The Best Project Management Software for Small Businesses in 2025

Running a small business means project deadlines, client communication, task tracking, team collaboration, budgeting, marketing, and much more. It can get chaotic fast without the right systems in place. There is a ton of project management software available to help you streamline your operations so you can spend less time sorting through spreadsheets and more time growing your business. But where to start?

Here’s a roundup of the best project management tools for small businesses in 2025 and actionable tips to help you pick the right one for your workflow and team.

Trello

Trello uses a Kanban board format, kind of like digital sticky notes you can drag and drop. It’s simple, intuitive, and great for tracking tasks, managing editorial calendars, or planning projects with multiple steps. Add team members to easy-to-label cards, create assignments, and watch your projects flow from start to finish. We use Trello, and love it!

Best for: Visual thinkers, solo entrepreneurs, or small teams.

Action tip: Create separate boards for each department or major project. Use color-coded labels for quick visual clarity (e.g., “High Priority,” “Needs Review,” “In Progress”).

Asana

Asana lets you map out complex projects with dependencies, recurring tasks, and automated workflows. Depending on how you process tasks best, you can view your work in list view, board view, timeline, or calendar formats.

Best for: Small teams that need structure and workflow automation.

Action tip: Set up project templates for recurring workflows (like onboarding, content creation, or sales funnels) to save hours of admin time every month.

ClickUp

ClickUp is like the Swiss Army knife of project management. It offers task management, docs, goals, time tracking, dashboards, and more, all in one platform.

Best for: Customization geeks and small businesses looking to scale.

Action tip: Start with the basics: create a Workspace, set up your first List, and track time on key client projects to analyze profitability.

Monday.com

Monday.com offers colorful visual boards and customizable workflows, making it easy to manage tasks, track leads, handle client communication, or monitor sales pipelines all in one place.

Best for: Client-facing businesses and teams that love visual planning.

Action tip: Use automations to reduce repetitive tasks, such as assigning new leads to a team member or moving tasks when their status changes.

Notion

Notion is part doc, part project tracker, part database. You can use it to build wikis, store SOPs, manage task lists, and collaborate with teammates in real-time. It’s highly customizable and great for hybrid teams.

Best for: Businesses that need flexibility across documentation and task management.

Action tip: Create a shared business dashboard that includes tasks, company goals, weekly priorities, and team documents, all in one scrollable view.

Teamwork

Teamwork is built with client services in mind. It allows you to manage projects, billable hours, timesheets, milestones, and client communications without jumping between tools.

Best for: Service-based businesses and client project management.

Action tip: Use the built-in time tracking and invoicing features to keep projects profitable and clients informed.

Basecamp

Basecamp is minimal yet powerful. It combines to-dos, messaging, file storage, and calendars into one tidy platform. There’s no steep learning curve, making it perfect for teams who want to get up and running fast.

Best for: Small teams who want a simple, all-in-one solution.

Action tip: Create a project space for each client or initiative and use message boards to keep discussions out of email.

Choosing the Right Project Management Software

Before jumping into any platform, take a minute to ask yourself:

How big is my team? Solo operators may not need all the bells and whistles. Try Trello, Notion, and ClickUp.

Do I work with clients? Look for tools with client collaboration features. Try Teamwork, Monday.com, and Basecamp.

Do I need automation or time tracking? Some tools go above and beyond with automation, time logs, and reports. Try ClickUp, Asana, and Teamwork.

What’s my budget? Start with free versions and upgrade only if you need to. Free plans are offered with Trello, ClickUp, Asana, and Notion.

How tech-savvy is my team? If you need something easy, Trello, Basecamp, and Monday.com might be best.

The right project management software can be a game-changer for your small business, helping you stay organized, communicate better, and deliver projects faster. Next step?

Pick one tool. Test it for a week. Get your team on board. Then optimize your workflow based on what works best for you.