Top 10 Trello alternatives for 2024

What is Trello?

Trello is a web-based Kanban-style list-making application. It was developed by Fog Creek Software in 2014 but following its acquisition in 2017, it now operates under the umbrella of Atlassian. 

The basic idea behind it is that individual tasks are represented as cards. In these cards, users can add checklists, labels, due dates, and attachments. These can also be delegated among team members. These cards can then be organized into lists which can further be grouped into larger entities, known as boards. 

Each board represents a project and each list represents a stage of that project. As work progresses on a task, it can be moved from one list to another. This system provides an easy-to-understand visual overview of the progress of a certain project. And it gives teams an easy way to collaborate on projects. 

While Trello can be beneficial for organizing and managing work, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. Different teams may have different needs. And Trello may not satisfy all these needs.

What Are The Top Limitations Of Trello?

Trello is widely recognized for its easy-to-use and highly visual project management features. However, it also has several limitations that can make it less effective for teams with more complex needs. Some key limitations include:

• No built-in time tracking: Many teams need to keep track of time spent on tasks. However, Trello does not include any built-in time-tracking functionality.
• Lack of advanced reporting features: Trello doesn’t have extensive reporting capabilities. For users wanting to deep-dive into data for business intelligence, this can be an issue.
• No email integration: Unlike other project management tools, Trello doesn’t integrate directly with email services. This could lead to efficiency issues.
• Limited templates: Trello only provides a handful of templates for boards. This can be limiting for those who need to manage different projects with diverse requirements.
• No budgeting tools: Trello lacks financial management features which are crucial if you want to track budgets and expenses.

What Are The Must-Have Features Of A Trello Alternative?

An effective Trello alternative should have key features that are similar to or exceed what Trello offers. Consider these must-have features for a Trello alternative.

• Powerful project and task management tools: Any Trello alternative should at least have an excellent project and task management feature. It should allow easy task assignments and due date setups to keep teams on track.
• Efficient collaboration and communication features: To keep everyone on the same page, teams need clear and open lines of communication. With that, they need features like comment sections, real-time updates, and @mentions.
• Advanced report generation and analytics: Progress reports, metrics, and team performance analysis help teams make informed decisions. That’s why any Trello alternative needs detailed report-generation capabilities.

Bonsai: the best Trello alternative

Bonsai is an all-in-one project management platform praised as one of the top Trello alternatives. It doesn’t just provide a project management tool. It also offers a comprehensive solution for project proposals, time tracking, invoices, payments, and project proposals under one roof. These are some of its best features. 

Complete Workflow Integration

Bonsai offers a well-rounded set of features covering every aspect of a project cycle from contract creation to client payment. It can effectively handle all these tasks and keep everything organized in a centralized dashboard. 

Seamless Client Collaboration

Bonsai allows effective team collaboration as well as smooth interaction with clients. You can easily share project timelines, files, updates, and to-do lists. Client communication can be centralized as well without leaving the platform. This makes it a step up from Trello which primarily focuses on task and project management.

Simple but Efficient Tool

While Trello is user-friendly, it can be lacking, especially for businesses needing more than just board-style task management. On the other hand, Bonsai offers more features for complex tasks. 

Built-in Financial Features

One of the key features that separates Bonsai from Trello is its built-in financial tools. Bonsai's invoicing software allows teams to send professional invoices to clients, track billable hours, and record payments. It even supports multiple currencies. 

Time Tracking

Unlike Trello, Bonsai comes with an integrated time-tracking tool. This is an essential feature for service businesses to ensure that every minute of work is accounted for and accurately billed. All it takes is a few clicks to do it. 

Project reporting

Managing tasks and tracking tasks in Bonsai allows you to access real-time reports:

• Team utilization report: see how your team's time is used and manage workloads
• Budget tracking and profitability reports: track budgets and efficiently plan around them. Get profitability reports per project, team member and client.
• Project health: get a quick overview of how your project is progressing

Bonsai is designed with service business owners in mind. This Trello alternative ensures that both, daily operational tasks and vital financial management elements are efficiently carried out. Moreover, with flexible pricing plans, Bonsai proves to be a great investment for service businesses.

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Asana

Asana is another popular project management tool in the market. It offers comprehensive features that help teams plan, manage and collaborate on tasks effectively. It’s often favorably compared to Trello. And it provides a great cost starting with a free basic version. Premium plans start at $10.99 per user/month.

Best Features:

• Easy task assignment and deadline setup.
• Project timelines to visualize progress.
• User-friendly interface for good user experience.
• Integration with numerous other apps for flexible workflows.

Limitations:

• Limited free version.
• Overwhelming features for beginners.
• Pricey for small teams.

Asana may not be the best fit for solo users or small teams with tight budgets.

Jira

Jira is designed for teams that work with Agile methodologies. It works great with teams needing extensive issue-tracking and project management features. Pricing options for this tool start from free up to $14 per user.

Best Features:

• Offers wide integration with Atlassian tools.
• Detailed reporting features and real-time analytics for Agile teams.
• Customizable workflows.
• Advanced issue tracking capabilities.

Limitations:

• May require time to get used to for non-technical users.
• The interface is slow at times.

Jira might not be the right choice for small teams or projects that require simplicity over complexity.

Monday

This cloud-based project management tool allows teams to plan, organize, and track projects efficiently and visually. Users love its usability and comprehensive functionality. As for pricing, Monday offers various packages based on the team size and required capabilities. The starting point for its prices is $8.

Best Features:

• Flexible workflow design.
• Includes integrated time-tracking feature.
• Smooth integration with tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Dropbox.
• Real-time collaboration and communication features.

Limitations:

• Requires a bit of a learning curve for new users.
• Additional features can be costly.

Firms seeking simple or basic features might not find this tool ideal.

Clickup

ClickUp aims to centralize all of a team’s work requirements in one convenient location. With its various functionalities, it’s a great Trello alternative for businesses requiring advanced task management tools. Another feature users love is its value for money. The app has a free version and its paid plans start at $5 a month/ user. With that, you already get an app with a good set of comprehensive features. 

Best Features:

• Customizable workflows with statuses to fit each project.
• Intuitive user interface that simplifies user experience.
• Efficient task management with dependencies, sub-tasks, and checklists.
• Built-in time tracking and goal-setting features for better productivity.

Limitations:

• Slight learning curve for new users.
• Mobile app can be glitchy at times.

ClickUp may not suit those seeking an extremely simple, bare-bones alternative.

Wrike

Wrike provides businesses with tools to streamline project planning, collaboration, and reporting. Its pricing is also decent. With its free plan, up to 5 users can use one account. Its tiered pricing starts at $9.80. With that, teams already get extensive features for improving efficiency and productivity. 

Best Features:

• Robust project planning and scheduling.
• Efficient task management with custom statuses.
• Integrated time tracking for increased productivity.
• Collaborative document editing and real-time updates. 

Limitations:

• Steep learning curve for beginners.
• Expensive for small teams and startups. 

Wrike may not fit very small teams or startups with tight budget constraints.

Proofhub

ProofHub is an advanced project management and team collaboration software. And it integrates various productivity features. What users love most about it is its ease of use. However, it is on the pricier side. ProofHub offers two subscription levels: the Essential plan at $50/month and the Ultimate Control plan at $89/month

Best Features:

• Task tracking and management.
• Email-in to create tasks
• Workflows and Kanban boards
• Online document editing

Limitations:

• Does not integrate with many popular apps
• Limited customization options
• No free plan is available

ProofHub may not be ideal for small teams or start-ups on a budget due to its pricing.

Basecamp

Basecamp allows teams to get everything done in one place. Users also love its simplicity and holistic approach to project management. As for pricing, it’s on the higher end at $99 per month. But at that price, teams can already accommodate unlimited users and projects.

Best Features:

• Easy project organization with to-do lists, files, and schedule functionality.
• Real-time communication tools including instant messaging and message boards.
• Automated check-ins and progress reports.
• Integration with third-party applications like Google Calendar and Outlook.

Limitations:

• Lack of in-depth reporting and analytics tools.
• No built-in time-tracking feature.
• Does not offer Gantt charts, unlike alternatives such as Trello.

Basecamp may not suit those looking for advanced project visualization or in-depth reporting.

Kanbanflow

KanbanFlow helps teams streamline their workflow with visualized project boards, comprehensive reporting and other productive features. It’s also simple and easy to use. Because of those features, it generally receives positive reviews. Kanban Flow’s prices are also affordable. It has a free version and a paid $5 per month version.

Best Features:

• Seamless integration with other tools such as Google Calendar, Outlook, and Slack.
• Powerful and time-efficient Pomodoro Technique to manage workload.
• Customizable swimlanes to segregate tasks as per their categories.
• Extensive reporting features for performance tracking.

Limitations:

• Lacks direct file upload function and requires linking from Google Drive or Dropbox.
• The notification system is not highly customizable.

Teams that heavily rely on file sharing within the platform may not find this tool a great fit. It goes the same for organizations that require customization of notifications.

Notion

Notion is a highly customizable project management tool known for its all-in-one workspace functionality. While its complex features can be intimidating, it's one of the highest-rated Trello alternatives. As for pricing, it has a free and a four-tiered pricing model.

Best Features:

• Complete project customization ability.
• All-in-one workspace, combining notes, tasks, wikis and databases.
• Offline sync that allows teams to work without internet
• Integrated with a wide range of tools

Limitations:

• Lack of native time tracking feature
• Might be overwhelming for new users…

Notion may not be suitable for those who prefer a more simple, straightforward task management tool.