Alternatives

12 Best Monday.com Alternatives

Ruud CarisEditor-in-Chief

Updated: 7 January 2026About Monday.com →

Monday.com is a popular Work OS that helps teams visually manage projects through customizable columns and dashboards. Users often look for alternatives due to the pricing model (minimum of 3 users), the increasing complexity of the interface with large projects, or the need for more specific functionality such as databases or software development tools.

136+ toolscompared

✓No sponsored rankings

My recommendations

Best Overall

Clickup

★ 4.1/5

Most feature overlap with Monday.com at lower costs

View Clickup →

Best for Teams

Asana

★ 4.5/5

More stable interface and clearer project structure

View Asana →

Most Similar

SmartSuite

★ 4.2/5

Nearly identical visual interface and database structure

View SmartSuite →

Best Budget

Basecamp

★ 4.1/5

Fixed price per month regardless of number of users

View Basecamp →

At a glance

ToolScoreBest for

Clickup

★4.1/5

Teams that want to centralize features and documentsView →

Asana

★4.5/5

Marketing and operational teams looking for structureView →

SmartSuite

★4.2/5

Companies that want to combine processes and projectsView →

Airtable

★4/5

Teams that build custom databases and workflowsView →

Trello

★4.4/5

Small teams with linear processesView →

Notion

★4.4/5

Teams that want to combine documentation and tasksView →

Jira

★4.2/5

Software development teams and Agile workflowsView →

Basecamp

★4.1/5

Remote teams that want to centralize communicationView →

Smartsheet

★4/5

Organizations migrating from ExcelView →

Wrike

★4/5

Marketing teams and agencies with approval processesView →

Linear

★4.5/5

High-performance product and engineering teamsView →

Todoist

★4.6/5

Freelancers and individuals managing task listsView →

All Monday.com alternatives at a glance

Clickup

Teams that want to centralize features and documents

★ 4.1/5 · Free / from 7 dollar

ClickUp is a broadly applicable productivity platform that combines project management with documents, whiteboards, and time tracking. The platform is designed for teams that want to consolidate multiple tools into one environment. The hierarchy is flexible with Spaces, Folders, and Lists, enabling complex workflows. Users have access to more than 15 views, including list, board, and calendar. A frequently mentioned drawback is that the application can become slow with large amounts of data and that the many options create a steep learning curve for new users.

Difference: Offers a 'Free Forever' plan without strict user limits

Choose this if: budget is a decisive factor

✓ What we like

✓Enormous customizability
✓Generous free plan
✓Versatile view options
✓Powerful automations

✗ What we don't like

✗Steep learning curve
✗Slow loading times
✗Overwhelming interface

View Clickup →More details →

Asana

Marketing and operational teams looking for structure

★ 4.5/5 · Free / from 11 euro

Asana is a traditional project management tool that focuses on task management and collaboration without the database complexity of Monday.com. The system is built for teams that want clarity about who does what and when. Projects can be displayed as lists, boards, or timelines. The interface is calmer and less colorful than Monday.com's, which promotes focus. A limitation is that essential features such as timelines, start dates, and custom fields are only available in the more expensive paid subscriptions.

Difference: Focus on task dependencies instead of data items

Choose this if: stability is more important than customizability

✓ What we like

✓Intuitive interface
✓Generous free version
✓Extensive integrations
✓Visual project views

✗ What we don't like

✗Pricey subscriptions
✗Limited time tracking
✗One task assignee

View Asana →More details →

SmartSuite

Companies that want to combine processes and projects

★ 4.2/5 · Free / from 12 dollar

SmartSuite is a work management platform that visually and functionally closely resembles Monday.com, but focuses more on business processes. It is designed for organizations that want to manage workflows, projects, and processes in a database-like environment. The tool offers advanced field types and links between different 'solutions' (projects). An important difference is the way records can be linked to each other. Because it is a relatively new player, the ecosystem of integrations and templates is smaller than that of the established competitors.

Difference: Links records across different projects

Choose this if: database relationships are essential to the workflow

✓ What we like

✓Intuitive interface
✓Powerful automations
✓Flexible data structure
✓Good value for money

✗ What we don't like

✗Limited mobile app
✗Steep learning curve
✗Fewer native integrations

View SmartSuite →More details →

Airtable

Teams building custom databases and workflows

★ 4/5 · Free / from 20 dollar

Airtable is a low-code platform that combines the functionality of a spreadsheet with the power of a database. It is built for teams that work data-driven, such as content calendars, inventory management, or CRM systems. Users can build interfaces on top of their data for specific workflows. While it visually resembles Monday.com, it lacks standard project management features like subtasks and time tracking; these must be built manually or added through extensions. The learning curve for setting up relationships between tables is steeper.

Difference: Relational database architecture as foundation

Choose this if: data organization is more important than task management

✓ What we like

✓Powerful relational database features
✓Flexible 'spreadsheet on steroids' interface
✓Extensive automation capabilities
✓Versatile templates for various use-cases

✗ What we don't like

✗Expensive, especially when scaling teams
✗Steep learning curve for advanced features
✗Mobile app lacks features and stability
✗Limited native reporting/dashboards

View Airtable →More details →

Trello

Small teams with linear processes

★ 4.4/5 · Free / from 5 dollar

Trello is a visual collaboration tool based on the Kanban methodology. It is designed for teams and individuals looking for a simple, visual way to track the status of tasks. The interface consists of boards, lists, and cards, making it extremely accessible. Unlike Monday.com, Trello offers fewer native views (such as Gantt or timeline) in the standard version and relies heavily on 'Power-Ups' for additional functionality. It is less suitable for complex projects with many dependencies or data analysis.

Difference: Focus purely on Kanban boards and simplicity

Choose this if: ease of use is the highest priority

✓ What we like

✓Intuitive interface
✓Visual Kanban boards
✓Generous free version
✓Simple automation

✗ What we don't like

✗Limited reporting options
✗No native time tracking
✗Expensive Premium subscriptions

View Trello →More details →

Notion

Teams wanting to combine documentation and tasks

★ 4.4/5 · Free / from 10 dollar

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that combines notes, documents, wikis, and projects. It is built for teams that want to integrate knowledge management and task management in one tool. The structure is completely free: you build your own pages and databases with blocks. This offers enormous flexibility compared to the fixed structure of Monday.com, but also requires you to design and maintain your own system. For pure project management, it sometimes lacks specific features such as advanced resource planning or native time tracking.

Difference: Document-based structure instead of task-based

Choose this if: maximum freedom in setup is desired

✓ What we like

✓All-in-one workspace (docs/tasks)
✓Huge customizability & flexibility
✓Powerful databases with relations
✓Relatively good mobile app

✗ What we don't like

✗No full offline mode
✗Slowness with large databases
✗Steep learning curve for beginners
✗No password protection on pages

View Notion →More details →

Jira

Software development teams and Agile workflows

★ 4.2/5 · Free / from 8 dollar

Jira is a project management tool specifically focused on software development and issue tracking. It is the industry standard for Agile teams working with Scrum or Kanban. Jira offers in-depth functionality for backlogs, sprints, and bug tracking that Monday.com lacks or only offers superficially. The interface is complex and technical, making it less suitable for non-technical departments such as HR or Marketing. The configuration of workflows is powerful but often requires an administrator.

Difference: Specialized in software development and bugs

Choose this if: team works according to Scrum or Agile

✓ What we like

✓Powerful Agile and Scrum tools
✓Huge number of integrations possible
✓Fully customizable workflows
✓Scalable for large enterprises

✗ What we don't like

✗Steep learning curve for beginners
✗Slow interface with large projects
✗Complex configuration requires admin
✗Overwhelming for non-IT teams

View Jira →More details →

Basecamp

Remote teams wanting to centralize communication

★ 4.1/5 · Free / from 299 dollar

Basecamp is a project management and communication tool that emphasizes calm and clarity. It's built for teams that want to combat communication fragmentation. Each project contains fixed components: a message board, to-do lists, documents, a schedule, and a group chat. Unlike Monday.com, Basecamp doesn't offer Gantt charts, Kanban boards, or complex automations. The philosophy is that project management should remain simple. The pricing model is unique: a flat rate per month, regardless of the number of users (with the Pro plan).

Difference: Fixed pricing structure and fixed project layout

Choose this if: hate micromanagement

✓ What we like

✓Flat rate ($299/month) great for large teams
✓Free guest access for clients
✓Unique Hill Charts for visual progress
✓All-in-one: chat, files, and tasks

✗ What we don't like

✗No task dependencies or Gantt charts
✗Lack of real subtasks (only lists)
✗Limited native integrations (mainly Zapier)
✗Rigid structure, little customizability

View Basecamp →More details →

Smartsheet

Organizations migrating from Excel

★ 4/5 · From 9 dollar

Smartsheet is a work management platform that combines a spreadsheet interface with project management features. It's built for users who are accustomed to Excel but need more structure and automation. The tool excels in formulas, conditional formatting, and grid views. Compared to Monday.com, the interface feels more business-like and traditional. It's strong in enterprise environments but lacks the modern, playful UI of Monday. The learning curve is low for anyone familiar with Excel.

Difference: Spreadsheet interface with full formula support

Choose this if: Excel formulas are essential to your process

✓ What we like

✓Powerful automation
✓Flexible workflows
✓Familiar spreadsheet interface
✓Comprehensive reporting

✗ What we don't like

✗Pricey add-ons
✗Steep learning curve
✗Slow mobile app

View Smartsheet →More details →

Wrike

Marketing teams and agencies with approval processes

★ 4/5 · Free / from 10 dollar

Wrike is an enterprise-grade project management platform aimed at medium to large organizations. It offers extensive capabilities for resource management, time tracking, and proofing (approving files). The structure is based on folders and projects, which works differently than Monday.com's boards. Wrike is particularly strong for marketing teams that need to approve visual assets. However, the interface is dense and can feel complex. The free plan is more limited than competitors'.

Difference: Folder structure instead of boards

Choose this if: file proofing is part of the work

✓ What we like

✓Extensive customizability
✓Powerful reporting
✓Versatile views
✓Strong security

✗ What we don't like

✗Steep learning curve
✗High costs
✗Slow loading times

View Wrike →More details →

For whom is Monday.com the best choice?

Monday.com is built for mid-sized to large teams that want to prioritize visual project views. The tool offers customizable dashboards with timelines, Gantt charts, and workload views that you can combine in one screen. For teams of 10 to 100 people running multiple projects in parallel and needing to coordinate different departments, Monday.com remains the logical choice due to its visual clarity and no-code automation options.

Also for marketing and operational teams that repeat standard workflows, Monday.com offers advantages: pre-built templates for content calendars, campaign planning, and product launches, plus native integrations with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom. The investment starting at € 9 per user per month (minimum 3 users) is then justified by the time saved in reporting and status updates. Teams that give weekly client presentations with project status benefit from the export and sharing capabilities that Monday.com provides as standard.

The tool also fits organizations that don’t have technical expertise in-house but do want to digitize complex processes. You build workflows with clicking and dragging, without SQL queries or API connections. For companies that want to scale quickly from 5 to 50 users without reconfiguring the tool, Monday.com offers the scalability you need.

Why would you look for a Monday.com alternative?

The price is an important factor for many users. The minimum of 3 users means that as a freelancer or duo team you pay at least € 27 per month, even if you only need one or two licenses. That comes down to € 324 per year for functionality that is available with alternatives like Trello or Asana from € 0 to € 10 per month. For freelancers or startups with limited budgets, this is hard to justify.

Another frequently mentioned reason is the performance with complex projects. Boards with more than 500 items or 20+ columns load noticeably slower, especially on mobile devices. Monday.com doesn’t offer sub-sub-tasks, which is a limitation for software teams that break down epics into stories and subtasks. Alternatives like ClickUp support up to 5 levels deep, which may be necessary for detailed planning.

The lack of advanced document processing also plays a role. Monday.com has basic documents, but no real-time collaboration with comments in the margin or version history per paragraph. Teams building wikis or knowledge bases alongside project management miss the functionality that tools like Notion or ClickUp do offer. Additionally, native offline capabilities are missing, which can be a problem for fieldwork or travel.

Finally

The choice depends on your priorities. For teams that want to centralize features and documents, ClickUp is the best option, with tasks up to 5 levels deep and built-in docs. With a limited budget or small teams, Trello offers the most clarity for linear processes starting at € 0 per month. Marketing and operational teams looking for structure without technical complexity benefit from Asana’s templates and timeline views. Companies that want to combine processes and projects with database functionality choose SmartSuite or Airtable, depending on whether they prefer project management or custom workflows. Looking for the most visual flexibility at a lower price point? Then SmartSuite comes closest to Monday.com, with similar dashboards starting at € 10 per user without a minimum.

Frequently asked questions

Can I export my Monday.com boards to ClickUp?

Yes, ClickUp has a native import tool for Monday.com. You can use your API key to transfer boards, tasks, statuses, and users directly, although complex automations often need to be reconfigured manually.

Which alternative has no minimum number of users?

Monday.com often requires a minimum of 3 seats. Tools like ClickUp, Trello, Asana, and Todoist allow you to pay per individual user (or have a free plan for 1 person), making them cheaper for solopreneurs or duos.

Is there a Monday.com alternative that works offline?

ClickUp and Linear offer better offline support than Monday.com. Linear is built 'local-first' and syncs as soon as you're back online. ClickUp has an offline mode for viewing and creating tasks, but with limitations.

What is the best free alternative to Monday.com?

ClickUp and Asana offer the most comprehensive free plans. ClickUp provides access to most features with storage limits, while Asana offers unlimited projects but places advanced features like timelines behind a paywall.

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All alternatives →