Basecamp vs Smartsheet

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Our analysts compared Basecamp vs Smartsheet based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Project Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Basecamp is a cloud-based solution for team collaboration and management. It allows users to create to-dos, assign them to one or more people, add shared and searchable file attachments and more. It makes it easier to stay organized when there are multiple concurrent projects, each with its own team and needs. Streamline project communication by keeping specific teams together, with all project-related files in one location. It gives each project its own separate space, avoiding clutter and other confusion between projects.

It is suitable for all sizes of teams like SMBs to groups in large companies. Subscriptions are scalable, with levels for different storage amounts and number of users. It also offers a free tier and application for iPad/iPhone and Android.
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Smartsheet is an enterprise-level SaaS management application that helps teams streamline processes through collaboration, project planning and task management. Users can set up tasks using a grid view, similar to a spreadsheet with automations, formulas, comments and mentions. 

It provides templates for projects and automations that can be modified and saved as a template to save time. Project views include a Kanban board, Gantt chart, timeline, calendar view, card view and a custom dashboard.

Its file and sheet sharing capabilities, comment feature and conversations remove team and data silos and give stakeholders insight into project details. A user-friendly interface helps managers and team members boost adoption rates, maintain consistency and increase efficiency. 

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$15/User, Monthly
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$9/User, Monthly
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Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
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Live Online
Videos
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Documentation
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Live Online
Videos
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Email
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FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Organized Projects: Divide work into separate projects, and each project is organized by default. It includes everything related to the project; all the individuals involved, each discussion, document, file, assignment, significant date and more. 
  • Inbuilt Chat Features: Avoid wasting money on external communication platforms with its built-in chat features. Gather around Campfire, a group chat for casual conversations, fast Q&As, sharing links, quick riffs or work discussions. Pings allow private chat with one or multiple people. 
  • Add Team Members: Add assigned team members and their details to a project. Client team members can also be added to help keep them in the loop and increase the project’s transparency. 
  • Centralized Notification: Its Hey! Menu feature centralizes notifications from new messages and assigned tasks to minimize notification interruptions. Helps users focus on work and access all notifications from one box. 
  • Streamline Work Process: Integrate the system with third-party tools to increase efficiency and effectiveness of work processes. 
  • Any Device: Available on iOS, Android, iPad, Mac, Windows and browser, users can access the system from anywhere at any time to send messages, share and collaborate on files and documents, define deadlines and provide feedback. 
  • Solve Problems: Users can use hill charts to sequence work and decide which problems to solve in which order; it also shows where the work stands and how it is moving. 
  • Basecamp Personal: The free tier provides space for up to three projects with one-gigabyte of data storage and access to 20 users. Freelancers can use it to organize their work and collaborate, or small businesses can use it on projects that involve few people. 
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  • Use Familiar Spreadsheet Formatting: Move from regular spreadsheets to spreadsheets with versatile views and much less formula knowledge required for formatting. Make adoption and training smoother because you’re not starting from scratch with processes. We especially liked the ability to enter data using a familiar cell view and then convert it to, say, a Kanban board.
  • Create No-Code Automations: Use templates or build from scratch with a trigger, condition and action automation format. Save time on admin tasks with automations for alerts, approvals, document creation and sheet changes. Choose from four starting cell-related triggers and build from there. We thought the automation building was intuitive and straightforward. Check out our test in the “See It In Action” section below.
  • Access Multiple Views: Add dynamic views to your projects and filter and customize views to meet task requirements. For example, we added a card view organized by status and a Kanban Board sorted by task assignee. Create a customizable dashboard to pull data like task progress, workload and duration using widgets.
  • Share Proofs and Additional Information: Collaborate on team documents, provide context and add proofs and files to individual tasks or the entire sheet. We set a piece of content as a task and added extra files like logos and docs along with comments for specific client requests.
  • Train As You Go: Kick your project off with a checklist outlining best practices and research material. Use pop-ups and explainer icons with video links as you work to get a better understanding of features and capabilities. We popped over to the help center to learn how to set up baselines for our Gantt chart (you need to edit the start date and end date columns).
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  • To-Do Lists: Assign to-dos to one or more people, add notes and file attachments for all work or projects. It automatically follows up with team members if tasks are overdue. 
  • Hey! Menu: Supports a single inbox for notifications, mentions, to-do assignments, new messages and project completion. Set working hours to keep notifications on hold until the user is back on the clock. 
  • Client Access: Share and get feedback with customers about information and files. Communications can be kept private, and email correspondence is maintained to keep project data and communication organized in one place. 
  • Pings: Direct messages or private conversations can be held with other users on the same account. Users can ping an individual or a group of people, and the conversation is visible to only selected people. 
  • Schedules: Each project includes a schedule showing any dated to-dos and events for that project. Sync schedules with Google Calendar, iCal and Outlook to get reminders in the project and personal calendars. 
  • Activity: The Activity button will display any to-dos, late assignments, upcoming deadlines and other assignment information and reports. 
  • File Storage: A space for sharing documents, files and images is included in every project. Use drag-and-drop functionality to upload files from Google Docs or a computer. Each file contains a complete version history, reorder and color code files to keep it organized. 
  • Message Boards: Post messages or announcements, embed pictures or files and share with everyone or selected individuals. Viewers can applaud and comment on these messages for instant feedback. 
  • Search and Bookmarking: Enter a keyword or name using the search feature to locate a project, ping history or find pictures, files or individuals without rummaging through the entire program. Important data can also be bookmarked. 
  • Automated Check-In: Setup customized questions throughout the day or a chosen time instead of holding a status meeting. Meetings can help remote teams collaborate and share work updates or what they were up to on the weekend.  
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  • 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.
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Product Ranking

#16

among all
Project Management Software

#5

among all
Project Management Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

65
81
30
83
60
80
75
88
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Team Collaboration
Integrations and Extensibility
Project Tracking
Platform Features
Mobile Capabilities
Task Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Basecamp
Smartsheet
+ Add Product + Add Product
Customizations Dashboards And Reporting Mobile Capabilities Platform Features Project Planning And Scheduling Project Tracking Task Management Team Collaboration Time Tracking And Management 30 60 75 62 49 27 66 99 43 83 80 88 92 78 96 85 77 56 0 25 50 75 100
14%
14%
72%
57%
43%
0%
40%
0%
60%
80%
0%
20%
57%
0%
43%
86%
0%
14%
50%
4%
46%
88%
0%
12%
25%
8%
67%
67%
8%
25%
0%
14%
86%
86%
14%
0%
58%
8%
34%
75%
17%
8%
92%
8%
0%
67%
8%
25%
0%
0%
100%
14%
57%
29%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

89%
0%
11%
67%
6%
27%
63%
0%
37%
63%
0%
37%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 19492 reviews
Great User Sentiment 22301 reviews
85%
of users recommend this product

Basecamp has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 85% when considering 19492 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

88%
of users recommend this product

Smartsheet has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 22301 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (35)
5.0 (20)
4.1 (4950)
4.4 (17366)
4.3 (13386)
n/a
n/a
4.5 (3333)
n/a
4.7 (728)
4.2 (1121)
4.3 (854)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Basecamp and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Team Collaboration.

Team Collaboration Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Smartsheet and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Mobile Capabilities and Project Tracking.

Mobile Capabilities Award
Project Tracking Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

General Accessibility: It is intuitive and user-friendly, as observed by 70% of users who referred to its general accessibility.
Project Management: Provides robust functionality for planning, progress tracking, managing and organizing projects, as noted by nearly 100% of users who mentioned project management.
Communication: Its built-in chat features for sending important messages to members, direct messages, sharing data and updates ease communication across departments and teams, as stated by nearly 98% of users who refer to communication.
Scheduling: Nearly 100% of users who specified scheduling said that the scheduling project module has led to increased operational efficiency.
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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
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Administrator Navigation: Over 91% of users who mentioned administrator navigation reported that it is not easy for task managers to add tasks, move them around or control access.
Integration: Around 90% of the reviewers who specified integration said that its software integrations are limited, and some are slow to adapt.
Notification: The system has limited notifications that can be delayed, as noted by 77% of reviewers who mention notifications.
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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
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Basecamp provides members with access to the same project, even if they are in different time zones. Team members can share their ideas via the platform through its connectivity functions, including a forum. Suggestions can be worked out, and conversations can be saved to ensure that all members are on the same page. Reviewers noted that there are limited ways to activate notifications and integrate software. Overall, it is an efficient tool for managing projects, tracking progress, monitoring schedules and sharing updates among team members.

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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.

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