Introduction

monday.com is popular because it makes work visible fast. Boards, automations, dashboards, templates, and a clean UI make it easy to roll out across a team.

People usually search “monday alternatives” for one of these reasons:

• They want similar boards and views, but with a better price-to-value ratio.

• They need stronger task dependencies, reporting, or resource planning.

• They want something simpler (less “work OS,” more “project tracker”).

• They need software development workflows (backlogs, sprints, issues) that feel native.

• They need open source or self-hosted options for data control and governance.

• They hit the ceiling of the free plan and want a real “free” tool for a larger team. monday’s Free Plan is designed for very small setups (for example, it limits seats and boards).

This guide is built to help you pick the right category of alternative quickly, not just scroll through a list.

TL;DR

Best all-in-one alternative (most similar to monday, more customizable): ClickUp
Best for teams that want structure without clutter: Asana
Best for simple Kanban workflows: Trello
Best for spreadsheet-style project tracking: Smartsheet
Best for software and agile teams: Jira
Best for docs + lightweight projects in one place: Notion
Best for data-heavy workflows and custom “tables as apps”: Airtable
Best for agencies doing client projects: Teamwork
Best for enterprise reporting and workload management: Wrike
Best for simple team communication plus projects: Basecamp
Best free option for unlimited users (as positioned): Plaky
Best open source alternative: OpenProject

What to compare when choosing a monday.com alternative

Most “best alternatives” pages rank because they address these selection criteria well.

1) Pricing model: seats, guests, and scale

Before you fall in love with features, answer these:

• Do you pay per seat, per workspace, or per team?

• Do guests cost extra?

• Do automations and integrations require upgrades?

• Does the tool stay reasonable at 10 users, 50 users, 200 users?

If you are searching because of free-plan limits, confirm what “free” actually means in each tool. monday’s own Free Plan is intentionally limited and is not meant to run a larger team indefinitely.

2) Views and workflow fit

monday is strong on visual flexibility. If your team uses boards heavily, your alternative should match the views you actually use:

• Kanban

• Timeline or Gantt

• Calendar

• Workload or resource view

• Dashboards and reports

3) Automations and integrations (the real reason tools stick)

If your team depends on automation, test it early:

• Can you build “if this happens, do that” rules without hacks?

• Are automations limited by plan?

• Do you get native integrations, or are you forced into Zapier-style workarounds?

4) Permissioning and governance

Some teams outgrow monday because they need:

• More granular roles and permissions

• Better audit trails

• Stronger admin controls across teams and workspaces

5) Adoption and complexity

Some alternatives are more powerful but heavier. If adoption matters, prioritize:

• Clean UX

• Great templates

• Fast onboarding

• Mobile usability (if your team works in the field)

Quick comparison table

The 15 best monday.com alternatives in 2026

1) ClickUp

Best for: teams that like monday’s flexibility but want more control across views, tasks, and docs.

ClickUp is usually the first serious shortlist item because it covers many of the same “work OS” needs: multiple views, dashboards, automations, templates, and deep customization. It works well if your team wants one place to manage projects, docs, and tasks.

Where it wins

• Broad feature depth across views and task types

• Strong customization for different teams (marketing, ops, product)

Watch-outs

• Can feel like “too much tool” unless you standardize how your team uses it

2) Asana

Best for: teams that want task clarity, dependencies, and repeatable execution without heavy visual complexity.

Asana is a strong pick when the pain with monday is clutter or inconsistency across boards. Asana tends to feel cleaner for structured project execution.

Where it wins

• Strong task dependencies and project structure

• Easier to keep teams aligned on “how work gets done”

Watch-outs

• If your team lives inside boards and dashboards all day, you may miss monday’s visual flexibility

3) Trello

Best for: straightforward Kanban workflows and small teams.

Trello is the simplest alternative that still “feels like boards.” If your use case is lightweight project tracking, Trello can be enough.

Where it wins

• Fast setup and adoption

• Simple, clean Kanban

Watch-outs

• Can become limiting for complex dependencies and reporting

4) Smartsheet

Best for: spreadsheet-style project tracking with reporting.

Smartsheet is a strong alternative when your team thinks in grids and wants project management that feels closer to Excel, but with more structure.

Where it wins

• Great for structured plans, timelines, and reporting

• Familiar spreadsheet mental model

Watch-outs

• Less “board-native” than monday for teams that want a purely visual workflow

5) Jira

Best for: agile teams building software, managing sprints, and tracking issues.

If you are using monday for software work and it feels forced, Jira is typically the more natural home.

Where it wins

• Native agile workflows, backlog management, sprints, and issue tracking

• Strong ecosystem for dev teams

Watch-outs

• Heavier learning curve than general PM tools

6) Notion

Best for: teams that want docs, wiki, and light project tracking in one place.

Notion is a good “all-in-one workspace” alternative when your real goal is consolidating knowledge plus some task tracking.

Where it wins

• Documentation and wiki alongside project views

• Flexible database-style organization

Watch-outs

• Not a true PM system for complex dependencies and workload management

7) Airtable

Best for: data-heavy operations that want to manage projects as structured records.

Airtable is useful when your “projects” are really records with fields, relationships, and views.

Where it wins

• Strong relational structure for operational workflows

• Many ways to slice the same data (views, filters, linked records)

Watch-outs

• If you want a pure “project management” tool, Airtable can feel like building your own system

8) Teamwork

Best for: agencies and client services teams.

Teamwork is often picked when your work revolves around client projects, billing, timelines, and delivery.

Where it wins

• Client-oriented project structure

• Built for service delivery workflows

Watch-outs

• If you are not an agency, it may be more specialized than you need

9) Wrike

Best for: larger teams that need reporting, workload planning, and governance.

Wrike is a strong fit when you need enterprise-style reporting and resource visibility.

Where it wins

• Strong reporting and workload planning

• Built for cross-team management

Watch-outs

• More process-heavy than lightweight tools

10) Basecamp

Best for: teams that want simple projects plus communication.

Basecamp is the “keep it simple” alternative. It is a good pick if your team is overwhelmed by complex PM tooling.

Where it wins

• Simple, communication-first workflows

• Easy adoption

Watch-outs

• Not designed for complex dependencies, reporting, or automation-heavy workflows

11) Microsoft Planner (and Microsoft Project if you need full PPM)

Best for: Microsoft-first organizations.

If identity, files, and collaboration already live in Microsoft 365, this can be the lowest-friction alternative.

Where it wins

• Fits naturally into the Microsoft ecosystem

• Works well for organizations standardizing on Microsoft tooling

Watch-outs

• Feature depth varies depending on which Microsoft product you standardize on

12) Zoho Projects

Best for: teams that want a budget-friendly project management suite.

Zoho can be attractive if you want a broader suite and a more cost-conscious approach.

Where it wins

• Good value across a suite of tools

• Useful if you already use Zoho products

Watch-outs

• UX and adoption can vary by team preference

13) Plaky

Best for: teams looking for a “free” option positioned around unlimited users.

Plaky positions itself as a free monday alternative with unlimited users, items, and files.

Where it wins

• Clear “free plan” positioning for teams that need more than 2 seats

• Familiar board-style project tracking

Watch-outs

• Always validate the specific feature depth you rely on (automations, reporting, integrations) before committing

14) OpenProject

Best for: open source and self-hosted project management, especially when data control matters.

OpenProject is a common shortlist item when teams want an open source alternative and the ability to self-host.

Where it wins

• Open source posture and stronger control over deployment options

• Good fit when governance, privacy, or data sovereignty is a priority

Watch-outs

• Typically requires more setup and admin maturity than SaaS-only tools

15) Linear (bonus pick)

Best for: modern product execution and fast-moving teams.

Linear is not a monday-style “work OS.” It is purpose-built for product and engineering execution. If you are only using monday for product work, Linear can be a better fit.

Where it wins

• Speed, clarity, and focused execution for product teams

Watch-outs

• Not designed for general-purpose “every team uses it” workflows

Why teams switch off monday.com

These are the most common patterns:

1. They want a simpler tool that sticks
   monday can become “too flexible,” and teams start using it inconsistently.

2. They need deeper PM structure
   Dependencies, resource planning, and reporting can drive teams toward Asana, Wrike, or Smartsheet.

3. They want dev-native workflows
   Agile and software teams often move to Jira or Linear.

4. They want open source or self-hosted
   If governance and deployment control matter, tools like OpenProject become relevant.

5. They need a truly usable free option for a larger team
   monday’s Free Plan is intentionally limited.

How to choose the right monday alternative fast

If you want the quickest path to the right shortlist, pick by your actual use case:

• Most similar to monday, more customizable: ClickUp

• Cleaner execution with dependencies: Asana

• Simple Kanban and fast adoption: Trello

• Spreadsheet-style tracking with structure: Smartsheet

• Software development + agile: Jira or Linear

• Docs + wiki + light projects: Notion

• Data-heavy ops workflows: Airtable

• Agencies and client delivery: Teamwork

• Open source and self-hosted: OpenProject

• Free positioning for unlimited users: Plaky

Frequently asked question

What is the best alternative to monday.com?

If you want the closest “work OS” feel with more customization, ClickUp is usually the first shortlist item. If you want more structure and less clutter, Asana is often the better fit.

What is the best free alternative to monday.com?

If you need more than a tiny team on a free plan, look closely at tools that explicitly position “unlimited users” on free, like Plaky. Always validate the exact features you need.

What is the best open source alternative to monday.com?

OpenProject is commonly positioned as an open source alternative, with a focus on data control and deployment flexibility.

Is monday.com still free?

Monday offers a Free Plan, but it is designed for very small setups and has tight limits.

Conclusion

The best monday.com alternative depends on what you are really trying to fix:

• If you want “monday, but deeper,” start with ClickUp.

• If you want clarity and structured execution, start with Asana.

• If you want simple boards, start with Trello.

• If you want spreadsheet-style planning, start with Smartsheet.

• If you want dev-native workflows, start with Jira or Linear.

• If you want open source or self-hosting, shortlist OpenProject.