Best Agile Project Management Software Of 2024
- ClickUp: Best for Flexibility
- Teamwork.com: Best for Agencies
- Asana: Best for Unlimited Features
- monday.com: Best for Ease of Use
- Airtable: Best for Customization
- Jira: Best for Bug Tracking
- Smartsheet: Best for Templates
- Trello: Best for Beginners
- Wrike: Best for Multiple Departments
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Best for Flexibility
ClickUp
4.6
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$7 per user per month
(billed annually)
Kanban Boards
Yes
Unique Features
Workload management, video recording and whiteboards
On ClickUp's Website
$7 per user per month
(billed annually)
Yes
Workload management, video recording and whiteboards
Editor's Take
ClickUp is a flexible project management solution with features that work for any methodology you choose, but its Agile project management features stand out compared to its competitors. From ideation to iterations, ClickUp gives you tools to help you go from whiteboard plans to created tasks. The workload management tool gives you a clear view of which resources you have available.
Most of the best project management software today include a variety of project views, including Kanban, but that’s just one part of the Agile project management philosophy that provides a visual representation of tasks within a project. ClickUp can be used for Kanban, Scrum or Scrumban, as needed.
Learn more: Read our full ClickUp review.
Who should use it:
Almost any type of business can easily adopt ClickUp for any project management methodology, but its specific tools are excellent for Agile project management.
Pros & Cons
- Free plan includes sprint management
- Built-in video recording
- Collaborative whiteboards
- Native real-time chat
- Low storage allowance on free plan
- Steep learning curve
Best for Agencies
Teamwork.com
4.1
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$5.99 per user per month
(billed annually)
Kanban Boards
Yes
Unique Features
Built-in team chat, time tracking and invoices
Learn more
Read Forbes' Review
$5.99 per user per month
(billed annually)
Yes
Built-in team chat, time tracking and invoices
Editor's Take
Teamwork is a versatile project management app that includes features that are ideal for agencies that work closely with clients. It also lets you choose the view you prefer so you can create workflows that work best for you. The free plan supports up to five users, so it’s a good pick for a small team that needs the basics for an agency. You can set up Teamwork for Agile project management with Kanban boards and run sprints, but the main reason to use it is for its agency features.
Time tracking is included on all plans, as are billing and invoicing features. There are also automations included for all plans, but actions are limited per month. If you opt for the entry-level plan, you can create user rates to show clients and you’ll get more automation actions, collaborative documents and a portfolio view.
Learn more: Read our full Teamwork review.
Who should use it:
Teamwork is best for agencies that need client-based features, such as time tracking, billing and invoicing.
Pros & Cons
- Free plan offered for up to five users
- Time tracking on all plans
- Includes billing and invoicing features
- Requires three users minimum for entry-level plan
- Few reporting options in lower plans
Best for Unlimited Features
Asana
3.8
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$10.99 per user per month
(billed annually)
Kanban Boards
Yes
Unique Features
Lots of unlimited options and logic-based forms
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
$10.99 per user per month
(billed annually)
Yes
Lots of unlimited options and logic-based forms
Editor's Take
One of the reasons why Asana gets high marks as an Agile project management app is that it doesn’t apply many limits to its free plan. You can create as many tasks, projects and due dates as needed. There are also no limits to messages or comments either. Storage is unlimited except per file, which is limited to 100MB. High-tier plan users can take advantage of advanced features, such as logic-branching forms, which allow you to create follow-up questions in forms. Plus you get more reporting options, which makes it much easier to manage projects based on goals, time spent and workload capacity.
Learn more: Read our full Asana review.
Who should use it:
If you don’t want to be limited by the number of tasks, projects or comments, Asana is a good choice, even if you stick to the free plan.
Pros & Cons
- Generous free plan with few limits
- User-friendly interface
- Forms with conditional logic included
- Gantt charts only on paid plans
- Goals, time tracking reporting only on high-tier plans
Best for Ease of Use
monday.com
3.8
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$9 per user per month
(billed annually)
Kanban Boards
Yes
Unique Features
Workflow templates and color-coded labels
On monday.com's Website
$9 per user per month
(billed annually)
Yes
Workflow templates and color-coded labels
Editor's Take
We ranked monday.com high because it’s one of the easiest project management apps to use. It prioritizes visual boards and labels, which makes it easy to manage tasks, teams and projects. There are plenty of workflow templates that give you a jump start to creating Scrum boards and sprints. The color-coded labels make it simple to spot overdue tasks, track bugs and manage team members. The biggest downside to monday.com is that it requires at least three users for the entry-level paid plan, so it’s a bit more expensive than its competitors.
Learn more: Read our full monday.com review.
Who should use it:
The monday.com platform makes the most sense for medium to large teams because of its pricing structure, and it works well for newer users who may not be familiar with Scrum and Agile methodologies.
Pros & Cons
- Free plan for up to two users
- More than 200 workflow templates
- Color-coded labels and charts
- Requires three users minimum on low-tier plan
- No integrations on free or entry-level plan
Best for Customization
Airtable
3.3
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$20 per user per month
(billed annually)
Kanban Boards
Yes
Unique Features
Native collaboration tools and branded forms
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
$20 per user per month
(billed annually)
Yes
Native collaboration tools and branded forms
Editor's Take
Airtable is all about customization and flexibility. You can build your interface the way you want it, add extensions to help you create charts, tables or integrate with other apps you already use. There is a free plan that allows unlimited bases, but you can only have up to 1,000 records on each base, and storage is limited to 2GB per base.
Learn more: Read our full Airtable review.
Who should use it:
Airtable is a very flexible project management solution for any type of business, but it is expensive, so it may not be for startups or small businesses.
Pros & Cons
- Free plan available
- Customizable, user-friendly interface
- Extensions for added functionality
- Pricey compared to industry standard
- Slight learning curve
Best for Bug Tracking
Jira
3.3
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$7.08 per user per month
(billed annually)
Kanban Boards
Yes
Unique Features
Strong security features and sandbox
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
$7.08 per user per month
(billed annually)
Yes
Strong security features and sandbox
Editor's Take
Jira is meant for developers and it shows with its bug-tracking tools, strong security features and sandbox tool. A small team can easily use Jira to run sprints, track bugs and set task dependencies for epics and stories. There is no native Gantt chart, and collaboration is a bit difficult, but that’s because Jira is supposed to be used in conjunction with its sister program Confluence. Still, it’s a great Agile project management software for managing backlogs, customizing workflows and running Scrum for any size team.
Learn more: Read our full Jira review.
Who should use it:
Jira was built with software developers in mind, and it includes excellent bug tracking tools.
Pros & Cons
- Free plan for up to 10 users
- Advanced task dependency on high-tier plans
- Scrum boards are standard
- Steep learning curve
- No native Gantt chart
Best for Templates
Smartsheet
3.1
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$7 per user per month
(billed annually)
Kanban Boards
Yes
Unique Features
Proofing, DocuSign integration and conditional logic forms
On Smartsheet's Website
$7 per user per month
(billed annually)
Yes
Proofing, DocuSign integration and conditional logic forms
Editor's Take
If you’re most familiar with spreadsheets for project management and you’re new to Agile as a philosophy, Smartsheet’s interface with its many templates could be a good gateway for you. You have more than 500 templates from which to choose to get started with any type of project, road map or budget, for example. Also, it supports eight languages.
A few unique features of Smartsheet include proofing and conditional logic forms, but these are both only available on the Pro plan or higher. The DocuSign integration is not common for project management software either, but it’s only on the Enterprise plan. All this is to say that Smartsheet can work well for small teams, but you’ll pay a high price for a more complete solution. Plus, the free plan limits you to two sheets, which may not work well for more than a freelancer.
Learn more: Read our full Smartsheet review.
Who should use it:
Smartsheet makes the transition to Agile project management a bit easier with pre-built templates, so it’s a good choice for newcomers who are more comfortable with spreadsheets.
Pros & Cons
- Free plan available
- Customizable templates
- Automation on all plans
- Very limited free plan
- Pricey add-ons
Best for Beginners
Trello
3.1
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$5 per user per month
(billed annually)
Kanban Boards
Yes
Unique Features
Power-Ups and automations
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
$5 per user per month
(billed annually)
Yes
Power-Ups and automations
Editor's Take
Trello is all about Kanban boards, so it’s a good option for Agile project management. It also has one of the most user-friendly interfaces that anyone can pick up quickly. In addition to being easy to use, Trello is generous with its free plan and affordable with its paid plans. Although it is a simple solution, there are Power-Ups, which are Trello-branded extensions that can add automation or new features to your boards.
Learn more: Read our full Trello review.
Who should use it:
Trello is a user-friendly Agile project management software that is affordable, so it’s great for teams that are new to Kanban and Scrum methodologies.
Pros & Cons
- Free for unlimited users
- Power-Ups extend functionality
- Intuitive interface
- Not as advanced as industry standard
- Hard to track multiple projects
Best for Multiple Departments
Wrike
3.1
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$9.80 per user per month
(billed annually)
Kanban Boards
Yes
Unique Features
Folder hierarchy, AI-assisted features and custom forms
On Wrike's Website
$9.80 per user per month
(billed annually)
Yes
Folder hierarchy, AI-assisted features and custom forms
Editor's Take
Wrike is an all-in-one project management solution that is highly customizable, so it works well for any department. Its unique features include machine learning tools that create tasks and subtasks automatically based on your former tasks, which are included on all plans. There’s also artificial intelligence-assisted project prediction, which helps you plan for any potential failures or blocks. There are plenty of customization options, but some are available only in higher-tier plans, such as custom request forms and custom approval flows.
Learn more: Read our full Wrike review.
Who should use it:
Wrike can be configured for any type of department, regardless of whether you prefer Agile project management or Waterfall, so it’s a good choice for a large company with varied needs.
Pros & Cons
- Free plan for unlimited users
- Machine learning and AI features
- Collaborators allowed on all plans
- Expensive compared to industry standard
- No Gantt chart on free plan
How To Choose the Best Agile Project Management Software
Some of the most important features for Agile project management can be found in all-in-one project management apps. Consider how your team works and what it needs before choosing a specific Agile project management app or something more flexible that can work for multiple departments.
Essential Features
- Kanban Board: Cards devoted to tasks that can be moved from column to column keep sprints organized and show progress at a glance. This is helpful for managing backlogs, tasks and running sprints.
- Task Management: This is a feature you should find in any project management system. Without it, you won’t be able to track the progress of work or who’s doing what.
- In-App Communication: Whether it’s chat, comments or audio, it’s important to have some form of communication in the platform to reduce back-and-forth communication via email or meetings.
- Reporting: Most project management software include pre-built or custom reports, so you can track a variety of data in relation to your projects. This can help you head off issues at the pass or see where some people may be at capacity, for example.
Ease of Use
Depending on your team’s experience with project management software, it’s best to choose a simple platform. The easier it is for new users to adopt software, the more likely they are to continue using it.
Flexibility
A flexible platform makes it easy for any department to make use of the same software as a team that requires an Agile approach. Look for all-in-one options that allow customization and automation for the best fit for all users.
Featured Partners
Advertisem*nt
1
monday.com
Free version available
Yes
Starting price
From $8 monthly per user
Integrations
Zoom, LinkedIn, Adobe, Salesforce and more
2
Smartsheet
Free version available
Yes, for one user and two editors
Starting price
$9 per user per month
Integrations
Google Drive, Slack, Tableau, Miro, Zapier and more
3
ClickUp
Free version available
Yes, for unlimited members
Starting price
$7 per month
Integrations
Slack, Microsoft Outlook, HubSpot, Salesforce, Timely, Google Drive and more
4
Wrike
Free version available
Yes
Starting price
$9.80 per user per month
Integrations
Salesforce, Adobe, Miro, Netsuite, Quickbooks, SAP
Methodology
At Forbes Advisor, we do everything possible to bring you the fairest reviews of software. In fact, we have specific methodologies in place to ensure we perform the research, hands-on testing and deep dives into user reviews to ascribe a one through five ranking to each platform.
To determine the best Agile project management software, we considered the same factors as in our best project management software, but we narrowed the scope a bit. If a provider doesn’t offer Kanban or Scrum boards, we nix it from the list. We also considered flexibility, Gantt charts and overall ease of use. This is the breakdown of how we scored each title:
- Pricing and Fees (8%): Pricing is always going to be a huge factor for small businesses, which is why we give it 8% of the total score.
- Project Management Features (28%): Project management features include a variety of factors including the ability to assign roles to users, utilize various views (Kanban, Gantt, etc.) and create roadmaps. We assigned 28% of the ranking to this section because it’s what makes Agile project management what it is.
- Organizing Features (15%): Organization features make up 15% of the score and include extras, such as subtasks, milestones, multiple assignees and task IDs.
- Technical Features (19%): We evaluated providers based on their technical features, such as the availability of a mobile app, task automation, advanced search function and more.
- Collaboration Features (7%): We reviewed each provider for its ability to generate proofs and invoices, integrate with a variety of third-party applications and work collaboratively on documents, to name just a few factors from this category.
- Ratings and Reviews (5%): We considered what users have to say about each platform, both positive and negative reviews, on reputable user review sites.
- Service and Support (8%): We took into account the support you get from each software, whether it’s by phone, live chat or only help centers.
- Expert Score (10%): To determine the expert score, we focused on the less tangible features of each platform; the qualities you can only judge by using each app. Ten percent of the score is dedicated to ease of use, value, popularity and standout features.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the most popular tool used in Agile?
Without question, it is an Agile project management app that empowers teams to run sprints and manage backlogs. Our pick for the best Agile project management tool is ClickUp, but Teamwork, Asana and monday.com are also excellent choices.
What is the difference between Agile and Scrum?
The difference between Agile and Scrum is that Agile is a project management philosophy while Scrum is an Agile methodology. To go a step further, consider Kanban vs. Scrum: Kanban is a simplified Agile methodology and differs from Scrum in that it doesn’t require sprint planning.
Is Jira Agile or Scrum?
It’s both. You can use Jira to run Agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban. The biggest difference between a Scrum board and a Kanban board is that a Scrum board includes a backlog, daily stand-ups, planning and retrospectives, while a Kanban board tends to include what needs to be done, what’s being done and what’s done. Both are Agile frameworks that work well for continuous work.
