Best Free Project Management Software in 2025: Top 10 Tools Compared
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Quick Verdict: Top 3 Free PM Tools
🏆 Best Overall: ClickUp
Unlimited users, unlimited tasks, 100MB storage, Kanban boards, Calendar view
Try ClickUp Free Forever →🥈 Best for Small Teams: Asana
Up to 15 users, unlimited tasks & projects, List/Board/Calendar views
Try Asana Free →🥉 Easiest to Use: Trello
Unlimited users, unlimited cards, 10 boards limit, simple Kanban interface
Try Trello Free →Comparison Table: Best Free Project Management Tools
| Tool | User Limit | Task Limit | Storage | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | Unlimited | Unlimited | 100MB | All-in-one workspace | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Asana | 15 users | Unlimited | 100MB | Small-medium teams | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Trello | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10MB/file | Simple Kanban | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Monday.com | 3 users | Unlimited | 500MB | Visual workflows | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Notion | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited blocks | Docs + Projects | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Airtable | Unlimited | 1,000 records | 1GB | Database approach | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Basecamp | 20 users | 3 projects | 1GB | Client projects | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Wrike | 5 users | Unlimited | 2GB | Small agencies | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ |
| Teamwork | 5 users | 2 projects | 100MB | Testing purposes | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ |
| Freedcamp | Unlimited | Unlimited | 200MB | Budget-conscious teams | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ |
Executive Summary
After testing 15+ project management tools with real teams over 6 months, we found that free doesn't mean limited. The best free project management software in 2025 offers unlimited users, robust features, and can genuinely replace paid alternatives for small to medium teams.
Key Takeaways:
- 🏆 ClickUp offers the most generous free plan: unlimited users, unlimited tasks, 100MB storage
- 👥 Asana is perfect for teams under 15 people with unlimited projects and tasks
- 📊 Trello wins for simplicity: unlimited users but 10 board limit
- 🎨 Monday.com has beautiful interface but limits free plan to 3 users
- 💡 Most free plans include core features: task management, collaboration, mobile apps
For most teams, we recommend starting with ClickUp's free plan. It supports unlimited users and includes enough features to run a 20-person team effectively. Upgrade only when you need advanced features like unlimited storage or advanced reporting.
1. ClickUp - Best Overall Free PM Tool
Free Plan Includes:
- ✅ Unlimited users
- ✅ Unlimited tasks
- ✅ 100MB storage
- ✅ Kanban boards
- ✅ Calendar view
- ✅ Real-time chat
- ✅ Mobile apps (iOS & Android)
Limitations:
- ❌ Limited to 100MB storage
- ❌ No Gantt charts (Timeline view)
- ❌ No advanced reporting
- ❌ Limited integrations
Why ClickUp is #1
ClickUp's free plan is remarkably generous. With unlimited users and tasks, it's the only free tool that can genuinely support a 20-30 person team without hitting artificial limits. The platform offers multiple views (List, Board, Calendar, Table), built-in docs, and real-time collaboration - features that most competitors lock behind paid plans.
The only significant limitation is 100MB storage, which means you'll need to store large files elsewhere (Google Drive, Dropbox). For text-based work and small attachments, 100MB is sufficient for months of use.
Best For:
- ✅ Teams of any size (works great with 5-50 people)
- ✅ Startups wanting an all-in-one workspace without monthly costs
- ✅ Teams comfortable with a learning curve (2-3 weeks to master)
- ✅ Projects not requiring heavy file attachments
2. Asana - Best for Small Teams (Up to 15 People)
Free Plan Includes:
- ✅ Up to 15 users
- ✅ Unlimited tasks & projects
- ✅ List, Board, Calendar views
- ✅ Mobile apps (iOS & Android)
- ✅ 100+ integrations
- ✅ Custom fields (limited)
Limitations:
- ❌ Limited to 15 users
- ❌ No Timeline view (Gantt)
- ❌ No advanced search
- ❌ No portfolios
- ❌ Limited automation
Why Asana Ranks #2
For teams under 15 people, Asana's free plan is nearly perfect. You get unlimited tasks and projectswith three essential views (List, Board, Calendar). The interface is cleaner than ClickUp, making onboarding faster (1-2 weeks vs ClickUp's 2-3 weeks).
The 15-user limit is the main constraint. Once you hit 16 team members, you must upgrade to Starter plan at $10.99/user/month. However, for small teams, this limitation rarely matters.
Best For:
- ✅ Teams of 5-15 people (hard limit)
- ✅ Teams prioritizing ease of use over feature depth
- ✅ Product teams, marketing teams, operations departments
- ✅ Teams wanting faster onboarding (1-2 weeks)
3. Trello - Easiest to Use
Free Plan Includes:
- ✅ Unlimited users
- ✅ Unlimited cards (tasks)
- ✅ 10 boards per workspace
- ✅ 1 Power-Up per board
- ✅ 10MB file attachments
- ✅ Mobile apps (iOS & Android)
Limitations:
- ❌ Only 10 boards per workspace
- ❌ Only 1 Power-Up per board
- ❌ No Calendar or Timeline views (paid feature)
- ❌ Limited automation (50 runs/month)
- ❌ Small file size limit (10MB)
Why Trello Ranks #3
Trello wins on simplicity. The Kanban board interface is so intuitive that new users are productive within30 minutes. Unlimited users and unlimited cards make it suitable for teams of any size, but the 10-board limit is restrictive for growing companies.
The board limit means you can run 10 concurrent projects. For small teams or simple use cases (content calendar, hiring pipeline, bug tracking), this is sufficient. Larger teams quickly outgrow the free plan.
Best For:
- ✅ Small teams (2-5 people) wanting immediate productivity
- ✅ Simple workflows without complex dependencies
- ✅ Visual thinkers who love Kanban boards
- ✅ Teams managing fewer than 10 concurrent projects
4. Monday.com - Best Visual Interface
Free Plan Includes:
- ✅ Up to 3 boards
- ✅ Unlimited docs
- ✅ 200+ templates
- ✅ Mobile apps (iOS & Android)
- ✅ Beautiful colorful interface
Limitations:
- ❌ Severely limited: only 3 boards
- ❌ No automation
- ❌ No integrations
- ❌ No Timeline or Gantt views
- ❌ Not practical for real work
Why Monday.com Ranks #4
Monday.com has the most beautiful interface of any PM tool, but the free plan is too limited for practical use. With only 3 boards, you can barely test the platform, let alone run real projects. This feels like a trial rather than a true free tier.
We ranked it #4 because the visual appeal and user experience are exceptional. However, you'll need to upgrade to Basic plan ($9/user/month) almost immediately for any serious work.
Best For:
- ✅ Testing Monday.com before buying
- ✅ Very small teams (2-3 people) with simple needs
- ✅ Personal project management (1-2 projects)
Other Notable Free Options
Notion - Best for Docs + Projects
Notion's free plan supports unlimited users and unlimited blocks (pages). Great if you need a combined wiki/documentation and project management system. However, it's not a dedicated PM tool - you'll need to build your own project tracking system using databases.
Free plan: Unlimited users, unlimited blocks, 5MB file uploads
Try Notion Free →Airtable - Best Database Approach
Airtable combines spreadsheet simplicity with database power. Free plan includes unlimited users but limits you to 1,000 records per base. Perfect for teams wanting flexibility to build custom PM workflows.
Free plan: Unlimited users, 1,000 records/base, 1GB storage
Try Airtable Free →Basecamp - Best for Client Projects
Basecamp's free plan supports up to 20 users and 3 projects. Unique strength: client collaboration features like message boards and automatic check-ins. However, 3-project limit is very restrictive.
Free plan: 20 users, 3 projects, 1GB storage
Try Basecamp Free →Freedcamp - Most Generous Limits
Freedcamp offers unlimited users, unlimited projects, and unlimited tasks on the free plan. The catch? Interface feels dated, mobile apps are clunky, and limited integrations. But if you just need free PM with no limits, this works.
Free plan: Unlimited users, unlimited projects, 200MB storage
Try Freedcamp Free →How to Choose the Best Free PM Tool
Decision Framework:
If your team has unlimited size...
Choose ClickUp (unlimited users) or Trello (unlimited users but 10 board limit)
If your team has 5-15 people...
Choose Asana (cleaner interface, easier to learn)
If you prioritize simplicity...
Choose Trello (30-minute learning curve) or Notion (if you need docs too)
If you need maximum features...
Choose ClickUp (most features on free plan)
If you manage client projects...
Choose Basecamp (built for client collaboration) or Trello (simple for clients)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best completely free project management software?
ClickUp offers the best completely free plan with unlimited users, unlimited tasks, 100MB storage, and core features like Kanban boards, Calendar view, and real-time collaboration. Unlike "free trials," ClickUp's free plan is permanent with no time limit. For smaller teams (under 15 people), Asana'sfree plan is also excellent with unlimited tasks and projects.
Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Project?
Yes. ClickUp, Asana, and Monday.com all offer free plans with Gantt chart capabilities (called Timeline views). ClickUp's free plan includes basic Gantt features. For pure Gantt chart functionality without cloud dependency, GanttProject is completely free desktop software (open-source).
Can I use Trello for free forever?
Yes. Trello's free plan is permanent with unlimited cards and users, but limited to 10 boards per workspace and 1 Power-Up (integration) per board. It's perfect for small teams doing simple task management. You only need paid plans ($5/user/month) if you want unlimited boards, Calendar view, or Timeline view.
Do free project management tools have hidden costs?
Reputable tools like ClickUp, Asana, and Trello have genuinely free plans with no credit card required. However, you'll hit limitations: storage caps, user limits, or feature restrictions. The "hidden cost" is time - you may need to manually work around limitations (e.g., deleting old files to stay under storage caps). For most small teams, free plans are sufficient indefinitely.
Which free PM tool is best for remote teams?
ClickUp is best for remote teams due to unlimited users, built-in chat, and real-time collaboration features - all on the free plan. Asana is a close second with excellent mobile apps and clean interface that reduces remote communication friction. Both offer comment threads, @mentions, and activity feeds essential for async remote work.
Can free plans integrate with other tools?
Yes, but with limitations. Asana's free plan includes 100+ integrations (Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.). ClickUp's free plan has limited integrations - you'll need paid plans for advanced integrations. Trello allows 1 Power-Up per board on free plan. Most free plans integrate with Zapier for connecting to 1,000+ apps.
Final Recommendation
Best Overall: Start with ClickUp
For most teams, ClickUp's Free Forever plan offers the best combination of features, flexibility, and scalability. With unlimited users and tasks, you can run a 20-person team effectively without paying a cent. The only limitation - 100MB storage - is manageable by storing large files in Google Drive or Dropbox.
Perfect if you:
- Have more than 15 team members (Asana's limit)
- Want an all-in-one workspace (docs, tasks, chat)
- Don't mind a 2-3 week learning curve
- Work primarily with text/links (not huge file attachments)
Best for Small Teams (5-15 People): Asana
If your team is 15 people or fewer and you prioritize ease of use, Asana's Personal planis perfect. Cleaner interface than ClickUp, faster onboarding (1-2 weeks), and unlimited tasks/projects. The user-friendly design means higher team adoption rates.
Perfect if you:
- Have 5-15 team members (strict limit)
- Want easy onboarding without overwhelming features
- Need multiple views (List, Board, Calendar)
- Prefer polished UX over maximum features
Easiest to Start: Trello
If you want to be productive within 30 minutes and love visual Kanban boards, Trello's free planis unbeatable for simplicity. Unlimited users and cards, but 10-board limit means you'll eventually outgrow it. Perfect for simple workflows or getting started before upgrading to Asana/ClickUp.
Perfect if you:
- Want immediate productivity (30-minute learning curve)
- Manage fewer than 10 concurrent projects
- Love visual Kanban board workflows
- Need dead-simple tool for non-technical teams
Final Thoughts
The best free project management software depends on your team size and priorities. All three top picks (ClickUp, Asana, Trello) are genuinely free forever - no time limits, no credit cards required.
Our recommendation: Start with ClickUp if you have more than 15 people or want maximum features. Choose Asana if you have 5-15 people and prioritize ease of use. Pick Trello if you need immediate productivity and simple Kanban workflows.
All three offer free plans that are sufficient for months or years of use. Upgrade to paid plans only when you genuinely need advanced features like unlimited storage, Gantt charts, or advanced reporting.