Jira or Trello: which project management tool is best suited to your workflow?

Trello or Jira, that's a tough choice for anyone looking for a good project management tool. Although seemingly simple, these two Atlassian platforms address very different needs. One focuses on intuitive task visualization via Kanban boards, the other on structured, agile management designed for software development.

Whether you're managing a marketing team, a complex project in agile mode, or looking to better organize your workflows, these two solutions can tick the right boxes... provided you choose the one that suits you.

📌 In this comprehensive comparison, we guide you through :

• their key functionalities (tables, sprints, automation...),
• their respective interfaces,
• their prices and integrations,
• and above all: their concrete use cases, so you don't choose the wrong tool.

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What is Jira?

Jira overview

Jira is the behemoth of technical project management. Developed by Atlassian, it has established itself as the benchmark for teams practicing agile methodology, particularly in software development. It lets you manage complex projects, track sprints, prioritize tickets and collaborate within a structured workflow.

In concrete terms, Jira is aimed at teams who need a rigorous framework, a configurable workflow and real granularity in task tracking. It's a powerful tool, but one that takes a little time to master.

Jira's main features

It's not a "turnkey" tool like Trello, but a modular platform designed to meet specific needs in terms of agile management, tracking and reporting. Let's take a closer look at what Jira has to offer:

• Scrum and Kanban boards for continuous management of sprints, user stories and tasks ;

• integrated product backlog and sprint planning;

• customizable workflows by task or team type;

• time tracking, capacity and load management;

• integrated agile reports: burn-down, velocity, quality control ;

• team roadmaps to visualize long-term planning;

• no-code automations to simplify workflows;

• native connection to Bitbucket, Confluence, GitHub, Slack, etc.
  

Jira

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Project management tool for agile teams

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Advantages and disadvantages of Jira

Now that we've set the scene, let's get down to business: what are users saying? Jira is adored by dev teams... but not necessarily by everyone. The tool is powerful, but sometimes considered complex. It shines in certain configurations, but can seem cumbersome for simpler needs.

✅ Before pointing out its limitations, let's recall why Jira is considered one of the best project management tools for tech teams:

• perfectly adapted to agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe...) ;

• advanced customization of workflows, statuses and ticket types ;

• comprehensive reporting: time tracking, velocity, sprint indicators;

• ideal for software development teams and complex projects;

• excellent integration with Confluence and other Atlassian tools;

• powerful time-saving automations for recurring tasks.

❌ But all this power has a downside: Jira isn't always the right choice for those who want to move fast, or are looking for simplicity, because of :

• a high learning curve, especially for non-techies ;

• a dense and sometimes unintuitive interface;

• too rigid for teams seeking visual flexibility;

• initial configuration can be time-consuming;

• less suited to simple projects or non-agile workflows.

What is Trello?

Trello overview

Trello is the ultimate visual management tool. Bought out by Atlassian, it stands out for its ease of use and ultra-intuitive approach based on Kanban boards. You slide in your ideas, tasks, projects... all in the form of cards that you move according to their status in the workflow.

Ideal for teams looking for flexibility, Trello lets you collaborate, organize projects and structure your work without drowning in complex features. It's just as much used by freelancers, marketing teams or startups as by HR, com or product departments.

Trello's main features

Behind its minimalist interface, Trello hides a real potential for customization. It doesn't aim for the functional complexity of Jira, but it does offer numerous extensions (the "Power-Ups") to enrich its boards according to need, as well as :

• Kanban boards that can be customized at will ;

• cards with labels, deadlines, checklists, attachments and comments ;

• lists of tasks and sub-tasks in each card;

• Power-Ups for adding calendar, timeline and Gantt views, etc;

• automations (Butler): triggers, actions, rules without code;

• table templates for all types of project (publishing, HR, IT, etc.);

• team sharing with permissions and notifications;

• integration with Slack, Google Drive, Jira, Zapier, etc.
  

Trello

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Innovative and Collaborative Project Management Tool

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Advantages and disadvantages of Trello

Trello is all about the user experience: no training, no friction, everything is visual. But this simplicity comes at a price: as soon as projects become more complex or technical, you can quickly reach your limits.

✅ Before talking about its constraints, let's see why Trello remains one of the world's most popular management tools:

• quick to learn, accessible to all;

• simple, intuitive visual interface;

• great flexibility for structuring your own workflows;

• Power-Ups for adding functionality as required;

• easy-to-configure automations with Butler ;

• perfect for lightweight, creative or cross-functional projects.

❌ Trello is excellent for organizing ideas, less so for managing complex, structured or interconnected projects, due to:

• lack of advanced native views (Gantt, reporting, backlog...) ;

• functional limitations for agile or dev teams;

• Power-Ups sometimes chargeable or limited depending on the plan;

• difficult to scale to very large projects or mature organizations;

• not well suited to software development or technical sprint management.

Jira vs Trello: compare features

Trello and Jira, although both published by Atlassian, don't address the same needs or the same teams. Trello focuses on visual simplicity and fluid task management, while Jira is aimed at those who manage complex projects, particularly in software development.

Here's a clear comparison to help you understand their differences 👇.

Functionality	Jira	Trello
Kanban & Scrum boards	Advanced & agile	Simple and visual
Backlog & sprint planning	Yes	❌ Not native
Customizable workflows	Very advanced	Limited (with Butler automations)
Time tracking	Integrated	Via external Power-Up
Reports and statistics	Comprehensive (agile, velocity, etc.)	❌ Very limited
Automations	Very advanced	Simple with Butler
Task customization	Fields, statuses, ticket types	Labels, checklists, deadlines
Integration with dev tools (Git, etc)	Native with GitHub, Bitbucket, etc.	Possible but basic
Roadmap & product vision	Integrated (Advanced Roadmaps)	❌ Not native
User experience	Dense but complete	Simple and fluid

Focus on task and sprint management

Jira is designed for agile development, so you can :

• create backlogs,
• organize your sprints,
• track user stories,
• and assign each task to a developer with load points.

Each task is a structured ticket with customizable statuses.

Trello, on the other hand, works with a visual Kanban board: simple, intuitive, but without native sprint or backlog management. You can mimic a sprint via columns and cards, but it remains handcrafted.

💡 Verdict:

• for agile projects, Jira is a must;
• for light visual management, Trello is sufficient.

Focus on automation

Trello offers Butler, an integrated no-code automation tool. It enables simple actions (e.g., moving a card, adding a label) to be triggered according to rules or events. It's very accessible, but limited for complex cases.

Jira goes much further, allowing you to :

• define automatic multi-step rules,
• trigger actions according to business conditions,
• send alerts,
• update fields,
• link tickets.

Ideal for industrializing workflows.

💡 Verdict:

• Trello for small-scale automation ;
• Jira for complex, agile scenarios.

Focus on reports and data visualization

With Jira, you get access to:

• customized dashboards,
• agile reports (burndown, velocity, time spent...),
• and performance indicators.

Essential for technical project managers and scrum masters.

Trello, on the other hand, offers very little in the way of native reporting. Some Power-Ups allow you to add Gantt views or dashboards, but this remains limited, sometimes chargeable, and requires external tools.

💡 Verdict:

• Jira is cut out for advanced project tracking;
• Trello remains very limited on the analytical side.

Focus on user experience

Trello is a benchmark in terms of UX. Its interface is simple, visual and quick to master. Anyone can use it without any training.

Jira is richer, but also denser:

• multiple menus,
• advanced configurations,
• complex workflows.

It takes some getting used to, but the power is there for well-trained teams.

💡 Verdict:

• for immediate familiarity: Trello ;
  
• for a structured project management tool: Jira, with support.

Focus on team collaboration

Trello shines for small teams, creative work, brainstorming or cross-functional projects. It enables you to :

• collaborate in real time,
• assign tasks,
• comment,
• mention colleagues, etc.

Jira is more focused on structured workflow:

• strict assignment,
• roles,
• permissions per project,
• complex team management.

Less "fun" than Trello, but more scalable for large tech teams.

💡 Verdict:

• for fluid, intuitive collaboration: Trello ;
  
• for structured management by roles and rights: Jira.

Jira vs Trello: compare prices

Plan	Jira	Trello
Free	Up to 10 users Unlimited goals, projects, tasks and forms Backlog, list, table, timeline, calendar and summary views Reports and dashboards 100 automation rule executions per month	Unlimited maps and power-ups per tablea Up to 10 tables per workspace Integrated automations (250 executions/month) Integrations with Slack, Teams, email Unlimited storage (10 MB/file)
Basic	Standard - 7.75 € / user / month User roles and permissions External collaboration Data residency in multiple regions 1,700 automation rule executions 9/24 and 5/7 support	Standard - €4.26 / user / month Unlimited tables and storage Advanced checklists and integrated planning Custom fields and list colors Powerful automations Integrations with Slack, Teams, email via AI
Intermediate / Premium	Premium - €14.63 / user / month Integrated Rovo Search, Chat and Agents, and AI-optimized work features Cross-functional planning and dependency management Customizable approval processes 1,000 rule executions Unlimited storage space	Premium - €8.51 / user / month Calendar, timeline, spreadsheet, plan, dashboar Unlimited automations Atlassian Intelligence (integrated AI) Enhanced administration and security features Workspace-wide templates and collections
Enterprise / customized	Enterprise - on request Atlassian Analytics and Data Lake Advanced administration controls and security Enterprise-level identity and access management Unlimited execution of automation rules Up to 150 sites	Enterprise - €14.90 / user / month Unlimited workspaces Organization-wide advanced permissions Single sign-on (SSO) via Atlassian Guard Fine-tuned administration of power-ups and attachments Control of public boards and multi-board guests

Jira vs Trello: which interface is more intuitive?

The interface is often what makes the difference between adopting a tool... or abandoning it. And on this point, Jira and Trello adopt diametrically opposed logics. One is structured and dense, the other visual and minimalist. The real question: does your team prefer framed agility or flexible simplicity?

Criteria	Jira	Trello
Getting started	Complex at first, requires onboarding	Immediate, even without training
General ergonomics	Dense, sometimes overloaded	Fluid, visual, uncluttered
Customization	Very advanced (workflows, statuses, fields, etc.)	Limited, but simple (columns, Power-Ups)
Mobile & accessibility	Powerful but complex app	Very intuitive mobile application
Suitable for beginners	Not really, especially for non-techies	Yes, even for non-techies
Daily ease of use	Very good for experienced teams	Excellent for all profiles

👉 Trello is immediately appealing. Its logic of visual Kanban boards makes it easy to instantly understand how to organize your work:

1. create a card,
2. slide it into a column,
3. comment on it,
4. tick off a checklist...

No jargon, no friction. Everything is simple and efficient, even on mobile devices. It's a tool for beginners and seasoned teams alike, with a user experience designed for clarity.

👉 Jira, on the other hand, is aimed at those who need rigor, structure and fine-tuned project management. The interface is denser, sometimes a little "technical", but allows extreme customization:

• ticket types,
• statuses,
• custom fields,
• permissions,
• dashboards, etc.

It's a tool that reveals its power over time, but requires a real initial investment to master.

Jira vs Trello: compare integrations

The better a solution integrates with your technical or collaborative stack, the stronger it becomes a link in your software ecosystem. For project managers, product managers or developers, integrations, their ease of configuration and their depth of automation are key elements to consider.

👉 Number of available integrations

• Jira: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  Jira has over 3,000 integrations available via the Atlassian Marketplace. Here you'll find all the essential connections: GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab, Slack, Teams, Zoom, Figma, Google Workspace, Salesforce, etc. The richness of the Atlassian ecosystem and compatibility with DevOps, ITSM or CRM tools make Jira a highly interconnectable platform.

• Trello: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
  Trello offers hundreds of integrations via its Power-Ups and native connectors: Google Drive, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Notion, Jira (ironically), Zapier, etc. That's more than enough for everyday use, but not as deep as Jira for technical tools. Premium Power-Ups unlock more options, but can become expensive depending on usage.

👉 Ease of configuration

• Jira: ⭐⭐☆☆☆
  Documentation is very comprehensive, but some integrations require a good understanding of workflows, projects, and sometimes custom scripts. Fine-grained permissions can also complicate configuration. In short: it's not plug & play, especially for non-technical profiles.

• Trello: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
  Trello is designed for simplicity: the majority of Power-Ups are activated with a single click, with a clear interface. Integrations via Zapier or Make remain accessible, even for users with no technical background. Ideal for marketing, product or freelance teams.

👉 Customization and automation

• Jira: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  Jira is a factory of automation, especially when combined with Jira Automation and technical integrations. Complex workflows can be triggered by status, custom fields or events. Perfect for agile teams, software development and complex IT workflows.

• Trello: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
  With Butler, Trello offers simple but effective code-free automations: move a card, send an e-mail, add a checklist... To go further, you'll have to go through Zapier or Make, which adds a degree of complexity, but remains more accessible than Jira on the UX side.

💡 Conclusion

• Jira clearly has the edge in terms of quantity of integrations and depth of automation, especially for tech, product or DevOps teams;

• Trello, on the other hand, remains an excellent option for those who want to quickly integrate their everyday tools without headaches.

When to choose Jira or Trello?

Jira and Trello are not in the same league. One is a complex project management platform designed for technical teams. The other is a visual and flexible tool, ideal for simply organizing tasks and ideas. Your choice will depend on the type of project you're working on, the maturity of your team and the level of customization you're looking for.

Typical use cases for Jira

Jira is designed for teams requiring a structured framework, advanced agile management and rigorous task tracking.

It's cut out to manage complex projects, often in tech, IT or product environments.

📌 Choose Jira if you're in one of these situations:

• software development team using agile methodology (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe...) ;

• managing complex IT projects with multiple tickets, prioritization and status;

• need for precise reporting on velocity, workload or progress per sprint;

• organization requiring customized workflows, with role management and fine-grained permissions;

• integration with DevOps environments: GitHub, Bitbucket, CI/CD, etc;

• multi-project monitoring in scalable structures (PMO, DSI, Product Ops...).

Typical Trello use cases

Trello is the ideal tool for people who want to organize their work quickly and easily.

Its flexibility, visual interface and virtually non-existent learning curve make it a real winner. Ideal for light projects, creative teams or cross-functional uses.

👉 Opt for Trello in these situations:

• freelancers, consultants or coaches who want to organize their personal tasks and projects ;
• marketing or communications teams wishing to manage content, editorial planning or campaigns;
• startups or VSEs who want a simple tool for visual collaboration;
• management of shared to-do lists, events, or internal projects without heavy constraints;
• HR, administrative or customer support staff who need fast, flexible organization;
• users who want to personalize their spreadsheets without coding via Power-Ups.

Jira or Trello: the management tool that fits your way of working

If you've made it this far, you've figured it out: Trello and Jira are not in direct competition, but meet radically different project management needs:

• on the one hand, Jira, a powerful, ultra-configurable platform for complex projects, technical teams and structured agile environments;
• on the other, Trello, a visual, accessible and flexible tool, perfect for organizing ideas and tasks, and collaborating easily without getting bogged down in cumbersome processes.

🧠 Still not sure? Try them both, they're both free in their basic version, so you risk nothing.

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FAQ - Jira vs Trello

Are Trello and Jira compatible?

Yes, Trello and Jira can be connected. Atlassian offers native integration between the two tools, enabling Trello cards to be linked to Jira tickets. Handy for marketing or product teams using Trello, while collaborating with developers on Jira.

Which is easier to use: Trello or Jira?

Trello is much easier to get to grips with. It requires no training and is ideal for beginners. Jira, on the other hand, offers more power, but takes some getting used to, especially for non-technical users.

Can Trello be used to manage agile projects?

Yes, but only to a limited extent. Trello lets you simulate sprints with columns and Power-Ups, but it doesn't natively offer backlog, velocity or agile reporting. For complete agile management, Jira is better suited.

Is Trello free? and Jira?

Both tools offer a free version:

• Trello Free: unlimited cards, members and up to 10 Power-Ups;
• Jira Free: up to 10 users, with access to basic agile functions.

For pro or team use, paid plans unlock advanced views, integrations and security options.

Which tool should you choose for a non-technical team?

Trello is clearly the best choice for non-technical teams: HR, marketing, admin, freelance, etc. It's visual, simple, customizable and requires no technical settings. Jira is ideal for tech teams, but can quickly appear complex for other profiles.