Written by Fernanda Alvarez Piñeiro Reviewed by James Macey Updated on January 11, 2023 On this page ClickUp Asana Smartsheet Wrike Zoho Projects Is choosing a monday.com competitor really the right option for me? What's the best free alternative to monday.com? How did we find the best alternatives to monday.com? Expert Verdict FAQs Expand Our site is reader-supported – by clicking our links, we can match you with a potential supplier, and we may earn a small commission for this referral. Our in-depth independent research reveals that ClickUp is monday.com’s best alternative. This is because it gives you access to a wealth of features across all subscriptions, such as Gantt charts, Kanban boards, custom and preset templates, and more. By paying as little as $5 per user, you also have access to all available security features, protecting your project management from prying eyes.monday.com is one of the best project management software, chosen by the likes of Hulu and Coca-Cola, and, according to Forrester’s Total Economic Impact Report, it has helped businesses secure a 345% uplift in return on investment. Despite how impressive it is, monday.com might not necessarily be the perfect fit for your project management needs. It doesn’t have the greatest customer satisfaction, offering only email support. This means that if you have an urgent fire to put out, you’ll simply have to sit and wait for a reply.If you’re still in the market for a project management tool, we have compiled a list of sound alternatives to monday.com, comparing integrations, security features, customer support, task management, and more. This way, you can confidently know you’ll be investing in the right project management tool for you and your business. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward monday.com ClickUp Asana Smartsheet Wrike Zoho Projects Best For Best For All-round monday.com alternative Best For Integrations Best For Spreadsheet fans Best For Complex task management Best For Value plans Price $9 – $19 per month Price $5 – $19 per month Price $10.99 – $24.99 per month Price $7 – $25 per month Price $9.80 – $24.80 per month Price $4 – $9 Key features Gantt chartOver 200 templates for projects and itemsSub-task milestones and dependencies Key features Preset chartsCustom project templatesCustom automationsGantt chartMilestones24/7 live support Key features CRM integrationsKanban boardCustom project templatesProject message boardTask commentsCalendar Key features Email customer supportGantt chartKanban boardCustom project templatesCustom automationsTeam instant-messenger Key features Email customer supportKanban boardMilestonesProject message boardTask commentsSub-tasks Key features CRM integrationsEmail customer supportGantt chartKanban boardIssue logPreset widgets Try monday.com Try ClickUp Compare Try Smartsheet Try Wrike Try ZohoProjects ClickUpBest monday.com Alternative ClickUp 4.6 Pricing $5 - tailored Try ClickUp Quick overview Scoring a stellar 4.6/5 in our in-depth research, we think ClickUp is the strongest alternative to monday.com thanks to its wealth of security features, ease of use, affordability and customer satisfaction. On the security features front, ClickUp outranks monday.com, protecting your operation with two-factor authentication, guest access, and user permissions across all subscriptions. Similarly, ClickUp drives ahead in pricing with a 4.4/5 (over monday.com’s 3.9/5) because all of its plans are consistently cheaper.ClickUp is also a very close second to monday.com in usability and features, ranking at 4/5 and 3.9/5, respectively. This is mostly because you miss out on a few key features and integrations. For instance, monday.com offers marketing, data, and finance integrations at its top three subscriptions, but ClickUp doesn’t offer them at all. monday.com also boasts a higher customer score with 4.5/5, which is only slightly ahead of ClickUp’s customer score (4.3/5). However, if you’re on the market for a secure, easy to use, and affordable project management system, we’d recommend ClickUp in a heartbeat. Read more + Read less - Strengths Strong project creation and workflow features Extremely affordable Very fast and easy to use Weaknesses Not many post-project features available Collaboration features could be expanded Few integrations available Pricing See more See less ClickUp PlanPrice (per user, per month)monday.com PlanPrice (per user, per month) Unlimited $5 Basic $9 Business $12 Standard $12 Business Plus $19 Pro $20 Enterprise Tailored Enterprise Tailored Gallery See more See less Click to expand Is ClickUp Really monday.com’s Best Equivalent?We certainly think it is! Although monday.com outranks ClickUp in some important key areas like integrations and features, ClickUp still ranks very closely, making it the best alternative you can currently get your hands on. With a 3.8/5 score for customer support, ClickUp has the highest score in this category of all the providers we look at in this list. This is explained by its provision of 24/7 live support and live chat, two things that monday.com doesn’t offer at all. It also offers all the security features you might need, and a wealth of task management tools that will make managing your projects a pain-free experience. AsanaBest monday.com Alternative For Integrations Asana 4.5 Pricing $0 - tailored Quick overview When it comes to project management tools, being able to piece together different integrations is key if you want to boost the agility of your workflow. If integrations are an absolute must for you, we think Asana is a fantastic option, scoring a 4.5/5 in our research. With the exception of finance integrations, Asana acts as a master key for CRM, marketing, data and reporting, and communication integrations. This allows you to personalize your software and connect to tools that you otherwise wouldn’t have access to with Asana’s initial offerings.However, just like monday.com, Asana doesn’t escape the trend of poor customer support. Scoring a low 2.8/5 for customer support in our research, you miss out on 24/7 live and phone support, so you’ll have to figure out how to fix any urgent problems on your own. If the lack of customer support is a dealbreaker, we’d recommend going for Clickup, which has the highest customer support score on this list (3.9/5). Read more + Read less - Strengths Excellent range of integrations Sensible pricing Great security features Weaknesses Poor customer support Lacks billing and invoicing features Pricing See more See less Asana PlanPrice (per user, per month)monday.com PlanPrice (per user, per month) Basic $0 Basic $9 Premium $10.99 Standard $12 Business Plus $24.99 Pro $20 Enterprise Tailored Enterprise Tailored Gallery See more See less Click to expand Is Asana Really monday.com’s Best Equivalent?The easy answer is that, if you’re looking for a master key for integrations, then it absolutely is. With practically all possible integrations you might need (with the exception of finance integrations), Asana visibly outcompetes monday.com, which only gives you access to integraations at the Standard Projects subscription. We also like Asana as an alternative to monday.com because it scores very closely for features. Where monday.com scores a 4.2/5 in our research for features, Asana trails right behind with a 4/5. Therefore, if you want lots of integrations, and an affordable project management tool, Asana is the monday.com alternative for your business.With that in mind, monday.com does rank significantly better than Asana for its average customer score on review sites, outcompeting Asana’s 3.9/5 with an impressive 4.5/5. Therefore, in practice, customers have had better overall experiences with monday.com. Did You Know? Organizations that use proven project management practices waste 28 times less money than their counterparts who don’t have a project management practice in place. SmartsheetBest monday.com Alternative For Spreadsheet Fans Smartsheet 4.5 Pricing $7 - tailored Try Smartsheet Quick overview If spreadsheets are your project management religion, then we’d recommend going for Smartsheet. With an overall 4.5/5 score in our research, Smartsheet stands out from the crowd because it has a powerful interface fueled by – as you might’ve guessed – spreadsheets. Even at the cheapest available plan, Smartsheet gives you very generous access to task management features, including Gantt chart, Kanban board, spreadsheet type-view, sub-tasks, milestones, custom fields and more. The mix of features and spreadsheet-lover friendly interface is the main reason why we’ve scored it a 4.3/5 for usability, outranking monday.com which scores a 4.1/5 in the same category.Where Smartsheet lags behind monday.com is in pricing (3.3/5) and customer support (2.5/5). Although the prices aren’t exorbitant, the extra couple of bucks you’re putting down won’t necessarily translate into a greater access to features, relative to its competitors. As for customer support, you only have access to a community forum, knowledge base, and email, so you’re likely to run into frustrations when trying to fix an urgent issue. Read more + Read less - Strengths Great usability score (4.3/5) Fits like a glove for spreadsheet fans Strong range of project creation and workflow features Weaknesses Unimpressive customer support Somewhat expensive Not too many collaboration features on offer Pricing See more See less Smartsheet PlanPrice (per user, per month)monday.com PlanPrice (per user, per month) Pro $7 Basic $9 Business $25 Standard $12 Enterprise Tailored Pro $20 Enterprise Tailored Gallery See more See less Click to expand Is Smartsheet Really monday.com’s Best Equivalent?If you’re a fan of spreadsheets, and you’re on the hunt for a project management tool that has strong usability scores, we’d definitely recommend using Smartsheet. Its interface will feel familiar to you, which will make creating new workflows and managing projects feel like a breeze. For this reason, we scored Smartsheet a 4.3/5 for usability, the highest score in this category of all the providers we look at on this list.However, when it comes to the features you receive for the amount you are spending, we think monday.com is a superior option in this regard. Smartsheet scores a 3.8/5 for features compared to monday.com’s 4.2/5, mostly because you miss out on important collaboration features. It also lags behind monday.com for customer score (4.5/5), pulling an average 3.8/5. Compared to monday.com, you’re not exactly getting the best value for money, but what you do definitely get is a user-friendly interface that can help supercharge your project management. WrikeBest monday.com Alternative For Complex Task Management Wrike 4.4 Pricing $7 - tailored Try Wrike Quick overview Scoring a 4.4/5 overall in our research, we recommend Wrike if you’re looking for a project management tool with lots of task management and data visualization features. Even with the Professional subscription, you have access to Gantt chart, Kanban board, sub-tasks, milestones and task dependencies. If you choose to invest in the business subscription (or above), you have access to a dashboard, custom widget builder, preset widgets, and custom chart builder and preset charts. We have also scored Wrike a 4/5 for usability as it has a user-friendly interface that makes project management easy.Unfortunately, when we focus on its customer service, Wrike doesn’t look too great. Scoring a dire 1.8/5 for customer support, you can only resort to email support, a knowledge base, or a community forum for a project management SOS. Read more + Read less - Strengths Excellent user experiences for straightforward project management Solid offer of task management and data visualization features Weaknesses Pricey compared to other providers Dismal customer support Automation builder can be tricky Pricing See more See less Wrike PlanPrice (per user, per month)monday.com PlanPrice (per user, per month) Team $9.80 Basic $9 Business $24.80 Standard $12 Enterprise Tailored Pro $20 Enterprise Tailored Gallery See more See less Click to expand Photo: Wrike’s high Usability and Data Visualization scores make it one of the most user-friendly options for project management Is Wrike Really monday.com’s Best Equivalent?Based on our independent research, we think Wrike is the best equivalent to monday.com if you want generous access to task management and data visualization features. Scoring a 3.9/5 for features, against monday.com’s 4.2/5, it’s a solid substitute. Its 4/5 for usability is a great sign, and its 4.1/5 for customer score is an even better omen if you’re still on the fence about switching to Wrike.However, do keep in mind that Wrike doesn’t outrank monday.com in any categories, especially for customer support, where Wrike scores a sad 1.8/5. If this sounds like a dealbreaker, we’d recommend glancing at ClickUp, which boasts a 3.8/5 for customer support. Zoho ProjectsBest monday.com Alternative For Value Plans Zoho Projects 4.1 Pricing $4 - 9 Try Zoho Projects Quick overview Software giant Zoho is known for products like its CRM system, and its project management tool doesn’t fall short of recognition, scoring an overall 4.1/5 in our research. The reason we recommend Zoho Projects is because of its price – for as little as $4 per user, per month, you have access to a great range of features, which is why it pulls a 4.7/5 for price in our research.Just like the majority of the providers we look at, Zoho Projects is far from a homerun when it comes to customer support. With a disappointing 1.8/5, you can only access email, a knowledge base, and a customer forum if you run into a problem, which can easily lead to keyboard-smashing frustrations. Read more + Read less - Strengths Very affordable Great task management features Good collaboration features Weaknesses Disappointing customer support Not the easiest user experience Pricing See more See less Zoho Projects PlanPrice (per user, per month)monday.com PlanPrice (per user, per month) Premium $4 Basic $9 Enterprise $9 Standard $12 Pro $20 Enterprise Tailored Gallery See more See less Click to expand Is Zoho Projects really monday.com’s Best Equivalent?If you’re looking for something that won’t stretch out your accounts too much, but still offers a nice range of features, we definitely think Zoho Projects is a top-notch alternative to monday.com. It has the top score for price in our research, scoring a 4.7/5. It also has a commendable customer score, with an average rating of 4.2/5, which means you’re likely to have a good experience if you go for Zoho Projects.However, where monday.com certainly does better than Zoho Projects is in customer support. Zoho Projects stands at a low 1.8/5, outranked by monday.com’s 2.8/5. Although neither of these scores are particularly impressive, we know that monday.com is not as handicapped for customer support as other providers. Did You Know? 8 out of 10 project managers believe that project portfolio management is becoming a critical factor in influencing business success. Is Choosing A monday.com Competitor Really The Right Option For Me?It really depends on what you’re looking for! While monday.com is a powerful project management tool, you might be dissuaded from taking out a subscription because of pricing, or simply because you feel the mix of features and usability don’t fit the needs of your business.If you think this is the case, there’s an impressive range of alternatives on the market. Whether it is a range of integrations, complex task management features, or best value for money, you’re not deprived of choice when choosing a monday.com alternative. Whatever your choice ends up being, keep in mind that you should find a project management tool that adapts to the pace and workflow of your business, as opposed to the other way around. What’s The Best Free Alternative To monday.com?Based on our research, we think ClickUp offers the best free alternative to monday.com. Compared to other providers on this list, it offers the richest access to customer support, task management, project creation, collaboration, and data visualization features. Whether you’re looking for a free, long-term solution, or just want to take a project management tool for a spin, we think ClickUp is the way to go. How Did We Find The Best Alternatives To monday.com?We've tested and researched 10 market-leading project management software platforms, evaluating their functionality, usability, integrations and customer support so we can make the most useful recommendations to US businessesOur rigorous testing process means these products have been scored and rated in five main categories of investigation and nine subcategories. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting' to ensure the product's final score perfectly reflects the needs and requirements of Expert Market readers.Our main testing categories for project management software are:Pricing: The financial considerations associated with using a project management solution, e.g. licensing fees, subscription plans, or additional charges for advanced features or add-ons.Ease of use: This is where we get people just like you to test out the products to focus on evaluating the ease of use and user experience of the project management solution. We assess factors such as the user interface, navigation, and task organization.Features: The functionalities and capabilities offered by the project management solution, including features such as task management, team collaboration, and project planning and scheduling.Integrations: The number of third-party software platforms the system integrates with, and whether it easily connects with market-leading providers.Security: The number of security measures offered by the providers, as well as accreditations for data security.Customer Support: The assistance and resources provided by the project management solution provider to users, including phone support, email or chat support, and online forums. Verdict While monday.com is a praise-worthy project management tool, if you have a gut feeling it isn’t for you, our favorite alternative is ClickUp. With a wealth of security features, ease of use, affordability, and customer satisfaction, it scores highly in our research at 4.6/5. ClickUp is also more affordable than monday.com, with a 4.4/5 score for price against monday’s 3.9/5.However, if you feel that ClickUp isn’t for you, we’d also recommend looking at Asana. It virtually acts as a master key for integrations, which can come in handy for complex, lengthy projects.Regardless of which supplier you go for, project management software is an essential tool that we highly recommend to any business looking to undertake a long-term project. FAQs What can I use instead of monday.com? There’s plenty of options out there in the project management market. We recommend looking at alternatives like ClickUp, Asana, Smartsheet, Wrike and ZohoProjects. What’s the best open source monday.com equivalent? Based on our research, we think that ClickUp is the best open source project management alternative to monday.com. ClickUp gives you access to custom automations, project templates, chart builder, widget builder, and fields. This means you can personalize your project management to suit your needs. What kind of tool is monday.com? Monday.com is a cloud-based project management platform that allows you to layer software and products on top of it to personalize the way your business runs. It has a solid range of features and a user-friendly interface, which makes it a streamlined project management solution. Is there a free option for monday.com? There is! You can use monday.com with the Free Projects subscription, but keep in mind that it’s limited in its offerings when compared with ts paid subscription plans. Written by: Fernanda Alvarez Piñeiro Fernanda is a Mexican-born Expert Market writer, specialising in providing in-depth insights about business software to help businesses of all shapes and sizes thrive. From VoIP systems to project management software, she’s passionate about helping businesses find the tools and methods that will help give them an edge over their competitors. Fernanda has ample journalistic experience, having written for a multitude of online magazines about topics ranging from Latin American politics to cryptocurrency. Reviewed by: James Macey Senior Business Software Researcher James draws on his 4+ years experience as a researcher to offer specialized advice on a wide range of categories from CRM to Fleet Management. He believes all businesses can grow if they use the right tools and services.