8 Free Project Management Software Tools to Keep Your Team on Track

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If you’re in need of project management software but don’t have the money to spend on an expensive platform, here are eight options you should consider.

The best things in life are free, particularly software. Not every company has the luxury of a large project budget, but a lack of funding shouldn’t mean you have to leave technology behind. While most project management tools fall on the expensive side, there are plenty of free options out there on the market that’ll do nearly everything you need them to do.

That’s why I’ve put together this list of eight free project management tools that appeal to all kinds of project types and team structures. In fact, many of these tools are freemium options, which means if you like the platform you’re using you have the option to upgrade to a paid version which comes with additional features and options.

What to look for in a free project management software

Before I get to the list, here are three criteria I’ve put together that I believe exemplify a quality project management software. All eight of these free project management apps meet at least one of the three characteristics listed below.

1. Core functionality still exists

I’ve seen some tools hide some of the core functionalities of their software behind a subscription paywall, and in my opinion, that’s not the right way to do business. This list I’ve compiled features free project management software that maintains the structural integrity of what it should do without having to pay a dime.

If you’re offering a free software option, users should be able to manage a basic project from start to finish without running into any major holdups due to limitations. In most cases, you should only have to pay for the added conveniences and proprietary functionality that enhances your experience while using the software. Every tool on this list exemplifies this philosophy.

2. Offers at least five free users or more

With the exception of one tool on this list, every single free software option offers access to at least five users. In fact, many of the platforms listed below allow you to add unlimited users to the tool, which is incredibly generous.

3. Doesn’t expire after a predetermined period of time

Most project management software options offer some sort of free trial before you decide to take the plunge and purchase their product. That is not what we are looking at here today. A true free software doesn’t expire after two weeks, a month, or one year, but is available indefinitely to users who stick within the confines of the free feature limitations.

Our 8 free project management software picks

While writing up this list, I didn’t take my individual review scores on The Ascent into consideration because those were based on the products as a whole rather than just their free options. These rankings were made based on the amount of functionality, user friendliness, and the limits, or lack thereof, placed on these free versions.

1. Freedcamp

When it comes to free project management software, Freedcamp has so much to offer its users. While this platform isn’t completely free, meaning there are other paid pricing tiers, what it does offer with its free option is a generous combination of unlimited users, projects, file storage, and tasks.

Freedcamp main dashboard with sections for tasks assigned to you, active projects, and a calendar.

Freedcamp is a little on the dull side, but it excels when considering the capabilities that come with its free option. Image source: Author

The name truly fits the package when it comes to Freedcamp. All of the standard project management features are included, such as task lists, shared team calendars, time tracking, and team communication capabilities.

If you decide to venture into the paid options for Freedcamp you’ll gain access to lots of extras like software integrations, issue tracking, invoicing, and even CRM capabilities.

2. ClickUp

I was about ready to give ClickUp the top spot for this list since they offer unlimited users and tasks with their free tier on top of a superior and attractive user interface when compared with Freedcamp. However, ClickUp falls behind Freedcamp in one very important area and that’s file storage space, which is limited to 100MB, which is not a lot.

ClickUp view of a project with individual tasks, highlighting information such as task name, start dates, deadlines, cost, etc.

ClickUp’s user interface is not only clean and colorful, but it also offers lots of information that I haven’t seen many other project management tools dive into. Image source: Author

That being said, ClickUp is a very impressive platform that offers lots of functionality with its free option, including task lists, kanban boards, project budgeting, file sharing, team communication, and time tracking. I tested out this platform using its marketing management templates and I was extremely impressed at the level of detail this tool will give you, including conversion rates, ad spending, even clicks.

If you’re looking for additional functionality such as Gantt charts, reporting, unlimited file storage, or guest permissions, you’ll have to upgrade to one of their paid tiers.

3. Trello

I’ve made no mystery of my love for Trello. It’s a fantastic platform for users looking for a streamlined and simple kanban experience.

In fact, I believe it’s the best kanban project management software on the market today due to the fact that Trello knows exactly what it can do and what it cannot do.

Trello software screen showing a kanban board with colorful images on tasks.

Trello gives new meaning to the word “simplicity” with its spectacular kanban workflow setup. Image source: Author

What I mean by that is Trello doesn’t bill itself as a do-it-all project management software, unlike other tools I’ve seen that don’t quite meet expectations.

Trello focuses on what it does best, which is offer a simple workflow system that anyone can learn in ten minutes and get down to business managing their tasks and monitoring project progress. So long as you understand the limitations of a kanban-only platform, using Trello for project management isn’t an issue.

The free version gives users unlimited personal kanban boards, unlimited cards, unlimited lists, a 10MB file attachment limit, 50 automated commands per month (for repeatable tasks), and even two-factor authentication for security purposes. That’s a lot to offer in a free software package.

4. Airtable

Airtable also happens to be a member of the “unlimited users included in its free option” club. I believe this criterion is significant considering the fact that many project management software options out there charge sometimes hefty “per user” fees with their subscriptions, including Airtable.

Offering unlimited users with your free version tells me that you are confident in your user experience and features list that you know customers will want more and will eventually pay for the privilege. In the case of Airtable, they’re right.

Airtable sheet page showing color-coded projects, image attachments, project owners, client information, etc.

Airtable has done the impossible and makes spreadsheets interesting again. Image source: Author

Airtable is for the creatively bent project manager who also appreciates the versatility of a spreadsheet. This platform simultaneously offers visually pleasing task management options such as task galleries and kanban boards, while giving users the customizability of spreadsheet views for creating detailed task lists and even budgets.

On top of unlimited users, Airtable also offers unlimited projects, a 1,200 record limit per project, a 2GB attachment limit per project, and even email support with their free tier.

5. Basecamp

Basecamp has just recently stepped into the free online project management software world. Before this development, their tool was only available for free to nonprofit organizations and teachers. This new free version named “Basecamp Personal” is available to anyone but they emphasize that it is perfect for freelancers, students, families, and other personal project needs.

Basecamp main dashboard showing project categories and subtasks with written details on each task.

Basecamp is the perfect project management tool for beginners thanks to its simple setup. Image source: Author

What this means is that you get access to all of the straightforward simplicity of Basecamp’s no-frills platform with only small limitations, such as a 20 user limit, three simultaneous projects at a time, and a 1GB storage space limit.

Everything else is available to free users, such as task lists, project schedules, and discussion boards. It’s the perfect entry-level offering before users take the plunge to purchase the full $99/month platform.

6. Asana

We’re down to the wire on our last three options on this list, but they are certainly not least. If I had one sentence to describe Asana it would be: “It’s the near perfect balancing act between user experience and functionality.”

I consider user experience and functionality to be a spectrum. Some tools lean very hard on user experience, but sacrifice functionality, while others do the opposite. Asana does a great job of meeting in the middle by giving users easy project management software that can’t do everything, but it’ll do almost everything you need to complete your tasks minus some reporting and financial management features.

Asana task creator screen showing list of project tasks on the left and details of each task on the right.

I love that Asana will walk new users through the entire process of using their software, taking the guessing out of the process. Image source: Author

This is just as true with Asana’s free version as it is with its paid options. Without paying a dime, you get access to Trello’s task lists, kanban boards, shared calendars, app integrations, and a 15-user limit.

Sure, you’re leaving behind some of the special features like workload management and priority support, but if you’re looking for a free tool, you’re obviously OK with making some concessions.

7. Podio

Podio is a bit more limited in its free option than many others on this list, but not exactly in the way you’d expect. While it does put a stringent five-user limit on its free version, where the real limitations come into play is the lack of a user-friendly interface.

The truth is, Podio is extremely capable and versatile as a project management tool, but it does come with a somewhat steep learning curve and that impacts its overall effectiveness as a free platform.

Podio dashboard with tiles to represent team members, tasks, calendar, and comments.

Podio is very capable, but if you’re not experienced, you’ll have a tough time learning how to navigate this tool. Image source: Author

While some users might give Podio’s free version a try in order to test out what they have to offer before purchasing a paid version, most people looking to use a free software with only a five-user limit are more likely to be less experienced project managers looking to save money.

If you fall into the “testing” category, Podio offers most of its core features with their free version, including task management, budgeting, file sharing, time tracking, team communication, and a shared team calendar. If you’re not very experienced, I’d recommend considering the other seven simple project management software options on this list.

8. Microsoft To Do

I debated including Microsoft To Do since it isn’t full-fledged project management software, but I figure that personal projects need a little love on this list. Good thing Microsoft To Do fills that role in spades, and I can say that from plenty of personal experience.

Microsoft To Do is completely free and because of this, I’ve abandoned Todoist as my personal free project tracking software in favor of this application. I even used this tool to track my entire move last year from Washington D.C. to Portland, Oregon.

Microsoft To Do mobile app showing a project with subtasks.

It doesn’t get any simpler than Microsoft To Do. Image source: Author

What makes Microsoft To Do so fantastic as a free project planner is the fact that it covers all of your core task tracking needs coupled with an attractive user interface. You can manage your tasks, store any relevant files, share these files with other app users, set task reminders, and create task checklists.

This is definitely an exceptional product in Microsoft’s lineup and that’s saying something considering everything that massive company has to offer. Sometimes it’s the simple things that stand out.

The Ascent has what you are looking for

If you haven’t found the right solution in this list, don’t worry, there are lots of other easy project management software options and organization apps that we’ve reviewed here on The Ascent.

Whether you’re looking for marketing project management software, software alternatives, or project management how-to guides, we’re the perfect resource for project managers of all experience levels.

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