Freelancing is not just about delivering great work; it’s about managing every aspect of a project from its inception to its execution. Unlike larger teams, freelancers are often solely responsible for handling multiple responsibilities, from client communication and invoicing to time-tracking and quality control. The right project management software transforms freelancing business and makes it easier to work.
In this blog, we have compiled the seven best project management software that help freelancers streamline their workflow and keep clients satisfied.
Here’s the list of the best seven project management tools for freelancers that can help them stay organized and efficient:
1. Monday.com - Best For Customizable Templates
Monday.com is a popular project management tool known for its intuitive interface and flexibility, making it a great fit for freelancers. It offers robust features, including Kanban boards, Gantt charts, timelines, lists, calendars, and customizable dashboards so individuals can adjust the views to fit their needs. Freelancers can take advantage of Monday.com’s ready-made, editable templates, and tailor workflows according to their specific project needs.
Benefits For Freelancers
Monday.com’s customizable features are perfect for freelancers who must stay organized while handling multiple clients or projects. A freelance graphic designer, for instance, can create a dedicated board for each client, track deadlines, and manage feedback all in one place.
Freelancers can jumpstart their career path with ready-to-use customizable templates like the Single Project or Work Calendar, ensuring their work stays neat, organized, and on track from day one. These templates allow them to streamline processes and focus on delivering high-quality results without getting bogged down by administrative tasks.
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Pricing Tiers For Freelancers
Freelancers have the option to opt from these pricing tiers:
- Free - $0 (Free Forever)
- Basic - $12/seat/month
- Standard - $14/seat/month
- Pro - $24/seat/month
2. Asana - Best For Efficient Task Management
Asana is a feature-rich project management tool recognized for exceptional task management capabilities. With its vibrant and visually appealing color scheme, freelancers can easily organize their workload and ensure every detail is accounted for.
Additionally, Asana's paid plans are highly customizable, allowing freelancers to add fields and adjust views to fit their individual workflows. The software integrates with Clockwise, Dropbox, Slack, and other third-party apps, making coordination easy for clients and vendors.
Key Features
Benefits For Freelancers
Freelancers can utilize Asana software to manage their projects effectively by creating tasks and subtasks categorized by projects or clients. This nesting feature enables them to break down larger projects into manageable pieces, ensuring no detail is overlooked. For example, a freelance content writer can break up a task into mini subtasks and assign deadlines to each, facilitating easier project progress tracking.
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Pricing Tiers For Freelancers
The following pricing plans can be utilized by freelancers:
- Personal - $0/user/month
- Starter - $13.49/user/month
- Advanced - $30.49/user/month
3. Zoho Projects - Best For Freelancers With A Limited Budget
Zoho Projects is a budget-friendly work management tool for freelancers seeking extensive task-tracking capabilities. With multiple board views, milestones, timesheets, and analytical reports, it empowers users to manage their projects efficiently. Freelancers can track their work across Kanban, Gantt, and Calendar views while setting dependencies and automating essential workflow rules.
This software excels at providing the essential features freelancers need to stay organized and on top of their projects. With its user-friendly design and comprehensive tools, Zoho Projects ensures that managing tasks, tracking time, and analyzing project performance is straightforward and effective.
Key Features
Benefits For Freelancers
Freelancers appreciate Zoho Projects software for its affordability and ease of use. Its ability to integrate with other Zoho tools like Zoho CRM, Invoice, Sprints, and Analytics allow freelancers to create a fully integrated system to manage all aspects of their business.
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Pricing Tiers For Freelancers
These two pricing plans can be utilized by freelancers:
- Free - $0/user/month
- Premium - $5/user/month (with 10-day trial)
4. Notion - Best For Real-Time Document Collaboration
Notion is a powerful document collaboration software that doubles as a project management tool, ideal for freelancers looking to improve information accessibility. While it may not be the best for managing highly complex projects, it offers wikis, lists, roadmaps, calendars, and Kanban boards to help freelancers manage simple, data-heavy projects with ease. Also, its mobile app is best for real-time document collaboration, making it flexible software for individuals on the go.
Key Features
Benefits For Freelancers
Notion’s flexibility makes it a great fit for freelancers, especially in creative agencies. For example, a freelance content writer can use Notion to draft articles, plan social media calendars, and collaborate with clients. Moreover, the software is best known for real-time document collaboration, enabling freelancers to work seamlessly from one central hub.
This feature allows for immediate feedback and updates, enhancing communication without needing constant back-and-forth. Furthermore, the AI features in Notion software add an extra layer of automation, allowing freelancers to save time on routine tasks.
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Pricing Tiers For Freelancers
Freelancers can avail the following two pricing plans:
- Free - $0 (With Notion AI: $10/seat/month)
- Plus - $12/seat/month (With Notion AI: $22/seat/month)
5. Miro - Best For Visual Brainstorming
Miro is a visual collaboration software designed to foster creativity and streamline innovation for freelancers managing complex projects. Known for its expansive digital workspace, Miro allows freelancers to visualize project timelines, workflows, and ideas on an infinite canvas.
With real-time collaboration features, freelancers can track project milestones and progress while brainstorming with clients or collaborators. What sets Miro apart from other software is that you can keep all your ideas together on a single board!
Key Features
Benefits For Freelancers
Freelancers who thrive on creative features will benefit significantly from Miro software's expansive canvas and creative tools, making it the best for visual brainstorming. For instance, a freelance UX designer can leverage Miro’s mind mapping and diagramming features to effectively lay out user flows and interface wireframes while collaborating with clients in real-time.
Furthermore, Miro software is particularly advantageous for freelancers and clients working across different time zones due to its strong support for asynchronous collaboration. This feature allows the clients to engage with projects at their convenience, ensuring that contributions can be made without the need for simultaneous participation.
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Pricing Tiers For Freelancers
The following pricing tiers can be utilized by freelancers:
- Free - $0/user/month
- Starter - $10/user/month
6. Hive - Best For Managing Multiple Clients
Hive is a user-centric project management software designed to be intuitive and feature-rich, making it an excellent choice for freelancers. Built with direct feedback from users, Hive allows freelancers to manage projects and clients effortlessly, making it best for managing multiple clients.
With features like project views that include Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and calendar layouts, Hive helps freelancers visualize their workload and deadlines effectively. This flexibility accommodates different project management styles and preferences, ensuring that users can work in a way that suits them best.
Key Features
Benefits For Freelancers
Freelancers often manage several clients simultaneously, and Hive’s ability to create distinct projects for each client while keeping all tasks organized in one place using My actions feature, which helps prevent confusion. This ensures timely delivery of work and enhances overall productivity. Additionally, Hive’s automated workflows save time by handling repetitive tasks, allowing freelancers to focus on delivering high-quality results.
Overall, Hive stands out as a dynamic tool for freelancers looking to enhance their productivity while efficiently managing diverse projects.
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Pricing Tiers For Freelancers
Freelancers can opt for these pricing plans:
- Free - $0/user/month (Free Forever)
- Starter - $7/user/month
7. Indy - Best For All-In-One Freelancer Management
Indy is an all-in-one project management software specifically designed for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small teams. It provides a robust suite of features that streamline project management processes, including contract handling, invoicing, and task management through Kanban boards, and to-do lists.
This integrated approach simplifies the management process, enabling freelancers to stay organized and efficient, solidifying Indy as a truly all-in-one freelancer management platform.
Key Features
Benefits For Freelancers
Freelancers seeking a streamlined way to manage their operations will find Indy’s all-in-one approach particularly beneficial. For instance, a freelance web designer can utilize Indy to manage client contacts, track project timelines, and send invoices.
This level of organization significantly saves time and minimizes the risk of overlooking tasks, allowing freelancers to focus more on their creative work rather than administrative duties.
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Pricing Tiers For Freelancers
The following are the pricing plans best suited for freelancers:
- Free - $0/month
- Pro Bundle - $25/month (with 7-day free trial)
When selecting project management software for your business the decision will come down to a few basic factors. Here is a breakdown of the key criteria to consider:
Freelancers who are trying to pick the best project management software need to start by identifying their unique needs. Factors like workflow, project complexity, and budget play a vital role in this decision. Each software on this list offers something different, from monday.com’s customizable templates to Miro’s infinite creativity canvas, and Hive’s user-centric features.
Whether you are a creative freelancer who needs robust collaboration features like those offered by Notion, or someone looking for an all-in-one software like Indy to handle contracts, invoices, and tasks in one place, there’s a perfect match for every freelancer.
The key here is to assess your specific requirements. Whether you're managing multiple clients and need robust task management or prefer a platform that simplifies invoicing, and contracts. Understanding your work style will help you choose the right project management tool for your freelancing business.
Whichever tool you choose, the right project management software will help you stay organized, improve productivity, and ensure you deliver outstanding work to your clients. Please visit our project management resources center section for further assistance.