List of Top 20+ Project Management Software 2023 (Free & Paid)

Project Management Software Buyer’s Guide

» What is the meaning of project management?

In a simple definition, project management is planning, executing, and overseeing every minor activity and detail related to a project of your organization from the start to the end. The process of project management includes budgeting, strategizing, implementing, tracking, and reporting. The aim here is to complete the project by accomplishing its desired goals and predefined standards.

» What is Project Management Software?

Project management software is an application that enables you to effectively collaborate and monitor various projects at a time on a real-time basis. Unlike on-premises systems, the popular online cloud-based systems are in more demand. As most of the software applications offer flexible features and pricing, investing money would not be a problem. However, you have to choose the right software that will best fit your needs.

With multiple projects running at the same time in a rapid business environment, it becomes extremely challenging to manage them all manually. That’s when project management software enters the picture. But what is project management software? Why should you use one? What are its features? We’ll explore all that and much more in this research. Hence, feel free to bookmark this source to come back to it with ease later.

If you are an entrepreneur or a working professional, you know how much efforts go into handling and delivering projects. On-time. Yes, including those overtime hours, countless meetings, endless discussions, and stress! To make this entire process a little less tedious, we have the latest technologies bundled in the form of a project management system.

» But What Exactly is Project Management Software?

By definition, project management software is a system that helps organizations in planning, organizing, scheduling, and managing projects from start to finish. It aids in the resource allocation and management of tools too. Also referred to as PM software, the solution makes it hassle-free for different departments and stakeholders to communicate and collaborate without any confusion.

Think that is all? It’s not. With project management tools, you can forecast budgets, control costs, manage quality assurance and documentation, track time, and generate reports.

In simpler words, the software includes everything you require to make your projects a success, minus the headaches.

“Great! But why should I switch to this software?”

The answer is – there are a host of advantages of using project management software for your business, irrespective of its size and stature. What are they? Let’s discover.

» Benefits of Project Management Software

› Makes project planning & scheduling effortless

With project management software, your otherwise conventional, time-consuming planning and scheduling activities get a boost of automation. You can create a solid roadmap comprising milestones, project scopes, roles, and primary deliverables. And track them, too, using the latest technologies, such as AI. The best thing? You can make changes in the set schedule and communicate the same to your team with mere clicks as per the ever-changing project dynamics.

› Enables setting up of priorities

Managing and completing multiple tasks of various projects is everything but easy. It, in fact, gets chaotic if there is no set of priorities. That’s when project management tools turn into your savior. Thanks to the system, you can define what should be done first and what can wait. Besides, you can input the measures for task prioritization, which can be unique for every project. That way, you can get your whole team to always focus on the right thing, at the right time, throughout the project lifecycle.

› Simplifies task allocation and management

With a top project management app, delegation and management of tasks become simpler than ever. All you need to do is, log into the system and check the status and availability of duties. Then, you can allocate work to your team in a few clicks without creating any confusion. What’s more? You can use the system’s notifications and reminders to ensure the completion of every task on time. That takes the complexity out of the task management, saving a lot of time.

› Creates a central hub of information

With good team project management software, you won’t have to spend hours scanning your emails for those scattered project details. The system stores every information related to distinct projects, from notes to updates, centrally. You can access any of that information whenever you need it, in minutes. That makes your life organized and a bit easier.

› Boosts team collaboration

Since any project tends to involve multiple team members across departments, they must collaborate without any hassles. And that’s something all major project management solutions pack in. From project timelines and task discussions to dependencies and the list of forthcoming tasks, everyone can coordinate seamlessly right through the system. As a result, there is hardly any re-work required, and the teams are always in line with the goals.

› Helps strategize effective resource management

Thanks to project management applications, you can plan, delegate, and manage resources in real-time. So, whether the deadlines move up, an employee pitches in for work, or there is a sudden change in the scope of a project, the system equips you to handle it all smartly.

› Offers easy file sharing, access & collaboration

A majority of project management systems are designed to provide you – the user – with uncomplicated sharing and access to files. That not only lets you work together more efficiently but also reduces the to-and-fro of email attachments. If you have contractual workers, offsite or remote employees, then such software is nothing short of a blessing in disguise.

› Takes care of file revisions

When multiple employees access and work on the same files, there is a sea of revisions. Thankfully, project management system software can let you monitor those revisions seamlessly. Hence, your project transparency goes a notch higher. It also maintains accurate details of the changes made by whom and when, with the entire version history. So even if any discrepancies occur, you can always go back to the earlier version.

› Facilitates accurate project monitoring & reporting

One of the best benefits of using project management software is you can keep an eye on what is going on with all your projects from a single place – a dashboard. That helps keep every key player updated on your projects’ progress, in real-time, without the manual information gathering and consolidation. Add to that the auto-generation of reports by the system, giving you more time at hand.

› Helps meet project deadlines

In the best project management tool, you will always have the up-to-date status of all your projects. That gives you a clear idea of where things are moving concerning the ongoing, delayed, and completed processes. The result? You can make quick changes, update the timelines accordingly, and set new priorities before the deadlines slip out of your hands.

› Turns budget management smoother

All the top project management tools facilitate budget forecasting and management capability to keep you from overstretching your finances. The software’s advanced technology makes it simpler to plan individual project budgets and track each project’s expenditures until delivery. That way, you are always in control of the flow of money.

› Enhances internal/external communication

Whether it is communicating with your colleagues from across departments or connecting with clients or suppliers, business project management software offers it all. You can communicate via one-on-one chats, group messaging, and video conferencing right within the system. And come back to those messages when needed as the system stores them, boosting convenience, transparency as well as team spirit.

› Helps identify & mitigate risks

As every project brings along its own set of risks, it becomes critical to detect them in time to stay on top of your game. Luckily, we now have advanced project management software tools to help identify such bottlenecks even before their occurrence. Not just that, we can also employ countermeasures to avoid any trouble.

› Offers seamless access

Opting for a leading cloud-based project management software will enable you to access your projects no matter where you are, across all your devices. That assures none of your projects suffers when you or your team members are on the move. Furthermore, most of the solutions come in with permission and access restrictions, helping you keep the privacy of sensitive information intact.

› Increases overall productivity

With uninterrupted collaboration, effective resource management, real-time project status, tracking, reports, and more, the big and small business project management software gives a tremendous push to your organization’s overall productivity.

› Provides easy addition of new members

Who said adding a new member into your project team has to be a long, tiring process? With today’s modern on-premise and online project management tools, it has become a faster and easier operation. It only takes you a few minutes and clicks to add more members to your team with all the required details right on your screens.

Now, you are aware of the many project management software advantages. But which PM software should you use? For that, it’s vital to discover the diverse types of this system.

» What are the Types of Project Management Software?

Project management software can be divided into two broad categories based on two factors: usage and deployment. Both the types can further be categorized into subtypes, detailed below.

Project Management Software Types by Usage

› Individual Project Management Software

Individual project management systems are solutions meant for use by individuals, such as project managers. It can be in the form of spreadsheets or an extensive application installed on a computer/laptop.

You can deploy such a solution across your organization. However, you can’t interlink them. In other words, these are the systems that work on a single device for one project at a time, operated by one person.

› Collaborative Project Management Software

With collaborative project management tools, your entire team can work together on a project at once. Multiple team members can view, access, and even work on the same files without any hassles. That greatly simplifies your processes. However, like individual PM software, you can use these collaborative tools to only handle a single project at a time.

› Integrated Project Management Software

If you are a big corporation with more than one project going on simultaneously, then an integrated project management system is ideal for you. It offers a single dashboard-style interface, providing information from multiple projects. Different teams can access the solution at a time for their distinct projects without experiencing troubles.

You can install this type of software on the server and provide employees with login credentials to access it on their devices. You can also restrict access totally or shield specific information. Some advanced integrated systems even come in with a dedicated mobile version, turning project management a breeze for you.

Project Management Software Types by deployment

› On-premise Project Management Software

An on-premise project management software tool is a solution you can install on the local servers of your organization. Once installed, such systems, also known as locally hosted solutions, will be accessible only to the devices connected to your servers. Thus, there might be some limitations, in terms of access, with this type of software. There are some on-premise PM solutions, though, that consist of web versions to offer ease of project operations.

› Cloud-based/Web-based Project Management Software

Hosted on cloud servers, the cloud-based system for project management offers access from wherever you are. All you need is a device with an internet connection and a web browser. Such sorts of online or web-based project management tools are often compatible across devices, including smartphones, to make it further easier for you to manage your projects on the go.

» What Can You Do with Project Management Software?

Any software system, in a broader sense, is built to make operations as smooth and rapid as possible. To cut down on the manual hours spent doing them as well as to generate more returns. And a project management system is also not an exception. It is designed with a single motive to enable organizations of all sizes to do more without breaking a sweat.

By switching to top project management software, you would no longer need to take out your cellphone to chat or mail your team members. You can communicate right from the system in real-time. Add to that, sharing of files and data and the easy availability of every minor detail. Furthermore, you can plan and schedule processes and tasks, track them, and set individual priorities. You can also make the most of shared calendars, time-tracking, and auto-invoicing features, relieving a lot of your burden.

It doesn’t end there. You can also forecast and manage the project budget through the best project management tools. And it goes without saying how that helps control your finances more efficiently. At the same time, there is quick, easy access to all your projects, smart reporting, and management of your people and facilities. Everything is packed in an elegant, comprehensive dashboard setup.

In other words, such systems help you accomplish more while doing less of the chores. They also make you multitask in a smart way without compromising on the quality of your deliverables.

» Who Uses Project Management Software?

Project management software tools are for anyone with the responsibility of managing projects. Whether you are a start-up, an established SME, a multinational corporation, or an NGO, you can use these tools for optimized output.

What’s more vital is, this software spells relevance for a plethora of industries. Meaning, it would be just as beneficial for an FMCG manufacturer or an IT firm like it would be for a product marketing team, a construction company, or apparel designing professional. However, like any software, there is no one-size-fits-all. You can tailor-make a project management tool as per your needs and goals.

A project management solution can be used by you and your existing employees with a little training from the vendor. But let’s elaborate on its general user groups.

In a proper organizational setup, such systems tend to have well-defined roles in the following form:

• Employees – Employees who are a part of a project leverage project management software for their everyday tasks, team collaborations, project information & updates. They also use it to track their time, check resource availability, and coordinate with external stakeholders.

• Project Managers – Project managers are the ones who enjoy complete access to all the features of a project management tool. From defining the project scope to adding details to tracking projects and task status to modifying workflows, they do it all. They also define user roles and access permissions to control the privacy of data.

• Executives – The analysis and reports of the projects are something executives tend to look after. They resort to PM software to handle that. They also keep a tab on the budget aspect of the projects, along with the progress.

• Partners – A project has many stakeholders, including external contributors and third-party service providers. They are involved at a particular phase of the project to help accomplish specific activities. Thus, they use the software to only access details related to their process and role; and not the entire information.

• Clientele – More often than not, your clients would require regular updates on the projects you handle for them. In such a case, they use a PM system through the dedicated portal to easily keep themselves updated, offer valuable feedback, or even interact with your team.

While the above roles are primarily visible in a big company, they are not necessary for project success. The software would work perfectly for you even when you are a team of four. But what is it that makes any software “the best project software”? What makes it click and perform ideally? Yes, you guessed it right. Its features & tools.

» What are the Common Features and Tools in Project Management Software?

› Project Planning

Project planning tools are an integral part of any PM system. Think of them as an itinerary you need to have in place while traveling. These tools help you create a logical plan of action to meet the expected project outcomes and ROI. You can use the planner to outline each task, process, phase, and the resources needed at every step of the way; in detail. And share it across your teams. What’s more? You can alter the plans with changing requirements and priorities.

› Project Scheduling

All your planning would go in vain in the absence of well-thought-out schedules. That’s why every leading project management system comes in with project scheduling characteristics. With scheduling, you can keep every member of your project team on track with the expected deliverables at each stage of the project. You can set deadlines for tasks and processes, and then the system takes over. For instance, it sends automated reminders when a scheduled task is approaching its due date but is still incomplete.

› Project Estimates

Whether it is a big project or a small one, you often need to be able to forecast numerous things. Be it the time it will take to complete the project, its total cost, the quality of its deliverables, or an amalgamation of it all. Therefore, a good project management app includes project forecasting functions that produce realistic, accurate estimates after taking into account viable project information and status.

› Management of Resources

How would your project turn out if you poorly manage your resources? Terrible, we know! That is why you would find all the major PM systems offering resource management tools. Thanks to these tools, you can plan and allocate diverse resources across project phases. Moreover, you can track them all right from the solution. So, even when there are any last-minute changes required, you would be able to make a quick, productive decision.

› Management of Tasks

Task management, one of the most common project management software features, lets you bid adieu to the old practices of assigning and managing tasks. You can assign project tasks to any of your team members with a few clicks. And also track the progress of each of them.

Furthermore, you can get an overview of all the tasks from a single place, simplifying project execution further. What’s the highlight? You can protect task information by defining user roles and limiting access permissions.

› Task Prioritization

To help your projects land in the right waters, you must prioritize each and every task across various stages. With the project management solution’s task prioritization feature, it becomes a whole lot easier and convenient.

You can define due dates, and based on that, set your priorities through the planning and scheduling tool. Thus, even when there is an urgent scenario where you need to make a quick room for a task in your planned schedule, you would be saved from rescheduling everything. That would save you time, cost, and effort.

› Project Tracking

In a manual process, it is tiresome for project managers to keep project progress in check continually. Hence, to take this burden off their shoulders, almost all the leading project management systems facilitate project tracking. Such a function enables managers to keep an eye on everything related to an ongoing project – from minor details, calendars, and simple tasks to complex processes. That equips them to make the tough calls at the right time.

› Team Collaboration

A majority of PM software is collaborative project management software too. In other words, these solutions enhance the way your different project teams collaborate. Whether it is one-on-one texts and calls to group messages and conferences, the software offers it all. Teams can work on the same documents, share and use crucial data, and conduct meetings hassle-freely. The scattered information becomes a thing of the past. The best part? It works as efficiently with your remote team as it does for your in-office workforce.

› Client Collaboration

If you thought the software lets you collaborate only internally, then let us enlighten you otherwise. A simple project management software is also capable of making your clients an active part of the project. Through the system, you can collaborate with clients at specific project junctures in real-time, share project status, collect their feedback, and evolve your plans. That reassures you that you are moving in the right direction.

› Team Communication

In order to make your project a success, it is vital to keep your teams aligned. One of the primary ways to do that is via effortless team communication. A feature that many project management tools provide.

Thanks to such tools, teams can interact in real-time through a built-in messaging app, along with individual and group video calls. In fact, some apps go a step further by converting communication on chat/email directly into a task. Now that moves things real faster.

› Document and File Sharing

With a file-sharing software tool, a project management system eliminates all the confusion occurring from those to-and-fros of email attachments. It allows multiple members to work on the same files and documents, keeping all the revisions intact. Sharing of these files is even simpler as it takes place right within the software in mere clicks. And since you can grant access permission, all your project information remains secure and protected.

› Time Tracking

Many of the paramount PM software come in with integrated time tracking software. Thanks to these tools, you can track the time, along with your team, spend on different project tasks. And keep a log of the hours worked. Doing so not only gives you accurate time spent on a project but also makes the billing process smoother, automating the same.

› Comprehensive, Real-Time Dashboards and Reporting

Project management software provides you with a single place, called a dashboard, that presents all the project information. It can be a mixture of visual and textual formats, updating you on critical things. For example, the project status, resources used and allocated, planned v/s actual cost, real-time notifications, and glimpses of vital metrics. It immensely helps senior management and decision-makers, other than the project team, to always stay in the loop.

Apart from that, the software packs in smart reporting tools with built-in and often customizable reporting templates. From project finances and resources to phase-wise progress, you can generate a variety of reports using the system’s accurate analytical data.

› Project Budgeting and Expense Tracking

Project budgeting is something that often brings in a lot of woes. However, PM software helps you do away with that stress through its advanced budgeting tools. Many reputed solutions enable you to forecast realistic budgets for your projects and track all the expenses via these integrated tools. If the system doesn’t have such functions in-built, then they tend to offer integrations with third-party budgeting plugins to give you a grip on your financial goals.

› Invoicing

With a project management tool, you would be spared from creating an invoice from scratch for every project or individual process. The software comes in with automated invoicing tools with pre-designed templates that you can customize as per your needs. These tools can send invoices for you automatically based on your set cycle. It can even send reminder emails, adding to your relief.

Many advanced PM systems go a step further as they can convert the hours worked on tasks into billable amount. And you can turn those into a valid invoice with just a few clicks. That eliminates human errors, letting you receive fair returns for your collective hard work.

› Custom Workflows

Every company has its unique workflow. And hence, you need a project management solution that adapts to your distinct process. Thankfully, you’d find numerous project management software offering custom workflow functionality. Through this feature, it becomes easier for you to track the work progress in its entirety. And stay aware of which of your team member is handling which process/task or which stage you are in with respect to the project lifecycle.

› Team Roles and Permissions

For your project to succeed, everyone on your team needs to have a clear role and responsibility. A PM tool helps streamline that. You can define comprehensible roles for everyone involved in the project, share the details with them, and keep updating the roles when needed. Once you design these user roles, the system also enables you to restrict access to certain information and data you think is sensitive through permissions. That way, the data is only visible to or editable by those who have the access right.

› Work Management

Managing all the work related to a project in a conventional way is beyond hectic. Especially if you are an organization running multiple projects at once. That is when a PM system steps in to save you from the trouble. The wok management tools of the software facilitate centralized management of work, removing the complexities and confusion. Thus, everyone working on the project can easily remain on the same page at any given time.

› Third-party Integrations

Every leading project management system offers integrations with other third-party organizational software, right from an accounting system to email tools to CRM software. Wondering why? Because such integrations synchronize data from different solutions, saving your precious time. In simple words, it frees you from extracting and entering the same data into different tools multiple times. The easy availability and streamlining of data, in turn, speed up your projects as well as other business operations.

› Mobile Apps

Gone are the days when people could only work from the office. Nowadays, professionals are constantly on the move and prefer working from wherever they are. Considering this changed scenario, many project management systems now come in with their distinct mobile app versions. With such project management apps in place, you can stay updated about and manage all your projects on the go. And ensure none of your projects suffers at any cost.

What we explored above are the most common tools and features every reputed PM software would include. All of those make for crucial determinants in labeling a system as the best. However, there are specific factors you should never miss when it comes to picking up a relevant solution. What are they? Let’s find out.

» 15 Factors You Must Consider While Buying Project Management Software

1. Ease of Use

No matter which project management tools you choose, they should be as easy to use for a novice as they would be for an expert project manager. If the system is too complicated to move around, it would hamper the overall productivity of your workforce instead of boosting it. To ensure the system packs in this aspect, opt for a free trial before making a final selection.

2. Professional/Intuitive Interface

Who says if the software is easy to use, then it would have a boring design? Any well-functional system offers an intuitive, as well as attractive, user interface for an immersive experience. That also reduces your learning curve considerably, saving you tremendous time. If the system you are about to select doesn’t provide such an interface, then dropping it is a better idea.

3. Collaboration

Any project is never a one-man’s job. It contains diverse teams working together to achieve a common objective. Therefore, you must buy a project management solution that offers seamless collaboration between your teams. At every phase of the project. From being able to share and work on the same documents to communicating in real-time, it should take the complexities out of collaboration.

4. Level of Customization

Every business has its own processes, goals, and workflows. And it doesn’t make sense to change any of those to be able to use a PM tool. Hence, what you must do is, select a customizable project management software that fulfills those unique needs and ever-changing demands. Understand how much personalization the software offers, which features you can customize, and whether you can configure the system on your own before you finalize a tool.

5. Scalability

So, the PM system you are about to purchase fits your organizational requirements for now. But is the system capable of evolving alongside your growing business demands? If yes, then how? That is the question you need to ask the vendor. If the software is not scalable, then it might become useless as your business grows. And migrating to a new solution every now and then is not only time-consuming but also pretty expensive.

6. Reviews

Before you give a final nod to any project management system, look up its customer feedback. Determine how the software fares in terms of functionality and what are its ratings when it comes to after-sales services. Or the way it has benefitted the companies using it. The more positive reviews the software has, the more reliable it is.

7. Support

Like any other software solution, PM tools also need regular maintenance and upgrades. You may find it hard to perform particular tasks initially, get stuck, or encounter bugs. Thus, it is vital to go with a system that offers prompt customer services and support to resolve these issues as soon as possible. So, ensure the ongoing support is included in your package. And an SLA is in place. Also, it would be even better if there are multiple channels of communication and a dedicated point of contact.

8. Security

Having the most efficient functions becomes worthless if your project management software cannot protect your sensitive data. Therefore, while choosing a system, make sure that the vendor puts all the necessary security measures in place to avoid any data breach and cyber-attacks. It should leverage the latest technology and encryption methods for added safety. The system should also comply with the general security standards.

9. Speed

We live in a fast-paced world, wanting every bit of information in a nanosecond. And a PM system should be no exception. Speed is a crucial aspect of any software solution, after all. The software you choose should be quick to load and perform requested tasks rapidly. You won’t like to wait for hours to see a record of the resources allocated or generate a detailed report. However, the speed should never come at the cost of accuracy and performance.

10. Real-Time Updates and Reporting

The most effective project management systems give you all the critical updates in real-time to let you stay on top of every project; at any given moment. For instance, notifications on completed tasks and a change in deadlines. Moreover, the system should also possess advanced reporting functions so that you can put the analyzed data into useful, actionable reports. Without such precise, real-time insights, it is nearly impossible to strengthen your position.

11. Integrations

If your PM software cannot integrate with other business tools, then imagine the amount of workload you’d have! You would need to input the same data into multiple systems, such as accounting software or a time and attendance system, to complete a task and synchronize things.

That’s why it is a must to choose software that works seamlessly with other such systems and third-party apps you already use. That way, you will save your time, efforts, and money in addition to speeding up your processes.

12. Cost

It is important to have a PM system with powerful features. But that doesn’t mean you have to pay a hefty price. Before going on a shortlisting spree, define a clear budget. And then, as you’re exploring options, check whether the software’s price justifies the features and functions it has on offer. Consider other factors, too, that we discovered here, like the ease of usability, customer support, and security. If it ticks all the boxes without stretching your budget too far, then it could be a good fit.

13. User Controls

The project management software you are about to purchase must provide you total control when it comes to defining user roles. Doing so enables you to grant access rights and permissions to the users. That, in turn, ensures that each team member can only access information relevant to them, leaving sensitive data viewable only to the managers & decision-makers.

14. Project Lifecycle Management

A decent PM tool would let you manage your projects right from the word go till completion. In other words, it would provide you with the means to lead an entire project lifecycle – starting with project planning to resource delegation to task management to expense tracking to invoicing. It is a must-have component if you intend to grow through your projects.

15. Mobility

In the fast-moving world, you might want your project management system to offer access anywhere, across devices, anytime you need. For that, check whether your solution supports multi-device and multi-platform compatibility, including remote access, without compromising security. That would make both your remote and in-office workforce more productive.

Noted these factors? Now, let’s move onto the steps you must follow while choosing the right project management software. The steps uncomplicate the entire process, letting you be in control of your decisions all along.

» 6 Steps to Choose the Best Project Management System

1. Outline your requirements

Just as a building needs a strong foundation, your requirements lie at the base of picking up the apt project management software. Therefore, start by brainstorming and analyzing what your team needs out of a PM system. You could also gauge your needs by knowing your current pain points or issues while managing a project. Make a sleek list of those problems, as they will turn into the features to look for in a system. You’d need this list while you are on a software examining spree.

2. Define the users for your project management tool

Who is going to use the software in your organization? Will the solution only be used internally? Or are you going to involve external stakeholders as well? All these legitimate questions will lead you to define a clear user base. For instance, for a small team with limited internal requirements, a small, informal project system would suffice.

On the other hand, an MNC with diverse project teams working simultaneously on multiple projects would need a comprehensive project management platform. A system that allows people with different roles and responsibilities to come together and work in a seamless environment. So, make sure to have clarity about the users of the solution.

3. Research your options

Once you have your needs and users in place, you are all set to explore the different project management solutions from different vendors. Don’t get overwhelmed with the availability of such a plethora of choices. Make smart moves by asking for referrals from your associates or other project managers, considering suggestions from industry blogs, and studying software review websites. While you’re at it, keep your requirements’ list handy. That will help narrow down your choices to a great extent.

4. Test the system through trials and demos

Investing in a project management system would require you to shell out substantial money. So, before making that commitment, it is wise to opt for free demos and trials of all the solutions you have shortlisted. Doing so would help you determine whether the software’s features are in alignment with your business needs. Moreover, it would keep you from making a wrong investment. To simplify things, shortlist not more than three to five solutions for trials.

5. Gather feedback

When you, along with your whole team, try the PM tool, you would come to clear conclusions whether the system in question is the right fit for your business. The trial will help you differentiate between what is complementing your processes and what is not. It would also help you gauge which features you need to customize or drop completely.
Gather all such reviews from every team member who participated in the system’s trial run to select that perfect solution. The software with more positive reviews should be the one for you.

6. Evaluate product cost

Along with the features, compare the costs of the project management tools you have shortlisted. Contemplate various aspects, such as the solution’s subscription plans – monthly, annual or a one-time licensing fee, features on offer, implementation time and cost, and post-sales service. Also, determine whether adding new users would come at an extra cost.
To make things a bit easier, ask yourself – “What would be the cost of buying that system versus not buying that system?”
The deeper you evaluate the cost factor, the better you’d be at making the correct purchase decision.

In light of all this, you must know that purchasing PM software is not the end of it all. It is, at best, just a beginning. Once you’ve bought a solution, you need a solid implementation plan, followed by a periodic review of how you use the tool, to stead your ground firmly.

“Wait. An implementation plan! What do you mean by that?”

Let’s look into it in detail.

» How to Implement Project Management Software?

Often, team members seem a bit reluctant to a sudden change in the way of working. That’s the primary reason you need a carefully thought-out plan to phase out the implementation of your chosen PM system. That would aid in increasing the possibility of a successful rollout. Here is what you could do:

For starters, you should outline a timeline to onboard everyone on the team. You could do that together at once or in various stages – adding key players first and then the other members in a gradual manner. If you introduce key players first, such as managers and team leaders, to the system, they could help make the transition smoother for others.

It is also at this stage that you should plan integrations. The plan would comprise a clear timeline on which business tools you’ll integrate with the PM software at which stage.

Secondly, you need to take care of the training requirement. Ask the vendor whether they will offer training and how. Also, try to get a specific answer on the duration it would take. Your team has to receive proper guidance to make the most out of this investment.

After training, you can start using the software for bite-sized tasks and processes. For those of your teammates who are less technologically inclined, encourage them with smaller tasks. For example, profile creation or one-on-one or group conversations. Many systems also come in with gamification and rewards to make things fun, engaging, and productive.

While your teammates are getting the hang of the software, they might also encounter issues and difficulties. Therefore, the next step is to answer their queries. And listen to their feedback with an open mind. It is their feedback that could help make the system “the perfect solution” for your organization.

If you are able to conduct the implementation successfully, then chances are, your road ahead would automatically turn smoother.

Now, let’s move onto the most critical question –

» How Much Does Project Management Software Cost?

Well, the pricing of project management systems in the market varies from vendor to vendor. There are a lot of factors that form the basis for the software cost, including its features, size, customization capability, functions, support, and vendor’s reputation.

Some systems come at a monthly subscription and some at a quarterly plan. Some are available at an annual plan, while some come at a one-time fee. Thankfully, most of the vendors offer free trials and free versions of the system, helping you assess the depth before you dive deep into the water.

To give you a general idea, the costs of the PM tool can be as low as $20 to as high as $199 a month. For annual billing, the price can fall in the range of $100 to $2000. These prices are either on a per-user basis or for a limited number of users. Also, keep in mind that you may need to pay extra to add more users to the system.

And what about the products available at a one-time license fee? You may need to shell out anywhere between $299 to $3000 for those types of PM systems.

In the end, it all depends on the kind of functionality and performance on offer.

Pro tip: Always opt for a fully-featured free trial before making a purchase. It will save you both money and time.

Now that we have covered the basics of project management software, it’s time to dig deeper into the diverse PM software various industries use.

» The Best Free Project Management Software

Not every PM system comes with a price tag. Yes, you read it right. There are plenty of vendors in the market who provide you with free well-functional and reliable solutions to carry out your projects successfully. And the best thing is, a majority of those tools work across industries and all the renowned operating systems. All you need to do is, sign up on their platform and get started. An example of such solutions includes Wrike, Zoho Projects, and Asana.

However, you must note that such free project management tools do come in with some limitations. Either in terms of features, the number of users, or the number of projects you can handle through it. For a more elaborated functionality, you need to upgrade to its paid version. All in all, such free project management apps are a good fit for a small team, a start-up, or even a solopreneur with only the basic project management requirements.

» The Best Enterprise Project Management Software

Any large corporation typically has more than one project going on at any given time. Moreover, they have many projects in the pipeline. In such a case, these companies require a system that enables them to not just manage multiple projects at once but do that with 100% efficiency. And that’s where an enterprise project management software, in the likes of Microsoft Project, Jira, and Primavera, enters the picture.

With such types of tools, organizations can plan and implement project strategies across the company with streamlined processes. Since these tools are business-oriented in nature, they help with highlighting, prioritizing, and tracking projects as per business goals. One can group projects, define growth stages, and milestones for each project through the solution. That way, the system helps eliminate the complexities while increasing transparency at all levels throughout the project lifecycle.

The objective here is to add value to the organization through every ongoing and completed project.

» The Best Marketing Project Management Software

Whether it is a full-fledged marketing agency or a marketing department inside a company, both need a potent tool to cope with their marketing needs. Enter marketing project management system. A solution that enables you to carry out your 360-degree marketing plan effectively.

With PM tools for marketing, it becomes easier to channelize all the marketing efforts and adhere to the set guidelines. The software helps ensure that your productivity remains intact even in the most dynamic situation. Teams can communicate seamlessly and know where they are heading at all times.

In other words, the software proves to be a complete savior – right from helping you with campaign planning to development to execution to tracking. What’s more? It simplifies keeping a tangible tab on your resources and ROI. Out of the many leading marketing project management tools, Trello, HubSpot, Canto, and Hive are quite popular among marketing agencies.

» The Best Visual Project Management Software

A visual project management software is nothing but a solution that presents key project information and status in the visual format. Such as Gantt charts, Kanban boards, graphical roadmaps, charts & graphs, and Scrum boards. All while retaining the basics of a standard project management system. Why? Because many people find it easier to process data when it is in the visual form instead of the numbers and long texts.

With visual project management tools and their visually analyzed data, project managers can improve planning, collaboration, and communication significantly. Moreover, the system helps define logical milestones and deadlines, reducing the chances of process breakdowns or derailing. In fact, one can also interlink the project objectives, forecast risks, analyze cost-benefits, and alter methods just in time.

If you want to experience how such tools function, you can explore visual project management systems, including ProjectManager, Kanbanize, Backlog, and monday.com.

» The Best Project Management Software for Small Business

If you are a small team or a small business entrepreneur, then your project management requirements, too, may be limited. For instance, you won’t need the employee scheduling feature with a time size 3. Or a progress comparison functionality for tens of projects at a time as you handle only a couple of them simultaneously. In such a case, it is ideal to stick with either a low-cost system or free small business project management software.

Such tools come loaded with all the required functions but at an affordable price. From initial planning to effective management and monitoring of projects, it ticks all the core boxes. Not to forget, the system also facilitates communication, document sharing, notes, and checklists. That helps you stay on track and offer your promised deliverables on time. Some of the best small business project management tools available in the market are Teamwork, Zoho Projects, and TeamGantt.

» The Best IT Project Management Software

From a small IT company to IT departments of big corporates, it gets overwhelming at times to handle multiple processes of various projects at once. That’s when effective IT project management software comes to your rescue. It is nothing but a PM tool designed specifically for IT project needs. The tools, like any other system, are available both as a free and paid product.

You can assign and track tasks through these IT project management systems as you would do with its conventional counterpart. In addition, you can keep a watch on project expenses, app development, and the time spent on it. And that’s not all. You can create an entire product roadmap as well as manage resources and portfolios. The system also aids in deployment, maintenance, and issue management, simplifying your projects from start to finish. Out of the many IT project management software tools out there, you won’t regret choosing a Jira, Celoxis, Bitrix24, Wrike, or ClickUp.

» The Best Engineering Project Management Software

Engineering project management systems are meant to help you clearly define and walk the scope of your long-term projects. The tools are robust when it comes to planning and execution but flexible enough to accommodate room for sudden changes. Ideal for any type of company size, these tools work across diverse engineering niches with apt customization.

Any decent project management software for engineering simplifies task delegation, resource management, budgeting, expense tracking, and scheduling activities. It offers visual planning of the project, management of dependencies, and monitoring of bugs too. It makes collaborating and communicating with teammates and stakeholders an out-and-out hassle-free process. For a quick glimpse of the project status, you only have to go to the system’s dashboard that offers all the real-time insights and updates you need.

Is that all? No. The tools also put the process of proposal and bidding in order. Software like ProjectManager, OpenProject, Smartsheet, and Asana are some of the top project management software for engineering firms. You can either go for their free version or buy a paid subscription.

» The Best Agile Project Management Software

Agile project management systems are designed to allow teams to finish projects faster without compromising the projects’ quality. The primary factor that differentiates an Agile PM tool from that of the conventional one is its increased flexibility when it comes to incorporating any changes. This type of software is useful for any firm, across industries, that wants a successful completion of projects on time. And save both money and time.

With Agile project management software tools, teams achieve better interactions and collaborations. There is a thorough understanding of project goals and total control at each phase of its development. It offers relevant performance metrics to rely on while letting you create personalized team structures. The best thing? It boosts focused efforts and consistent feedback, which, in turn, diminishes the possibility of rework. And as a result, you attain process optimization and faster TAT.

Luckily, you would find many leading Agile PM systems in the market in free and paid versions, for example, Agilean, ProofHub, Notion, Wrike, JIRA, Smartsheet, and Active Collab. Determine your requirements first to choose the best tool.

Impressed by such a wide array of PM systems? We, too, are!

Now, let’s move forward and explore in brief which industries use PM tools to accomplish their projects more effectively. We’ve collated as many as 21 such sectors, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself fascinated by this diversity!

» 21 Industries That Use Project Management Software

› Construction Industry

Companies in the construction industry rely on project management systems to oversee the entire lifecycle of their projects. They use the software for initial planning, designing, and budget estimations. And go on to leverage its technology to the later phases of the construction process, including scheduling, contracting, and ensuring efficiency of resources, such as materials, labor, and equipment.

› Manufacturing Industry

From maintaining machinery in the right order to scheduling the production tasks, the manufacturing industry has a lot to do. And with efficacy. That’s where using PM tools turns into the best bet for them. Thanks to this software, manufacturing firms can plan, manage, and optimize their output with precise production workflows and seamless communication among teams.

› IT Industry

Whether it is hardware installation project, network configuration, or software and application development, the Information and Technology industry makes the most of IT project management systems. Through such solutions, IT firms create a robust roadmap for their projects. The project teams ideate, design, develop, test, implement, and follow up effectively through the software’s real-time dashboard, collaboration, and reporting tools to achieve successful project completion.

› Engineering Industry

Companies in the engineering industry work on complex projects day in and day out. Irrespective of their niches, such as electrical, mechanical, or civil. Thus, for more transparency and optimal results, they trust powerful yet flexible project management solutions. With these platforms, it becomes simpler for engineering teams to plan and organize people, tasks and resources, schedule, track, and collaborate. It’s the system that helps them create a feasible 360-degree roadmap to surpass client expectations.

› Professional Services Industry

PM software for individuals/firms providing professional services, be it advertising or tech services, streamline workflows to a great extent. Such professionals use the system to carry out projects smoothly from start to finish. There is better collaboration, assignment of tasks, monitoring, as well as reporting. All of that, together, helps in making the project fruitful.

› Product Development and Management Industry

For a company into product development and management, there has to be a clear roadmap, as well as room for flexibility. And that’s where project management software helps the industry with its centralized product vision. Thanks to the PM tools, it becomes possible for the product developers to outline a realistic development schedule and resource allocation. Moreover, they leverage the software’s real-time reporting, charts, and dashboards to put the insights to the right use.

› Marketing Industry

Marketers always have to think on their feet. That’s why they need a solution that is easily adaptable yet robust. And thankfully, online project management systems fit the bill. Through these tools, marketers can streamline their marketing efforts with maximum precision. There is improved communication and real-time status, in addition to tracking. The centralization of data opens doors for seamless coordination and a greater success rate.

› Creative Industry

The creative industry turns to project management systems to automate their repetitive technical or administrative tasks. And boost the collaboration, brainstorming, and communication between the project stakeholders through communication channels and file sharing. The intent here is to provide this creative workforce with more time to think about critical things, design, create, and evaluate. The system also helps creative agencies with its visual task dashboard, budget management, proposals, time tracking, invoicing, and other such functionalities.

› Event Planning Sector

Event planning, a dynamic industry that keeps event planners on their toes, use project management software to maximize the success of their events. Whether it is a product launch, a conference, or a celebration party, PM tools make it simpler to delegate tasks and coordinate with team members. Moreover, the event agencies achieve better management of the to-dos and adherence to protocols and deadlines.

› Non-profit Organizations

To complete their projects on time and with efficiency, non-profit organizations trust online project management software. Such tools not only turn seemingly big projects into actionable processes but also ease the management of resources. In addition to that, it brings consistency and accuracy to the evaluation and tracking process. That lets the non-profits get a better grip on the projects’ direction all through the lifecycle.

› Architecture Sector

Similar to the construction industry, the architecture sector has found tremendous assistance in the form of PM software. The tools help architects in brainstorming, collaborating, and managing the workflow. That, along with compiling and storing their digital assets in the safest way possible. For example, the continually evolving project designs, visuals, text, and video assets. Also, it helps take care of the finances, budgeting, and resource management needs, uncomplicating the whole process.

› Automotive Sector

From automotive suppliers and car manufacturers to car rental agencies and dealers, companies in the automotive sector are turning to web-based project management software for achieving their goals. The software helps them visualize and prioritize tasks with improved collaboration through agile methods. Moreover, they can track time and generate accurate reports. That, in turn, accelerates the decision-making process further.

› Finance Sector

Project management systems bring a much-needed centralization for companies working in the financial niche. The financial firms utilize the PM tools to create logical task hierarchy, as well as deadlines, and allocate those to relevant teammates. The tracking of all those tasks makes it easier to finish projects on time with the desired level of quality. It also helps plan workflow, forecast budgets, maintain financial control, and obtain visual, actionable insights.

› Healthcare Sector

For the healthcare industry, it is vital to maintain accurate past and present records of patient details. And quickly retrieve them as and when needed. Therefore, they now rely on project management software to make this process swifter. With a decent solution in place, healthcare professionals are able to collaborate, schedule meetings, manage tasks, communicate in real-time, and run diverse departments in an easier way.

› Legal Sector

A majority of law firms have begun switching to on-premise project management systems for the framework it brings to help serve clients better. From automating tedious tasks to tracking the ongoing cases to invoicing and budgeting, the system helps cover each crucial aspect of the legal matters, including compliance. Other than that, the firms find it simpler to collaborate and safeguard their sensitive data, saving a significant of their precious time.

› Logistics Industry

More and more companies in the logistics industry are switching to online project management solutions for their practicality. The system, after all, helps plan an end-to-end flow, as well as storage, of goods. Right from the goods’ point of origin to its point of consumption. The system facilitates live communication with all the stakeholders, generates reports, and helps keep the inventory in check at all times. With the tool’s effective planning and implementation, companies are achieving minimal to zero wastage of products and services.

› Real Estate Industry

For the real estate sector, it is critical to deal with risks, communication, and budget issues. Without letting those affect the project. And with online project management software, real estate firms are doing exactly that. The smart solution not only provides the sector with the required precision in planning and estimations but also boosts optimum resource utilization and time management. Plus, the system offers smooth third-party integrations for seamless workflows across the organization.

› Retail Sector

With a retail project management software tool, the retail sector attains centralization of its dispersed business processes. The software lets the teamwork together smartly and interacts in real-time – with each other and with the customers. Teams can convert conversations into tasks and manage them efficiently through tracking. And since the system offers the exact project status, retail firms always know where they are and what they need to do to maximize their returns.

› Education Sector

For educational organizations, online project management software streamlines their schedules with integrated calendars and on-point task management. The education sector uses the system to collaborate in real-time, distribute and manage resources effectively, track attendance, plan events, and share files and project status. The solution also helps in conducting virtual sessions and managing forums or discussion boards wherein, students can come together to discuss topics and solve problems.

› Freelancers & Self-Employed

Since self-employed, solopreneurs, and freelancers have to don multiple hats at a time, online/desktop project management software steps in to simplify their day-to-day work. Whether it is planning different projects and scheduling their timeline or managing tasks and monitoring the time, the gig workers find a lot of relief through advanced PM systems. In addition, they can depend on the system-generated automatic reminders, checklists, to-do’s, and collaborative tools to meet their individual goals.

› Accounting Firms

Companies active in the accounting industry prefer using project management software as it can smoothly complement their existing workflows. The teams leverage the system’s proactive planning, execution, forecasting, and reporting tools to meet distinct project objectives. Besides, they experience escalated collaboration, clearer task instructions & milestones, and prompt status updates. In fact, the system also offers compliance to standard accounting laws and practices, taking some stress off these professionals’ shoulders.

» Final Thoughts

The business world today is getting much more competitive with every passing day. And thus, it is not only wise but also essential to use modern technology, such as project management software, to make your mark. Both externally and for internal operations. No matter which industry you belong to or the size of your organization.

With the help of such tools, you are bound to experience a considerable increase in your planning, organization, and execution abilities. There would be more time on hand since the system would automate your standard, manual processes. You would no longer need to contact your team leaders/project managers for frequent updates on project status. A click into the dashboard and the PM tools would fetch you all the details – from status to resource availability to budget and cost!

What else do you need for the smooth handling of your projects, right?!

Now that we’ve covered all the prime aspects of a project management system in this guide, are you going to switch to one? Or are you already using one? Do you think all the information that we collated here would help you choose the right software?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)