retrieving all creative assets easy, ensuring that every team member has access to the resources they need.

Primary Benefits

Creative Project Management Software Benefits

Creative Project Management Software Categories

Streamlined Workflow

Creative project management provides a unified platform where team members can brainstorm, draft, revise and finalize their creative projects. This streamlined workflow reduces confusion, prevents duplicates and ensures that everyone is on the same page.

Adaptability

As your business grows, your creative project management software can grow with you. It can adapt to new projects and creative demands, ensuring that your team always has the tools they need to shine. With third-party integrations, the software provides a flexible and future-proof solution for long-term creative work.

Enhanced Communication

Creative project management software fosters clear and efficient communication among team members. Through features like discussion threads, shared notes and feedback tools, it ensures that all members are aligned on their tasks and understand the creative vision.

For example, a project manager for a design agency can easily share feedback with a designer on a particular design draft. The designer can then respond with their thoughts or revisions, all within the platform. This eliminates the need for long email threads or separate messaging apps, reducing the chance of miscommunication or overlooked messages.

Centralized Storage

All your creative assets are safely stored and easily accessible in one place. This eliminates the risk of lost files and the inefficiency of searching through scattered resources. It also ensures version control, so the latest revisions are always at your team's fingertips while maintaining a history of past versions for reference.

Key Features & Functionality

Idea Collaboration

Facilitate brainstorming and sharing creative ideas in a digital space, with tools like virtual whiteboards for team members to draw diagrams on or otherwise contribute their thoughts.
Design Collaboration

Real-time collaboration on design drafts makes it possible for multiple employees to work together and give each other immediate feedback.
File Sharing and Version Control

Share files easily and maintain different versions with each revision.
Project Tracking

Monitor the progress of creative projects in real time. This feature provides a clear view of where the project stands, helping to identify any bottlenecks and keep the project on track.
Task Management

Easily assign, track and manage tasks for different team members. Get an overview of who's doing what, ensuring that all tasks are adequately resourced and timelines are met.
Digital Asset Management

Efficiently store, organize and retrieve all creative assets. Make all project-related materials easily accessible, streamlining workflows and reducing time wasted searching for files.
Integration Capability

Integrate the software with other tools and applications that your team uses, reducing the need to switch between different platforms.
Real-Time Communication

Facilitate instant discussions, feedback and clarification for team members, ensuring everyone is aligned with the project objectives and progress.

Software Comparison Strategy

Choosing the perfect creative project management software for your business isn't always straightforward, given the variety of options available. Begin by evaluating your team's needs. Where does your current creative process need improvement? How could the software streamline your creative workflows and enhance collaboration?

Consider factors such as the size of your creative team, the scale of your projects and your future growth plans. You’ll also want to factor in the number of team members using the software and how it would integrate with your existing creative process. Certain software may be better suited for businesses of specific sizes or industries.

Once you have some options laid out, don't forget to thoroughly investigate potential software providers. Online reviews, industry-specific guides and recommendations from colleagues can provide valuable insights into the suitability and effectiveness of different software options.

Many providers also offer free trials, giving you the opportunity to test the software's features and see if it meets your team's creative needs before you fully commit.

By taking the time to carefully assess your requirements and explore your options, you can make sure that the creative project management software you choose will have the best impact on your team's productivity and creative potential.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

The cost of creative project management software can vary greatly, depending on a variety of factors. Your business size, the scale and complexity of your creative projects, and the number of team members using the software can all play a part in determining the final price.

Different software providers may offer different pricing structures. Some might use a subscription-based model, typically charging a monthly or yearly fee, while others could require a one-time purchase.

Several additional aspects might influence the overall cost of the software:

  • Data migration
  • System integration
  • Scalability
  • Security and compliance
  • Deployment method
  • License management
  • Customization options
  • Data storage capacity

The Most Popular Creative Project Management Software

Jumpstart your software search with our research team’s list of the top three creative project management software products.

ClickUp

ClickUp is a versatile platform designed to boost the productivity of creative teams. It provides an array of tools that help to streamline tasks, encourage collaboration and keep projects on track. From brainstorming sessions to the final stages of project execution, ClickUp allows project managers to have complete oversight and control.

ClickUp

ClickUp’s Dashboard. Source

Wrike

Wrike shines as a comprehensive creative project management tool, perfect for nurturing a collaborative environment. With an adaptable interface, it molds to fit distinct creative processes, simplifying the planning, brainstorming and tracking stages of projects.

With Wrike, you have the power to manage multiple projects with ease. Tasks can be assigned and deadlines set, keeping everyone aware of their responsibilities and ensuring no details are missed. Your team can share their work, receive prompt feedback and make necessary adjustments no matter where they’re working from, even on the go.

Wrike

Wrike’s Dashboard. Source

monday.com

monday.com is a game-changer among creative project management software. Its user-friendly interface invites teams to collaborate, plan and track creative projects with ease. monday.com allows project managers to tailor workflows to fit their team's unique creative rhythms.

You can assign tasks, pinpoint deadlines and monitor project progress in real time. This platform encourages immediate feedback and adjustments, encouraging a dynamic and collaborative workspace.

monday.com

monday.com’s Dashboard. Source

 

 

Questions To Ask

Use these internal questions to guide your discussions while searching for software:

  • What is our budget?
  • How many team members will use the software?
  • Will our team need training to use the software?
  • What challenges are we facing in our creative processes? Which software features will address these challenges?
  • Do we plan to scale?

Creative Project Management Software Key Questions

Use these questions in conversations with potential vendors, to get a better understanding of the vendor’s services and the software:

  • Does the software integrate with other existing systems we use?
  • Do you offer technical support?
  • How do you ensure data security?
  • Do you have experience working with businesses in our industry?
  • How do you ensure data security?

Next Steps

Creative project management software can improve the effectiveness of your creative processes while also helping you optimize project workflows and team performance. It's a game-changer for ensuring that all that creative energy is channeled in the right direction.

Still uncertain about the best software fit for your needs? Start your journey today with our detailed comparison report to gain insights into top creative project management software options.

Product Comparisons

Additional Resources

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Kriti
By Kriti Sahay
Technical Content Writer
Kriti Sahay is a Technical Content Writer at SelectHub, writing content for Help Desk and Call Center Software. Kriti is based out of New Delhi, India. When she's not handling Buyer's Guides and other informational articles, she can be found experimenting in her kitchen, street shopping, or painting!
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Joan
Technical Research By Joan Akash
Senior Analyst
Joan Akash, a Senior Research Analyst at SelectHub, holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management with a specialization in Marketing. Her expertise as a researcher and reviewer spans diverse software categories, including Project Management, Customer Relationship Management, Live Chat, and Help Desk. Beyond her professional pursuits, Joan is spiritually driven, with a passion for teaching children and a penchant for reading biblical blogs and crafting poetry.
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Manan
Technical Review By Manan Roy
Principal Analyst
Manan is a native of Tezpur, Assam (India), who currently lives in Kolkata, West Bengal (India). At SelectHub, he works on categories like CRM, HR, PPM, BI, and EHR. He has a Bachelor of Technology in CSE from The Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology, a Master of Technology from The Institute of Engineering and Management IT, and an MBA in Finance from St. Xavier's College. He's published two research papers, one in a conference and the other in a journal, during his Master of Technology.
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Dianna
Edited By Dianna Dragonetti
Content Editor
As an editor, Dianna Dragonetti leads a team of five writers in writing about a variety of software, with an emphasis on how these tools empower businesses. Categories include accounting, learning management systems, content management systems, supply chain management, and electronic data interchange.
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