# 5 Top-Rated Design Project Management Software | Capterra > Looking for project management software for design teams? Check out these five top design project management software with reviews from trusted users. Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/best-design-project-management-software --- Project PlanningCreative & Design # 5 Top-Rated Design Project Management Software Written by: Preksha Buttan Preksha ButtanAuthor Writer Experience I am a writer at Capterra, where I've been providing expert insights to help small businesses find the right software solutions since Janua... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/pbuttan/) and edited by: Parul Sharma Parul SharmaEditor Content Editor Experience I have been an editor at Capterra for over two years, contributing to curating and enhancing content for various niches, including ... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/parul-sharma/) Published January 6, 2023 | Updated on December 17, 2025 11 min read Table of Contents - [1\. Asana](#1-asana) - [2\. Clockify](#2-clockify) - [3\. monday.com](#3-mondaycom) - [4\. Notion](#4-notion) - [5\. Trello](#5-trello) - [What features does design project management software offer?](#what-features-does-design-project-management-software-offer) - [How to choose the right design project management software](#how-to-choose-the-right-design-project-management-software) - [Common questions to ask software vendors](#common-questions-to-ask-software-vendors-before-purchasing-design-project-management-software) Ever tried managing a design project with endless email threads, scattered feedback, and missed deadlines? It’s like designing in the dark. Design project management software brings clarity, organizing tasks, timelines, and collaboration so creativity flows without chaos. To help you narrow the list of tools, this article highlights, in alphabetical order, the five top-rated design [project management software](https://www.capterra.com/project-management-software/) based on user reviews. For each product, we include overall user ratings along with the highest-rated attribute, product benefits, review excerpts from industry professionals, and product pricing. Read how we selected these products at the bottom of the page. **5 top-rated design project management software** **Overall rating** **\# of reviews** **Mobile app** **Starting price** [Asana](https://www.capterra.com/p/184581/Asana-PM/) 4.5/5 13,476 Yes $10.99/user/mo [Clockify](https://www.capterra.com/p/169607/Clockify/) 4.8/5 9,216 Yes $5.49/user/mo [monday.com](https://www.capterra.com/p/147657/monday-com/) 4.6/5 5,647 Yes $9/user/mo [Notion](https://www.capterra.com/p/186596/Notion/) 4.7/5 2,648 Yes $10/user/mo [Trello](https://www.capterra.com/p/211559/Trello/) 4.5/5 23,411 Yes $5/user/mo _Pricing, reviews, and ratings are as of November 2025._ _Notes: All products are billed annually._ _We selected products for this article based on their average ratings between November 2023 - November 2025, which may differ from their current overall average ratings._ * * * We selected products for this article based on their average ratings between November 2023 - November 2025, which may differ from their current overall average ratings. ## 1\. [Asana](https://www.capterra.com/p/184581/Asana-PM/)  Asana is a project management tool that helps teams organize tasks and track progress in one place. Users can view projects as lists, boards, calendars, or timelines to plan and monitor work. The platform supports task assignment, subtasks, deadlines, and real-time updates. It integrates with tools such as Slack, Google Drive, and Microsoft Teams, and offers automation to reduce manual work. Asana is available in free and paid plans, making it suitable for individuals and teams managing projects of varying complexity. #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Highest-rated attribute Ease of use (4.66) #### Starting price $10.99 per user per month (billed annually) #### Device Compatibilty ### Commonly discussed topics by Asana reviewers Based on our analysis of Asana reviews on Capterra, the most commonly discussed topics are: - **Centralized collaboration**: 91.7% of users say Asana improves team coordination by organizing tasks, assigning responsibilities, and tracking progress in real time. They value integrations, customizable fields, and workload views for better visibility. - **Task management flexibility**: 79.5% of reviewers highlight features such as subtasks, dependencies, reminders, and multiple project views. They appreciate mobile access and automation but note limitations in bulk handling and reporting. - **Ease of use**: 84.7% of users mention the platform’s simple setup and intuitive interface. Onboarding takes only a few hours, and tutorials help new users. Some note missing advanced features for large enterprises. ### Review excerpts from small business users who have used Asana for designing: _"It allows me to bring my quarterly and annual plans to reality and communicate with my team efficiently to complete both small and large projects." (Claudia Avila, CEO, 2024)_ _"It help me to stay organized by letting me create tasks and set deadlines also I can assign tasks to my team and can see their progress and tasks moves around according to their priorities." (Amanda Kennedy, assistant director, 2024)_ _"The ability to customize your space in Asana is incredible, you can change practically everything, although the hierarchical structure is not very flexible, you have infinite options to customize each task, schedule, assign to x people or group, make it autocomplete if it arrives to x date..." (Ricardo Morales, editor, 2023)_ [Read all Asana reviews here.](https://www.capterra.com/p/184581/Asana-PM/reviews/) ## 2\. [Clockify](https://www.capterra.com/p/169607/Clockify/) Clockify is a time-tracking and project management tool for individuals, freelancers, and teams. It supports manual and automatic time logging, calendar integration, and works across web, desktop, and mobile apps. Users can organize time entries by project, client, or task, mark billable hours, and generate detailed reports for productivity and billing. The platform integrates with tools like Trello, Asana, and Slack, and offers dashboards for visualizing time allocation. Its free plan covers essential features for small teams, while paid plans add advanced reporting and project management options. #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Highest-rated attribute Ease of use (4.86) #### Starting price $5.49 per user per month (billed annually) #### Device Compatibilty ### Commonly discussed topics by Clockify reviewers Based on our analysis of Clockify reviews on Capterra, the most commonly discussed topics are: - **Flexible time tracking**: 93.7% of users value manual and automatic logging across devices. They highlight the free plan, integrations, and ease of organizing billable hours. Some request more integrations and screenshot tracking. - **Project collaboration**: 87.7% of reviewers say Clockify helps manage tasks and workflows across multiple projects. They appreciate unlimited users and projects, flexible reporting, and productivity analytics. Some note free plan limits for large teams. - **Detailed reporting**: 90.7% of users value customizable reports for productivity, billing, and workflow analysis. They like export options and filters but mention advanced reporting requires a paid plan. ### Review excerpts from small business users who have used Clockify for designing: _"Clockify is a robust and intuitive time-tracking tool that offers a wide range of features to accommodate different user needs, from freelancers to larger teams." (Arisudan Tiwari, lead, 2024)_ _"I like that it helps to define how many hours I spent on what client project, and I can assign a dollar number for some project hours, a total time allocated,etc." (Jennifer Lancaster, book coach and editor, 2024)_ _"The versatility of Clockify allows me to juggle and switch between Projects and it helps me to track my time across various projects and subject matter I work on." (Wai Yee Lam, country director, 2024)_ [Read all Clockify reviews here.](https://www.capterra.com/p/169607/Clockify/reviews/) ## 3\. [monday.com](https://www.capterra.com/p/147657/monday-com/) monday.com is a project management tool that centralizes tasks, workflows, and communication. It offers customizable boards, templates, and dashboards for organizing projects, assigning responsibilities, and tracking progress. Users can switch between views such as Kanban, Gantt, and lists, and use automation to reduce manual work. The platform supports real-time updates, file sharing, and comments for team collaboration. It integrates with tools like Slack, Google Workspace, and Trello, and can be adapted for functions such as CRM, marketing, and operations. monday.com provides flexibility for both individual and team workflows. #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Highest-rated attribute Ease of use (4.59) #### Starting price $9 per user per month (billed annually) #### Device Compatibilty ### Commonly discussed topics by monday.com reviewers Based on our analysis of monday.com reviews on Capterra, the most commonly discussed topics are: - **Centralized collaboration**: 92.3% of users say monday.com improves teamwork by combining tasks, communication, and workflows in one platform. They value real-time updates, dashboards, file sharing, and integrations for better coordination. - **Task management and automation**: 80.5% of reviewers highlight features such as customizable boards, reminders, and automation for reducing manual work. They appreciate flexibility for simple and complex projects but note a learning curve and desire for more integrations. - **Ease of use**: 86.6% of users find the interface intuitive and tutorials helpful for quick onboarding. Some mention setup challenges and complexity for advanced tasks, but most agree it simplifies project organization and daily operations. ### Review excerpts from small business users who have used monday.com for designing: _"Monday is an all-in-one-place working platform that allows you to collaborate on projects with others, create to-do lists, assign deadlines, communicate with collaborators, and more." (Kathryn Forney, admin, 2025)_ _"In addition to being easy, this software allows you to classify and find your way into the classification of projects to be executed." (Robert Hounsougan, assistant, 2023)_ _All along, it has enables me to save time by enhancing collaboration, instant messaging, project management, time tracking etc all-in-one place." (Zakaria Mairami, assistant manager, 2024)_ [Read all monday.com reviews here.](https://www.capterra.com/p/147657/monday-com/reviews/) ## 4\. [Notion](https://www.capterra.com/p/186596/Notion/) Notion is a digital workspace for organizing projects, managing tasks, and collaborating in real time. It offers customizable templates, databases, and pages to structure information for individuals or teams. Users can create documents, wikis, and knowledge bases, embed multimedia, and integrate with external apps. The platform supports assigning roles, setting timelines, and tracking progress within a single interface. Automation and cross-device access enable flexible workflows. A free plan covers essential features, while tutorials and community resources assist with setup and customization. #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Highest-rated attribute Functionality (4.69) #### Starting price $10 per user per month (billed annually) #### Device Compatibilty ### Commonly discussed topics by Notion reviewers Based on our analysis of Notion reviews on Capterra, the most commonly discussed topics are: - **Centralized collaboration**: 93.0% of users say Notion helps teams organize tasks, documents, and notes in one place. They value templates, databases, and real-time updates for improving productivity and transparency. - **Document and knowledge management**: 85.6% of reviewers highlight features such as drag-and-drop organization, media embedding, and integrations. They appreciate AI tools and search functions for faster writing and workflow optimization. - **Customization and flexibility**: 85.6% of users mention Notion’s ability to create templates and dynamic views for personal and professional use. While some find advanced customization challenging, most agree it supports diverse workflows and simplifies organization. ### Review excerpts from small business users who have used Notion for designing: _"We use our project list as the agendas for our weekly meetings and the individual task views as our guide for our one-on-ones with team members and supervisors, and it keeps us highly productive and efficient!" (Shaelina Holmes, programs directoer, 2023)_ _"it helps me translate, write letters, write documentation; it helps me think! And it even acts as a coach for me!!It also offers you the possibility to present your information in beautifully designed ways." (Filip Callewaert, CEO, 2023)_ _"This is even more powerful when combined with Notions powerful organizational features, which allow me to create different views and filtering for my information, allowing me to quickly and effectively find anything I need." (Florencia Petrikovich, software engineer, 2023)_ [Read all Notion reviews here.](https://www.capterra.com/p/186596/Notion/reviews/) ## 5\. [Trello](https://www.capterra.com/p/211559/Trello/) Trello is a project management tool that organizes tasks using boards, lists, and cards. Users can create boards for different projects, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress visually. The drag-and-drop interface supports real-time collaboration, file sharing, and comments. Trello integrates with third-party apps and offers automation to reduce manual work. Features include templates, labels, and notifications for better organization. Available on web and mobile, Trello provides free and paid plans for managing multiple projects and team communication. #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Highest-rated attribute Ease of use (4.75) #### Starting price $5 per user per month (billed annually) #### Device Compatibilty ### Commonly discussed topics by Trello reviewers Based on our analysis of Trello reviews on Capterra, the most commonly discussed topics are: - **Collaborative project management**: 90.6% of users say Trello improves teamwork with visual boards, customizable lists, and real-time updates. They value file sharing, integrations, and flexibility for remote work, though some note limits for complex projects. - **Visual task organization**: 87.2% of reviewers highlight boards, lists, and cards for organizing tasks. They appreciate labels, due dates, and checklists but mention challenges with advanced planning and large projects. - **Ease of use**: 91.4% of users find Trello simple to set up and intuitive for beginners. Tutorials help with onboarding, and most agree it streamlines task management and collaboration without requiring extensive training. ### Review excerpts from small business users who have used Trello for designing: _"i can create cards for each of my suppliers and add the details contacts, plus add a to do list for each task in each card that is really useful" (Chris Cartwright, director, 2025)_ _"The tool also offers a range of features such as labels, due dates, and attachments, that help users to stay organized and on top of their tasks." (Amr Afifi, senior project manager , 2023)_ _"This allows us to be on the same page when working and to have easy access the resources needed to make our work more productive." (Alwanga Jackson, editorial assistant, 2023)_ [Read all Trello reviews here.](https://www.capterra.com/p/211559/Trello/reviews/) ## What features does design project management software offer? Project management software designers include the following core features:  - **Collaboration tools**: Enable team members to share files, comment on tasks, and communicate in real time to keep everyone aligned and reduce reliance on email. - **Project planning and scheduling**: Create timelines, set milestones, and allocate resources to ensure projects stay on track and deadlines are met. - **Reporting and project tracking**: Generate visual reports and dashboards to monitor progress, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions for better project outcomes. - **Task management**: Organize tasks into lists or boards, assign responsibilities, set priorities, and track completion to maintain clarity and accountability. All products listed in this report include the key features mentioned above. Besides these core features, design project management software commonly offer: - Activity dashboard - Billing and invoicing - Budget management - Document management - Feedback management - File sharing - Gantt and timeline view - Issue management - Milestone tracking - Portfolio management - Resource management - Time and expense tracking ## How to choose the right design project management software Here are some factors to consider while you look for the best project management software for designing:  - **Prioritize reporting and visualization**: Choose a tool that offers reporting features to track project status, deadlines, and time spent. Look for visual dashboards with charts or graphs that make data easy to interpret. These insights help teams identify bottlenecks and improve efficiency. - **Look for idea management capabilities**: Design projects often involve brainstorming and refining concepts. A platform with idea management tools can help capture, organize, and develop ideas into actionable tasks, ensuring creative input is not lost. - **Ensure mobile accessibility**: A mobile app keeps your team connected on the go. It allows members to check updates, view tasks, and manage calendars anytime, supporting flexibility and faster communication. ## Common questions to ask software vendors before purchasing design project management software Consider asking your vendor the following questions so that you find the best design PM tool: What is design project management? Design project management is the process of planning, organizing, and delivering creative projects efficiently. It involves managing tasks, timelines, resources, and collaboration among designers and stakeholders. The goal is to keep projects on schedule, maintain quality, and ensure smooth communication from concept to final delivery. What are the four main types of project management software? Project management software falls into four main types: Agile tools, which support iterative, sprint-based workflows; Kanban tools, offering visual boards to manage work flow; Product management software, tailored for product lifecycle planning and roadmapping; and project portfolio management tools, which oversee multiple projects, align strategy, and allocate resources efficiently. Who uses design project management software? Creative teams, agencies, freelancers, and marketing departments use design project management software. Common users include graphic designers, UX/UI specialists, content creators, and project managers who need to coordinate tasks, share files, and track progress across multiple projects while maintaining creative workflows and meeting deadlines. ## Capterra's 2026 Software Buying Trends Report ### Download our 2026 Software Buying Trends Report to see how successful software adopters avoid disappointment and how your business can, too. * * * Looking for Project Management software?Check out Capterra's list of the [best Project Management software](https://www.capterra.com/project-management-software/) solutions. ### Was this article helpful? * * * ## About the Authors [### Preksha Buttan](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/pbuttan/) Preksha Buttan is a writer at Capterra. She provides insights to help small businesses identify the right software for their needs by analyzing more than 550,000 Capterra user reviews and nearly 48,000 interactions between Capterra software advisors and buyers. [### Parul Sharma](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/parul-sharma/) Parul is an editor at Capterra with over half a decade of experience curating news, IT, software, finance, lifestyle, and health content. She excels at simplifying complex terms into engaging content for SMBs. Parul has worked as a feature writer for DNA India, India’s premier media portal. She was also the highest scorer in her English literature graduation and post-graduation class. ### RELATED READING - [Why Projects Fail, and What Actually Helps Teams Fix Them](https://www.capterra.com/resources/4-steps-to-completely-recover-from-project-failure/) - [Real Estate Project Management Software: Why You Need One](https://www.capterra.com/resources/project-management-software-for-real-estate/) - [How Compliance in Inventory Management Impacts Your Business](https://www.capterra.com/resources/impact-of-compliance-in-inventory-management/) - [What’s Really Slowing Your Team? 5 Project Management Challenges to Fix](https://www.capterra.com/resources/project-management-challenges-faced-by-project-teams/) - [Still Using Spreadsheets for Inventory, Here’s What It’s Costing You](https://www.capterra.com/resources/benefits-of-inventory-management-system/) - [Project Management Software for Creative and Marketing Workflows](https://www.capterra.com/resources/project-management-software-creative-marketing-workflows/) - [How to Choose Project Management Software With Confidence: Insights From Real Buyers](https://www.capterra.com/resources/project-management-software-buyer-insight/) - [Project Management Timelines and Template: A Complete Guide](https://www.capterra.com/resources/project-timeline/) - [Guide to Inventory Management Software Pricing Models](https://www.capterra.com/resources/inventory-management-software-pricing-report/) To be considered for this list, products had to: - Have at least 20 unique product reviews from users who work in the design department, published on Capterra between November 2023 - November 2025. We selected the five products with the highest ratings to feature in this article. - Offer the following core project management software features: collaboration tools, project planning and scheduling, reporting and project tracking, and task management. Review excerpts are passages extracted from longer reviews written by verified reviewers. We obtain these excerpts by applying an algorithm that considers factors including, but not limited to, length, sentiment, topic coverage, and thematic relevance.  Excerpts represent user opinion and do not represent the views of, nor constitute, an endorsement by Capterra or its affiliates. Excerpts are not edited for clarity or grammar. **Editorial independence**: We select and rank products based on an objective methodology developed by our research team. While some vendors may pay us when they receive web traffic or leads, this has no influence on our methodology.