The Best Project Management Software for 2026

Whether you are working on a project with a small team of coworkers or dozens across several departments, you need a way to make sure everyone stays on task. PCMag has been reviewing project management software for over a decade. In addition to evaluating services based on ease of use, features, and value, we also consider the types of projects or teams that work best with each service. Our Editors' Choice winners are Teamwork for client-based work and Zoho Projects for growing teams. However, these aren't the only good choices, so read on to determine which one works best for you. And remember that not everyone needs a project management app. If your team handles simpler tasks, work management software could be a better fit.

Best for Client Work

Teamwork

Score: 4.5

Pros & Cons

• + Straightforward interface

• + Top-notch customization options

• + Includes billing, invoicing, and proofing capabilities

• + Free tier available

• - Straightforward interface

• - Top-notch customization options

• - Includes billing, invoicing, and proofing capabilities

• - Free tier available

Why We Picked It

Before Teamwork focused on organizations that take on client work, it was already a superbly designed project management platform. If you are new to project planning, you need only to spend a bit of time using Teamwork and watching some of its excellent video tutorials to get started. A free version is available, too.

Who It's For

Client-facing businesses:Thanks to its billing and invoicing tools, Teamwork is a great choice for businesses that need to track who to bill and for what amount.

Visual learners:If you learn best through visual means, Teamwork's top-notch videos and webinars should be particularly helpful. The company typically releases related learning materials when it introduces a new feature.

Specs & Configurations

Price Per Person Per Month: 10.99

Storage Included at Price Listed: 100GB

Free Version Available: True

Storage Space for Free Accounts: 100MB

Number of Projects in Free Account: 5

Dependencies: True

Gantt Charts: True

In-App Task Timer: True

Time Estimates: True

Markup Tools: True

Resource Management: True

Budgeting: True

Billing and Invoicing: True

Customizable Roles/Permissions: True

Guest/Client Access: True

Best for Small and Growing Teams

Zoho Projects

Score: 4.5

Pros & Cons

• + Excellent value

• + Easy to set up and navigate

• + Supports multiple communication methods

• + Deep configuration options

• + Capable time-tracking tools

• - Excellent value

• - Easy to set up and navigate

• - Supports multiple communication methods

• - Deep configuration options

• - Capable time-tracking tools

Why We Picked It

Zoho Projects is one of the best project management apps because of its excellent value. It's easy to set up and use, includes time tracking tools, and offers deep configuration options. You can create custom project templates, although the app also comes with prebuilt templates to get you started.

Who It's For

Small businesses:Considering its affordability and value, Zoho Projects is an ideal app for small businesses that don't have a lot to spend on software.

Zoho users:If you use other Zoho apps, such as Meetings , Payments, Payroll, or more, incorporating Projects into your workflow is a natural next step.

Specs & Configurations

Price Per Month: From $3 per person

Free Account Offered: True

API Available for Customers: True

Guest Accounts: True

Time Tracking: True

Pre-Built Templates: True

Android App: True

iOS App: True

Price Per Person Per Month: $5 (Premium)

Storage Included at Price Listed: 100GB

Free Version Available: True

Storage Space for Free Accounts: 5GB

Number of Projects in Free Account: 3

Dependencies: True

Gantt Charts: True

In-App Task Timer: True

Time Estimates: True

Markup Tools: False

Resource Management: True

Budgeting: True

Billing and Invoicing: False

Customizable Roles/Permissions: True

Guest/Client Access: True

Best for Flat Pricing

Basecamp

Score: 3.5

Pros & Cons

• + Straightforward interface

• + Robust collaboration and communication tools

• + Flat pricing structure can minimize costs

• + Useful integrations

• - Straightforward interface

• - Robust collaboration and communication tools

• - Flat pricing structure can minimize costs

• - Useful integrations

Why We Picked It

Basecamp's attractive and easy-to-navigate tile-based design makes it a great choice for growing teams without a dedicated project manager. It's especially competent at facilitating collaboration and managing projects that manifest as ongoing work. The most unique aspect of Basecamp is its flat pricing option, which accommodates an unlimited number of users for $299 per month. This plan can save you serious money versus traditional per-user pricing models.

Who It's For

Beginners:Basecamp streamlines traditional project management, so it's accessible to people with a wide range of technical abilities. Even without a dedicated project manager, the platform makes it easy to organize a team effectively.

Medium-size or large teams:If you collaborate with a lot of people, Basecamp's flat pricing is a great way to cut costs. This holds especially true if you work with lots of freelancers, who you might not otherwise have the budget to include in your project management system.

Specs & Configurations

Price Per Month: $15 per person

Free Account Offered: False

API Available for Customers: True

Guest Accounts: True

Time Tracking: False

Pre-Built Templates: True

Android App: True

iOS App: True

Price Per Person Per Month: $15

Storage Included at Price Listed: 500GB

Free Version Available: True

Storage Space for Free Accounts: 1GB

Number of Projects in Free Account: 1

Dependencies: False

Gantt Charts: False

In-App Task Timer: False

Time Estimates: False

Markup Tools: False

Resource Management: False

Budgeting: False

Billing and Invoicing: False

Customizable Roles/Permissions: True

Guest/Client Access: True

Best for Beginners

GanttPro

Score: 3.5

Pros & Cons

• + Friendly interface

• + Compelling Gantt chart experience

• + Affordable

• - Friendly interface

• - Compelling Gantt chart experience

• - Affordable

Why We Picked It

With a good balance of features, an intuitive interface that anyone can learn to use, and reasonable pricing, GanttPro is one of the best project management tools available. We also appreciate that it includes a critical path feature, custom fields for tasks, a kanban board view, and a save history that supports multiple undo actions.

Who It's For

Beginners:Thanks to its user-friendly interface and comprehensive suite of features, GanttPro is an excellent choice for beginners just starting out with project management software. Its critical path feature shows you exactly what you need to focus on.

Growing teams:Since GanttPro is easy to learn, you won't have to dedicate a lot of time to onboarding new team members.

Specs & Configurations

Price Per Person Per Month: $8

Storage Included at Price Listed: N/A

Free Version Available: False

Storage Space for Free Accounts: N/A

Number of Projects in Free Account: N/A

Dependencies: True

Gantt Charts: True

In-App Task Timer: True

Time Estimates: True

Markup Tools: False

Resource Management: True

Budgeting: True

Billing and Invoicing: False

Customizable Roles/Permissions: True

Guest/Client Access: True

Best for Automations

Smartsheet

Score: 3.5

Pros & Cons

• + Extraordinarily flexible

• + Robust spreadsheet-based project management

• + Supports proofing documents and images

• + Impressive variety of automations and integrations

• - Extraordinarily flexible

• - Robust spreadsheet-based project management

• - Supports proofing documents and images

• - Impressive variety of automations and integrations

Why We Picked It

If you're willing to invest the time to learn what Smartsheet can do and customize it to your specific needs, it's a very powerful tool. It might become your go-to software not only for project management but also for other collaborative work. It stands out, in particular, for its wide range of automations and strong support for integrations.

Who It's For

Automators:You should use Smartsheet if you love automation. All you need to do is set up "if this, then that" commands, which the software makes straightforward.

Maximalists:If you want to manage more than just projects in a single app, Smartsheet gives you document and media proofing tools. Enterprise and Advanced Work Management subscribers can even build WorkApps, which are essentially focused, individualized instances of the app.

Specs & Configurations

Price Per Person Per Month: From $9 per person

Storage Included at Price Listed: 20GB

Free Version Available: False

Storage Space for Free Accounts: N/A

Number of Projects in Free Account: N/A

Dependencies: True

Gantt Charts: True

In-App Task Timer: False

Time Estimates: False

Markup Tools: True

Resource Management: True

Budgeting: False

Billing and Invoicing: False

Customizable Roles/Permissions: True

Guest/Client Access: True

Best for Managing Projects and Ongoing Work

Wrike

Score: 3.5

Pros & Cons

• + Capable project management

• + Lots of customization options

• + Includes form building, proofing, and time tracking features

• + Free version is available

• - Capable project management

• - Lots of customization options

• - Includes form building, proofing, and time tracking features

• - Free version is available

Why We Picked It

Wrike is a powerful tool that goes beyond project management to facilitate team collaboration and work management. It continues to grow by adding new work intelligence features that can, for example, predict when a project is at risk of falling behind and highlight potential causes.

Who It's For

Industry specialists: Wrike offers several paid plans tailored to specific types of teams, including those in creative industries, marketing, or professional services. It's very good at what it does, provided you put in the time to select the right plan and learn its features.

Teams with a dedicated project manager:Since your business will likely need to work with Wrike's customer support during the setup process, ensure that you have a dedicated project manager to spearhead these efforts. In that sense, Wrike will appeal most to larger teams.

Specs & Configurations

Price Per Person Per Month: $10

Storage Included at Price Listed: 2GB

Free Version Available: True

Storage Space for Free Accounts: 2GB

Number of Projects in Free Account: Unlimited

Dependencies: True

Gantt Charts: True

In-App Task Timer: True

Time Estimates: True

Markup Tools: True

Resource Management: True

Budgeting: True

Billing and Invoicing: True

Customizable Roles/Permissions: True

Guest/Client Access: True

What Is Project Management Software?

Project management software, also known as PM software, facilitates online collaboration . All the people working on a project log in to see what they're supposed to do and when. They can also record their progress on tasks and add relevant details. With the appropriate permission level, people can also learn more about what others are doing and what needs to happen before they complete their tasks.

Project management apps also give the project manager and any stakeholders a clear overview of each project's progress. Are all the tasks on track to finish on time? If one task is late, how does it affect the projected deadlines of other tasks and deliverables? Is someone available to pick up an urgent task if the assigned person is ill? Furthermore, if the project management app supports tracking finances, it can tell the people in charge whether the project is running on budget.

The very best project management apps give everyone who works on a project some level of visibility into how it's all going. A project manager might want to limit visibility in some cases. For example, if your organization develops projects for external clients, you might want the client to see the overall progress but not the details of each task or the comments employees make.

How We Choose the Best Project Management Software

For this list, we consider the needs of various business types, including small businesses on a budget and large organizations that need to manage many budgets, complex projects, and people simultaneously. We also look at ease of use, features, and value.

For this category, we stick to traditional project management apps. A project is a set of work with a start date, an end date, and a deliverable. While you might also group collaboration and task management apps with project management apps, we don't include them here. Those can be useful for managing certain kinds of work, but they aren't ideal for juggling the complexities of dozens or hundreds of projects and their schedules simultaneously.

What Can You Do With Project Management Software?

Project management apps let you track progress and manage nearly any project, from building a house or website to creating a new product to launching a marketing campaign. Teams that use project management apps tend to track multiple projects simultaneously. The software helps them determine when to schedule work based on the available human resources and the tasks at hand.

The best project management apps detect problems before they happen through detailed task management. By tracking the progress of individual tasks (for example, completing only six hours of a task estimated to take a total of eight hours), project management apps can sound an alarm when a deadline is in danger of slipping before it happens. The most powerful project management apps also automatically adjust a project's schedule when tasks fall off track. They generate reports that give project managers insight into which team members have too much or too little work assigned. Some let you track project budgets and log billable hours so that you can send invoices to clients for time worked.

What Is the Best Free Project Management Software?

The free plans for most apps typically have severe limitations. For example, they might allow you to manage only one or two projects at a time or invite just a handful of people to work alongside you. In the paid plan, you might get unlimited projects. You also usually don't get all of an app's most advanced features in the free plan. Still, it might work if you have a small team and need to manage just one or two projects. Free versions also let you try the app before deciding whether the paid plans meet your needs.

You can get a free account from Teamwork, Wrike, Zoho Projects, and others that did not make this list, such as Redmine . Redmine is completely free, but you have to install and maintain it yourself. It's not an off-the-shelf product; it's an open-source alternative that requires you to provide your own tech support. If you're looking for something simple to use right away, Redmine isn't it. For simplicity, you're better off with GanttPro.

What Project Management App Is the Easiest to Use?

If you're new to project management (and especially if your organization doesn't have a dedicated project manager), you need a project management app that's easy to use.

GanttPro is one of the easiest project management apps to learn and use, making it suitable for beginners. Many of the other project management apps we've reviewed provide good tutorials and can work well for newcomers, but they aren't quite as approachable as GanttPro.

In testing, we found that some popular project management apps aren't especially easy to use if you are new to them or not a professional project manager.

What's the Best Project Management App for a Small Business?

If your project team needs to manage and track a couple of projects, but you're less concerned with collecting time sheets to bill clients, comparing the progress of multiple projects in development, and employee scheduling, a low-cost tool such as Zoho Projects (starting at $5 per person per month for Premium) is your best bet. We especially like how easily it scales as your team's needs and size grow. Zoho, the company, offers a wide range of other business apps that can connect to Zoho Projects to expand what you can do with it.

We also like GanttPro as a low-cost option. It's one of the easiest tools to use and is great for people with limited or no prior project management experience, but several of its plans are under $15 per user per month, keeping it within reach of small businesses.

What's the Best Project Management App for Large Organizations?

Large organizations have starkly different needs than small businesses. Organizations with hundreds or thousands of employees and hundreds of projects use project management apps for budget tracking, resource insights, revenue projections, scheduling, time tracking for billing, and more.

For a large company, it's important to manage not just individuals but also teams. If you have 15 hours of work for a junior designer, and it doesn't matter which junior designer does it, you want to see how much work each junior designer has assigned to them and whether you can free up one of them for the task. For the same reason, all managers and team leads in your company should be able to see which high-priority projects and tasks are at risk of slipping, so they can triage accordingly.

What Project Management Software Has the Best Special Features?

Teams that are neither small businesses nor enormous organizations might have special needs they want their project management software to address.

Our top pick in this category is Teamwork, which specializes in handling client work. Teamwork should be on your short list if your team primarily completes projects as billable work for clients. It includes billing and invoicing, as well as the ability to create intake forms for new projects. Paymo is another app with billing and invoicing tools.

Of course, project management software has other areas of specialization. If you're looking for a tool to manage non-project work alongside projects, we recommend Wrike. Smartsheet is good for automating your project management.

What's the Best Project Management Tool for Your Team?

Choosing the right project management software can take time, but it's worth having as much as possible nailed down before rolling out the solution to an entire team. Project management apps typically have a significant setup cost. Even when they are simple to learn to use and let you import project data, it still takes time to fine-tune the app to do what you need it to do and then get everyone on board.

It's also important to consider how many people are in the organization, how you want to run your business, and what your team does. There are a lot of excellent options to fit every budget.

With a reliable project management solution, people can collaborate more easily on project-based work. Small business owners and team managers can gain useful insights into how their teams work, whether projects are on track, and how to guide them back to success when they slip.

Jill Duffy also contributed to this story.

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