Basecamp: 12 premium alternatives : Twenty years ago, the software company then called 37Signals created Basecamp, its flagship project management software.
Originally designed as a simple tool for freelance workers to manage their website design projects, among other things, Basecamp has become one of the most popular project management solutions on the market. With more than 285,000 customers, 15 million users, and hundreds of thousands of projects completed, it cannot be denied that Basecamp has been a resounding success.
When it was launched, the simplicity and collaborative approach of the tool contrasted sharply with the waterfall method and complexity of Microsoft Project. Since then, the motto of Basecamp has not changed, and the publisher has managed to avoid overloading its software with features to ensure a user-friendly and straightforward user experience.
However, the emphasis on simplicity doesn’t appeal to everyone—some complain about the lack of basic functionalities such as integrated hour tracking or display in task lists.
Additionally, hundreds of new project management software have been released since Basecamp’s inception, many of which offer comparable usability for the same (or even less) price.
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The best alternatives to Basecamp
The 12 project management software listed in this article share two characteristics:
- A lower price than Basecamp (maximum $ 99 / month or around € 87.50 for unlimited projects and users).
- Special attention to simplicity, user-friendliness, and transparency
These 12 project management software ( listed in alphabetical order) are worth a look if you are currently considering subscribing to Basecamp or using the software before but are looking for a comparable tool. All the solutions on this list are available online and are natural Base Camp alternatives, some of which offer fascinating free versions.
1. ActiveCollab
Accessible online or locally, ActiveCollab has convinced more than 10,000 customers since 2007, including some heavyweights such as Apple, Harvard University, and Adobe. The software features a sleek and modern UI, integrates with Xero for time tracking, and offers a billing option.
The SaaS version of ActiveCollab is available from $ 7 (around € 6.20) per month per user. It includes several features such as support for an unlimited number of projects or total recording time.
2. Asana
With more than 40,000 customers, including Dropbox, Tesla, and Uber, Asana promises smooth collaborative work without emails. Google Drive integration, the ability to forward an email to Asana and automatically convert it to a task, and the comprehensive list of keyboard shortcuts make Asana a top choice when it comes to usability and functionality.
The software is free for up to 15 users. Its price then depends on the number of users. The premium version costs € 9.25 per user per month, but small teams can get a discount. All pricing options include unlimited projects and tasks, but premium versions include private projects, unlimited dashboards, advanced reporting features, and priority customer support.
3. Freedcamp
Sold as “the closest alternative to Basecamp,” Freedcamp, an Enavu software, can boast of counting Google, PayPal, and Airbnb among its 140,000 customers. Its simple interface, comparable to Basecamp’s, group communication tools (a kind of conversation wall), browser alerts, and social network integrations, makes it a robust project management solution. We even gave it second place for free and open source project management software available.
While Basecamp is not accessible, Freedcamp is free for unlimited users, projects, and tasks.
4. Mavenlink
Almost 50,000 organizations, including BuzzFeed and the famous American basketball team of the San Antonio Spurs, have adopted Mavenlink, the “growth management software.” Its major strengths are integrating with QuickBooks and Google Apps, optimizing mobile, and the functionality of hours tracking.
Mavenlink costs $ 19 per month (around € 16.80) for up to 5 users. To manage the financial aspects of the projects or the personalization and automation of certain services, you will have to spend at least $ 39 per user per month (approximately € 34.50).
5. ProWorkflow
If you like the user-friendliness of Basecamp, you should like ProWorkflow. In this tool, simplicity does not rhyme with a lack of functionality. The software offers time tracking and financial management and many other project management features: timelines, tasks and subtasks, resource reports, etc.
The professional version of ProWorkflow is available from $ 20 per user per month (around € 17.70). It includes 25 GB of storage space, SSL encryption, client access, billing, and permission settings. Starting at $ 30 per user per month (or around € 26.50), you’ll be able to access 50 GB of storage space, project templates, and customization options.
6. Teamwork Projects
Teamwork Projects is a complete project management solution. You can compare its functionality to those of Basecamp on its website. Popular features of its users include a sophisticated search engine, integration with Freshbooks for tracking hours, and regularly updated apps for iPhone and Android devices. Its 255,000 customers include Spotify, eBay, and Forbes. The Pro version of Teamwork costs $ 9 per user per month up to 50 users, 300 projects, and 100 GB of storage space. The prices then increase according to the size of the projects and the available features.
7. Wimi
Are you looking for project management software entirely dedicated to the development of SMEs? It would help if you appreciated Wimi, an all-in-one project management app with unified workspaces, extensive user permission settings, and detailed task tracking and reporting features.
Best of all: Wimi is not very expensive. It gives you free access to 8 projects, 10 GB of storage space, and a maximum of 3 guests. To share more files and integrate more users, you will have to pay € 9 per user per month. And the large business version will never cost you more than 18 € per user per month! It includes full integrations, unlimited projects and guests, and a “customer success” program with a private API and dedicated customer service.
8. Worksection
Workstation is opposed to the forced centralization of all project management needs in one dashboard. For the publisher, the information and features are too extensive to fit on one page.
Thanks to the separation into different “sections” (project management, document management, planning, etc.), each activity is associated with its own space, which encourages users to focus on the tasks they have in front of them. . Hyundai and Burda are among the 12,000 teams that have already adopted this solution.
The features offered by Worksection depend on the pricing option you choose. The free version includes two active projects, five users, and very little storage space (100MB). For $ 49 per month (around € 43.33), you’ll have access to 20 active projects, 20GB of storage, and a calendar, along with Gantt charts, hour tracking, a timer, accounting features, and the storage in FTP. The Premium version lifts the limit on the number of active projects, includes 500 GB of storage space, all the features already mentioned, and SSL encryption, as well as an account on your company’s domain.
9. Wrike
Among Wrike’s 4,000 customers are PayPal and Capgemini. Online collaboration through Google Drive, Dropbox, and Box integrations, along with free mobile apps and detailed time tracking, are just a few of the excellent features of this project management tool.
The free version is limited to 5 users and 2 GB of storage. The first paid version, Professional, costs $ 9.80 (around € 8.66) per user per month and includes 5 GB of storage. It is limited to 15 users.
10. Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects is one of the options on this list with the fewest users. However, it is a solid alternative to Basecamp, which has notably convinced Techcrunch, PC World, and the New York Times. Its exciting features are integrations with Google Apps, Dropbox, Github, and mobile apps and time tracking.
Zoho Projects is free for two projects and 10MB of storage. For hours tracking, you need to upgrade to a paid version starting at $ 20 per month (around € 17.68) for ten projects and 5 GB of storage. At the Premium rate, which comes to $ 85 per month (approximately € 75.15), the number of projects is unlimited, and you get 100 GB of storage.
Other alternatives to Basecamp?
The ten alternatives presented in this article seem the closest to Basecamp. Still, many other solutions could better meet your needs, including Copper Project, Huddle, Smartsheet, or even Project Manager, the software recognized and adopted by many users.
