Top 20+ Project Management Software for Creative Teams

I choose Paymo as the best project management software for creative teams due to its extensive features, particularly its focus on time tracking and invoicing. These two features distinguish it from other project management tools, making it essential for creative teams.

Consider the primary objective of such a team – to complete the design project and receive payment.

Learn how to manage a creative project in Paymo

From a team manager’s standpoint, if every member diligently tracks their time, they can simply press a button by the end of the project and invoice the client. Of course, other tools, such as Monday, offer greater customizability, or Basecamp, which boasts superior communication features.

However, these benefits pale in comparison to the time saved through efficient time tracking and invoicing, especially for a creative team that churns out projects rapidly, akin to hot bread fresh from the oven.

Paymo’s pricing is reasonable for small and medium-sized creative enterprises, unlike some competitors such as Monday, which can be prohibitively expensive, especially for smaller teams.

While it might not be the most affordable option on the market, the value derived from its robust features ensures that it’s a cost-effective choice for those seeking a comprehensive solution. 

One of the standout features of Paymo is its automatic time-tracking capability, combined with its adept timesheet management. All timestamps can effortlessly be converted into task entries, displayed on a streamlined timeline as timesheets.

Manual time tracking is just as user-friendly, whether entering time in bulk or simply dragging and dropping time entries onto a timesheet, which is especially beneficial for team members who prefer to invest minimal effort into time tracking, allowing them to focus on their primary tasks while ensuring their work hours are accurately recorded.

Automatic time tracking is particularly advantageous for creative teams, where you often encounter the non-conformist designer reluctant to log hours and the programmer eager to automate every task. It lets them prioritize their primary responsibilities, ensuring work hours are captured without hassle.

However, it’s worth noting that Paymo has its limitations. Its most notable shortfall is in its communication features. While it lacks an internal chat system, it can add comments to tasks and customize user notification settings. This deficiency can be mitigated if your team is accustomed to platforms like Slack.

Thanks to Paymo’s integrations, you can receive task notifications directly in your Slack channels, maintaining a cohesive workflow despite these limitations. If communication sits at the core of your business operations, and you believe that open dialogue is essential for success, then Basecamp might be a more fitting choice. 

Additionally, Paymo may not take the lead when it comes to user intuitiveness. Some users have commended its usability, while others say that it doesn’t consistently stand out as prominently as other platforms, such as Asana or Smartsheet.

For teams prioritizing an effortlessly intuitive interface, considering options like Asana and Smartsheet might be more appealing. However, it compensates with a robust support team and many resources to assist users.

Monday.com presents a gentle splash of color for creative minds. Imagine other tools as straightforward notepads, while Monday.com resembles a designer’s curated mood board.

Its subtle bright colors and streamlined design turn task navigation into a visually appealing experience. Where some tools might bury tasks in nested submenus — think rummaging through an overstuffed drawer — Monday.com keeps it simple and accessible, like a well-organized artist’s table.

This clutter-free, visual approach might be a breath of fresh air for those in the creative realm, like graphic designers and videographers. 

One standout feature of Monday.com, especially for creative teams, is its exceptional customization capabilities. This platform can be molded like clay to fit the unique needs of creative projects.

Imagine working on a design campaign or a video production; you can craft columns tailored to your workflow, such as Design Stage, Review, or Feedback. Beyond that, you can view tasks in a format that resonates with your creative process, be it a list reminiscent of storyboards or a calendar plotting creative milestones. Monday.com acts as your digital studio, arranged just as you envision it.

However, while Monday.com shines in customization, it casts a shadow in the pricing department for many users.

A recurring concern is its escalating cost as you integrate more team members. For smaller creative studios or freelance collectives, the difference between spending $300 and $1,200 can significantly impact budgets.

The bills add up, especially when you delve into its features and accommodate more users. So, for those who count every penny and find such a price jump concerning, it might be worth exploring an alternative like Clickup. Like Monday.com, it boasts robust customization options.

However, ClickUp’s emphasis on packing in a plethora of features means there’s a steeper learning curve.

Navigating through project management tools can often feel like being a kid in a candy store—overwhelming yet exciting. The Simplified Project Management tool stands out, especially for creatives like myself. After trying various platforms, Simplified feels refreshing, combining essential features with a user-friendly design.

From the moment I started using it, I was impressed by its intuitive interface. It’s like having a personal assistant that knows what you need. Setting up projects is easy, and the drag-and-drop functionality for tasks feels natural. For someone who handles multiple projects and teams, being able to see everything in one place is extremely helpful.

The collaborative features are where Simplified truly stands out. Imagine working on a campaign where you need input from a graphic designer, a copywriter, and a social media strategist. With Simplified, assigning tasks to multiple team members and tracking their progress in real-time is very smooth. This level of collaboration ensures everyone stays on the same page, reducing the chances of miscommunication and errors.

However, it’s not just about the collaboration; it’s about how Simplified works with other tools. Whether it’s syncing with Google Drive for file sharing or integrating with Slack for team communication, Simplified keeps your workflow steady. This integration capability saves time and keeps the team focused on what’s important—delivering quality work.

In my experience, Simplified Project Management tool strikes the right balance between being feature-rich and user-friendly. Unlike other platforms that may feel overwhelming with their many options, Simplified keeps it straightforward without compromising on functionality. For creatives who want both organization and flexibility, this tool is a perfect fit. It’s clear that Simplified is designed with users in mind, making project management not just manageable, but enjoyable.

Asana is akin to an overflowing toolbox for creative teams, brimming with features. While many, such as graphic designers or video makers, find it easy to use. Yet, for those taking a fresh dive into tech-heavy waters, like a traditional sketch artist exploring digital designs or a novelist used to pen and paper, the experience can be a tad overwhelming.

With its myriad features, the platform seems best tailored for those with a technical mindset. So, while it’s a boon for tech-savvy members, others might find themselves navigating a learning curve before fully harnessing its potential.

Based on many user reviews, Asana stands out with its intuitive design despite a wide range of features, making it a go-to for many. In comparison, while ClickUp is equally feature-packed, it doesn’t consistently earn high marks for user-friendliness. 

Asana’s one-assignee-per-task limitation can be a hurdle for creative teams.

Consider a branding project needing input from a graphic designer, copywriter, and strategist. In Asana, only one can officially ‘own’ the task, leading to fragmented collaboration. Teams might divide the project or rely on external tools, potentially causing miscommunication and oversights.

Unlike Asana’s one-assignee limitation, Paymo allows a task to be assigned to multiple users, facilitating smoother teamwork and ensuring everyone involved is aligned and accountable.

This limitation in Asana is particularly significant for creative teams where collaboration is paramount. Due to such constraints, Asana doesn’t rank higher on this list, despite its array of other features.

This project management tool can be handy for creative teams often encountering specific and varied requests. It’s equipped with a broad range of features and continuously adds new ones to cater to emerging needs.

So, if today’s task is designing a unique logo and tomorrow there’s a request for a niche digital animation, the tool is adaptive enough to manage these diverse demands. It’s especially beneficial for teams where client or project needs constantly evolve and become more specialized.

ClickUp boasts numerous features, but due to its extensive array, it has a few drawbacks. Creative teams handling complex campaigns might appreciate ClickUp’s vast features, providing adaptability for multifaceted projects like multimedia campaigns or brand redesign.

However, smaller creative groups or solo artists seeking simplicity for tasks like photo edits or graphic designs might find its extensive options and occasional bugs burdensome, potentially complicating rather than aiding their workflow.

While tech-savvy users often find it intuitive and user-friendly, many encounter a steep learning curve, feeling overwhelmed by its abundance of options. It’s most suitable for individuals comfortable with intricate tools.

On the other hand, those seeking simpler alternatives may find Paymo or Basecamp to be more appealing choices.

Trello shines brightest for small or personal projects and fans of Kanban boards.

At its core, a Kanban board is like the whiteboard in your kitchen, where you stick colorful Post-it notes detailing tasks for the week. But instead of dinner plans or grocery lists, imagine using them to streamline work processes. Picture a graphic designer tracking their illustrations from Concept to Review to Final Edits, or a copywriter moving their articles from Drafting to Editing to Published.

For teams juggling multiple creative tasks, the Kanban board becomes an indispensable tool to visualize the flow of ideas, ensuring nothing gets lost in the creative shuffle and all projects receive the attention they deserve.

If you want less focus on the intricacies of project management methodology and more emphasis on boards, cards, and straightforward to-dos, this might be the right tool for your creative agency.

The simplicity of dragging and dropping cards across boards makes it intuitive for designers, writers, and other creative minds.

While Trello offers an accessible board-centric approach ideal for simple projects, it has its constraints:

• Trello’s design leans heavily on simplicity, which may fall short for teams needing advanced features like Gantt charts, time tracking, or documentation pages. If these are important for your creative team, then Paymo might be a better choice.
• For larger teams or those handling a vast number of projects annually, like an office juggling 500-600 tasks, Trello’s structure can feel restrictive. It becomes incredibly challenging when team members, unfamiliar with its nuances, inadvertently create a maze of projects and boards. This often results in a cluttered workspace, making it arduous to track progress. In this case, Clickup might be a better option.

While Trello is a gem for Kanban enthusiasts and smaller tasks, it might not be the go-to choice for intricate projects or teams seeking comprehensive customization and advanced functionalities.

For creative teams, which often juggle multiple projects simultaneously, automation in project management is a tremendous asset, and Hive might be one of the best choices.

Hive’s ability to craft rules and workflows is invaluable. It streamlines processes by automating notifications or actions based on specific conditions. Imagine a scenario where, once a designer finishes a draft, Hive immediately notifies a copywriter to begin their contribution.

Or, when feedback on a concept hits a certain threshold, it prompts the commencement of the next creative phase. This seamless flow ensures the creative momentum is consistently maintained.

However, this convenience is not without its downsides. A primary concern for many is the cost. Hive’s pricing starts higher than comparable tools, and expenses can escalate rapidly because of its add-on system.

Users may pay extra for features like proofing, timesheets, and analytics. Interestingly, these features are included in the basic plans of alternatives such as Paymo or Wrike, which makes the cost factor even more noticeable when considering Hive.

What truly distinguishes this tool is its capability to set up dependent tasks, establishing clear interdependencies.

This visual connection within tasks proves valuable for creative teams, especially those with a more technical inclination. While it might not resonate with every typical creative group, for the technically adept, it’s a boon. 

The platform also boasts project templates, simplifying task initiation. Such templates are ideal for repetitive projects or tasks with consistent structures, enabling quick generation of tasks, conserving time, and maintaining uniformity. 

The tool’s standout features are its vast functionalities and robust customization options. However, this flexibility can be a double-edged sword. Proper setup is crucial; without it, there’s potential for inefficiency, especially for those unfamiliar with its extensive capabilities.

Given its intricate design, it’s best suited for power or technical users who can harness its full potential. On the flip side, if your team comprises members less tech-savvy, they might face challenges. In such scenarios, alternatives like Asana, known for its beginner-friendly interface, or Basecamp, with its minimalist design, could be more appropriate, providing a more straightforward user experience than more intricate systems.

The customer service aspect also needs to do more to alleviate the problem. For instance, ClickUp, despite being a feature-rich platform with high customization options, is frequently lauded for its stellar customer support.

Users of ClickUp often commend its support team’s responsive and helpful nature. This highlights the importance of having a comprehensive tool and ensuring users can easily navigate and understand its intricacies with the help of a reliable support system.

Strong customer support can distinguish between users feeling empowered or overwhelmed by a platform’s capabilities. While ClickUp is often praised for its customer support, it’s worth noting that the platform is not necessarily easy to use for everyone, especially those unfamiliar with comprehensive project management tools.

However, if your organization’s needs require many features and high customization, ClickUp might be more suitable.

Basecamp stands out in project management tools with its strong emphasis on communication and collaboration.

If your project hinges on clear communication and you haven’t yet anchored yourself to platforms like Slack, Basecamp might be right up your alley. The platform makes it remarkably easy to connect, collaborate, and quickly touch base with anyone in your organization.

Moreover, with its integrated chat feature, there’s no need to juggle between external communication apps. This feature simplifies team interactions and brings all project dialogues under one roof, ensuring you always keep track of essential discussions or decisions.

However, it’s not all rosy. Basecamp leans towards a minimalist design, which might not appeal to everyone. You might feel a bit adrift here if you find solace in detailed, structured information displays. The tool is crafted for those who flourish in a clutter-free, focused workspace.

One significant limitation is its restricted customization options. When placed side-by-side with tools like ClickUp or Asana, which champion adaptability, Basecamp seems rigid.

While some might feel bogged down by Asana’s feature-packed interface, others might cherish Basecamp’s streamlined approach, which prioritizes minimalism and a distraction-free project management experience.

From an affordability standpoint, I examined various tools and found that nTask Manager offers value on a tighter budget. Its entry-level pricing is notably affordable but comes with limited features.

Nonetheless, it could serve as a practical starting point for teams that are just beginning and might not have significant resources to allocate to a project management tool.

Indeed, while there might be more cost-effective options tailored for individual or personal use, what sets nTask Manager apart is its ability to offer this affordability at a team level. Admittedly, the functionalities might seem limited at first glance. However, with ingenuity and adaptability, teams often discover workarounds or alternative methods to circumvent some limitations.

In essence, it provides a foundation for teams, especially those on a tight budget, to build upon and adapt to meet their unique requirements. However, if your team’s requirements gravitate towards extensive features and high customizability, you should look beyond nTask Manager’s basics.

While it is a robust starting point for those new to project management tools, the demands of more intricate projects or dynamic teams might necessitate a platform with broader capabilities and adaptability like Asana or Monday.

Teamwork stands out with its rich features for creative teams juggling a myriad of tasks. It offers a wide range of functionalities, making task management more intuitive. If you often shift tasks and need a platform that adapts to your dynamic needs, Teamwork is what your creative process needs.

For creative teams, Teamwork’s extensive features can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, its capabilities are vast, but on the other, it might be slower than some alternatives, occasionally becoming sluggish.

Plus, there’s a learning curve that can be steeper for newcomers. Feedback from some users suggests they find it fragmented for their creative processes, with remarks like, ‘The system feels disjointed, and it just doesn’t click with me,’ and ‘Its wide range of features doesn’t necessarily make it superior. For our team, it felt overwhelming, leading to underutilization and inefficiencies.’

So, considering other options like Paymo or Basecamp might be more fitting if your creative crew values simplicity and intuitive design.

For creative teams that often work with spreadsheets, Smartsheet offers an advanced alternative to traditional Excel.

For those designers and artists who’ve dabbled in Excel for budgets or schedules, adopting Smartsheet can feel like a natural progression, marrying the known with powerful new features. This platform seamlessly integrates with the rhythm of those comfortable with Excel’s mechanics.

Yet, not all creatives are spreadsheet enthusiasts. Some might find the switch challenging, not because of SmartSheet but due to personal hesitations. The leap from traditional design tools to a spreadsheet-focused platform can be steep for those unfamiliar with Excel’s intricacies.

As a creative leader, it’s crucial to gauge your team’s comfort with spreadsheets when considering tools. If a good number of your team have experience with Excel, leveraging Smartsheet could be a game-changer, enhancing their toolkit with elevated features.

While many find a smooth transition between Excel and Smartsheet due to their similarities, notable differences can cause confusion, especially in formulas and file uploading.

Key features and shortcuts familiar to Excel users are only sometimes present or compatible with SmartSheet, making the switch not seamless for everyone. 

For complex project management needs, while Smartsheet is powerful, its interface can be tricky for some users. As a result, people might lean towards more straightforward, more user-friendly platforms like Paymo or Asana, even if they have fewer features.