A while ago, we posted a list of some interesting alternatives to Basecamp for project management. A lot of readers posted their favorite applications and some of their own start ups on project management. So here’s a follow up list of the 20 hottest web applications for project management.
Apollo
The first spot is for Apollo HQ and it’s because this app totally deserves it. The ajaxified interface is very polished and the user experience is great, as it responds instantly to any command so creating a project, uploading a file, set up a timer and all other tasks are smooth and easy. Special mention goes to the powerful system of timers. Apollo is currently free.
Update April 11, 2011: Apollo is no longer free, with plans starting at USD 23/mo. and a special Solo plan at USD 14/mo.
http://www.apollohq.com/
Flow
Flow is a recently launched app from the Metalab team currently available in private beta. Really slick interface, very easy and fast to use. There are still some quirks, but remember it’s still in beta so all bugs will surely be fixed for final release. The syntax for creating new tasks through email is particularly interesting, as you can add a task to a certain project, assign it to someone, tag it and set a due date all in one email subject.
Update March 22, 2011: Flow is now priced at $9,99/mo or $99/year
Action Method
Built by Behance, one of the most interesting features are the apps available for iPhone and iPad. They work with the online platform and allow you to manage your projects on the go. Action Method offers a limited account for free and plans available for only $99 a year.
DeskAway
If you’re using Google Apps on your domain or Freshbooks for invoicing you will be able to integrate DeskAway with them. This app provides detailed reports by project and by user. DeskAway offers a limited free account but all plans have a 30 day trial for free.
wizehive
Not the best looking around, but it fully compensates it with strong features not found on other systems, like client extranets or online applications management. A limited free account is available and plans start at $24 a month, much more expensive than other tools. This system looks like it is intended for large organizations, rather than design/development agencies or small start-ups.
goplan
Had to work with goplan as a result of a collaboration in a project with another designer and using it was a very satisfactory experience. Even though it is not as feature packed as others, this simplicity is what makes it good. You can try goplan for 30 days or sign up for the ad supported free account.
teamwork
This web application has all the features you would expect to found in a good quality app plus a system for risk assessing and management. Very convenient for developers involved in critical projects. The system provides a complete API and you can use it on the go with the Teamwork iOS app. Limited free account available.
Teambox
A small suite but containing all the essentials, such as tasks, conversations and Gantt charts for time management. The website also has a special version for mobile phones. Free accounts up to 3 projects are available.
Tempo
Although not a specific project management tool, Tempo allows you to track the time you spend on each project and using their integrated invoice system, bill it accordingly. A pragmatic design based almost exclusively in labels make for an intuitive fast start. Free accounts includes only one user and one project.
skylight
In addition to traditional project management, skylight also possess an full integrated CRM solution and even a resource scheduling to book people, locations, services and or equipment. A nice feature is the integration with Google Apps, so you can upload your Word, Excel or Pages files and have them ready to use within the app. Free accounts include one project, two users and 100Mb are available for every plan during the current beta-testing phase.
rule.fm
The recently launched rule.fm combines a sleek design with tools for project management, CRM (currently in beta) and collaboration. Mobile Android & iOS apps are coming next, as well as an accounting system, wikis and an API. Lacks some tools that mature project management systems have but rule.fm is a pretty new player. No free accounts are available.
projecturf
The amount of features in projecturf makes it a though contender and a great aid in design and development. Designers will surely appreciate the system to present artwork for revision, complete with thumbnails, comments & rating, as well as the whiteboards for quickly mocking up an idea. Developers on the other hand, can share code snippets, track bugs and bookmark sites, for example, to mark some documentation or useful asset on the web. No free accounts are available but you can sign up for a 14 day trial.
liquid
Possess a nice project scheduling interface and most features for project management and you can manage separate portals for each client setting individual permissions for each one. It’s heavy on information, providing reports and project analysis and you can access them on the go with the iOS app. Free accounts are not available but a 30 days trial is offered.
freelancerkit
This is a self hosted solution built on PHP but sources are encoded with ionCube. Some of the highlights are a threaded ticket system and emails including PayPal buttons for customers to pay. No free trial but includes a demo.
dooster
With easiness as its main focus, it’s smaller than others but allows you to do everything, complete with tasks, collaboration, permissions and it even has a visual tool for mindmapping. Free trial accounts are available but no free plans.
manitoo
With the longest url in this round-up, includes time tracking for your tasks, billing and invoice solutions and a instant messenger built in so you won’t have to resort to other solutions. It’s not clear if the chats are logged, which would be useful. A free plan is available, with three users, three customers, only 10 mb but with unlimited projects.
http://www.manitooprojectmanagement.com
cohuman
Google’s integration being its main feature, you can access cohuman with your Google ID and use it to share files, manage or assign tasks by GMail sharing them with any of your Google contacts. A huge free plan with 1Gb and unlimited projects is available.
TeamLab
A great open source alternative to other propietary solutions, TeamLab is offered as a free self hosted solution or an also free SAAS version. A third version, also free, is available as a Amazon Machine Image to deploy on your virtual server. TeamLab will remain free in the future but additional modules might be available for a fee. TeamLab is written in ASP, so you need a Windows server with .NET to deploy.
freedcamp
A project from enavu, who received $50k in funding in 2006, freedcamp is a free SAAS solution and includes everything for your project management: milestones, time tracking, invoices, file sharing, collaboration, tasks and yeah, it’s free.
WORKetc
It’s the only one whose home page made me smile, and the features were not falling behind, since in addition to project management we have CRM, time tracking, payment tracking invoices, blogs and knowledge bases, help desk, email marketing and list goes on and on. Somehow this site just made feel a lof of simpathy for the app, the videos were engaging, fun, and the interface of the application itself looks very polished and responsive. Trial accounts for 14 days are available and the all-inclusive plan is only $39.
Conclusion
One thing came up to my mind while going through all these solutions, and no, it’s not the features, it’s the use and abuse of lowercase initials, while in the copy text in the same page, uppercase initials are used. Ok, after that little rant, the ones I liked best are Apollo, Flow, projecturf and WORKetc. They are fast, straight to the point and they look good. They also get the job done, which is the most important thing. From these last three, Apollo is my personal preference, everything is where you expected it to be and working with it is fast and efficient.
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Great article. A little frustrating to see that you took preference towards applications you have actually used. A few of the applications up there you have not even tried yet you reviewed. I mean bias is natural, but blatantly from the list and the article you have written it seems pretty obvious you have used Apollo and maybe one or two of the other ones.
Hi Angel, I’m truly honoured to have you here. Sorry if this looks like a review but it’s not, it’s merely a round up of some cool project management apps and the word “review” won’t be found here (well, apart from these comments). In addition, you can tell from what I wrote which apps I’ve used so it’s pretty clear on that side. That said, Freedcamp looks like a solid project management tool, and I hope to be testing it soon.
Hey Elio, I think you have a great round up here, I hope you get to try out Freedcamp as it really stands out by being free. Apollo is still trying to figure out their paying options and once those are enforced you may be pretty dissapointed. So checkout Freedcamp as it is free, and will remain free.
I have one to add that I use. Danish owned and build, it is called Podio.com
Would like to hear what you have to say about it and how it compares to the rest as I use it.
Great post. tak
Hi Elio,
Thanks for the roundup and for mentioning us!
Merc & The Apollo Team
Thanks for the list. I am looking for a project management app as the above but that can have a spanish version as some of our customers dont feel confortable with englih.
Hello Carlos!
You can try Doolphy (http://www.doolphy.com). We’ve both Spanish and English version! If you have any doubt, the Doolphy team can help you in Spanish too 😉
Or if you don’t want to spend money on Doolphy 🙂 freedcamp is currently being translated by people in French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Bulgarian, Korean, and quite a couple more! And freedcamp is completely free 😛
Thanks for mentioning us! 🙂
The DeskAway Team
Just wanted to mention another new app thats out of beta now, Birdview Projects (http://www.birdviewprojects.com) looks promising
Unfortunately, all these tools are more or less the same, but they use different skins. They’re all basecamp clones. When will we have a real revolution when it comes to PM tools?
PM Hut I can assure you version 2.0 of Freedcamp will finally break out of that mold and really shine. We are developing something that will really set the standard for project management.
Hi,
This is just a quick message to let everybody know that we have released paid plans — and that we are cheap!
http://www.apollohq.com/plans
Keep in mind that you get project management _and_ CRM, and that Apollo comes with Basecamp/Highrise import, calendars, timers, cases&deals, project and task list templates, and tons more!
Thank you everybody 😀
Merc.
Apollo is a whole $1 cheaper than basecamp 🙂 that’s not really that cheap.
Hi,
Let me clarify… Apollo is a lot cheaper than Basecamp + Highrise, which is what you’d have to pay for to have Project Management + CRM. Plus, it’s all integrated.
We also have a solo plan which is very, very economical ($14/month).
Just for the record! Thanks for letting me clarify this Angel! 😀
Bye,
Merc.
Hi all,
I got to know lot being here. But I would like to recommend http://www.teamplifier.com as another awesome tool.
Hi,
Thanks for the list and simple review, n now my turn to finish my job with this reference .
Hello Anton. Birdview Projects doesn’t load and the unsubscribe link for their notifications doesn’t work. It’s a 404!
In the actual project software page, I tried to change my name and it won’t let me. Something that simple just doesn’t work.
(Edited: feel free to point the issues, but please refrain from cursing.)
great list) we have chosen TeamLab http://www.teamlab.com and we are really pleased with it
thanks again)
Good to see Dooster in your review. We got it recently after looking at a big handful of others, all very good. Dooster has been a great success and completely transformed our systems. Office relations have improved too. It’s a good one to choose.
For designers and the like i would recommend http://filecamp.com for coordinating with clients and such.
Hi,
Im looking for a project management package for our Engineering and Fabrication works. We are currently looking at Mavenlink. Has anyone tried this, any feedback? It would be awful to start to use a web based package, put in our 100s of projects and the company go bust! or stop developing/supporting it. Is there an alternative in your list that does everything Mavenlink does??
BontQ could be a nice addition to this list, but what can you do.
Nice list, thanks. I tried quite a few, but I’m still looking. What i’m looking for is an alternative to planning and project management by email, some place where what would be said in email is aggregated. Zenbe’s Shareflow did this nicely, but Shareflow isn’t up any longer. So my needs are a private social network, with threaded conversations, and aability to upload files. Also the ability to receive email digests of discussions and to be able to contribute by email (without needing to log into the service).
thanks for any suggestions.
I would like to add MOOVIA http://www.moovia.com to this list, it’s a free, feature rich, and yet simple to use online project management solution.
Which of these sites has a white label / rebranding feature? – Even better allow custom domains with a CNAME in DNS settings so for example projects.mycompany.com displays the project management app?
Great resource! Another project management application I would like to introduce is Trakeze, http://www.trakeze.com/. Trakeze is an online application that includes easy-to-use project planning, Gantt charting, task management, requirements management, time tracking, CRM, and collaboration tools. The fully-integrated system is designed to help you manage and track your entire business automatically.
We use Replicon online project management software for project tracking, management and billing.
Howdy,
I would like to add Replicon project management software and app in this wonderful list mentioned. here is the link to the same – http://www.replicon.com/project-and-program-management
Sophia
For project management we use Brightpod – drag/drop tasks, focus mode, Insights, calendar etc. Check it out – http://www.brightpod.com