5 Best Project Management Software for Small Teams, Small Businesses and Freelancers

Best Project Management Software

Here are the 5 best project management software for small teams, small businesses, and freelancers.

1. Trello
2. Wrike
3. Basecamp
4. Zoho Projects
5. JIRA

Great project management means much more than keeping project management’s iron triangle in check. Delivering on time, budget, and project scope. It unites clients and teams, creates a vision for a successful project, and gets everyone on the same page about what’s needed to stay on track for success. When projects are managed properly, a positive impact reverberates beyond delivering deliverables.

That brings a need for project management software to handle all the aspects of project management. The simple truth is that one size only fits some when it comes to software for small businesses, small teams, agile project management, and freelancers. Here are my picks for the best project management software options for small businesses, small teams, agile project management, freelancers, and start-ups.

1. Trello

Trello is a visual project management software tool that helps teams organize their work. It is based on the Kanban methodology, which uses boards, lists, and cards to visualize workflows. Trello is easy to use and can be customized to meet the needs of any team.

Features of Trello

• Boards: Boards are the top-level containers in Trello. They can be used to organize projects, tasks, or anything else that needs to be tracked.
• Lists: Lists are used to organize cards within a board. They can be used to represent different stages of a workflow, such as “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.”
• Cards: Cards represent individual tasks or pieces of work. They can be used to store information about a task, such as its due date, assignee, and description.
• Checklists: Checklists can be used to break down a task into smaller steps. This makes it easier to track progress and stay on track.
• Attachments: Attachments can be added to cards to store files, images, or other documents. This makes it easy to keep all of the relevant information about a task in one place.
• Comments: Comments can be added to cards to collaborate with team members and keep track of discussions.
• Due dates: Due dates can be set for cards to help ensure that tasks are completed on time.
• Notifications: Notifications can be sent to team members when cards are updated or due dates are approaching.

How to use Trello

To use Trello, you first need to create a board. Once you have created a board, you can add lists and cards. You can then add information to the cards, such as due dates, assignees, and descriptions. You can also add checklists and attachments to cards.

To collaborate with team members, you can add them to your boards and lists. You can also use comments and notifications to communicate with team members.

Benefits of using Trello

There are many benefits to using Trello, including:

• Ease of use: Trello is very easy to use, even for beginners.
• Visualization: Trello’s visual interface makes it easy to see the progress of your projects.
• Collaboration: Trello makes it easy to collaborate with team members.
• Customization: Trello can be customized to meet the needs of any team.
• Integrations: Trello integrates with many other apps, such as Slack, Google Drive, and GitHub.

Conclusion

Trello is a powerful project management tool that can help teams of all sizes organize their work. It is easy to use, visual, and collaborative. If you are looking for a project management tool that can help you get more done, Trello is a great option.

Here are some additional tips for using Trello:

• Use labels to categorize your cards.
• Set due dates for your cards.
• Use checklists to break down tasks into smaller steps.
• Add attachments to your cards to store files and images.
• Use comments and notifications to collaborate with team members.
• Integrate Trello with other apps to automate tasks and streamline your workflow.

2.Wrike 

Trello’s approach seems limited, but if you don’t have hours to learn and set up complex project management software, it’s time to check out Wrike. As the name implies, it’s a more serious online project management software than Trello, and it’s also much easier to learn and use than many alternatives.

 Wrike is a cloud-based project management software that helps teams collaborate and manage their work. It is a versatile tool that can be used for a variety of projects, from small to large. Wrike offers a wide range of features, including:

• Task management: Wrike allows you to create tasks, set due dates, assign tasks to team members, and track progress.
• Project planning: Wrike helps you plan your projects by providing tools for creating Gantt charts, timelines, and roadmaps.
• Communication: Wrike makes it easy to communicate with team members by providing tools for commenting, sharing files, and holding videoconferences.
• Reporting: Wrike provides reports that track your team’s progress and help you identify areas where you can improve.

Features of Wrike

• Kanban boards: Wrike uses Kanban boards to visualize your work. Kanban boards are a great way to see what tasks are in progress, what tasks are waiting to be started, and what tasks are completed.
• Gantt charts: Wrike also provides Gantt charts to help you plan and track your projects. Gantt charts show you the start and end dates of your tasks, as well as the dependencies between tasks.
• Customization: Wrike is highly customizable. You can create custom fields, add widgets, and change the look and feel of the interface.
• Integrations: Wrike integrates with a variety of other apps, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and Salesforce. This allows you to bring all of your work into one place.

How to use Wrike

To use Wrike, you first need to create a project. Once you have created a project, you can add tasks, assign tasks to team members, and track progress. You can also use Wrike’s communication tools to collaborate with team members.

Benefits of using Wrike

There are many benefits to using Wrike, including:

• Ease of use: Wrike is very easy to use, even for beginners.
• Collaboration: Wrike makes it easy to collaborate with team members.
• Customization: Wrike can be customized to meet the needs of any team.
• Integrations: Wrike integrates with many other apps, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Salesforce.
• Reporting: Wrike provides reports that track your team’s progress and help you identify areas where you can improve.

Conclusion

Wrike is a powerful project management tool that can help teams of all sizes organize their work. It is easy to use, collaborative, and customizable. If you are looking for a project management tool that can help you get more done, Wrike is a great option.

Here are some additional tips for using Wrike:

• Use the Kanban boards to visualize your work.
• Create Gantt charts to plan and track your projects.
• Customize Wrike to meet the needs of your team.
• Integrate Wrike with other apps to automate tasks and streamline your workflow.

3. Basecamp

Basecamp is a project management software that helps teams collaborate and manage their work. It is a simple, easy-to-use tool that can be used for a variety of projects, from small to large. Basecamp offers a wide range of features, including:

• To-do lists: Basecamp allows you to create to-do lists, set due dates, assign tasks to team members, and track progress.
• Discussions: Basecamp provides a forum for team members to discuss projects, share ideas, and ask questions.
• Files: Basecamp allows you to store files, such as documents, images, and videos, in a central location.
• Wikis: Basecamp allows you to create wikis, which are online documents that can be used to store information about your projects.
• Calendar: Basecamp provides a calendar that you can use to track deadlines and milestones.

Features of Basecamp

• Simplicity: Basecamp is a very simple tool to use. The interface is clean and easy to navigate, and the features are easy to understand.
• Collaboration: Basecamp makes it easy for teams to collaborate on projects. The discussion forum and file sharing features make it easy for team members to communicate and share information.
• Communication: Basecamp provides a variety of communication tools, including a discussion forum, private messaging, and email. This makes it easy for teams to stay in touch and collaborate on projects.
• Customization: Basecamp can be customized to meet the needs of any team. You can create custom fields, add widgets, and change the look and feel of the interface.
• Integrations: Basecamp integrates with a variety of other apps, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Salesforce. This allows you to bring all of your work into one place.

How to use Basecamp

To use Basecamp, you first need to create a project. Once you have created a project, you can add tasks, assign tasks to team members, and track progress. You can also use Basecamp’s communication tools to collaborate with team members.

Benefits of using Basecamp

There are many benefits to using Basecamp, including:

• Ease of use: Basecamp is very easy to use, even for beginners.
• Collaboration: Basecamp makes it easy for teams to collaborate on projects.
• Communication: Basecamp provides a variety of communication tools that make it easy for teams to stay in touch and collaborate on projects.
• Customization: Basecamp can be customized to meet the needs of any team.
• Integrations: Basecamp integrates with a variety of other apps, which can help you streamline your workflow.

Conclusion

Basecamp is a powerful project management tool that can help teams of all sizes organize their work. It is easy to use, collaborative, and customizable. If you are looking for a project management tool that can help you get more done, Basecamp is a great option.

Here are some additional tips for using Basecamp:

• Use the to-do lists to keep track of your tasks.
• Use the discussion forum to communicate with team members.
• Use the files section to store and share files.
• Use the wikis to document your projects.
• Use the calendar to track deadlines and milestones.

4. Zoho Projects Project Management Tool

Zoho Projects is a project management software that helps teams collaborate and manage their work. It is a cloud-based tool that can be accessed from anywhere. Zoho Projects offers a wide range of features, including:

• Task management: Zoho Projects allows you to create tasks, set due dates, assign tasks to team members, and track progress.
• Project planning: Zoho Projects helps you plan your projects by providing tools for creating Gantt charts, timelines, and roadmaps.
• Communication: Zoho Projects makes it easy to communicate with team members by providing tools for commenting, sharing files, and holding videoconferences.
• Reporting: Zoho Projects provides reports that track your team’s progress and help you identify areas where you can improve.

Features of Zoho Projects

• Kanban boards: Zoho Projects uses Kanban boards to visualize your work. Kanban boards are a great way to see what tasks are in progress, what tasks are waiting to be started, and what tasks are completed.
• Gantt charts: Zoho Projects also provides Gantt charts to help you plan and track your projects. Gantt charts show you the start and end dates of your tasks, as well as the dependencies between tasks.
• Customization: Zoho Projects is highly customizable. You can create custom fields, add widgets, and change the look and feel of the interface.
• Integrations: Zoho Projects integrates with a variety of other apps, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and Salesforce. This allows you to bring all of your work into one place.

How to use Zoho Projects

To use Zoho Projects, you first need to create a project. Once you have created a project, you can add tasks, assign tasks to team members, and track progress. You can also use Zoho Projects’ communication tools to collaborate with team members.

Benefits of using Zoho Projects

There are many benefits to using Zoho Projects, including:

• Ease of use: Zoho Projects is very easy to use, even for beginners.
• Collaboration: Zoho Projects makes it easy for teams to collaborate on projects.
• Customization: Zoho Projects can be customized to meet the needs of any team.
• Integrations: Zoho Projects integrates with a variety of other apps, which can help you streamline your workflow.
• Pricing: Zoho Projects offers a free plan for teams of up to 3 users, and paid plans for teams of up to 100 users.

Conclusion

Zoho Projects is a powerful project management tool that can help teams of all sizes organize their work. It is easy to use, collaborative, and customizable. If you are looking for a project management tool that can help you get more done, Zoho Projects is a great option.

Here are some additional tips for using Zoho Projects:

• Use the Kanban boards to visualize your work.
• Create Gantt charts to plan and track your projects.
• Customize Zoho Projects to meet the needs of your team.
• Integrate Zoho Projects with other apps to automate tasks and streamline your workflow.

5. JIRA

Jira is a project management software that helps teams track issues, manage projects, and automate workflows. It is a popular tool used by teams of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises. Jira is known for its flexibility and extensibility, which allows it to be customized to meet the needs of any team.

Features of Jira

• Issue tracking: Jira allows you to track issues, such as bugs, tasks, and feature requests. You can create custom issue types to track the specific needs of your team.
• Project management: Jira helps you manage projects by providing tools for creating Gantt charts, timelines, and roadmaps. You can also use Jira to track the progress of your projects and identify areas where you can improve.
• Workflow automation: Jira allows you to automate workflows, such as the approval process for new features or the deployment of new code. This can help you save time and improve efficiency.
• Reporting: Jira provides reports that track your team’s progress and help you identify areas where you can improve.
• Integrations: Jira integrates with a variety of other apps, such as Slack, Confluence, and Bitbucket. This allows you to bring all of your work into one place.

How to use Jira

To use Jira, you first need to create a project. Once you have created a project, you can add issues, assign issues to team members, and track progress. You can also use Jira’s communication tools to collaborate with team members.

Benefits of using Jira

There are many benefits to using Jira, including:

• Flexibility: Jira is a very flexible tool that can be customized to meet the needs of any team.
• Extensibility: Jira is a very extensible tool that can be integrated with a variety of other apps.
• Reporting: Jira provides reports that track your team’s progress and help you identify areas where you can improve.
• Community: Jira has a large and active community that can provide support and help you get the most out of the tool.

Conclusion

Jira is a powerful project management tool that can help teams of all sizes organize their work. It is flexible, extensible, and has a large and active community. If you are looking for a project management tool that can help you get more done, Jira is a great option.

Here are some additional tips for using Jira:

• Use the issue tracking features to track bugs, tasks, and feature requests.
• Use the project management features to manage your projects and track progress.
• Use the workflow automation features to automate workflows and save time.
• Use the reporting features to track your team’s progress and identify areas where you can improve.
• Integrate Jira with other apps to bring all of your work into one place.