Updated November 6, 2026
Smartsheet: Spreadsheet-style work management for project and portfolio tracking. People look for alternatives when they need a lower price, a free plan or a better fit for a specific job.
These 8 tools cover similar ground. Each entry explains who it suits, how pricing works and what to watch out for.
| Tool | Best for | Pricing | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtable | Teams that need a flexible database without code | Freemium | Yes |
| Asana | Cross-functional teams that need clear ownership and timelines | Freemium | Yes |
| Basecamp | Small companies and agencies that work with clients | Free trial | No |
| ClickUp | Teams that want to replace several tools with one | Freemium | Yes |
| Jira | Software and engineering teams running Scrum or Kanban | Freemium | Yes |
| Linear | Software startups and product teams that value speed | Freemium | Yes |
| monday CRM | Teams that want a customisable CRM that also handles projects and post-sale work | Free trial | No |
| monday.com | Teams that want a customisable visual workspace | Freemium | Yes |
Spreadsheet-database hybrid for building custom apps and workflows.
Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.
Who it suits: Teams that need a flexible database without code.
Work management platform for planning projects and tracking tasks across teams.
Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.
Who it suits: Cross-functional teams that need clear ownership and timelines.
Calm project management with to-dos, message boards and docs in one place.
Paid plans with a free trial.
Who it suits: Small companies and agencies that work with clients.
All-in-one productivity platform for tasks, docs, goals and chat.
Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.
Who it suits: Teams that want to replace several tools with one.
The standard project tracker for software teams using agile methods.
Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.
Who it suits: Software and engineering teams running Scrum or Kanban.
Fast, keyboard-driven issue tracking for product and engineering teams.
Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.
Who it suits: Software startups and product teams that value speed.
7.
Best for: Teams that want a customisable CRM that also handles projects and post-sale work
Flexible CRM built on the monday.com work platform.
Paid plans with a free trial.
Who it suits: Teams that want a customisable CRM that also handles projects and post-sale work.
Colourful, flexible work platform you can shape into almost any workflow.
Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.
Who it suits: Teams that want a customisable visual workspace.
Project management software helps teams plan work, assign tasks, track deadlines and see progress. Options range from simple boards for small teams to flexible work platforms with timelines, workload views, automations and portfolio reporting.
Prices and features change often. Check each vendor’s website for current plans before you buy.
