The time has come to evaluate the best project management tools for agencies, to help you find the right fit for your business. Far too many agencies are still using spreadsheets to manage high-stakes projects. Between tabs, color codes, and comments, the time spent on admin is valuable time that could be spent (actually) enabling project success. Plus, the risk of human error is just far too great.
There’s no better time than the present to get out of those messy and manual spreadsheets and start using an agency project management tool that can keep up with the ins and outs of everyday agency life.
We’re here to help you evaluate and choose the best software that will help enable growth at your agency.
In this article 📖
Key criteria to look for in your agency project management tool
So you’re done with cumbersome spreadsheets and want to boost productivity and improve service delivery? Perfect.
To execute the best project management for agencies, switch to purpose-built agency software.
Here’s what to look for:
1. Project planning and task management: The software should offer robust features for project planning, task creation, and task assignment. Look for functionality such as task dependencies, milestones, Gantt charts, and customizable project timelines to effectively manage and track project progress.
2. Resource management: Effective resource management capabilities are crucial for agencies. The project management agency software you go with should provide features to allocate and manage resources efficiently, including resource scheduling, workload planning, and visibility into resource availability. This helps optimize resource utilization and prevent overallocation and underutilization.
Further reading: Increase performance and profits with our guide to agency resource planning and management.
3. Collaboration and communication: The best agency project management tools that facilitate seamless project collaboration and communication among team members and clients. Features like file sharing, real-time messaging, discussion boards, and comment threads help foster collaboration, streamline feedback, and improve overall project communication.
4. Time tracking and reporting: Ideally, your agency project management software can record and monitor the time spent on tasks and projects, giving you a better understanding of how much time is spent where. Add solid reporting capabilities, including customizable dashboards, project analytics, and performance metrics, and you’ll have valuable insights into project progress, team productivity, and profitability.
5. Client management: A key aspect of project management is client relationships. The software should enable effective client collaboration, communication, and feedback. Look for features that facilitate things like client approvals, feedback tracking, and seamless client interactions within the platform.
6. Integration and compatibility: Consider the tool’s compatibility with your existing agency tech stack. Do they integrate with the tools you need? Do they offer a robust API? Your data needs to flow seamlessly between different tools to paint the best picture possible of your agency’s overall health.
7. User interface and ease of use: Never underestimate a user-friendly interface. An easy-to-use agency project management system reduces the learning curve for team members, increases adoption, and minimizes the time required for onboarding. After all, what’s the point of implementing a tool no one wants to use?
8. Scalability and customization: Consider the scalability of the tool you choose. It needs to accommodate your agency’s growth and handle the increasing number of projects, users, as well as data volumes. Look for customization options that allow you to tailor the software to your agency’s specific needs and workflows.
9. Security and data privacy: Protecting sensitive client data and ensuring data privacy is crucial, so the tool you choose should have robust security measures in place, including data encryption, access controls, and compliance with industry standards and regulations.
10. Customer support and training: Evaluate the level of customer support and training provided by the vendor. Look for resources such as user guides, tutorials, and responsive customer support channels to ensure you have the necessary assistance when needed.
10 of the best agency project management tools today (according to their customers)
When it comes to agency project management software, there’s plenty to choose from.
When it comes to finding the best project management software for agencies, look out for a range of features such as project planning, task management, resource allocation, time tracking, and integration capabilities to streamline agency workflows and improve agency efficiency.
We did a deep dive into the project management tools listed on G2 to see what’s so great (and not so great) about them.
Among the 433 project management tools listed, we chose to take a closer look at 10 of those that specifically serve the advertising and marketing industry.
The tools listed below are a good fit for a variety of agencies, including creative agencies, advertising agencies, and marketing agencies, to help them streamline their project workflows, manage tasks, and collaborate seamlessly.
In no particular order, here’s what we found:
- Asana
- Monday.com
- ClickUp
- Wrike
- Teamwork
- Basecamp
- Scoro
- Productive
- Project.co
- Nifty
1. Asana: Ranked #1 on G2 for project management
Founded in 2008 by Dustin Moskovitz (yes, that Dustin Moskovitz) and Justin Rosenstein, Asana quickly became a force to be reckoned with in the work management space.
What Asana says about Asana:
Asana was built thoughtfully, so you can execute according to plan. Where other work management platforms appear to focus on quantity over quality of features, Asana is focused on the scalability and reliability of its platform—so you can always be ready to work.
Key features:
- Task management: Create, assign, and track tasks with ease. Set due dates, add attachments, and leave comments to keep everyone in the loop.
- Project organization: Stay organized with project boards that let you visualize tasks and workflows. Categorize, prioritize, and track progress effortlessly.
- Team collaboration: Foster collaboration with real-time communication, share files, and have conversations within tasks and projects.
- Timeline view: Get a bird’s-eye view of project timelines with an intuitive timeline feature. Plan and adjust schedules easily to keep everyone on the same page.
- Customizable dashboards: Create personalized dashboards to track your team’s progress, visualize key metrics, and gain insights into project performance.
Asana’s resource management capabilities:
While an extensive project management platform, Asana doesn’t come with a full resource management suite. That means you’ll need to integrate Asana with your resource management tool to plan, allocate, and schedule resources effectively.
Mobile app? Yes. Teams can stay productive on the go on both iOS and Android.
Free trial? No. But you don’t need one. You can just sign up for the free Basic plan.
Pricing: Asana has three pricing plans starting at $0 for the Basic plan.
What Asana’s customers have to say about Asana:
The great stuff:
The not-so-great stuff:
2. Monday.com – Voted one of the top global software companies of 2023 on G2
Founded in 2012 in Tel Aviv, Israel, by Eran Zinman and Roy Man, monday.com was launched to the public in 2014. Ever since then, they’ve had an aggressive go-to-market strategy powered by a healthy Series A round of $7.6M in 2015. The company went public on June 10, 2021.
What monday.com says about monday.com
Monday.com Work OS is a customizable platform where teams can create and shape the tools they need to run every aspect of their work. With easy-to-use building blocks like dashboards, automations, and integrations, teams are empowered to build their ideal workflow in one intuitive workspace.
Key features:
- Visual project management: Monday.com provides a visual and intuitive interface where users can create and manage projects using customizable boards that can be set up as Kanban, Gantt, or calendar views.
- Automation: Automate repetitive tasks and streamline workflows. Use pre-built automation templates and custom automation options to save time and reduce manual effort.
- File sharing: Easily upload, share, and collaborate on files within the platform. It provides a centralized location for document storage and version control, reducing the need for separate file-sharing tools.
- Reporting: Get insights into project progress, team workload, and performance. Users can generate customizable reports, track key metrics, and visualize data through charts and graphs.
- Customization: monday.com’s workspace is highly customizable to fit different project teams and their needs. Users can create custom boards, templates, and workflows that align with their specific requirements.
Monday.com’s resource management capabilities:
Monday.com comes with some resource management features, including resource allocation and workload planning. Similar to Asana, they take a task-centric approach, rather than being team-centric.
The issue with task-based project management software is that you run the risk of ignoring resource availability and capacity before assigning tasks. This means you might run into issues down the line and potentially cause project delays. That’s why we’d highly recommend combining monday.com with a resource management tool.
Mobile app? Yes. Monday.com is available both on iOS and Android to make sure teams never miss a task.
Free trial? Yes. But they also offer a free plan with a maximum of two seats.
Pricing: Monday.com offers five pricing plans, from a one-person team at $0 to enterprise.
What monday.com’s customers have to say about monday.com:
The great stuff:
The not-so-great stuff:
3. Clickup – The all-in-one productivity platform
ClickUp was founded in 2017 by Zeb Evans and ever since it’s been on a mission to make the world more productive. In 2020, they got $35 million Series A, and just three years later, they boast over 8 million users.
What ClickUp says about ClickUp:
ClickUp is the hub where teams come together to plan, organize, and collaborate on work using tasks, Docs, Chat, Goals, Whiteboards, and more. Easily customized with just a few clicks, ClickUp lets teams of all types and sizes deliver work more effectively, boosting productivity to new heights.
Key features:
- Task management: Users can create tasks, assign them to team members, set due dates, add descriptions, attachments, and subtasks. It allows for task prioritization, task dependencies, and recurring tasks. The flexible task view options include lists, boards, calendars, and Gantt charts.
- Project organization: Users can organize their projects effectively using a nested hierarchy that allows users to break projects down into manageable components. It also provides filtering and sorting options to easily navigate and locate specific tasks.
- Workflow automation: Users can create custom automations that trigger actions based on predefined rules. This automation capability helps save time, reduce manual effort, and maintain consistency across projects.
- Time tracking and reporting: ClickUp comes with built-in time tracking features, allowing users to track the time spent on tasks. It provides detailed time logs, reports, and productivity metrics, which help teams monitor their progress, analyze performance, and make data-driven decisions.
- Customization and templates: ClickUp is highly customizable to fit different team and project requirements. Plus, it also includes pre-built templates for various project types to help teams to kickstart projects.
ClickUps resource management capabilities:
While ClickUp has some features related to resource management, it isn’t as robust as dedicated resource management tools. Running an agency is all about resources, so when you use a tool that’s too task oriented, you’ll soon run into all sorts of problems when it comes to resource allocation, workflows, and overall agency operations.
Customers have raised the issue of missing features for equipment management and booking meeting rooms (perhaps you need to book a specific studio?), which can end in a logistical nightmare you (or your clients) really don’t need.
Mobile app? Yes. ClickUp is available on both iOS and Android.
Free trial? No. You don’t need a free trial because ClickUp’s “Free” plan remains free forever.
Pricing: ClickUp offers four different pricing plans from Free to Enterprise.
What ClickUp’s customers have to say about ClickUp:
The great stuff:
The not-so-great stuff:
4. Wrike – The most versatile work management platform™
Founded by Andrew Filev in 2006, Wrike has been around for much longer than some of its competitors (such as Monday and ClickUp). During that time it’s built up a loyal customer base due to its collaboration-focused approach. In January 2021, Wrike was acquired by Citrix for $2.3B.
What Wrike says about Wrike:
Wrike is the most powerful work management platform. Built for teams and organizations looking to collaborate, create, and exceed every day, Wrike brings everyone and all work into a single place to remove complexity, increase productivity, and free people up to focus on their most purposeful work.
Key features:
- Task management: Users can create tasks, assign them to team members, set due dates, and establish dependencies. Tasks can be organized in folders, projects, or custom workflows.
- Document collaboration: Wrike offers file management capabilities, allowing users to upload, share, and collaborate on documents and files within the platform. Users can attach files directly to tasks, provide version control, and track document changes. This streamlines document collaboration and ensures a centralized repository for project-related files.
- Custom workflows and automation: Create custom workflows tailored to specific project processes. Define stages, assign roles, and set up automated actions within workflows.
- Reporting and analytics: Wrike provides reporting and analytics features to track project progress, team productivity, and resource utilization. Users can generate custom reports, visualize data through charts and graphs, and gain insights into project performance.
Wrike’s resource management capabilities:
Wrike offers some resource management features such as resource capacity planning and resource allocation. But according to customers, better capabilities around resource planning are missing as well as it lacks flexibility in resource allocation.
Mobile app? Yes.
Free trial? Yes, 14 days.
Pricing: Wrike offers five different pricing plans. From “Free” (1 user) to what they call the “Enhanced” plan.
What Wrike’s customers have to say about Wrike:
The great stuff:
The not-so-great stuff:
5. Teamwork – One place to run your client work
About Teamwork
Teamwork was founded in Cork, Ireland, in 2007 by two former agency folks, Peter Coppinger and Dan Mackey. Having run an agency together, the pair set out to solve project management for agencies. 15 years later, they boast over 2 million users. In October 2021, they raised $70 million to grow the business further.
What Teamwork says about Teamwork:
Teamwork.com is the only project management platform built specifically for client work. Deliver work on time and on budget, eliminate client chaos, and understand profitability, all in one platform. Headquartered in Cork, Ireland, and founded by a team who have run an agency before.
Key features:
- Task management: Users can create tasks, assign them to team members, set due dates, and establish dependencies. Tasks can be organized within projects, boards, or lists.
- Project planning: Users can create project timelines, set milestones, define dependencies, and track progress. The interactive Gantt chart provides a visual representation of project schedules and helps in managing project timelines effectively.
- File management: Users can attach files to tasks, establish version control, and provide access permissions. This centralizes document management, ensures version consistency, and facilitates collaboration on project-related files.
- Reporting: Gain insights into project progress, team performance, and resource utilization. Users can generate custom reports, visualize data through charts and graphs, and monitor project metrics.
Teamwork’s resource management capabilities:
Teamwork is project focus rather than people-focused. As such, it doesn’t have a full resource management suite, but it does offer limited capacity planning and scheduling features. Teamwork customers are revealing they use other resource scheduling tools alongside it due to a lack of functionality.
Mobile app? Yes. Teamwork is available on both iOS and Android.
Free trial? No, but you don’t need it as you can create a free account.
Pricing: Teamwork offers five pricing plans, from Free Forever (5 users) to Enterprise.
What Teamwork’s customers have to say about Teamwork:
The great stuff:
The not-so-great stuff:
6. Basecamp – The #1 collaboration tool for teams worldwide
About Basecamp
Basecamp originally was a brainchild of the founders of digital web agency 37signals, founded in 1999 by Jason Fried, Carlos Segura, and Ernest Kim. Probably considered one of the OGs (originals) when it comes to project management, and task management specifically, Basecamp has always had a loyal fan base, particularly at early-stage tech startups and smaller agencies.
For nearly two decades, we’ve continually refined a unique set of tools and methods to fundamentally reduce complexity, and make project management more of a joy and less of a chore. Perfected and pressure-tested by hundreds of thousands of teams on millions of projects, Basecamp’s the gold standard for a simpler, superior version of project management.
Key features:
- To-do lists: You can create to-do lists within projects and assign tasks to specific team members in one centralized place.
- Message boards: Team members can post updates, ask questions, share files, and have discussions within the project.
- File sharing: Upload and share files with your team and keep all essential project documentation in one place.
- Schedules: Basecamp includes a scheduling feature that allows you to create events and milestones, set deadlines, and view project timelines.
- Campfire chat: Team members can have quick conversations, share updates, and collaborate using a real-time chat feature called Campfire.
Basecamp’s resource management capabilities:
Basecamp is a great tool for task management, but when it comes to resource management it doesn’t quite measure up. Customers report that “If you need extensive resource allocation, interdependency, and reporting requirements, it may not be the most effective solution.”
Similar to Teamwork, you might want to run a resource management tool alongside Basecamp to fully enable your agency’s workflow.
Mobile app? Yes. Basecamp is available on iOS and Android.
Free trial? Yes. You can try Basecamp for free for 30 days.
Pricing: Basecamp keeps it simple and offers two pricing options. One for smaller teams at $15/month per user and Basecamp Pro for larger teams at $299 for unlimited users.
What Basecamp’s customers have to say about Basecamp:
The great stuff:
The not-so-great stuff:
7. Scoro – End-to-end work management software loved by agencies
About Scoro
Scoro is one of the finest startups to come out of Estonia. Founded in Tallinn in 2013, the company has successfully made its way into the global market. In March 2021, they secured nearly $16 million Series B, and the company has been ramping up its operations ever since.
Scoro is an award-winning end-to-end work management software loved by agencies and consultancies around the world. With Scoro, you can manage your entire workflow in one place, from the first hello to the final invoice.
Key features:
- Project management: Scoro offers robust project management capabilities, allowing you to create projects, assign tasks, set deadlines, track progress, and allocate resources. It provides a centralized dashboard to view project status, milestones, and timelines.
- Task and time tracking: Scoro enables you to create and assign tasks to team members, track time spent on tasks, and generate timesheets. It provides insights into individual and team productivity, helping you optimize resource allocation and monitor project costs.
- Project budgeting: Scoro provides financial tools for budgeting, invoicing, and expense tracking. It allows you to create and send professional-looking invoices, track payments, and generate financial reports. You can also manage budgets, view profit margins, and track project profitability.
- CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Scoro’s CRM functionality helps you manage customer interactions and relationships. It allows you to track leads, contacts, deals, and customer communication. You can also set reminders and follow-ups to stay on top of sales opportunities.
Scoro’s resource management capabilities:
Scoro offers several resource management features but they come with restrictions. Customers seem to find resource planning helpful, but struggle with some flexibility within those features.
Mobile app? Yes. Scoro is available on both iOS and Android.
Free trial? Yes. You can try Scoro for free for 14 days to see if the platform meets your agency’s needs.
Pricing: Scoro offers four pricing plans starting at $26/month per user.
What Scoro’s customers have to say about Scoro:
The great stuff:
The not-so-great stuff:
8. Productive – End-to-end project management tool
About Productive
Productive.io was founded in 2014 by Slovenian entrepreneur Tomislav Car, calling themselves “a one-stop-shop” for agencies.
Productive is an end-to-end project management tool that comes with an integrated Sales Pipeline, Resource Planning, and powerful Project Management features. It is made for agencies and professional service businesses.
Key features:
- Project management: Create projects, define tasks, set budgets, and track project progress. You can assign team members to tasks, set deadlines, and monitor the overall project timeline.
- Resource planning: Get an overview of team members’ availability, allowing you to schedule tasks based on their capacity.
- Time tracking: Track time manually or use timers, categorize time entries, and generate timesheets for invoicing and payroll purposes.
- Financial management: Manage project budgets, track expenses, and generate invoices. It allows you to create and send professional invoices to clients based on billable hours, expenses, or fixed fees.
- Reporting: Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and gain insights into your business operations. You can generate reports on project profitability, resource utilization, time spent, and more.
Productive’s resource management capabilities:
Productive offers a range of resource management features including resource allocation, scheduling, and utilization. However, customers seem to experience some friction as hours have to be calculated manually in the schedule, turning what could be a time-saver into a cumbersome experience.
Plus, it doesn’t seem to have any integrations with Google Calendar or Outlook calendar, making it impossible to provide an accurate view of resource availability.
Mobile app? Yes. Productive is available on both iOS and Android so you can manage client relationships on the go.
Free trial? Yes. You can try Productive for free for 14 days.
Pricing: Productive offers four pricing plans starting at $17/month.
What Productive’s customers have to say about Productive:
Note that Productive doesn’t have a lot of reviews on G2 (35 in total), making it more difficult to provide a fair overview from their customers.
The great stuff:
The not-so-great stuff:
9. Project.co – Designed to make working with clients easier
About Project.co
The team behind Project.co is also the team behind Wyzowl, an animated video production company. From running Wyzowl, the team understood one thing: the importance of communication and organization. This is what led them to develop Project.co.
What Productive says about Productive:
Project.co is a project management tool designed to make working with clients easier. When you invite clients to work with you it means you have a single source of truth for all conversations, files and links to other tools.
Key project management features:
- Task management: Create and assign tasks, set priorities, and track task completion. Update task statuses, comment on tasks, and attach files for collaboration and transparency.
- Client collaboration: Invite clients or external stakeholders to collaborate on specific projects. You can assign tasks to clients, share project updates, and collect feedback all within the platform.
- Time tracking: Monitor and record the time spent on tasks. Team members can track their time directly within the platform, providing insights into task duration and resource allocation.
- File management: The platform offers a centralized file storage system where you can upload, store, and share project-related files. This ensures easy access to project assets and promotes efficient collaboration.
- Notifications: Notifications and reminders keep team members informed about task assignments, upcoming deadlines, and project updates—ensuring the timely completion of tasks.
Project.co’s resource management capabilities:
Project.co doesn’t currently have any resource management features. This means you’ll have to use a separate tool for resource forecasting, allocation, and scheduling to make sure your projects run smoothly.
Mobile app? Yes. Project.co is available on both iOS and Android.
Free trial? No, but you don’t need it. Just sign up for a free account.
Pricing: Project.co’s pricing is straightforward. Choose between the Free and Paid plan at 8$ a month per user.
What Project.co customers have to say about Project.co:
Note that Project.co doesn’t have a lot of reviews on G2 (only 120), making it more difficult to provide a fair overview from their customers. They haven’t received any reviews below four stars to date.
The great stuff:
The not-so-great stuff:
10. Nifty – All-in-one workspace
About Nifty
Nifty doesn’t even call itself a project management tool. They’re a “remote collaboration hub to manage projects, tasks, and communications.”
What Nifty says about Nifty:
Nifty helps reduce project development cycles and improves team productivity by combining all of the important features of project management into one software. The end result is milestone-driven progress automation that keeps every stakeholder aligned, ensuring organizational goals remain on schedule.
Key features:
- Task management: Create and manage tasks, set priorities, and track task completion. Use task assignments, task comments, file attachments, and checklists to make it easier for team members to collaborate.
- Milestones and goals: Set milestones and goals within projects, providing a clear roadmap and visual representation of project progress. You can track progress towards milestones and monitor goal achievement.
- File management: Nifty offers a centralized file storage system where you can upload, share, and organize project files. This ensures easy access to relevant files and promotes efficient collaboration within the team.
- Time tracking: Track the time spent on tasks, estimate project timelines, and generate accurate timesheets.
- Reporting: Track project progress, team workload, and resource allocation. Generate reports on task completion, time tracking, and project insights—helping you make data-driven decisions.
Nifty’s resource management capabilities:
Nifty is missing resource allocation and resource scheduling functionality, making it difficult for users to plan, allocate, and schedule resources for their projects. If Nifty is the right project management tool for your agency, we recommend running a resource management tool alongside it to make sure no
Mobile app? Yes. Nifty is available at your fingertips on both iOS and Android.
Free trial? No, but you don’t need it. Just sign up for a free account.
Pricing: Nifty has five different pricing plans ranging from Free (forever) to Enterprise.
What Nifty’s customers have to say about Nifty:
The great stuff:
The not-so-great stuff:
Key resource management features to look for in agency project management tools
No project management tool is complete without robust resource management functionality. Unfortunately, a lot of the best project management software for agencies (unsurprisingly) do project management best.
Resource management? Not so much.
The issue is this: They’re centered around task management, rather than teams.
That’s why it’s important to pay extra attention to the resource management features when you’re evaluating project management tools for agencies. Because without proper resource planning, allocation, scheduling, and utilization reports, even the most carefully planned projects will fall short (regardless of how sophisticated their task management might be).
7 resource management features your agency project management tool needs
1. Resource availability: A clear schedule view of resource availability and workload to effectively schedule tasks and avoid overloading team members. This includes visibility into current and future commitments to ensure optimal resource utilization.
2. Resource capacity planning: The capability to forecast and plan resource requirements based on project timelines, estimated effort, and resource capacity. This helps in preventing overallocation or underutilization of resources.
3. Resource allocation: The ability to assign resources (such as team members or equipment) to tasks or projects, ensuring that the right resources are available when needed.
4. Resource utilization: The ability to track resource utilization, including the actual time spent by team members on specific tasks or projects. This helps in measuring productivity, monitoring project costs, and making informed resource allocation decisions. This will also help contribute to work-life balance and prevent burnout.
5. Resource skills: The capability to capture and track the skills, expertise, and competencies of team members. This information aids in resource allocation decisions, ensuring that the right people with the appropriate skill sets are assigned to relevant tasks.
6. Resource reporting: Reporting features that provide insights into resource utilization, availability, and performance. This includes reports on resource capacity, workload distribution, and productivity, helping project managers make data-driven decisions.
7. Resource time tracking: You want your team to log time quickly and with confidence so you can stay on top of forecast vs actuals along with billable hours. Timesheets is a necessity to help fine-tune financials and improve your bottom line.
Looking ahead: What’s next for project management software for agencies?
Agency project management tools are just getting started. The future, without a doubt, is set to be more advanced, streamlined, and efficient.
A few trends already reveal the direction we’re heading in, including the use of AI and machine learning, remote and hybrid work support, and advanced analytics.
Going forward, agencies that embrace new technology and data will help build even better relationships with their clients—putting themselves at the front of the race.
You’ve arrived at the fifth and final part of our agency PM series
You can find the previous parts here:
- Part 1: The basics of agency project management
- Part 2: Agency PM methodologies
- Part 3: 9-step agency project management process
- Part 4: Agency team structure
- Part 5: You’ve just read it 😁
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