5 Basecamp Alternatives to Consider

Project management software helps your business plan projects, organize tasks, and meet upcoming deadlines.

It also provides you with a shared workspace where you can easily communicate and collaborate.

Why is this important? 

It’s simple: Companies that use collaboration tools report a 32% increase in productivity and reduce the number of meetings by 25%.

I don’t know about your business, but a 32% uptick in productivity sounds pretty amazing to me.

Now, you may already be familiar with Basecamp — a cloud-based project management software that enables individuals and teams to manage projects and collaborate.

But if you’re looking for built-in features like Gantt Charts or time tracking, Basecamp may not be the best option for your business.

So, are there any Basecamp alternatives?

Absolutely.

However, finding objective information online can be challenging. And compiling research on your own can be tedious.

We put together this in-depth guide of the leading Basecamp alternatives. Use this guide as a starting point to help you find the right project management software for you and your business.

Basecamp Alternatives:

Introduction to Basecamp

Basecamp logo

What the Vendor Says: “Get it together and manage projects the right way.”

About Basecamp

Basecamp is a popular project management solution that provides teams with the tools they need to stay organized and on top of their projects.

What’s Offered by Basecamp?

Basecamp offers a robust platform that consolidates numerous project management tools into one workspace — to-do lists, message boards, scheduling, files storage and more. Projects in Basecamp contain everything that relates to the work at hand, so users don’t have to switch between different applications to find what they need.

Basecamp also offers many tools that facilitate collaboration. With Message Boards, users can pitch ideas, share feedback and post important announcements. Users involved in specific projects can ask questions and get a response with real-time group chat.

Hill Charts is a feature that’s exclusive to Basecamp. It provides a visual representation in which to-dos are positioned on a “hill” as dots and slowly moved to the right side as progress is made. Businesses can extend the functionality of Basecamp even further with third-party integrations for time tracking, invoicing, reporting and more.

Additional key features include:

  • Collaboration tools
  • Document management
  • Resource allocation
  • Customizable templates
  • Task history
  • Automatic check-ins
  • Milestone tracking
  • Client portal

Basecamp dashboard at a glance:

Basecamp dashboard

Basecamp dashboard

How Much Does Basecamp Cost?

Basecamp costs $15 per user, per month, which includes includes 500 GB of storage and unlimited projects, integrations, support, training and security. It bills only for the company’s employees or internal contributors, so external collaborators (e.g., clients, vendors) can use the software for free.

There’s a Pro Unlimited plan for unlimited users at $299 per month (billed annually), which adds on 5 TB of storage, 24/7 priority support, a one-on-one onboarding tour and the option to pay by check.

Prospective clients can sign up for a 30-day free trial.

 

Pros and Cons of Basecamp

Pros: Powerful project management tool for team collaboration.

Cons: Certain features like Gantt charts and time tracking are only available through third-party integrations. Navigating workflows can be challenging for less tech-savvy users.

Check out this comprehensive review of Basecamp for more details.

Basecamp Alternative #1: Asana

Asana logo

What the Vendor Says: “Asana is the work management platform teams use to stay focused on the goals, projects, and daily tasks that grow business.”

Introduction to Asana

Asana is a flexible work management software that enables teams to collaborate and manage their tasks from one central workspace.

What’s Offered by Asana?

Asana offers a robust task management and collaboration platform that teams can use to build project plans and track their progress through each stage. Users can visualize their tasks in list views or kanban boards and view key details about each like due dates and status updates.

Timeline is a built-in feature that makes it easy to build out project plans and see how tasks connect. Project managers can modify the plan as work changes to keep the project on track. Asana also offers workflow automation tools. Users can choose from pre-existing templates or create their own custom rules with the builder to automate tasks like approval processes.

Additional features include:

  • Real-time activity feed
  • Collaboration tools
  • Project templates
  • Custom calendars
  • Task dependencies
  • Third-party integrations
  • Gantt charts
  • Mobile apps

Asana dashboard at a glance:

Asana dashboard

Asana dashboard

Asana dashboard

How Much Does Asana Cost?

Asana offers five payment options: Free, Starter, Advanced, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus.

  • Free – The free tier supports up to 10 team members, with access to limited dashboards and search functions as well as unlimited task projects and conversations.
  • Starter – The Starter plan costs $10.99 per user per month when billed annually. This tier supports up to 500 users and includes features, such as Gantt and Timeline views, unlimited dashboards and the Asana Intelligence tool.
  • Advanced – The Advanced plan costs $24.99 per user, per month (billed annually) and has all of the features of the Starter plan, plus portfolios, workloads, approvals and integration with Jira Cloud.
  • Enterprise – The Enterprise plan offers more advanced administrative controls, custom branding and same-day support. Prices are available upon request.
  • Enterprise Plus – The Enterprise Plus plan adds on even more advanced security features. As with the Enterprise plan, pricing is available by quote.

 

Pros and Cons of Asana

Pros: Intuitive interface for managing projects and tracking individual tasks. Free plan available for smaller teams up to 15 users.

Cons: Many features like time-tracking and resource management require third-party integrations. Some users note the number of options and features can be overwhelming.

Read this in-depth Asana review for more information.

Basecamp Alternative #2: monday.com

monday.com logo

What the Vendor Says: “Monday is the Work OS that powers teams to run projects and workflows with confidence.”

Introduction to monday.com

monday.com helps teams work more efficiently by consolidating powerful task management features and collaboration tools into a single work hub.

What’s Offered by monday.com?

monday.com offers an intuitive interface that enables teams to manage their projects and automate their workflows. The platform utilizes color-coded boards that display information in a highly organized and logical manner. Users can manage their tasks, check on project statuses and even change views to suit their workflows.

monday.com offers a comprehensive set of collaborative features that enable teams to stay on the same page. Users can comment on tasks, add files and ping other team members — all from one shared workspace.

Features like timeline and dashboard allow project managers to visualize current projects in the pipeline and make critical decisions. monday.com also integrates with popular applications, including Outlook, Slack, Salesforce and more.

Additional key features include:

  • Time tracking
  • Shared workspaces
  • Drag-and-drop functionality
  • Client portals
  • File sharing
  • Advanced search
  • Reporting and analytics
  • Guest permissions

monday.com dashboard at a glance:

Monday.com dashboard

Monday.com dashboard

Monday.com dashboard

How Much Does monday.com Cost?

monday.com offers four plans: Basic, Standard, Pro, and Enterprise.

The Basic plan includes 5 GB of storage, unlimited boards, mobile apps, kanban view and more.

The Standard plan includes timeline view, advanced search, forms customization, external integrations and more.

The Pro plan includes unlimited storage, time tracking, private boards, Google authentication and more.

The Enterprise includes everything in the Pro plus session management, HIPAA compliance, tailored onboarding and more.

Here’s a snapshot of monday.com’s pricing for five users (billed monthly):

monday.com’s pricing

Here’s their pricing for 100 users:

monday.com pricing for 100 users

Prospective clients interested in the Enterprise plan will need to reach out to monday.com’s sales team for a quote. Businesses can get 18% off their plan with a yearly subscription. A free 14-day trial is available without needing to input any credit card details.

Pros and Cons of monday.com

Pros: Visual layout makes it easy to set up tasks and monitor progress at a glance. A highly customizable interface that can adapt to a user’s needs.

Cons: Many essential features, like time tracking and integrations, are missing from the Basic plan. Some users note that the interface can become cluttered from too many assignments.

Be sure to check out this comprehensive review of monday.com to learn more.

Basecamp Alternative #3: Podio

Podio logo

What the Vendor Says: “Try the customizable work management solution leaders trust and employees love working on.”

Introduction to Podio

Podio is a cloud-based collaboration and project management tool that provides a centralized workspace for all business projects.

What’s Offered by Podio?

Podio puts all communications in one work hub, allowing teams to collaborate and stay updated on the latest developments from one shared workspace. Project managers can quickly define user roles and access permissions with granular admin capabilities.

Podio offers tools for task management, file sharing, meeting scheduling and more. The homepage and workspace tiles can be fully customized to give a quick snapshot of calendars, tasks, contacts, reports and more.

Podio also works seamlessly with third-party applications like Dropbox, GoToMeeting, Excel, Google Drive and more. With Podio Extensions, organizations can add optional extras like Gantt charts and time-tracking.

Additional key features include:

  • Automated workflows
  • Social collaboration tools
  • Portfolio management
  • Task management
  • Personal dashboards
  • Unlimited storage
  • Data visualization

Podio dashboard at a glance:

Podio dashboard

Podio dashboard

Podio dashboard

How Much Does Podio Cost?

Podio offers three plans: Free, Plus and Premium.

The Free plan is free for five users and includes task management and workspaces.

The Plus plan is $14 per user a month and includes, unlimited external users, automated workflows, read-only access and more.

The Premium plan is $24 per user a month and includes visual reports, interactive sales dashboards and more.

Prospective clients can save 20% with a yearly plan.

Pros and Cons of Podio

Pros: All-inclusive project management tool that streamlines collaboration. Offers advanced encryption and conforms to ISO 27001 security policies.

Cons: Some customization required for specific workflows. Some users note an initial learning curve with the software’s features.

Check out this comprehensive review of Podio for more information.

Basecamp Alternative #4: Wrike

Wrike logo

What the Vendor Says: “Cloud-based collaboration and project management software that scales across teams in any business.”

Introduction to Wrike

Wrike is a robust project management software that enables organizations to manage their projects and collaborate in one location.

What’s Offered by Wrike?

Wrike offers a work management platform that enhances team collaboration and simplifies project planning. The real-time news feed keeps entire teams on the same page. Users can update task descriptions, mention others and share feedback on digital assets.

Wrike Dashboards make it easy for project managers to analyze work by projects, users and more. Wrike offers solutions for different job roles, such as marketing, product development, business operations and more.

The software also integrates with many applications, including WordPress, Google Drive, QuickBooks and more.

Additional key features include:

  • Task management
  • Real-time activity feed
  • Document collaboration
  • Custom workflows
  • Time tracking
  • Customized reports

Wrike dashboard at a glance:

Wrike dashboard

Wrike dashboard

Wrike dashboard

How Much Does Wrike Cost?

Wrike has a free plan for up to five users that includes Wrike’s basic features, such as task management and a mobile app. In addition, there are four paid plans. The Team plan starts at $9.80 per user, per month and the Business plan costs $24.80 per user, per month. Pricing for the Enterprise and Enterprise Pinnacle plans are not available, so please contact the vendor directly for a quote.

Pros and Cons of Wrike

Pros: Easy-to-use project management tool that facilitates collaborative work. Free plan available for up to five users. Integrates with many third-party applications.

Cons: On-premise version is not offered. Steep learning curve for non-technical users.

Check out this in-depth review of Wrike for more information.

Basecamp Alternative #5: Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects logo

What the Vendor Says: “Zoho Projects is a cloud-based project management tool that helps you plan your work, track it efficiently, and collaborate with your team wherever they are.”

Introduction to Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects is a cloud-based collaboration and project management solution that helps manage and track their projects from start to finish.

What’s Offered by Zoho Projects?

Zoho Projects offers robust task management functionality, including the ability to build out project plans with Gantt charts, track individual tasks, specify start and end dates and map out entire workflows.

Zoho Projects also offers several collaboration features, like Feeds, where users can get product-wide updates and add comments to existing topics. Teams can also create public and private rooms for discussion as well as set up a knowledge base of information for projects.

Teams can log billable and non-billable hours via the Projects timesheet project and automatically generate invoices with Zoho Invoice.

Additional key features include:

  • Project budgeting
  • Resource utilization
  • Expense tracking
  • Third-party integrations
  • Issue tracking

Zoho Projects dashboard at a glance:

Zoho Projects dashboard

Zoho Projects dashboard

Zoho Projects dashboard

How Much Does Zoho Projects Cost?

Zoho Projects offers one free and two paid plans. The free plan includes two active projects and 10 MB of storage for up to three users. The Premium plan costs $5 per user, per month and has 100 GB of storage, and the Enterprise plan is priced at $10 per user, per month and has 120 GB of storage.

Zoho Projects offers a 10-day free trial. No credit card is required.

Pros and Cons of Zoho Projects

Pros: Ability to create unlimited projects and share with outside vendors. Issue Tracker module available for software teams.

Cons: Limited reporting features unless integrated with Zoho Reports. The mobile app isn’t always user-friendly. Some users note an initial learning curve to learn all the features.

For more information, check out this comprehensive review of Zoho Projects.

The Right Basecamp Alternative for Your Business

Finding the right Basecamp alternative can be challenging, given the number of options on the market.

Here are some of the top Basecamp alternatives that we recommend for different types of businesses:

The Right Basecamp Alternative for Startups

We recommend startups check out:

The Right Basecamp Alternative for Small to Mid-Sized Companies

We recommend small to mid-sized companies check out:

Conclusion

Project management software provides organizations with the tools they need to manage and track their projects from initial conception to completion. It also offers a collaborative workspace where users can share files and communicate in real-time.

Basecamp is a widely recognized project management tool that keeps everything organized like to-dos, schedules, files, and chats in one location.

However, if you’re looking for extra functionality like time tracking or advanced reporting features, other Basecamp alternatives may be a better fit for your business. Use this in-depth comparison guide to help with your decision.

Related Resources