2025 Best team project management software: Top picks by category

2025-02-06

Effective project management is crucial for team success. The right team project management software can enhance collaboration, resource allocation, and progress tracking, ensuring that projects stay on schedule and within budget. Unlike personal project management software, which focuses on individual productivity, team project management tools provide shared calendars, task delegation, and workflow automation to streamline teamwork.

To help you choose the best solution, we have categorized the top 10 team project management software for 2025 based on different needs and functionalities.

1. General project management software

General project management software provides basic functionalities like project planning, task allocation, timeline tracking, and resource management. These tools are versatile and suitable for various industries and project types. Below are three of the best options in this category.

8Manage PM

8Manage PM is a powerful project management tool widely used in China, serving industries such as IT, manufacturing, financial services, and healthcare. It provides end-to-end project lifecycle management with real-time data updates in a centralized database. 

The tool used by enterprises like China Southern Airlines and Fujitsu HK, supports customizable workflows, forms, and reports, making it highly adaptable. Additionally, its integrated portfolio management ensures efficient resource utilization. While it offers strong data integrity and collaboration features at a competitive price, it may lack advanced capabilities for specialized industries like construction.

Asana

Asana is a highly flexible project management tool popular among international teams due to its intuitive UI and strong third-party integrations. It allows for seamless task allocation, progress tracking, and offers multiple project views such as Kanban, lists, and calendars. Its extensive integrations enhance workflow automation. However, while Asana is excellent for small to mid-sized projects, large-scale project management may experience performance issues, and customer support can be inconsistent in some regions.

Microsoft Project

Designed for enterprise-level project planning and execution, Microsoft Project provides advanced Gantt charts, resource tracking, and in-depth project analytics. The tool offers powerful reporting and forecasting capabilities, making it ideal for complex, large-scale projects. It excels in structured project management but has a steep learning curve and is less suited for agile methodologies.

2. Agile and R&D project management tools

These tools are designed for agile and Scrum methodologies, focusing on iterative development and team collaboration. They are ideal for software development and product teams.

Jira

Jira is the industry standard for agile teams, particularly in software development and IT. It offers customizable workflows, Scrum and Kanban boards, and advanced reporting for backlog management. With extensive integrations, Jira is highly flexible and suitable for large development teams. However, its high pricing and complexity can make adoption challenging for smaller teams.

3. Task management tools

Task management tools focus on task allocation and progress tracking, making them ideal for small or simple projects.

Todoist

Todoist is a simple yet powerful tool designed for task and time management. It offers cross-platform synchronization, task prioritization, and natural language input for quick task creation. The clean and intuitive UI makes it ideal for individuals and small teams. However, its free version has limited advanced features, and it may not be suitable for complex project management.

Wrike

Wrike is a scalable task and project management tool designed for teams of all sizes. It features customizable Kanban boards, Gantt charts, time tracking, and in-depth analytics. Its flexibility in project views and strong reporting features make it a powerful choice, though the mobile app experience could be improved, and new users may face a steeper learning curve.

4. Project team resource management software

These tools focus on resource allocation and optimization, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.

Smartsheet

Smartsheet, used by enterprises like Cisco and Netflix, offers a spreadsheet-like interface for project planning. It includes advanced reporting, automation, and collaboration tools for resource planning. The platform integrates with Microsoft Office and Google Suite, making it highly customizable. However, its advanced functionalities come with a steeper learning curve and higher costs for premium features.

Resource Guru

Resource Guru is a lightweight resource scheduling and allocation tool with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. It allows for seamless team availability tracking and quick scheduling. Ideal for small to medium-sized teams, it offers a quick setup and minimal learning curve. However, it lacks the advanced functionalities needed for large enterprise users.

5. Project time tracking and billing software

These tools are essential for tracking work hours and expenses, often used in consulting and legal services.

Time Doctor

Time Doctor is a productivity-focused time tracking tool ideal for remote teams, freelancers, and businesses. It provides automated time tracking, employee productivity analysis, and detailed work reports. The monitoring features allow businesses to track team efficiency, though some users find them invasive.

Harvest

Harvest is a simple and effective time tracking and billing solution optimized for freelancers and small businesses. It features an easy-to-use time-logging interface, invoice generation, and expense tracking. The tool integrates with platforms like Asana, Trello, and QuickBooks, making financial tracking seamless. However, it lacks some of the advanced functionalities required for enterprise users.

Conclusion

Choosing the right team project management software is essential for enhancing productivity and collaboration.

• For general project management, consider 8Manage PM, Asana, or Microsoft Project.

• For agile and R&D teams, Jira is the top choice.

• For task management, Todoist and Wrike offer user-friendly solutions.

• For resource management, Smartsheet and Resource Guru provide advanced tools.

• For time tracking and billing, Time Doctor and Harvest are excellent options.

Each tool has unique strengths suited for different team structures and business needs. Evaluate your requirements carefully to select the best fit for your organization.