Trello Alternatives: Project Management Tools That Go Beyond Kanban
Trello's simplicity becomes a limitation as teams grow. Five alternatives compared on workflow flexibility, automation and scalability.
At MG Software we use Linear for software development thanks to its fast interface and Git integration. For cross-functional teams we recommend Asana or Monday.com depending on the desired flexibility. We help you choose the right tool and migrate your workflows.
Why do people look for alternatives to Trello is a visual project management tool based on the kanban principle of boards, lists and cards. Acquired by Atlassian in 2017, Trello offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, Power-Ups for integrations, Butler automation, checklists, labels, due dates and team collaboration. The free plan provides unlimited cards, up to 10 boards per workspace and limited automation. The Standard plan costs $6 per user per month and the Premium plan $12.50. Trello has more than 50 million registered users and is used worldwide for personal task management, team projects and business processes.?
Teams look for Trello alternatives when projects grow more complex. Trello offers only a kanban view with limited list and calendar options, while teams often need Gantt charts, timelines or multiple view types. Reporting is minimal: there are no native dashboards for project progress, time spent or team workload. The hierarchy is flat with only boards, lists and cards and no support for subprojects, epics or objectives. Butler automation is limited on the free plan to 250 commands per month. Power-Ups for time tracking, dependencies and advanced workflows require paid plans. With larger teams managing hundreds of cards, Trello becomes unwieldy without careful board management.
Best alternatives
Asana
Asana is a comprehensive work management platform combining lists, boards, timelines, calendars and Gantt views. The free plan supports up to 10 team members with unlimited tasks and projects. The Starter plan costs $13.49 per user per month and the Advanced plan $30.49. Asana offers Goals for objective tracking, Portfolios for project overview, workload management, intake forms, rule-based automation and over 200 integrations. The platform serves more than 150,000 organisations including Amazon, Spotify and Airbnb.
Pros
- +Multiple views per project: list, board, timeline, calendar and Gantt without any plugin or add-on
- +Goals and Portfolios that connect projects to business objectives for strategic visibility
- +Rule-based automation combining triggers, conditions and actions without writing code
- +Comprehensive reporting with dashboards for project progress, team workload and timeline overview
Cons
- -The abundance of features can overwhelm small teams that appreciate Trello's simplicity
- -Costs rise quickly with larger teams: the $13.49 per user Starter plan is pricier than Trello Standard
- -Tasks can only be assigned to one project at a time, which limits cross-functional workflow flexibility
Linear
Linear is a modern issue tracking platform designed for speed and focus, primarily targeting software development teams. It offers sprints, roadmaps, cycles, projects, triage and automated workflows. Linear is renowned for its blazing-fast interface that is fully keyboard-navigable. The free plan provides unlimited members and issues. The Standard plan costs $8 per user per month. Linear integrates with GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Figma and Sentry with native Git integration for branch and PR tracking.
Pros
- +Exceptionally fast interface with keyboard shortcuts that noticeably improve productivity
- +Native Git integration: automatic branch creation, PR tracking and issue status updates from your code
- +Opinionated workflows with sprints, cycles and triage that provide structure without excessive configuration
- +Clean, modern design with no visual clutter that promotes focus on the work itself
Cons
- -Primarily designed for software teams: less suitable for marketing, HR or other non-technical departments
- -Less configurable than Asana or ClickUp: the opinionated approach may not fit every team process
- -Fewer integrations than Trello or Asana: less than 50 native connections available
Monday.com
Monday.com is a flexible work operating system that enables teams to manage projects, processes and daily work through customisable boards. It offers kanban, Gantt, timeline, calendar and dashboard views. The Individual plan is free for up to 2 users. The Basic plan costs $12 per user per month and the Standard plan $14. Monday.com provides automations, integrations with over 200 tools, work forms, time tracking and workload overviews. The platform serves more than 225,000 customers worldwide.
Pros
- +Highly customisable boards with column types for status, person, date, formula, dependencies and more
- +Visual automation builder that makes complex workflows configurable without technical knowledge
- +Extensive reporting with dashboards combining data from multiple boards for management overview
- +Broadly applicable: from project management and CRM to HR processes and marketing campaigns
Cons
- -Per-user pricing starts at a minimum of 3 users, making it expensive for very small teams
- -Flexibility leads to complex board configurations that are difficult to maintain without governance
- -Automations on the Standard plan are limited to 250 actions per month, similar to Trello Butler
Notion
Notion combines project management with a wiki, database and documentation platform in a single tool. It provides kanban boards, lists, calendars, timelines and gallery views built on databases. The free plan offers unlimited pages for individuals. The Plus plan costs $12 per user per month and the Business plan $18. Notion provides templates, database relations, formula fields, API integrations and Notion AI for content generation. The platform is used by more than 30 million users.
Pros
- +All-in-one workspace combining project management, documentation, wiki and databases without separate tools
- +Flexible database system with relations, rollups, formulas and multiple views per dataset
- +Extensive template gallery with hundreds of ready-made workflows for various team processes
- +Notion AI for summarising notes, generating action items and searching the workspace intelligently
Cons
- -Performance can slow down in large workspaces with thousands of pages and complex database relations
- -Less specialised in project management: lacks native sprints, Gantt dependencies and workload balancing
- -Offline support is limited: the web app requires a stable internet connection for optimal use
ClickUp
ClickUp positions itself as the all-in-one productivity tool combining Trello, Asana, Notion and Slack. It provides list, board, calendar, Gantt, timeline, mind map and table views. The free plan offers unlimited tasks and members with 100 MB storage. The Unlimited plan costs $10 per user per month and the Business plan $19. ClickUp provides native docs, whiteboards, goals, time tracking, sprints, forms and over 1,000 integrations.
Pros
- +Most comprehensive feature set: combines tasks, docs, whiteboards, goals and time tracking in one platform
- +Seven view types per project at no extra cost, from kanban and Gantt to mind maps and timelines
- +Free plan with unlimited tasks and team members that is more generous than Trello and most competitors
- +Native sprints and agile features making ClickUp suitable for both marketing and software teams
Cons
- -The abundance of features leads to a complex interface that can overwhelm new users initially
- -Performance issues in large workspaces: the application can feel sluggish with thousands of tasks
- -Frequent UI changes and feature releases make it challenging to maintain stable workflows
Comparison at a glance
Asana delivers the best balance between ease of use and comprehensive project management features with objective tracking. Linear provides the fastest, most focused experience for software teams with native Git integration. Monday.com is the most flexibly customisable for diverse business processes. Notion combines project management with documentation in an all-in-one workspace. ClickUp offers the most features in a single platform.
What to consider when switching?
- Need for multiple views such as Gantt, timeline and reporting that Trello does not provide
- Team size and budget: some alternatives cost more per user but deliver significantly more functionality
- Preference for simplicity versus comprehensiveness: Linear is opinionated, ClickUp is maximally configurable
- Team type: software development teams have different needs than marketing or operations teams
Which alternative does MG Software recommend?
At MG Software we use Linear for software development thanks to its fast interface and Git integration. For cross-functional teams we recommend Asana or Monday.com depending on the desired flexibility. We help you choose the right tool and migrate your workflows.
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