Five of the Best Online Project Management Tools

While it's possible to guide projects with nothing more than whiteboards and email, most complex projects require software to track all the moving parts. In a dynamic work environment, online and cloud-based tools offer the most flexibility for the cost. There are hundreds of applications to choose from, but these five are among the most highly-recommended.

Asana https://asana.com/

PC Mag's review says, "Productivity enthusiasts love Asana, and for good reason." [1] Asana focuses on task management, collaboration and details such as managed inboxes so that your team doesn't have to dig through email that isn't about the project. It's easy to use and has an attractive UI. The online tutorials are excellent and it's possible to go from purchase to using Asana within minutes. The company offers free versions for small teams to competitively-priced paid accounts for large-scale implementation. Asana was not originally designed as a full project management solution, but has options for integration with other tools that can quickly turn it into the complete package.

Wrike https://www.wrike.com/

Wrike is a popular tool that has been around since 2007 and is currently used by 8,000 corporations. Wrike has a solid base of customer loyalty [2]. The software manages most of its collaborative tools through email. It is designed to, among other things, help teams keep track of timelines, tasks and the status of their work without the need for constant meetings. It offers file sharing, high-quality mobile integration and dynamic activity streams. There is a free option for teams of five or fewer, and more fully-featured options for professional, business and enterprise implementations.

• Meisterplan https://meisterplan.com/

Considered a "robust and dynamic project management and portfolio management rolled into one," Meisterplan allows for large-scale planning as well as business analysis, not to mention small-scale task management and collaboration [3]. It is highly effective at resource allocation and revealing inefficiencies, as well as data visualization. It also has a scenario tool which lets you see how changes to the plan will affect your productivity. Meisterplan also addresses staffing needs, indicating the right people for your teams based on the roles they need to fulfill.

TeamGantt https://www.teamgantt.com/

Using Gantt charts to monitor tasks, the TeamGantt software creates a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface that is easily modified for specific projects. Members of the team, or the client, can use the highly visible interface to see who is responsible for which task, and what sub-tasks need to be completed in order to address other tasks. It also allows for comparison between planned vs. actual costs and schedules. It doesn't have a free option, and the costs may seem high compared to Asana and Wrike. [4]

Zoho Projects https://www.zoho.com/

Often used by software development companies, Zoho Projects also uses Gantt charts, and supplements them with time-tracking, collaborative tools, mobile apps and bug tracking. The software allows for document management, and can also integrate with Google™ Apps. Projects can be prioritized and arranged according to specific requirements, and the calendar tools are robust and intuitive. There is a free option for one project with unlimited users. The costs for the other options are in line with similar project management tools and allow for greater collaboration and reporting.

[1] http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2408011,00.asp

[2] https://www.merchantmaverick.com/reviews/wrike-review/

[3] https://reviews.financesonline.com/p/meisterplan/

[4] https://reviews.financesonline.com/p/teamgantt/

[5] https://www.merchantmaverick.com/reviews/zoho-projects-review/