Web based project management software for freelancers and Web teams. Some cater to small team collaboration, some can scale up to support an enterprise. All are offered as a hosted service.
Standard Features:
- Projects with limited client access.
- Milestones and deadlines. With email notifications.
- Tasks and tasklists.
- Wiki / writeboard / notes. Group editable online document for reference.
- Message board or forum for communication.
- Calendar.
1. Basecamp
The granddaddy and industry standard of online project management tools. Basecamp was designed and built for small Web design teams that worked remotely (not in the same office). The focus on practical simplicity continues today.
Bottom Line Review: Basecamp is the industry gold standard. Everyone else is compared to them.
Pricing:
- Free: 1 project, no file sharing
- $24/month: 15 projects, 3 Gb storage
- $49/month: 35 projects, 10 Gb storage
- $149/month: unlimited projects, 50 Gb storage
All plans include unlimited users.
Bonus tips: 37signals published a book called Getting Real: The smarter, faster, easier way to build web applications. The book is available for free online. I consider it a must-read for all Web entrepreneurs.
2. Teamwork Project Manager
Bottom Line Review: More features and cheaper than Basecamp. Great for small teams that do client work.
Pricing:
- FREE: 2 projects, 5 Mb storage
- $12/month: 5 projects, 100 Mb storage
- $24/month: 15 projects, 512 Mb storage
- $49/month: 35 projects, 3 Gb storage
- $99/month: 100 projects, 10 Gb storage
- $149/month: unlimited projects, 50 Gb storage
All plans include unlimited users.
3. Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects is part of the Zoho suite of hosted services that includes word processing, spreadsheets, invoicing, presentation, and other office software.
Zoho Projects is priced lower than other online project management software.
Pricing:
Plans are limited by number of active projects and file storage. All plans have unlimited users.
- Free: 1 project, 100 Mb storage.
- $5/month: 3 projects, 500 Mb storage
- $8/month: 5 projects, 1 Gb storage
- $12/month: 10 projects, 2 Gb storage
- $20/month: 20 projects, 3 Gb storage
- $35/month: 50 projects, 5 Gb storage
- $55/month: 100 projects, 10 Gb storage
- $80/month: unlimited projects, 25 Gb storage
4. 5pm
5pm is known for its top-notch user interface. Reviewers all agree -- 5pm is extremely user friendly. Their motto is "everything within a click or two".
Unlike other services, 5pm doesn't offer a free forever plan. Only a 14-day trial.
Pricing:
Plans are limited by number of active projects, users, and file storage.
- Free 14-Day Trial: 40 users, 80 projects, 15 Mb storage. Expires after 14 days.
- $14/month: 5 users, 10 projects, 150 Mb storage
- $24/month: 10 users, 20 projects, 250 Mb storage
- $44/month: 20 users, 40 projects, 500 Mb storage
- $84/month: 40 users, 80 projects, 1 Gb storage
5. Wrike
Bottom Line Review: Innovate project management based on a flexible structure (folders and sub-folders instead of projects and tasklists), with a heavy emphasis on email integration. Good for small internal teams with lots of projects.
Pricing:
Plans are based on features. You pay per user for unlimited projects.
- Professional Plan ($3.99 per user): unlimited projects, two-way email integration, Gantt charts, 50 Mb / user storage
- Premium Plan ($7.99 per user): everything in Pro plan plus export to Excel, time-tracking, revision history, iCal and RSS support
- Enterprise Plan ($11.99 per user): everything in Premium plan plus MS Project and task dependencies