Choose Wrike if you want full project and resource management. Wrike is a full-featured work management platform that brings project planning, resource management, portfolio views, creative proofing and business intelligence into one place. It takes longer to learn than lighter tools, but few competitors match its depth once a team scales.
Project management tools · Alternatives
Best Notion Alternatives for Project Management in 2026
The best Notion alternatives for project management are Wrike for full project and resource management, ClickUp for docs plus richer project features at a low price, Asana for structured task management and Trello for simple boards. Notion remains one of the best docs-first workspaces, so many teams keep it as their wiki and move only their project tracking. Below we compare nine alternatives on scores, pricing, free plans and the features Notion does not include.
Key takeaways
- Wrike (9.4/10) is the strongest Notion alternative when you need time tracking, workload views, Gantt charts and portfolio reporting in one platform.
- ClickUp (8.9/10) is the closest like-for-like swap: docs, wikis and tasks in one workspace, with time tracking and Gantt charts from $7 per user/month (annual).
- Asana (9.0/10) and monday.com (9.1/10) give you ready-made project management without designing databases yourself.
- Trello, Basecamp, ClickUp, Asana, Wrike, monday.com and Jira all have free plans; Smartsheet has a 30-day trial instead.
- You do not have to leave Notion completely: keeping it for documentation and adding a dedicated project tool is often the best answer.
Quick answer: the best Notion alternatives at a glance
If you only have a minute, this table matches each alternative to the main reason teams leave Notion for project work. Scores are from our top 10 project management tools review; prices are entry-level paid plans (checked 7 October 2026).
| Alternative | Score | Best Notion alternative for | Paid plans from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrike | 9.4 | Full project, resource and portfolio management | $10/user/month (annual) |
| monday.com | 9.1 | Easy, visual workflows with dashboards | $9/seat/month (annual, 3-seat minimum) |
| Asana | 9.0 | Dedicated task and goal management | $10.99/user/month (annual) |
| ClickUp | 8.9 | Docs plus richer project management at low cost | $7/user/month (annual) |
| Smartsheet | 8.6 | Spreadsheet-style enterprise planning | $9/member/month (annual) |
| Jira | 8.6 | Software teams running Scrum or Kanban | About $7.91/user/month |
| Microsoft Planner | 8.1 | Organisations on Microsoft 365 | Basic included; Plan 1 $10/user/month |
| Trello | 7.8 | Simple Kanban boards | $5/user/month (annual) |
| Basecamp | 7.6 | Calm, communication-centred projects | $25/month flat |
For context, Notion scores 8.0/10 in the same review, with top marks among the ten tools for collaboration (9/10) and value (9/10) but 5/10 for planning and resource management. That gap is the main reason people search for alternatives.
Why teams look for Notion alternatives
Notion is an excellent workspace. It is rated 4.7/5 from 2,834 reviews on Capterra (checked 7 October 2026), and teams love it for documentation, wikis, meeting notes and flexible databases. The reasons people look elsewhere are almost always about project management, not about Notion being a poor product:
- You build the project system yourself. Projects in Notion are databases with properties, relations and views that someone has to design and maintain. That is flexible, but dedicated tools give you tasks, dependencies, workload and reports ready to use.
- No native time tracking or resource management. Notion has no timesheets, workload view or capacity planning. Agencies billing hours and teams doing resource allocation usually need these out of the box.
- Scheduling is light. Notion's timeline view shows dates and dependencies, but not baselines or critical path analysis, which date-driven projects rely on.
- Reporting is assembled by hand. Charts and filtered views can make a good dashboard, but there are no packaged portfolio, workload or burndown reports.
- Performance with large databases. Capterra reviewers who discuss large amounts of content often describe Notion as sluggish, which becomes noticeable as project databases grow.
- AI and plan costs. Notion AI is included only on the Business plan ($20 per member/month, annual) and Enterprise, and Custom Agents run on paid credits (checked 7 October 2026).
Do you need to leave Notion at all?
Often, no. Many teams get the best result by keeping Notion as the knowledge base (specs, handbooks, meeting notes) and running delivery in a dedicated project tool. Notion's Business plan includes connections to tools such as GitHub and Asana, and most project tools integrate with Slack, Google Drive and each other. Replace Notion completely only if you want a single tool and your alternative's docs are good enough for your team.
How we chose these Notion alternatives
We compared the nine other tools in our top 10 ranking. Each tool is scored from 1 to 10 on seven categories: ease of use, feature depth, planning and resource management, collaboration, Agile and software support, value for money, and scalability and enterprise readiness. We also checked vendors' pricing pages (7 October 2026) and published G2 and Capterra ratings.
The list below is ordered by how well each tool fixes the most common reasons teams leave Notion for project work, then by overall score. That is why Trello and Basecamp, which rank lower overall, appear higher here than Smartsheet or Jira: they solve specific Notion frustrations very simply. Scores are our editorial opinion and we do not accept payment for rankings.
The best Notion alternatives
Each card shows our score, starting price, free plan and user ratings, with links to the full review and the head-to-head comparison with Notion.
Choose Asana if you want dedicated task management. Asana is a polished, easy-to-use work management tool that excels at coordinating tasks across teams and linking them to company goals. Advanced capabilities such as portfolios and resource management are reserved for higher plans.
Choose ClickUp if you want docs plus richer project management. ClickUp packs an enormous range of features into low-priced plans: tasks, docs, whiteboards, goals, sprints, time tracking and dashboards. The trade-off is complexity, and the best AI features are paid add-ons.
Choose Trello if you want simple boards. Trello is the simplest way to start managing work visually. Its cards and boards are intuitive and inexpensive, but it lacks the scheduling, resource and portfolio depth needed for complex projects.
Choose Basecamp if you want simple communication-centred projects. Basecamp keeps projects simple: message boards, to-dos, schedules, docs, chat and client access in one place, with flat pricing and no per-user fees. It deliberately avoids complex PM features.
Choose monday.com if you value ease of use. monday.com is a highly visual, flexible work platform with one of the friendliest interfaces on the market. It is easy to adopt and very customisable, though seat bundles and plan limits can push costs up.
Choose Smartsheet if you value planning & resource management. Smartsheet combines a familiar spreadsheet grid with Gantt charts, automation and enterprise portfolio tools. It is a natural step up from Excel, though it lost its free plan in 2025 and advanced capabilities are quote-based.
Choose Jira if you value planning & resource management. Jira is the industry standard for Agile software teams, with deep Scrum and Kanban support, issue tracking and developer integrations. It is less suited to non-technical teams and has a steep learning curve.
Choose Microsoft Planner if you value ease of use. Microsoft Planner is the natural choice for Microsoft 365 organisations, now combining simple task boards with the advanced scheduling formerly in Project for the web. It is convenient and well integrated, but lighter than specialist platforms.
Each Notion alternative in brief
1. Wrike: best for full project and resource management
Wrike is our top-ranked tool and the most direct answer to Notion's project management gaps. It includes interactive Gantt charts with dependencies, critical path and baselines on paid plans, workload charts, time tracking, cross-project portfolio views, request forms, proofing and approvals, and dashboards. Notion is easier to start with and better for long-form documentation; Wrike is far stronger once you manage many projects and people. Wrike has a free plan, and paid plans start with Team at $10 per user/month (annual, 2 to 15 users) and Business at $25 (checked 7 October 2026).
2. Asana: best for dedicated task management
Asana gives you clean, ready-made task and project management: list, board, calendar, timeline and Gantt views, rules, forms and dashboards from Starter, with portfolios, goals, workload and time tracking on Advanced. You do not need to design databases, which is the main relief for teams coming from Notion. Notion still wins for wikis and documents. The free Personal plan is limited to two seats; Starter costs $10.99 per user/month annually (checked 7 October 2026).
3. ClickUp: best for docs plus richer project management
ClickUp is the closest like-for-like replacement because it combines docs, wikis, whiteboards and chat with full project features: Gantt charts with dependencies and baselines, native time tracking, workload views, goals and sprints. It also has a Notion importer. The trade-off is complexity: ClickUp has a lot of settings, and its full AI features are paid add-ons. Unlimited costs $7 per user/month annually and Business $12 (checked 7 October 2026).
4. Trello: best for simple boards
If your Notion setup has become a maze of databases and you mainly need a board, Trello is the easiest tool in our review (10/10 for ease of use). Boards, lists and cards work immediately, with built-in automation and Power-Ups. It is lighter than Notion for documentation and has no dependencies or resource management, and timeline, table and dashboard views need Premium. Standard costs $5 per user/month annually, and the Free plan allows 10 collaborators per Workspace (checked 7 October 2026).
5. Basecamp: best for simple, communication-centred projects
Basecamp suits teams who used Notion mainly to keep project conversations, to-dos, documents and client updates together. Each project has message boards, to-dos, a Kanban-style Card Table, schedules, docs and chat, with client access built in. It deliberately avoids complex planning features. Pricing is flat rather than per user, from $25/month for Freelancer up to $299/month (annual) for Unlimited, plus a free plan for one project (checked 7 October 2026).
6. monday.com: best for easy, visual workflows
monday.com offers the flexibility people like in Notion, with far less building. Colourful boards switch between table, Kanban, timeline, Gantt and calendar views, and dashboards, automations and monday docs are built in. Time tracking needs Pro and portfolio and resource management are on Enterprise. Basic starts at $9 per seat/month annually with a three-seat minimum (checked 7 October 2026).
7. Smartsheet: best for spreadsheet-style planning
Smartsheet is the right Notion alternative if your team thinks in grids and needs structured plans: sheets with dependencies, Gantt and critical path, roll-up reports, dashboards and enterprise portfolio tools. It has no docs or wiki equivalent and no free plan, but offers a 30-day trial of Business. Pro costs $9 per member/month annually (checked 7 October 2026).
8. Jira: best for software teams
Product and engineering teams often use Notion for specs and roadmaps, then find they need real issue tracking. Jira is our top tool for Agile software teams, with backlogs, sprints, story points, velocity and burndown reports, configurable workflows and developer integrations. Docs live in Confluence rather than Jira. The free plan covers up to 10 users.
9. Microsoft Planner: best for Microsoft 365 organisations
If your organisation runs on Microsoft 365, Microsoft Planner may already be included. Basic Planner offers boards and task lists inside Teams and Outlook; Plan 1 ($10 per user/month, annual) adds timelines and dependencies, and Plan 3 ($30) adds resource management and portfolios (checked 7 October 2026). It is lighter than specialist tools but easy to adopt where everyone already uses Teams.
Notion alternatives compared
The summary table sets out who each tool is best for, its starting price and its G2 and Capterra ratings, with a link to each head-to-head comparison.
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Ratings | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrike | Growing teams and enterprises that want one platform for projects, resources, portfolios, approvals and reporting | Free; paid from $10/user/month | G2 4.2/5 (4,537) Capterra 4.4/5 (3,041) | Notion vs Wrike |
| Asana | Organisations that want clean, reliable task management connected to goals and portfolios | Free (Personal); paid from $10.99/user/month | G2 4.4/5 (14,008) Capterra 4.5/5 (13,731) | Notion vs Asana |
| ClickUp | Budget-conscious teams that want tasks, docs, goals, sprints and dashboards in one tool | Free; paid from $7/user/month | G2 4.6/5 (14,714) Capterra 4.6/5 (4,634) | Notion vs ClickUp |
| Trello | Individuals and small teams that want simple, visual Kanban boards | Free; paid from $5/user/month | G2 4.4/5 (14,063) Capterra 4.5/5 (23,628) | Notion vs Trello |
| Basecamp | Agencies and small businesses that want calm, communication-centred projects with flat pricing | Free (1 project, up to 5 users); paid from $25/month flat | G2 4.1/5 (5,489) Capterra 4.4/5 (14,449) | Notion vs Basecamp |
| monday.com | Teams that want a colourful, intuitive platform they can shape into almost any workflow | Free for up to 2 seats; paid from $9/seat/month | G2 4.7/5 (17,248) Capterra 4.6/5 (6,120) | Notion vs monday.com |
| Smartsheet | Organisations comfortable with spreadsheets that need enterprise-grade planning and reporting | From $9/member/month (no free plan) | G2 4.4/5 (22,768) Capterra 4.5/5 (3,559) | Notion vs Smartsheet |
| Jira | Software development and IT teams running Scrum or Kanban | Free for up to 10 users; Standard roughly $7.91/user/month | G2 4.3/5 (7,988) Capterra 4.4/5 (15,493) | Notion vs Jira |
| Microsoft Planner | Organisations standardised on Microsoft 365 and Teams | Basic Planner included in Microsoft 365; Plan 1 from $10/user/month | G2 4.2/5 (237) Capterra 4.3/5 (298) | Notion vs Microsoft Planner |
What each alternative adds over Notion
This table focuses on the project management features Notion lacks or covers only partly. "Partial" means the feature exists but is limited, needs a higher plan or relies on integrations.
| Tool | Time tracking | Resource and workload | Gantt / timeline | Portfolios | Docs and wiki | Proofing and approvals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notion | No | No | Yes (no baselines) | Partial | Yes | No |
| Wrike | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| monday.com | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Asana | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| ClickUp | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Smartsheet | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Jira | Partial | Partial | Yes | Partial | No | No |
| Microsoft Planner | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | No |
| Trello | Partial | No | Partial | No | No | No |
| Basecamp | Yes | No | Partial | Partial | Yes | No |
Several features depend on plan level. For example, Asana's workload and time tracking need Advanced, monday.com's time tracking needs Pro, and Planner's resource management needs Plan 3. Check the plan, not just the product, against your list.
Notion alternatives by use case
Best free Notion alternative
ClickUp's Free Forever plan has the broadest feature set, including docs, though Gantt is limited to a trial. Trello's Free plan is the simplest and allows 10 collaborators per Workspace. Jira is free for up to 10 users, Wrike's free plan covers basic task management on board and table views, Basecamp's free plan covers one project, and monday.com's covers up to two seats.
Cheapest Notion alternative
Trello Standard ($5 per user/month annual) and ClickUp Unlimited ($7) are the lowest per-user prices. For larger teams with few projects, Basecamp's flat pricing can cost less overall. All are cheaper than Notion Business ($20), although Notion Plus at $10 compares closely.
Best for start-ups and small teams
ClickUp suits small teams that want docs and projects together; Trello and Basecamp suit teams that want something simpler.
Best for agencies and client work
Wrike combines time tracking, workload, proofing and client-facing request forms. Basecamp is the simpler choice for client communication, with flat pricing and controlled client access.
Best for enterprises and PMOs
Wrike and Smartsheet score 10/10 for scalability in our review, with portfolio management, governance and advanced reporting. A project management office running many projects at once will find either far more structured than a Notion workspace.
Best for Agile and software teams
Jira is the standard for software teams. ClickUp is the alternative for teams who want sprints, docs and lower complexity in one tool.
Best for docs-first teams
ClickUp and monday.com have the strongest built-in docs among the alternatives, and Basecamp keeps docs and files inside each project. If documentation matters most, test the editor with your real content before you switch.
If you use Notion mainly for notes and wikis
Our list compares project management tools, because that is what we review. If you use Notion mostly as a personal notebook or company wiki, the right alternative may be a dedicated knowledge tool instead. Examples include Confluence (Atlassian's wiki, often paired with Jira), Microsoft Loop and OneNote for Microsoft 365 organisations, and local-first note apps for personal knowledge management. These sit outside our scored top 10, so check their current plans and features directly.
If you use Notion for both notes and projects, the docs features in ClickUp, monday.com and Basecamp may be enough to replace both. If they are not, keeping Notion for knowledge and moving projects is usually less disruptive.
How to choose the right Notion alternative
- Write down what Notion is not doing for you. Time tracking, workload, Gantt depth, reporting, performance or price: the answer points to different tools.
- Decide whether you are replacing Notion or adding to it. If your wiki works well, look for a project tool that integrates with Notion rather than one with strong docs.
- Shortlist two or three tools. Use the use-case section above and our head-to-head comparisons.
- Check the plan you would actually need. Many of the features that make an alternative attractive sit on mid or upper tiers.
- Run one real project in each trial. Rebuild a live project with its tasks, dates, owners and a status report, using the people who will work in it.
- Compare total cost. Include seat minimums, AI add-ons or credits, guests and any integrations you need.
Our guide on how to choose project management software covers requirements, stakeholder input and trials in more depth.
How to migrate from Notion
Moving out of Notion is straightforward for simple databases and more work for complex, interlinked workspaces. According to Notion's help centre, you can export pages and databases as Markdown and CSV (pages as Markdown, databases as CSV), HTML or PDF, and export a whole workspace from Settings on desktop or web; the download link expires after seven days.
ClickUp offers a direct Notion importer on all plans. Its help centre says databases become folders and lists, Notion properties become text custom fields, and pages go into a ClickUp Doc. Some content does not transfer, including inline database comments and attachments and page history, and toggles and callouts arrive as plain text. Most other alternatives import CSV files, so export each Notion database to CSV and map its columns.
- Audit your workspace and archive anything no longer used.
- Agree how Notion properties map to the new tool's fields, statuses and owners.
- Export active project databases to CSV (or use a direct importer) and run a test import.
- Rebuild views, automations and dashboards in the new tool rather than copying old workarounds.
- Move one team or project first, then the rest once the pilot works.
- Keep Notion read-only for reference, or keep it as your wiki, until you are confident nothing is missing.
A simple starting structure, such as our free project tracker template, can help you decide which fields you actually need before you import.
Our verdict
Notion is a superb place for documents and lightweight project tracking, and it earns its place in our top 10. When project work outgrows it, the right move depends on why. Choose Wrike if you need resource management, time tracking, portfolios and proofing in one platform. Choose ClickUp if you want docs and projects together at a low price. Choose Asana or monday.com for ready-made, easy-to-adopt project management. Choose Trello or Basecamp if you want something simpler than Notion, not more powerful.
Whichever you pick, try it on a real project before you commit, and consider keeping Notion as your wiki.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Notion?
For project management, Wrike is our top pick because it adds time tracking, workload views, Gantt charts and portfolio reporting that Notion lacks. ClickUp is the closest like-for-like option, combining docs and projects at a lower price, and Asana is best for dedicated task management.
What is the best Notion alternative for project management?
Wrike (9.4/10) is the most complete. monday.com (9.1) and Asana (9.0) are easier to roll out, and ClickUp (8.9) gives the most features per dollar. All four include project features that Notion requires you to build yourself.
Is there a free alternative to Notion?
Yes. ClickUp, Trello, Wrike, Asana, monday.com, Jira and Basecamp all have free plans, with limits. ClickUp's Free Forever plan is the closest to Notion because it includes docs; Trello's Free plan is the simplest.
What is cheaper than Notion?
Trello Standard ($5 per user/month, annual) and ClickUp Unlimited ($7) are cheaper than Notion Plus ($10) and Business ($20). Basecamp's flat pricing, from $25/month, can be cheaper for larger teams (prices checked 7 October 2026).
Is ClickUp better than Notion?
For project management, ClickUp offers more built-in features, including time tracking, workload views and Gantt charts with baselines. Notion is stronger and simpler for documents and knowledge management. See our ClickUp vs Notion comparison.
Is Asana better than Notion?
Asana is better for structured task, goal and portfolio management with little setup; Notion is better for docs and flexible, custom systems. See Asana vs Notion.
Which Notion alternative has time tracking?
Wrike, ClickUp, Asana (Advanced plan), monday.com (Pro plan) and Basecamp include native time tracking. Notion has none, so teams rely on integrations or manual number fields.
Which Notion alternative is easiest to use?
Trello is the easiest tool in our review, followed by monday.com, Asana and Basecamp. All are quicker to set up for projects than a custom Notion database.
What is the best Notion alternative for enterprises?
Wrike and Smartsheet score highest for scalability and enterprise readiness, with portfolio management, governance and advanced reporting. monday.com and Asana also offer strong enterprise plans.
What is the best Notion alternative for software teams?
Jira is the standard for Agile software teams, with backlogs, sprints and developer integrations. ClickUp is a flexible, lower-cost option that also includes docs.
Can I import my Notion data into another tool?
Yes. Notion exports pages as Markdown, databases as CSV, and whole workspaces as HTML or Markdown and CSV. ClickUp has a direct Notion importer on all plans, and most other tools can import CSV files.
Should I replace Notion or use it alongside a project management tool?
If Notion works well as your wiki, keeping it and adding a dedicated project tool is often the least disruptive option. Replace it fully only if the new tool's docs meet your needs.
Is there a Notion alternative for Microsoft 365 users?
Microsoft Planner is the natural project management choice for Microsoft 365 organisations, with basic Planner included in many business plans. For notes and wikis, Microsoft's own apps such as Loop and OneNote are the usual alternatives.
How did you choose these Notion alternatives?
We compared the nine other tools in our top 10 on seven scored categories, current pricing and published G2 and Capterra ratings, then ordered them by how well they address the most common reasons teams leave Notion for project work.