Max Benz — April 4, 2019 — April 4, 2019
Project management tools can help you organize tasks, visualize projects, share feedback, and more. So they can help you keep your project on track, your team motivated, and your clients happy.
But these tools come at a cost. When every cent counts, you have to make the most of free options. Here’s an analysis of the best free project management software available to marketing project managers.
Comparison of Free Project Management Software
Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a social enterprise platform that consolidates many aspects of daily operations into one place.
Who is it for?
Bitrix24 is aimed at small businesses looking to consolidate common tasks into one location. These businesses may combine communications, projects, workflows, and HR into one single platform.
How is it used?
In terms of project management, Bitrix24 allows project managers to plan, organize, collaborate, and keep an eye on the big picture. Bitrix24 can also help manage a team by balancing time, scope, and costs.
What do users think of the tool?
“Bitrix24 has an astonishing number of advanced services available in its free tier— basically everything except Advanced CRM and Tasks or a lot of online storage, restricted to 12 users. Even though I appreciate everything, there’s one page ready for me to use. The sheer amount of choices can be a bit daunting.”
- Rick Powell, GetApp
Wrike
Wrike is a project management tool that gives project managers full visibility and control over tasks. Its goal is to give project managers visibility, simple planning, and better collaboration.
Who is it for?
Wrike is aimed at teams of all sizes, and it facilitate the work of a variety of teams, including creative, marketing, development, and business operations.
How is it used?
As a cloud-based tool, its offerings for project managers are divided into five key areas: creation, planning, collaboration, reporting, and customization.
What do users think of the tool?
“For the most part, I really like this product. It has allowed us to easily organize, group, and assign projects to our team, and really helped us get more organized. There are some features that would really make this a great product. And whenever I have contacted support, they basically try to upsell us to a different level plan that still doesn’t solve the problem we’re having.”
- Michelle Krein, GetApp
Teamweek
Teamweek is project management software that helps project managers quickly plan projects and amend them as needed.
Who is it for?
Teamweek is aimed at project managers who want to plan ahead and share schedules with everyone involved in a particular project. By offering simple project planning, it aims at fostering creativity.
How is it used?
This tool’s goal is offering a visual overview of projects without bogging the user down in excessive features. So it’s simple to use and helps project managers take control of their projects.
What do users think of the tool?
“We are able to see what our team members are working on for the day, and are able to plan what to pursue next. It does not integrate to other software, such as Google Suite or Slack. You cannot upload images into individual tasks, and you cannot interact with your team members on the platform.”
- Verified Reviewer, Capterra
Asana
Since Asana makes it easy for project managers to organize and plan workflows, and projects, it can help drive accountability and put everything in one place.
Who is it for?
Asana has a range of tiers. In other words, it can be effectively used by both large and small teams. It’s appropriate for use by both multidisciplinary marketing and creative teams.
How is it used?
Asana allows project managers to create projects that are subdivided into a series of lists and tasks. They can be assigned to users, which automatically generates customized to-do lists.
What do users think of the tool?
“Asana has a great team behind its product that constantly updates the platform to meet customer demand. As with all services, there is a learning curve to actually becoming proficient in using Asana, but that can be easily accomplished with a bit of time and practice.”
- Verified Reviewer, Capterra
Paymo
Paymo is a full-featured app that helps project managers track time, plan resources, create Gantt charts, generate reports, and manage finances.
Who is it for?
Paymo is primarily aimed at smaller operations. In fact, it currently serves over 100,000 small businesses and freelancers. These clients are a mixture of agencies, consultants, and freelancers.
How is it used?
The tool can be used by teams and individuals. The goals of its simple approach are putting an end to chaos in project management and helping teams work in harmony.
What do users think of the tool?
“It is easy to track time against tasks and projects. It also helps to keep our firm focused and on track. We wish we could have only the assigned tasks for each user appear on a project, as opposed to all tasks and allotted time.”
- Alexandra B, G2 Crowd
Teamwork Projects
Teamwork Projects aims to provide software that can liberate teams from everyday tasks, in order to help them achieve more.
Who is it for?
Teamwork Project is aimed at marketing, product, support, and professional services teams of all sizes. It aims to foster collaboration and improve results among these people.
How is it used?
The tool aims to make it easy for people to see their tasks and reduce the complexity of collaboration. It also helps the team work the way they want to, deliver great results, and scale their performance.
What do users think of the tool?
“Teamwork provides many features to help manage your project from start to finish, and the features are robust and offer flexibility along the way. Teamwork lacks a few features that would make it easier to use, though.”
- Verified Reviewer, Capterra
ClickUp
ClickUp is a productivity platform that aims to make the world more productive by providing functionality for tasks, notes, projects, and time.
Who is it for?
ClickUp can be used by a range of teams in any industry, including marketing and digital agencies. It can be used by both individual entrepreneurs and corporations.
How is it used?
ClickUp wants to be a one-stop-shop for productivity needs by offering across-the-board transparency, clear tasking, and an overview of each “space.”
What do users think of the tool?
“The concept of Spaces/Projects/Lists was a little overwhelming at first, but now we love it. Each space can be customised to a department with each having its own task schedules, task states, and more. The interface could do with a bit more work, though.”
- Gary J, G2 Crowd
Freedcamp
Freedcamp is a project management and collaboration system that’s available on both mobile and desktop. The free tool aims to simplify collaboration among teams.
Who is it for?
Freedcamp is available to a wide range of teams, including various disciplines and sizes. It helps them stay organized and boost productivity.
How is it used?
Freedcamp quickly and easily provides a range of organizational tools, including task lists, kanban boards, subtasks, Gantt charts, and private tasks.
What do users think of the tool?
“Freedcamp provides a flexible and effective pricing structure to fit any business needs, including a free account. It would be nice if there was some sort of basic or simple reporting features at this level. Unfortunately, reporting is only part of their paid subscription.”
- Miguel G, Capterra
Airtable
Airtable is an all-in-one collaboration platform that’s used by over 80,000 companies. It offers over 350 app integrations to help project managers foster collaborations on a spreadsheet/database hybrid.
Who is it for?
The tool is versatile and adaptable. In other words, it can be used by creative teams and agencies, marketing and communications professionals, and multidisciplinary teams. It currently services a range of international teams.
How is it used?
Airtable offers a range of views to give project managers complete control over their projects, which include a grid, calendar, kanban, gallery, and form view. These tools can be used alongside “Blocks” to help unlock a team’s creative potential.
What do users think of the tool?
“As an early adopter of Airtable, I’ve seen the program grow from a more functional and intuitive version of Excel to a full fledged application that can do anything from spreadsheet management to producing a CRM or project workflow. For first time users, it can be a bit intimidating, especially if checking out the application casually.”
- Brett W, Capterra
Google Apps
Google offers a suite of free applications that can be used in a variety of ways to support project management activities.
Who is it for?
Google Apps are used by both large and small businesses for a wide range of reasons. Since it’s not catered to a specific audience, it can be used by individuals and businesses alike.
How is it used?
Project managers will find that Google Apps are versatile and filled with potential. Every project manager will use the apps differently, according to their own distinct needs. Google maintains a wealth of information and guidance on how to use their applications.
What do users think of the tool?
“The Google suite provided seamless integration and the ability to collaborate in a virtual environment for our entire growing business. The only thing I didn’t like about the Google Suite is how long it took for me to adopt it in the workplace.”
- Ashley M, Capterra
Podio
Podio is software for project management and collaboration that helps teams communicate more effectively and process data and content that can be divided into workspaces.
Who is it for?
Podio is aimed at larger enterprises, and it can be used in a variety of ways. It offers project management functionality, so it’s ideal for marketing and communication professionals. It also offers a range of functionality, and it can be used as a tool for CRM, social intranet, and workflow management.
How is it used?
Podio makes it possible for project managers to get everything related to a project in one place. So all of the necessary content, contexts, and conversations are easy to track. And everything is updated in real time.
What do users think of the tool?
“Podio is reasonably priced. It is highly customisable, and that is its greatest feature (and drawback). Very few add-on features are built in. Yes, there are multiple third parties that offer add-ons, when they work.”
- Spencer J, G2 Crowd
Pivotal Tracker
Pivotal Tracker is an agile project management tool that offers project managers real-time collaboration that are focused on a shared and prioritized backlog.
Who is it for?
Pivotal Tracker is primarily aimed at developers. It helps them make deadlines more frequently and consistently by offering a shared view of team priorities, alongside a range of tools that help analyze progress.
How is it used?
A shared backlog makes it easy for the team to see what’s still pending, which gives them the ability to stay nimble and get more work done.
What do users think of the tool?
“It has a really easy-to-use friendly design that makes it simple to track progress of stories, keep things organized in projects, and move items around when priorities shift. I wish there was more customization in the app.”
- Alexis D, Capterra
Trello
Trello is a flexible, simple tool that puts usability first, which makes it easy to drive adoption and keep track of everything—from the big picture to the small details.
Who is it for?
Trello wants to be as user-friendly as possible, which makes it appropriate for project managers that want to drive adoption. It can be enhanced through paid options, which unlocks functionality that makes it a popular tool for large businesses.
How is it used?
Trello revolves around the use of boards, lists, and cards. These three components make it easy to organize projects, and they offer a range of “Power-Ups” that can be used to increase functionality and unlock new potential.
What do users think of the tool?
“Trello runs very smoothly and quickly, across various platforms. Linking cards between boards still lacks in simplicity.”
- Verified Reviewer, Capterra
Hitask
Hitask is a task manager that helps project managers focus on collaboration, get things done, and manage an entire project in one place.
Who is it for?
Hitask wants to provide task management software that really puts marketing project managers in control. So when it comes to creating and managing projects, this platform puts an emphasis on speed and efficiency.
How is it used?
The platform prioritizes simplicity to help drive adoption, and it offers a range of features, such as document storage, time-tracking, selective permissions, and a shared calendar.
What do users think of the tool?
“We save so much time and money by being able to have ongoing task lists online for multiple people to use! I really wish I could get text reminders about some of my tasks, but I can get emails. So that’s nice. Sometimes the software goes down, and you have no idea for how long. And there really isn’t any kind of customer support.”
- Verified Reviewer, Capterra
Redbooth
Redbooth is easy-to-use project management software that offers free collaboration tools and task management.
Who is it for?
This free project management software is aimed at high-performing teams and project managers who need to streamline efficiency and accountability. The tool can be used by teams of various sizes and disciplines.
How is it used?
A simple interface makes it easy for the team to get started, and a host of additional tools drive accountability and communication. Redbooth . automatically maintains Gantt charts, which gives project managers insight into the way projects are progressing.
What do users think of the tool?
“We were drawn to Redbooth because it felt very robust and feature-rich, while still being very easy to use. Now that we’ve added more complexity to our workspaces and have scaled our projects, I’m finding that I rely on the calendar view more often.”
- Danial D, G2 Crowd
Avaza
Avaza is all-in-one software that helps project managers contribute to a more efficient and profitable business by offering them time-tracking and financials.
Who is it for?
This free software for task and project management is aimed at professional teams of all sizes. It helps project managers run successful projects by offering task collaboration, discussions, file-sharing, and activity feeds.
How is it used?
The platform aims at facilitating powerful task management by offering everything that a project manager needs to successfully run a project. And integrated workflows and automated processes help teams save time and drive performance.
What do users think of the tool?
“The best feature is that it is a very user-friendly, great user interface. I needed something that would be easy for my clients to use, more than anything, and it gave me that. The only thing missing is the ability to actually create a proposal document that my clients could review, sign electronically, and pay.”
- Leonda A, Capterra
TeamGantt
TeamGantt is a piece of online Gantt chart software that helps project managers plan out complex projects in a matter of minutes, so it makes scheduling and management simple.
Who is it for?
The tool is currently used by more than 5,000 companies around the world, and it’s spread across a range of industries. Project managers in a variety of industries call on this tool to help organize their projects.
How is it used?
Since the tool focuses on simplicity and efficacy, it offers a restricted set of features, and it primarily focuses on the creation and maintenance of accurate Gantt charts.
What do users think of the tool?
“TeamGantt is a very good web tool to follow projects. I love the simplified daily view because I can quickly see the most pressing tasks. The tracking over time is also fantastic. It would be nice to have notifications within the same application, without requiring to go to the mail.”
- Scott M, G2 Crowd
Agantty
Agantty is a free project management tool that aims at removing any limitations by offering easy and clear project management.
Who is it for?
The tool is aimed at small and midsize teams who are struggling to keep their various projects and tasks in order.
How is it used?
The platform states that it takes just ten seconds for the first project to be created, and it places a strong emphasis on speed and usability.
What do users think of the tool?
“I signed up for Agantty out of sheer curiosity, and I haven’t regretted it for a second. Even though Agantty is very user-friendly, some aspects could still be simplified.”
- Florian L, Capterra
ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre is a free and open-source tool that was created as a standalone replacement for Microsoft Project, which was discontinued.
Who is it for?
So far, the software has been downloaded over three million times. Since its goal is replacing Microsoft Project, it’s primarily aimed at the users of that tool.
How is it used?
ProjectLibre is a cloud solution, and it’s capable of opening Microsoft Project files. So it’s easy for project managers still using that system to import their projects to a more modern offering.
What do users think of the tool?
“Has many similar functions to MS Project, and is a good alternative for small projects where you don’t need the office suite integration. Does not appear to have all the functions that I had with past software, but since it’s open source, they continue to add functionality.”
- Kam M, G2 Crowd
OpenProject
OpenProject is a piece of open source project management software that’s continuously updated by an active open-source community.
Who is it for?
The tool aims to help project managers execute successful projects—from project initiation to closure. The tool can scale, but its open-source nature means that it could be most appropriate for small or midsize businesses.
How is it used?
The tool is rich in features, and it helps with every step of the project, including conception and initiation, definition and planning, launch and execution, performance and control, and project conclusion.
What do users think of the tool?
“The interface is really good. Inline editing makes the creation and editing of tasks and other data really fast. OpenProject misses a few features that I think should be available.”
- Rene D, Capterra
GanttProject
GanttProject is a free app for project managers that runs on all key operating systems.
Who is it for?
The tool has no licensing fees, and it’s free for commercial use. It can handle both small and large-scale Gantt charts, which makes it an interesting free option for project managers.
How is it used?
This tool can create tasks and milestones, and it has a sophisticated breakdown structure. Dependency constraints can be developed to speed up the process of creating tasks, and baselines help facilitate the comparison of projects.
What do users think of the tool?
“GanttProject is not a simplified project management tool. It is a powerful tool because it offers all you need to control activities, resources, and deliverables. Its collaboration resources are still weak and are in need of improvement, though.”
- Agenor R, Capterra
Daylite
Daylite is a small-business CRM that’s exclusively available for Mac products. It helps project managers build relationships, close deals, execute plans, and scale their projects.
Who is it for?
This free Mac tool is primarily aimed at small businesses. It helps project managers and business owners stop tasks from falling through the cracks.
How is it used?
Daylite offers a range of features and detailed guidance to help its users get the most out of its platform.
What do users think of the tool?
“Daylite allows me to integrate all aspects of my day into two portals. Daylite email integration, combined with (Calendar, Tasks, Team, Projects, Opportunities, Forms, et al), allows me to work inside one interface for all my needs. The only functionality I could ask for is to integrate an email app into Daylite, which would make the process complete.”
- David K, Capterra
MeisterTask
MeisterTask is an intuitive tool for collaboration and task management that makes it easy for project managers to invite their team to get started without any training.
Who is it for?
The tool wants to make it easy for teams to work together by giving project managers control of a smart, agile, and visual tool. With no limit on team members or tasks, it’s appropriate for teams of all size.
How is it used?
A customizable dashboard gives team members a view of their day, including the tasks they have to take care of. The platform is available across a huge range of devices, so it keeps your team in the loop.
What do users think of the tool?
“MeisterTask allows the project to include the best practices of a kanban-style task manager. It is a management system with automation and delegation across integrations. Many items, such as categories and people, once set up in one project are not transferable as a template to the other projects, and must be input manually.”
- Graham C, G2 Crowd
ZenHub
ZenHub is an agile project management tool that’s housed within GitHub. It accommodates the addition of powerful tracking, planning, and reporting features to GitHub.
Who is it for?
Primarily aimed at developers, ZenHub allows professionals to manage their GitHub issues without ever leaving the website. So developers can handle boards, epics, and reports from one convenient location.
How is it used?
As the only independent tool for project management that’s natively integrated within GItHub, it gives developers a simple, straightforward experience. So they don’t have to leave GitHub to update another tool.
What do users think of the tool?
“It has a strong connection with GitHub. It is also easy to use, especially for the different working pipelines. There is a lack of statistical functions e.g. how much time a person has worked.”
- Fan D, G2 Crowd
Factro
Factro offers task and project management that’s light, fast, and transparent. By securing buy-ins, the platform makes project management a team activity.
Who is it for?
The platform is intended for the German market, and it can be used by businesses in a range of sizes and across a collection of industries.
How is it used?
By offering a clear structure and a range of key project management tools, the application intends to speed up project management and encourage collaboration among team members.
What do users think of the tool?
“We had long used Asana in our organization, but the German server location and the local direct contact person convinced us at Factro. Great team behind the product!”
- Verified Reviewer, ProvenExpert
Redmine
Redmine is the most popular open-source tool for project planning. It allows project managers to track multiple projects and associated subprojects.
Who is it for?
Since Redmine is an open-source tool, it can be used by anybody. It offers a range of features that make it appropriate for use by a diverse range of teams.
How is it used?
Since this tool wants to be user-friendly, it offers a host of features that make it possible for users to cater the experience to their needs, as well as the needs of the project.
What do users think of the tool?
“I like that by assigning an issue to a colleague, it prompts them to move forward with their task, and I am only prompted when the issue is assigned back to me. The design of the website isn’t very engaging, and neither are the emails.”
- Katherine G, G2 Crowd
Vivify Scrum
Vivify Scrum is a piece of agile project management software that can be used by teams of all sizes to effectively and efficiently manage projects.
Who is it for?
This tool puts all projects in one place and makes it possible to handle them from start to finish.
How is it used?
The tool has agile roots, so an unlimited number items can be efficiently engaged by an unlimited number of users.
What do users think of the tool?
“It is well-organized, and gives you a nice and clear view on your tasks and your team members’ activity. There are some cool features. I thought that it is free (and there is a free version). But some features I really liked during the trial are only available in the premium version.”
- Bianka L, Capterra
Yodiz
Yodiz is another piece of agile software for project managers that helps teams streamline their workflow and increase their overall efficiency.
Who is it for?
The tool is built for agility. It offers simplified planning, painless tracking, and smarter insights to teams of various sizes and disciplines.
How is it used?
The offering is divided into two key areas: the issue tracker and the agile management tool. To boost results for project managers, Yodiz can be integrated with a range of tools.
What do users think of the tool?
“I like the out-of-the-box analytics, such as the Burndown Chart for both stories and tasks. Timesheets are reasonable, but could improve.”
- John P, Capterra
KanbanFlow
KanbanFlow is a lean tool for project managers that facilitates real-time collaboration between members of teams of all sizes.
Who is it for?
This tool is aimed at project managers looking to visualize their work environment in a bid to simplify communication and boost productivity.
How is it used?
The tool focuses on simplicity and clarity. It offers team members the option to limit their in-progress work. Then they can really get things done and start efficiently moving through tasks. Its time tracking and real-time collaboration also boost transparency.
What do users think of the tool?
“I like the user interface of KanbanFlow. However, you cannot change or assign another developer for a subtask. We have to create a new task if we need to assign a different developer.”
- Sheetal K, G2 Crowd
Workep
Workep is project management software for the G Suite. It allows project managers to organize tasks into three different views: Gantt, Kanban, and a To-Do List.
Who is it for?
The tool centralizes and automates G Suite applications through a project management platform, so it’s aimed at businesses who are already using those applications. The flexibility it offers also makes it a great tool for agile teams.
How is it used?
The tool’s goal is to have the fastest learning curve possible, so it helps managers rapidly kick-start their projects . It also drives adoption and boosts the chances of success.
What do users think of the tool?
“The integration of the Google Apps allows users to keep files organized in Google Drive, tasks synchronized with the calendar, have video conversations with Hangouts, and much more. They are starting; they need to develop a lot of necessary features.”
- Eduardo G, Capterra
Summary: Free Software Might Not Be Enough to Handle Your Creative Projects
As you’ve seen, many free options for project management software are out there. However, it’s important to understand that many free versions fail to offer all of the features you need.
For example, you’ll frequently find restrictions, in terms of the number of features, projects, or users they unlock. These limitations can be frustrating, and they can essentially make a tool useless unless you upgrade.
However, if you find the right tool, the investment is certainly worth it. If the quality and timeliness of your projects is improved, you’ll notice a definite boost to your bottom line.
For this reason,many marketing teams and creative agencies (such as the BBC and Ogilvy) have decided to invest in Filestage. By empowering teams to streamline their creative workflow, our tool can boost transparency and lead to a superior final product.
It also empowers project managers to easily secure internal and external feedback and approval. While this process is traditionally time-consuming and frustrating , missed details can derail the project. So our tool helps you save time and resources.
We hope this look at the best free software for project management was helpful. There’s a world of possibilities out there. To succeed in these complex times, the best marketing project managers have to explore all of their options. If you’re also interested in project management software that requires a budget, feel free to read our guide on marketing tools for project managers.
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