When a project fails at work, it could be due to multiple reasons, including poor management or improper execution. Project management software is a great way to keep your project on the right track from start to finish and be able to achieve your goals in the end.
Workfront is one popular software tool that provides organizations with solutions like resource and task management. However, this tool lacks vital features that have caused some organizations to look for alternatives.
With so many incredible alternatives to Workfront available on the market today, it’s helpful to have a guide to help you make the right choice. This article will highlight 15 excellent Workfront alternatives for project management to help you make a well-informed decision.
Contents
Why Should You Look for a Workfront Alternative?
Workfront has fully automated several project management practices. This software helps streamline PM methodologies by enabling on-time and accessible information and encourages office transparency.
However, amidst all its gleaming benefits, Workfront isn’t a perfect management solution for all organizations. This is due to various reasons like its pricing, its ease of use, its onboarding process for new users and its automation and collaboration features. Let’s look at these factors in more detail.
Pricing
Compared to other task management software options, Workfront may seem quite affordable. However, its pricing plans are not listed on the website, so prospective customers must request a quote.
One could argue that this is because different organizations have varying needs that can’t be fully covered in a one-size-fits-all pricing template. Nevertheless, there are still some basic features that all companies will need to organize their projects.
This simple lack of clarity could change one’s mind immediately. After some research, we found out that Workfront’s pricing often starts from $30 per user per month, depending on the client’s detailed portfolio management needs. However, since this price is charged per user, the total amount can really add up in terms of cost for larger teams.
Ease of use
Since Workfront is designed to handle very large teams and enterprises, it is not so easy to create a mock account to test the software. To access this tool and get the information you need, you must apply for an account and wait to be contacted by the Workfront sales team before you can set it up.
Some long-term users of this software also have issues with its layout and report that it takes a long time to fully master its functionality. This means that it would take a while before new users are entirely in tune with the software and its capabilities.
Onboarding of new users
As sophisticated as Workfront is, it’s not necessarily straightforward for new users to learn. This could be due to the high-end customization process which makes it hard for users to navigate the software.
Smaller organizations without already-built processes might struggle especially. The rich customization of the software can also result in organizations losing precious time waiting for the setup process, which could take weeks to be completed.
Collaboration features
As a collaborative work management platform, Workfront does not have an inbuilt timer or a chat app, both of which are vital for many organizations. Other Workfront alternatives like Zoho and Asana have built-in chat systems. Strangely, Workfront omitted this feature, a surprising choice given the modern work environment we now exist in.
Additionally, Workfront grants users a complete view of what colleagues are working on, including their discussions and pending tasks, etc. This intense, bird’s-eye view into someone else’s work can produce micromanagement, an approach to management that organizations strive to avoid. Although the shared views may work for specific departments or teams, in general, this feature is unnecessary and doesn’t make sense for many users.
Automation features
Workfront provides necessary automation features like Gantt charts, a tool that helps monitor task progression, including budget plans and time spent on a project.
However, many users find this tool hard to maneuver due to its rich customization features, which take a long time to implement and can impede workflow. Finding a specific task on the software can also be a chore as data entry and notifications are not as prompt as many users would prefer, and sometimes, current or pending projects are displayed differently.
Overview of 15 Alternatives to Workfront
As mentioned above, Workfront comes with a steep learning curve and is not well-suited for small businesses with a flat organizational chart. If, for these or other reasons, you’re looking for software to manage projects and automate your workflow, here are 15 great Workfront alternatives that may be more suited for your needs.
Filestage
Filestage helps manage all the files that your team creates during a project. Through its centralized platform, team members can easily upload and share their files, such as PDF documents, images or videos, with colleagues or external partners.
The main purpose of the tool is to collect feedback and get approvals on files. Therefore, Filestage offers multiple collaboration features that allow reviewers to leave precise comments and annotations directly on files. It’s also possible to discuss feedback with other reviewers in real-time.
So, whether your project is a video campaign, product ad, or just a quick content review, Filestage makes it easy to organize your review workflow and track the progress of your files and projects.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- No training needed, your team can get started in minutes
- Very clear pricing laid out on the website, unlike Workfront
Con:
- Project templates are only available for pro and enterprise version users.
Zoho Projects
If you are looking for project management software that offers great value at a low cost, then Zoho projects might be just the right fit for your team. This task management software has an extensive list of standard project management features, like time and budget tracking and research management reports. It costs about $6 per person per month, so it is well-suited for small and growing businesses with budget restrictions.
Additionally, Zoho lets you connect to other apps that serve those purposes. Zoho projects are easy to navigate, and all the information needed to get started, including pricing, is present on the website.
Pros:
- Great value at a low cost
- Easy in-app communication, something which is not available on Workfront.
- User-friendly and easy to navigate
Cons:
- The resource management view is unusual in comparison to other project management software.
- No premade templates
- Fewer automated features than Workfront.
Wrike
Wrike is a work collaboration software that offers unique project management tools. Its features, like the Gantt chart, file sharing, task management, etc., make it easy for teams to visualize, monitor and track the progress of a particular project. One innovative feature of this software is a tool that lets you know if your project is failing and offers ideas on possible issues.
Whether your team will benefit from Wrike or not largely depends on the kind of work you do, how large your group is, and your budget. If you need intense time tracking of complex projects, this software might not be the best fit for your team. You can check out some Wrike alternatives here.
Keep in mind that many potential users are often confused about whether the Wrike plan would work for their team as this software has eight different programs.
Pros:
- Constant upgrade of tools and features
- Accounts are tailored to fit different kinds and sizes of teams, unlike Workfront which is more suited for large enterprises.
Cons:
- Hard to decipher which account would work best for your organization.
- Quite expensive
Monday.com
Monday is a project management and online collaboration tool for teams. It offers a collection of spreadsheets where tags are logged, and everyone has access to information as needed.
Monday has in-built project management templates that are also customizable, and users can explore them to find what works best for their workflow. In this respect, Monday is very similar to Asana or Trello.
The cost depends on the size of your team, and every plan includes a minimum of three users.
Pros:
- It has a variety of templates.
- It can easily be customized.
- In-app automation
- Has a free account option, unlike Workfront.
Cons:
- The app is not so easy to learn, and the trial period is insufficient in length.
- Pricing is unnecessarily confusing.
Asana
Asana is a highly collaborative and flexible software that helps teams manage their tasks, workflow, and projects. However, it is not considered a complete project management solution as it doesn’t have features for expense tracking, resource management, budgeting, etc.
But Asana works to remain a favorite amongst productivity enthusiasts because of its flexibility and its eagerness to roll out new features like calendar integration, video message, changes to tasks, etc. It offers a four-tier pricing structure. When compared to other project management alternatives Asana’s pricing is a bit higher in this category.
Pros:
- Very flexible with great speed
- The free version is excellent for starters.
- Features real-time task editing which is absent in Workfront.
Cons:
- A little expensive
- No sophisticated tools for intense graphic design and creative work.
Basecamp
Mainly a collaboration app for remote teams, Basecamp helps teams manage workflow, communicate better, and keep track of files, tasks, deadlines, announcements, and specific projects. It functions as a remote hub for large groups as it promotes effective communication across all channels and departments, which boosts productivity. Basecamp is very flexible and gets the job done.
Pros:
- Very easy to navigate and set up
- Supports various other services and apps
- More affordable than Workfront
Cons:
- Lack of core project management tools like time tracking, proofing, etc.
- Communication can seem isolated.
- No Gantt chart and other features of standard PM software
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a collaborative project management tool, depending on how you use it. If you need it for creative workflow management, task assigning, deadline tracking, CRM, etc., it indeed gets the job done.
Smartsheet also has specific features like Gantt as well as essential resource management tools that make it a reliable project collaboration tool. This software is highly flexible, and you can easily customize it to completely suit your needs.
Pros:
- Very flexible and easy to customize, unlike Workfront
- It supports different automation and is very powerful.
Cons:
- No autosave or automatic updating
- Requires use of other software for resource management, time tracking, and budgeting.
Teamwork
Teamwork takes the ease of project management to another level with its all-inclusive user interface. In fact, it allows the entire team to track tasks, monitor workload, and deadlines, and even invoice clients.
Teamwork makes it easy and quick for users to register, get a free trial and start using the tool to manage their projects. It is that simple; there is no technical jargon to sort through, a common issue with many other project management tools. Plus, it has all the necessary tools like Gantt charts, time and milestone tracking, progress logging, etc., and many more.
Pros:
- Simple design
- Includes a billing tool which is absent in Workfront
- Practical customization options
Con:
- No PDF tools
ClickUp
ClickUp is a popular project management software that caters to all types of teams regardless of size. The program effectively merges different business applications, processes, and information into one online solution. This makes managing multiple projects and collaboration easy.
ClickUp has all the features of a traditional project management solution and is fully customizable, which is a perfect solution for agile project management teams. Moreover, it is very affordable in comparison to Workfront as it starts from $5 per month and user. It also has a free trial version.
Pros:
- Works for both teams and solo users, unlike Workfront, which mainly caters to large teams.
- User-friendly layout
- Easily customizable
Cons:
- Too many features can overwhelm any user
- User interface can be improved
Airtable
Airtable is a collaborative database management tool that lets users manage work, share information, track tasks, plan events, and much more. It is straightforward to use and has visual flair, making project management more colorful and exciting.
Airtable could be the perfect tool for graphic design projects. It also has a free trial version that gives users access to unlimited databases and collaborators. Its paid version starts from $12 per month per person.
Pros:
- User interface is visually appealing.
- Integrates with multiple services
- More affordable than Workfront
Cons:
- Formatting is clunky and has limitations.
- Multiple customization options can be confusing.
Clarizen
Clarizen is an online project management solution that helps users break free from the constraints of email through the use of a central platform for project and workflow management. This way, users can sift through old emails and mundane information and get into the work that really matters.
Clarizen is designed for larger organizations as an enterprise project management software, but it is straightforward to use. It has all the features needed in a standard project management tool. However, it is pretty expensive, starting from $45 per month per person with a 30-day free trial option.
Pros:
- Users can set up quickly.
- In-app chat feature, unlike Workfront
- Very comprehensive for work and project management
Cons:
- Very expensive
- Not very responsive
ActiveCollab
At a glance, ActiveCollab seems like an essential project management solution for project managers to organize and track work done by a team as it has all the necessary features.
However, this tool is capable of doing so much more. It can handle different levels of financial needs, from providing estimates to budget tracking and invoicing. ActiveCollab is also a great tool for marketing project management as well as for architectural teams. Its pricing starts at $7.50 per month and user, and it offers a free trial as well.
Pros:
- Multiple features with an in-depth financial management tool
- Flat learning curve, unlike Workfront, which takes a while to understand.
- Affordable
Cons:
- User interface is unappealing.
- No project dashboard
nTask
nTask is a project management solution that helps project managers handle anything from team collaboration and complex project tracking to file sharing and management. This tool is focused on users who often have to shuffle between various tools to manage a simple project.
nTask eliminates the need for multiple software options as it serves as an all-inclusive tool capable enough to handle several tasks at once. It also works as a free project management solution as its free version is quite comprehensive. Paid accounts start from $2.99 per user and month.
Pros:
- Software is easy to use
- More affordable than Workfront
- Multiple integrations
Con
- Missing many formatting options
Paymo
As a project management tool, Paymo is more focused on invoicing, time tracking, and billing than other facets of project management. Thus, it falls somewhere in the middle as PM software.
It might be too expensive for small businesses, starting from about $11 per person. Paymo can be used to manage workflow. However, its main focus is invoicing, and this is evident in the app.
Pros:
- Includes billing/ invoicing tools
- The task timer is quite detailed, unlike Workfront which has no time tracking feature.
Cons:
- More focused on invoicing than complete project management
- Not as intuitive as the competition
Nifty
Nifty is a collaborative task management software that lets you manage workflow, track deliveries, assign tasks, manage schedules, and communicate with your team and clients all in one space.
It helps you manage and execute your marketing campaigns from start to finish and offers comprehensive, automated progress reports. Nifty provides a free trial, and its paid version starts from $39 per user and month.
Pros:
- Great milestone configuration
- Great UI visual
- Has a free trial account, unlike Workfront
Cons:
- A bit expensive
- Basic calendar view
Conclusion
Many small businesses are continually looking for an affordable, all-inclusive project management platform that caters to all or most of their needs. There are tons of project and task management software options available on the market today other than Workfront.
Some of these alternatives are considerably cheaper, provide a better user interface, and offer more integrated features and tools that allow a more comprehensive range of processes across different workflow channels. This article showcases some of the best Workfront alternatives and highlights their pros and cons to help you make the decision that is best for your team.
If you’re looking for additional alternatives, we recommend checking out these articles as well:
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