The Best Free Project Management Software in 2024
Everyone has a different way of managing projects. Some people like to use their inbox to keep track of tasks. Others prefer to visualize work on a Kanban board or in a calendar view, while some even prefer the old pen and paper system.
That's fine on an individual level, but when you collaborate on projects as a team, you need a flexible and capable project management tool that works for everyone. And with so many teams still working remotely, there's an even more pressing need for a task management app that can help track projects, collaborate, and keep everyone in the loop.
As a software engineer, I've worked inside tons of different project management setups across my companies—I've seen how each app approaches the standard features, the potential of great, streamlined collaboration, and the consequences of poor project management.
The good news: free project management software can give you the flexibility you need to manage tasks, communicate with stakeholders, and maintain project visibility—without paying a cent. I've been updating this list for several years. This year, I considered more than 65 free project management tools, and after extensive testing, I've settled on my top eight picks.
| Tool | Best For | Standout Feature | Free Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trello | Visually managing projects | Customizable Kanban boards with unlimited Power-Ups | Unlimited cards and members |
| Asana | Teams | Flexible project management methodologies | Unlimited projects and tasks for up to 15 users |
| ClickUp | Customized task views | 11 different task views and 4 page views | Unlimited tasks and users |
| Wrike | Spreadsheet-like features | Best-in-class project tracking | Unlimited projects and users |
| ActiveCollab | Freelancers and small agency teams | Built-in time tracking, billing, and expenses | Unlimited projects and tasks for up to 3 members |
| Airtable | Building a customized app | The most customizable app with lots of templates | Unlimited bases at 1,000 records per base and up to 5 users |
| Jira | Agile software development teams | Purpose-built for developers and engineers | Unlimited projects on 1 site and up to 10 users |
| Height | AI features | Use AI to create subtasks, suggest task improvements, auto-detect duplicate tasks, and more | Unlimited tasks and users |
| Workfeed | For Individuals and small teams | Best all-in-one project management software: incudes projects, card boards, chats, docs and more | Unlimited projects, tasks, documents, messages and users |
What's the best free project planning software?
Honestly, online project management tools are a dime a dozen. And a lot of them will advertise "free" plans that aren't really free—meaning you can't actually manage all your projects without upgrading. The best free task management software will let you do what you need to do without spending a dime. And, as your needs change, they'll support you with more robust features at higher tiers.