Powerful Project Management Software Best in 2022

Having the best project management software and tools is critical for every project manager to stay on top and ahead of his/her work. However, the large number of options out there can make selecting the best option a challenge, but you cannot give up on this because the software determines the success of the project. 

We went into the market and tracked down the best project management software options that will deliver top-notch results no matter the project, team, or budget. Keep reading to identify the project management software best for your task or company. 

Are you in a hurry? Here is a highlight of the four best project management software covered in this post.

• Basecamp: Best project management tool for collaboration.
• Trello: Best for starters. 
• Wrike: Best for fast setup. 
• Microsoft Project: Awesome for large projects.

What is Project Management Software?

Project management software is any application that is used to help with project planning, scheduling, and resource allocation. It also comes in handy in managing projects. The software makes it possible for the managers, users, and involved stakeholders to manage budgeting, control costing, and quality. It can also serve as an administration system depending on your organization. 

On top of the functions we have highlighted, project management is also central in defining team collaboration between different stakeholders. With the project management software best for your task, the involved team should be able to log in, see what they are required to do and at what time. They can also record projects, add relevant details and changes.

With the latest project management software best for your organization or company, it might be possible to provide permission levels, allow team members to see what others are doing, and search the stored items in the database. 

How We Selected the Best Project Management Apps

For this roundup of project management software best for your project or enterprise, more than 20 apps were tested, and we only picked those with the highest scores. So, how did we determine the score? We factored in the needs of different types of businesses, including small enterprises on a budget and big companies with complex structures (many employees and large budgets).

These apps were specifically designed for managing projects instead of ongoing work. This brings us back to the basic question, “what is a project?” A project is a set of tasks that comes with a clear start date/time, closure period/date, and specific deliverable. 

In addition, the apps we selected have the following tools and features: 

• Gantt Charts. This is one of the most important features applied in project management. 
• Standard tools for scheduling and organizing project-based work.
• Collaboration ability that allows all team members or those with access to follow up with the project in real-time. 
• Large storage and automated backups.

Project Management Software Best for Your Organization/ Company

Basecamp: Best Project Management Tool for Collaboration

Basecamp was launched in 2004 and is one of the common project management apps out there. Many project management professionals like it because it comes with most features found in Slack and Dropbox and improves them for a more intuitive experience. Some of the features that make Basecamp stand out from the pack include private messaging, real-time chat, and file storage. 

You will also like its powerful search tools and uncluttered interface, making it easy to jump to the image, task, or message of interest. This is not all. The app comes with email integration and impressive sharing abilities with the team and other persons outside the project. A bonus here: you can customize notifications based on your requirements. 

You will find this project management software best for your company, especially if it is a large or complex organization. However, it is pretty expensive. Make sure to use the free trial of 30 days to test most of the features. 

Trello: Best for Starters

Are you new to project management, perhaps working with a new company or even for study purposes? One of the project management software best for you is Trello. It comes with a simplified interface and free tier that makes it ideal for both small teams and individuals getting started in project management. 

With the software, you can manage both ongoing workflows and individual projects. The terms and design with cards and boards are also pretty easy to understand. For example, your cards can include images, hyperlinks, images, custom downloads, and plenty more. 

Once through with a specific card or entire board, you can archive it to continue with other tasks, but it will be pretty easy to pull out for reference or changes. As a starter, you can select the user plan with fewer boards. For example, the free plan allows you to work with unlimited cards and users and up to 10 boards. Even the paid plans are pretty affordable, starting with USD10 per month.

The main challenge is that there is limited reporting in Trello. However, you can use third-party extensions to add this functionality. 

Wrike: Best for Fast Setup

Do you find Trello limiting for your project management? Wrike might be a better alternative. For example, if you only have hours to set up a complex project management system, most of the apps might not be ideal and this is where Wrike comes into play. 

The tool comes with advanced features, such as Gantt Charts and an easy-to-use design with interactive dashboards. Other built-in features include a comprehensive reporting suite and time tracking tool. 

If you go for the free plan, it comes with features that allow you to handle most projects. These include interactive boards, cloud integrations, task management, spreadsheets, and support for unlimited users. 

Microsoft Project: Awesome for Large Projects

Microsoft Project was developed in 1984, and almost all other apps have borrowed some or most of their features from it. It looks and feels like other Microsoft programs, but it can be pretty daunting for newcomers. However, professionals appreciate the granular details available for different tasks and resources. The resource can be a specific person, physical material, role, or anything else.

The reporting feature of Microsoft Project is very powerful, supporting both customizable and pre-built reports. You can even rapidly export them to Microsoft PowerPoint for presentation summaries. If you already have Office 365, MS Project will integrate with it comfortably. 

The only challenge for using MS Project is that it is pretty expensive. With the steep learning curve and higher learning price, this project software is no doubt aimed at people with large and complex projects, time, expertise, and budget. 

FAQ

What are project management tools?

These are apps designed to help businesses, teams, and persons to track projects at different stages. The project software tools can help you work collaboratively and remotely on a specific activity, deadlines, track projects, add notes, and even provide regular updates. The project management software best for your work includes search functions, email integration, and support for unlimited users. 

Who should use project management software tools? 

• Sales teams. 
• Work teams. 
• Remote workers. 
• Contractors. 
• Construction workers. 
• Individuals who are managing multiple teams.

What are the costs of project management tools? 

The costs of project management software best for your company vary depending on the features, such as search tools and built-in integration. A free app might work if you are on a budget, starter, or running a simple project. However, most paid project management software will cost between USD10 and USD99 per month. Again, the cost depends on the number of users that you want to work with. 

The above four options are some of the project management software best for your project. They are designed by top brands, come with rich features, and have been proved to work excellently in previous activities. Remember that when selecting the best project management app, you must factor in the nature of work at hand, the number of people involved, budget, and expectations from the app. 

Do not just pick any app; go for the project management software best for your company, task, or work at hand. If you need more options and individual advice on which project management software to pick, take a look at our advisor. You just need to answer a few questions and it will give you the best options for project management software best in 2022.