Almost every project management tool has a free plan, but they are designed to get you to upgrade. Some limit the number of people, others limit views like timelines and Gantt charts, and others cap storage, automations or integrations.
We compared free plans on what matters for a small team: how many collaborators you can add, which views you get, whether automations and integrations are included, and how far you can go before you have to pay.
The bottom line
ClickUp has the most feature-rich free plan, Trello is the easiest to start with, and Asana's free plan is the best for structured team projects up to ten people. Notion is the best free option if you want docs and projects in one place. monday.com's free plan is only for very small teams.
Our top picks
- 1
Most generous free planClickUp8.4Editorial score 8.4 out of 10 - 2
Easiest free planTrello8.4Editorial score 8.4 out of 10 - 3
Best free plan for team projectsAsana8.5Editorial score 8.5 out of 10 - 4
Best free docs + projects comboNotion8.4Editorial score 8.4 out of 10 - 5WBest free plan for growing into enterpriseWrike8.0Editorial score 8.0 out of 10
Scores are editorial assessments based on research. Prices are indicative.
ClickUp
ResearchedFree Forever includes unlimited members and tasks, multiple views, docs and whiteboards, with storage and usage limits.
ClickUp offers a huge feature set — tasks, docs, whiteboards, goals, time tracking and AI — at aggressive prices. It is ideal for teams who want to consolidate tools, though the breadth can feel overwhelming at first.
Ideal for: Teams that want maximum features without paying.
Watch out for: Breadth means a steeper learning curve and some usage caps.
Pros
- Very broad feature set
- Strong free plan
- Competitive paid pricing
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Interface can feel busy
Trello
ResearchedKanban boards anyone can understand in minutes, with power-ups and automation in the free tier.
Trello organises work as boards, lists and cards. It is quick to learn and works for everything from content calendars to sales pipelines. Paid plans add more views, automation (Butler) and admin controls, and it integrates with the Atlassian suite.
Ideal for: Simple workflows and small teams new to project tools.
Watch out for: Free workspaces limit collaborators, and advanced views are paid.
Pros
- Extremely easy
- Generous free plan
- Built-in automation
Cons
- Limited views on free plan
- Not built for complex projects
Asana
ResearchedThe Personal plan supports up to 10 users with list, board and calendar views and a polished experience.
Asana organises work into projects, tasks and portfolios with list, board, timeline and calendar views. It is known for its clean design, reliable performance and features like goals and workload that help managers see across teams.
Ideal for: Teams of up to 10 running structured projects.
Watch out for: Timelines, rules and reporting need paid tiers.
Pros
- Clean, intuitive interface
- Multiple project views
- Goals and portfolios
Cons
- Key features on higher tiers
- Can get expensive at scale
Notion
ResearchedFree for individuals with databases that can act as task boards, wikis and roadmaps.
Notion combines pages, databases and templates to build wikis, documentation, roadmaps and task trackers. It is especially popular as a company knowledge base, with AI features available for writing and search.
Ideal for: Founders and small teams who want notes and tasks together.
Watch out for: Collaboration limits on free; less structure than dedicated PM tools.
Pros
- Extremely flexible pages and databases
- Excellent for documentation
- Large template gallery
Cons
- Requires structure to avoid sprawl
- Offline support is limited
Wrike
ResearchedA free plan with task management and board views, plus a clear path to advanced resource management.
Wrike targets teams managing many projects with dependencies, approvals and resource planning. It offers Gantt charts, custom workflows, proofing and robust reporting, with AI features and strong enterprise security on higher tiers.
Ideal for: Teams that expect to need resource planning later.
Watch out for: The interface is denser than simpler tools.
Pros
- Gantt and dependencies
- Proofing and approvals
- Strong security options
Cons
- Steeper learning curve
- Best features on Business+
Comparison table
| Tool | Best for | Score | From (indicative) | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | Most generous free plan | 8.4 | Free forever plan; paid from around $7–10 / user / month | Yes |
| Trello | Easiest free plan | 8.4 | Free; paid from around $5 / user / month | Yes |
| Asana | Best free plan for team projects | 8.5 | Free for small teams; paid from around $11–14 / user / month | Yes |
| Notion | Best free docs + projects combo | 8.4 | Free for individuals; paid from around $10–12 / seat / month | Yes |
| WWrike | Best free plan for growing into enterprise | 8.0 | Free; paid from around $10 / user / month | Yes |
Feature matrix
| Feature | ClickUp | Trello | Asana | Notion | Wrike |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free users | Unlimited | Limited collaborators per workspace | Up to 10 | Individuals (limited guests) | Unlimited (basic) |
| Board view | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Timeline / Gantt | Limited uses | Paid | Paid | Timeline view | Paid |
| Automations | Limited monthly | Limited monthly | Paid | Limited | Paid |
| Docs / wiki | Yes | No | No | Yes, core | Limited |
| Cheapest upgrade (indicative) | ~ $7 / user | ~ $5 / user | ~ $11 / user | ~ $10 / seat | ~ $10 / user |
Based on vendor documentation and public plan pages; features change often, so confirm on the plan you intend to buy.
How to choose a free plan
- Count everyone who needs to edit tasks, including clients or contractors.
- List the views you need: board, list, calendar, timeline.
- Check whether you need automations or integrations (Slack, Google Drive) on day one.
- Look at storage and file limits if you attach large files.
- Price the first paid tier for when you grow.
When free stops being free
The most common upgrade triggers are adding more collaborators than the free plan allows, needing timeline or Gantt views for client work, hitting automation limits, and needing admin controls or guest permissions. If any of these apply today, compare paid tiers rather than free plans.
How we chose
- We started from every project management tool we track, then filtered to products that fit this specific need using vendor documentation, public plan pages and trust/security pages.
- Each pick carries the same weighted score it has on its full review; the overall score is calculated from six criteria and never typed in by hand.
- We only considered tools with permanent free plans and compared their free-plan limits on users, views, automations, storage and integrations.
- Labels such as “best for” describe fit for a situation, so a lower-scoring tool can be the right choice. Products marked “Researched” were assessed from documentation and public information rather than hands-on testing.
- Prices are indicative and dated on each review. Confirm the current plan, limits and renewal price on the vendor's site before you buy.
Read our full scoring methodology →
Pick the simplest tool that fits
Complexity kills adoption. If boards are enough, start with Trello; move to ClickUp or Asana when you need more structure.
Mind guest access
If clients or freelancers need access, check how free plans treat guests — some count them as members.
Plan your upgrade budget
Most growing teams upgrade within a year. Compare the per-user price of each tool's first paid tier at your expected team size.
Avoid tool sprawl
If you choose ClickUp or Notion for docs too, retire separate wikis to avoid duplicating information.
See every option we rank in Project Management.
Buying checklist
Before you commit, confirm each of these on the exact plan you will buy:
- Views your team prefers (board, list, timeline)
- Recurring tasks and templates
- Guest/client access pricing
- Automations on your tier
- Time tracking or integration
Avoid these mistakes: Recreating every spreadsheet column as a custom field. Rolling out to the whole company before one team has a working process. Buying seat bundles larger than your team.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free project management software?
ClickUp for features, Trello for simplicity, Asana for structured team projects up to 10 users, and Notion for docs plus tasks.
Is Asana free?
Asana has a free Personal plan for up to 10 users with core features. Advanced features require paid plans.
Is Trello still free?
Yes. Trello has a free plan, though it limits collaborators per workspace and some features.
Can I use free project management software for client work?
Yes, but check guest permissions and data export options, and consider a paid plan for admin controls.
Which free plan has Gantt charts?
Most tools reserve Gantt charts for paid plans. ClickUp's free plan includes limited Gantt usage.
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