35 Best Project Planning Software To Keep Stakeholders Aligned In 2025
10 Best Project Planning Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 35 tools reviewed.
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There are so many different project planning tools that making a shortlist of the best can be tricky. You want to have a central hub to create, visualize, and adjust project plans to ensure successful and timely project delivery - and need the right tool for your team. I've got you covered! In this post, I use my personal experience managing hundreds of projects and planning many different complex projects with large teams to share my picks of the best project planning software.
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Best Project Planning Software Comparison Chart
Here is a table where you can compare the tools we just reviewed in the overviews.
| Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  monday.com Project planning in monday.com is facilitated by colorful, highly visual dashboards and charts. | Best software for planning project project workflows | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $8/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 2 |  Celoxis Create Gantt charts with automatic scheduling, interproject dependencies and even allocate multiple resources to a single task | Best for project planning with AI | 14-day free trial + free demo available | From $25/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 3 |  Quickbase Design customized workflows to automate key processes and ensure compliance through project stages. | Best for dynamic project management through custom workflows | 30-day free trial + free demo available | From $35/user/month (billed annually, min 20 users) | Website |
| 4 |  Runn Track project data through their lifecycle and benefit from profitability tracking and predictions. | Best software for analyzing project profitability | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $10/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 5 |  Productive Productive's project management features allow users to format progress tracking using various views, including Gantt charts and boards. | Best for comprehensive agency project management | 14-day free trial | From $9/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 6 |  Hub Planner Hub Planner's scheduler provides an overview of resources, helping users plan and forecast projects efficiently. | Best project planning software with built-in budget and resource allocation features | 14-day free trial + free demo available | From $7/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 7 |  Zoho Projects Zoho Projects’ task automation with blueprint functionality allows users to map out their workflow using flowcharts, without writing any code. | Best for planning multiple projects of varying complexity | 10-day free trial + free plan available | From $4/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 8 |  Miro Miro offers teams the flexibility to create project plans in many different formats, including with customizable templates. | Best for visual project planning and collaboration | 30-day free trial + free plan available | From $8/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 9 |  Hubstaff Track and manage task and project progress on Kanban boards. | Best for agile team planning | 14-day free trial | From $4.99/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 10 |  FunctionFox Calendars and timeline charts help you plan projects day-by-day. | Best project planning software for creative teams | Free plan available | From $10/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
How to Choose Project Planning Software
It’s easy to get bogged down in long feature lists and complex pricing structures. To help you stay focused as you work through your unique software selection process, here’s a checklist of factors to keep in mind:
| Factor | What to Consider |
| Scalability | Ensure the software can grow with your team’s needs. Look for options that support expanding projects, additional users, and increased data without compromising performance. |
| Integrations | Check if the tool integrates with essential platforms like Slack, Google Workspace, or your CRM. Seamless integrations help reduce data silos and improve team efficiency. |
| Customizability | Opt for software that lets you tailor workflows, task types, and reports to fit your processes. Customizable templates can save time and better match your team’s preferences. |
| Ease of Use | A user-friendly interface ensures quicker onboarding for your team. Look for tools with drag-and-drop functionality and simple navigation to reduce learning curves. |
| Budget | Balance your budget with the software’s value. Look for transparent pricing, free trials, or scalable plans that let you pay only for what you need. |
| Security Safeguards | Verify that the tool meets industry security standards. Features like encryption, role-based access, and compliance certifications help keep your data safe. |
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Smartsheet
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.4 -
Wrike
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.2 -
monday.com
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.6
Best Project Planning Software Reviews
Here’s a brief description of the project planning software on my list showing what it does best, plus screenshots to showcase some of the features.
monday.com is a colorful, user-friendly, jack-of-all-trades project planning tool for modern teams. You’ll be able to plan, track, and deliver projects using hundreds of visual and customizable templates that make data more digestible. View data as a map, calendar, timeline, or kanban. I also love the ability to automate repetitive administrative tasks, like creating new lead entries according to incoming emails.
monday.com costs from $6/user/month and comes with a free 14-day trial. They offer a free plan for up to 2 users.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent collaborative features
- Simple organization by dragging and dropping tasks
- Very easy to invite others, share timelines, and assign tasks
Cons:
- Best features locked to Standard or Pro versions
- Automations are not fully customizable
- No bottleneck identification or assistance
Celoxis has powerful planning and scheduling tools that help you build project plans that adapt to real-world conditions.
Celoxis has one of the most flexible and responsive interactive Gantt charts and can effortlessly handle large project plans involving multiple levels of sub-tasks, inter-project dependencies and even multiple resources per task.
Among the many features available, there is automatic scheduling that helps build a reliable project schedule and resource workload, utilization, capacity, and efficiency. These features, in turn, enable data-driven planning and decision-making across the project lifecycle. Ultimately helping you with better resource planning and management.
Celoxis integrates with over 400 business apps, including Google Drive, email and calendar platforms, Jira, Salesforce, Slack, and many more through Zapier. In addition, their API lets you build custom integrations with any other tools you use.
Celoxis is one of the few project management software programs available both in SaaS and on-premise flavors. SaaS costs $22.50/user/month (annually), and on-premise pricing is available upon request. Both require a minimum 5-user sign-up and come with 30-day free trial.
Best for dynamic project management through custom workflows
QuickBase is a user-friendly platform that helps you plan and manage dynamic workflows and projects. You can use its no-code builder to craft customized applications tailored to your unique business needs. It's a flexible solution that provides various tools to support your project and resource management and workflow automation.
Even for complex workflows and projects, this tool is capable of helping your map them out and execute them effectively. Because of its code-free builder, it's easy to set up your workflows and get them up and running quickly. The builder can be used for designing workflows, applications, integrations, and automations, making it a versatile tool to contribute to your various work processes.
Paid plans start from $35 per user, per month, and a 30-day free trial is available.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- User-friendly and quick to learn
- Helpful and responsive customer support team
- Highly customizable to suit various industries
Cons:
- Limited offline access
- Limited analytics capabilities
Runn is an affordable project planning tool with real-time scheduling, tracking, and forecasting features. It has an accessible and readable shared project view with charts and templates designed to highlight dependencies and due dates. It also has a full API available for building custom integrations.
Runn costs from $10/user/month and has a freemium plan for up to 5 users.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Easily transfer assignments to other people or placeholder
- Quickly create 1-day, 1-week, or recurring assignments
- Easy-to-understand cost, revenue, and profitability forecasts
Cons:
- A bit of a learning curve to use holistic planning views
- Concierge onboarding limited to enterprise plans
Productive is a comprehensive project management software designed to streamline operations for agencies. It offers a robust platform for planning, managing, and executing projects, making it an essential tool for businesses aiming to enhance efficiency and productivity.
The platform offers Gantt charts for visualizing project timelines and dependencies, which is crucial for keeping projects on track. Additionally, its workload feature allows managers to monitor team utilization, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and preventing burnout. The automation tools in Productive also help with repetitive tasks. For example, automations can be set to trigger notifications when an invoice is overdue or when a task status changes.
Another standout feature of Productive is its budgeting and financial management capabilities. With the simple budget editor, users can create and manage budgets with ease, making it ideal for both small and large projects. The platform also supports various billing types such as time and materials, fixed price, and non-billable projects. It also offers project profitability tracking and forecasting.
Key integrations include Jira, Slack, QuickBooks, Xero, Zapier, Google Drive, Sage, BambooHR, and HubSpot.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Robust workload and resource management capabilities
- Good profitability tracking feature
Cons:
- Could have more integrations
- Initial setup can take time
Best project planning software with built-in budget and resource allocation features
Hub Planner is a project planning software that allows businesses to manage and track their projects in a centralized location. The software helps businesses stay organized and on track to deliver their projects on time and within budget.
The software can automatically populate projects and tasks with the relevant resources needed to complete them. This information is then displayed in an intuitive interface, making it easy to see who is available to work on what and when. This feature can also track billable hours and expenses, making it a valuable tool for project managers managing internal and external resources. The capacity management feature can help users plan projects more effectively. Users can see a team's capacity and allocate tasks accordingly, which helps prevent unproductive bottlenecks and ensure your team is always working at its full potential.
The reporting feature allows users to generate custom reports based on various criteria. This feature will enable users to track project progress, identify improvement areas, and make data-driven decisions about utilizing resources best. Reports can be generated for individual projects or an entire portfolio and customized to include only the information relevant to the user. In addition, reports can be exported in various formats, making it easy to share them with others or to keep them for future reference.
Pricing for Hub Planner starts at $7 per resource monthly when billed annually. A 14-day free trial is available for all plans.
Best for planning multiple projects of varying complexity
Zoho Projects is a project planning and management solution that can support multiple projects of any scale or complexity. The platform has tools like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, portfolio dashboards, a built-in issue tracker, and a task automation system with blueprint functionality. The task automation with blueprint feature enables project managers and admins to map out their entire workflow, creating a visual flowchart representation.
Tasks and notifications can be automated, and approval criteria can be set for projects and tasks. The software also has collaboration tools like discussion boards, community forums, and real-time activity feeds. In addition to project planning , users can also benefit from in-depth reporting. The cloud-based software’s reporting tools allow project managers to generate detailed reports to keep track of various aspects of project performance and progress.
Pricing for Zoho Projects starts at $5 per user/month with a 10-day free trial included. A free plan is available for teams of no more than three users.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Robust feature suite for team members and project managers alike
- Migration from other software providers is available
- Free plan is available for up to 2 projects and up to 3 users
Cons:
- Large feature set can make for a steep learning curve
- Employee scheduling functionality is limited
Miro is an online collaborative whiteboarding platform designed to facilitate visual project planning and enhance teamwork. It offers an infinite canvas where users can brainstorm, plan, and execute projects in a highly interactive and visually engaging environment.
The platform's whiteboard allows users to map out entire projects, breaking down complex tasks into manageable visual components. Miro's rich set of tools, including sticky notes, mind maps, flowcharts, and Kanban boards, helps teams brainstorm ideas, outline workflows, and monitor progress visually. Real-time collaboration is also at the core of Miro's functionality, enabling team members to work together simultaneously, leave comments, and share feedback.
Integrations include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Trello, Asana, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Zoom, Microsoft Office, Notion, Confluence, Salesforce, Airtable, Zapier, and many more.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Users can collaborate on plans in real-time
- Variety of templates for project planning
- Infinite whiteboard for various iterations
Cons:
- Mobile app is limited compared to desktop version
- No offline capabilities
Hubstaff Tasks is a project management tool built to simplify project planning and team collaboration. With its Kanban interface, you can create multiple project stages, add tasks to them, and move tasks to different stages by dragging and dropping.
Aside from Kanban, the app has a Sprints feature that lets users organize their assigned tasks by the sprint in which they need to be done. Tasks can be moved to current or future sprints — or to the backlog for non-urgent to-dos.
Hubstaff Tasks includes a Roadmaps feature that allows you to view projects in Gantt chart form. Users can see all projects on a calendar, giving an overview of the team’s timeline.
The app also has daily stand-ups that your team can use to report progress updates and what they will be working on next. Project managers will receive a notification if team members report any task roadblocks.
Pricing for Hubstaff Tasks starts at $7 per user per month.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Task notifications help keep everyone on the same page
- Built-in stand-ups feature for progress tracking
- Different project views allow for more accurate project planning
Cons:
- No mobile app
- No reporting
- Limited integrations
FunctionFox is a pretty great project planning tool, but it's an especially good fit for creative teams. It provides easy, visually intuitive project management tools like a simple online timesheet feature that helps you figure out if your billable and nonbillable hours on a project are within your estimates. You can also schedule project milestones, meetings, and actions—everything you'd need to plan out and then carry out projects.
FunctionFox costs from $5/user/month and offers a free demo.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Easy, accessible automatic timer
- Designed with the creative industry in mind
- Unlimited number of clients and projects
Cons:
- Minimal format options for downloading reports
- No Kanban board planning
- Has time tracking but no automated time capture
Other Project Planning Software
Here are descriptions of a few other tools to try out:
- Tempo Portfolio Manager
For its planning intelligence features
- Birdview
For planning projects, resources, and finances in one system
- Easy Projects
For enterprise teams from medium to large companies
- Office Timeline
For PowerPoint timeline visuals
- Ravetree
For integrated project planning and management
- Height
For cross-functional project planning
- ClickUp
Project planning software for small teams or small businesses
- Smartsheet
Project template gallery
- ProjectManager
For multiple project views (lists, kanban boards, Gantt charts, etc)
- ClickTime
For time tracking & project management
- Wrike
Project planning software for agencies
- Hive
Online project planning tool for 3rd party integrations
- Kantata
For contextual collaboration
- PathPro
For product development teams
- Basecamp
For software development planning
- Scoro
For building and construction management
- Planview Clarizen
Project planning for marketers
- Workzone
For personal to-do lists and automatic reminder emails
- ProWorkflow
Planning tool mobile app for most touchscreen-based devices
- Teamwork.com
For project templates
- Forecast
For AI work automation
- Trello
For task collaboration
- Sciforma
For Waterfall and Critical Chain methodologies
- OpenProject
Open source project planning software
- EasyProjects
For web design planning
Free Project Planning Software
- Nutcache – Pretty generous free plan: free forever for max 20 users (includes unlimited projects, time tracking, some integrations, and more)
- Runn – Free for up to 5 users with unlimited projects
- TeamGantt – Free forever for up to 3 users and 1 project
- Wrike – Free for up to 5 users
- Monday.com – Free for up to 5 users
- ClickUp – Free for unlimited users with some storage and feature restrictions
- Asana – Free for up to 15 users
Selection Criteria for Project Planning Software
When selecting the best project planning software to include in this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points like the need for seamless team collaboration and managing complex project timelines. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:
Core Functionality (25% of total score)
To be considered for inclusion in this list, each solution had to fulfill these common use cases:
- Creating and managing project timelines
- Assigning and tracking tasks
- Collaborating with team members
- Generating reports and analytics
- Managing resources effectively
Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for unique features, such as:
- AI-powered project forecasting
- Built-in budgeting and cost tracking tools
- Seamless multi-platform integrations
- Advanced Gantt chart functionality
- Robust mobile app capabilities
Usability (10% of total score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:
- An intuitive user interface
- A minimal learning curve
- Customizable dashboards
- A logical navigation structure
- Responsiveness across devices
Onboarding (10% of total score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:
- Availability of step-by-step tutorials
- Inclusion of pre-built templates
- Access to live webinars or training sessions
- Quality of interactive product tours
- Support for easy data migration
Customer Support (10% of total score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:
- Availability of 24/7 support
- Response time for inquiries
- Accessibility of detailed help documentation
- Quality of chatbot or live chat services
- Frequency of updates and bug fixes
Value For Money (10% of total score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:
- Competitive pricing compared to features offered
- Availability of free trials or demos
- Flexibility of pricing plans
- Scalability of cost as team size grows
- Transparent pricing without hidden fees
Customer Reviews (10% of total score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:
- Frequency of mentions of ease of use
- Feedback on customer support experiences
- Ratings for feature comprehensiveness
- Reports of technical issues or downtime
- General sentiment around value for money
Trends in Project Planning Software for 2025
In my research, I sourced countless product updates, press releases, and release logs from different project planning software vendors. Here are some of the emerging trends I’m keeping an eye on:
- AI-Assisted Planning: AI tools are now helping teams predict risks, adjust schedules, and assign tasks more effectively. For example, an AI feature might flag tasks at risk of delays and suggest ways to reallocate resources.
- Real-Time Collaboration Upgrades: Enhanced live editing and instant updates are becoming standard, allowing teams to work together on timelines and documents simultaneously without delays. These tools reduce email clutter and improve team alignment.
- Scenario Planning Tools: Many platforms now include features to create and test different project outcomes. Teams can simulate potential delays, resource shortages, or budget changes and adjust their plans accordingly.
- Sustainability Metrics: Features to measure project sustainability are gaining more traction. Teams can track energy usage, material efficiency, and environmental impact directly within the software to align with organizational sustainability goals.
- Embedded Video Communication: Built-in video conferencing and screen-sharing tools are being added to project dashboards. Teams can hold meetings, share updates, and discuss plans without needing a separate communication platform.
What is Project Planning Software?
Project planning software is a digital tool that helps you effectively plan, organize, and manage a project from start to finish. It provides a centralized platform where you can input project tasks, set dependencies, allocate resources, and define milestones, creating a comprehensive plan that serves as a roadmap for the project's execution.
This software helps you set the stage for team members to understand how their work contributes to project success and enables clients to comprehend the project's risks and track progress.
Features of Project Planning Software
When selecting project planning software, keep an eye out for the following key features:
- Task management tools: Allows you to assign, prioritize, and track tasks and workflow processes, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
- Gantt charts: Visualizes project timelines and dependencies to help manage schedules and deadlines effectively.
- Resource allocation: Enables you to assign and monitor resources, such as team members or equipment, to optimize usage and avoid conflicts.
- Progress tracking: Provides real-time updates on project milestones and overall progress to keep teams aligned.
- Collaboration features: Includes shared workspaces, comments, and file sharing to improve team communication and efficiency.
- Budget tracking: Helps you monitor expenses and compare them against your budget to avoid overspending.
- Time tracking: Tracks how long tasks or projects take, providing insights for better scheduling and future planning.
- Custom reporting: Lets you generate tailored reports to share progress, risks, or results with stakeholders.
- Scenario modeling: Simulates different project outcomes to help you plan for potential changes or risks.
- Integration capabilities: Connects with other tools, like calendars or accounting software, to centralize your workflows.
Benefits of Project Planning Software
Implementing project planning software can provide several benefits for your team and your business. Here are a few you can look forward to:
- Better organization: Helps you keep all tasks, schedules, and resources in one place, making it easier to manage complex projects.
- Improved time management: Provides tools like Gantt charts and time tracking to help teams stay on schedule and meet deadlines.
- Enhanced collaboration: Enables teams to work together with shared workspaces, comments, and file-sharing features.
- Clearer accountability: Assigns tasks with deadlines, making it easy to see who’s responsible for what and track progress.
- Cost control: Tracks budgets and expenses, helping you avoid overspending and manage financial resources effectively.
- Risk mitigation: Lets you model scenarios and adjust plans, helping you prepare for potential issues before they happen.
- Data-driven decisions: Custom reports and analytics give you insights into performance, helping you make better planning decisions.
Costs & Pricing of Project Planning Software
Selecting project planning software requires an understanding of the various pricing models and plans available. Costs vary based on features, team size, add-ons, and more. The table below summarizes common plans, their average prices, and typical features included in project planning software solutions:
| Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features |
| Free Plan | $0 | Basic task management, limited users, minimal storage, and basic collaboration tools. |
| Personal Plan | $5-$15/user/month | Task management, timeline views, basic reporting, and limited integrations. |
| Business Plan | $20-$50/user/month | Advanced reporting, Gantt charts, team collaboration tools, resource allocation, and time tracking. |
| Enterprise Plan | $60-$120/user/month | Custom workflows, unlimited users, advanced security, dedicated support, and API integrations. |
Project Planning Software Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some answers to common questions about project planning software:
How can project planning software assist in resource management?
Is it possible to customize project planning software to fit workflows?
What security measures are in place to protect project data?
How does project planning software handle remote team collaboration?
What's Next?
The best project management software and all the advanced features in the world will not be enough if you cannot create a project plan. In our 10-step guide to a project plan, you can quickly learn about this phase’s deliverables, how to work with agile methodologies like Scrum, and access a template that is perfect for small teams in startups or other small businesses.
And speaking of phases, you should read about the project life cycle. This article tells gives you a quick rundown of each phase and the docs related to them.
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