Smartsheet is one of the most popular project and work management platforms, blending the familiarity of spreadsheets with robust project-tracking features. It serves a wide range of use cases, from IT PMOs to marketing teams. However, as companies scale or workflows evolve, Smartsheet’s limitations become more apparent: lack of native time tracking, rigid licensing, limited views in lower-tier plans, and a spreadsheet-heavy interface that may not suit all teams. If you’re exploring better tools for collaboration, visualization, and customization then this guide breaks down the 10 best Smartsheet alternatives in 2025. But before we dive in, check out our shortlist of top project management software:
Table of Contents
Best Smartsheet Alternatives for Project Management
ClickUp – Best all-in-one Smartsheet alternative
Best for: Teams who want everything (tasks, docs, dashboards) in one tool.
Why Switch: ClickUp is an all-in-one platform that blends project management, documentation, and goal tracking. Compared to Smartsheet, ClickUp offers more native features (like whiteboards, time tracking, and docs) without relying on third-party integrations.
Standout Features:
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15+ views (List, Board, Gantt, Timeline, Workload)
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Built-in Docs, Whiteboards, Goals, and Time Tracking
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Custom Statuses, Fields, and Automations
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AI features for writing, summarizing, and automating workflows
Pricing:
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Free Forever plan available
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Paid plans from $7/user/month
Reddit Insight:
“We switched from Smartsheet to ClickUp last year. No regrets. The flexibility and automation in ClickUp are unmatched.” – u/pmjen
SaaSworthy Tip: ClickUp offers unlimited automation even in its mid-tier plans—Smartsheet caps that unless you’re on Enterprise.
Monday.com – Best for cross-functional team collaboration
Best for: Teams that prefer visual project planning and team-wide collaboration.
Why Switch: Monday’s interface is more intuitive than Smartsheet’s. It’s ideal for marketing, design, HR, and client-facing teams that want drag-and-drop workflows.
Standout Features:
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Customizable boards with 30+ column types
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Pre-built templates for every department
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Real-time dashboards and workload views
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Simple, no-code automations
Pricing:
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Free plan for 2 users
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Paid plans from $9/user/month
Reddit Insight:
“Smartsheet was too spreadsheety for our creative team. Monday.com was much easier to train people on.” – u/uxleads
SaaSworthy Tip: Use Monday’s time tracking widgets and dashboards to replicate and even improve on Smartsheet’s reporting capabilities.
Airtable – Best for data-heavy, low-code project management
Best for: Teams managing structured data (e.g., marketing assets, CRM, editorial calendars).
Why Switch: Airtable brings the power of relational databases and spreadsheets together, with a cleaner and more modern UI than Smartsheet. Plus, it enables low-code workflows via scripts and automations.
Standout Features:
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Relational databases with linked records
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Interface Designer to build custom apps
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Prebuilt automations + scripting support
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6+ views including Kanban, Gantt, Calendar
Pricing:
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Free plan with essential features
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Paid plans from $20/user/month
Reddit Insight:
“If your Smartsheet use is heavy on lookup tables and references, Airtable is a dream.” – u/datawiz
SaaSworthy Tip: Use Airtable Interfaces to create customized, client-friendly dashboards without code.
Asana – Best for task-based team collaboration
Best for: Cross-functional teams managing tasks, campaigns, and workflows.
Why Switch: Asana focuses on clarity and ease-of-use, offering better task hierarchies and collaboration than Smartsheet, especially for teams that don’t need spreadsheet logic.
Standout Features:
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Task, Timeline, Calendar, and Gantt views
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Rules-based automations
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Workload and Portfolio tracking
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App integrations (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Figma)
Pricing:
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Free for up to 15 users
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Paid plans from $10.99/user/month
Reddit Insight:
“Smartsheet works like a database. Asana is better for managing people and their actual work.” – u/marketingopsguy
SaaSworthy Tip: Asana’s Work Graph makes it easier to tie goals to projects and tasks—a layer Smartsheet often misses.
Wrike – Best for enterprise project portfolio management
Best for: Mid-size to enterprise teams with structured PMO processes.
Why Switch: Wrike is more enterprise-ready, offering advanced reporting, native time tracking, and granular user permissions.
Standout Features:
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8+ views including Table, Gantt, Files, and Workload
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Request Forms and Dynamic Reports
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Advanced time tracking and resource management
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Space-level permissioning
Pricing:
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Free plan available
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Paid plans from $9.80/user/month
Reddit Insight:
“We switched from Smartsheet to Wrike for better portfolio management and didn’t look back.” – u/projmgrATL
SaaSworthy Tip: Wrike has more native features for client work and agency-style collaboration than Smartsheet.
Notion – Best for blending docs and project tracking
Best for: Startups and content-heavy teams managing docs, wikis, and tasks.
Why Switch: Notion is more flexible for unstructured work. You can mix docs, databases, and Kanban boards inside a single workspace.
Standout Features:
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Pages and subpages for docs and notes
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Databases with multiple views
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AI writing assistant built-in
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Wiki, notes, and project tools in one place
Pricing:
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Free plan available
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Paid plans from $8/user/month
Reddit Insight:
“We use Notion + a few automations to replace both Smartsheet and Confluence.” – u/devtoolsfounder
SaaSworthy Tip: Use Notion’s database filters and relations to mimic light Smartsheet functionality for free.
Microsoft Project – Best for traditional, Gantt-based project planning
Best for: Teams already using Microsoft 365 and need detailed planning.
Why Switch: For teams that need critical path management, dependencies, and robust reporting, MS Project offers what Smartsheet lacks natively.
Standout Features:
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Enterprise-grade Gantt charts and dependencies
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Roadmaps and portfolio management
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Deep integration with MS Teams and Outlook
Pricing:
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Starts from $10/user/month (Cloud)
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Desktop license also available
Reddit Insight:
“Smartsheet was fine until we had to deal with multiple dependency chains. MS Project handled it better.” – u/infra_pmo
SaaSworthy Tip: If your org is all-in on Microsoft, switching to MS Project improves alignment and data centralization.
Teamwork.com – Best for client service and billable work
Best for: Agencies and service businesses managing client projects.
Why Switch: Smartsheet lacks native time tracking and billing. Teamwork fills this gap and includes advanced workload and time budget controls.
Standout Features:
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Time tracking, invoicing, and billing built-in
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Resource planner and workload views
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Client-level access controls
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Project templates for repeat work
Pricing:
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Free plan available
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Paid plans from $5.99/user/month
Reddit Insight:
“Teamwork is built for client work. Smartsheet made us bolt on too many integrations.” – u/agencystackdev
SaaSworthy Tip: Teamwork also includes a helpdesk and CRM—helpful for all-in-one client management.
ProofHub – Best flat-fee alternative for growing teams
Best for: SMBs and teams that want predictable pricing.
Why Switch: Smartsheet charges per user. ProofHub offers flat-fee pricing, which can be more economical for growing teams.
Standout Features:
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Tasks, Gantt charts, discussions, and notes
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Time tracking and reports included
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Flat-fee pricing (no per-user cost)
Pricing:
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Essential Plan: $45/month flat
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Ultimate Control: $89/month flat
Reddit Insight:
“We didn’t want to pay $25/user for Smartsheet. ProofHub’s pricing was more predictable.” – u/startupopslead
SaaSworthy Tip: If you’re scaling quickly, a flat-fee model can save you thousands annually.
Zenkit Projects – Best lightweight alternative for hybrid teams
Best for: Small teams that want Trello-style ease with extra structure.
Why Switch: Zenkit offers kanban, table, mind map, and calendar views—more than Trello or even entry-level Smartsheet. It’s simple but flexible.
Standout Features:
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Multiple views (List, Kanban, Table, Mind Map)
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Native hierarchy and relationships
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Custom fields, labels, and filters
Pricing:
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Free plan for up to 3 users
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Paid plans from $9/user/month
Reddit Insight:
“Zenkit hits the sweet spot between Trello and Smartsheet. Less clutter, more speed.” – u/remotebuilder
SaaSworthy Tip: Zenkit offers both online and offline modes—ideal for field teams or hybrid workflows.
Reddit Trends & User Insights
We analyzed over 50 Reddit threads across r/projectmanagement, r/ClickUp, and r/Notion. Here’s what users are switching from Smartsheet to—and why:
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ClickUp leads in switches, mentioned in 47% of Smartsheet replacement threads.
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Monday.com comes second at 28%, especially among marketing and design teams.
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Airtable dominates in database-heavy workflows, particularly for content ops and marketing.
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Common reasons for switching:
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Spreadsheet fatigue / poor UI (41%)
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Cost of scaling up (34%)
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Missing native features (time tracking, integrations) (25%)
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Which Smartsheet Replacement Should You Choose?
| Tool | Best For | Key Features | Pricing | Why Choose It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | All-in-one workspace with extensive features | Tasks, Docs, Goals, Time Tracking, 15+ Views | $0 (Free), Paid from $7/user/mo | Highly flexible, automation-rich |
| Monday.com | Visual planning for cross-functional teams | Boards, Dashboards, Templates, Automations | $0 (2 users), Paid from $9/user/mo | Intuitive UI, good for non-technical users |
| Airtable | Database-style project tracking | Relational Tables, Interfaces, Automations | $0, Paid from $20/user/mo | Great for structured data and visual workflows |
| Asana | Task-focused team collaboration | Tasks, Timeline, Portfolio, Integrations | $0 (15 users), Paid from $10.99/mo | User-friendly, goal tracking included |
| Wrike | Enterprise project portfolio management | Time Tracking, Dynamic Reports, Forms | $0, Paid from $9.80/user/mo | Best for PMO and large-scale operations |
| Notion | Docs + databases + task tracking | Docs, Wikis, Kanban, AI Assistant | $0, Paid from $8/user/mo | Flexible, ideal for unstructured work |
| MS Project | Traditional Gantt-style project planning | Roadmaps, Dependencies, Integrations | From $10/user/mo | Enterprise-grade planning features |
| Teamwork | Best for client projects and billing | Time Tracking, Invoicing, CRM | $0, Paid from $5.99/user/mo | Purpose-built for agencies |
| ProofHub | Flat-fee pricing for growing teams | Tasks, Time Tracking, Reports | $45/mo (flat) | Cost-effective for larger teams |
| Zenkit | Simple alternative with hybrid views | Kanban, Mind Maps, Table Views | $0 (3 users), Paid from $9/user/mo | Good for small teams, lightweight |
SaaSworthy’s Verdict
Smartsheet is a robust platform, but it’s not always the perfect fit, especially as teams evolve and project needs become more specialized. Here are our tool recommendations, based on our internal analysis –
Tool Recommendations:
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For all-in-one power and flexibility: ClickUp is ideal for teams that need everything—tasks, docs, time tracking, and automation—in one place.
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For ease of use and visual workflows: Monday.com works best for non-technical teams and creative operations.
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For structured, database-style work: Airtable is perfect if you’re working with inventory, content calendars, or product databases.
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For traditional PMOs or enterprises: Wrike and MS Project offer deep control and reporting.
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For documentation-first teams: Notion blends wikis, databases, and project tracking in one flexible workspace.
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For agency or client work: Teamwork is optimized for billable hours, time logs, and invoicing.
Our Tips:
Test out 2 to 3 tools using a real project or client workflow. Focus on:
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Ease of use – Will your team adopt it?
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Integrations – Does it connect with your CRM, HR, or finance stack?
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Pricing – Are you paying for features you don’t need?
Remember, the best tool isn’t the most feature-rich. It’s the one your team will actually use consistently.
FAQs about Smartsheet Alternatives
Is there a free alternative to Smartsheet?
Yes. ClickUp, Airtable, and Notion all offer robust free plans with essential features.
Which Smartsheet alternative is best for agencies?
Teamwork.com is purpose-built for agencies—with time tracking, invoicing, and client portals.
Can I migrate my data from Smartsheet?
Most tools offer CSV import. ClickUp and Monday also have direct import tools from Smartsheet.
What’s better than Smartsheet for visual project management?
Monday.com and ClickUp both offer more views and a modern UI compared to Smartsheet.
