Project Management Software
Buying Guide
Profiles
Chapter 2: Features
What Project Management Software Features Matter and Why?
Task Management
Comment on Tasks
Custom Task Fields
Dependencies
Import Tasks
Multi-User Assigning
Recurring Tasks
Sub Tasks/Hierarchy
Task Duration
Task Notifications
Task Templates
Task Work Hours
Team Collaboration
Activity Stream
Discussions
Notifications
Private Messages
Sharable Notes
White Boards/Wikis
Learning Materials
Help Articles
User Guide
Video Tutorials
Webinar
Email Integration
Automated Reporting
Comments and Discussions
Create Tasks
Provide Progress Updates
Receive Progress Updates
File Management
3rd Party File Storage
Attach Files to Tasks
Central File Storage
File Comments
File Organization
Multi File Upload
Storage Space
Version Control
Mobile
Android App
iPad App
iPhone App
Mobile Website
3rd Party Integration
Box
Dropbox
Google Apps
iCal
MS Outlook
Salesforce
Customizations
Custom Branding
Customizable Workspace
Reporting
Budget Reports
Client Reports
Custom Reports
Email Reports
Executive Reports
Expense Reports
Report Exporting
Resource Reports
Task Reports
Time Reports
User Reports
Scheduling
Deadlines
Gantt Charts
Virtual Assigning
Integration
API
Backups
Export CSV/Excel
Import CSV/Excel
Microsoft Project
Project Management
Calendars
Critical Path
Cross-Project Dependencies
Issue Management
Milestones
Portfolio Management
Project Hierarchy
Project Templates
Project Timeline/Roadmap
Time Management
Time Approvals
Time Clock
Time Tracking
Chapter 3: Consumer Profiles
Who Uses Project Management Software?
Tech Manager
Service Provider
Recommended Products:
Startup Company
Aspiring Project Manager
Experienced Project Manager
On-The-Go Manager
Heavy Email User
Enterprise
Recommended Products:
One-Person Show
Small Business Owner
Chapter 4: Product Types
What are the Different Types of Project Management Software?
There is a variety of different types of project management software. The most popular type is simple project management software (also often referred to as collaboration tools). The more traditional project management software is what we refer to as comprehensive project management software. Lastly, there is specialized project management software, which is built for specific groups.
Before determining the best project management software fit, it's important to understand the different types of project management software.
Online Project Management Software Vs. On-Premise
Online Project Management Software Vs. On-Premise
There are two main categories of project management software: online project management software and on-premise project management software. The main focus on Reviews.com is online project management products. That's why Microsoft Project is absent from our top list; that would fall under the category of on-premise project management software.
The difference is simple: one is online and one is not.
Online Project Management Software:This is typically a SaaS (Software as a Service) product. It is always going to be based online. It makes sense that today, online project management software is the most popular option. It's also the most cost-effective for smaller to medium-size groups and requires few setup requirements.
On-Premise Project Management Software:This is typically software that needs to be downloaded. Often, it will need to be installed onto a local server. While on-premise options are more powerful and faster, the setup is significant. It will require IT and upkeep. It also requires the necessary equipment to run the software. This is a good option for large organizations and enterprises.
Understanding that our main focus at Reviews.com is within online project management software, there are three main types, which are clearly outlined below.
The confusing part about project management software is that, in recent years, plenty of team collaboration tools have been popping up. Many of these team collaboration products are branding themselves as project management software. A product like Basecamp, for example, is nothing like Microsoft Project. However, both products consider themselves to be a project management software. In an attempt to make this more clear to our users, we have broken project management software down into different types.
Simple Project Management Software
The most commonly searched-for solution, is for a simple project management software. Most consumers are not fully aware that this is what they’re looking for.
Project management can be fairly complex. That is why it's a career in itself. Large organizations have many project managers. If someone is just looking to get organized and keep all of their work in one central location, then a simple project management software is the way to go. In most cases, small businesses, startups, and many others looking for project management software are looking for the simple types of products.
The most important categories of features for simple project management software are:
- Learning Curve
- Task Management
- Team Collaboration
- Email Integration
- File Management
Comprehensive Project Management Software
Comprehensive project management software is the traditional product, such as Microsoft Project. This is for anyone looking for a true project management solution. In most cases, it's a full-time job to effectively use a comprehensive project management software with a team of any size. It's a lot of work to build and manage a comprehensive project management software. The payoff is that the manager will have accurate time and budget estimates, and will always have an understanding of where everything related to a project is located. There is a reason why large organizations use enterprise solutions for project management and hire hundreds of project managers.
On a smaller scale, it's very possible to accomplish a lot with a comprehensive project management software without a full-time project manager. However, no matter what, there is a huge time investment and a lot of work to keep everything up to date.
The cost associated with using a comprehensive project management software is also significantly higher than that of a simple project management software. The average cost per user may be under $5 per month for a simple software, while comprehensive project management software will almost always cost $18+ per month per user.
A comprehensive project management software will have a lot more features, and focus more on core project management and less on team collaboration.
Key features that make comprehensive project management software are:
- Advanced Task Management
- Resource Management
- Scheduling
- Financials Management
Specialized Project Management Software
Specialized project management software is a solution that was built specifically for a niche group. Some of the common specialty solutions out there are for construction and developers. These solutions should be treated differently, as the features offered will be built around the needs of those specific industries.


