A freelancer who chooses to track and do business manually sets themselves up for failure. Some issues could arise without the help of the best project management tools. Examples of these are missed deadlines, which eventually lead to client loss.
A project management tool is the solution to such issues because it simplifies:
- Task, time, and client management.
- Project planning and execution.
- Communication and collaboration.
These are just some of the main functions of the best tools for project management. This piece will explore their importance and the criteria for choosing one. We’ll also name the top 10 project management tools and and extra five for good measure!
Importance of Project Management for Freelancers
Freelancer project management is a one-person show.
You independently oversee the finances, logistics, task timeline, and resource allocation. One area slacks if you fail at choosing the right project management tool. Still, why should you have one? What is its essence?
These are some of the importance of project management tools:
- Boosting Productivity: Streamlining tasks, collaboration, communication, and organization boosts your productivity. Billions of freelancers globally appreciate this.
- Improving Communication: The centralized communication hub that project management tools offer can significantly improve communication. The freelancing industry is highly customer-centric, meaning exchanges are typical. Using the best project management tools improves clarity in communication.
- Improving Project Planning and Execution: Task management apps allow you to see what is required at every stage and outline the timeline. This translates to better task execution at every phase.
- Ensuring Job Quality Consistency: These apps could grade the project completion and performance markers by percentage. This job tracking capability helps you customize and offer always-improving service.
- Building Stronger Client Connections: Clients will be happy if your freelance business delivers high-quality work on time. This will grow your clientele, enabling you to scale up your offerings with time.
Criteria for Selecting Project Management Tools
When choosing the right project management tool for freelancers, your approach matters.
Thus, in this section, we’ll frame the criteria in question form. The answer will help you select the best. The questions to ask are:
What are My Needs For The Project Management Tool?
Some freelancers do just fine without one. But is that the same case as you?
You may need one to help you better communicate or collaborate with others. Or you might need one for finance or time tracking. Whatever the case, select the one that best resonates with your needs.
How Easy is Using This Project Management Tool?
The internet is a treasure trove of the best tools for project management in varying complexities. Some are intuitive, with easy-to-navigate tools, while others require some training.
If you have time, exploring the sophisticated ones can be rewarding, especially if they are project-specific. However, use the most popular and easy-to-use project management tools if you need a simple general one.
What Features am I Mostly in Need of?
The answer will narrow down the features you need. If your previous issue was task allocation, you need a robust task management feature. If it was time, a time tracker would be ideal. If it’s on invoicing, seek the ones that ease this.
Also, the software integration capabilities and ease of onboarding should be considered. While at it, prioritize software with robust security features that safeguard business and client data.
These will match your requirements with the most popular project management tools.
Is This a One-Time Project or Ongoing?
Some clients will only do business with you if you have specific measures in place. Typically, the most needed approaches are financial channels through which they can pay you. They may dictate a particular bank or specific payment channels like Ruul for better collaboration.
Another measure is to use a project management tool. This helps both you and the client oversee the project’s progress.
So, if you work with an involved client, select one with client portals. Choose freelancer project management with resources, portfolio management, or any other tools you need for your one-time or ongoing project.
How Much am I Willing to Spend?
If you get a tool for one event, you can find a few free best project management software. However, the prices rise based on the features, scalability, and integration capabilities.
So, how much are you willing to spend?
Your budget will help you find one that fits your needs while offering the best service.
Top Project Management Tools
This section offers all freelancers a list of the 15 best tools for project management. These tools differ in features and pricing, but you will undoubtedly find one that matches your needs. They are:
- Asana
Asana has an intuitive interface with a versatile project management layout. It supports task, collaboration, and timeline management. The platform allows customization of project workflows. It also provides integration with over 200 apps, which is impressive.
Most features are free; the advanced ones are on a fixed monthly payment.
- Miro
Miro offers visual collaboration capabilities for project mapping, diagramming, and content. It contains real-time collaboration tools and customizable frames, shapes, and presentation modes. It also has a TalkTrack, Assist AI, graphics and document embedding capabilities. It also allows polling, screen-sharing, roadmap planning, and permissions management.
This intuitive workspace boosts creativity, productivity, and collaboration. Miro integrates with Google Drive, Slack and other project management tools. The paid version is billed per user.
- ClickUp
ClickUp’s unique features include multiple project views, such as a board, calendar, or list. It’s highly customizable for remote teams and offers time tracking and third-party integration. The downside is that you will need some time to master the outline.
They offer a free and paid plan, and it will be worth it.
- Jira
Jira has a robust, agile platform that onboards teams. It is ideal for complex projects and offers more than any free best project management software. Jira offers issue tracking, reporting, and customizable workflows. It also integrates seamlessly with other development tools.
The free plan will offer all these features, but the paid version is more advanced.
- Trello
Trello by Kanban tools is simple and intuitive. The free plan is ideal for essential one-time project management. Its paid version offers in-depth task management tools. Freelancers can create project boards, checklists, and cards. You can also easily collaborate with team members on the same interface.
- nTask
nTask offers a treasure of project management features at affordable pricing. It covers task and risk management. You will also get a feature that tracks how well you meet your agendas.
One downside is that the interface could look a bit modern. Fortunately, the monthly price starts at a very low price, so any beginner freelancer can appreciate this app.
- Notion
Notion streamlines documentation and task management. It offers freelancers customizable templates and databases to handle all kinds of projects. You get wiki-style pages, integrations, and databases. You also get a feature for note-taking and project planning.
It will take you some time to grasp all this software can do. But no one can stop you once you do. The brand offers free and paid plans.
- Hive
Hive streamlines collaboration and meetings. This is the best freelancer project management tool for team and client communications. All this information is on a single-page dashboard, easing navigation.
Hive allows Google Drive and Slack integration and simplifies discussions and decision-making.
- Indy
If you want project management software to manage client contracts, Indy is your ally. It’s user-friendly, with to-do lists and Kanban boards for project management. It also automates time tracking with a calendar and file storage.
The platform allows you to create contracts, proposals, and invoices. The in-app messaging feature streamlines communication and integrates with Google Calendar, Paypal, Gmail, and many more.
The paid version is available for an affordable price per month.
- Zoho Projects
Zoho is an all-in-one scalable tool. It supports Gantt charts, time tracking, document management, and multiple project management methodologies. However, all these might be too much for a beginner!
Nonetheless, their reasonable monthly price makes it lucrative.
- ToDoList
As the brand name suggests, this software offers simple prioritizing to-do lists and task managers. The due date add-on helps. It is best for freelancers who appreciate minimalistic designs.
ToDoList also integrates with Gmail and Slack, streamlining collaboration and communication. While you work, the Pomodoro timer works in the background for increased focus.
Freelancers can use the free version or subscribe to the paid version.
- Monday
Monday's most admirable feature is its easy-to-use interface. The plans are also affordable. Monday allows customization on numerous projects and boards. Automation and visual project tracking are other unique features.
Unfortunately, some add-ons might cost you extra besides the monthly payment.
- Wrike
Wrike is an excellent time and resource manager for multiple projects. This project management software uses agile methodologies and custom workflows. It also offers real-time collaboration, workload overviews, and Gantt charts. You can also integrate it with other business tools.
- TickTick
This project management software offers freelancers checklist and task management features. It also runs the Pomodoro timer for productivity and allows calendar and other apps integration.
This allows you to focus on meeting deadlines. The free version offers basic features, and the premium plan adds to the features' capabilities.
- Basecamp
Basecamp is another simple one-page project management tool. It’s ideal for document sharing and collaboration. It offers a centralized communication dashboard with to-do lists and file storage.
If you work on many projects and need to refer, Basecamp is your go-to! The price point is, however, slightly higher and it is paid per user per month.
Which Project Management Suits My Freelancer Business?
The answer to the above might be less straightforward because now you have 15!
The above tools help streamline all a freelancer needs to become a successful project manager. They help with workflow, task and resource allocation, time management, and client management—all their integrations reinforce these benefits.
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