Trello vs Asana vs Basecamp
Which project management tool is right for your business?
Whether you’re a solopreneur or working with a team of employees, it can be difficult to keep track of all of your projects. Knowing what you’re working on, where it stands, and what needs to be done is a huge part of being productive.
The good news is there are plenty of project management tools that can help you keep everything straight – all you have to do is choose which tool is best for you and your team. We’ve compared three project management apps below to help you discover the right tool for you:
- Trello: a project management tool that helps you keep track of projects & assignments – who they’re assigned to and where they stand.
- Asana: a fully capable project management app that allows you to cover communication, task management, and project tools all in one super usable app.
- Basecamp: a simple, customizable, use-only-what-you-need project tool. It’s great with visuals and offers several packages to choose from.
Project management apps should help you keep items organized from start to finish - from distributing the first project outline to team members, to status updates, to freelancer payment. As a result, make sure to think about what features and integrations you need your team to have.
Features and Integration
The project management app you choose should encourage collaboration, organize resources, and integrate your favorite business services. Make sure you also take note of ease of use. The last thing you need is for members on your team to have problems using the tool.
Trello is the ultimate simple & usable project management tool. Its simplicity and flexibility are what make Trello so powerful. Everything is based around super versatile “cards,” which you create. Cards are organized into lists and categories. They can be assigned to team members, commented on, subscribed to, given due dates, and moved from list to list. You’ll get unlimited cards, and you can add as many board members as you need.
Trello has many great features and adds additional functionality through a suite of integrations including Ganttify, Zapier, Marketo, and SupportBee. The basic feature set includes real-time collaboration, unlimited cards & board members, tasks & due dates, email notifications, and categories & lists.
Asana is the one-stop, all-in-one, comprehensive project management tool. Robust capabilities, combined with tons of available integrations, mean you can handle everything from collaboration to project & task management in one, usable tool. A lot of thought was put into Asana’s design, creating a great user experience and intuitive function.
Asana includes valuable features like multiple workspaces, priorities & due dates, automatic notifications, and custom views & calendars. They also have an extensive suite of integrations – including Wordpress, Github, HipChat, and Google Drive – that combine to create a powerful tool.
For project management alone, Basecamp is a great option. Quick and easy set-up means you can be up and running in very little time. However, the tool may be almost too simplistic, leaving out valuable communication and collaboration functionality that similar apps include.
Basecamp has a ton of project management capability including key features like to-do lists, file & document sharing, and notifications. They also offer additional features – including agenda & calendar views – and valuable integrations like LessAccounting, TeamGantt, cloudHQ, and SupportBee.
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| Mobile app | Yes (iOS, Android, Kindle, Windows) | Yes (iOS, Android) | Yes (iOS, Android) |
| Api | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Pricing and Support
When it comes to project management app pricing, it's important to weigh the benefits the tool could provide to your business's productivity. For instance, the project management tool you select should decrease timely reporting and status updates (leaving employees more time to be productive).
The tool should also result in more accurate analysis, decreasing the risk of costly mistakes. So when you compare different levels of features and integration options, take into consideration the return on your investment an upgrade could provide.
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Reviews
Trello is definitely a strong contender among project management apps. All of the basic functionality is included, and valuable integrations make Trello a robust and capable tool. If you’re willing to put in a little extra time & effort for set up, you’ll get a lot of benefits out of Trello. If your team is small to medium in number, Trello’s clean interface and simple features – and the fact that it's free – make it a great option for your business.
Asana’s comprehensive functionality and seamless integrations make for a streamlined workflow that allows you to be as productive as possible. It’s a great option for individuals and teams. Super flexible pricing and a huge suite of available integrations means your Asana can grow with your business. To get everything you need in one, intuitive interface, Asana is a top contender for sure.
If you’re an individual or your team is small, Basecamp is a valuable option for project management. However, if you’re looking for a one-stop shop with project management, communication, and collaboration together, it may not be for you. Relatively inflexible pricing means that as your team grows, you may end up paying quite a bit more, in addition to somewhat limited functionality.
While Basecamp offers numerous packages, their project-based pricing limits your flexibility and may end up costing more than competing tools in the long-term.
No matter which tool you choose, all three can help you keep team tasks organized and up to date, stay connected and collaborate on team projects, and keep all related documents and graphics in a central (and accessible) place.
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| Best for | Small to mid-sized businesses who want a lot of flexibility in functionality | Small businesses who want communication, task management, and project tools all in one app | Individuals or smaller teams who want an clean, simple interface to manage tasks |
What are customers saying?
“I use it to keep all my 'things to do' in one place, and find it especially useful for those 'background tasks' - ones that don't have a defined timescale (although Trello helps with those, too) but that you need to do when you have a spare 5 minutes.”
“Asana really helps us keep everyone on the same page and individuals on task. Great for fast pace projects to store next actions with the responsible party, decisions, and open questions.”
“I have tried several tools (including Google Docs, and others) with my blog tech (Tom), and settled on Basecamp. I like the fact that you can identify milestones, and have tasks associated with it.”
More Options:
Producteev
- Simple and powerful task management app
- Most of the valuable features are free
- Free 14-day trial of Pro, and two plans range from free to $99 per month
Flow
- Middle ground task management app for teams – not too lean or too complex
- Flexible pricing allows Flow to grow with your business
- Free 30-day trial, and five plans range from $19 - $399 per month
Teamwork
- Powerful project management allows your team to collaborate in real-time
- Organize tasks and messages, and stay up to date
- Free 30-day trial, and 6 plans range from $12 - $249 per month
Insightly
- CRM and project management in one tool
- Reporting, key integrations, and mobile use
- Free 14-day trial, and five plans range from $0 - $99 per month
