Best Free Project Management Tools 2026: Top 10 Compared
Project management software doesn’t have to be expensive. Many top tools offer genuinely useful free plans that can handle most team needs.
Here are the best free project management tools in 2026.
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Free Users | Tasks | Features | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | Unlimited | Unlimited | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Asana | 15 | Unlimited | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Trello | Unlimited | Unlimited | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Notion | 1 (unlimited blocks) | Unlimited | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Monday.com | 2 | 1,000 | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
1. ClickUp — Best Free Features
Free: Unlimited users, unlimited tasks
ClickUp offers the most generous free plan in project management.
Free Features
- ✅ Unlimited members
- ✅ Unlimited tasks
- ✅ Docs & whiteboards
- ✅ 100MB storage
- ✅ Kanban, list, calendar views
- ✅ Time tracking
- ✅ Goals
Limitations
- 100MB file storage
- Limited dashboards
- No Gantt chart
- Limited automations
Best For: Teams wanting maximum free features.
👉 Related: Project Management Software Guide
2. Asana — Best for Growing Teams
Free: 15 users, unlimited projects
Asana’s free plan is perfect for small teams ready to grow.
Free Features
- ✅ 15 team members
- ✅ Unlimited tasks & projects
- ✅ List, board, calendar views
- ✅ Assignees & due dates
- ✅ Mobile apps
- ✅ 100+ integrations
Limitations
- No timeline view
- No custom fields
- Limited reporting
- No forms
Best For: Small teams planning to scale.
👉 Related: Monday vs Asana Comparison
3. Trello — Best for Simplicity
Free: Unlimited users, boards
Trello’s free plan is simple and unlimited.
Free Features
- ✅ Unlimited cards
- ✅ Unlimited members
- ✅ 10 boards per workspace
- ✅ 1 Power-Up per board
- ✅ Basic automation
- ✅ Mobile apps
Limitations
- 10 boards max
- 1 Power-Up per board
- 10MB file upload limit
- Limited automation
Best For: Simple projects, beginners.
👉 Related: Trello vs Jira Comparison
4. Notion — Best All-in-One Free
Free: Personal use unlimited
Notion combines notes, docs, and project management.
Free Features
- ✅ Unlimited pages
- ✅ Unlimited blocks
- ✅ Databases
- ✅ Templates
- ✅ API access
- ✅ 5MB file uploads
Limitations
- Limited guests
- 5MB file upload
- No version history
- Limited team features
Best For: Individuals and small teams wanting flexibility.
👉 Related: Notion vs Obsidian
5. Monday.com — Best Visual Free
Free: 2 users, limited features
Monday.com offers a limited but functional free tier.
Free Features
- ✅ 2 team members
- ✅ 3 boards
- ✅ 1,000 items
- ✅ 200+ templates
- ✅ Kanban view
- ✅ Mobile apps
Limitations
- Only 2 users
- 3 boards max
- 1,000 items total
- No integrations
Best For: Freelancers and very small teams.
👉 Related: Monday vs Asana Comparison
More Free Options
Jira (Free)
- 10 users free
- Scrum & Kanban boards
- Basic roadmaps
- Best for software teams
Basecamp (Personal)
- Free for personal use
- 3 projects max
- 20 users
- Simple interface
Wrike (Free)
- Unlimited users
- Limited features
- Good for simple tasks
Todoist (Free)
- 5 projects
- 5 collaborators
- Best for personal use
Feature Comparison
Views Available
| Tool | List | Board | Calendar | Timeline | Gantt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Free | Paid |
| Asana | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Paid | Paid |
| Trello | ❌ | ✅ | Paid | ❌ | ❌ |
| Monday | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Notion | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Collaboration
| Tool | Comments | @mentions | File Share | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Limited |
| Asana | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Trello | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Monday | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Notion | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Limited |
How to Choose
Team Size
| Size | Best Option |
|---|---|
| Solo | Notion, Todoist |
| 2-5 | ClickUp, Trello |
| 6-15 | Asana, ClickUp |
| 15+ | ClickUp (then upgrade) |
Complexity
| Need | Best Option |
|---|---|
| Simple tasks | Trello |
| Standard PM | Asana |
| Advanced features | ClickUp |
| Docs + PM | Notion |
When to Upgrade
Consider paid plans when:
- Team exceeds free limits
- Need advanced reporting
- Require integrations
- Want automation
- Need priority support
Our Recommendations
| Need | Choice |
|---|---|
| Best overall free | ClickUp |
| Growing team | Asana |
| Simplest | Trello |
| All-in-one | Notion |
| Visual workflows | Monday.com |
Bottom Line
ClickUp offers the most free features for unlimited users.
Asana is perfect if your team is under 15 people.
Trello wins for simplicity and quick setup.
Start free, upgrade when you hit limits.
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Last updated: January 2026