Introduction
Are you a new business just getting started or a freelancer looking for project management software that won’t break the bank? In 2023, many project management tools are available to help you stay organized and on task – best of all, some are free!
Project management is a vital task for project managers, project teams, and individual freelancers to help keep project goals on track. It involves tracking project progress, budgeting, scheduling resources, prioritizing tasks, and more.
Given the importance of project management, it is crucial to find project management software that fits your needs and budget. We’ve compiled a list of the best free task management software for you to consider in 2023.
What is Project Management Software?
Project management or task management software is a tool that helps project managers and project teams to achieve project goals more efficiently. It allows project leaders to organize tasks, track progress, allocate resources, and more.
Project management software can range from simple task-tracking tools to complex systems with multi-level project planning capabilities.
Suppose you’re handling multiple projects with project teams spread across multiple countries. In that case, project management software can help you keep project progress and communications on track.
12 Best Free Task Management Software
Now that you know what project management software is, here are the 12 best free task management software for 2023:
Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects is project management software that offers project tracking and collaboration features in one place. It provides project teams with project planning tools, task lists, time tracking, Gantt charts, project reports, and more.
The software also includes file-sharing options and a task-specific chat feature for team communication. Zoho Projects has mobile apps available for Android and iOS devices so you can stay organized on the go.
The free version of Zoho Projects gives you:
- Accessible for up to 10 users
- Calendar & Forums
- Viewer for Gantt chart
- Manage up to 2 projects
- 10 MB file storage
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Basecamp
Basecamp is the ideal project management and team communication software designed to increase efficiency in collaboration amongst teams. It’s no wonder it has become such a popular choice!
Although Basecamp is designed to be user-friendly, its lack of customization options could make it challenging to meet the needs of complex projects or team dynamics. Despite its convenience, Basecamp’s inflexibility may hinder users’ ability to adjust their workflow and deliverables accordingly.
The free version of Basecamp gives you:
- Accessible for up to 10 users
- Manage up to 2 projects
- 1 GB file storage
- Real-time communication capabilities
ClickUp
Imagine having access to a single unified project management solution for your entire company, completely free! ClickUp is a project management system that can help you keep your project on track and running smoothly.
With the Free Forever plan, you can take full advantage of limitless users, tasks, and multiple product features – there’s no limit to what task or project management options are available to you!
With ClickUp’s integration with a variety of essential team collaboration tools, your team can run more efficiently on multiple projects without sacrificing the speed and quality you’ve come to expect.
The free version of ClickUp gives you:
- Customized views with List/Box/Gantt Chart/Board/Table/Calendar
- Workload Management
- Dashboards
- Assign comments and set priorities
- Set goals and reminders
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Asana
Boasting a sleek and attractive design, Asana is one of the most widely recognized project management software tools. Teams love this platform because it provides visual clarity as to who’s responsible for what within projects through its sectionalized organization system.
With Asana, you can easily keep all your work organized – enabling streamlined communication across teams! Simplify your project management with this user-friendly software. Its drag-and-drop feature enables you to instantly transfer tasks, assign work and monitor progress – so much easier than other similar solutions!
The free version of Asana gives you:
- Basic search
- Basic dashboards
- Unlimited projects, tasks, and conversations
- Free mobile app
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Hive
If you’re looking for the best free project management software for small teams, freelancers, and entrepreneurs, then Hive is your answer.
With Hive Solo’s free-forever plan, it offers complete project management abilities whether your team members are back in the office or fully remote. Plus, with Hybrid work models now possible too, having a platform like this makes it all easier to manage seamlessly!
The free version of Hive gives you:
- Native chat messaging
- Email in Hive
- Gantt, Kanban, calendar & table views
- Unlimited collaborative notes
- Unlimited projects and tasks
- Unlimited storage
Trello
Trello project management software is an intuitive project management platform that helps you manage tasks, projects, and objectives in a fun and engaging way. Its clean user interface allows you to easily create boards with lists, cards, and checklists to organize your project however you need it.
However, it lacks visualization capabilities other than Kanban boards, which means project tracking can become a bit confusing. Nevertheless, you can use Trello even if you don’t follow Scrum or Agile project management methodologies
The free version of Trello gives you:
- 10 MB file storage
- One integration per board
- Unlimited boards
- Multiple users, cards, checklists, task lists, and attachments
Airtable
Airtable project management software takes project organization to a whole new level by combining project tracking and task management with a database-like structure. It’s great for project teams who are working on complex projects that require significant tracking and data capture.
Airtable offers robust customization options, integrations with popular apps (such as Slack or Zapier), and an incredibly easy-to-use interface.
The free version of Airtable gives you:
- Rich field records and commenting
- Automatic sorting & filtering
- Collaborative team editing with two weeks of historical data
- Unlimited bases, tables & scheduling views
- File attachments up to 2 GB in total size per base
Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a powerful project and task management solution designed specifically to meet the needs of small business teams. It allows you to easily manage tasks, documents, conversations, project workflow, and more in one place.
Bitrix24 makes project organization and time tracking simple with its intuitive user interface and automatic calendar synchronization. The downside is that you’re already using some of the tools, which makes it more efficient to integrate them than switch over completely to a one-stop-shop solution that might be complicated.
The free version of Bitrix24 gives you:
- Accessible for up to 12 users
- Resource management
- Kanban boards
- Task management
- File attachments up to 5 GB
MeisterTask
This project management software takes Kanban boards to a new level. All your tasks, comments, notes, and due dates are neatly organized in one place – making it easier than ever before to manage projects. Not only that, but this cloud-based tool provides exceptional flexibility with its intuitive interface and powerful features.
However, MeisterTask does not allow you to create agendas and timelines, making project tracking a bit more time-consuming in certain scenarios.
The free version of MeisterTask gives you:
- Unlimited projects
- Unlimited users
- File attachments up to 20 MB
- Two integrations (Slack or Zendesk)
- Visual project boards with drag & drop task assignment
ActiveCollab
If a neat design, Kanban boards, and an intuitive user experience are what you desire in your project management tool, try out ActiveCollab. The features it offers make projects simple to organize, allow for seamless communication between team members and offer the possibility of inviting clients to view progress as needed.
With this tool, tasks can be divided among co-workers with flexible timelines while being visualized through a convenient list or Kanban views. Not only that, but it also includes an integrated timer, so time is accurately tracked. There is also a built-in app for messaging/sharing files quickly.
The free version of ActiveCollab gives you:
- Mobile and Desktop app
- Automated scheduling
- Task dependencies
- Unlimited projects and clients
- Accessible for up to 3 users
TeamGantt
As the name suggests, TeamGantt is all about project scheduling. With a sole focus on Gantt charts, it allows team members to view project progress in an attractive Gantt chart timeline and easily move tasks around with drag & drop features.
The best part is that not only is it a fantastic tool for monitoring team and individual success in relation to project objectives, but it can help you effectively track progress and milestones. However, with all the hype it makes in its free plan, users only get a single Gantt Chart project.
The free version of TeamGantt gives you:
- Single project Gantt Chart
- Team availability and workload
- Accessible for up to 3 users
- Basic project planning and collaboration
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Nifty
Nifty is the perfect task management tool for those seeking to stay focused on their work instead of wasting time figuring out how to use a complicated system. With an array of features such as chat, tasks, docs, and calendar all available in one app, it’s never been easier to collaborate with your team or customers!
Create dynamic proposals that will wow any client while tracking progress automatically. Set goals and timelines and quickly balance workloads easily – create knowledge hubs full of documents and wikis in no time at all! Best of all? It’s completely free!
The free version of Nifty gives you:
- Custom Roles and Permissions
- Workflow Automation
- Manage up to 2 projects
- Unlimited guests, team members, and clients
- File attachments up to 100 MB
What are the Factors to Consider When Choosing Free Task Management Software?
When it comes to task management, there are a number of factors that you should consider when choosing the best task management software for your project. Here are some things you should look out for:
Features
What features does the project management tool offer? Does it have everything your team needs in order to manage projects effectively?
Ease of use
Is the project management tool easy to learn and use? Can everyone onboard quickly and easily understand how to manage their tasks?
Scalability
Does the project management tool allow you to scale up as necessary, accommodating more users or more complicated projects?
Integrations
Is there any third-party integration available? Does the project management tool integrate with other business tools such as CRM, email marketing, etc.?
Security
Is the project management tool secure and reliable? Will it protect your project data from unauthorized access or cyber-attacks?
Support
What kind of customer support does the project management tool offer in case of any technical issues?
Team Size
How many team members can you invite to the project? Does it accommodate everyone involved in the project?
Limitations
What features are limited in the free version? Is there a way to upgrade and access more features?
Type of Projects
Does the project management tool allow you to manage different types of projects, such as software development, marketing campaigns, etc.?
Ask for Input from your Team
It is important to get input from your team before choosing a project management tool. Ask for their opinion on the different project management tools you are considering and what features are important to them. This will help ensure that everyone is comfortable using the project management tool, as well as make sure that all of the project’s requirements are met.
Have a team brainstorming session where everyone can share their thoughts and ideas about project management tools. Also, ask if there are any specific needs or preferences among team members, such as those who prefer Gantt charts versus Kanban boards.
Having an open dialogue with the team can ensure that everyone feels included in the decision-making process while ensuring that all project objectives are taken into account when selecting project management tools.
Finally, try out the project management tools you are considering to get an idea of how user-friendly they are. Ask team members to test out the project management tool for a few days and provide feedback about their experience. This will help ensure that you choose the right project management tool for your project!
Conclusion
Choosing the best free task management software can be challenging – there is no one-size-fits-all solution for project management. However, by doing some research and asking for input from your team, you can find the project management tool that best suits your project’s needs.