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If you're looking for the easiest project management tools available, figuring out which is right for you is tough. You know you want to plan and manage your projects in the least complex way possible but need to figure out which tool is best. I've got you! In this post I'll help make your choice easy, sharing my personal experiences using dozens of easy PM tools with various teams and projects, with my picks of the easiest project management software.

What Is Easy Project Management software?

Easy project management software are tools that simplify managing projects. They offer basic functionalities like task creation, scheduling, and tracking, with a focus on user-friendly interfaces. These software solutions are tailored for individuals or teams needing straightforward project management capabilities without complex features.

The benefits of easy project management software include ease of use, requiring minimal training, and quick setup, making it ideal for small-scale projects or users new to project management. These tools streamline task management, enhance team collaboration with basic communication features, and save time by focusing on core project management needs. They are accessible on various devices, providing flexibility and convenience in managing projects efficiently.

Overview Of The 10 Easiest Project Management Software

Here’s a brief description of each project management tool to tell you my experience using it, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.

Packed with features and best for experienced DPMs

  • 14-day free trial + free plan available
  • From $8/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.8/5

monday.com is so popular that I had to bring it into this list. If I’m being honest, the platform has so many features and customization options that it was difficult to intuitively build this project. To prevent your suffering, here is my suggestion. First, stay away from the Gantt view.

What you can do: Use the main table view to build out your initial project draft, exchange the date column for the one named ‘timeline’ so you can track a date range, and make sure you click on the checkboxes when selecting dependencies (you’ll know when you see it). If you click anywhere other than the checkbox it will take you to the dependencies of another task.

Intuitive score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Documentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

monday.com’s integrations include project management apps like Slack, Google Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar, Zoho project, GitHub, Trello, Dropbox, Typeform, and many more, accessible through a paid plan with Zapier.

monday.com is free for up to 2 users and paid plans start at $8/user/month.

Best for team knowledge sharing and collaboration

  • Free trial + free plan available
  • From $5/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.1/5

Confluence, developed by Atlassian, is a team workspace tool designed for knowledge management and project collaboration. It allows users to create, capture, and collaborate on projects and ideas through dynamic pages and spaces, which help in structuring and sharing work.

Why I picked Confluence: Confluence offers a centralized workspace where users can create, share, and manage project documents, such as meeting notes, product requirements, and research reports. The platform includes a user-friendly text editor, document approval workflows, and version control, which helps in tracking changes and maintaining audit trails.

Confluence also provides a variety of pre-built templates to simplify content creation and organization. Its knowledge management module allows for the centralization of project resources, making it easier to access and search relevant content. Additionally, Confluence integrates with other tools and systems, enhancing its functionality and making it a versatile option for project management.

Confluence Features & Integrations

Features include whiteboards, real-time editing, commenting, notifications, an AI editor, structured data management, and advanced search capabilities. 

Integrations include Jira, Trello, Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Microsoft Office 365, Optics, Aura, Pulse, and Balsamiq Wireframes.

Best complete project portfolio management software

  • 14-day free trial + free demo available
  • From $15/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.5/5

Celoxis is an all-in-one project portfolio management (PPM) solution, with tools to support your project, resource, and financial management. It has clear, comprehensive Gantt charts to help you build out project plans, and built-in scheduling to help you manage your workforce. Time and expense tracking are included, too, keeping all your project management needs under one roof.

The platform is robust, and its feature set is capable of supporting complex projects. That said, it offers a friendly interface that once you get the hang of is intuitive to navigate. One of the things that qualifies it as an 'easy' project management solution is its broad functionality. You can essentially manage all aspects of your portfolio management in the system, helping to reduce app-switching and keeping information consolidated. Ready-made, customizable workflow apps are also available, helping to streamline your processes.

Intuitive score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Documentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The software integrates with several other tools, including Google Drive, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Project, Jira, Slack, Salesforce, Google Calendar, Outlook, Evernote, and QuickBooks Online. You can also access additional integrations with a paid Zapier account.

Paid plans for Celoxis start from $25 per user, per month. A 30-day free trial is also available.

Robust platform that’s intuitive, easy to navigate, and interactive.

  • 14-day free trial + free plan available
  • From $7/user/month
Visit Website
Rating: 4.7/5

ClickUp is covered in many lists throughout the internet. I guess it’s because they claim to be the productivity tool that will replace all the others you have. After trial by fire with my easiest project management software test… they passed.

Drag-and-drop in the Gantt chart, a list view that makes it easy to create tasks, subtasks, assign and set dates are among the features that help to easily learn this tool. As opposed to other top tools, ClickUp did not let the robustness of their platform crowd the simplicity of its use.

Intuitive score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Documentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ClickUp offers native integrations with Slack, G Suite, Dropbox, and many more tools, as well as over 1,000+ integrations through Zapier.

ClickUp is free with limited storage for an unlimited number of users. Paid plans start at $5/user/month and offer a free-trial.

Best for no-code app development

  • 30-day free trial + free demo available
  • From $35/user/month (billed annually, min 20 users)
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Rating: 4.4/5

QuickBase offers a simple platform for managing complex projects and workflows. It provides a code-free builder you can use to set up applications, integrations, automations, and design workflows for your team. This helps you alleviate manual workloads and ensure compliance, plus keep track of how work is getting done.

The software is flexible enough to suit the needs of different types and sizes of teams in various industries. You can get applications up and running quickly without needing to know how to code. Users can also access tons of self-serve documentation, including learning resources, training, and certification programs, to help them get the most out of the product.

Intuitive score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Documentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Integrations include Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Slack, Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, Trello, Asana, Jira, Zendesk, and Docusign, among others.

Paid plans start from $35 per user, per month, and a 30-day free trial is available.

Best for simplifying agency project management

  • Free trial available
  • From $9/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.4/5

Bonsai is a comprehensive project management tool designed for creative and digital agencies, consultancies, and professional service providers. Its easy-to-use platform offers a centralized approach with essential features for client, project, and financial management in one place. This approach makes it ideal for businesses looking for a solution that consolidates their project and business functions.

The software offers a wide range of features such as project time tracking, timesheet management, online time tracking, calendar management, task management, resource management, billable and non-billable hours tracking, customizable reports, appointment management, billing portal, collaboration tools, contact database, online invoicing, expense tracking, and more.

Intuitive score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Documentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Integrations include QuickBooks Online, Xero, Google Sheets, Gmail, Google Calendar, Calendly, Zapier, Slack, ClickUp, Trello, Google Drive, HubSpot, and more.

Paid plans start from $10/user/month, with a free trial available.

Best for scalability & flexibility

  • 10-day free trial + free plan available
  • From $4/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.2/5

Projects is Zoho’s cloud-based project management software. It is designed to help project managers create and implement project plans, keep track of workflows, and collaborate with their team. It is a key component of Zoho One, a fully integrated suite that encompasses all the products offered by Zoho.

One of Zoho Projects’ main features is task management. With Zoho’s task management solution, users can easily manage projects at any scale or complexity. The tool works by allowing users to break down projects into simple tasks, subtasks, task lists, and milestones. They can visualize their project plans and keep track of their progress more efficiently through Kanban boards and Gantt charts. This makes setting up dependencies between related tasks much easier for everyone involved, especially when trying to make sure that everyone remains on schedule.

Zoho Projects is endlessly scalable and flexible using its marketplace of tool connectors and app add-ons. Pick between hundreds of integrations, free and paid options, for customer relationship management, asset management, marketing, design, and more. You can sort add-ons by pricing, user rating, and/or functionality. Certain add-ons are limited to paid Zoho Projects plans but many are open to freemium users, like Hubspot, DocuSign, and SugarCRM.

Features include roadmapping, project management, task scheduling/tracking, customer management, prioritization, and notifications.

Intuitive score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Documentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Integrations include Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Zendesk, and ServiceNow. Integrations via Zapier and Zoho Flow are also supported. Being part of the Zoho ecosystem allows you to connect to several of Zoho’s own services for Sales, Marketing, CRM, customer service, and others.

Zoho Projects is completely free for up to three users, while the Premium option starts at $5/user/month and offers a 10-day free trial.

Easiest for resource planning

  • 14-day free trial + free demo available
  • From $7/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.2/5

Hub Planner is a resource management platform with a project management tracker that can help you keep up with project financials.

Why I picked Hub Planner: It is an intuitive platform that handles all things resources. Its integrated timesheets allow you to compare planned vs actuals. Meanwhile, colored indicators, known as a heatmap within the tool, let you know when resources are under- or over-allocated.

Additionally, the platform has drag-and-drop functionality in the scheduler, and you can right-click on a time slot to access additional options that help you add the time allocation to a specific project or turn it into vacation time.

Intuitive score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Documentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hub Planner Standout Features & Integrations

Features include resource management, PTO planning, timesheets, reporting, skills matching, task management, templates, drag and drop scheduler, project budgets, approval flow, and smart scheduler.

Integrations include custom integration options via the Hub Planner API and webhooks. Additionally, you can access thousands of apps using a Zapier account.

Best for visual collaboration & innovation

  • 30-day free trial + free plan available
  • From $8/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.8/5

Miro is a visual workspace tool that facilitates collaboration and innovation, offering features such as visual project management, diagramming, process mapping, and content visualization.

I chose Miro because it provides a visual workspace that simplifies collaboration and innovation for teams. Its standout features include support for visual project management, diagramming, process mapping, and content visualization, which cater to a diverse range of teams such as product management, engineering, IT, UX & design.

Features include real-time collaboration tools, such as sticky notes and comments, an infinite canvas, custom frames and shapes, presentation mode, TalkTrack to record process explanation videos, Miro Assist AI, document and image embedding, voting and polling features, mind mapping tools, screen sharing, timeline and roadmap planning, access control and permissions management.

Integrations include Zoom, Figma, Asana, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Slack, Monday.com, Confluence, Google Drive, Box, Airtable, Notion, Azure, and Webex. Some integrations are limited to paid plans only.

Best for a highly flexible and customizable solution

  • Free plan available
  • From $15/full seat/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.7/5

FigJam is an online whiteboard tool that's highly flexible and can be used for all types of collaborative work. Your team can use it for brainstorming, designing workflows, and planning and tracking their projects. It's essentially a blank canvas you can set up however you like using stickers, comments, shapes, lines, arrows, images, and more to map out concepts, ideas, and plans.

But its flexibility doesn't mean you'll always have to start from scratch. The software provides plenty of pre-built templates you can use to get yourself started. Templates include project kickoff brainstorm structures, project roadmaps, timelines, and flowcharts. There's also lots of support documentation available, both from Figma and from the Figma community.

Intuitive score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Documentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Native integrations are available for Figma, Microsoft Teams, Asana, Jira, Mixpanel, and Github.

A freemium plan is available for up to 3 boards, and paid plans start from $3 per user, per month.

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The Easiest Project Management Software Comparison Chart

Here is a table where you can compare all the tools we just covered in the overviews.

Tools Price
monday.com From $8/user/month (billed annually)
Confluence From $5/user/month (billed annually)
Celoxis From $15/user/month (billed annually)
ClickUp From $7/user/month
Quickbase From $35/user/month (billed annually, min 20 users)
Bonsai Agency Software From $9/user/month (billed annually)
Zoho Projects From $4/user/month (billed annually)
Hub Planner From $7/user/month (billed annually)
Miro From $8/user/month (billed annually)
FigJam From $15/full seat/month (billed annually)
Compare Software Specs Side by Side

Compare Software Specs Side by Side

Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.

Compare Software

Other Options

Here’s a few more that didn’t make the top list but are worth your consideration.

How I Picked The Easiest Project Management Software

What do I look for when I select simple project management software for my list? Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria: 

Intuitiveness

I look at my way of discovering the tool, clicking to find what I want based on the limited information I have on the tool and past experience. The features I could be looking at are access to project templates and collaboration features that allow me to communicate due dates or attach docs to a task. I also look at ways in which I can streamline work through automations and whether I can build task dependencies.

Documentation

I look at the support material to see if there are videos, articles, guides, how-to’s, and information I can easily search to find an answer when I get stuck. A popular support feature nowadays is an on-screen onboarding checklist, like Airtable or Asana.

Integrations

I look at how I can expand the functionality of the tool I’m using based on the connections I can make with complementary software from other vendors. Therefore, I look at pre-build integrations. Then, I see if there are third-party software connectors like Zapier available. Finally, I look at the existence of public APIs that can be used for custom integrations.

Pricing

I look for free trials, free versions and the price point for paid plans. I also take into account what’s included in free and basic plans. For example, some offer unlimited users while others boast unlimited tasks or unlimited projects. The best free option will be the one that provides the most value for your team.

Easy Project Management Software Key Features

Here are some of the top project management features I look for in the easiest tools I selected for my list:

  • Task management: Ability to handle a project’s task list. Assign tasks, set recurring tasks, create, move, and delete.
  • Resource management: Feature that allows you to handle who is working or will be working on the project. This may cover internal team members, freelancers, and other contributors.
  • Project views: Different views to display project information and track project progress. Gantt chart, Kanban boards, list views, timeline views, calendar views, and table views are some examples.
  • Team collaboration: Spaces within the software that let the team interact with the project manager and other team members. This can also be shared to-do lists, file sharing, or specific user permissions.
  • Mobile app: Apps for Android and iOS make it way easier to manage projects on the go. Also great for teams that don’t work in office.
  • Agile tools: Sprint planning and other agile methodology-based features are especially helpful for app and software development teams.
  • Reporting and analytics: User-friendly dashboards that show project progress, time per task, and other team productivity metrics. Even better if it’s real-time data!

Is Microsoft Project easy to use?

No. MS Project is a software that you go to once you've had your fair share of project management software experience as it is not at a beginner level. However, it has nothing to do with the number of advanced features it has. Any tool can be intuitive with good product planning.

Which is the easiest project management software?

Unfortunately, there’s no right answer for this question. First, you need to evaluate your needs to see the features that would be suitable for the type of work that you do. Then, think of your level of comfort with technology. Finally, try to learn from the experience someone else had with the software.

What's Next?

Keep learning about project management! We have guides tips and tricks that will help make a lot of your responsibilities easier. Learn how to make a Gantt chart in 12 steps and the top KPIs you should have to monitor project health.

Related tool lists:

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Galen Low
By Galen Low

Galen is a digital project manager with over 10 years of experience shaping and delivering human-centered digital transformation initiatives in government, healthcare, transit, and retail. He is a digital project management nerd, a cultivator of highly collaborative teams, and an impulsive sharer of knowledge. He's also the co-founder of The Digital Project Manager and host of The DPM Podcast.