Our verdict · 8.3/10 Excellent
Excellent value for teams that want classic project planning with time tracking and budgets. The interface is busier than Asana's.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Budget-conscious teams needing Gantt charts.
- Strongest area: Value for money (9.1/10). Weakest: Support & reliability (7.8/10).
- Price: Free for 5 users; paid plans billed per user — free plan available.
- Watch out for: Busy interface.
What is Zoho Projects?
Zoho Projects combines task lists, Gantt charts, timesheets, issue tracking and project budgets at a low per-user price. A free plan covers five users and a few projects, and it plugs into the wider Zoho suite including CRM, Books and Workplace.
Zoho Projects is made by Zoho and is reviewed here as a project management tool. It is priced on a freemium basis, and our editorial score is 8.3 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose Zoho Projects if
- Budget-conscious teams needing Gantt charts
- Agencies tracking time and budgets
- Companies already using Zoho apps
Not for you if
- Teams wanting the simplest possible board
- Software teams standardised on Jira
Key features
Plan dependencies and baselines.
Log billable hours against tasks.
Track bugs and requests alongside tasks.
Monitor project costs and revenue.
- Zoho CRM
- Zoho Books
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft Teams
- Slack
Pros & cons
What we like
- Low price per user
- Gantt, timesheets and budgets included
- Free plan for five users
- Tight Zoho suite integration
Watch out for
- Busy interface
- Free plan limited to a few projects
- Fewer third-party integrations than Asana
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Up to 5 users · 3 projects, 5 GB |
| Premium | Custom quote | — |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | — |
Pricing watch-out: Premium and Enterprise are low-cost per user; check Zoho for regional prices.
True cost at 5, 10 and 25 seats
Cheapest paid plan that fits each team size, from indicative list prices researched November 5, 2026 (not yet re-checked). Excludes tax, add-ons, onboarding fees and promotional discounts.
Pricing watch-outs
- Quote-only tier. Premium, Enterprise have no public price. Ask for a written quote that includes onboarding and support fees.
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing from our research as of November 5, 2026; not yet re-checked against a live vendor pricing page. Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 25% | 8.4 | 2.10 | |
| Ease of use | 20% | 7.8 | 1.60 | |
| Value for money | 20% | 9.1 | 1.80 | |
| Support & reliability | 10% | 7.8 | 0.80 | |
| Security & privacy | 10% | 8.4 | 0.80 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 15% | 8.2 | 1.20 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for business software products | 8.3 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask Zoho |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for Zoho Projects against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check Zoho’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any project management tool
Check Zoho Projects against the same list we use for every project management tool — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Views your team prefers (board, list, timeline)
- Recurring tasks and templates
- Guest/client access pricing
- Automations on your tier
- Time tracking or integration
See every ranked option in Project Management.
Zoho Projects alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- Easier to use
TrelloEase-of-use score 9.4 vs 7.8 - Better integrations
JiraIntegrations score 9.5 vs 8.2 - Stronger on securityJiraSecurity & privacy score 8.9 vs 8.4
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as Zoho Projects. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
Powerful work management for teams that need structure and reporting.
Spreadsheet-style project management for operations and PMOs.
An everything-app for work that packs tasks, docs, goals and chat into one place.
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
Zoho Projects FAQ
Is Zoho Projects free?
Yes for up to five users with a limited number of projects and storage.
Does Zoho Projects have time tracking?
Yes, timesheets are built in and can feed into Zoho Invoice or Books.
Does Zoho Projects have a free plan?
Yes. Zoho Projects offers a free plan. Paid plans start at Free for 5 users; paid plans billed per user (indicative — check the vendor for current pricing).
Who is Zoho Projects best for?
Zoho Projects is best for: budget-conscious teams needing Gantt charts; agencies tracking time and budgets; companies already using Zoho apps.
How is the Zoho Projects score calculated?
The 8.3/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for software products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to Zoho Projects?
Popular alternatives include Wrike, Smartsheet, ClickUp. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.