Want to switch tools? 18 alternatives to Asana to boost your project management in 2025
Asana has been around for 15 years. It's a great project management tool, but in some respects it can seem a little outdated.
According to its users, it's quite complex to get to grips with at first, sometimes lacks flexibility and remains rather expensive compared to the competition.
Well, if you've come across this article, you're already aware of all that, and what you're interested in are its main competitors on the market.
So we've listed and tested 18 project management software packages for you. So, whatever your company's profile, you're bound to find the tool you need.
What is Asana?
Asana is a project management tool used by over 100,000 organizations worldwide.
A platform 100% dedicated to collaborative task planning and tracking, the software helps to "reduce work around work" by avoiding unnecessary meetings, lost information via email and anything else that can complicate collaboration.
With Asana, everything is centralized, clear and accessible to everyone involved in the same project.
The PMO (Project Management Office) tool integrates various tracking display modes (lists, timeline, Kanban, Gantt charts) to visualize the progress of a task at a glance.
It also automates many time-consuming activities for teams, thanks to customized rules: automatic reporting, intelligent notifications, etc.
Asana
Asana is available as a free version. This Basic package is suitable for small teams of less than 15 people and freelancers. It integrates list, table and calendar views. It also offers an unlimited number of tasks, messages and storage space.
Subsequent packages (Premium, Business, Enterprise) take things even further, with features such as :
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automated workflow generator ;
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timeline view, task templates ;
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unlimited dashboards and reports;
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custom rules generator;
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planning and workload ;
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project portfolio management.
Why consider an alternative to Asana?
Is Asana obsolete in 2025? According to certain criteria, it's legitimate to ask. Limited field options, interface complexity, high cost, we take full stock.
Cost: Is Asana too expensive?
Asana's billing system isn't always easy to understand. Certain features are only available at a certain price (this is common), but also as soon as you exceed 30 users. This can quickly add up, without you really realizing it.
Complexity: too long a learning curve?
Asana is moderately complex to master. The main problem is that advanced users tend to create a tangle of projects, tasks and personalized workflows that are difficult for other employees to grasp. The result: investments in training and upgrades.
Collaboration between multiple projects
Asana's structure reinforces the silo aspect. Each team becomes a sort of small island, independent of the others, which hinders intra-company collaboration. Projects have to be shared manually and are not synchronized in real time. Guest user management is also not one of the tool's strengths.
The 18 best alternatives to Asana: let's compare (+ comparison table)
Let's be clear: Asana is still a good management software. But when you're looking to optimize your project planning, you should always ask yourself:
Is there a better alternative?
As it happens, yes, there are other solutions that do better than Asana.
So, what's the best project management software in 2025? Airtable? Clickup? Jira? monday.com? Find out below.
1 of 18
Airtable
We're kicking off our top Asana alternatives with Airtable! Airtable is a spreadsheet-based workflow dashboard. It's great for companies that need to manage large amounts of data.
What sets Airtable apart is its UX. For your projects, you start from a blank base to create tables for your tasks, resources and collaborators, then link them together according to your needs.
If you're looking for a simple activity tracking tool, you'll have to pass. If, on the other hand, you're looking for software capable of managing complex relationships between different types of data, this is the way to go!
Airtable
Basecamp
Basecamp takes a diametrically opposed approach to Asana.
Here, the tools (to-do lists, message boards, calendars) are all compartmentalized for optimal clarity.
You don't need to be an experienced project manager to use Basecamp, which you can get to grips with in just a few minutes.
Simple and practical, it enables all team members to know where the project stands by logging on to the platform.
Basecamp
ClickUp
Which is more important to you? Ease of use or a wide range of options? If you fall into the latter category, Clickup is the project management software for you:
- advanced automation rules,
- relationship between workspaces,
- customizable dashboards,
- integrated document management,
- real-time chat.
Clickup is ultra-complete.
Ideal for collaborative multi-projects, but you'll have to spend time and energy configuring it.
ClickUp
Hive
The Hive management dashboard has it all. It features :
- a task manager,
- a calendar,
- messaging.
It requires no technical skills, and takes just a few minutes to learn.
Admittedly, it has limited customization options and a somewhat austere interface, but it gets the job done for small teams.
Hive
Jira
Jira is the king of agility. Thanks to its well-known ticketing system, it has become THE reference for software development projects:
- Scrum and Kanban boards,
- sprint planning,
- linking of tickets to code commits (programmers will understand),
- generation of complex, detailed reports...
Jira offers a structure and depth that most general-purpose tools do not.
For tech teams, it's a tailor-made tool.
Jira
Microsoft project
Microsoft Project (MS Project) is the project management solution of choice for many traditional companies. The reason? Its natural integration with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, but not only that.
Above all, MS Project offers a complete set of functionalities for :
- budgeting,
- monitor a project,
- deliver a project.
The interface is heavier than that of agile competitors, but this is deliberate.
MS Project is aimed at organizations with advanced planning, reporting and collaboration needs. Very solid stuff.
Microsoft Project
monday.com
monday.com is a versatile software package that combines spreadsheet and management chart functions for maximum readability.
Everything is very visual and simple. The rows represent tasks or projects, while the columns correspond to attributes (status, person responsible, deadline). The color coding makes it easy to identify bottlenecks at a glance.
If you're looking for visual clarity, monday.com has what you're looking for.
monday.com
Nifty
Nifty balances simplicity and functionality. This platform combines classic project management and team communication in a streamlined interface.
Nifty natively integrates real-time discussions for each project. No need to juggle between Slack and your management tool, everything happens in one place.
You also get integrated time tracking and Kanban boards.
Nifty
Notion
Notion is a flexible cloud application that's ideal for marketing and content creation teams.
On this platform, you always start with a blank page where you add :
- tables,
- calendars,
- databases to create a task (one page = one task).
All construction is done in blocks, giving Notion a unique style for organizing the different aspects of your projects.
However, this great freedom of customization can also be time-consuming. That's why the community offers numerous resources and templates for you to use. We recommend them.
Notion
Paymo
Paymo is not the most feature-rich management software. It offers classic visualization with to-do lists and Kanban boards, but with a difference: integrated invoicing.
In concrete terms, task progress is linked to timesheets.
It's very intuitive and a great help to freelancers and small subcontractors who charge by the hour.
Paymo
Proofhub
Proofhub is a cloud-based management platform designed for collaboration. With this software, each project becomes a main silo around which the manager can organize :
- files,
- tasks
- discussions,
- and participants as required.
The advantage? Create workflows adapted to each project.
Proofhub's other strong point is its access management. Permissions for external collaborators and customers are clear and avoid nasty billing surprises (hello Asana 👋).
ProofHub
Smartsheet
As its name suggests, Smartsheet takes its inspiration from the good old spreadsheet format.
This gives its interface a rather rudimentary appearance, although the software's developers have recently improved this aspect.
Although not very intuitive, Smartsheet is on the other hand very feature-rich. It is aimed at companies that manage complex projects and require advanced customization.
But for small teams, there's something even better.
Smartsheet
Teamwork
Teamwork is perhaps the LGP on this list that most closely resembles Asana. But it stands out in one respect: collaboration with customers.
Thanks to flexible access parameters and customized dashboards, your customers become project stakeholders.
But don't worry, they don't have access to project details or your internal messages. You're in control.
Teamwork
Trello
Trello is all about simplicity. If your teams have difficulty integrating Asana into their processes, turn to this alternative.
Visualization is based on the Kanban method. Everything is organized in cards divided into columns to represent the different stages of the workflow.
Each card contains :
- a description,
- assigned members
- associated labels,
- due dates,
- and a checklist.
For simple projects, no problem. But for more complex planning, it may not be the right tool.
Trello
Workfront
Workfront (now Adobe Workfront) is aimed at large organizations managing complex, multi-team projects.
The tool excels in portfolio management, with interactive Gantt charts and customizable real-time reports. It also offers complete visibility of resource allocation and interdependencies between projects.
Ideal for companies that need precise project tracking.
Adobe Workfront
Wrike
If you feel limited by Asana, Wrike offers a wide variety of features that might interest you.
The tool's interface is a little rigid at first, but proves very intuitive for managing a large number of tasks simultaneously.
A tool designed for complex projects and medium-sized to large teams.
Wrike
Zoho projects
With Zoho Projects, you have total control over the customization of your workflows.
The software integrates all the fundamentals, such as :
- task lists,
- Kanban boards,
- Gantt charts.
But it goes even further with more advanced features such as :
- integrated time tracking,
- task automation
- incident tracking, etc.
The perfect solution for IT and engineering teams.
And of course, you benefit from integration with the other tools in the Zoho suite.
Zoho Projects
How to choose an alternative to Asana?
Overview of the best Asana alternatives
| Tool | Pricing | Key features |
|---|---|---|
| Airtable |
Free Team: €17.06 / user / month Business: €38.37 / user / month Enterprise: customized pricing |
|
| Basecamp |
Free Plus: €12.79 / user / month Pro Unlimited: €254.98 / month |
|
| ClickUp |
Free Unlimited: €8.53 / user / month Business: €10.23 / user / month Enterprise: customized pricing |
|
| Hive |
Small Hive: €115 / month Super Hive: 265 € / month Mega Hive: €475 / month Company: customized pricing |
|
| Jira |
Free Standard: €6.82 / user / month Premium: €11.94 / user / month Enterprise: customized pricing |
|
| Microsoft Project |
Planner Plan 1: €9.40 / user / month Project Plan 3: €28.10 / user / month Project Plan 5: €51.50 / user / month One-off purchase Project 2024: €929 |
|
| monday.com |
Free Basic: €9 / user / month Standard: 12 € / user / month Pro: €19 / user / month Enterprise: customized pricing |
|
| Nifty |
Pro: €90 / month Business: €240 / month |
|
| Notion |
Free Plus: €9.50 / user / month Business: €19.50 / user / month Enterprise: customized pricing |
|
| Paymo |
Free Starter: €5.03 / user / month Small Office: €9.30 / user / month Business : 14.41 € / user / month |
|
| ProofHub |
Essential: €38.37 / user / month Ultimate Control: €75.90 / user / month |
|
| Smartsheet |
Pro : 8 € / user / month Business: €17 / user / month Enterprise: customized pricing |
|
| Teamwork |
Free Deliver: €10.99 / user / month Grow: €19.99 / user / month Scale : customized pricing |
|
| Trello |
Free Standard: €4.26 / user / month Premium: €8.53 / user / month Enterprise: €14.92 / user / month |
|
| Workfront |
Select: customized pricing Prime: customized pricing Ultimate: customized pricing |
|
| Wrike |
Free Team: €8.53 / user / month Business: €21.32 / user / month Enterprise: customized pricing Pinnacle: customized pricing |
|
| Zoho Projects |
Free Premium: €4 / user / month Enterprise: €9 / user / month |
|
Our advice for an optimal choice
Don't select your new project management system solely on the basis of our ranking. It's a good starting point, but not enough. To make your choice of alternative to Asana, you need to base your decision on precise criteria: your needs, your preferences, your budget, etc.
Your business needs: size, type of project, etc.
The main criterion is you! Before subscribing to a software package, analyze your needs with a fine-tooth comb, so as not to leave anything to chance.
- How many employees will be using the software?
- What is your field of activity (marketing, finance, creative)?
- How many tasks does your project require?
- Is the collaborative aspect important?
- Will you need regular reporting?
Your teams' habits
Project management experience varies from one employee to another. Some are more comfortable with a visual Kanban board approach (such as Trello or Notion), while others prefer Gantt charts (Microsoft Project, Smartsheet). When choosing your project management software, you need to take these different working preferences into account. A good tool is above all one that your teams want to use.
Ease of use: ergonomics VS complexity
There's a tendency to think that software with lots of features equals greater productivity. This is not always true. An overly complex interface can hinder adoption and slow down your teams. We advise you to opt for intuitive software with a short learning curve and fluid navigation.
Your budget: opt for modularity
Budget is often the most limiting criterion. If you can't afford to pay the asking price for a software package, it's probably not the right one for you. It's better to choose a similar alternative or a less comprehensive package. As your budget grows, you'll be able to opt for a richer plan.
Alternative to Asana: in a nutshell
Asana, used by 100,000 organizations, facilitates collaborative management with various display modes and automations, but has limitations: complexity, high cost and compartmentalized collaboration. The market for project management applications is particularly rich. As you can see, there's something for everyone.
Development team? Jira is for you.
Multi-project management? Choose between Workfront, MS Project or ClickUp.
Spreadsheet fan? You'll love Smartsheet and Airtable.
Make your projects a success with the LGP that suits you best.
FAQ: alternatives to Asana
What criteria should I use to assess the compatibility of project management software with my team's specific needs?
It's essential to analyze the size of your team, the type of projects you manage, the level of collaboration required, as well as your work preferences (e.g. visual with Kanban, Gantt charts, or databases). Ergonomics, ease of use and flexibility to adapt to your business processes are also key criteria in choosing the right tool.
How do you manage team training and support when migrating to a new project management tool?
To ensure successful adoption, plan training sessions adapted to the level of users, offer practical guides and tutorials, and provide ongoing support to answer questions and resolve difficulties. It's also important to appoint internal referents who can provide day-to-day support.
What are the advantages of integrating project management software with other tools used in the company?
Integration with other applications (communication tools, CRM, messaging, office suites, etc.) helps centralize information, reduce redundant data entry, automate workflows and improve overall productivity. Well-integrated software improves collaboration and reduces the risk of errors associated with data passing from one system to another.
What are the options for ensuring data security and confidentiality in project management software?
Many tools incorporate advanced features such as granular user access management, encryption of data at rest and in transit, activity audits, as well as options for compliance with standards such as RGPD. Choosing software that offers precise, regularly updated access control is crucial to protecting your sensitive projects and data.
How do you assess value for money when selecting a competitor to Asana?
In addition to the price per user, you need to look at how well the functionality offered matches your real needs, how easy it is to use to limit training costs, and the options for upgrading or modularity. Finally, the quality of customer support and technical stability are also value drivers to be taken into account to ensure a good return on investment.
Article translated from French