7 Best Project Management Tools for Remote Teams (2025)
We tested 20+ project management tools to find the best options for remote teams. Our top picks for 2025, with detailed comparisons and pricing.
By Sarah Chen
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Our Top Picks
Table of Contents
After testing over 20 project management tools with real projects and real teams, we’ve narrowed it down to the 7 best options for remote workers and small businesses in 2025.
Whether you’re a solo freelancer or leading a 50-person distributed team, there’s a perfect tool on this list for you.
How We Evaluated#
We tested each tool for at least 2 weeks with real projects, evaluating:
- Ease of use — How quickly can a new team member get productive?
- Features — Task management, views, automations, integrations
- Pricing — Value per dollar across plan tiers
- Remote-friendliness — Mobile apps, async collaboration, notifications
- Scalability — Can it grow with your team?
1. Monday.com — Best Overall#
Monday.com earns our top spot for its unbeatable combination of visual appeal, flexibility, and power. It’s a “Work OS” that adapts to virtually any workflow.
Why We Love It#
Monday.com makes project management feel intuitive rather than bureaucratic. The colorful, visual interface encourages adoption — teams actually want to use it, which is half the battle with any tool.
The automation engine is where Monday.com really shines. You can build complex “if this, then that” workflows without any coding, saving hours of repetitive work every week.
Key Highlights#
- 8+ project views (Table, Kanban, Gantt, Calendar, Chart, and more)
- 250 automations per month on Standard plan
- 200+ integrations (Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace, etc.)
- Excellent iOS and Android apps
- Custom dashboards for high-level project tracking
Pricing#
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (2 seats) | Personal use |
| Basic | $8/seat/mo | Small teams getting started |
| Standard | $10/seat/mo | Most teams (best value) |
| Pro | $16/seat/mo | Complex project management |
Pros
- Beautiful, intuitive visual interface
- Powerful automation engine
- Incredibly flexible — adapts to any workflow
- Great mobile experience
Cons
- Free plan limited to 2 seats
- Gets expensive with larger teams
- So many options can feel overwhelming at first
14-day free trial, no credit card required
2. Asana — Best for Structured Teams#
Asana is the gold standard for teams that thrive on structure. Its task management is second to none, with features like multi-homing (one task in multiple projects), dependencies, and subtask nesting.
Why We Love It#
If your team follows established processes — sprint planning, content workflows, product launches — Asana’s structured approach keeps everything running like clockwork. The free plan supporting 15 users is also incredibly generous.
Key Highlights#
- Best-in-class task dependencies and subtasks
- Free plan for up to 15 users
- Goals and Portfolios for strategic planning
- Clean, distraction-free interface
- Strong Jira and GitHub integrations
Pricing#
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Free (15 users) | Small teams |
| Starter | $10.99/user/mo | Growing teams |
| Advanced | $24.99/user/mo | Multi-team organizations |
Pros
- Most generous free plan (15 users)
- Excellent task management and dependencies
- Clean, focused interface
- Great for cross-functional teams
Cons
- Less visually engaging than competitors
- Gantt charts require paid plan
- No built-in time tracking
Free for teams up to 15 users
3. ClickUp — Best Free Plan#
ClickUp is the Swiss Army knife of project management. Its free plan is the most feature-rich in the industry, and it tries to be an all-in-one workspace for docs, tasks, and goals.
Why We Love It#
ClickUp gives you more features for free than most tools offer on paid plans. If you’re a startup or bootstrapped team that needs powerful project management without the price tag, ClickUp is hard to beat.
Key Highlights#
- Unlimited users and tasks on free plan
- 15+ project views (most in the industry)
- Built-in docs, whiteboards, and goals
- Time tracking included
- Custom task statuses and fields
Pricing#
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (unlimited users) | Budget-conscious teams |
| Unlimited | $7/member/mo | Small teams wanting more |
| Business | $12/member/mo | Mid-size teams |
Pros
- Most generous free plan available
- Incredibly feature-rich at every tier
- Built-in docs, time tracking, and goals
- Highly customizable
Cons
- Interface can feel cluttered with so many features
- Steeper learning curve than competitors
- Performance can lag with large workspaces
Free forever, unlimited users
4. Trello — Best for Simplicity#
Trello pioneered the Kanban board approach to project management, and it remains the simplest, most intuitive option for teams that want visual task management without complexity.
Why We Love It#
Trello proves that simple doesn’t mean underpowered. Its board-and-card system is so intuitive that teams can start using it within minutes, with zero training required. The Butler automation feature adds surprising power for a “simple” tool.
Key Highlights#
- Iconic Kanban board interface
- Drag-and-drop simplicity
- Butler automation (no-code)
- Unlimited boards on free plan
- Power-Ups for extended functionality
Pricing#
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (unlimited users) | Small teams, personal use |
| Standard | $5/user/mo | Growing teams |
| Premium | $10/user/mo | Teams needing views + automation |
Pros
- Simplest project management tool available
- Zero learning curve
- Great free plan
- Excellent mobile apps
Cons
- Limited project views (Kanban-focused)
- Not ideal for complex multi-step projects
- Reporting is basic compared to competitors
Free for unlimited users and boards
5. Notion — Best All-in-One Workspace#
Notion blurs the line between project management and knowledge management. It’s part wiki, part database, part project tracker — and it does all three surprisingly well.
Why We Love It#
If your team needs a single tool for documentation, meeting notes, project tracking, and knowledge bases, Notion eliminates the need for multiple subscriptions. The flexibility is unmatched — you can build virtually anything.
Key Highlights#
- Combines docs, databases, and project management
- Incredibly flexible template system
- Built-in wiki and knowledge base
- AI assistant for content creation
- Great for async-first teams
Pricing#
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (1 user) | Personal use |
| Plus | $8/user/mo | Small teams |
| Business | $15/user/mo | Growing organizations |
Pros
- Combines docs, wiki, and project management
- Extremely flexible and customizable
- Beautiful, clean interface
- Strong template ecosystem
Cons
- Jack of all trades, master of none
- Can be slow with large databases
- Steeper learning curve to set up
Free for personal use
Comparison Table#
| Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Free Plan | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday.com | Overall best | $8/seat/mo | 2 seats | 8.5/10 |
| Asana | Structured teams | $10.99/user/mo | 15 users | 8.2/10 |
| ClickUp | Best free plan | $7/member/mo | Unlimited | 8.0/10 |
| Trello | Simplicity | $5/user/mo | Unlimited | 7.5/10 |
| Notion | All-in-one | $8/user/mo | 1 user | 8.3/10 |
How to Choose#
- Need visual flexibility? → Monday.com
- Need structured task management? → Asana
- On a tight budget? → ClickUp
- Want maximum simplicity? → Trello
- Need docs + projects in one tool? → Notion
FAQ#
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free project management tool?
Do I really need a project management tool?
Can I switch between project management tools easily?
What's the best project management tool for freelancers?
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