10+ Best Project Management Tools For Startups

Project management tools are crucial for any startup looking to stay organized and on track. The right tool can streamline workflows and processes and increase your capacity for effective collaboration. With so many options available, however, knowing which one is best for your needs can be difficult.

Aloa focuses on building out processes towards growth. To achieve our goals, we always look for the latest and greatest tools that benefit startups and their initiatives. One of those tools is project management software that goes above and beyond to help you achieve the desired results.

We'll run a quick run-down of each tool's main features, their benefits for startups, what type of project they are best suited for, and their pricing options. Once you've reviewed the list, you can decide on the best tool.

Let's dive in!

What Should A Project Management Software For Startups Include?

Project management tools and software for startups must include solutions, features, and capabilities to keep up with a quickly scaling business model. Startups need to grow rapidly and to do so, incorporating new targets using tools and systems aggregated in one place is the best way to achieve that goal. With that, the best option for a project management tool will be able to handle a sudden influx of project tasks while still providing a simple, intuitive user interface. Ideally, the project management tool remains cost-effective. It does not cause roadblocks in developing and launching a product.

For instance, for smaller teams in the early stages of project planning or projects with straightforward timelines, a simple Flowchart creator can be the most cost-effective solution. However, larger and more complex projects may require investing in premium project management software solutions that offer advanced features, such as real-time collaboration, resource management, and integration with other project management tools. The goal is to find a tool best suited for planning and managing the type of project(s) you have at the best price. Look out for these features as you read through the list:

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Summing up its parts, keep in mind the scale of growth your startup aims to achieve in a specified amount of time. With this in mind, you can decide which project management software tool is the right fit for your startup.

Now, look at the best project management tools for startups in 2024!

12 Outstanding Project Management Tools For Startups In 2024

While there's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to project management tools. Finding the right one for your startup is important, and that can be tricky. To make the search easier, we have gathered 12 of the best project management tools for startups in 2024—all useful for different kinds of startup business models.

1. Notion.so - Best for quickly growing startups

Notion.so starts off the list of the best project management tools for startups because it goes above and beyond regarding flexibility. Notion allows you to create different databases and interfaces, giving you the freedom to design your own workflow. You can create anything from task lists, and project plans to idea boards and note-taking apps. It also offers integrations with popular third-party services like Dropbox, G Suite, Slack, and Google Calendar. 

Benefits of Notion.so for Startups

• 100+ ready-made templates: As a startup, you must get up and running quickly. Notion provides dozens of templates to help you intuitively organize projects and tasks.
• Integrations: Notion works seamlessly with popular third-party tools such as Slack, Google Drive, and Dropbox, which can be indispensable for startups.
• Real-time collaboration: Notion keeps everyone in the loop by providing real-time collaboration tools and an easy way to assign tasks and track progress.
• All-in-one startup documentation platform: Apart from project management, Notion.so includes templates for process documentation and workflow automation.
• Touches on all aspects of startup growth: Notion doesn't just address project management needs. It also streamlines marketing efforts, customer engagement, sales initiatives, and more.

Notion.so Pricing Plans

• Free: Ideal for individuals, freelancers, and internal teams of up to 3 people looking to organize workflow and project task assignments.
• Plus ($8/user/month): Best for new startups just beginning to solidify their processes and workflows for optimal outcomes.
• Business ($15/user/month): Ideal for established small businesses and startups looking to start scaling quickly with a growing team.
• Enterprise (custom price): Best for medium to large businesses that require a high level of project and business management across multiple departments.

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2. Nifty - Best for managing time-sensitive external projects

Nifty's project management platform is built with client satisfaction in mind. Startups that handle external client projects benefit from pricing plans built for customer collaboration. It includes many features to keep projects organized, on time, and within budget. Additionally, startups can use the features to manage internal projects and plan the next steps in scaling and growth.

Benefits of Nifty.io for Startups

• Client portal: Allows clients to have an overview of the project with progress tracking, update requests, and in-app communication options.
• Interactive timeline: This keeps everyone on the same page with a visual representation of progress and tasks.
• Agile project development: For startups that prefer the Agile methodology, Notion is a great platform. It utilizes Scrum and Kanban boards to track progress and has built-in sprint planning tools. Teams can easily switch between views to get better insights into each.
• Time tracking and reporting: Establish time tracking tools per task or project to better understand resource allocation and compile accurate reports.
• Task management: Assign tasks, remind team members or clients about deadlines, manage calendars to keep track of next steps, and more.

Nifty Pricing Plans

• Free: Ideal for freelancers and solo entrepreneurs who work with 1 or 2 clients at a time.
• Starter ($49/month): Best for teams of up to 10 members handling up to 40 projects per month.
• Pro ($99/month): Best for scaling startups of up to 20 users requiring client-facing project management capabilities while organizing client portfolios.
• Business ($149/month): Best for large teams of up to 50 members who require a large amount of storage space aside from client management capabilities.
• Unlimited ($499/month): Best for large businesses that handle more than 10 clients at a time across multiple departments and teams. 

3. Wrike - Best for customized workflows

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Wrike is a robust project management tool that startups can get great use out of because of the versatile features and resources it compiles. From the get-go, startups, and project managers can set up an analytical dashboard that aggregates team information across all tasks and goals. Valuable features like the custom item types also let industry-specific teams customize their workflows based on necessary components rather than sticking to strict item titles. 

Benefits of Wrike for Startups:

• Enhanced visibility: Easily visualize tasks and progress with features like a dashboard, cross-tagging, and approvals, so everyone stays updated on the current status.
• Set up efficient workflows: Use custom item types and dynamic request forms to cater to specific project requirements.
• Gantt and Kanban: Choose how to organize project tasks, dependencies, and assignments based on preference.
• Robust integrations: Integrate Wrike with over 400 apps or use the custom integrations feature.
• Organized process creation: Explore workflow and process automation to streamline project planning and start implementing as soon as possible.

Wrike Pricing Plans

• Free: Ideal for individuals and small teams looking to organize tasks and build internal processes and workflows.
• Team ($9.80-/user/month): Great for startups beginning to scale their team sizes, operations, and client capacity.
• Business ($24.80/user/month): Ideal for companies and startups working with multiple departments, each handling their own projects or looking to synergize all departments towards a common goal.
• Enterprise (custom price): Ideal for large companies that require high levels of security and customization in project management processes and abilities. 
• Pinnacle (custom price): Great for handling complex project needs with multiple moving parts and dependencies. 

4. Asana - Best for startups focused on collaboration

Asana is well-known for its collaborative project management capabilities, making it ideal for startups working on multiple projects simultaneously. The core problem Asana addresses is eliminating team silos to ensure all startup efforts are geared towards the same goals. Asana's platform aligns individual team efforts toward achieving the bigger picture for a startup through synergized work and collaborative efforts. Even if different teams have their own set project, you can rest assured that the goal remains set on what your startup wants to achieve. 

Benefits of Asana for Startups

• Workflow builder: Teams can create efficient workflows across multiple teams using visual tools to aggregate project necessities in one place.
• Timelines and boards: Create timeline Gantt charts and Kanban boards in minutes and get to the important aspects of your project more quickly.
• Workload views and reporting: Get high-level overviews of team workload progress and track deliverables with the reporting mechanism.
• Goal tracking: Use goals to set strategic plans and track their progress across all involved teams and individuals.
• App integrations: Integrate Asana with tools like Slack, Figma, Google Drive, Salesforce, and Microsoft Teams for seamless collaboration and information sharing.

Asana Pricing Plans

• Basic/Free: Perfect for individuals or small teams handling 2 to 3 projects simultaneously.
• Premium ($10.99/user/month billed annually): Ideal for scaling startups looking to grow their operations and project list.
• Business ($24.99/user/month/billed annually): Best for medium to large companies with multiple departments working towards the same goal.
• Enterprise (custom price): Best for medium to large businesses starting to increase in scale and output quickly.

5. GanttPRO - Best for project planning

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GanttPRO focuses on providing startups and project managers with a feature-rich Gantt-style project planning solution that includes all the essential components. The online-based project management solution also makes it ideal for remote teams that require a heavy-duty collaboration mechanism to ensure everyone stays on the same page. With that, teams can stay on track and aligned even when not physically working in the same space. 

Benefits of GanttPRO for Startups

• Project planning features: Use features like budget planning and resource management to increase the probability of project success during implementation. 
• Templates: Apply ready-made templates to your project management process to streamline workflow and increase productivity.
• Task management: Create tasks with branching dependencies or subtasks to organize timelines and deliverables.
• Collaboration: Collaborate with team leads and members on the platform to centralize communication.
• Import and export: Easily share, document, or revise while ensuring you have a backup and reference.

GanttPRO Pricing Plans

• Basic ($7.99/user/month): Ideal for small teams who want to visualize tasks clearly and concisely.
• Pro ($12.99/user/month): Best for small teams and startups looking to streamline and automate workflows and processes.
• Business ($19.99/user/month): Ideal for teams, startups, and businesses that need comprehensive project portfolios and workload management.
• Enterprise (custom price): Best for large departments and organizations that require more security, control, and support.

6. Monday.com - Best for projects with multiple dependencies

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Monday.com is an all-in-one project management platform with powerful features for managing projects, tasks, schedules, and team collaboration. The solutions offered to cater to nearly every type of project, whether internal or external. Teams and project managers can also use Monday.com to monitor budgets, resources, and progress, regardless of where they are.

Benefits of Monday.com for Startups

• Multiple integrations with third-party services: Integrates with Slack, Google Drive, Zaiper, and more.
• Choose your solution based on team type: Startups can specify their solution based on team type with catered templates and workflows for each one.
• Manage client portfolios: Use Monday.com to aggregate and manage client portfolios for an all-in-one client database.
• Run risk assessments: Assess project risks before implementation and develop a decisive and proactive risk mitigation plan.
• Project planning: Create thorough project plans, including budget, resources, timelines, and dependencies for better project road mapping.

Monday.com Pricing Plans

• Individual (Free): Best for individuals and freelancers and includes two seats. 
• Basic ($8/seat/month): Best for small teams looking to organize tasks or manage 1 to 2 client projects at a time.
• Standard ($10/seat/month): Great for startup teams working with multiple clients who want to synergize their processes and workflows. 
• Pro ($16/seat/month): Ideal for startups and small businesses who want to connect department teams into one platform for synergized tasks and goal achievement.
• Enterprise (custom price): Ideal for medium to large companies with multiple departments simultaneously handling various internal and client projects.

7. Trello - Best for having an easy-to-use UI

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Trello is an easy-to-use project management tool with an easy-to-use UI that makes it easy to set up boards and task assignments quickly. Startup teams can use the Kanban-style boards to manage multiple projects and dependencies simultaneously while maintaining a high level of organization. Each task card also allows you to include information like necessary files, links, or tags that eliminate roadblocks in the process. 

Benefits of Trello for Startups:

• App integrations: Integrates with tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Dropbox to help teams collaborate and stay informed.
• Automatic sorting: Automatically sort tasks into relevant lists or assignees for maximum efficiency.
• Task automation: Automate workflows and save time with task automation with Butler automation.
• Pre-made templates: Get started faster with pre-made templates for common projects.
• Multiple views: View projects from various perspectives with 3 different views: Kanban, timeline, and dashboard views.

Trello Pricing Plans

• Free: Best for individuals and freelancers who plan on using the tool for self-management.
• Standard ($5/user/month): Ideal for startups with small teams looking to collaborate on designated projects.
• Premium ($10/user/month): Best for startups and teams working on and tracking multiple projects simultaneously. Increase organization and keep each project siloed for less confusion.
• Enterprise ($17.50/user/month): Best suited for medium and large businesses that need to connect departments and teams for project collaboration. Also works for scaling startups expecting a high influx of projects and team members. 

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8. Clickup - Best for great value for money

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ClickUp is a great project management tool for startups that are scaling quickly. It offers great value for money, providing a wide range of features and functionality at a low price. ClickUp allows for customizable workflows, so startups can tailor the tool to their specific needs. Lastly, ClickUp is an all-in-one tool that includes task management, time tracking, and team collaboration, making it a comprehensive solution for startups.

Benefits of Clickup for Startups:

• Great value for money: Clickup offers many features and functionality for its price, making it a great choice for startups on a budget.
• Team-based solutions: Choose your project management solution based on team type for streamlined board creation.
• Remote work project management: Attuned to the new working environments of modern business for remote teams.
• Customizable workflows: Clickup allows you to customize workflows and processes to fit your specific needs, enabling you to get the most out of the tool.
• All-in-one tool: Clickup includes various features such as task management, time tracking, and team collaboration, making it a comprehensive solution for startups.

Clickup Pricing Plans

• Free: Great for individuals, freelancers, and teams of up to 5 people managing 1 or 2 projects simultaneously.
• Unlimited ($5/member/month): Best for fresh startups looking to build their team's internal workflows and processes while managing 1 or 2 clients at a time.
• Business ($12/member/month): It is best for startups beginning to grow their team and acquire more clients requiring high-level project management.
• Business Plus ($19/member/month): Best for startups with multiple teams with 3-5 members each while managing client projects.
• Enterprise (custom price): Ideal for companies and businesses with large departments and teams.

9. Zoho Projects - Best for scaling startups

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Zoho Projects is a project management tool perfect for startups planning to scale quickly. Its comprehensive project management features and customizable workflows make managing even the most complex projects easy. At the same time, its extensive reporting and analytics capabilities ensure you're always making data-driven decisions.

Benefits of Zoho Projects for Startups

• Customizable: Project management features that can be adapted to your startup's specific needs
• Collaborative: Ability to collaborate with team members and integrate with other tools
• Project insights: reporting and analytics capabilities to help you make data-driven decisions
• Automation: Zoho Project enables you to automate tasks and eliminate repetitive manual work.

Zoho Projects Pricing Plans

• Free: Great for teams of up to three people looking to manage up to 2 projects per month.
• Premium ($5/user/month): Ideal for small teams and startups just starting to grow their project management capabilities and want to explore its potential.
• Enterprise ($10/user/month): Best for scaling startups and teams looking for a tool that can keep up with growth while still being cost-effective.

10. Teamwork - Best for managing client projects

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Teamwork is a project management tool perfect for startups managing projects with a strong client focus. Its intuitive interface and powerful collaboration features make it easy to keep clients informed and engaged throughout the project lifecycle. At the same time, its comprehensive reporting tools ensure that you're always meeting their needs.

Benefits of Teamwork for Startups

• Resource management: Teamwork's resource management tool allows startups to manage their resources effectively to ensure their projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Budgeting and profitability: Teamwork's budgeting and profitability features help startups keep track of their finances and maximize their profitability.
• Project planning: Teamwork's tool allows startups to plan their projects effectively, ensuring they are completed on time and within budget.
• Time tracking: Teamwork's time tracking feature enables startups to track the time spent on each project, helping them optimize their workflow and productivity.
• Remote work: Teamwork's remote work tools enable startups to manage their projects effectively, even when team members are working remotely.

Teamwork Pricing Plans

• Free Forever: Great for teams of up to 5 members managing client projects daily.
• Starter ($5.99/user/month): Ideal for startups and teams of 3 to 10 members requiring robust project management capabilities for managing client projects.
• Deliver ($9.99/user/month): Best for startups and teams who want to increase their project management capabilities and capacities.
• Grow ($17.99/user/month): Best for startups and teams managing multiple and complex projects.

11. Height - Best for having a comprehensive free plan

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Height includes all the essentials to make a great project management tool for startups looking to streamline their processes and workflows. Project managers and assigned team members can view timelines and tasks through multiple views and create next steps that align with specified goals and objectives. Aside from that, Height centralizes communications and assets in one location for better consistency in project implementation.

Benefits of Height for Startups:

• Unlimited members and guests: The free plan lets you include unlimited members and guests for better collaboration across teams or with stakeholders.
• Command menus: Use customized keyboard shortcuts to easily access and easily search everything on the platform.
• Multiple views: Height lets you view your project and tasks through a spreadsheet, Kanban, or Gantt options.
• Centralized task information: Create customized task cards that include all the necessary information, such as assignees, documents, subtasks, and more.

Height Pricing Plans

• Free: Great for startups and small teams looking for an economical and effective project management tool to get the ball rolling on internal and client project management.
• Team ($6.99/member/month): Ideal for startups and teams that require more flexibility and customization in their project management.
• Enterprise (custom price): Best for startups and teams that require higher levels of security and admin support in project management.

12. Forecast - Best for small business and startup admin management

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Forecast extends its capabilities as a project management tool. It includes solutions that enable small businesses and startups to use it as an all-in-one administrative tool. Features such as financial planning, monitoring, and budget allocation are integrated into the software, making it perfect for startups that want to keep track of their growth and plan for the future. Forecast also includes project management features essential for startups following a strict budget on their projects and innovations.

Benefits of Forecast for Startups

• Project accounting: Forecast includes project accounting features, which enable you to track project expenses and revenue in real time.
• AI-powered platform: Forecast uses AI to provide insights, suggestions, and predictions for your project management needs.
• Controlled workflows: Forecast allows for customized project workflows that can be tailored to the needs of a startup.
• Automated suggestions: The forecast includes automated suggestions for project planning, budgeting, and risk management. These suggestions are based on data analysis and machine learning, which can help startups make informed decisions.
• Advanced analytics: Forecast provides advanced analytics that can help startups measure their projects' success and identify improvement areas.

Forecast Pricing Plans

• Lite ($25/user/month billed annually): Best for small businesses and startups with a minimum of 10 users and with plans to increase.
• Pro (custom price): Best for companies to fine-tune their administrative capabilities. 
• Plus (custom price): Best for organizations that want maximum efficiency towards sustainable business processes and workflows.

Conclusion

After reviewing the best project management tools for startups, it's important to remember that the right tool for your business will depend on your specific needs. Consider the scale of growth your startup aims to achieve in a specified amount of time. Choose a tool that will help you stay within your budget while remaining cost-effective and adaptable.

A good project management software will have an interface that is simple and easy to use, handle changing requirements, offer value for money, have agile planning capabilities, team collaboration capabilities, project tracking and reporting tools, and comprehensive integrations.