Smartsheet is a project management solution that helps manage projects and tasks primarily using a spreadsheet format. Smartsheet was first introduced in 2006 and underwent a major redesign in 2010. It serves as a single systematic and flexible solution for your task management needs.
However, there are some limitations and flaws to Smartsheet that may make it inefficient for some businesses. In this post, will go through Smartsheet limitations and then will introduce the top 31 Smartsheet alternatives that can help you with your personal and professional projects.
Table of Contents
What Are The 31 Best Smartsheet Alternatives?
1. Nifty (Best Smartsheet Alternative)
Nifty is a cloud-based project management solution and a perfect alternative to Smartsheet. Nifty excels without having the drawbacks that Smartsheet has. It also provides a lot of other features for its users such as task management, project time management, personal and group chats, reporting, integrations, automation, etc.
Nifty has everything you could possibly need for maximum productivity. You will be able to develop and manage your agile workflow lifecycle using this Smartsheet alternative. Missing a project deadline would be meaningless if you use Nifty, and you will complete every work on time.
Pricing
- Free – free forever: Includes Unlimited members and tasks
- Starter – $39/month: Includes 10 Members, 100 GB storage space, 40 Projects, Unlimited guests & clients
- Pro – $79/month: Includes 20 Members, 500 GB storage space, Unlimited Projects, Unlimited guests & clients
- Business – $124/month: Includes 50 Members, 1 TB storage space, Unlimited Projects, Unlimited guests & clients
- Unlimited – $399/month: Includes Unlimited Members, Unlimited storage space, Unlimited Projects, Unlimited guests & clients
👉 Does Nifty have a trial? Yes, Nifty offers a 14-day free trial. Try For Free Now 🎉
2. Basecamp
Basecamp is another Smartsheet alternative that includes advanced features. Project templates, Gantt charts, time tracking, priority setting, and more are all on the list. As a result, many large enterprises, small businesses, and freelancers can use it as a Smartsheet alternative to manage projects and team members.
Pricing
The cost of using Basecamp is $99/month and there is a 30-day free trial.
3. Slack (Collaboration Driven Smartsheet Alternative)
If communication is your primary concern, Slack is an excellent team chat software. This Smartsheet alternative allows teammates to communicate and share information. Slack allows for all communication to take place in one area. In addition, several channels can be set up for different topics to avoid disorganized chats.
There may also be private channels where you can communicate sensitive information with your colleagues. You can also send pictures, PDFs, and spreadsheets to other team members. Finally, Slack can be integrated with as many third-party apps.
Pricing
In addition to the free plan, Slack also offers more features in a paid plan which is available at $0 to $15/user/month.
4. ClickUp
ClickUp is a cloud-based project management and collaboration tool suitable for businesses of any size. The free version of this tool is quite functional as it includes all of the necessary features. You can upgrade for more features if you are a larger company.
Pricing
ClickUp pricing for its paid plans starts at $9/user/month.
5. Asana
Asana is a well-known project management software and it includes a well-developed milestone feature that encourages users to progress based on goals. You can stay on top of everything and never miss a deadline with this Smartsheet alternative.
Pricing
There is a free Basic Plan in addition to the Premium Plan which is $12.99/user/month and the Business Plan which is $25.99/user/month.
6. Monday.com
Monday.com is a task and project management tool that allows you to plan, organize, and track tasks and projects visually. It is a versatile tool that lets you manage your workflows fast and efficiently. The six views on Monday are Calendar view, Chart view, Files view, Kanban view, Map view, and Timeline view.
By the way, you can also know why Monday sucks before making any purchase.
Pricing
Monday.com offers a free plan. In addition, more features are available in the paid plans that range from $8 to $16/user/month.
7. Wrike (Enterprise Smartsheet Alternative)
If you are looking for an online project management solution that allows you complete visibility and control over your work, Wrike is a wonderful option. This Smartsheet alternative allows for more efficient planning, better workflow management, visibility, and collaboration.
You may create dashboards that just show you the information you want to see. Plus, the interactive Gantt charts help you better manage your resources.
Pricing
You can use the free plan, the Professional plan at $9.80/user/month, or the Business plan at $24.80/user/month. The Enterprise plan can be specifically optimized for your business if you contact Wrike.
8. Jira
Jira is a strong challenger for Smartsheet because it is most used by agile teams for software development. To ensure that projects are completed efficiently, Jira allows teams to employ workflow mapping and agile reporting approaches. Kanban and scrum boards, customizable dashboards, sprint and backlog management, and third-party integrations are some of the features that Jira offers.
However, the drawback to Jira is that it has a complicated functionality that may affect the productivity of your software development team.
Pricing
Jira offers a free plan, a Standard Plan at $7.5/user/month, a Premium Plan at $14.5/user/month, and an Enterprise Plan which is billed annually. There is also a 7-day free trial for the plans.
9. Trello
Trello is our next Smartsheet alternative on the list, which uses interactive boards to keep track of all of the many projects and activities associated with them. Using Trello, you can share files with your team members, archive cards (tasks) that you no longer need, backup data, and filter data.
The thing you should consider about Trello is that it is suitable for small teams which would be a reason to look for Trello alternatives.
Pricing
In addition to the free plan, the Standard Plan costs $5/user/month, the Premium Plan costs $10/user/month, and the Enterprise Plan costs $17.5/user/month.
10. Clarizen
Clarizen is another Smartsheet alternative that makes work easier and more productive. It offers custom corporate solutions that help you manage your whole work lifecycle, from strategy to planning to execution. Clarizen facilitates a highly configurable and advanced platform for project management by allowing users to customize workflows according to their team’s needs.
However, the problem with Clarizen is that it is not so user-friendly due to its complex features. Moreover, small teams may find many of these features useless as they do not need them.
Pricing
The pricing is not pointed out on the website and you need to contact them if you want to know the pricing.
11. Bonsai
Bonsai features layouts, branding, and packages. This Smartsheet alternative is good, especially for freelancers but also for any type of business. Bonsai offers time tracking, task management, invoices, forms, automation, and more to help you run your business more efficiently.
Pricing
You can use the Workflow Plan at $19/mo or the Workflow Plus Plan at $29/mo.
12. Taskworld
You can keep track of tasks, discuss ideas, and track performance with Taskworld. This Smartsheet alternative is beneficial to both large and small businesses. With Taskworld, you can take care of project management, time tracking, team communication, file management, and performance reporting. You can also prioritize your tasks by using tags and colored labels.
Pricing
Taskworld offers a free plan and its paid plans are available from $10.99/user/month.
13. nTask
nTask is a project management software with features that fully cater to both individual and team job management requirements. nTask provides seamless saving, processing, and monitoring of project performance with a simple user interface and carefully created functionality. Some of the features are the Gantt Chart, meeting management, multiple workspaces, timesheets, etc.
However, some of the drawbacks that you should know about are that chatting within tasks is not possible and there are no public links for Kanban boards.
Pricing
There is a free plan at nTask, and the paid plans are the Premium Plan at $3/user/month and the Business Plan at $8/user/month.
14. Airtable
Airtable is a cloud-based project management software that combines the features of a task management tool and a spreadsheet to give the most user-friendly project management experience possible. Airtable, a free Smartsheet replacement, has a pleasant design and simple interface that allows users to have fun while getting things done.
It is important, however, to keep in mind that Airtable is primarily a data storage and visualization tool rather than a project management tool.
Pricing
In addition to the free plan, Airtable also offers more features in its paid plans. The Plus Plan is at $10/user/month, the Pro Plan is at $20/user/month, and the Enterprise Plan can be customized for your needs.
15. Redbooth
Redbooth is a project management software with a dynamic feature set that allows teams to successfully manage their projects from start to finish. This Smartsheet alternative has an easy-to-use user interface. You may easily view your tasks and get a quick overview of your project’s performance using the dashboard.
Remote teams can now use HD video conferencing mode to hold virtual team meetings anytime they need to. Pay attention to the free version does not offer many features. Moreover, it may not be practically suitable for large enterprises.
Pricing
The Pro Plan costs 49/user/month, the Business Plan costs $15/user/month, and the Enterprise Plan can be customized to your needs at various costs.
16. Mavenlink
Mavenlink is the Smartsheet alternative for you if you need more than just simple project management. Mavenlink appears to have it all, with a robust feature set that includes project management, resource management, business information, and team collaboration.
You can plan and monitor your project’s performance, as well as streamline processes, using Gantt charts. The thing to consider about Mavenlink is that it has no mobile apps and it is sometimes difficult to use.
Pricing
You should contact Mavenlink to know about the pricing based on your business.
17. Celoxis
Celoxis is a sophisticated Smartsheet alternative you can get your hands on. It is an enterprise-level project management software. Celoxis helps manage complicated projects with native solutions, making it ideal for medium to large businesses. The features include everything from simple project planning to comprehensive resource management.
You can simply monitor your project KPIs and make decisions faster with the customizable project portfolio dashboards. The drawback to this tool is that it has no in-app chat feature. Moreover, it is difficult to learn how to work with the tool in the beginning.
Pricing
The Cloud Plan costs $22.5/user/month and On-Premise Plan costs $450/user and is billed annually. The minimum user number is 5.
18. Freedcamp
Freedcamp is another Smartsheet alternative that allows you to manage many activities quickly and easily. The solution has an internal wiki that allows you to maintain all of your organization’s data in one place and access it at any time. You can create meaningful project events and give your team something to look forward to by using milestones throughout the project lifetime.
Furthermore, using the issue tracker, you can quickly track and resolve project issues in a timely manner. Remember that the free plan of Freedcamp is very limited in offering features. In addition, the paid plans do not offer a time tracking feature.
Pricing
The paid plans are Pro Plan at $1.49/user/month, Business Plan at $7.49/user/month, and Enterprise Plan at $16.99/user/month.
19. Scoro
Scoro is another Smartsheet alternative on our list. It is a capable solution that can include all of the characteristics required for better workflow. Optimal performance, contact management, team collaboration, and different billing modules, are all benefits of using Score.
Scoro, however, is not a good option for agile workflows and it is hard to use for beginners.
Pricing
The Essential Plan costs $26/user/month, the Standard Plan costs $37/user/month, and the Pro Plan costs $63/user/month. The Ultimate Plan can be customized to your needs at your request and at different costs.
20. Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a task and project management program in general. Several social media collaboration tools, communication management, file sharing, tasks, and contact monitoring activities are all included in the program.
To stay up with the competition, Bitrix24’s developers are constantly releasing new versions. However, its user interface is hard to deal with according to the reviews.
Pricing
There is a free plan, a Basic Plan for 5 users at $39/month, a Standard Plan for 50 users at $79/month, and a Professional Plan for unlimited users at $159/month.
21. Workzone
Workzone is another Smartsheet alternative that makes document management a breeze. Some of its features are automated reports, email notifications, task dependencies, individual to-do lists, Gantt Charts, expense tracking, etc.
Pricing
The Team Plan costs $24/user/month, the Professional Plan costs $34/user/month, and the Enterprise Plan costs $43/user/month.
22. Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project, which has been a part of the industry since the beginning, is one of the main pioneers in project management software. The software is a fantastic tool for project managers to keep track of and manage their activities and processes for the projects they’re working on.
You can access your projects from anywhere. Some of the features are burndown charts, presentations, chats, built-in templates, Gantt Charts, milestones, portfolio optimization, etc. The drawback, however, is that it is not easy to learn and not suitable for small businesses.
Pricing
Project Plan 1 costs $10/user/month, Project Plan 3 costs 430/user/month, and Project Plan 5 costs $55/user/month.
23. ProWorkflow
Another Smartsheet alternative is ProWorkflow which makes assigning workers, tracking time, and rescheduling tasks simple. It also integrates with all of the accounting, file storage, and automation applications you may need to streamline your workflow and save time.
The project dashboard shows tasks, time, messages, files, quotes, and other information. There are options for message notification alerts, threaded discussions, and email message replies.
Pricing
The Professional plan is available at $20/user/month and the Advanced plan is available at $30/user/month.
24. Projecturf
Projecturf is a project management software that can help you organize project teams, manage tasks, and acquire valuable business insights. This Smartsheet alternative makes planning, organizing, leading, and controlling a lot easier.
To keep everyone informed, you can assign tasks, provide comments, and send messages. It includes a time and budget tracker.
Pricing
There are three plans at Projecturf with free trials. The Basic plan costs $50/month, the Standard plan costs $15/user/month, and the Advanced plan costs $30/user/month.
25. Composity
Composity is a robust project management and customer relationship management (CRM) application for small and medium-sized organizations. You will be able to convert leads into customers, organize your workflow, and never miss a meeting or project deadline using it.
A few of the features include contact management, lead management, custom lists, and more.
Pricing
The Start Plan is $24/month, the Lite Plan is $48/month, the Growth Plan is $90/month, the Professional Plan is $180/month, and the Business Plan is $360.month. There is also a free plan with limited features.
26. Apptiv
Apptivo is a cloud-based Smartsheet alternative. Many teams can use it, including sales, marketing, billing, and customer service, among others. Anyone from freelancers to large organizations can use it.
Pricing
The Lite Plan costs $8/month, the Premium Plan costs $12/month, the Ultimate Plan costs $20/month, and the Enterprise Plan can be optimized for your business at different costs.
27. Teamwork
Teamwork wle everything from client projects to marketing campaigns to sprint planning and product ill handlaunches. You will be able to view the big picture for all of your projects with this Smartsheet alternative.
Your staff will be able to do tasks more quickly and effectively. Make sure that you know Teamwork limitations before you make up your mind about purchasing a plan.
Pricing
In addition to a free plan, the Deliver Plan costs $12/user/month, the Grow Plan costs $20/user/month, and the Scale Plan can be customized for you at various costs.
28. Really Simple Systems
Really Simple Systems is an easy-to-use CRM software for your team and a Smartsheet alternative. Businesses with 600 users to small start-ups with just one user can use this software. Plus, you will never be forgotten thanks to their customer support team and a variety of self-serve choices.
This tool will help your team manage and track leads and customer interactions so that your business may flourish.
Pricing
There is a free plan available. Also, the Starter Plan costs $14/user/month, the Professional Plan costs $30/user/month, and the Enterprise Plan costs $50/user/month.
29. ActiveCollab
With this Smartsheet alternative, you will have complete control over your work. Workload management, time tracking, project profitability, task dependencies, invoicing, collaboration tools, and even third-party interfaces are all included. Small businesses would benefit from ActiveCollab.
Pricing
Apart from the free plan, the Plus Plan costs $7.5/month, and the Pro Plan costs $6.25/month.
30. Paymo
Paymo is our last recommendation as a Smartsheet alternative. It is an easy-to-use project management software. Paymo streamlines team collaboration, time tracking, and project management from start to finish. As a result, it is used to increase the performance of creative agencies, marketing organizations, web design firms, software firms, departments, and freelancers all over the world.
Pricing
Paymo has a free plan, a $9.95/mo Small Office plan, and a $15.79/mo Business plan. You can select the package that best fits your budget and requirements.
31. Sage Time Tracking Tools
Sage’s time tracking tool can help businesses, regardless of size, manage employee hours and ensure accurate and fair payment. Sage’s time tracking tools make it easy to manage employee hours and payroll. With Sage, you can track employee hours in real-time, automate timesheets, and generate reports that show how much time employees have worked. Sage also offers tools to help you manage time off requests, schedule employee timesheets, and ensure compliance with labor laws.
Pricing
Sage offers different pricing plans based on your business requirements. The standard pricing plan at £4/user/month to a premium plan £12/user/ month per employee (or $5.50/user/month to $16/user/month). The basic plan includes time tracking, scheduling, and time off management. The higher-priced plans provide extra features such as project management and expense tracking.
Why Smartsheet Alternatives are Essential?
Let’s first see why you should make a shift from Spreadsheets to a visually collaborative tool. Here are some Smartsheet limitations that may make project management difficult for you:
1. No Time Tracking
One of the most important features of project management software is the ability to track the time spent on each task or project. Smartsheet doesn’t have a lot of time tracking options. One of the most significant flaws of the tool is that you cannot track how much time you or your team members spend on each activity.
2. Lack of a Built-in Chat
Chat features or comment sections within tasks should be a vital aspect for timely communication among team members. Smartsheet lacks real-time chat features for team members to communicate and collaborate on project progress.
3. A Limited Reporting Feature
Smartsheet has a reporting option, but it is not quite user-friendly. Users must complete numerous steps, spend a lot of time, and construct a report on their own to make a fully functional project report. This is both time-consuming and aggravating.
4. Too Expensive
Smartsheet, in contrast to the bulk of other project management software on the market that offer cheaper costs, can appear to be rather expensive. With only a 30-day free trial and upgrades starting at $14, Smartsheet begs the question of if there are any other less expensive options to examine.
Final Thoughts on Smartsheet Alternatives and Which to Choose
We have covered Smartsheet limitations and inefficiencies in this post and we came up with the top 31 Smartsheet alternatives. If Smartsheet limitations are negatively affecting your workflows, you can simply choose another project management tool from our list that you think is more efficient. Wish you the best of luck!
