Smartsheet vs. Zoho Projects: Comparison & Expert Reviews For 2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview
Why Trust Us
Pricing Comparison
Features
Integrations
Security
Ease of Use
Pros & Cons
Best Use Cases
Differences
Similarities

Smartsheet provides a versatile platform for project management and team collaboration, while Zoho Projects offers strong tools to streamline project workflows. Although both aim to enhance productivity, they differ in their customization and integration capabilities, which may be essential for your team's unique needs.

In this article, you'll find a detailed comparison of the tools, covering their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more, to help you choose the right project management software for your team.

Smartsheet vs. Zoho Projects: An Overview

Why You Can Trust Us

Smartsheet vs. Zoho Projects Pricing Comparison

	Smartsheet	Zoho Projects
Free Trial	30-day free trial	10-day free trial + free plan available
Pricing	From $9/user/month (billed annually)	From $4/user/month (billed annually)

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Smartsheet vs. Zoho Projects Pricing & Hidden Costs

Smartsheet pricing uses a tiered subscription model, which may include extra costs for premium features and integrations. As a cloud-based, web-based solution, Smartsheet offers flexibility for organizations seeking scalable tools for team collaboration and workflow automation.

Zoho Projects pricing also follows a tiered structure, with potential additional charges for expanded storage or advanced functionalities. Its all-in-one approach and inclusion of collaboration tools, custom fields, and real-time task updates make it appealing for small business teams needing customized project workflows.

To choose the right tool for your budget, consider not just the base price but also the cost of any add-ons you might need. Evaluate your team's specific project management requirements and calculate the total cost of ownership to ensure you select the vendor that offers the best value for your needs.

Smartsheet vs. Zoho Projects Feature Comparison

With Smartsheet’s document management feature, you can attach and manage files across your projects. This feature can be invaluable for marketing teams needing approvals on content. The platform also supports real-time updates, collaboration tools, and role-based controls, which are useful for both internal and client-facing workflows.

Zoho Projects’ task management features allows you to organize tasks with ease, which is especially useful for teams balancing multiple projects with intricate timelines. Features such as subtasks, milestones, dependencies, and notifications help improve usability and workflow clarity. Its mobile app also enables team members to stay productive on-the-go.

Both tools offer unique functionalities that cater to different project management needs, depending on the complexity and collaboration requirements of your projects.

	Smartsheet	Zoho Projects
API
Budgeting
Calendar Management
Contact Management
Dashboards
Dependency Tracking
Document Sharing
Expense Tracking
External Integrations
File Sharing
Gantt Charts
Kanban Boards
Project Management
Resource Management
Task Scheduling/Tracking
Time Management
Workflow Management

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Smartsheet vs. Zoho Projects Integrations

Integration	Smartsheet	Zoho Projects
Microsoft Office	✅	✅
Google Workspace	✅	✅
Slack	✅	✅
Salesforce	✅	❌
Dropbox	✅	✅
Jira	✅	✅
QuickBooks	✅	❌
Gitlab	❌	✅
Brandfolder	✅	❌
Zoho CRM	❌	✅
API	✅	✅
Zapier	✅	✅

Smartsheet's integration with Microsoft Office lets you manage documents and spreadsheets seamlessly, which is crucial for teams that rely heavily on Excel for data analysis.

Zoho Projects' integration with Zoho CRM offers a comprehensive view of client interactions, which is great for sales teams needing to align project tasks with customer relationship management.

Both tools provide valuable integrations tailored to different operational needs, enhancing productivity and enabling seamless coordination between team members.

Smartsheet vs. Zoho Projects Security, Compliance & Reliability

Factor	Smartsheet	Zoho Projects
Data Encryption	Smartsheet uses AES-256 encryption to protect your data both in transit and at rest.	Zoho Projects employs SSL/TLS encryption to secure data during transmission.
Regulatory Compliance	Smartsheet complies with GDPR and ISO 27001 standards to ensure your projects meet global regulations.	Zoho Projects adheres to GDPR and ISO 27001, providing compliance with international standards.
Data Privacy	Smartsheet offers strong privacy controls, letting you manage access permissions and data sharing.	Zoho Projects provides role-based access controls to safeguard your project data.
Reliability	Smartsheet guarantees 99.9% uptime to ensure your projects are consistently accessible.	Zoho Projects maintains high service availability with a 99.99% uptime SLA.

Smartsheet and Zoho Projects both provide solid security and compliance features, though Zoho Projects offers slightly higher uptime reliability. These cloud-based platforms are built with privacy in mind to support workflows where uptime and data integrity are mission-critical.

To choose the right vendor, evaluate your team's specific regulatory needs and scrutinize each tool's privacy controls and uptime guarantees to ensure they meet your project security standards.

Smartsheet vs. Zoho Projects Ease of Use

Factor	Smartsheet	Zoho Projects
User Interface	Smartsheet provides a spreadsheet-like interface, which makes it familiar and intuitive for Excel users.	Zoho Projects features a user-friendly, modern UI with a customizable dashboard for easy navigation.
Onboarding Experience	Smartsheet offers interactive tutorials and templates to help you get started quickly.	Zoho Projects provides a guided setup process and a comprehensive help center for new users.
Setup	Smartsheet allows quick project setup with drag-and-drop functionality and pre-built templates.	Zoho Projects simplifies setup with project templates and easy-to-configure task lists.
Support	Smartsheet includes email and chat support, along with extensive online resources.	Zoho Projects offers 24/5 customer support via chat and email, plus detailed online documentation.

Smartsheet is great for teams familiar with spreadsheets, but its advanced features can be overwhelming for new users. However, its knowledge base and webinar options support a smoother learning curve.

Zoho Projects is easier to navigate with its modern design and built-in usability tools, but its extensive customization options might require more time to master.

The availability of a mobile app for both tools ensures better accessibility and team productivity regardless of location.

Smartsheet vs Zoho Projects: Pros & Cons

Best Use Cases for Smartsheet and Zoho Projects

Smartsheet

Marketing Teams You can manage campaign timelines, creative approvals, and content calendars in one place using built-in forms, reminders, and dashboards.
Construction Projects Smartsheet is great for tracking tasks, permits, and inspections across vendors and crews using Gantt charts and status columns.
PMO Departments You get a clear portfolio view of all your projects, timelines, and risks with built-in reports and resource views.
Healthcare Operations Smartsheet helps you track compliance tasks, training, and onboarding with audit-ready logs and approval workflows.
IT Teams Smartsheet is useful for managing system rollouts, support requests, and change logs with forms, automations, and sheet linking.
Mid-Sized Companies You get just enough structure to scale your operations without needing a full custom solution or enterprise buildout.

Zoho Projects

Marketing Agencies Its collaboration tools and time tracking features make it easy for marketing teams to coordinate campaigns and meet client deadlines.
Remote Teams The platform’s communication and project tracking features support remote teams in staying connected and aligned on tasks.
Small Businesses With its user-friendly interface and affordable pricing, Zoho Projects is perfect for small businesses looking to streamline project management.
Non-Profit Organizations Its task management and time tracking features help non-profits efficiently manage resources and volunteers.
Tech Startups Zoho Projects’ agile project views and task automation help tech startups manage rapid development cycles effectively.
Product Development Zoho Projects’ Gantt charts and milestone tracking are ideal for product teams managing complex development timelines.

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Who Should Use Smartsheet, and Who Should Use Zoho Projects?

In my opinion, Smartsheet is ideal for professionals in industries like construction or marketing, where teams need a familiar spreadsheet-like interface and solid document management features. It works well for large-scale work management and teams that require dependable collaboration features with real-time updates.

Zoho Projects, on the other hand, suits tech-savvy teams in software development or consulting, where customization and integration with Zoho's ecosystem can drive efficiency. It’s especially beneficial for small business teams needing comprehensive workflow automation and support for multiple project methodologies.

If your team thrives on a structured, data-driven approach, Smartsheet is your go-to. If flexibility and CRM integration are key, I'd recommend Zoho Projects.

Differences Between Smartsheet and Zoho Projects

	Smartsheet	Zoho Projects
Automation	Smartsheet provides automated workflows for task management.	Zoho Projects automates tasks with custom functions and reminders.
Integrations	Smartsheet integrates well with Microsoft Office and Salesforce.	Zoho Projects integrates seamlessly with Zoho CRM and Gitlab.
Onboarding	Smartsheet offers templates and tutorials for quick setup.	Zoho Projects provides a guided setup and comprehensive help center.
Pricing	Smartsheet uses a tiered subscription model with potential add-on costs.	Zoho Projects also uses a tiered model but may charge for extra storage.
User Interface	Smartsheet uses a spreadsheet-like interface, familiar for Excel users.	Zoho Projects offers a modern, customizable dashboard for easy navigation.
	Visit SmartsheetOpens new window	Visit Zoho ProjectsOpens new window

Similarities Between Smartsheet and Zoho Projects

Automation	You can automate repetitive work in both tools. Smartsheet has rule-based workflows and alert systems that trigger on changes to sheets. Zoho Projects lets you build automation rules using Blueprint and set up time-based or field-based triggers.
Flexible Views	Both tools let you see your work in different formats. Smartsheet offers grid, Gantt, card, and calendar views. Zoho Projects includes task lists, Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and calendars. This helps your team work how they prefer.
Pricing	Both offer flexible pricing based on the number of users and features you need. Smartsheet uses per-user pricing with different feature tiers. Zoho Projects follows a similar model that gives you options based on team size and feature needs.
Task Management	Both Smartsheet and Zoho Projects help you break work into tasks and track them through completion. Smartsheet uses spreadsheet-style views for easy task entry and sorting. Zoho Projects uses classic task lists and Gantt charts. You can assign, prioritize, and track due dates in both.
Time Tracking	You can log time spent on tasks on both platforms. Smartsheet uses time tracking through its resource management tools and integrations. Zoho Projects includes built-in time tracking and timesheets, which makes it easier to bill clients or measure productivity.
Visit SmartsheetOpens new window Visit Zoho ProjectsOpens new window

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