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15 Best Task Management Software for Small Businesses (Free & Paid)

By Naveed Ahmed | Reviewed by Syed Balkhi | May 3, 2024 | Reader Disclosure

Looking for the best task management software for small businesses? Trying to keep track of quarterly goals and deadlines can feel impossible without the right tools at your disposal. Task management software allows you to see all of your team’s work in one place, helping you to prioritize what matters most and get more done.

In this article, we’ve handpicked the best task management software for small businesses to boost productivity, improve organization, and increase revenue.

What is Task Management Software and Why is it Important?

It’s hard to stay on top of priorities, especially for small teams who are often wearing multiple hats. They juggle client interactions, content marketing, product development, administrative tasks, and much more.

Without a systematic approach to task management, important assignments can slip through the cracks, resulting in missed deadlines and unhappy clients. This is where you need task management software. It can act as a centralized hub for managing work and planning projects.

You will be able to track everything from project planning to completion. Your task list will be assigned to the right people in a place designed for collaboration among team members. And most importantly, your team will prioritize important tasks instead of wasting time on work that doesn’t produce results.

As an expert in the field with over 15 years of experience in digital marketing, I’ve seen firsthand how task management software can transform a business. It provides a structured way to track progress, ensure accountability, and ultimately deliver better results.

In my experience, a key factor in choosing the right task management software is considering your team’s needs and your business goals. Some software options offer features that are more suitable for specific industries or workflows.

For example, if you’re working with a creative team, you might need software that allows for easy collaboration on visual assets and feedback. On the other hand, if your team is focused on software development, you may need software that supports agile workflows and bug tracking.

By taking the time to understand your needs, you can select a task management software that will help your team achieve its goals and maximize productivity.

Don’t just take my word for it, though. Let’s check out the best options available today.

15 Best Task Management Software (Free & Paid)

At WPBeginner, our goal is to help small businesses compete with the big guys. With task management tools, your teams can work faster. That’s why we’ve scoured the vast landscape of task management solutions to bring you only the tools we believe are the best.

Let’s dive in!

1. Asana

In our opinion, Asana is the best task management software for small businesses. Asana doesn’t just help you manage tasks. It ties all of the work your company does to high-level goals and business strategies while breaking down complex projects into manageable tasks.

You can set key results and objectives for your company, team, and individual contributors, and see how they align. Each task is tied to a goal, ensuring that no one is wasting time on non-priority work. You can even create reports on your goals to track progress across your entire company.

Asana is customizable and adapts to your team’s needs. You can create automated workflows without any coding. For example, every time a particular task moves to a certain stage, you can automatically assign it to the next person in the flow or create recurring tasks to never forget important activities. And of course, you can view projects and tasks in a variety of ways, including lists, Kanban boards, timelines, calendars, portfolios, and workloads.

The free version isn’t bad either. Many free task management software offers are too restrictive and non-functional for small businesses. But Asana isn’t one of them. Its free plan supports unlimited projects, messaging, file storage, messaging across multiple project files, storage, and more. Plus, Asana has a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, allowing you to manage your task list on the go.

Pricing: With Asana’s free plan, you get all of the core features you need like unlimited tasks and projects. If you want access to their more advanced features such as timelines, goal tracking, or approvals, then consider their Premium or Business plans.

2. Monday.com

Monday.com is one of the most versatile and powerful task management software on the market. Used by over 180,000 companies, it can handle just about anything from basic task organization to resource management and a full project portfolio.

Setting up workflows from scratch can be time-consuming. But with Monday.com’s customizable templates, you can speed up the setup process. Choose from dozens of project templates for campaign planning, project portfolio tracking, product roadmaps, customer support tickets, onboarding, and much more.

Dashboards are highly customizable with 30 pre-built widgets you can use, including a capacity planning widget that helps project managers allocate resources to the right people.

Monday.com makes it easy to break down large goals into manageable daily tasks. You start by defining goals and objectives based on your business’s priorities. Next, you can define the projects and processes required to reach the goals. From there, you create tasks and parent/child subtasks that align with the project and objectives.

Monday.com stands out for its integrated customer relationship management (CRM) application. You can easily organize your prospects based on their stage in the sales funnel. The CRM is designed to streamline everything and save you time. That’s why it has automation features that let you set activity reminders, automatically assign leads to reps, and change deal stages.

For developers, Monday.com offers a specific ‘Dev’ product that helps you launch, design, and develop products. Feature backlog, bug tracking, roadmap planning, and sprints help you address all product-related issues and ensure that you aren’t overlooking anything.

If you have an online store, Monday.com has WooCommerce integration. This means you can leverage their easy-to-use interface to manage your online orders and inventory levels.

Pricing: The free plan lets you use up to 3 Kanban boards and is perfect for individuals. For access to Gantt chart or timeline view, you’ll need to upgrade to their Standard plan at $10 per month. Premium plans allow you to take advantage of automation, time tracking, integrations, and a wider range of advanced features.

3. Kanban Boards for WordPress

Kanban Boards for WordPress brings the popular project management methodology to your dashboard for free. It’s perfect for businesses that want to manage simple task lists without feeling overwhelmed. These project boards are customizable, and you can edit them directly from the interface.

You can create and assign tasks to team members with due dates and track the time it takes to complete them. With this plugin, you can even create custom views, which filter the board based on different criteria.

But why use Kanban Boards in WordPress instead of something like Asana or Monday.com? As a customization tool, consistently publishing content on your WordPress blog is vital to drive traffic and convert visitors into customers. Kanban Boards will help you plan ahead and create highly customizable editorial calendars. That said, you may want to combine Kanban Boards for WordPress with other calendar-specific plugins as this tool doesn’t have a calendar view.

Adding this Trello-like kanban board into WordPress is super simple, too. All you need to do is install the plugin and configure some settings. Then, start creating tasks and assigning them to your team.

Pricing: It is free to use, but a paid version is available for $149 per year.

4. ClickUp

ClickUp is the ultimate task management platform, offering arguably more features than any other option on the list. One of its key selling points is the ability to fully customize the tool to fit your business model and workflow. The custom fields feature lets you add all sorts of information to your views, while the custom dashboard gives you more than 50 widgets to build your dashboards so you can see the business metrics that matter.

ClickUp also makes it easy to manage your time with flexible time-tracking features. Even if you’re working remotely, time tracking is still useful. For example, users can track how long it takes to complete tasks. On the other hand, project managers can look at past timesheets to help them better allocate the total number of hours per project.

One of their latest new tools is ClickUp AI, a feature that brings artificial intelligence to just about every aspect of the offering. You can use AI to create project timelines, write project notes, write emails, summarize meeting notes, create status reports, and more.

Pricing: If you are a freelancer or individual, the free plan lets you have 100 MB of storage, kanban boards, and calendar view. The $12 per month Business plan is perfect for small businesses as it offers unlimited storage, goals, portfolios, resource management, and more.

5. AirTable

AirTable is a highly customizable cloud-based task management platform that allows you to create custom databases and applications from scratch. This lets you organize your data, processes, and workflows however you see fit. Compared to most other task management tools, Airtable is much more flexible.

That said, starting from scratch is not for the tech-uninitiated. Luckily, you can use their numerous templates for common use cases and then make modifications to fit your business. Try one of their many templates across categories ranging from content production to software development to public relations and real estate.

One of the most interesting aspects of AirTable is its seamless integration with popular business tools, including WordPress. Over 43% of the internet uses WordPress, so it only makes sense that task management tools connect with it. There are two ways to integrate AirTable. One is through the platform’s WordPress integration, and the other is through the Uncanny Automator tool. In both cases, you’ll get the exact AirTable interface inside your WordPress website.

Pricing: AirTable offers a free plan, which gives access to all view types, 5 editors, and even automation features. Their paid plans offer more storage, editors, and advanced features.

6. Teamwork

Next on the list is Teamwork, a task management tool best known for its collaboration features. Although Teamwork can serve many use cases, it really shines when it comes to managing client work or a creative team. For example, you’ll find features like billable hour tracking, brand customization, invoicing, intake forms, and client access to help manage projects seamlessly. That said, we recommend using a separate, more robust Form Builder like WPForms when creating any client forms or questionnaires. You can also empower clients by giving them partial access to Teamwork so they can comment and view your task list.

Teamwork connects to popular tools you already use, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Quickbooks, and more. So you don’t have to jump between separate platforms to find the files or data you’re looking for.

Most task management software offers a free plan for individuals. But Teamwork offers more features in its free version than many of its competitors. You get access to 5 users with highlights like automation, team availability, Gantt chart views, time tracking, and milestones, all things that are rare to find in a free plan.

Pricing: Teamwork gives you everything you need to get started with its free plan. You get up to 5 users, all project views, and even access to task dependencies.

7. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a web-based solution that allows businesses of all sizes to manage tasks, crowdsource, report, and much more. Think of Smartsheet as a more advanced version of Excel spreadsheets. This system may feel more familiar to businesses who are comfortable using spreadsheets for project management.

That’s because you can add formulas and functions to perform calculations or manipulate data. This is especially useful when you need to pull data from different sheets or perform calculations. For example, you’re tracking sales revenue from your sales team or making financial projections based on the team’s current pace of work.

What sets Smartsheet apart is its advanced reporting permissions. You can easily pull together the most important information from multiple sheets into a single report with a few clicks. By doing so, you will spot trends and potential bottlenecks to help your team constantly improve.

There are also many ways to use Smartsheet. Like a spreadsheet, you can manipulate your sheets for just about anything: task management, budget tracking, inventory management, campaign tracking, expense categorization, and more. You can use this tool hundreds of different ways, making it a candidate to replace other business tools you may already be using for other functions.

That said, it is not as easy to use as some of the more popular task management software and does not have Kanban boards that we’ve all come to love.

Pricing: Smartsheet offers a free plan that gives access to all core features. The Business plan costs $25 per user per month and is perfect for small businesses who want to manage projects with unlimited editors.

8. Trello

Trello is a simple task management tool best known for its Kanban-style boards. Their customizable interface allows users to set up cards on different boards like sticky notes. In each card, you can assign tasks to team members, add comments, share files, identify users, and create checklists. Trello is highly customizable, letting you label cards so they are easy to identify.

The drag-and-drop functionality is super convenient. Just drag cards from one column to the next as they reach different milestones. For assignees, it is probably the easiest platform to use since everything is done through the Kanban board.

It’s worth mentioning the Power-Up functionality where you can add integrations and features to your boards. These include document management, calendar view, time tracking, social media, and custom fields.

Trello is great for small teams and individuals as it is very easy to use. However, it lacks advanced features for businesses with multiple teams as it doesn’t have dependency management or a Gantt chart to display project timelines and milestones.

Pricing: Trello is free, with unlimited cards and up to 10 boards per workspace. Upgrade to the Premium plan at $10 per user per month for calendar, timeline, table, and card views.

9. PublishPress

PublishPress is a whole suite of plugins, all geared towards helping with editorial calendar management. If you’re looking to start a WordPress blog or if you already have one up and running, PublishPress Editorial Calendar is the plugin you need.

The hallmark of a successful blog that drives traffic is consistency. Planning your content ahead of time and following a consistent schedule will help you publish enough blog posts. Also, confirm that you are using a keyword generation tool to help you plan and create the right kind of content that will attract your target audience. All of the content is directly linked to the blog post on your WordPress website. With the calendar view, you’ll see when each post will go live.

WordPress only offers a few status options like ‘draft’ or ‘published’. With the PublishPress Permissions plugin, you can customize your workflow to match your editorial process. Additional statuses like ‘Awaiting Review’ or ‘In Edits’ could be helpful to let everyone know what stage each blog post is in.

Pricing: All PublishPress plugins are free to use. All you need to do is install and activate them directly from the WordPress plugin repository. However, if you want more advanced features, you can upgrade to PublishPress Pro and get access to the premium version of each plugin. Plans start at $129 per year.

10. Jira Software

Jira Software was built for developers. It is one of several Atlassian tools that help Agile teams get things done. By Agile teams, we mean groups that work collaboratively and cross-functionally. This often involves breaking projects into smaller tasks assigned to different people.

Think of Jira Software as a tool to track everything that happens throughout iterations. You can identify roadblocks as quickly as possible, focus on continuous improvement, and reach your goals with as little drama as possible. You’ll have defined boards for Scrum and Kanban and more than a dozen Agile reporting tools. While these aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing reports, they are perfect for tracking progress.

For example, you can create a backlog, which lists all of the work items that need to be addressed in the project. Then, create a sprint to commit to addressing those items for a specific time frame. It is ideal for large teams, particularly developer teams. However, Jira Software tends to be more challenging to learn as it has many advanced features and complex terminology.

Pricing: Jira Software lets you get started for free, giving access to a maximum of 10 users. Higher-tier plans offer more storage, roles, and permissions for users. With the free plan, each user is a project administrator.

11. ProofHub

ProofHub is an all-in-one task management application recommended by many Fortune 500 companies and used by over 85,000 teams worldwide. The software is best known for its many collaboration tools. They make it easy to communicate with your team to execute projects quickly. With one-on-one and group chat boxes and discussion boards, you can collaborate with team members without the back-and-forth of long emails or Slack threads.

You can see all the updates for a Topic in one place and easily understand where the project stands. Project administrators can also make announcements, similar to social media posts. This allows you to celebrate accomplishments, share updates across teams, and confirm priority changes.

ProofHub also has a wide range of features to allow your team to collaborate on creative assets. You mark up visual and text files to give precise feedback on what needs to be fixed. There are a variety of project views that are suited to your use case, such as the board, Gantt charts, calendar, and table view.

Pricing: Starting at $45 per month, the Essential plan offers all of the core features to effectively manage your small business. This includes project management, boards, Gantt charts, time tracking, file approvals, and discussion.

12. Hive

Hive is a comprehensive solution that goes beyond just task management. For example, the software boasts a unique email integration that lets users send messages from Gmail and Outlook into Hive. There are also real-time collaboration features like a video chat function, a note-taking app (similar to Google Docs), and an intake form builder. You can even use their AI tools to write content, draft email replies, and create project tasks based on suggestions.

As for task management itself, Hive lets you manage your projects in one of nine project views, including Gantt charts, kanban, and more. It’s very easy to visualize whatever you want to see. Plus, you can color-code tasks or customize notifications so you don’t miss key items. Automation is even built-in, letting you automate routine tasks. For example, you can set up a trigger and action, such as whenever a certain task is completed, the system will send an email or update a row in Google Sheets. Hive is perfect for just about any creative or business operations team that wants to streamline or automate certain workflows.

Pricing: Hive is free to start, but it only gives access to two users. If you want to manage a small team, opt for the Team plan at $12 per user per month. You get all task views, time tracking, and 7 custom modules to unlock Hive’s capabilities.

13. HubSpot Task Management

While HubSpot Task Management is not a traditional task management solution, its CRM platform has task and project management permissions. If you’re a salesperson, then you may want to consider HubSpot because of their email marketing, CRM, chat, and, of course, task management tools, all natively connected within one. This is important because you can easily connect your tasks with contacts, giving you more visibility into your leads.

As a user, you can create workflows to schedule new tasks, set reminders, and compare your performance to past data. Having your task list organized with filter options can save you from wasting time on administrative tasks that don’t generate revenue. However, it doesn’t include a Kanban board or calendar view, and you cannot manage dependencies, which makes it less useful for project managers and other departments outside of sales.

Pricing: HubSpot Task Management is completely free to use. If you want to integrate your tasks with contacts, calls, or other marketing and sales activities, check out HubSpot’s full pricing plan, which includes their entire suite of products.

14. Wrike?

Wrike is a comprehensive project management tool designed for agencies, marketing teams, and professional service providers. Like many of the best platforms, you can assign tasks, add dependencies, and see project progress all in one place. You can also view projects using Gantt charts, Kanban boards, tables, and lists.

Wrike has direct integrations with many popular business applications, meaning you won’t struggle to pull information from your email, CRM, or other software. In other words, you’ll have very detailed reporting since you can connect data from across your entire organization. The downside to Wrike is its high cost. As a small business, you’ll need to subscribe to their Team plan at least, which is $9.80 per user per month. Even this plan lacks reporting capabilities and user permissions. In this case, you’ll need to upgrade to the Business tier, which is $24.80 per user per month.

Pricing: Wrike is free to start, but it only gives you the board and table view. The Team plan at $9.80 per user per month gives access to 25 users, unlimited views, and even an AI content generation tool.

15. Atarim

Atarim is a rising task and project management tool designed for web design agencies. Because it has a WordPress plugin, you can easily install Atarim on your client’s WordPress site. Essentially, Atarim provides a powerful visual collaboration tool where you can comment on any part of a client’s site, much like you would with Google Docs. You can identify internal team members and link it to a task that takes you directly to a Kanban board.

You can also alert your clients so they know exactly what you intend to change. This prevents email back-and-forth and allows you to quickly show them the part of the site you’re working on. They even have everything you need to manage web design agency projects, like the ability to create client intake forms and time tracking for freelancers. This way, you can keep all of your tasks in one place and don’t need to switch between tools.

Pricing: Free plans are available for a single user. Paid plans start at $20 for access to 5 users and 20 projects. (Note: This essentially means 20 websites.) Higher plans give you access to more collaborators and projects to work on.

Our Pick: Best Task Management Software

To maximize your team’s productivity and achieve your biggest goals for the year, you need the right business tools to grow your small business.

Which one is right for you?

Asana is by far the best task management software for small businesses. It ties all of your tasks directly to your goals, ensuring that your team is spending time on work that matters. It’s affordable and lets you create custom workflows and automations. This automates repetitive work and frees up your time for bigger projects.

If you publish content regularly, Kanban Boards for WordPress is the best choice. It’s super easy to use as you just drag and drop cards on the board as they progress through the steps.

Smartsheet is for spreadsheet lovers who enjoy the grid interface or want to use formulas to do calculations. It’s perfect for sales teams who want to track sales or make financial projections.

Jira Software is the go-to platform for developers and designers. Features like backlogs, bug tracking, roadmaps, and dependencies help teams move from ideation to launch.

We hope this article helps you determine the best task management software for your small business. You may also want to read our guide on the best WordPress plugins for business websites or the best live chat software for small businesses.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Conclusion

Choosing the right task management software is essential for any small business looking to streamline workflows, boost productivity, and achieve its goals. By selecting the right tool and leveraging its features effectively, businesses can gain a competitive edge and drive success.

Remember, the key is to find a solution that aligns with your specific needs, budget, and team dynamics. Don’t be afraid to try out free trials or explore different options before making a commitment. With so many great task management software solutions available, you’re sure to find the perfect fit for your business.

If you’re interested in learning more about tech news, feel free to visit my website: www.naveedahmed.me.

FAQs

What are the benefits of using task management software?

Task management software offers numerous benefits for small businesses, including:

Improved organization and visibility
Enhanced collaboration and communication
Increased productivity and efficiency
Better time management and resource allocation
Improved accountability and task completion rates
Streamlined project management and workflows
Data-driven insights and performance tracking

What are the key features to look for in task management software?

When choosing task management software, consider the following key features:

Task assignment and prioritization
Collaboration tools (e.g., comments, discussions, file sharing)
Project planning and management (e.g., Gantt charts, timelines)
Task dependencies and relationships
Time tracking and reporting
Automation and workflows
Integrations with other business tools
Mobile app compatibility
Security and data privacy
User-friendly interface and ease of use

How much does task management software cost?

The cost of task management software varies depending on the features, number of users, and plan selected. Some software offers free plans with limited functionality, while others charge a monthly or annual subscription fee. The price range can vary from free to several hundred dollars per month for premium plans.

Is task management software only for large businesses?

Absolutely not! Task management software is incredibly beneficial for small businesses of all sizes. It helps them stay organized, collaborate effectively, and manage their workload efficiently. In fact, many task management platforms have free plans or affordable options specifically designed for small businesses.

What are some tips for choosing the right task management software for my business?

Here are some tips to help you choose the right task management software for your business:

Identify your specific needs and requirements. What features are most important to you?
Consider your budget and pricing options.
Read reviews and compare different software options.
Try out free trials to test the software and see if it fits your workflow.
Get feedback from your team members and stakeholders.
Ensure the software integrates well with your existing tools.

How do I implement task management software in my business?

Implementing task management software effectively involves the following steps:

Choose the right software and plan.
Set up your workspace and create projects.
Train your team on how to use the software.
Start assigning tasks and tracking progress.
Continuously monitor and adjust your workflows as needed.

What are some best practices for using task management software?

Here are some best practices to maximize the benefits of task management software:

Define clear goals and objectives for each project.
Break down projects into manageable tasks.
Assign tasks to the right team members.
Set realistic deadlines and track progress regularly.
Encourage communication and collaboration within the team.
Use automation features to streamline repetitive tasks.
Regularly review and refine your workflows.

Is there any free task management software available?

Yes, there are several free task management software options available. Some popular choices include Asana, Trello, ClickUp, and AirTable. These free plans often offer core features like task assignment, collaboration tools, and basic project management capabilities. However, they may have limitations on the number of users, storage space, or advanced features.

What are some alternatives to traditional task management software?

While traditional task management software is widely used, there are some alternatives that might better suit your needs depending on your team’s size and workflow. These include:

Project management tools: Tools like Asana, Monday.com, and ClickUp offer more comprehensive project management features beyond task management, including resource planning, budget tracking, and reporting.
Kanban boards: Tools like Trello are great for visualizing tasks and workflows, especially for agile teams. They focus on simple, visual boards and drag-and-drop functionality.
Note-taking apps: Tools like Notion and Evernote can be used for task management in addition to note-taking, collaboration, and knowledge management.
Spreadsheets: Tools like Excel and Google Sheets can be used to manage tasks and track progress, especially for simpler projects.

How do I choose the right task management software for my team?

To choose the right task management software for your team, consider the following factors:

Team size and structure: Different software options cater to different team sizes. Some are better suited for small teams, while others are designed for larger organizations.
Workflow and project complexity: Consider the types of projects your team handles and the complexity of your workflows. Some software is simpler, while others offer more advanced features.
Communication and collaboration needs: How much communication and collaboration is required within your team? Some software offers robust communication tools, while others focus on task assignment and tracking.
Budget and pricing: Different software options offer various pricing plans, so consider your budget and choose a plan that fits your needs.
Integrations: Ensure that the software integrates with your existing tools and systems.

I hope this article has provided you with valuable insights into the best task management software options for small businesses. Remember, selecting the right tool can significantly improve your team’s productivity and efficiency. Happy managing!

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