15 Best Project Management Tools For Software Development

Looking for the best project management tools for software development? You’ve come to the right place.

Having top-rated project management tools for software development is extremely important if you want to make sure your team is empowered to increase performance and productivity.

But the real question is, which tool best suits today’s software development needs? Read this article until the end to learn about the 15 best project management software for software development teams.

The need for project management tools for software development teams

Project management tools are essential for software development because they help organize and monitor a project’s progress. Without a project management tool, it would be difficult to know what tasks need to be completed, how much progress has been made on a task, and when a task is due.

Here are some key reasons why investing in a project management tool for software development is worth the investment:

1. You can keep track of the progress of your software development project and ensure that it is on time and within budget.
2. You can communicate effectively with your team members and other stakeholders to ensure everyone is aligned.
3. Risks can be identified and tracked, allowing you to mitigate them before they become a problem.
4. You can use a project management tool to manage and plan your resources better and get the most out of them.

The 15 Best Project Management Tools for Software Development

As a software developer, you might be familiar with a wide variety of project management tools. However, with so many available options, choosing the right one requires time and effort.

Let’s explore the top 15 project management tools for software development.

1. Nifty

Nifty reduces product development cycles and assists in improving productivity. It does so by combining all the essential features of project management into a single hub for your development team. A calendar is built-in into Nifty which can be integrated with Google and Outlook.

Additionally, it allows you to manage your software development projects and tasks through list, timeline, calendar, or Kanban view. This collaborative tool facilitates team alignment by automating progress reporting through the completion of tasks and even has custom if/then automation rules.

Nifty is the ideal project management tool for software development thanks to its robust range of collaboration, reporting, and automation features.

Key Features

• Project Portfolios
• Time Tracking and Reporting
• Custom Roles and Permissions
• Gantt Chart with automated progress reporting
• Native Docs + Google Docs integration.
• Task Scheduling & Reminders
• Task Management with Automations
• Budget Tracking

Pros

• Effective team collaboration
• Available on web, mobile, & desktop
• Intuitive UI with little-to-no learning curve
• Excellent customer support

Pricing

• Free plan with unlimited users and tasks
• Starter: $5/user/month
• Pro: $10/user/month
• Business: $16/user/month

👉 Ready to try Nifty? Get started with Nifty for free.

2. ProofHub

ProofHub is an all-in-one project management and team collaboration tool designed to manage projects and teams of all sizes. Seasoned product managers know that different projects require different methodologies ProofHub’s intuitive and customizable user interface empowers you to set the stage for your software development projects the way you see fit.

ProofHub allows you to visualize your project timeline in four different views to effortlessly assign tasks, identify team capacities, track progress, and eliminate any unexpected bottlenecks. Additionally, the in-built chat feature enables smooth and efficient collaboration, file sharing, document proofing, and roadblock reporting among teams. 

Features:

• Task Management
• Collaboration
• Proofing
• Custom Roles
• Reports
• Time tracking
• Project templates

Pros:

• No need to switch between multiple apps. Plan, execute, and manage projects from one centralized location. 
• Ultimate control with an intuitive and customizable user interface from day one. 
• Add as many team members as you need without paying any extra buck. 
• Hassle-free onboarding
• In-built chat for smooth and effective collaboration. 

Cons:

• Not that suitable for individual users. 
• Notifications are overwhelming sometimes.

Pricing:

• 14 Days Free Trail comes with all the features.
• Essential: $45 /month (billed annually for unlimited users)
• Ultimate Control: $89 /month (billed annually for unlimited users)

3. Trello

Trello is a project management application that allows users to create and manage tasks in a Kanban-style workflow. Kanban is a system that helps users visualize and track the progress of work items through a board with columns. Trello’s Kanban-style workflow makes it a versatile tool for various applications, from personal project management and task management to team collaboration.

Trello is a popular tool for project managers and teams of all sizes.

Key Features

• Create personalized Kanban boards with no hassle.
• Easily manage tasks on cardboard.
• Visually share ideas with other colleagues.
• Share files and images.
• Create unlimited task lists.
• Organize lists according to priority or by date.

Pros

• Less complex pricing structure.
• It’s easy to add members. Adding a new member is as simple as entering the new user’s email address.
• An easy-to-use interface. Trello is simple and easy to use, so anyone can use it.
• The notification system is excellent. One of Trello’s key features is the ability to see every move made on the software. The email notification goes out for every update, comment, and task removal, while the push notification goes to users of the phone.

Cons

• Difficult to handle big projects
• Storage limit
• You cannot review iterations

Pricing

• 14 days free trial
• Standard USD 5 Per user/month
• Premium USD 10 Per user/month
• Enterprise USD 17.50 Per user/month

4. Teamwork

Teamwork is a project management platform built to help software development companies manage the entire lifecycle of their client work in one place. Get your entire team on the same page about which tasks need to be prioritized. 

This project management tool for software development companies provides all of the features you’d expect in a tool, as well as integrated time tracking, financial management, robust reporting, and free access for clients to ensure your projects are delivered on time and on budget. Track every detail. Break work and projects into tasks and layers of subtasks so nothing slips through the cracks and everyone knows what to do and when it’s done.

Features

• Resource & Workload Management
• Time Tracking
• Financial Management
• Task Tracking & Prioritization
• Team Collaboration
• Task Management
• Third-party integration

Pros

• Easy to use
• Flexible and customizable tool
• Integrate Teamwork with your favorite apps
• Excellent interface
• Available on mobile
• Storage of files in one place

Cons

• The free version is limited. You will have to upgrade if you want to avail all of their best features.

Pricing

• Free forever plan
• The starter plan starts at $5.99
• Deliver plan costs $9.99
• The Grow plan starts at $19.99

5. Jira

Using Jira Software, teams of all types can manage their work more effectively. Jira was initially designed for tracking bugs and issues. In today’s world of agile software development, Jira is a powerful work management tool for managing everything from requirements to test cases.

Jira is a bit expensive project management software for software development, so you might want to consider using a Jira alternative.

Key Features

• Project management
• Data and Reporting
• Project and issue tracking
• Visual project management
• Content Collaboration

Pros

• Agile work management
• Organization alignment
• Reports and Insights

Cons

• Challenging setup
• Limited project management
• Missing communication tool

Pricing

• Always free for 10 users
• Standard: $7.75 per user
• Premium: $15.25 per user

Read also: Best agile project management tools

6. ClickUp

ClickUp is a project management software for enterprises that also functions just well for managing software development projects. Managing resources, planning projects, scheduling tasks, and interacting with team members, all of these are possible in one place with ClickUp.

Features

• Project Management
• Team collaboration and communication
• Customization capabilities
• Real-time reporting
• Time tracking capabilities
• Agile development

Read also: Clickup alternatives

Pros

• The layout is friendly. All information is easily viewed and understood with ClickUp. It is easy for teams to keep track of multiple projects with the layout.
• A customer-centric approach. Clickup continually offers new features, improvements, and enhancements based on customers’ needs.
• Full-featured free version.
• Cost-effective. Using ClickUp, you can manage different types of projects without having to use multiple software applications.

Cons

• UI needs improvements
• Too many options for customization
• Too many ClickUp features. When setting up the system for the first time, some users feel overwhelmed by the number of features available.

Pricing

• Free version available

• Unlimited: $ 5 per user/month

• Business: $ 12 per user/month

• Business Plus: $ 19 per user/month

• Enterprise: Best for many large teams

7. Asana

Asana task management solution comes with an automation tool, a rule builder, and other tools for managing the workplace. By using Asana’s Timeline, users can visualize the piece-by-piece construction of a project and keep things on track as they evolve.

Features

• Work, project, and task management
• Reporting
• Customizable dashboard
• Team management
• Multiple workspaces
• Email Integration

Pros

• Easy to use
• Expansive Integration
• Collaboration focused
• Task Management

Cons

• No time tracking feature
• Require some experience
• Assignments are limited

Pricing

• Free trial
• Free package for 15 users
• Premium package:  $21/5 users/month

8. KrispCall

Good project management is critical to the success of any business endeavor. An essential aspect of good project management is effective communication.

With the KrispCall communication tool, project managers can have fast and easy interactions with their team members. Managing projects becomes easier when software development teams communicate and collaborate with one another. They can streamline their workflow in a much better way.

Features

• Intelligent call routing
• Call recording
• Lead management
• Internal call transfer
• Complete messaging platform
• Survey management
• Contact management

Pros

• Allows you to keep track of all call logs, chat history, and contact details in one place.
• Enables multitasking to switch between calls seamlessly.
• Allows admins to manage and customize one or more workspaces.

Cons

• Location tracking is not available
• Lack of video conferencing capability

Pricing

• Essential: $ 15 monthly/user
• Standard $ 40 monthly/user
• Enterprise recommended for large enterprises

9. Scoro

A leading business management software, Scoro is popular with agencies and consultancies worldwide.  With it, you can manage your projects, manage your CRM, automate billing, and do reporting all in one place. You’ll be able to run your business as smoothly and efficiently as possible from the beginning to the end.

Features

• Track real-time progress
• Simple project management
• Task prioritization and scheduling
• Track non-billable time
• Timesheet view
• Track planned meetings and task

Pros

• Fast customer service
• Product management and planning
• Inventory management
• Efficient invoicing
• Streamlined order tracking

Cons

• Absence of contact synchronization with Gmail
• Marketing and CRM are very poor
• Filtering is difficult.

Pricing

• Essential: $ 26/user/month

• Standard: $ 37/user/month

• Pro: $ 63/user/month

• Ultimate: for large enterprises

10. Paymo

Paymo is a project management and workload management tool for small-medium businesses and freelancers. The app’s main focus is helping teams with collaboration, timesheet management, and project accounting. It basically allows you to manage projects from start to finish:

Features

• Time tracking
• Task management
• Team scheduling
• Team collaboration
• Invoicing and estimates
• File proofing

Pros

• Comprehensive project management tools
• Extensive time tracking
• Actionable Insight and reports

Cons

• The filters can get confusing, sometimes it’s too many filters or not enough.
• Does not track the cost of each project.

Pricing

• Free for a maximum 1 user
• Starter: $ 4.95 /user/month
• Small office: $ 9.95 /user/month
• Business: $ 20.79/user/month

11. Airtable

Using Airtable is so simple, and it gives your full freedom to create a new project from scratch. It organizes work processes into templates and tables based on project needs.

However, Airtable’s real power lies in its customization. Airtable can be tailored to meet your exact needs. But if you’re willing to take the time to do so, there are no limits. A wide range of customization options is available, including methodology and view types, column headers, field types, and data validation.

Features

• Calendar Management
• Customized Fields and views
• Data Synchronization
• Sort, filter, and rearrange records
• Relational Database Functionality
• Link Records Between Tables
• Tags and Keywords
• Email integration
• Application Integration
• Social media integration
• Third-party integration
• Forms Management
• Collaborative Workspace
• Communication Management
• Automatic Notifications and automatic backup
• Records Management
• Upload Spreadsheet
• Templates

Why Nifty is an ideal Airtable Alternative

Pros

• Simple to use
• Familiar collaboration space
• Great view options
• Excellent UI
• Powerful templates for many use cases

Cons

• Lack of formula builder.
• There is no automatic refresh feature.
• Expensive
• For free users, there are no basic blocks

Pricing

• Free plan but with limited features
• Plus: $10 per seat per month billed annually, but if billed monthly, it’s $12.
• Pro: $20 per seat per month billed annually, but if billed monthly, it’s $24.

12. Redmine

An open-source project management software tool, Redmine was developed by an engineering community. With its multitude of plugins and themes, you can radically and magically customize your project.

Though it is free, it is not suitable for everyone. Further, in contrast to many of the best project management software for software development, Redmine is not so simple to set up and use. If you want to use a free version, Redmine is best. However, if you want to use an additional collaborative feature, use Easy Redmine.

Easy Redmine is built based on the Redmine open-source foundation but has been greatly enhanced with a newly written GUI.

Features

• Facile time tracking
• Product roadmap and strategic planning
• Collaboration in wikis and forums
• Gantt charts and calendar
• CM integration
• Kanban boards
• Email notifications
• Multiple project support
• Allow tracking of multiple projects
• Includes an issue-tracking system

Pros

• Flexible and customizable project management application.
• Support different languages
• Open source
• Customizable with themes and plugins
• Powerful custom queries
• Integration with code version control like git/svn

Customizable workflows

• Integration with email clients
• Support for MS SQL Server
• Projects and groups separation

Cons

• Search and reporting features are not working
• Needs self-installation and maintenance
• There is no support included (other than the online community)
• It is not suitable for all teams and projects; it is primarily geared toward software developers.

Pricing

• Free and open source.
• Essentials: $5.90 per user per month
• Business: $11.90 per user per month
• Platform: $23.90 per user per month
• Enterprise: Contact vendor

13. Zoho Projects

The Zoho Projects team management tool is another highly popular project coordinator. The application keeps track of almost all aspects of the development workflow.

The unique feature of Zoho Projects is that it automates document processes, including revision tracking, access control, and document search and retrieval.

Users can schedule tasks and projects, create budgets, assign tasks to members, and set due dates with its many project management features.

Looking for Zoho alternatives? 

Features

• Task management
• Team collaboration
• Integration and Add-ones
• Time management
• Zoho integration
• Automation
• Customization
• Charts and Reports
• Track bugs
• Integrate with the G-Suite apps
• Gantt Charts

Pros

• Integration with several tools is possible.
• Excellent value
• Deep configuration options
• Generally easy to set up and navigate
• Strong time-tracking tool
• App provides multiple communication options
• Excellent customer support

Cons

• Charts, project pages, and bug-tracking features are not included in the standard pricing plan. It’s, therefore, necessary to pay for them separately.
• Premade templates are not included.
• Quite an unusual resource management view.
• Poor dashboard
• High learning curve

Pricing

• Free for only two projects for 3 users.
• Premium: $5 per user per month
• Enterprise: $10/user/month

14. Basecamp

With a plain and user-friendly interface feature available for cooperation between customers and teammates, Basecamp has the largest number of admirers around the world.

In Basecamp, all users are on the same page while they work on the project. The main page displays well-organized icons instead of boring linear lists. So, it is pleasing for the eyes too.

The application provides a user-friendly interface that enables them to comment on files, assign tasks, and keep track of their recent activities.

Features

• Upload documents and files
• Automated check-ins
• Create project schedules
• Real-time management of project activities
• Collaborate Seamlessly
• Build up to-do lists
• Have performance records
• Manage and share files
• Put workflow on the card table
• Setup discussions
• Report on the project’s progress
• Built-in communication feature

Check out: Basecamp Alternative

Pros

• Excellent User interface
• Full of plug-in services
• Simple pricing
• Excellent document storage
• Available on mobile
• Storage of files in a single place.
• Great customer services

Cons

• Lack of task management
• Integration with third-party applications such as Dropbox and Google Drive needs extra services to integrate.
• Lack Time tracking feature
• Lack of show-stopping feature
• There is no option to archive topics
• Limited chat management

Pricing

• Free trial for 30 days
• Premium plan: $11 per user per month

15. Wrike

Wrike is another good choice of project management tool with a strong feature. Even though it is full of features, you don’t have to spend so much time in its setup process.

Wrike helps you to design valuable project details in spreadsheet columns and manage projects in it.

The biggest companies in the tech world, such as Dell, Google, and Airbnb use Wrike as a project management tool.

Features

• Task management
• Advanced Analytics
• Online-to-do list for work
• Cross-tagging
• Customize tools for any teams
• Purpose-built templates
• Shared team calendars
• Time tracking
• Project Portfolio Management
• Gantt charts
• Kanban Boards
• Mobile Access

Pros

• Good customer service
• Robust application
• Powerful Automation
• A free version is an available
• Integration with other applications
• Resources allocation and management
• Ability to find the task

Cons

• Difficult onboarding
• Lack of filtering options
• Slow Speed
• Lack of UI customization
• Expensive

Pricing

• Free version with core features available
• Professional: $9.80 per user per month
• Business: $24.80 per user per month
• Enterprise: Contact the customer support team

Conclusion

Information technology has revolutionized the way we live and work. In the past, managing a software development project was a daunting task, but today there are a variety of tools available to help make the job easier.

There are dozens of project management tools on the market, but choosing the right one for your needs can be a challenge. In order to assist you in making the right decision, we have compiled a list of the best software development project management tools.

Selecting the right project management tool can take time, but it’s worth it to get it right before rolling it out to an entire team is worth it.