Introduction
As more companies embrace remote and hybrid work, having the right resource management tools is critical for facilitating collaboration and keeping distributed teams aligned and productive. Whether managing projects, resources, tasks or workflows, software can streamline processes and provide needed visibility. In this blog, we evaluate 15 top solutions based on core functionality, ease of use, integrations, reporting and analytics, and other factors to help organizations select the best fit for their needs.
Methods of Evaluation
We evaluated each solution based on features, cost, ease of use and implementation. Additional factors included integrations, customization options, reporting and analytics capabilities. We also factored in qualitative metrics like customer reviews, industry recognition and reputation as well as quantitative metrics like the number of backlinks, website traffic and keyword trends to determine which solutions are receiving the most attention and adoption in the market.
1. Slack
Slack is a leading team communication platform used by millions of teams worldwide. Founded in 2013, Slack aims to replace email with customizable workspaces and channels to keep communications organized. It allows teams to collaborate in real-time and stay connected wherever they are.
Pros: Some key advantages of Slack include:
– Acts as a central communication hub for teams
– Robust integration capabilities with popular tools like Google Docs, Trello, Dropbox and more
– tracking features like @mentions, search and message history make it easy to follow conversations
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that the free version has limited features and storage which could be an issue for larger teams.
Pricing: Slack offers several paid tiers starting from $8 per user per month for the Standard plan up to $15 per user per month for the Plus plan. Enterprise plans are also available for larger organizations.
Some key stats about Slack include:
– Over 10 million daily active users
– Used in over 150 countries
– Integrations with over 1,500 apps
– Publicly listed on NYSE with a valuation of over $20 billion
2. Hewlett Packard
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is a leading provider of IT infrastructure, application modernization, and cloud services to enable digital transformation. Their Resource Management Suite provides comprehensive resource planning, budgeting, approval workflows and strategic forecasting capabilities. The key components include Project and Portfolio Management (PPM), Continuous Planning, Time and Expense, Procurement, Financial Management, and Analytics solutions.
Pros: Key advantages of HPE Resource Management Suite include:
– Comprehensive portfolio management system (PPS) that brings together all projects, programs, portfolios and resource plans
– Scalable platform that can support the needs of small to very large enterprises
– Advanced analytics capabilities for strategic planning, benchmarking and performance reporting
Cons: One potential disadvantage is the suite may have more capabilities than needed for smaller organizations with fewer concurrent users and projects/programs under management.
Pricing: Pricing for HPE Resource Management Suite varies based on the number of named users, modules/applications deployed, and support/services required. Contact HPE sales for a customized quote.
Some key stats about HPE Resource Management Suite include:
– Used by over 5,000 customers worldwide across all industries
– Supports planning and management for projects/programs up to $1B+
– Scales from small teams to enterprises with over 10,000 users
3. Airtable
Airtable is a low-code platform that allows users to build custom applications visually through a drag and drop interface. Founded in 2012, Airtable’s mission is to expand human productivity by creating tools that make information more accessible, understandable and useful.
Pros: Some of the key advantages of Airtable include:
– Versatile platform that can be used to create almost any type of application such as CRMs, Kanban boards, inventory management systems and more.
– Intuitive and easy to use drag and drop interface makes Airtable accessible for both technical and non-technical users.
– Strong integration capabilities that allow Airtable to tie into other tools and services.
Cons: One potential disadvantage of Airtable is that it is not designed as a replacement for more full featured applications. Airtable works best as a complement to other tools rather than a single source of truth on its own.
Pricing: Airtable offers three pricing tiers:
– Free Plan: IDEAL FOR INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL TEAMS. Offers basic functionality for up to 3 users.
– Professional Plan: BEST FOR MOST TEAMS. $10/user/month and includes more storage and features.
– Enterprise Plan: CUSTOM PRICING FOR LARGE ORGS. Dedicated support and enterprise-grade security and compliance.
Some key stats about Airtable include:
– Used by over 180,000 companies including Google, Slack and Buzzfeed
– Over 2 million users worldwide
– Supported and continuously updated platform
– Integrates with hundreds of other apps including Dropbox, Google Drive and Slack
4. Asana
Asana is a project management and task management tool that helps teams organize and manage their work. Founded in 2008, Asana is one of the early software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies to offer a collaborative work platform to track tasks, projects and workflows.
Pros: Some key advantages of Asana include:
– Simple and intuitive task management platform that requires little training
– Templates for common workflows like agile and projects to help teams stay organized
– Tight integration with popular apps like Slack, Gmail, and Dropbox for seamless collaboration
– Powerful customization options to tailor workflows to any team or industry
Cons: A potential disadvantage of Asana is that the free tier has limited functionality and storage, which could necessitate an upgrade for larger teams or projects.
Pricing: Asana offers three paid tiers – Premium ($9.99/user/month billed annually), Business ($24.99/user/month billed monthly) and Enterprise (custom pricing). The Premium plan unlocks additional features like advanced permissions, offline editing and custom branding while the Business plan also includes priority support.
Some key stats about Asana include:
– Used by over 115,000 paying organizations including Spotify, Airbnb, and Uber
– Has over 100M users globally
– Integrates with over 250 apps including Slack, G Suite, Dropbox, and Adobe Creative Cloud
5. Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a leading work execution platform that enables teams and organizations to manage projects, workloads, and programs in one place. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, Smartsheet has a vision of empowering people to achieve more by allowing teams to plan, capture, manage, automate, and report on work at scale.
Pros: Some key advantages of Smartsheet include:
– Powerful platform for project and resource management
– Collaboration features enable effective teamwork through shared workspaces and real-time updates
– Highly customizable templates for any type of work from basic lists to more complex workflows and processes
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that robust features could make it difficult for simple tasks and new users to get started quickly. There is a learning curve to unlocking its full capabilities.
Pricing: Smartsheet offers flexible pricing plans including:
– Free forever personal plan
– Paid business and enterprise plans starting from $15/user/month including additional features like custom branding, advanced security, and more
Some key stats about Smartsheet include:
– Used by over 90,000 organizations including 83% of the Fortune 500
– Over 90 million workspaces created by over 5 million monthly active users
– Customers in industries like tech, government, education, and more
6. monday.com
monday.com is a SaaS-based platform for work management. Founded in 2014 and based in Israel, monday.com aims to be a one-stop solution for teams to plan, track, and organize all of their work. With monday.com’s visual workflow building capabilities, teams can easily customize the software to manage any type of work with their custom processes and statuses. Being collaborative in nature, it allows different teams and stakeholders to work together on projects from planning to execution to reporting.
Pros: Some key advantages of monday.com include:
– Visual workflow builder for managing all types of work
– Collaborative tool for end-to-end project execution
– Great reporting and analytics for insights
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that monday.com lacks some project management specific features out-of-the-box compared to dedicated project management software
Pricing: monday.com offers 3 pricing tiers – Free, Premium, and Enterprise.
– Free tier offers basic features for up to 3 users.
– Premium starts at $8/user/month billed annually for teams of 3-9 users.
– Enterprise plans are custom-quoted for advanced features and large teams.
Some key stats about monday.com include:
– Used by over 150,000 organizations globally including McDonalds, Discovery Channel, and VICE Media
– Over 4 million users working on the platform
– Available in over 35 languages
– Supports integrations with over 300 apps like Slack, Dropbox, Google Drive
7. Simplilearn LMS
Simplilearn LMS is a robust learning management system that provides online training, testing, and certifications. With over 3 million users, Simplilearn offers a comprehensive LMS for both individuals and businesses seeking to upskill their teams. The platform offers online courses, bootcamps, certifications, and hands-on learning paths across multiple domains including data science, AI, cybersecurity, and more.
Pros: Key advantages of Simplilearn include:
– Complete online training management platform with easy course authoring and deployment tools
– Robust reporting and analytics to track learner performance and KPIs
– Customizable user workflows and experiences with flexible roles and permissions
Cons: One potential disadvantage is the premium pricing of some professional certification programs compared to lower-cost competitive offerings.
Pricing: Simplilearn offers both individual and enterprise plans. Individual plans start from $39/month while enterprise solutions include custom quotes. Most sought-after professional certifications range between $999-2000 depending on the program depth and value.
Some key stats about Simplilearn include:
– Over 3 million users globally
– 5000+ hours of interactive content
– 300+ online courses and bootcamps
– 15 global professional certifications
8. Toggl
Toggl is a time tracking and resource management software that helps individuals and teams better understand how they spend their time and effort. Founded in 2012 and based in Estonia, Toggl has grown to support over 1 million active users around the world. It provides a simple yet powerful tool to track time, stay on top of projects, and maximize productivity.
Pros: Some key advantages of Toggl include:
– Simple and intuitive time tracking interface
– Granular reports and analytics on time spent by projects, tasks, clients and team members
– Team productivity insights through analytics on time spent and earned income
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free tier only allows for 5 active users. For teams with more than 5 members, an annual paid subscription is required starting at $9 per user/month.
Pricing: Toggl offers 3 paid tiers:
– Toggl Standard: $9/user/month for teams up to 5 users
– Toggl Premium: $18/user/month for advanced reporting and approvals
– Toggl Business: Custom pricing for enterprise teams
Some key stats about Toggl include:
– Tracks time for over 1 million users globally
– Available on all major platforms including web, iOS, Android
– Supports unlimited projects and team members
– Integrates with over 100 apps including GitHub, Jira, Trello and Slack
9. Wrike
Wrike is a project management and work management tool founded in 2006. It offers a versatile and robust platform for managing tasks, projects, teams and workflows. With over 4 million users globally, Wrike provides collaborative work management solutions for organizations of all sizes.
Pros: Some key advantages of Wrike include: Strong distributed team collaboration features through chat, comments and @mentions. Adaptive Kanban boards for managing agile workflows visually. Effective time tracking and reporting capabilities to understand productivity and budget vs actual.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that the pricing tiers can be on the more expensive side for lean startups and small teams. However, it offers a generous free forever plan for teams of up to 3 users.
Pricing: Wrike offers various pricing plans starting from a free Basic plan for up to 3 users to Team, Business and Enterprise plans priced between $9.80 – $34 per user per month based on the number of users.
Some key stats and capabilities of Wrike include: ability to manage thousands of tasks and projects simultaneously, real-time collaboration across distributed teams, built-in time tracking feature, integration with over 150 apps like Slack, Dropbox and Google Drive, and mobile apps for Android and iOS.
10. Podio
Citrix Podio is a leading software company focused on resource and project management. Founded in 2008, Podio provides a simple and intuitive platform for teams to manage workflow processes, track work, share files, and communicate across projects. With over 15,000 customers worldwide including NASA, LEGO, and Red Bull, Podio has established itself as a top player in the resource management software space.
Pros: Some of the key advantages of Citrix Podio include:
– Intuitive visual workspace interface that is easy for anyone to use
– Powerful customization capabilities through an extensive app marketplace
– Strong integration with team collaboration tools like chat and file sharing
– Robust permissions and role-based access for managing team workflow
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free basic plan has limited capabilities which may require upgrading for larger workloads and teams.
Pricing: Podio offers a free basic plan as well as paid plans starting at $5/user per month for the Standard plan (billed annually). Premium enterprise plans with additional features and support are also available, customized for team size and needs.
Some key stats about Podio include:
– Over 10 million users globally
– Available in 11 languages
– Integrates with over 150 apps including Dropbox, Slack, and Google Drive
– Named a leader in the G2 Grid Report for Project Management software for 7 consecutive quarters
11. Aha!
Aha! is a visual product roadmapping and management software that helps teams plan, track, and release new products. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, Aha! has grown to serve over 20,000 customers worldwide including organizations like Ableton, Atlassian, Capital One, and many more.
Pros: Some key advantages of Aha! include: – Visual product roadmapping software that provides a clear strategic picture – Facilitates planning by linking initiatives to KPIs to track progress – Deep integrations with common dev tools for a seamless workflow
Cons: The main disadvantage is that Aha! only offers paid subscription plans starting at $39/month so it may not be suitable for small teams or individual users on a tight budget.
Pricing: Aha! offers three paid plans: – Starter: $39/month per user – Professional: $79/month per user – Enterprise: Custom pricing starting at $399/month
Some key stats about Aha!: – Used by over 700,000 product builders worldwide – Deep integrations with over 50 developer tools like Jira, Slack, GitHub, and Figma – Supports over 20 frameworks including Scrum, Kanban, and Agile – Trusted by Fortune 500 companies across all industries
12. Taskade Resource Management
Taskade Resource Management is an AI-powered productivity platform that provides flexible resource planning and management solutions for knowledge work teams. With Taskade, teams can seamlessly share resources, plans, tasks and collaborate across any device to streamline their workflow and communication.
Pros: Some key advantages of Taskade Resource Management include:
– Flexible resource planning capabilities for allocating people and assets to projects
– Real-time collaboration and task management across distributed teams
– Built-in AI and machine learning to automate tasks and suggest workflows
– Intuitive interface that is easy to use for teams of all sizes
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free plan only allows for 5 team members which may not suffice for larger teams on a budget.
Pricing: Taskade offers the following pricing plans:
– Free plan: Supports up to 5 team members
– Plus plan: $8/user/month billed annually which removes the team member limit and adds more storage
– Business plan: Custom pricing for enterprise teams with additional features and support
Some key stats about Taskade Resource Management include:
– Used by over 50,000 teams worldwide
– Integrations with over 30 apps including Google Workspace, Slack, Jira and more
– Available on all major platforms including web, iOS, Android and desktop apps
13. Planview Enterprise One
Planview Enterprise One is an integrated platform for portfolio, program and resource management from Planview. In business since 1989, Planview is a leading provider of solutions for strategic planning, portfolio and resource management.
Pros: Key advantages of Planview Enterprise One include: 1) It provides an integrated platform for portfolio, program and resource management capabilities on a single data model. 2) As a mature offering, it is designed specifically for the needs of large enterprises. 3) It offers advanced reporting and analysis capabilities to provide insights across the organization.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is the price, as Planview Enterprise One is an enterprise solution targeting large organizations, the pricing may be prohibitive for some small to medium sized businesses.
Pricing: Planview Enterprise One pricing is customized based on organization size and requirements. Typically it starts at $100,000 per year for smaller deployments and can scale upwards of multiple millions of dollars annually for very large enterprise deployments.
Some key stats about Planview Enterprise One include: Used by 1000+ large enterprises worldwide, supports up to 50,000 users, integrates with over 200+ applications like Jira, Microsoft Project, and ServiceNow.
14. Teamwork
Teamwork is a leading project management software for collaborative work. Founded in 2006, Teamwork helps over 45,000 companies worldwide manage their projects, tasks and teams in one centralized platform. Some key facts about Teamwork include that it supports over 12 million users and is available in over 45 languages.
Pros: Some key advantages of Teamwork include:
– Full portfolio, program and project management capabilities
– Robust resource management and capacity planning
– Seamless collaboration within teams
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the pricing can be higher for larger teams or complex project needs compared to some other options.
Pricing: Teamwork offers flexible pricing plans starting from $19 per user per month for their basic plan up to $39 per user per month for their premium unlimited plan. Volume discounts are also available for larger teams. All plans include core features like task management, resource planning, Gantt charts, centralized communications and unlimited file storage.
Teamwork offers full portfolio, program and project management capabilities. It provides robust resource management and capacity planning features to ensure projects are staffed appropriately. Over 45,000 companies worldwide use Teamwork to seamlessly collaborate within and across teams.
15. ProjectManager.com Resource Management
ProjectManager.com is a leading resource management software for SMBs. In business since 2007, ProjectManager.com provides simplified resource planning and tracking tools to help teams stay on schedule and under budget. With mobile apps and a simple interface, ProjectManager.com keeps project teams connected regardless of location.
Pros: Some key advantages of ProjectManager.com include:
– Simplified resource management for SMBs
– Mobile time tracking apps for on-the-go teams
– Affordable pricing with no long-term commitments
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the software may not have as many advanced features as some high-end project management platforms targeted at large enterprises.
Pricing: ProjectManager.com offers affordable monthly and annual pricing plans starting at $9/user per month for the Basic plan including unlimited projects, tasks and time tracking. No long term commitments required.
Some key stats about ProjectManager.com include:
– Used by over 50,000 teams worldwide
– Average customer manages 10-50 projects at a time
– Mobile apps available on iOS and Android for remote time tracking
Conclusion
While every organization has different needs, this evaluation showcased a variety of strong options for empowering distributed teams through effective resource management. Whether opting for an all-in-one platform, best-of-breed time tracking or specialized collaboration tools, selecting the right software can streamline processes and help remote teams work seamlessly. With the solutions featured, organizations have robust choices for the new year to support hybrid work and maximize productivity across distributed locations.