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Top 6 Simple Project Management Software for Small Businesses

Project management software

Running a small business is like trying to get a ship through stormy seas. Deadlines crash in like waves, the budget is as tight as the sails, and your crew looks up to you for guidance to get them through it. It’s tough, but there’s a lifeboat: project management software.

No matter how rough the waters get, this tool can help streamline tasks, improve communication, and keep you on track.

In this blog post, we explain in detail why small businesses use project management software, the advantages it brings to these businesses, and finally, how to go about choosing the best fit.

Whatever you are looking for – simple project management software or a powerful web-based project management solution – this list will show you the best tools and how they can help your business thrive.

Why do small businesses need Project management software?

Small businesses usually face one challenge in trying to manage a bunch of tools, apps, and channels of communication to keep things going. This can get very disjointed through e-mails, spreadsheets, and sticky notes.

Project management software puts it all together on one single platform – task assignments, due dates, communications, and progress tracking. It builds a central single point from where every one of the team members would be able to have in their overview what needs to be done, when, and who’s responsible for making working easier and missing fewer details.

Here’s how project management software helps small businesses:

Saves Time

It streamlines tasks and deadlines into one place so the owner does not have to spend valuable time tracking updates or trying to remember who’s doing what. 

For example, one design studio had been using emails and sticky notes to keep track of projects. With a project management tool, they could instantly see what was done, what was due, and who was working on what – all but eliminating time spent on coordination.

Improves Communication

Project management tools help your team work together, whether in the office or remotely. They have built-in communication features, like chat, file sharing, and comments on tasks.

For example, a remote marketing team found it much easier to coordinate campaign details, discuss edits, and track approval stages in one central place rather than sending emails back and forth.

Boosts Productivity

With clear priorities and timelines, teams can focus on what matters without distractions. 

For example, a small construction company faced many challenges in managing multiple projects simultaneously. By implementing a project management tool, this company was able to assign responsibilities, track progress, anticipate bottlenecks, and ultimately complete projects faster and satisfy more customers.

Tracks Progress

Having a visual representation of your project’s progress can fend off those last-minute panics when deadlines are approaching. 

For example, a fashion boutique used to lose track of stock levels and sales events. By implementing a project management software system, they could thereafter easily see which tasks are pending, which ones have delays, and which ones have been kept on schedule. And it helps them make all necessary adjustments to keep on top of their business needs.

Ultimately, project management software is an essential tool for small businesses. It turns chaos into clarity, keeps teams motivated, and gives business owners the tools they need to focus on what they do best – growing their business.

Features to look for in business project management software

When choosing project management software for your small business, focus on the features that match your workflow and needs. The right tool can save you time, boost productivity, and keep your team aligned. Here are the key features to look for:

1. Ease of Use

Simplicity pays. Find simple project management software that is intuitive and thus easy to use-even for team members who might not be tech-savvy. The interface should be clean so that everyone can ramp up quickly. Being able to test a tool on a free trial basis will give you a sense of its usability. If it feels overcomplicated, it may cause frustration and slow down the adoption rate.

2. Task Management

Get project management for your business that helps in quick creating, assigning, and tracking of tasks. Break projects down into bite-sized pieces and easily set task deadlines. You can only imagine the potential within when tasks have due dates and include ways to track the actual completion against progress, right from dependencies in a Kanban board or an unfinished list of tasks.

3. Collaboration Tools

Effective communication is the backbone of project completion. Look for project management software that incorporates collaboration, such as messaging, file sharing, and comment threading. This helps in keeping your team in close connection without having to engage in prolonged email chains. This makes discussions and feedback about projects centralized, ensuring everyone stays on the same page for the project’s effective progress.

4. Web-Based Accessibility

In today’s fast-moving work environment, you need access to your projects anytime and anywhere. Web-based project management software allows you to access your projects from any device, whether you’re in the office or on the go. Cloud-based platforms also offer real-time syncing to make sure everyone is up to date, no matter where they’re working. This is particularly important for small businesses that have remote teams or field workers.

5. Scalability

Your business will grow, and so will your project management software. Find a solution that can scale with your business. As your team grows, along with the projects being worked on, you’ll want a platform that’s able to scale with them. Find software with flexibility in expanding with more users, storage, and other advanced features, enabling you to scale up without growing out of the tool.

6. Reporting and Analytics

Business project management software should give you great insights into the performance of your projects. Seek tools that will offer you customized reports on team performance, project timelines, and budgets. This helps you keep track of the progress being made, recognize bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions to improve productivity and efficiency.

7. Integration with Other Tools

Small businesses rely on several different tools to get work done. Go for web-based project management software that would integrate with the other tools you use. This can be email, a calendar, a CRM system, or an accounting program. Seamless integrations minimize manual data entry reduce errors, save time, and increase accuracy.

8. Budget Management

If you are someone managing different projects with varied budgets, then business project management software should be chosen with budget tracking and cost management. In this way, it becomes quite easy to monitor your expenses, set project budgets, and track how resources are being used; this way, one can easily stay within financial bounds with no surprises.

Considering these features when choosing project management software will help your small business succeed. Take time to get familiar with several options and don’t be afraid to actually try a few different tools before making your final choice. Choose one that can support present needs and grow with your business.

Overview of best project management software

Here’s a breakdown of six popular project management software options. We’ll explore each tool through the lens of the key features we’ve discussed above – ease of use, task management, collaboration, accessibility, scalability, and more so – you can determine which one best fits your small business needs.

1. Chanty

Chanty is a simple project management and team collaboration tool. Designed with small businesses in mind, it’s meant to bring simplicity and useful features in one place so that teams can speed up their work and be more productive.  

One of Chanty’s standout features is its built-in task management system, allowing teams to convert messages into tasks and then assign them to the members of their team while setting deadlines and tracking progress. Monitor in Kanban board view to see things visually and keep the teams organized with their goals in mind.

Chanty offers more than just project management; it also allows unlimited messaging, voice and video calling, and file sharing in one workspace for better collaboration and keeping the team connected no matter where they work.

Ease of setup is one of the key factors for small businesses. Chanty has an intuitive interface; no or very little training is needed – teams can just start using it. It also supports integrations with popular tools like Google Drive, Trello, and Asana, allowing businesses to centralize their operations without having to switch between multiple platforms.

Chanty is cloud-based, so it provides data security and can be accessed from any device, which is especially useful for small teams that work remotely or from different locations.

Chanty is an easy and inexpensive solution to help small businesses collaborate better and manage projects the right way. Chanty allows teams, with all its powerful features and an intuitive UI, to stay focused on what really matters – achieving goals.

2. Wrike

Wrike is a versatile project management software that handles complex workflows while remaining easy to use. Among its key features is a customizable dashboard that lets an organization adjust the interface to show them what’s important. The layout is user-friendly, ensuring that teams can get right to work without being overwhelmed by a cluttered interface.

Wrike is great for task management: creating tasks, assigning them to team members, establishing deadlines, and tracking progress on visual timelines or Kanban boards. The software also provides task dependencies, which are important for organizations with complex project workflows that require careful coordination.

Wrike allows teamwork with inbuilt tools for file sharing, comment threads, and notifications. These features ensure that your team stays aligned and everyone stays on top of their responsibilities. Real-time updates ensure nobody misses an important update or discussion, no matter the location.

As a web-based project management software, Wrike allows access from anywhere, which is a great advantage in the cases of companies with teams distributed remotely or in the field. It also means your project data is securely kept in the cloud, always accessible.

Finally, Wrike is highly scalable, which makes it a good fit for companies of any size. Be it a small startup or an enterprise that’s growing, Wrike will accommodate your growing team and increased project complexity. Offering flexible pricing and a broad range of features, Wrike is a great tool to grow with.

3. Trello 

Trello is a great choice for companies looking for a simple, intuitive project management tool. Its visual interface, which uses boards, lists, and cards to organize tasks, is really easy to use. The drag-and-drop functionality makes it easy for teams to organize tasks, prioritize projects, and make sure that nothing is overlooked. Trello is a great option for teams with little to no technical expertise.

Trello’s task management is simple but effective: assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and attach files and notes, all in a card format. Without the advanced task dependency capabilities of more complex tools, it’s a perfect choice for companies with simpler project workflows that do not require complicated task management. 

Trello’s collaboration features are effective for small teams. You can comment on tasks, attach files, and use checklists to track progress. Trello works with other apps like Slack, Google Drive, and Dropbox, so you can work together on different platforms. 

As a web-based project management software, Trello will let your team access the tool anywhere, whether in the office, at home, or even on the go. This mobile app is great for teams who always need to have access to their tasks and boards on the go. 

Trello will scale for a small business, although it does lack functionality for very large, complex projects. The paid plans offer more features and integrations, which means companies can scale up as their needs grow. 

4. Asana

Asana is a perfect project management tool for companies that require a balance between simplicity and functionality. Its interface is sleek and intuitive, with easy navigation to make sure your team will get started right away. In particular, Asana is an excellent option for both unseasoned and experienced project managers, offering a range of features without overwhelming users.

Task management with Asana is a seamless experience. You can break down projects into tasks and subtasks, assign them to the right team members, and set clear deadlines. Asana also allows for prioritization and offers several different views – such as list, board, and timeline – so you can track progress from multiple angles. You also get task dependencies, which will be particularly helpful in handling more complex project timelines.

Asana is super efficient for collaboration, with comment threads integrated into the application, file attachments, and @mentions of team members right within the tasks. This way, all conversations are held in one place, which reduces the number of endless email chains. Asana’s real-time updates make sure everyone’s on the same page as projects evolve.

Being a web-based project management tool, Asana makes it easier to work with teams remotely or on the go. The cloud-based nature means that all project data is easily available across devices and that team members can collaborate irrespective of their location.

Another very strong benefit of using Asana is its scalability. For that, it provides flexible pricing plans, accommodating small teams just as effectively as large organizations. With this, your business will definitely start to grow, and it will expand the capabilities and features that Asana offers to fit your needs over time.

5. Teamwork

Teamwork is feature-rich business project management software that combines the aspect of ease of use and powerful features of task management within one package. It comes with an intuitive interface sans any loss in functionality. Its sharp design makes Teamwork really available even for those teams that are inexperienced in using any project management software. 

In Teamwork, features are all-inclusive for task management, starting with task creation and deadline setting, to assigning responsibility, thus being able to see progress in lists, Gantt charts, or Kanban boards. Among many others, one of the great outstanding features is Task Dependencies, which enables a business to manage quite tricky workflows without bottlenecks. 

At the heart of Teamwork lies collaboration, including inbuilt messaging, file sharing, and task comments. This helps keep all project discussions in one place with minimal usage of email or other tools for communication. The integrations across many different tools-from Slack and Dropbox to Google Drive – make Teamwork a nice platform to be working across many different systems. 

As a web-based project management software Teamwork can be used from anywhere. Regardless of whether they are working remotely or in the office, your team may access tasks and communication on the platform. No matter where their teams are, users can keep on top of projects with the help of the mobile app. 

Teamwork is very scalable, with pricing to fit any business, from small to enterprise. Whether you are a small business with only a few employees or a large organization with complex project management needs, Teamwork has the flexibility to grow with your business. 

6. Basecamp 


Basecamp is simple and easy to use. If you want a straightforward project management experience, Basecamp may be the perfect choice. With a minimalist interface, it’s ideal for teams that need something to manage projects quickly. 

Basecamp is lightweight, but it works well for task management. Creating to-do lists, assigning tasks to team members, and setting deadlines are fairly easy to manage. While it doesn’t have the advanced task management features of other tools, it’s perfect for small teams or companies with less complex project needs. 

Collaboration within Basecamp is a breeze. You can comment on tasks, share files, and communicate through group discussions or direct messages. Real-time updates keep everyone on the same page, and the platform’s simplicity ensures that conversations stay focused and organized. 

As a web-based project management software, Basecamp ensures that your team can access their tasks and communications from anywhere, at any time. It’s particularly well-suited for businesses with remote workers or distributed teams. 

Basecamp is scalable, but it’s more suited to small businesses. Its pricing plan is unique in that it covers unlimited users, making it an attractive option for growing teams that don’t want to worry about increasing costs as they scale. 

7. Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects has a friendly interface that integrates with many features that go a long way in making task management easy and efficient. It offers a drag-and-drop layout that makes it easy for teams to organize their work, while customizable dashboards help businesses focus on the metrics that matter most. 

Zoho Projects demonstrates powerful task management. You can add activities, assign them to the relevant team members, and track progress by viewing either Gantt charts, task lists, or Kanban boards. This tool also prorivides support for task dependencies, which is quite essential in managing a team working on complicated project workflows. 

With Zoho Projects, collaboration is quite seamless, with features like discussion boards, file sharing, and real-time updates. You can even track time spent for more effective budget and resource management. This integration with other Zoho products further enhances its collaboration, as well as third-party tools like Slack and Google Drive. 

As a web-based project management software, Zoho Projects ensures projects are accessible to your team from anywhere. It also has a mobile app allowing teams to keep up with their tasks and communicate on the go. 

Zoho Projects is highly scalable, making it an excellent choice for businesses that are likely to expand. Its flexible pricing structure means businesses of any size can find a plan suitable for them, and the software grows with your needs as your team and projects grow.

Take control of your projects

Running a small business can be quite a balancing act: endless tasks, deadlines to meet, and an unending flow of responsibilities. Still, when the right tools are at your disposal, chaos need not overwhelm you.

That’s where project management software can help streamline operations, improve communication, and keep your team on track with even the smallest projects.

Throughout this article, we’ve explored the key features that every small business should seek in project management software. Whether it’s a friendly and easy-to-use interface that doesn’t require a technical degree to understand, or powerful collaboration features that keep everyone on the same page, the right software will become the digital backbone of your team.

By focusing on accessibility, scalability, and seamless task tracking, these tools will take your business to a whole new level and transform those chaotic to-do lists into structured workflows.

From Wrike to Zoho Projects, each software has its own set of benefits that make it easier to manage everything in one place. Web-based solutions keep you and your team connected no matter where you are, while collaboration and progress-tracking tools provide a greater visibility and accountability.

And the best part? Most options are scalable, growing with your business as you take on more projects and expand your team.

It’s more than an organizational change; adopting a project management tool is a strategic step toward improving productivity and, therefore, your bottom line. With the right solution, you can stop juggling tasks and get back to what matters: building your business, delighting your customers, and driving success.

Take control of your projects today and see for yourself the difference the right business project management software can make in simplifying daily operations and propelling your small business toward greater success.

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Yelyzaveta Hodun

Yelyzaveta Hodun is a Content Writer at Chanty, a tool that makes team collaboration easier. With a love for writing and a background in Cultural Studies, she enjoys creating content that helps teams connect and communicate better. Feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn

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