Task management is essential to project management, teamwork and simply getting work done. Productivity is lost if a team loses control of their tasks and deadlines so organizations use software to plan their work and execute tasks on time, within budget and with the right resources. But there are a lot of task management software solutions to choose from, and it can be hard to know which is best. Let’s start with the basics.

What Is Task Management Software?

Task management software is a tool that helps you manage tasks by scheduling due dates, identifying dependencies, allocating resources, setting milestones and making the right decision to keep the project on track. Of course,task management can be achieved with a spreadsheet, to-do list or online project management software. So, what’s the best task management software?

We took the time to look over many task management tools, but before we rank them, let’s make sure we understand the basic task management features that these software alternatives offer.

Key Features to Look for in Task Management Software

Task management software offers a variety of tools you can use to manage your team’s tasks such as to-do lists, spreadsheets, kanban boards or Gantt charts. However, not all task management software offer the exact same tools, so it’s important to understand their differences. For this reason, we’ve identified the key features you should look for in task management software.

Choosing the right task management tool depends on what you need. Smaller projects that are simple might need nothing more than a to-do list, while a spreadsheet can respond to greater complexity. But most projects require a tool that can monitor progress, manage resources and keep teams connected to work more effectively.

• Gantt charts: Gantt charts are one of the most important task management tools because of their versatility. They can be used for creating a timeline, scheduling tasks and monitoring your team’s progress. This makes them a critical feature for any task management software.
• Kanban Boards: Kanban boards are a task management tool that can help organizations plan and manage their workflows using a visual approach. They’re ideal for tracking the status of tasks as they go from the planning to completion phase.
• Resource Management Tools: Managing tasks is more than just scheduling activities and assigning them to a team member. It also involves balancing your team’s workload and tracking the project resources they use such as raw materials, equipment and machinery.
• Time Management: Task management software should have features to allow managers to create a schedule and track the completion of tasks over time. Such time tracking features include timesheets, calendars, roadmaps and dashboards.
• Team Collaboration: Most tasks will require the effort of multiple people in your team, which is why task management software should be equipped with team collaboration features such as instant messaging and file sharing.
• Workflow management: Teams also need to manage their processes or workflows, which are longer, more complex task sequences. To manage workflows you need a task management tool that allows you to visualize your project timeline as a whole. Some task management software even offer workflow automation features to facilitate the process of tracking tasks.

2024 Best Task Management Software Rankings

An online task management application can add efficiencies and reduce waste by connecting planning, scheduling, resource management and collaboration all under one roof. With that in mind, let’s rank the best task management software of 2024.

1. ProjectManager

ProjectManager is award-winning software that organizes tasks, teams, resources and projects in an easy-to-use online platform. Its features enable users to assign, manage and track tasks, so projects are completed on time and under budget. Unlike other task management software, ProjectManager is a complete package with all the tools you need to manage your tasks and projects.

Manage Tasks How You Want

There isn’t just one way to manage tasks, and ProjectManager understands this. They offer multiple project views so teams can see tasks on a task list, a calendar or a kanban board.

Of course, there’s also the award-winning Gantt chart. The Gantt chart has a project timeline and a sheet view with the grid that’s ideal for managers who need to do robust project planning, schedule work and establish dependencies. ProjectManager’s dynamic Gantt chart was a big reason it made the top of the list. Regardless of how you view your tasks, it’s easy to add due dates, priority levels, attachments, notes and tags to help sort through your work.

Collaboration Tools That Really Work

Tasks aren’t executed in a vacuum, and ProjectManager keeps teams connected. Because of its online platform, tasks can be updated anywhere and at any time, as well as shared with anyone.

In terms of collaboration, users can attach notes, files and links when discussing tasks. These comments can be easily tracked and will never fall through the cracks. Tag anyone in the tool to bring them into the conversation, and team members never lose track of deadlines thanks to email alerts and in-app notifications.

Resource Management to Eliminate Bottlenecks

Managers want the ability to monitor and adjust their team’s workload, holidays, PTO and work schedule. ProjectManager allows them to do so with its resource management features. Establish your team’s availability to make assignments simple. You can also see exactly what tasks the team is working on during the week or for a specific day with the team feature.

A color-coded workload chart shows you who has too much work and who has too few assignments. Balance the workload directly from the workload page and keep everyone working to capacity without eroding morale.

If you have a meeting that happens at the same time each week or other tasks that are repeated throughout the project, you can set up recurring tasks. This reduces the busy work that your team has to do and allows them to focus on more important work. Recurring tasks also act as a reminder to make sure the work isn’t neglected.

ProjectManager covers all bases when managing tasks and is always adding more project management tools to monitor, report and keep stakeholders updated. Start managing your tasks more effectively, sign up for a free 30-day trial today.

Verdict: Best Task Management Software for Project Management Teams

ProjectManager Pros & Key Features

• Robust cost, resource and time tracking features
• Multiple task management tools including Gantt charts, kanban boards, task lists and more
• Mobile app available for Android and iOS
• Free trial is included

ProjectManager Cons & Limitations

• Limited customization
• Few native integrations
• No free plan

ProjectManager Pricing

• Team: $13.00 user/month
• Business: $24.00 user/month
• Enterprise: contact sales

ProjectManager Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4 / 5
• Capterra review: 4.1 / 5

2. Monday

Monday is a task management software that helps teams work together on planning and execution to deliver projects more effectively. Many of the mundane tasks that take up valuable time can be automated, so teams are free to work on pressing tasks.

The software integrates with existing tools and has a clean, colorful interface. It has customization and templates that save time in setting up new projects. It’s good for teams that are working together on tasks that don’t require a lot of details.

Notifications aren’t great, though, and can be hard to manage. Monday also doesn’t have a repeating task function. File sharing and downloading can be problematic, too, which might have you seeking third-party software to share files. Tracking isn’t ideal as they don’t offer in-depth reporting features.

The scheduling feature is more suitable for smaller projects, not ones with more complex scheduling. It doesn’t integrate with online services, such as Dropbox, for file management, and it doesn’t have strong resource management tools. But teams love Monday when working solely on managing their tasks, which is a great help.

Verdict: Best Task Management Software for Beginners

Monday.com Pros & Key Features

• Monday.com offers basic task management features for managing simple workflows
• Features can be a good alternative for agile teams
• Mobile app for Android and iOS
• Free trial is included

Monday.com Cons & Limitations

• Limited variety of cost and budget tracking tools
• Tools lack resource management tools for managing team’s workload and resource utilization
• Some features can be hard to set up as they required to be manually configured

Monday.com Pricing

• Basic: $24/month billed annually (minimum of 3 users)
• Standard: $30/month billed annually (minimum of 3 users)
• Pro: $48/month billed annually (minimum of 3 users)

Monday.com Reviews

• G2 review: 4.7/5
• Capterra review: 4.6/5

3. Asana

Asana is a task management software that helps teams plan and manage projects with task lists and timelines. It keeps track of teams while providing them with the tools to better manage and execute tasks.

Besides tracking tasks, it allows managers to delegate subtasks to teammates, set deadlines and prioritize work. All of your tasks are in one place, so work isn’t lost in the shuffle. There are different task views, such as lists, boards, calendars and timelines.

Since Asana focuses mostly on task lists and task management, projects can get complicated and unruly in the software. Tasks can only be assigned to one person, which is a problem when you need to collaborate on complex tasks. But that’s not going to impact every team; for teams where this isn’t an issue, Asana can be a good task management solution.

Verdict: Best Task Management Alternative for Team Management

Asana Pros & Key Features

• Flexible features that can help teams across industries
• Helps team members keep track with of their own tasks and also communicate and collaborate with each other
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free plan
• Free trial

Asana Cons & Limitations

• Lightweight project management tools not ideal for managing complex projects or workflows
• Limited offer of project management tools
• Gantt chart lacks resource or cost tracking features
• Workload management tools can be limited for larger teams

Asana Pricing

• Premium plan: $10.99/user/month, billed annually
• Business plan: $24.99/user/month, billed annually

Asana Reviews

• G2 review: 4.3/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

4. Teamwork

Teamwork is another task management software that’s built to help teams do more. That includes collaboration, visibility, accountability and results, according to its site.

Its essential feature is its high-level, multi-project visibility that centralizes project information so users can keep track of everything in one place. Its user-friendly interface has built-in analytic tools, and its collaborative features allow teams to send messages, share notes, set tasks priorities and create milestones and invoices. With Teamwork, workflows can be customized and individual permissions can be set with privacy settings.

While the software is jammed with features, they’re not always the best quality and may require some editing to focus on what works best. This adds to the overwhelming quality of working in the software, which can be both confusing and tedious.

One of the shortcomings is that you can’t import tasks into Teamwork. You have to enter them manually, which is a deal-breaker for those who use Excel and Microsoft Project. That takes away valuable time that could be better served elsewhere.

Verdict: Best Task Management Software for Service Providers

Teamwork Pros & Key Features

• Simple user interface
• Variety of task management tools
• Mobile app available for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Teamwork Cons & Limitations

• Gantt charts has little information about your tasks, which limits their ability to track their progress
• Lacks project management reports for a high-level view of your tasks
• No project calendars a disadvantage when compared with most task management tools
• All paid versions have a 3-user minimum

Teamwork Pricing

• Deliver plan: $9.99 user/month
• Grow plan: $19.99 user/month

Teamwork Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

5. ClickUp

ClickUp is a task management software that offers chat, dashboards and automation, allowing you to streamline workflows and eliminate busywork. As a task management tool, it helps you organize, track changes and manage teams. Naturally, it’s collaborative and has reporting tools to share information securely, which is why it’s on our best task management software list.

All of those features might seem like a selling point, however, they can be overwhelming. Setting up the software can be tedious and complicated. Even after setup, the learning curve is so steep that you might never get over the hump. Another benefit that ends up a deficit is customization. Sure, you want to customize, but too many customizations and the software will lag. If you like ClickUp however, check out some ClickUp alternatives.

Verdict: Best Task Management Software for Variety of Team Collaboration Tools

ClickUp Pros & Key Features

• Brainstorming whiteboards and document editing tools
• Can be used by scrum and agile teams
• Mobile project planning app for Android and iOS

ClickUp Cons & Limitations

• Software can be hard to understand due to its confusing feature set
• Some of its features don’t help with task management
• Files can be exported in PDF format only
• Lightweight task management tools might be too basic for some users
• No free trial

Clickup Pricing

• Unlimited: $5/user/month, billed annually
• Business: $12/user/month, billed annually

Clickup Reviews

• G2 review: 4.7/5
• Capterra review: 4.7/5

6. Trello

Trello makes our best task management software ranking due to its collaborative features and its focus on boards. Kanban is often one of many project views offered in task management software, and it’s one of the best for task management. We like the tool’s all-in approach and its singular focus on this feature.

However, this focus on one feature can be a problem. Having only kanban boards is great if you want to use them. But if you have more traditional Gantt chart users on your team, they’re going to be shut out. There’s something resembling a Gantt chart, but you’ll have to upgrade to use it. Also, if you’re managing a larger project, you’ll likely find the software to be cumbersome. If that’s the case, there are Trello alternatives that offer kanban boards with superior project management features.

Verdict: Best Task Management Software for Kanban Board Users

Trello Pros & Key Features

• Software can be customized through third-party integrations
• Kanban board view can be used for agile task management
• Mobile app available for Android and iOS
• Free plan
• Free trial

Trello Cons

• Narrow feature set compared with other task management software, only offers kanban boards and calendars
• Trello’s feature set is limited, so it offers third-party integrations known as power-ups which come at an additional cost
• Doesn’t have Gantt charts, which as mentioned above, are one of the most important task management tools

Trello Pricing

• Standard: $5 user/month
• Premium: $10 user/month
• Enterprise: $17.50 user/month

Trello Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

7. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a task management software that will feel familiar to those who have spent too much time managing projects on spreadsheets such as Excel. It’s one of the best task management software as it gives spreadsheets a new life. Due to the fact that you’re likely already well-versed in spreadsheets, it’ll be easy to pick up this new tool. Plus, it’s easier to share files and offers other collaborative features.

That said, the software has no time tracking. Almost any of the best task management software products on this list can help you collaborate but only the top-tier options have tracking features to keep you on schedule. While third-party solutions are available, what’s the point of adding other apps when there are Smartsheet alternatives that do it all in one robust package?

Verdict: Best Task Management Software for Spreadsheets and Templates

Smartsheet Pros & Key Features

• Ideal for transitioning from Excel to specialized task management tools
• Workflow management and automation features
• Mobile app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Smartsheet Cons & Limitations

• Some of its features are very similar if not identical to spreadsheet software like Excel
• Task reporting dashboards have an outdated look
• Software can be hard to use, some features need to be manually configured by users

Smartsheet Pricing

• Pro: $7 per user/month (maximum of 10 users)
• Business: $25 per user/month (minimum of 3 users)

Smartsheet Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4 / 5
• Capterra review: 4.5 / 5

8. Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects is another of the best task management software tools on the market. It does more than just tasks, of course, such as project planning, communication and knowledge sharing, all for a reasonable price. There is time tracking and project tracking that keeps tabs on the team’s task progress. You can even track their hours, which can be very helpful when billing clients.

Where the tool falls to the near-bottom of our best task management software list is in terms of search, which could be greatly improved. You can only search for tasks within a project. There’s no global search, which many users would like. That and the fact that the learning curve for this software is steep will have many looking elsewhere for task management software. It doesn’t help that some of the necessary features are hidden in other paid tools.

Verdict: Best Low-cost and Free Task Management Software

Zoho Projects Pros & Key Features

• Good fit for simple projects and workflows
• Variety of project management tools
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial
• Free plan

Zoho Projects Cons & Limitations

• Limited task management functionality
• Gantt charts lack cost or resource tracking features
• Software user interface can be hard to use and navigate

Zoho Projects Pricing

• Premium: $4/user/month, billed annually
• Enterprise: $9/user/month, billed annually

Zoho Projects Reviews

• G2 review: 4.3/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

9. Wimi

Wimi bills itself as a simple and efficient teamwork solution. It’s set up for collaboration and uses kanban boards to manage tasks. It also has a Gantt chart timeline for lean visual management and task dependencies.

Discussion channels, direct messages and real-time interactions foster collaboration. There’s file sharing, too, and task management features give users the control to create categories, comment on tasks and receive updates. It tracks task statuses, has reminders of coming deadlines and offers task history.

There are Post-It-like notes to assist with task management, but this often makes things more confusing and complicated. Users have complained that the features could use refinings, such as chat, notification manager and meeting manager. But the simplicity won us over in the end. Wimi is useful for task management, but it’s not the best project management software for planning or tracking.

Verdict: Best Task Management Software for Variety of Team Communication Tools

Wimi Pros & Key Features

• Has video-calling, messaging, cloud storage and file sharing tools for teams
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Wimi Cons & Limitations

• Gantt charts have limited task management features, geared towards creating a high-level view timeline
• The kanban boards are very basic, they lack the features other task management software has
• Lacks some important task management features for managing projects and workflows
• No free plan

Wimi Pricing

• Projects: 12€ per user/month
• Suite: 15€ user/month

Wimi Reviews

• G2 review: 4.2/5
• Capterra review: 4.7/5

10. Redbooth

Redbooth is software that helps teams manage tasks and communications. It’s a simple tool to organize tasks and files. The software allows users to arrange tasks in board, list and timeline views.

You can track productivity with dashboards and reports. The software is easy to use and gives teams the tools they need to monitor and update project tasks. It also has a workload chart to view progress on all tasks.

But as a task management software goes, there are no advanced features, such as linking task dependencies or creating recurring tasks. It also doesn’t allow for customizations, so if you require the flexibility to create a workspace that’s attractive to you, then Redbooth might not be what you want in task management software. If you’re looking for a software solution that gives you control over tasks and helps with team communications, this is suitable.

Verdict: Best Task Management Software for Ease of Use

Redbooth Pros & Key Features

• Its kanban boards and timeline task planning views are easy to use
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Redbooth Cons & Limitations

• Lacks scheduling and project tracking features of other task management software
• Narrow feature set
• Limited kanban board task tracking features
• No free plan

Redbooth Pricing

• Pro: $9/user/month, billed annually
• Business: $15/user/month, billed annually
• Enterprise: contact sales for pricing information

Redbooth Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

11. Basecamp

Basecamp is a task management software that helps teams stay on top of their tasks by providing tools like calendars, to-do lists, kanban boards, messaging and file sharing. These features make it a great software for keeping your workload under control and better manage your team’s work. However, due to its heavy focus in task management, Basecamp fails in other complementary areas such as resource management or project reporting.

Basecamp lacks Gantt charts, dashboards and other features which give project managers and team leaders more alternatives and features for planning, scheduling and tracking projects. The worst part is that, Basecamp’s task management features like its kanban boards or to-do lists, which are supposed to be its forte are overly basic.

Verdict: Best Task Management Software for Managing Everyday Work

Basecamp Pros & Key Features

• Simple tools for assigning, scheduling and tracking tasks
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Basecamp Cons & Limitations

• Overly basic task management tools and features
• Lack of resource planning and management features
• No Gantt charts, a significant disadvantage compared to other task management software
• No free plan

Basecamp Pricing

• Basecamp: $15 user/month
• Pro Unlimited: $299/month, unlimited users

Basecamp Reviews

• G2 review: 4.1/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

12. Todoist

Todoist is a task management tool that’s designed to simplify the task management process. It does so by offering a set of basic features like to-do lists and kanban boards that work well together and allow users to assign tasks smoothly. It’s especially good for teams that need to track their everyday tasks without spending a lot of time on project planning. Most of its tools are easy to use and don’t have a lot of features, which is both a pro and a con depending on the level of task management functionality you seek.

On one hand Todoist is easy to deploy due to its simplicity and can be used as a tool to assign tasks and track their completion, but it falls short for more advanced purposes such as identifying the critical path of a project, or creating a project timeline or schedule due to its lack of Gantt charts.

Verdict: Best Task Management Software for To-do Lists

Todoist Pros & Key Features

• Easy to use software, facilitates its implementation on larger teams
• Simple dashboards and task tracking tools
• Free trial
• Free plan

Todoist Cons & Limitations

• There are no Gantt charts, a critical task management tool as previously explained
• It’s a tool that takes an overly simplistic approach to task management
• Basic task management functionality good for basic task management, but lacks the features needed for planning or tracking of larger projects

Todoist Pricing

• Pro: $4 user/month
• Business: $6 user/month

Todoist Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.6/5

You’ve Seen the Rankings: Which Task Management Software Is Best?

By now it’s apparent that task management is one of the pillars that uphold project management for any successful project. While there’s a wide spectrum of tools and features available, it’s clear that online software that has resource management features is going to give you the most control.

Whatever software you choose, we hope that this list of the best task management software has helped with your decision-making. The better you manage your tasks, the more likely you’ll deliver your project on time, within budget and meeting stakeholders’ expectations.

ProjectManager is the ideal task management software, providing tools to help project managers manage workload and keep team members collaborating for greater productivity. But that’s only one aspect of ProjectManager, which can also help project managers plan, monitor and report on their projects. Why use costly add-ons or more than one software when ProjectManager has it all? Try our task management tool with this free 30-day trial.