Best Backlog Alternatives

Backlog is a project management software solution for developers, primarily used to support efficient planning, organization, and tracking. In this article, we will review potential alternatives to Backlog.

Table of contents

• What is Backlog?
• Backlog Alternatives: What to Look for
• Best Backlog Alternatives
  • Jira
  • Wrike
  • Asana
  • monday.com
  • Smartsheet
• Ready to try a Backlog alternative?

What is Backlog?

Backlog is an online project management tool for software development teams. It is a visual project tracking software with built-in collaboration. Developers, designers, clients, and all other team members connect seamlessly on one platform. It has tools for bug and issue tracking, version control, and Git and Subversion repository integrations. It supports enhanced project transparency with different work views and reports. Software developers and product teams are able to work with code alongside project work.

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Backlog Alternatives: What to Look for

Backlog users include software developers, product management teams, startups, and small businesses. For users looking for an alternative to Backlog, the following features are essential to manage projects better, collaborate on code, and use built-in tracking to resolve issues faster:

• Multiple work views that include list, Gantt, board, and calendar views
• Tracking of task status, progress, and milestones through reports and dashboards
• Bug tracking process and reporting
• Automated notifications and reminders
• Conversation threads with historical details
• Support for file attachment, organization, search, and sharing
• Task creation, breakdown, assignment, scheduling, and prioritization
• Built-in version control of files and other digital assets
• Integration with third-party tools and services including with source code repositories
• Secured messaging for contextual collaboration and real-time communication
• Customization of interface and tools
• Project management templates, custom fields, and automation

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Best Backlog Alternatives

Companies use Backlog for its integrated project management, bug tracking, and team collaboration tools. The best Backlog alternatives provide developers and product teams the tools and features to manage projects, track issues, and communicate clearly using a single platform.

Jira

Jira is an issue and project tracking tool used by agile development teams. It enables users to plan, track, release, and report on their software projects. It is customizable for different workflows and integrates with many tools needed in building products. The software also has roadmap, automation, and built-in security features. Jira supports agile teams with its Scrum boards and Kanban boards. For planning the bigger picture and communicating the plan to stakeholders, its roadmapping features lets users plan their work up to epic levels while viewing team progress in real time. It has ready-to-use agile reports that provide actionable insights. With repository integration, users can view code and include issues. They can create branches and pull requests, view commits, and measure progress from across all tools right inside the software. Pros

• Flexible Kanban boards
• Progress monitoring and tracking
• Task and issue management

Cons

• Complex to set up and maintain
• Users have tended to request better control of notifications

Wrike

Wrike is a versatile work and project management software. It is customizable to allow different teams and companies to use the right set of tools and features that best suit business needs. It works in real time so that users can post comments, send notifications, edit collaboratively, and generate dynamic reports with timely valuable information. Wrike lets users improve ideas and products consistently with automation, collaboration, and reporting tools. Agile teams can optimize their software development with asset attachment, shared team calendars, visual workload view, and powerful file and document search. It also has robust bug tracking tools that includes performance dashboards, instant notifications, report templates, and task monitoring. Pros

• Task management
• Project collaboration with internal teams and external partners
• Visual tools and components

Cons

• Too many features can be overwhelming to new users
• Time tracking features could be improved

Asana

Asana is an online software for managing work, projects, and tasks. It provides multiple work views so teams and individuals can have different perspectives, look at information that is meaningful to each, and collaborate quickly wherever they are. Automation makes managing routine work easier, allowing teams to gain project clarity and context, set rules to automate common tasks, and use forms to standardize work requests. Asana includes ready-to-use templates that users can customize and fine tune. Project management features include tasks and subtasks, milestones, dependencies, due dates and times, approvals, and custom fields. The software has a variety of reports for viewing goals, workload, portfolios, and dashboards. It also has built-in messaging, mobile apps, and integrations to many third-party tools. Pros

• Task management
• Integration options
• Mobile app

Cons

• Unable to assign multiple people to a single task
• Needs more intuitive menu and navigation for new users

monday.com

monday.com is a flexible work management software for various use cases such as software development and project management. It is customizable so teams can shape their workflows in ways that fit their needs. Teams can collaborate effectively across the organization with automations and notifications so they have a clear picture of the project all the time. monday.com is highly visual and intuitive for all types of users. It has hundreds of ready-to-use templates to get started quickly. Visual boards with custom columns and drag-and-drop interface lets make it easy for teams to build the solution that tracks what is most important for their work. Features include multiple work visualizations, exportable images, mobile apps, dynamic work docs, automations, and integrations. Pros

• Task management and prioritization
• Dependencies and critical path
• Highly visual and customizable

Cons

• Mobile experience not equal with web app
• User reviews ask for more integration with messaging apps

Smartsheet

Smartsheet work collaboration software is for enterprise teams. Users are able to build scalable business solutions and manage risks on demand. It provides a cloud-based dynamic workspace where teams can manage projects, automate workflows, and collaborate in real time. It is a secure and reliable system that gives users visibility with multiple work views as well as versatility with integration. Smartsheet lets users switch views from grid, card, Gantt and calendar view using the same data. Users can attach files, automate updates, communicate with comments and @mentions, and control access with permissions. It supports different methodologies, from waterfall to agile and hybrid. Teams are able to sync sprints, manage resources, mitigate complexities, and consolidate efforts with its set of features. Pros

• Task management
• Automation, forms, and reminders
• Ease of setup

Cons

• Needs more integration options
• User reviews ask for more flexible report creation and template customization

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Ready to try a Backlog alternative?

Project management software like Backlog enables software development teams to gain a clear vision and consistent guidance as they develop software products. Every stakeholder involved is aware of the schedule, activity, status, and progress to successfully meet the project goal. Users looking for a Backlog alternative can explore our recommended alternatives to get their search for a solution underway.