Compare Trello vs Monday.com: The Best Project Management App for your Team in 2023

Posted by The Friday Team

Can’t decide between Monday and Trello? At first glance, these project management tools may offer the same features such as kanban boards, time tracking features, integrations, mobile apps, browser extensions, and more. 

Instead of making a random pick or going through each tool for a period of time, why not evaluate each product through an identified criteria? This will make it easier for you to make an informed decision about your next project management solution.

Choosing a Project Management Software

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the right software or solution for your project or team. With so many challenges to project management, you might end up not getting the option you might think is the best fit for your needs. 

Avoid wasting your time and money by considering the following factors when choosing the right project management tool:

  • Usability
  • Collaborative Capabilities
  • Customizability
  • Pricing

Familiarizing yourself with these factors along with the needs of your role, team, and project is crucial to finding the best project management app. Monday and Trello are some of the most popular management platforms available online. Both of these tools may have similar features and functions but can offer various advantages and disadvantages depending on your needs and requirements.

We’re also going to suggest a third tool that can save you even more time and money! Let’s take a look at each tool’s individual pros and cons to find the best fit for you!

What is Trello

Trello is a powerful tool for project and task organization, offering users a simple yet highly efficient way to organize their workflow. Specializing in the kanban method of management, manage and view projects through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that makes it exceptionally easy to create tasks, assign them to staff members, and track progress as they move through different stages. It also supports collaboration between team members with its comment threads, due dates, and checklists – making it easier to bring everyone involved in projects up-to-speed on key points. Plus, Trello’s power-up options ensure users have access to custom features that can transform the user experience. From calendars to advanced automation features and team board templates, Trello is one of the most reliable project management tools available.

Best Features

  • Variety of customization options, including backgrounds & fonts to suit your preferences
  • Power-Ups can be added to extend the functionality of the tool
  • Collaborative features such as guest invites and user assignments

Limitations

  • User interface could be improved
  • Its free version lacks advanced features

Pricing

  • Free Plan
  • Standard ($5 per user/month; billed annually)
  • Premium ($10 per user/month; billed annually)
  • Enterprise (contact for pricing)

User Ratings

G2: 4.4/5 (13000+ reviews)

Capterra: 4.5/5 (22000+ reviews)

“Trello was a great software to get my feet wet, so to speak, when it came to getting the hang of using a project management software for my business. It definitely helped me to graduate to the next level in my ability to keep my team productive. Even as my team has grown, I have decided to keep the Trello software for the purposes of managing all of my management teams scheduling, tasks, and etc.” - Caitlyn R.

Check out our list of top Trello alternatives

What is Monday

Monday.com is a powerful project management software that offers intuitive dashboards to view work status across projects. You can easily set goals, establish task dependencies, and prioritize tasks, so your team is aware of the action plan at all times. This way, you won’t receive unwelcomed work surprises on Mondays!

Best Features

  • Use Gantt charts to plan, track, and manage tasks
  • Distribute tasks efficiently with the workload view
  • Integrations with Microsoft Teams, Slack, and more 

Limitations

  • Limited tools to help facilitate and implement digital marketing strategies
  • User interface and organization of dashboard can feel cluttered

Pricing

“It is a very complete platform, which allows team members to interact collaboratively from multiple devices, automates project execution flows, and parameterizes actions so that they do not require human treatment, all of this increases productivity and favors the follow-up of projects in one extraordinary way:” - Marianela F., Management Consultant

Check out our list of top Monday alternatives

Trello vs Monday in the Community

When looking for reliable information about Trello vs Monday, it is important to include resources from the community. This is because the community perspective offers a unique view on each of these tools, as members are unbiased and have likely used both options themselves. 

Using the G2 Grid for project management software comparison is also a great way to quickly evaluate the two tools and make an informed decision. G2Crowd sources from a diverse set of user reviews to create this measurement to help potential customers compare different solutions side-by-side.

As you can see, both Trello and Monday.com can be seen hovering at the top of the grid.

Depending on your use case, you may want to consider these scores and rankings as they are a very good reflection of current user satisfaction and indication of future potential.

Trello vs Monday on Reddit

What better way to really get a feel for a tool than reading through what users on the internet are candidly sharing? Check out some Reddit posts on both tools. 

Trello Reddit Review

“I find Trello useful for having a way to view the big picture across projects, tasks, etc that I am working on. I think the strength of Trello is that it is very simple (boards, lists, cards) and easy to use so it can be applied to just about anything where you need to organize information. It isn't a perfect 100% fit but it is often good enough and much less complex and expensive than tools focused on more narrow solution areas.” - via Reddit

Monday Reddit Review

“I would have to say that because Monday is a little bit general in a sense, they kind of do a little bit of everything and they don’t fully specialize in one thing. At the same time, I would say that that’s also what makes them unique so if you want a tool that it’s able to accommodate pretty much all of your needs then Monday is a great option. There are other tools that are more specialized in that sense but Monday is really great and we use it all the time.” - via Reddit

Now, onto our honest opinions on different categories of comparison between Monday and Trello.

Usability and Feature Comparison

Trello's Usability and Features

Trello is an easy and free tool to create workspaces and boards for task management, project management, collaborations, and more in a simple and straightforward platform. The app helps users prioritize tasks and organize work to improve productivity with its simple Kanban board that you can arrange and customize with elements. Assign tasks to various users and add deadlines, labels, alerts, and important information or files to each card. While Trello is a great platform with tools to organize and manage work, it does not feature a dedicated chat tool or video calling feature which some may find inconvenient. However, Trello can be integrated with significant third-party applications to further improve productivity.

Ashley L., a small business CEO says the following: “Trello is so simple to use. It has so many features that are available in the free version. You can add users and communicate by tagging people or assigning tasks. It's visually helpful, especially if you like to be able to see how tasks are organized. You can have multiple boards which are essentially spaces for your different projects.”

Monday's Usability and Features

Monday.com is an intuitive project management application that is great for both beginners and those with a background in software development. It is great for handling various kinds of projects of any size. The application has a clean user interface that requires little to no training before use. 

Despite the tool’s simplicity, it can be customized with various integrations, tools, and widgets to provide more context and information about each task. Monday.com has a set of templates to help each user set up a dashboard depending on a project or campaign.

Lauren G. says the following: “The flexibility of Monday sets it apart from other similar project management products. It is relatively intuitive for new users and there are plenty of templates and support documents to help people get started.”

A Project Management Tool with Better Features and Usability

Before you limit yourself to just these two tools, you might want to throw our favorite, ClickUp, into the mix. While both Trello and Monday are great tools in terms of features and usability, ClickUp is one of the top project management software. Regardless of getting a free or paid plan, you are able to enjoy better functionality than the paid versions of both Monday and Trello. 

Search your entire Workspace to find tasks, Docs, Whiteboards, and more with ClickUp’s advanced search. With hundreds of flexible tools, drag-and-drop functionality, and over 1,000 integrations to streamline your workflows, ClickUp takes your productivity to new heights. 

Check out ClickUp’s multiple features.

Collaborative Capabilities Comparison

Trello's Collaborative Capabilities

Trello is a great way to maintain a smooth collaboration between you and other users when working on important projects. Invite them to a dedicated Trello board for each project for a robust communication process. Each member of the team can create tasks and keep track of their progress. Trello’s structure may be too simplistic if not managed well. With full use of each card’s functionality, users are able to fully utilize Trello as a collaboration tool.

Karrie B. says this about Trello’s collaboration features: “Overall, I simply love Trello. I use it for every client that I work and most of them start their boards as well when they see how easy it is to use. Works as a great communication tool for the team and is a great way to document processes and flows within the organization. The ability to move cards between lists and boards allows you to really keep track of a process without getting overwhelmed.”

Monday's Collaborative Capabilities

Monday.com is a collaborative platform that allows members to better communicate with their team members regarding projects and tasks. The platform can be customized depending on which projects each user is working on. Organizations following agile methodologies find the application offering features that can support their current process and workflow.

It is a flexible platform that supports task management, project follow-ups, embed dashboards, and integrations with third-party applications. Monday.com currently does not have an in-app chat. Instead, users can comment on each task and stay updated with each other’s progress to identify any setbacks or opportunities to work together and address any issue.

Brunno Bergamo says this about Monday.com’s collaboration features: “The platform helps a lot in the intuitive way of managing activities and especially in the collaborative way of allowing the other people involved to be able to work online. What I miss, perhaps still due to inexperience with the platform, is how to obtain automation opportunities or improve the performance of managing settings to provide better results in managing activities.”

Next Level Real-Time Collaboration with ClickUp

If you’re looking to keep your hybrid, remote, and in-office teams connected and working together efficiently, ClickUp can do the job, and do the job better. 

ClickUp's collaboration features make it an ideal choice for distributed teams and remote work. Its wide range of features allows users to communicate quickly and effectively, no matter where they are located.

ClickUp's Chat View is also an incredibly useful feature that allows users to communicate and brainstorm easily in a specific List or Folder without having to switch between different applications. There's also an in-built Calendar feature that syncs with Google and Outlook calendars to help team members decide on important dates and team meetings. 

Our idea of a great choice for team leaders, project managers. Just sayin’!

Learn more about the types of teams that ClickUp can support. 

Customization and Scalability Comparison

Trello's Customization and Scalability

Trello is a simple platform featuring a Kanban board that you can personalize according to you and your team’s needs and preferences. Lists and cards can be moved in between boards which are great for bigger teams or businesses with multiple departments. 

Integrate the tool with third-party apps to extend functionality which may be needed in more complex projects. Regardless of its simplicity, it can be customized to work even for an Agile team with external plugins or an enterprise plan.

Yenireth Rozo comments: “Trello is an excellent tool to organize and take control of the daily activities that must be carried out and sometimes of projects that must be carried out in certain periods. You can customize, place, colors, time, and small activities within the main ones.”

Monday's Customization and Scalability

Customize and plan your workflows and project boards with Monday.com. The tool also allows users to set up a different board for each project. Set up a specific workflow according to the schedule and task for each project. 

Monday.com gives users an overview of project deadlines and tasks in a calendar or list view. Users are able to include which widgets they need to include in each dashboard to personalize and better organize each task according to each project’s requirements. This will also give users and team members a better understanding of what the task is all about.

Lauren B., a project manager comments: “At first it was a great tool to play around with to figure out the best way to track our event and who was working on what portion. The quick look at the colors to see the progress was great. There was a place to put notes and mention people in posts to let them know there are tasks waiting for them. However, the customization was not the best. If you added one column to a section, it added it in for all sections. I did not have the time to take a deep dive but maybe if we got a higher package we would have more functions to organize. It was encouraging/discouraging to see the progress of the event and held people to be accountable for their portion. However, having to update this daily as we got closer to our event got too laborious to do. In concept, it's a good tool, but was not the right fit for my company and I.”

Consider ClickUp’s Highly Customizable and Scalable Tool for Your Team

Take ClickUp’s massive feature set, collaboration and customizability, and put it together. You get scale. ClickUp's rich set of fully customizable features is ideal for aligning each team member, working together, and delivering high-quality products on time and on budget. The tool can be customized as a personal board or a resource management tool.

Its scalability is enabled by the multi-dimensional structure - for instance, ClickUp’s organizational hierarchy allows users to structure their workspace in whatever way works best for them. ClickUp also offers extensive reporting capabilities which can be adjusted depending on the size of an organization. 

This makes it a great solution for organizations of all different sizes and types that are looking for an intuitive yet powerful management tool. 

Sign up for ClickUp today

Cost Comparison

Trello's Pricing

Trello has a free version where users can manage and create multiple projects but may lack advanced features for complex and bigger projects. The free plan includes 10 boards per workspace and other basic features and commands. The Standard plan starts at $5 per user/month with unlimited boards, custom fields, and 1,000 commands per month. 

Bigger teams with multiple projects can upgrade to a Premium plan starting at $10 per user/month. This plan comes with additional workspace views, security features, unlimited command runs, and more. Enterprises may contact sales for a custom plan with advanced integrations and control options.

Mees J. mentions the pricing: “Trello is a great tool that helps keeping track on projects which I find easy to use. The best of all is that the core features are completely free.Trello is also extremely helpful when collaborating with others and there are plenty of features for this.”

Monday's Pricing

Monday.com’s pricing plan can be a bit high for small teams or businesses. The application is free to use for up to two seats. An upgrade to a Basic plan will cost $8 per seat per month. Teams that need features such as a calendar view, automation, guest access for third-party collaborators and more will need to upgrade to a Standard plan for $10 per seat per month.

The application can be upgraded to a Pro plan for teams and organizations with complex workflows who need more automations, integrations, time tracking, and more. This plan starts at $16 per seat per month. All plans can be purchased annually for a discounted rate. Bigger organizations may contact Monday.com for a custom or enterprise plans.

Aeriel Nicole T. mentions about pricing: “It's a little pricey because it works on a per-user basis to get the most out of the software. It would be useful to have a master database into which to read data so that various lists could be linked.”

A More Cost-Effective Plan with ClickUp

Save and get the best value for your money with ClickUp. Choose from a variety of plans ranging from the Free Forever plan to the Enterprise Plan. The Forever Free plan is perfect for small teams who need basic project and task management capabilities and don’t require the comprehensive feature set of a premium plan. 

If you need even more advanced management tools and unlimited storage, the Unlimited Plan and Business Plan provide access to powerful features such as unlimited Gantt charts, timelines and workload management. ClickUp also offers an Enterprise Plan for more complex organizations. 

Get started with ClickUp today, for free!

Trello vs Monday.com: Bottom Line

Choose Trello if:

  • you're looking for a simple project and task management app with a drag-and-drop functionality
  • you need a visual Kanban style management board for your tasks and team
  • you need a tool with a responsive design for mobile, desktop, and browser view

Choose Monday if:

  • you need a software with a calendar and time management tool
  • you're looking for a work platform with ready to use templates
  • you need a tool with a short learning curve

Get All Features Combined with ClickUp

Now that you have a better idea of each of these tool’s advantages and disadvantages, you are now better equipped to make a better decision when it comes to picking the right tool for your needs.

If you’re still not sure about the best project management software that will help you achieve your project goals and team objectives, why not get an all-in-one solution like ClickUp that will allow you to grow and scale as your team gets bigger. 

ClickUp offers not just project management solutions but collaboration tools, flexible views, detailed reports, and so much more all under one single application. Take advantage of organization wide permissions to help teams stay aligned with common goals and objectives.

Save time, stay focused, and improve overall productivity by creating and customizing the perfect workspace. Choose from a library of templates to get started and handle any task or project with ease. Try ClickUp for free today and discover the best tools to improve your overall workflow and productivity all under one application.

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