Project management tools · Comparison
Smartsheet vs Jira (2026): Which Is Better?
Smartsheet is best for spreadsheet-style enterprise planning; Jira is best for software and agile teams. We compare pricing, features, ease of use and G2 and Capterra ratings to help you choose.
Key takeaways
- Overall winner: Smartsheet (8.6/10 vs 8.6/10), winning 4 of 7 categories.
- Choose Smartsheet for organisations comfortable with spreadsheets that need enterprise-grade planning and reporting.
- Choose Jira for software development and IT teams running Scrum or Kanban.
- Price: Smartsheet From $9/member/month (no free plan); Jira Free for up to 10 users; Standard roughly $7.91/user/month.
Quick verdict
Smartsheet is excellent for spreadsheet-minded enterprises. Wrike offers a broader all-in-one experience with stronger collaboration and proofing.
Jira is the strongest choice for software teams. For organisations that need one platform across engineering, marketing and operations, Wrike or monday.com are easier to roll out widely.
Smartsheet vs Jira at a glance
| Smartsheet | Jira | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.6/10 | 8.6/10 |
| Best for | Organisations comfortable with spreadsheets that need enterprise-grade planning and reporting | Software development and IT teams running Scrum or Kanban |
| Starting price | From $9/member/month (no free plan) | Free for up to 10 users; Standard roughly $7.91/user/month |
| Free plan | No (30-day free trial) | Yes (up to 10 users) |
| Free trial | 30-day Business plan trial, no credit card | Free trial of paid plans |
| Vendor | Smartsheet Inc. | Atlassian |
Pricing compared
| Smartsheet | Jira | |
|---|---|---|
| Plans | Pro: $9/member/month annual ($12 monthly) Business: $19/member/month annual ($24 monthly) Enterprise: Contact sales Advanced Work Management: Contact sales | Free: $0 Standard: About $7.91/user/month (monthly, small teams) Premium: About $14.54/user/month (monthly, small teams) Enterprise: Contact sales |
Checked on vendors' pricing pages on 5 October 2026. Read the full Smartsheet pricing and Jira pricing breakdowns.
Features compared
| Feature | Smartsheet | Jira |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
| Gantt / timeline | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Kanban boards | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Time tracking | ◐ Partial | ◐ Partial |
| Resource & workload management | ✓ Yes | ◐ Partial |
| Portfolio management | ✓ Yes | ◐ Partial |
| Docs & wiki | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Automations | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Agile / sprint tools | ◐ Partial | ✓ Yes |
| Proofing & approvals | ✓ Yes | ✕ No |
| Built-in AI | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Guest / client access | ✓ Yes | ◐ Partial |
| Flat (non per-user) pricing | ✕ No | ✕ No |
Category winners
| Category | Smartsheet | Jira | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | 7/10 | 6/10 | Smartsheet |
| Feature depth | 8/10 | 8/10 | Tie |
| Planning & resource management | 9/10 | 7/10 | Smartsheet |
| Collaboration | 8/10 | 7/10 | Smartsheet |
| Agile & software teams | 6/10 | 10/10 | Jira |
| Value for money | 7/10 | 8/10 | Jira |
| Scalability & enterprise readiness | 10/10 | 9/10 | Smartsheet |
User ratings
| Smartsheet | Jira | |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | 4.4/5 (22,768 reviews) | 4.3/5 (7,988 reviews) |
| Capterra | 4.5/5 (3,559 reviews) | 4.4/5 (15,493 reviews) |
| Top praise (G2) | Ease of use for spreadsheet users | Ease of use for Agile workflows |
| Top complaint (G2) | Steep learning curve for advanced use | Steep learning curve |
Smartsheet has the higher G2 rating. Smartsheet has the higher Capterra rating. See reviews on G2 for Smartsheet, G2 for Jira, Capterra for Smartsheet and Capterra for Jira.
Which should you choose?
Choose Smartsheet if…
- Enterprises and PMOs standardising project portfolios
- Operations and finance teams who think in spreadsheets
- Familiar spreadsheet interface for Excel users matters to you
Choose Jira if…
- Software engineering and IT teams
- Organisations already using Atlassian tools
- Best-in-class Agile and Scrum tooling matters to you
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Smartsheet or Jira?
In our review, Smartsheet scores 8.6/10 and Jira 8.6/10. Smartsheet wins on ease of use, planning & resource management, collaboration, scalability & enterprise readiness; Jira is better for agile & software teams, value for money.
Is Smartsheet cheaper than Jira?
Smartsheet: From $9/member/month (no free plan). Jira: Free for up to 10 users; Standard roughly $7.91/user/month. Compare total cost at your team size, including seat minimums and add-ons.
Do Smartsheet and Jira have free plans?
Smartsheet: No (30-day free trial). Jira: Yes (up to 10 users).
Which is easier to use, Smartsheet or Jira?
Smartsheet scores higher for ease of use in our review (Smartsheet 7/10, Jira 6/10).
Which is better for Agile teams, Smartsheet or Jira?
Jira is stronger for Agile and software teams in our scoring.
Smartsheet vs Jira: which has better resource and portfolio management?
Smartsheet scores higher for planning and resource management (Smartsheet 9/10, Jira 7/10).
Smartsheet vs Jira: which is better for large enterprises?
Smartsheet scores higher for scalability and enterprise readiness.
How do Smartsheet and Jira compare on G2 and Capterra?
Smartsheet: 4.4/5 on G2 (22,768 reviews) and 4.5/5 on Capterra (3,559). Jira: 4.3/5 on G2 (7,988) and 4.4/5 on Capterra (15,493). Checked 5 October 2026.
Do Smartsheet and Jira have Gantt charts?
Smartsheet: yes. Jira: yes (plan-dependent).
Can I switch from Jira to Smartsheet (or the reverse)?
Yes. Both support importing data, typically via CSV or built-in importers. Pilot with one project before migrating everything.
What are alternatives to Smartsheet and Jira?
See our lists of Smartsheet alternatives and Jira alternatives, or the top 10 project management tools.