VIDEO: 5 Project Management Software Picks

Every company wants their project managers and project teams to be successful, and Project Management tools are a great way to ensure that goal. However, the price for subscription services to popular PM tools might be a huge blocker. Especially for small businesses and start-up industries who want to test out software first or can’t commit to an enterprise tier plan. That old saying, “Nothing is ever free,” could have been the case here. Fortunately, there are project management software out there that have never heard of that idea.

Hi Project Managers! I’m Meredith, and today I’ll be listing 5 project management solutions that you can use for free. Not long ago, I made a video about the best project management tools to use with Google Workspace. However, almost all of the tools I recommended had a price tag attached to them. Those prices may be manageable for some companies and teams, but not all. Especially those who are just starting their business and need to try multiple options before choosing just one.

So here are my 5 PM tool recommendations for those who are looking to start off with a free plan because sometimes The best project management platforms are the ones that allow teams to manage a few projects, organize data, delegate tasks, collaborate, and track progress at no extra cost. Similar to my Google Workspace video, I’ll be including both the positives and negatives that current users have reported to better help you decide which is the right choice.

Also if any of you watching have had experience with these tools and the free plans, be sure to tell your fellow project managers about it in the comment section below. First up on the list is Wrike. Wrike is versatile enterprise-grade project management software for a variety of teams and use cases. Its customizable tools and elements allow users to tailor-fit the in-app environment to their exact needs. Wrike also simplifies communication and coordination with built-in real-time collaboration tools, notifications, dashboards, and dynamic reports.

Wrike’s free plan includes unlimited users and access to desktop and mobile apps. Users also can take advantage of AI-powered work intelligence that provides recommendations, suggestions, and search rankings. Other features of the free plan includes task and subtask management, live activity updates, and collaboration for both internal and external team members. Overall, the free plan users have stated having access to free integrations and project templates is great.

Plus, being able to add unlimited viewers is top tier. However, they don’t like that the free plan is missing calendars and Gantt chart view, and that it has limited admin and security features. Next up is the classic, Monday.com. This tool enables teams to plan, manage, collaborate, and deliver successful work for any project or portfolio. It provides a customizable and visual work management platform for project planning, management, execution, task management, issue tracking, or strategic planning.

Users work from start to finish on a single, central workspace, allowing everyone on the team to streamline work and optimize processes. Monday.com has a free individual plan for up to 2 seats. It’s ideal for individuals looking to keep track of work using an online solution. It includes unlimited boards, unlimited docs, more than 200 ready-to-use templates, and free native mobile apps. Overall, free users have enjoyed the unlimited customizable boards, the multiple built-in collaboration tools, and the 24/7 customer support However, users wish that the free plan wasn’t limited to only 2 users.

They also reported that only Kanban view is available, which limits workflow variety. Third on our list is Zoho Projects. This online platform was created for project planning, work tracking, and team collaboration. Zoho’s solution is preferred by many teams as an enterprise-grade tool for planning and managing various projects in the construction, software, and education sectors, among others. It has core features like Gantt charts as well as advanced tools like resource utilization and portfolio dashboards.

Zoho Projects’ free plan is good for up to 3 users and 2 projects. Features include simple task management, a Gantt chart viewer, and access to mobile apps. Zoho Projects also has a project activity feed, calendar, and basic task and issue reports. Users can upload file attachments at up to 10MB per file. With all of that said, users have claimed that the document sharing, the MS project import tool, and the Google app integration is extremely helpful for teams.

Unfortunately, those same users also disliked the fact that the free plan only offers the Read-only view for Gantt charts, and that there are limited integration options other than Google. Another free tool available for teams to try is WorkflowMax. This project management option helps companies run jobs of all kinds in one platform. As a cloud-based solution, users can access the full features of the PM tool from anywhere. Users can send quotes, organize schedules, track time, create invoices, and generate reports.

WorkflowMax customers come from creative agencies, architecture firms, business consultants, engineers, building and construction companies, and IT services. Interested users can test the software completely risk-free. a free 14-day trial period is available for its Standard and Premium plans without requiring a credit card or any other payment information. Overall, users like WorkflowMax’s comprehensive set of features, Xero integration, and invoicing and client management capabilities.

However, there isn’t a free tier available. It’s a “Free to try” tool only. Plus, it’s not ideal for agile projects. Finally on our list is Jira Software. This project management tool is great for software development and agile teams. This issue and project tracking tool allows teams to plan, track, report, and release software products on the same platform. Features include Scrum and Kanban boards, backlog, agile reporting, custom workflows, apps, and integrations.

Jira Software is free for up to 10 users. The free plan is ideal for small teams who want to plan and track work more efficiently. However, automations only work on a single project. Also, only basic functions are available for roadmaps and dependency management. With all those functions, users have stated in particular that they like the security and compliance features, along with the seamless integrations. They also think the customizations are invaluable in helping businesses start a project and move in the right direction.

However, like the other tools, the free plan is not perfect. Users have reported that there isn’t access to analytics or insights, and that the Jira Software offers community support only. After reviewing all these free tools, it’s safe to say none of them are long term solutions for those looking to save on initial costs. However, all of them offer great project management features and collaboration functions that are just enough to help any small business or team figure out which option is best.

If you want to go try out any of these Project Management platforms and see which is right for you or your team, links to the free plans and trials are in the description below. Or if none of these tools are for you, then be sure to go to Project-DASH-Management-DOT-COM to read up on 5 more solutions that didn’t make this list. That link is also in the description. Also if you found this video helpful, be sure click the like icon and hit the subscribe button if you want to keep up with all things project management. Thanks for watching!