Create, track, and organize your tasks and subtasks easily with the help of task management software.
Picture this: you’re a project manager at a small business creating, assigning, and managing tasks each day and keeping track of all the updates while also focusing on generating and analyzing project performance reports. Doesn’t sound easy, right? Well, you can make your job easier by investing in a task management solution.
With task management software you can not only create and delegate tasks but also keep track of everyone’s bandwidth via calendar management. This tool also empowers you to bring teammates together on a project for collaboration. The best part is you don’t have to spend dollars to get these benefits as even free task management solutions can fulfill your small business’s requirements.
In this article, we highlight the top seven free task management software products for small businesses, in alphabetical order, based on verified software reviews. Read more.
Check out the full list of the best task management software in Capterra’s software directory.
In order to present the most up-to-date information, the product information below shows the latest real-time ratings, which may differ from the ratings values at the time this report’s analysis was conducted, since new reviews may have been left in the meantime.
1. Asana: Helps create custom workflows
Asana is a project management software solution that helps you manage tasks and projects and organize your work for easy collaboration. You can present your tasks in the form of lists, timelines, or boards and set priorities. This task management software takes away redundant work from you as you can automate processes by creating custom workflows for tasks such as managing approvals, shifting task dependencies, creating work requests, and more. It can also automatically notify you about task and project updates via email. Asana comes with Android and iOS mobile applications to help users that are on the go to stay on top of their projects.
Free featuresUnlimited tasks: Break down your projects into unlimited tasks, set deadlines, and assign them to the team.
Status updates: Get notified as and when there is a change in the status of your project tasks.
Activity logs: Track and keep a record of all the activities of the users, such as changing the status of a task, attaching a file to the task, etc.
Customer support options: How-to guides, question and answer forum, developer’s guide, and email.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Monitoring project progress in Asana (Source)
2. Bitrix24: Features a time clock to track working hours
Bitrix24 offers multiple customer relationship management, collaboration, human resources, and automation functionalities, including tasks and project management. You can create tasks, add team members, set their roles, and assign tasks to them. It features an online time clock that the users can start, pause, and stop during their workday so that you can track your team members’ working hours. Bitrix24 has Android and iOS mobile applications so that you and your team can stay active on the go.
Free featuresCollaboration: Interact with your team members via one-on-one real-time chat or video calls that are encrypted for data security.
Task time tracking: Set a desired timeline for a task and track the actual time spent on it.
Task modes: Navigate your tasks or projects in a view of your choice (list, Kanban board, or calendar).
Customer support options: How-to videos, FAQs, email, and phone call.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Kanban view in Bitrix24 (Source)
3. ClickUp: Interact with the team by commenting on tasks
ClickUp helps you plan, track, and manage multiple projects and tasks by organizing them in the form of Gantt charts, lists, calendars, and more. You can even simplify complex tasks by breaking them into smaller subtasks. These tasks can be assigned to other team members and you can interact with each other by commenting on these tasks. These comments can also be converted into tasks per requirement. ClickUp has a task management app for Android and iOS mobile devices so that your team can update their tasks from anywhere.
Free featuresChecklist: Add a checklist within your task and mark items as done or undone to view task progress.
Dependency: Link similar or related tasks together to access related data easily.
Tags: Organize your projects and multiple tasks by adding custom tags or labels to them to simplify filtering.
Customer support options: Demo videos, help documents, and email.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Calendar view in ClickUp (Source)
4. EngageBay: Sort and filter tasks to customize your view
EngageBay provides a range of features to help you with your marketing, sales, and customer service needs. This tool also offers features to help you with task management. It lets you add and adjust tasks on a dashboard using the drag-and-drop tool and view tasks assigned to you by sorting and filtering tasks. You can also filter the tasks based on their due dates, progress, and priority, to create a custom project view. EngageBay comes with mobile apps for Android and iOS devices, allowing you to stay active on your projects from anywhere.
Free featuresTask creation: Create tasks or subtasks and assign them to responsible team members. Add task details, media, or files to the task to have all the resources related to the task in one place.
Tag management: Categorize and organize your tasks by assigning tags and labels to them. Example tags include urgent, client work, marketing campaign, high priority, and more.
User activity: Keep an eye on what the users are doing. Track whether they have started working on their tasks, how much time they have spent on a task, or if they have changed the due dates.
Customer support options: Help guides, live chat, email, and phone call.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Contact details in EngageBay (Source)
5. monday.com: Simplifies project tracking with individual project dashboards
monday.com is a project management tool that allows you to manage tasks, projects, and workflows. You can create dashboards for your projects, add tasks, set deadlines, and assign tasks to teammates using this tool. These project dashboards also provide an overview of the project’s progress and enable you to understand any bottlenecks such as delays or resource unavailability. monday.com also has mobile applications for Android and iOS devices so that users can update their tasks and check updates from anywhere.
Free featuresActivity log: Track all the changes made to your projects and tasks and see who made the change at what time.
File storage: Store up to 500MB of files in the storage provided by the tool and easily share them with other stakeholders for easy access.
Whiteboard collaboration: Use a digital whiteboard to brainstorm with your teammates in real time. Draw, write, add notes, and insert media to create your plan and leave comments to provide feedback.
Customer support options: Knowledge base, video tutorials, how-to guides, live chat, email, and phone call.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Dashboard in monday.com (Source)
6. Smartsheet: Lets users manage and review content with content collaboration
Smartsheet is a collaboration and work management software solution that allows you to manage your tasks, track progress, and automate workflows. With this tool, you can share your task list with internal and external teams and control access permissions. You can also plan, manage, and review content via content collaboration features that allow you and other project managers or stakeholders to leave comments on the attached media to provide feedback. Smartsheet comes with Android and iOS applications, enabling users to stay connected with their projects even on the go.
Free featuresMultiple project views: View your projects and tasks in multiple views such as Gantt charts, grid view, card view, and calendar view.
Dashboard and reports: Get an overview of your project’s performance and task progress in the form of graphs, bars, and charts on the dashboard.
Automation: Automate manual and repetitive tasks by creating automated workflows for tasks such as requesting approvals, generating reports, and more.
Customer support options: Tutorials, help articles, email, and phone.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Proof review in Smartsheet (Source)
7. Wrike: Features in-app team collaboration tools
Wrike is a work management platform that offers task management features. It allows you to break up your workload into smaller tasks and subtasks and offers multiple view options, such as Gantt charts and calendar view so that you can easily see the progress of your projects. This task management tool features in-app team collaboration tools that enable you to plan projects, assign tasks, define deliverables, and do a lot more from the tool itself. Wrike comes with mobile apps for Android and iOS mobile devices so that you stay connected with your projects even on the go.
Free featuresProject and task management: Allows you to manage your projects by dividing them into smaller tasks and subtasks. You can also create project schedules by setting deadlines.
Board view: Lets you see your projects on a Kanban board wherein you can use the drag-and-drop option to edit the board and customize the projects.
Table view: Enables you to view your project in a spreadsheet-like format where you can bring your teammates on the sheet to collaborate with them.
Customer support options: How-to videos, knowledge base, live chat, and phone.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Gantt chart in Wrike (Source)
How to choose the right free task management software
Here’s a list of key considerations for you to keep in mind when selecting the best task management system:
Check access control features. As a task manager, you wouldn’t want anyone to change the deadlines of the tasks or rearrange them even accidentally. You can prevent anything like this to happen by regulating users’ access rights and ensuring that only authorized users have the right to edit the tasks and projects.
Opt for a tool with calendar management. Since you may collaborate with multiple team members, it is important to know their bandwidth before you assign them any more tasks or involve them in more projects. To do so, you can opt for a tool with calendar management that will allow you to see your team member’s workload so that you can collaborate mindfully.
Select a tool with an activity dashboard. An activity dashboard provides a visual representation of the current status of tasks and projects. It provides an overview of the progress made on tasks, the number of tasks completed, and the tasks that are yet to be completed. This dashboard will also make it easier for you to see the performance of individuals or teams.
What is the cost to upgrade from a free task management software plan to a paid one?
If task creation, task management, task tracking, and time tracking are all you need, then free task management software is right for you. However, if your needs increase with your growing business and you require advanced reporting, more project view options, and better collaboration, then you will have to upgrade to a paid task management software plan. Understanding the pricing of task management tools is easy as most of the software in the market is priced on a per-month basis and can be divided into three pricing tiers based on their starting price:
Price ranges:*
$2 - $5
$6 - $8
$9+
*The pricing included is for the entry-level/lowest-priced offering found on vendor websites on February 22, 2023. These ranges correspond to the 25th, 75th, and 100th percentiles of pricing information gathered from vendor websites of sample products.
Hidden costs associated with task management software
The above pricing list summarizes pricing for the base plans of most products. However, even free task management software plans may have some hidden costs. These costs may include a fee to increase the number of users, file storage provided, or automation options. You may also have to pay extra to increase your integration options. Therefore, check with your vendor for any hidden costs that may be associated with the task management tool you are considering.
Frequently asked questions when selecting free task management software
You can ask your shortlisted software providers the following questions to make an informed decision when vetting a free task management system.
Does the tool support task prioritization?
Some of your tasks or projects may be more important than other daily or recurring tasks and may require immediate attention. You should be able to highlight such tasks so that all the team members know what they are supposed to focus on. Ask your vendor if you can do so using their task management solution.
Does the tool support email-to-task conversion?
If you receive most of your task information over email, it will be easier and time-saving for you to simply convert that email into a task instead of creating a task manually. Ask your vendor if their task management system offers an email-to-task conversion feature.
Does the tool come with a task management mobile application?
The task management mobile app makes it easier for team members who are on the go to stay updated as they can check project progress via their phones. Ask your vendor whether their task management system comes with a mobile application. Also, inquire if the mobile app is a part of the free plan or if you will have to purchase it separately.