My stack

    Comparison · 8 tools · prices checked on September 25, 2026

    The best project management software for freelancers

    A freelancer rarely needs what project management tools sell to teams: workload views, portfolios, admin controls. What matters is a free plan that holds up for one person, and what the bill becomes when a client or subcontractor needs access. Each tool below is ranked on the same grid, with its entry price as published.

    Our picks at a glance

    Best overallTrelloFrom $5/mo · 3.8/5Best free optionAirtableFree plan, then from $20/mo · 3.8/5Cheapest to startClickUpFrom $7/mo · 3.4/5

    The ToolTrim take

    The double spend to watch: a project tool on top of an all-in-one workspace. Notion already covers task boards for one person, so paying for Trello or ClickUp alongside it often duplicates the same job. And most of these tools bill per seat: a client or subcontractor invited as a full member can double the bill, while Notion's free plan already allows 10 external guests.

    The comparison

    #ToolEntry priceFree planToolTrim score
    1TrelloVisual Kanban boardsFrom $5/mo3.8/5
    2AirtableFlexible team databaseFrom $20/mo3.8/5
    3AsanaTeam project managementFrom $9.63/mo3.6/5
    4NotionConnected workspaceFrom €9.50/mo3.6/5
    5BasecampSimple, flat-rate PMFrom $15/mo3.4/5
    6PlutioClient work hubFrom $15/mo3.4/5
    7Productive IoAgency managementFrom $25/mo3.4/5
    8ClickUpAll-in-one work OSFrom $7/mo3.4/5

    Price of the comparison plan, as published by the vendor, in its currency. Annual prices are shown per month.

    Tool by tool

    1. Trello

    Visual Kanban boards

    From $5/moScore 3.8/5 · Great

    Visual Kanban board tool with cards, lists, Power-Ups and built-in automation for lightweight project tracking.

    Free plan: Up to 10 collaborators and 10 boards per Workspace, unlimited cards, 250 Workspace command runs/month, 10 MB/file storage.

    • Immediately usable Kanban interface with no learning curve.
    • Built-in Butler automation removes the need for a separate automation tool on simple workflows.
    • Advanced views and unlimited automation are locked behind the Premium tier, not the entry paid plan.
    • Stays a card-and-list model, less structured than a dedicated project-management tool for complex workflows.
    Keep it if
    Keep it if the team needs a simple visual board for tasks and is fine staying in a card-and-list model.
    Avoid it if
    Avoid it if the team needs advanced views or unlimited automation without paying for Premium, or a heavier project-management structure.
    Before you pay
    Monthly billing costs more per seat than annual on every paid tier (e.g. Standard $6 monthly vs $5/month billed annually).

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    2. Airtable

    Flexible team database

    From $20/moScore 3.8/5 · Great

    Airtable is a spreadsheet-style relational database with views and automations, free for small teams and billed per edit seat beyond that.

    Free plan: Free for teams; read-only collaborators, form submissions and share links do not count toward seats.

    • A capable free plan covers real database and automation needs before any seat is billed.
    • Airtable states it never deletes data past plan limits, only prompts an upgrade, reducing the risk of losing work.
    • Records, attachments and automations are hard-capped by plan, with upgrade as the only way past the ceiling.
    • The monthly (non-annual) rate for Team and Business wasn't published on the pricing page checked, only the annual-billed figure.
    Keep it if
    Keep Airtable if a small team needs a flexible, linked-record database with automations and doesn't want to build one from scratch.
    Avoid it if
    Avoid paying for extra edit seats you don't need, since read-only collaborators and form submissions already stay free.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    3. Asana

    Team project management

    From $9.63/moScore 3.6/5 · Average

    Asana is a project and task management tool with boards, timelines, calendars, workflow automation and cross-project reporting for teams.

    Free plan: Basic project and task management for individuals and small teams up to 10 members.

    • The Free plan is fully usable for small teams up to 10 members, not just a limited trial.
    • Workflow automation and reporting are available from the entry paid tier, not locked to an enterprise plan.
    • The Advanced tier, which unlocks portfolios and goals, has a 2-seat purchase minimum, so a true solo user cannot access it alone.
    • Enterprise pricing is quote-only, so budgeting beyond Advanced requires contacting sales.
    Keep it if
    You manage a team of 2 or more and need shared timelines, automation and reporting beyond a simple task list.
    Avoid it if
    You work alone and only need basic task tracking: the Free plan already covers that without upgrading.
    Before you pay
    Advanced enforces a 2-seat minimum purchase, effectively doubling the entry cost for anyone wanting its features alone.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    4. Notion

    Connected workspace

    From €9.50/moScore 3.6/5 · Average

    All-in-one workspace for notes, docs, wikis and databases, with a generous free plan and per-seat paid tiers.

    Free plan: Unlimited pages/blocks for individuals (limited for 2+ members), 5MB file uploads, 7-day page history, 10 guests

    • Free plan is genuinely usable long-term for a solo individual, not a crippled trial.
    • Full workspace export to open formats (HTML, Markdown, CSV) on every plan.
    • Page limits on Free kick in as soon as a workspace has more than one member.
    • AI agent usage bills separately as credits, adding a variable cost on top of the seat price.
    Keep it if
    You are a solo user, or a small team that needs shared docs, databases and light automation in one place.
    Avoid it if
    You need a dedicated heavy-duty project-management or BI tool at real scale.
    Before you pay
    AI agent tasks consume separately billed Notion credits ($10 per 1,000/month) that are easy to overlook when budgeting seat costs.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    5. Basecamp

    Simple, flat-rate PM

    From $15/moScore 3.4/5 · Average

    Project management and team collaboration software.

    Free plan: 1 active project, up to 20 people, 1 GB storage, no time limit

    • Deliberately simple interface, usable productively within an hour with no training.
    • Flat-rate Pro Unlimited plan removes per-seat cost anxiety once a team is large enough.
    • No Gantt charts, native time tracking, or advanced reporting compared to ClickUp or Asana.
    • Free plan's single-project cap makes it a trial more than a usable long-term free tier.
    Keep it if
    You run a small team or client-facing freelance business and want one simple, no-frills tool for tasks, files, and discussion.
    Avoid it if
    You need Gantt charts, native time tracking, resource planning, or deep reporting for complex project portfolios.
    Before you pay
    The advertised $299/mo Pro Unlimited price only applies with annual billing; monthly billing is $349/mo, a 17% premium.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    6. Plutio

    Client work hub

    From $15/moScore 3.4/5 · Average

    Plutio is an all-in-one platform for freelancers and small agencies, combining projects, invoicing, proposals and a client portal.

    • Combines projects, invoicing, proposals and a client portal in one subscription instead of several tools.
    • AI assistant helps draft proposals, contracts and project plans directly inside the platform.
    • The entry Core plan has no team contributors, so it only works for a solo freelancer.
    • Active clients are capped at 9 on Core, forcing an upgrade to Pro as a client base grows.
    Keep it if
    You run a freelance practice or small agency and want projects, invoicing, proposals and a client portal in one subscription.
    Avoid it if
    You need to add team contributors from day one, since the entry Core plan does not include any.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    7. Productive Io

    Agency management

    From $25/moScore 3.4/5 · Average

    Productive bundles project management, resource planning, budgeting and invoicing for agencies and consulting teams in one platform.

    • Project management, resource planning, budgeting and invoicing run in one platform instead of several tools.
    • Native Slack integration and API access are included from the entry Essential plan.
    • Advanced security (SSO, 2FA enforcement, SCIM) and HubSpot integration require the quote-based Ultimate tier.
    • No free plan; pricing is per seat, which adds up for a growing team.
    Keep it if
    Your agency or consulting team wants project, resource, budget and invoicing tracking together without separate tools.
    Avoid it if
    You're a solo freelancer who doesn't need resource planning or multi-pipeline sales tracking.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    8. ClickUp

    All-in-one work OS

    From $7/moScore 3.4/5 · Average

    All-in-one work management tool combining tasks, docs, dashboards and chat, with a 60 MB free plan and per-seat paid tiers.

    Free plan: 60 MB storage, unlimited tasks, up to 2 teams/spaces, 1 form, basic views, 100 automation executions/month.

    • Tasks, docs, dashboards and chat are unified in one workspace instead of several separate tools.
    • Native time tracking and automations are built into every paid plan, not sold as a separate module.
    • Free plan storage is capped at only 60 MB.
    • Full AI features require a separate paid add-on on top of the plan price.
    Keep it if
    Your team needs tasks, docs and dashboards unified in one tool and is willing to configure a customizable workspace.
    Avoid it if
    You want a simple board-based tool without a configuration phase, or need AI features bundled into the base price.
    Before you pay
    Automation execution caps can force an upgrade to a pricier plan even when the team's seat count stays small.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    How we rank

    The ranking follows the ToolTrim five-axis score, each axis backed by a source cited on the tool's page. When two scores tie, the more searched tool goes first. Prices come from each vendor's official page, never converted. Links to vendors may be affiliate links; they change neither the score nor the position.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the best option for freelancers and small studios?

    Trello tops this ranking with a ToolTrim score of 3.8/5. The right pick still depends on how you work: each entry states when to keep it and when to avoid it.

    Is there a free option?

    Yes. Trello, Airtable, Asana, Notion, Basecamp and ClickUp offer a permanent free plan. The best rated of them here is Airtable.

    What is the cheapest paid option?

    ClickUp, from $7/mo, based on the price the vendor publishes.

    How is this ranking built?

    Each tool is scored on five axes (added value, simplicity, day-to-day use, power, reversibility), each score backed by a source cited on its page. Prices are read on the vendor's official page, in its currency. No vendor pays for its position.