Top 15 Project Planning Tools and Software To Use This Year
Are you looking for the best project planning tools and software to kickstart your project this year? With so many options available, it’s hard to know which products will get the job done most efficiently and effectively.
We did our own research and picked the best project planning solutions that are sure to make it simpler for you to plan out projects. Each one of these tools offers specific features to suit every type of team or project.
Read on to learn more about each product and what makes each one special!
1. ClickUp
ClickUp is a project management software that offers a robust set of features for collaboration, project planning, and task management. With its intuitive interface, ClickUp allows teams to manage projects more efficiently and effectively. ClickUp features include collaboration and communication tools for all kinds of projects and teams.
With over 15+ custom ways to view your work, ClickUp makes it easier to plan, schedule, and allocate projects and tasks more effectively. Plan your work over time and create visual roadmaps in Timeline view to keep your unscheduled, assigned, and overdue projects visible. Choose from any of these views or from a library of templates to get your work done. You can start by checking out this Example Project Plan template.
Best Features
- Over 15 ways to view your workload including List, Gantt, Board, Calendar, Mind Maps, and more
- Consistent Hierarchy infrastructure to break down any project into manageable tasks, subtasks, and Checklists
- Keep your conversations together with threaded comments that you can delegate to the team from any task, Doc, or Whiteboard
- Templates for various types of project planning including succession planning templates
Limitations
- Some users report slow loading times
- Learning curve may be steep for some
Pricing
- Free Forever Plan
- Unlimited—$5 per member/month
- Business— $12 per member/month
- Business Plus—$19 per member/month
- Enterprise—Contact Sales for pricing
Sign-up for a free ClickUp account today!
2. Hub Planner
Hub Planner is a scheduling, capacity planning, and work management platform for small, medium, and large companies. resource management software that offers tools for scheduling, time tracking, and project management. With its flexible interface and powerful features, Hub Planner is a great tool for managing resources and projects. Hub Planner also offers time tracking, which allows users to track time spent on individual tasks and projects.
Best Features
- Collaborative workspace for team members to communicate, share files, and collaborate on tasks and projects
- Invite clients and stakeholders to the platform, making it easy to keep everyone aligned and up-to-date
- Reporting and analytics features provide teams with deep insights into their projects and resources
Limitations
- No mobile app available
- Limited reporting options
- Some users report occasional glitches and bugs
Pricing
- Free trial available
- Paid plans start at $5/user/month
3. Toggl
Toggl is a time tracking software that allows teams to track time spent on tasks and projects. Toggl's core feature is time tracking, allowing users to track the amount of time spent on individual tasks or projects. This feature can help teams manage their time more efficiently and identify areas where they may be wasting time. Toggl allows users to set budgets for individual projects, helping teams stay within budget and avoid overspending.
Best Features
- One-click time tracking
- Detailed reports and analytics
- Integration with other tools like Asana and Trello
Limitations
- Limited project management features
- Some users report occasional glitches and bugs
- No mobile app available for the free plan
Pricing
- Free plan available
- Paid plans start at $10/user/month
4. Kantata
Kantata is a cloud tool that supports operational management, resource optimization, business intelligence, integration, and workflow automation. With its built-in project scheduling and Gantt chart capabilities, Kantata makes it easier to plan and manage projects with clarity and precision. It also offers powerful reporting features, allowing users to track progress and generate reports for stakeholders. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, Kantata is a great tool for managing projects of all sizes.
Best Features
- Real-time collaboration capabilities
- Customizable workflows and templates
- Integration with other tools like Slack and Trello
Limitations
- No mobile app available
- Some users report occasional glitches and bugs
- Limited customization options for reports
Pricing
- Free plan available
- Paid plans start at $9/user/month
5. Celoxis
Celoxis is a PMO solution for businesses with project planning features that include tracking progress, resources, and budgets to ensure projects remain on track. With its advanced reporting features, Celoxis can automatically generate reports to track progress, resource utilization, and budgets. Additionally, Celoxis offers integration with other tools like Slack, Asana, and JIRA.
Best Features
- Resource allocation and scheduling
- Comprehensive, all-in-one tool for managers, team members, executives and clients.
- Only solution to offer a complex workflow solution (Custom Apps) to track business processes.
Limitations
- Steep learning curve for new users
- Some users report occasional glitches and bugs
Pricing
- Free trial available
- Paid plans start at $25/user/month
6. Clarizen
Clarizen is a collaborative work management tool that offers a range of features specifically tailored for project planning. The software supports real-time collaboration, customizable workflows, resource allocation, and scheduling. It also offers powerful reporting capabilities, allowing users to track progress, resource utilization, and budgeting. With its flexible interface and powerful features, Clarizen is a great tool for managing projects of all sizes.
Best Features
- Manage projects and simple updates with up-to-the-minute status using smartphones anytime, anywhere
- Includes proprietary analytics and management tools for live insights about departments, projects and businesses
- It manages individual and team projects with collaborative tools for project managers, and coaching for groups
Limitations
- Steep learning curve for new users
- Some users report occasional glitches and bugs
Pricing
- Free trial available
- Paid plans start at $45/user/month
7. Teamdeck
Teamdeck is a resource scheduling and time-tracking software that allows teams to manage projects more efficiently. With its flexible interface and powerful features, Teamdeck is a great tool for managing resources and projects.
Teamdeck's project planning capabilities include intuitive visual timelines to help teams plan, schedule, and allocate projects and tasks more effectively. Teams can view workloads in List, Gantt, Calendar, Board, and Mind Map views. Resources can also be allocated and managed with ease. In addition, teams can track time and generate detailed reports and analytics.
Best Features
- Resource scheduling and allocation tools
- Time tracking and reporting capabilities
- Integration with other tools like Asana and Trello
Limitations
- Limited customization options for reports
- No mobile app available for the free plan
- Some users report occasional glitches and bugs
Pricing
- Free plan available
- Paid plans start at $3.99/user/month
8. MeisterTask
MeisterTask is a task management software that offers tools for planning, executing, and monitoring tasks. MeisterTask makes it easier to plan, assign, and monitor tasks more easily. It also offers kanban-style project boards to help you monitor team progress and take control of upcoming tasks.
Users can also add comments and attachments that can be added to tasks, custom fields to add extra information to tasks, and an activity feed to track who is working on what. Streamline your workflow and integrate this app with tools such as Asana and Slack.
Best Features
- Customizable workflows and processes
- Integration with other tools like Dropbox and Slack
- Mobile app available for iOS and Android
Limitations
- Limited reporting options
- No time tracking feature
- Some users report occasional glitches and bugs
Pricing
- Free plan available
- Paid plans start at $8.25/user/month
9. Nuclino
Nuclino is a collaborative project management software that offers features for task management, document sharing, and team collaboration. The app offers a user-friendly interface and powerful features making it a great tool for managing projects of all sizes. Its real-time collaboration features allow teams to work together in real-time on the same documents. It also provides built-in chat functionality, making it easy for team members to communicate with each other.
Best Features
- Collaborative real-time editor makes it easy to collaborate and share ideas
- Wiki-style knowledge base allows teams to create and organize information in a central location
- Visual organization tools such as boards and mind maps
Limitations
- Limited storage capacity in the free version
- Limited number of items in the free version
- No advanced security controls in the free version
Pricing
- Free plan available
- Paid plans start at $5/user/month
10. Freedcamp
Freedcamp is a project planning tool that comes with a suite of features that allow you to manage your work and team more efficiently. With the ability to set notifications and email-in functionalities that work seamlessly across different devices, you'll be able to ensure no update or task is missed, no matter where you are. Additionally, Freedcamp features flexible permissions that give you granular control over your project, smart tags, mentions, and quotes, as well as the ability to turn on apps and features that suit your preference.
Key Features
- Notifications and Email-in for better productivity
- Secure password sharing
- Flexible permissions for granular control
Limitations
- Not suitable for large-scale enterprise companies
- May take time to learn all the advanced features
- Limited customization options
Pricing
- FREE: $0/mo per user for individuals or teams just getting started with Freedcamp
- PRO: $1.49/mo per user for project planning and team collaboration
- BUSINESS: $7.49/mo per user for customized platform for any team or use case
- ENTERPRISE: $16.99/mo per user for advanced tools and analytics for complex work, topped with enterprise-grade support Contact Sales for volume discount
11. Project Insight
Project Insight is a project management software that helps centralize work, tasks, and projects all in one platform. It allows users to schedule and plan projects and tasks. Project Insight includes a resource allocation and scheduling feature that allows users to assign resources to tasks and projects and track their availability. This feature can help teams manage resources more efficiently and avoid overbooking.
Best Features
- Customizable dashboards and reports
- Resource allocation and scheduling
- Integration with other tools like Jira and Salesforce
Limitations
- Steep learning curve for new users
- Some users report occasional glitches and bugs
Pricing
- Free trial available
- Paid plans start at $45/user/month
12. CoSchedule
CoSchedule is a project management software that offers tools for planning, executing, and monitoring projects. CoSchedule allows users to create custom workflows and processes to fit their specific project needs. This feature can save time and effort when managing recurring projects or tasks and helps teams stay organized and efficient. The app also offers integration as well as a mobile application making it easy for users to manage their projects from anywhere.
Best Features
- Customizable workflows and processes
- Integration with other tools like Google Drive and WordPress
- Mobile app available for iOS and Android
Limitations
- Limited customization options for reports
- Some users report occasional glitches and bugs
Pricing
- Free trial available
- Paid plans start at $14/user/month
13. ActiveCollab
ActiveCollab is a work management and team collaboration application that offers tools for planning, executing, and monitoring projects. It provides a collaborative workspace where team members can communicate and share files, making it easy to collaborate on projects and stay organized. ActiveCollab offers robust project planning and task management features, including the ability to assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress on individual tasks or projects.
Best Features
- Customizable dashboards and reports
- Time tracking and billing
- Integration with other tools like Slack and Trello
Limitations
- Steep learning curve for new users
- Some users report occasional glitches and bugs
Pricing
- Free trial available
- Paid plans start at $7/user/month
14. ServiceDesk Plus
ServiceDesk Plus is a project planning tool with project management capabilities. It is a comprehensive project management tool that provides 24/7 customer support to its core users. It is a versatile tool that offers Gantt Charts, milestone tracking, and collaboration features for project managers on the move. ServiceDesk Plus also has an evaluation period on any paid plan, which gives project managers the flexibility to evaluate this software before investing in it. Moreover, its customer and services-centric project management is perfect for big businesses that seek efficient and effective project planning.
Key Features
- 24/7 customer support to core users
- Evaluation period on any paid plan
- Customer and services-centric project management experience for big businesses
Limitations
- Lacks some advanced features found in other project management tools
- Integrations with other software might be limited
Pricing
- Base plan starts at $120 per year, per user
- Professional plan comes at $594 per year, per user
- Enterprise plan goes for $894 per year, per user
15. Avaza
Avaza is a unified work management software that offers tools for invoicing, time tracking, and project management. Avaza is an excellent tool for managing projects and finances through its integrated CRM which allows users to manage customer relationships and track sales leads all in one place. This feature can help teams streamline their workflows and improve communication with clients. It also offers a project budgeting feature that estimates project costs based on tasks and resources, allowing teams to track project finances and stay within budget.
Best Features
- Customizable dashboards and reports
- Project budgeting feature that estimates project costs based on tasks and resources
- Integration with other tools like Xero and QuickBooks
Limitations
- Limited customer support
- Lack of advanced features such as Gantt charts
Pricing
- Free trial available
- Paid plans start at $9.95/user/month
Find An All-in-One Project Planning Tool
If you're looking for a project planning tool for teams and projects of all sizes and scale, look no further.
ClickUp has a wide range of powerful features designed to make planning projects easier and more efficient. From time tracking and reporting to multiple views for tasks and projects to customizable notifications and reminders, ClickUp has everything you need to plan and manage projects. Not only that, but it also offers team management features such as real-time collaboration and communication tools, resource scheduling and allocation, and integration with third-party tools. Sign-up today!