10 best Smartsheet alternatives of 2023
Consider these Smartsheet alternatives to discover the best project management software solution for your unique use case.
Like any project management tool, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. While Smartsheet may have some of the features your team requires, you may find it lacking in other areas, causing you to shoehorn workarounds that slow down productivity and search for a different project management solution.
In this article, we share the top Smartsheet alternatives and highlight their pros, cons, pricing and key features. We also share our review methodology and tips on choosing the best Smartsheet alternative.
Top Smartsheet alternatives comparison
The following table offers a quick view of how the top Smartsheet alternatives compare in terms of core project management features.
| Software | Multiple project views | Native time tracking | Messaging tools | Workflow automation | Pricing (billed monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basecamp | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | $15 per user |
| Asana | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $13.49 per user |
| ClickUp | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $9 per person |
| Airtable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $12 per person |
| nTask | No | No | Yes | Yes | $3 per person |
| Hive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $18 per user |
| Wrike | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $9.80 per user month |
| Zoho Projects | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $5 per user |
Jump to:
Basecamp: Best for a centralized project management platform
For small or mid-sized teams, Basecamp is an excellent Smartsheet alternative. While premium levels of Basecamp are available, the free version allows for up to 20 users. Basecamp is marketed as a highly collaborative project management solution, but it’s more of a centralized remote work hub – it lacks features such as various project views like timelines or Gantt charts.
However, Basecamp makes up for these shortcomings with robust collaborative features that include group chat, message boards and team scheduling. Basecamp also has centralized file-sharing options that can help teams get away from other third-party services to host files or documents.
Basecamp does offer many features project managers are looking for, such as to-do lists, each of which can be assigned to individuals or teams. Projects and tasks can all be split into sub-categories or phases as needed, with individual due dates for each.
For more information, read our full Basecamp review.
Pricing
- Free: Only available to teachers and students.
- Standard: $15 per user per month.
- Pro Unlimited: $299 per month billed annually, or $349 per month billed monthly.
Features
- Strong communication and chat tools.
- Client access, which can be customized.
- Ability to split tasks, projects and to-dos across teams and individuals.
Pros
- Clean and intuitive user interface.
- All-in-one platform.
- Excellent user reviews for customer support.
Cons
- Lack of project views such as Gantt charts and timelines.
- Limited integrations, especially at the enterprise level.
Asana: Best for managing complex projects
Asana is another project management tool that offers a free version that might be a good fit for smaller teams. The free tier of Asana allows for up to 15 users and has almost all of the core functions of the premium tiers.
The software has an elegant and clean dashboard interface that never feels cluttered or overly busy. Projects can be viewed in a list view, board view and calendar view. Asana also allows for unlimited projects, tasks and sub-tasks; each can be assigned to teams or individuals with time tracking via integrations.
For more information, read our full Asana review.
Pricing
- Basic: Free for unlimited tasks, projects, messages, activity logs and file storage.
- Premium: $10.99 per user per month billed annually, or $13.49 per user billed monthly.
- Business: $24.99 per user per month billed annually, or $30.49 per user billed monthly.
- Enterprise: Contact Asana for pricing information.
Features
- Flexibility to break up projects into multiple phases or sub-tasks.
- Instantly switch between board, list and calendar views.
- User-friendly dashboard with an easy learning curve for new users.
- Extensive list of third-party integrations.
Pros
- Multiple project views.
- Agile and scrum support.
- Variety of import options, including importing project data from competitor software.
Cons
- Limited mobile app.
- Default notification settings are overwhelming.
- Time tracking tools are only available in Business and Enterprise plans.
ClickUp: Best for small teams and independent workers
ClickUp is one of the leading project management software and is a worthy alternative to Smartsheet. You get a wide range of pricing plans, an impressive set of features and a user-friendly design. The ease of use makes ClickUp an excellent option for small teams, freelancers and solopreneurs.
For more information, read our full ClickUp review.
Pricing
- Free: Unlimited Free plan members.
- Unlimited: $5 per person per month billed annually, or $9 per person billed monthly.
- Business: $12 per person per month billed annually, or $19 per person billed monthly.
- Business Plus: $19 per person per month billed annually, or $29 per person billed monthly.
- Enterprise: Contact ClickUp for pricing information.
Features
- Unlimited storage in premium plans.
- Agile project management features, including sprint tools and templates.
- Instant messaging tool.
- Variety of project views, including mind maps.
Pros
- Advanced reporting and analytics, including real-time updates.
- Impressive free plan.
- 24/7 customer support on all plans.
Cons
- Limited time tracking.
- Steep learning curve for advanced features.
- Clunky automation builder.
Airtable: Best for customization
Airtable is a unique project management tool similar to Smartsheet in that it focuses on data. Airtable has a spreadsheet-style interface but adds a database for a unique twist that opens up many possibilities. By combining these two features, project managers can create custom workflows and even app-like functions that are not possible with other project management tools. With these data tools, Airtable excels at visualizing project metrics such as budgets and asset allocation.
All of this comes with a level of complexity that creates a steeper learning curve than other Smartsheet alternatives. That said, Airtable does a good job of providing various templates for popular project styles to help get teams up and running quickly.
For more information, read our full Airtable review.
Pricing
- Free: Unlimited bases for up to five users and unlimited commenter and read-only users.
- Plus: $10 per user per month billed annually, or $12 per user billed monthly.
- Pro: $20 per user per month billed annually, or $24 per user billed monthly.
- Enterprise: Contact Airtable for pricing information.
Features
- Interface Designer to build and customize apps for internal or external use.
- Spreadsheet and database functions combine for strong data management.
- Create forms that feed data directly into ongoing projects.
- Powerful reporting, charting and data visualization tools.
Pros
- Highly versatile and customizable.
- Visually appealing interface.
Cons
- Limited user permissions.
- Gantt charts are only available in higher-priced plans.
nTask: Best for ease of use and affordability
nTask is one of the more budget-friendly Smartsheet alternatives. With monthly seats starting at only $3, it offers a lot of value. nTask is heavily focused on facilitating meetings by allowing minutes and other results of meetings to be directly integrated into corresponding projects. This is a great feature for project managers dealing with a high volume of meetings that are getting difficult to manage.
On the other hand, nTask falls behind in specific reporting features and lacks budgeting, time management and resource management tools. For some, this may not be needed, but for others, it’s a deal-breaker.
Pricing
- Free: For up to five team members.
- Premium: $3 per month billed annually, or $4 per month billed monthly.
- Business: $8 per month billed annually, or $12 per month billed monthly.
- Enterprise: Contact nTask for pricing information.
Features
- Stellar meeting tools that integrate with existing projects.
- One of the lowest per-seat costs of any project management software.
- Time-saving recurring task options.
Pros
- Simple project overviews.
- Robust team collaboration tools.
- Easy to use time tracking feature.
Cons
- Limited reporting.
- No time management or budget tools.
- Free plan is limited to seven days.
Hive: Best for reporting and analytics
Hive is a strong Smartsheet alternative that gives managers powerful analytic tools in a more traditional project management interface. Hive has strong communications tools built-in, like an instant messaging system and real-time notifications of status changes.
The powerful analytics tools within Hive extend to tracking and managing budgets, with an advanced suite of tools comparable to Smartsheet. Time tracking and resource tracking are both supported with advanced tools from Hive.
For more information, read our full Hive review.
Pricing
- Free: For up to 10 users.
- Team: $12 per user per month billed annually, or $18 per user billed monthly.
- Enterprise: Contact Hive for pricing information.
Features
- Strong analytics tools.
- Communication tools make Hive perfect for highly collaborative teams.
- Advanced tools for budgeting, time and resource management.
- Free access for guests to view all project data.
Pros
- Powerful reporting and analytics.
- Extensive list of third-party applications.
Cons
- Limited mobile app.
- Add-ons cost extra.
- Advanced tools have a steep learning curve.
Wrike: Best for scalability
Wrike offers outstanding flexibility with five plans and various customization tools. This software is suitable for small and large enterprises. You get a capable desktop version and mobile app, and you can also use it as a web-based SaaS tool. The folder-based interface might not be as user-friendly as some of the other vendors on this list; however, it is clean and organized.
For more information, read our full Wrike review.
Pricing
- Free: For up to five users.
- Team: $9.80 per user per month.
- Business: $24.80 per user per month.
- Enterprise: Contact Wrike for pricing information.
- Pinnacle: Contact Wrike for pricing information.
Features
- Advanced reporting and analytics tools.
- Bug and issue tracking features.
- Over 400 integrations with third-party applications.
- Multiple view types, including Gantt charts and kanban boards.
Pros
- Extra flexibility with five plans.
- Feature-rich free plan.
- Plenty of in-app learning content.
Cons
- Advanced security features are only available in Enterprise and Pinnacle plans.
- Folder-based interface can be confusing for some users.
Zoho Projects: Best for team collaboration
Zoho Projects is the project management application from Zoho’s online services suite. This cloud-based software is a top Smarsheet alternative for small and growing businesses.
With Zoho Projects you get a variety of features, including multiple project views, team collaboration tools, time tracking and workflow automation.
For more information, read our full Zoho Projects review.
Pricing
- Free: Maximum of two projects.
- Premium: $4 per user per month with annual billing, or $5 per user per month with monthly billing.
- Enterprise: $9 per user per month with annual billing, or $10 per user per month with monthly billing.
Features
- Zoho Blueprints feature to build custom workflows.
- Deep integration with other Zoho applications.
- Customizable dashboards with a centralized activity feed.
Pros
- Easy to set up and navigate.
- Strong time tracking tools.
- Transparent pricing, even for the Enterprise plan.
- Plenty of options for team collaboration.
Cons
- Lack of prebuilt templates.
- Limited resource management tools.
Key features of Smartsheet alternatives
Multiple project views
Project management tools offer different layouts for viewing project data, but not all solutions offer a full range of views. The most common project views include Gantt charts, list views, table views, board views and file views. These views help users visualize the project in multiple ways and allow them to personalize the software according to their preferences and needs.
Native time tracking
Time tracking tools are helpful for different types of users, including professional service providers or companies that have hourly workers or contractors. While most of the top project management software allows for third-party integration, for a more seamless experience, you want native time-tracking capabilities.
Messaging tools
Messaging tools in project management software are for real-time team collaboration and communication. Such tools also allow users to share files, assign tasks, brainstorm solutions and video chat with their team members and clients.
Workflow automation
With workflow automation, you can offload time-consuming and repetitive work to the project management software. These tools also help minimize human error and increase the repeatability of processes. You will often get built-in templates for automation, or you can custom-build the workflow according to your needs.
How do I choose the best Smartsheet alternative for my business?
There are plenty of both new and established project management alternatives to Smartsheet in the market. Free alternatives will be mostly limited to smaller teams due to user restrictions. That said, tools like Asana offer premium features even at the free level.
Paid alternatives to Smartsheet are plentiful, with Airtable being the closest spreadsheet-based offering. Solutions like Hive offer many of the strong analytics and data tools of Smartsheet, but in a standard project management package.
Review methodology
We looked at a variety of factors and parameters to determine the best alternatives to Smartsheet. This included an evaluation of the interface layout, core features, advanced tools, pricing, ability to scale and more. We also analyzed customer reviews from different websites to gain a better understanding of the software on our shortlist, as well as users’ experiences with each product.
