Best Project Management Tools For Startups header

Project management tools are vital for startups with limited resources and pressing timelines. They offer structure and clarity, simplifying the tracking of tasks, deadlines, and team assignments. 

These tools enable startups to ensure that nothing is overlooked. By organizing tasks, facilitating efficient communication, and tracking real-time progress, startups and small businesses can avoid common pitfalls and make better, faster decisions. 

Here is a list of the seven best project management tools every startup needs to consider for staying ahead of their game. 

Key Takeaways 

  • ClickUp: Best for customization and scalability
  • monday.com: Best for visual work management
  • Airtable: Best for database-style project management
  • Wrike: Best for cross-team collaboration
  • Trello: Best For simplicity in task management and Kanban boards
  • Bonsai Agency: Best for client-focused project and financial management
  • Basecamp: Best for all-in-one communication and task management

1.ClickUp – Best For Customization And Scalability

ClickUp is best known for its customizable workflows and scalability, which makes it a great option for startups. Whether managing teams or facilitating collaboration across departments, features such as goal setting, custom dashboards, and task dependencies enable startups to tailor the software to their specific needs.
ClickUp

Key Features

  • ClickUp's native ‘Time Estimations and Tracking’ help boost accountability for review procedures
  • Advanced team collaboration and communication features like ‘Assigned Comments’, ‘Multiple Assignees’, ‘Task Dependencies’, and ‘Collaborative Goals’ streamlines all communication in a unified platform
  • ‘Real-Time Reporting’ gives insight into your team’s performance and allows efficient tracking of project’s progress

Pros 

  • Its excellent knowledge base, allows businesses to create a data bank for company resources
  • Seamlessly connects with popular third-party applications
  • Link tasks to high-level objectives to track progress

Cons 

  • Potential information overload, according to some user reviews
  • Once account limit is exhausted, the free version becomes read-only (doesn’t allow changes to custom fields or other data points)

Benefits For Startups

ClickUp offers a wide range of built-in features, such as task management, ‘ClickUp docs’, goal tracking, time tracking, automation, and third-party integration. This minimizes the need to switch between tools, making it more efficient for startups that need flexibility and scalability in one package. 

Pricing 

ClickUp software offers the following pricing options: 

  • Free Forever: $0/user/month
  • Unlimited: $10/user/month
  • Business: $19/user/month
  • Enterprise: Customized pricing

Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change. 

2. Monday.com – Best For Visual Work Management

monday.com is ideal for startup businesses that rely on visual task management. Its colorful user interface and flexible boards allow you to track progress at a glance. The software allows startups to manage anything from simple task lists to complicated workflows.
Monday.com

Key Features 

  • 'Portfolios and Projects' are excellent for strategic planning and tracking progress across several tasks in an organized manner
  • The ‘Automation’ feature helps ensure that your projects run smoothly and efficiently
  • Built-in collaboration features like 'Workdocs' allow you to create detailed documents directly and embed real-time project information from any of your boards

Pros 

  • Rule-based automation for simple tasks that don’t require technical training
  • Comprehensive calendar integrations for seamless project planning
  • Easy to add budgeting information to the tasks with its column customization

Cons 

  • Task filtering tools can be limiting
  • Time tracking feature is only available in Pro plan

Benefits For Startups

monday.com is a versatile and scalable project management tool that supports businesses from the startup phase through sustained growth. It adapts to evolving needs as the company expands. Additionally, the software features an AI assistant, ‘monday AI’, specifically designed to help startups automate workflows and enhance efficiency. 

Pricing 

monday.com offers the following price options:

  • Free Forever: $0/seat/month
  • Basic: $12/seat/month
  • Standard: $14/seat/month
  • Pro: $24/seat/month
  • Enterprise: Customized pricing

Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change

3. Airtable – Best For Database-Style Project Management

Airtable incorporates the flexibility of a spreadsheet with the power of a database, providing startups with an easy-to-use yet comprehensive tool. 

The software is perfect for managing data-intensive initiatives like content planning and product development. Teams can easily switch between grid, calendar, and Kanban views based on their workflow requirements.
Airtable

Key Features

  • ‘Real-time Collaboration' features make it a great choice for working collaboratively on shared tasks, timelines, and deliverables
  • Customizable views like ‘Calendar’, ‘Form’, ‘Gantt’, ‘Kanban’, ‘Timeline’, and ‘List’ allow users to visually analyze and organize data
  • 'Milestone Tracking' combined with task dependencies, allows teams to manage project timelines by clearly identifying essential tasks

Pros 

  • The combination of spreadsheets and databases makes it excellent for extensive data management
  • It provides pre-made templates for common use cases, making it easy to set up boards
  • It provides professional services and excellent support options

Cons 

  • Automation features can be limiting for businesses with more sophisticated requirements
  • The software’s closed-source nature can limit customization

Benefits For Startups

Airtable is an excellent option for startups looking for a flexible tool. Its innovative combination of spreadsheet and database features facilitates efficient project handling. Moreover, custom views help simplify complex tasks by allowing users to focus on specific data and workflows. 

Pricing 

Airtable has the following price options: 

  • Free: $0/user/month
  • Team: $24/user/month
  • Business: $54/user/month
  • Enterprise: Customized pricing

Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change. 

4.Wrike – Best For Cross-Team Collaboration

Wrike software is designed for collaboration, making it ideal for companies with remote teams or cross-functional projects. It provides customizable dashboards, Gantt charts, and real-time activity streams to keep everyone on track. Businesses can use the built-in time monitoring and resource management capabilities to optimize their operations.
Wrike

Key Features 

  • The 'Task Management' feature allows teams to divide projects into smaller tasks to keep track of every activity
  • ‘Data Visualization’ offers analytics and detailed insights through charts and infographics
  • The 'Form builder' allows you to create responsive forms using conditional logic

Pros 

  • It offers a three-pane view for clear visibility of project operations
  • Users appreciate its built-in timer to track job duration
  • It provides an innovative 'Work Intelligence' suite to create tasks and subtasks automatically from comments, documents, and more

Cons 

  • Delayed notifications from some integrations
  • Mobile application lacks offline access feature

Benefits For Startups

Wrike is great for startups that require strong cross-team collaboration. It's easy-to-customize dashboards, real-time updates, and built-in time tracking helps startups stay productive and organized while working on shared projects. 

Pricing 

Wrike offers a 14-day free trial, with the following pricing plans: 
 

  • Free: $0/user/month
  • Team: $10/user/month
  • Business: $24.80/user/month
  • Enterprise: Customized pricing
  • Pinnacle: Customized pricing

Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change 

5.Trello – Best For Simplicity In Task Management And Kanban Boards

Developed by Atlassian, Trello software is the go-to solution for startup businesses looking for simple task management. Its Kanban board structure is straightforward and simple to use, allowing teams to drag and drop tasks as they progress through various project phases. The software is ideal for small businesses that do not require too many complex features.
Trello

Key Features 

  • Intuitive ‘Kanban view’ displays ample information, allowing for easy monitoring of each stage of a project
  • 'Lists' can track high-priority or time-sensitive tasks, ensuring that crucial deadlines are met
  • Powerful no-code ‘Butler Automation’ to help you focus on the work that matters most

Pros 

  • The software makes it simple to invite outside members to a board
  • Its real time updates are convenient for multiple team members working on a project simultaneously
  • The software offers built-in automation for every plan

Cons 

  • No permission settings on the free plan
  • No permission settings on the free plan

Benefits For Startups

Trello software's simplicity makes it ideal for startups that require fast setup and visual task tracking. Its drag-and-drop Kanban board system is simple, allowing startup businesses to organize tasks, add due dates, and conveniently label priorities. 

Pricing 

Here are the options Trello offers in terms of pricing: 

  • Free: $0 /user/month
  • Standard: $6/user/month
  • Premium: $12.5/user/month
  • Enterprise: 17.50/user/month (billed annually)

Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change. 

6.Bonsai Agency – Best For Client-Focused Project And Financial Management

Bonsai Software is a versatile business and project management tool for independent contractors and startup business owners in various industries. The software excels in simplifying project management through client-based services. It can handle contracts, invoicing, time tracking, and client communication all in one platform.
Bonsai

Key Features 

  • Efficient CRM platform to store contact information, track interactions, and manage sales pipelines
  • Secure 'Client Portal' to access project information, view progress, and submit feedback
  • Accurate 'Time-tracking' to monitor time spent on projects to improve productivity and billing accuracy

Pros 

  • Automated tasks that ensure focus remains on core business activities
  • It offers streamlined proposal creation
  • It provides customizable templates for contracts, proposals and invoices to streamline customer management

Cons 

  • Slow customer support response times
  • Limited advanced project management features

Benefits For Startups

Bonsai is ideal for startups since it combines key features like task tracking, financial management, invoicing, and invoicing contracts on a single platform. This enables startups to simplify operations, focus on growth, and ensure project profitability. 

Pricing 

Bonsai offers a 7-day free trial, along with a four-tiered pricing plan: 

  • Basic: $15/user/month
  • Essential: $25/user/month
  • Premium: $39/user/month
  • Elite: $59/user/month (minimum 3 users)

Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change. 

7.Basecamp – Streamlined Communication And Project Organization

Basecamp is a project management tool for freelancers, startups, and small teams. Users can leverage its easy scheduling, real-time collaboration and communication, ‘Hill Charts’, and reports for a seamless project management experience. Startups with small teams benefit from Basecamp's simple design and emphasis on transparency, which allows every team member to remain up to date on project progress without having repeated status meetings.
Basecamp

Key Features

  • ‘To-do lists’ to effectively create and assign tasks
  • ‘Reports’ for quick insights into any task or team progress
  • ‘Hill Charts’ allow you to visually keep track of your task timelines

Pros 

  • Excellent for simple projects without complex requirements
  • Automatic check-ins for progress updates
  • Easy to sync calendars for all employees

Cons 

  • The interface can be a bit confusing
  • Hard to customize task statuses to suit different project needs

Benefits For Startups

Basecamp software is an excellent project management tool for startups, creative, and technical teams. It offers a real-time group chat feature, which allows for smooth team communication without cluttering the inboxes. Start-ups can take advantage of quick collaboration and decision-making via organized chat rooms that keep conversations on topic.

Pricing 

  • Basecamp: $15/user/month
  • Basecamp Pro Unlimited: $349/month

Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change. 

What Project Management Tool Is Best For Startups?

7 project management tools for startups
In general, project management platforms assist businesses in increasing project success rates, promoting transparency, and ensuring that teams deliver quality projects on time. Choosing the ideal project management tool for a startup business is difficult, especially when so many outstanding solutions are available.

All the project management software tools discussed in this blog are exceptional in their own capacity. However, for startups seeking a comprehensive project management solution, ClickUp and monday.com stand out with their extensive features, customizable workflows, and user-friendly interface that enhances team collaboration. If you prioritize simplicity combined with database capabilities, Airtable is an ideal candidate. Its intuitive interface offers flexibility for managing complex projects.

For freelancers and startups focused on client management and invoicing, Bonsai excels with its streamlined client interactions tracking and financial management. Basecamp is another great option for startups that prioritize simplicity and strong communication features to keep their teams aligned. All of these tools enable startups to boost productivity while tackling their unique challenges efficiently. If you want to know more about these project management tools, contact Software Finder now, and learn more about what suits your needs.