Project & Task Management Apps to Check Out in 2021

As the world turns increasingly digital, and more people work remotely from home or some far-flung destination, project and task management have taken on new meanings. Today, without face-to-face engagement (and often even with it) email is no longer enough to efficiently manage projects and delegate tasks. We need tools that can be accessed from anywhere, at any time, and the challenge is to ensure all types of information, data, and files can be clearly presented, easily accessed, and logically sorted. We also need to be able to communicate effectively, discuss in detail, collaborate seamlessly, and work more efficiently.

We’re asking for a lot!

However, there’s plenty of help out there, and a wealth of project and task management apps designed to achieve all of this….and more. But which is the best task management app out there for you? Here, we look at the pros and cons of some of the most popular apps out there so you can organise your projects more effectively—wherever your collaborators are.

Project Management App Comparison Table

A Closer Look at 7 To Do List Apps

Spike

Spike email app is based around your existing email, as opposed to forcing your team to transition to another platform, and has been around since 2013. It pulls productivity tools, such as Tasks, To-Do Lists, collaborative Notes, Calendar, video and voice calls, email/chat, Groups and more into a single app that is available cross-platform, so users no longer need to switch between programs. All its functions are available without premium that will be sufficient for most personal accounts (meaning integrations such as “read” notifications, snoozing, encryption and more are available to all users)—making it a very powerful free project management app.

Pros

• Utilization of existing email enables users to seamlessly communicate with non-users
• Cross-platform for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android and the web
• Full integration of productivity tools in a single location
• Works great even if everyone on your team isn’t using it

Cons

• The chat-like style can require some adjustment from regular email
• Business email addresses require Premium

Cost

• Free version: Yes
• Premium Version: From $8 a month

Todoist

Todoist has been around since 2007 and is one of the more popular task management apps on the market. It works across multiple platforms and the base app is free (although this does limit some usability such as personalized labels). It is designed solely as a task-manager, which means it is simple to create lists, but unfortunately you still have to use other apps for different areas of your workflow such as email, calendars and, importantly, comprehensive collaboration.

Pros

• Cross platform (Android, iOS, Windows, Web-based)
• Quick Adds keep it simple while Expanded task views allow you a more comprehensive overview
•  Recurring due dates allow for ongoing tasks

Cons

• Only basic collaboration features
• Custom labels are only available for premium users

Cost

• Free version: Yes
• Premium Version: From $3 a month

Asana

Asana is a powerful team management app that has been around since 2008. For the free app, tools are limited to a task-lists, which might be exactly what you are after! Asana is focussed on collaboration, so this is really designed for those who are looking for team-based tasks rather than personal lists. It is split into projects, to which you can add tasks and assign team members. It is available on several platforms, but not Windows, and while there are numerous integrations, these are external and require extensions and add-ons.

Pros

• Extremely comprehensive within its own system
•  Android and iOS apps as well as web-based

Cons

• No Windows app
• The basic to-dos and tasks are simple, but once you start to integrate more features, there is a steep learning curve
• More expensive than some other options
• Integration requires addons and extensions

Cost

• Free version: Yes
• Premium Version: From $10.99 a month

Trello

Trello is a board-based to do list app, with each list containing cards of tasks, to-dos and assigned roles. There are numerous integrations available (such as calendars) but these are limited to one “power-up” per board on the free account so, to use the full spectrum of tools, a paid account is necessary. Trello can be used to create team boards for collaborative projects, but these are limited on free accounts.

Pros

• Cross-platform
• Simple to use as it mimics the whiteboards people are used to

Cons

• Full integration uses add-ons and realistically requires a paid account
• Need a separate app to access other workflow tools such as email and video calling
• Requires full team buy-in to make it a useable product

Cost

• Free version: Yes
• Premium Version: From $9.99 a month

Basecamp

One of the longest-running project management apps on this list, Basecamp came out in 2004 made by a software company founded back in 1999. It is comprehensive in what it can do, but rather than integrating existing tools (such as calendars and email) it requires users to migrate everything to Basecamp. The premium app is divided into teams, projects and basecamp (full company) in order to organize tasks, messages, chat and more. There is a free personal option, but it is limited to just three projects.

Pros

• Cross-platform
• Flat rate rather that per-user rate

Cons

• Full migration of all team members needed
• Severely limited free version
• Potential overkill if you are a freelancer / work alone
• Need multiple accounts for each organization

Cost

• Free version: Yes
• Premium Version: $99 a month (all users)

Monday.com

This platform is focussed on larger organizations rather than individuals and freelancers (hence the minimum plan being 5 people). That said, if you do go forward with Monday.com, it has the ability to create tasks and to-do lists as well as integrating chat, timelines, prioritization and more. There is also an integrated calendar to view tasks and encryption to ensure safe data.

Pros

• Cross-platform
• Designed with groups in mind
• Encryption for security

Cons

• Considerably more expensive than others with no free version
• Aimed at businesses rather than individuals and freelancers
• Difficult for new users to understand

Cost

• Free version: None.
• Premium Version: From $49/month (5 users)

Casual

Casual differentiates itself from the rest of these to do list apps through its visual approach to project management, building flow diagrams of work rather than classic lists. Unlike some of the others, this app also works for smaller or personal projects rather than being geared towards enterprise users. By focussing on being a project / task manager, it is very simple, but this also means having to swap to alternative platforms for other productivity tools such as email.

Pros

• Geared towards small and medium sized operations
•  Visual approach makes it simple
• Cheaper than other premium-only solutions

Cons

• May not suit those with less visual styles
• No free version
• Not designed for comprehensive integration of other tools

Cost

• Free version: None
• Premium Version: From $25/month (5 users)

nTask Manager

nTask is a cloud-based project management software used to plan, execute, and manage projects for individuals and businesses of all sizes. It enables organizations to collaborate with team members on tasks, meetings, projects, issues, and risks.

nTask offers features to allow teams to keep all work documents in one place. nTask integrates with Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox, and several other apps through Zapier. Using this tool, users can assign tasks, attach, and share files, set recurring tasks, generate a to-do list, and use timesheets for tracking time for in-house and remote teams.”

Pros

• Robust meeting scheduling
• Administrator controls on assigning tasks
• Includes time tracking

Cons

• Unable to control which day of the week the calendar starts on
• Difficult to add attachments
• No integration with Zoom

Cost

• Free-Forever Plan
• Premium Version: From $$2.99/month (per user)

ProofHub

ProofHub focuses on bringing together all the aspects of project management and team collaboration under one roof. It simplifies task management with its to-do lists. You can also create custom workflows using kanban boards. With in-built features like a chat app, online discussions, Gantt chart, online proofing tool, file sharing, note-taking, time tracking, reporting, and more, it helps teams focus more on their tasks and less on managing things.

Pros

• Easy to use interface
• All-in-one project management and team collaboration software
• Simple, no per-user pricing that makes it a highly cost-effective option for even larger teams

Cons

• Limited third-party integrations

Cost

• Free trial available
• Ultimate control plan with unlimited projects and users available at $89/month

Each project management app has benefits and drawbacks, but there is sure to be one that suits your needs, enabling you to get on top of your workflow and increase your productivity. Find the best task management app for your workflow style, then head over to the Spike Blog for tips and techniques on how to improve your productivity even further.