Project management tools 2025: The ultimate overview

The Fastest Way to the Right Project Management Software

Allegra - Modern and Well Structured

Allegra is clearly among the best project management tools of 2025. It combines classical, agile, and hybrid methodologies on a single platform. It is one of the few true alternatives to Jira and Asana and stands up well in comparison. The tool is particularly strong when it comes to structured projects: it offers detailed workflows, Gantt charts, role and permission management, work breakdown structures, sophisticated time tracking, and professional controlling. In terms of data protection, Allegra also excels – the software is hosted in Germany in full GDPR compliance, making it especially attractive for the defense industry, public institutions, and regulated sectors.

However, Allegra is not entirely self-explanatory at first glance. The wide range of features can be challenging for new users and requires some onboarding. Yet, those who value clear processes and have high demands for structure, security, and traceability will find Allegra to be an extremely powerful tool.

Conclusion: Allegra is ideal for organizations that value professional, data-secure, and methodologically sound project management. It is less suitable for teams mainly seeking a simple, visual task tool.

Asana – Nice User Interface

Asana is a popular project management software that stands out with its clean, modern interface. It primarily targets agile, creative, or cross-functional teams that value simple collaboration, task management, and visual representation. The user interface is intuitive, and integration with tools like Slack, Google Workspace, or Zoom works seamlessly.

However, Asana quickly reaches its limits once more complex project management requirements come into play. Classical methods such as Gantt charts, resource planning, or comprehensive role and permission management are either missing altogether or only available in the expensive Business or Enterprise plans. Reporting also appears superficial and lacks the depth needed for professional controlling purposes. The subtask structure technically exists but is poorly visualized, which makes hierarchical work difficult. Data protection is another critical issue: as a US-based cloud service, Asana is not natively GDPR-compliant, which is problematic especially for public institutions and data-sensitive industries.

Conclusion: Asana is excellent for simple, agile team processes in startups and marketing departments. However, for structured project management in regulated or more complex organizations, Asana lacks depth and quickly becomes too expensive.

ClickUp – A Lot of Functionality

ClickUp promotes itself as the tool that “unites everything in one place” – tasks, documents, scheduling, goals, and more. In fact, the software offers a wide range of features and many customization options. For teams that work flexibly and want to map many processes digitally, this can be an advantage.

However, this variety comes at a cost: the user interface can quickly feel cluttered. New users often feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of functions, settings, and views. Performance also suffers on large projects. Those looking for clear structures and classical project management methods will need to configure a lot manually. Additionally, ClickUp is a U.S.-based tool – meaning it is not natively GDPR-compliant.

Conclusion: ClickUp is well-suited for teams that work flexibly and want to combine many features within one tool. Those looking for clear structures and simple usability may find other alternatives more fitting.

Freedcamp – Very Slim

Freedcamp is a lightweight project management tool that covers the most essential basic functions: task management, calendar, discussions, and simple time tracking. The interface is clean, and the operation is easy to understand even for beginners. For small teams or freelancers, Freedcamp offers an affordable entry point — in some cases even free of charge.

However, its simplicity also shows in the system’s limitations. Features such as Gantt charts, advanced role management, or reporting are only partially available or included in paid plans. There are also restrictions regarding data protection: Freedcamp is a U.S.-based service without standard GDPR compliance. The options for individual customization or integration with external tools are also limited.

Conclusion: Freedcamp is well suited for simple projects with small teams that need a lightweight, affordable tool. However, those who require professional, data-secure project management with clear processes and greater structure will quickly reach its limits — and should consider alternatives.

Jira – Developers' Choice

Jira is one of the most well-known project management solutions, especially in the IT sector. It offers powerful features for agile methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban, including backlog management, sprints, and automations. Development and DevOps teams particularly benefit from its integrations with tools like Bitbucket or Confluence.

Outside of software development, however, Jira shows some weaknesses. Its operation is considered complex, particularly for users without a technical background. Classical project management with Gantt charts, resource planning, or structured role distribution is only possible with plugins or additional tools. Furthermore, Jira is a cloud-based service with servers located outside Europe – which can be problematic for companies sensitive to data protection issues.

Conclusion: Jira is a powerful solution for agile development teams. For classical projects, non-technical users, or GDPR-sensitive environments, it is often too complex or not flexible enough. Those seeking more structure, clarity, and data protection should consider alternatives.

MeisterTask - A Solid Task Management Software)

MeisterTask features a clean, modern design and an intuitive user interface. Like Trello, the software is particularly well suited for small teams that want to organize their tasks visually using Kanban boards. Another plus is the easy collaboration through comments, attachments, and checklists.

Despite its appealing interface, MeisterTask reaches its limits with more demanding projects. Features such as resource management, Gantt charts, or detailed reporting are missing or only accessible indirectly. Role and permission management is also relatively basic. For complex projects involving multiple departments or requiring structured processes, this is usually not sufficient.

Conclusion: MeisterTask is a great fit for teams that value ease of use and visual task management. For traditional project management with greater depth and control, a more powerful solution like Allegra is better suited – especially in professional or data-sensitive environments.

Monday.com – Visually Appealing

monday.com is a newer cloud-based software that has evolved rapidly in recent years. It primarily helps teams organize tasks and track progress. The user interface is clearly structured and features a very appealing visual design. The automation features are also well implemented.

Monday.com impresses with an attractive interface and flexible workflows. Tasks can be displayed in tables, boards, or timelines, and numerous templates make getting started easy. Marketing, HR, and creative teams especially appreciate its ease of use and the colorful visualization of tasks and statuses.

However, on closer inspection, it becomes clear that Monday.com is only partially suitable for traditional project management with milestones, Gantt charts, or resource planning — many of these functions need to be configured manually or added via paid apps. The rights and role management system is also relatively simple. In addition, hosting takes place outside the EU, which is relevant for GDPR-sensitive organizations.

The software has been developed and marketed since 2017 by a venture-capital-backed company. Intensive marketing efforts have made the tool well known, despite initially significant shortcomings compared to competing solutions.

Conclusion: Monday.com is a good fit for teams that want to work in an agile and visual way. However, for structured projects with clear responsibilities and data protection requirements, it lacks sufficient depth — in such cases, specialized tools often offer a more robust solution.

Notion - Not really a PM Tool

Notion is a versatile tool for organizing knowledge, notes, and projects. It offers an elegant design and many options for structuring content. Users can combine pages, databases, task lists, and calendars individually – making it a great fit for teams that work creatively and want to design their own workflow.

However, this flexibility is also a weakness: Notion is not a traditional project management tool. It lacks key features such as Gantt charts, resource management, proper role and permission controls, or a clear task dashboard. Project controlling, automation, and structured processes are only possible to a limited extent. Additionally, Notion is a U.S.-based cloud service, which raises concerns regarding data protection.

Conclusion: Notion works very well as a flexible knowledge and organization tool. However, for professional project management with clear structures, responsibilities, and data protection requirements, it is not ideal.

OpenProject- Strong in Structuring

OpenProject is a powerful project management software available in a feature-reduced open-source version. OpenProject is based on the open-source software Redmine, from which it emerged in 2012. Compared to the free Redmine, OpenProject offers a more modern user interface and important additional functionality for both agile and traditional project management.

OpenProject supports traditional and hybrid project management with features such as Gantt charts, project plans, time tracking, and a detailed role and permission system. OpenProject can be hosted on your own servers or in Germany, ensuring full GDPR compliance.

However, in everyday use, the user interface appears technical and is not particularly intuitive. New users often require training or onboarding time. In the areas of collaboration, automation, and modern UX, OpenProject still lags behind many cloud-based competitors.

Conclusion: OpenProject is well suited for structured, data-sensitive projects with clear methodologies. For modern teams that value ease of use, flexibility, and user-friendliness, the solution may feel somewhat cumbersome.

Projektron - Mighty and Complex

Projektron BCS is a comprehensive project management software specifically designed to meet the needs of medium and large organizations. It covers nearly all classic functions: project structure planning, Gantt charts, effort tracking, resource planning, controlling, and even CRM modules. Its main strength lies in the depth and integration of features — everything is interconnected and centrally managed. In addition, Projektron can be operated in Germany in full compliance with GDPR regulations.

The downside of this extensive functionality is that the software can feel overloaded and not very intuitive. New users often require intensive onboarding and training. The interface feels technical, and the design is not particularly modern. For smaller, agile teams or creative processes, Projektron can feel too rigid — flexibility and ease of use clearly take a back seat to feature depth.

Conclusion: Projektron BCS is ideal for companies managing complex, methodical projects with high demands for planning and controlling. For modern, dynamic teams, a more lightweight and flexible solution would likely be a better fit.

Quire - Slim and Simple

Quire is a lightweight project management tool with a clean interface and simple usability. It is well suited for teams that want to quickly capture, structure, and process tasks. The tree structure for tasks is particularly helpful, allowing workflows to be displayed clearly. The mobile app is also well-designed, making Quire easy to use on the go.

However, as requirements grow, Quire reaches its limits. Features such as Gantt charts, resource management, time planning, or a differentiated role and rights concept are missing or only rudimentarily available. The tool is also not designed for complex project structures or organization-wide management. Regarding data protection, it should be noted that Quire originates from Taiwan and does not offer EU-based hosting.

Conclusion: Quire is a good choice for simple projects and teams that value clarity and speed. For professional project management with greater depth and data protection requirements, other solutions are better suited.

Redmine - Forr Open Source Fans

Redmine is an open-source software for project management and bug tracking, particularly popular in the IT world. It offers many classic features such as task management, Gantt charts, time tracking, and a flexible role and permission system. Thanks to plugins, Redmine can be extensively expanded, and self-hosted deployment allows full control over data and privacy — a major advantage for GDPR-sensitive organizations.

However, Redmine feels technical and not very user-friendly. The interface is outdated and not particularly intuitive, which makes onboarding more difficult. Modern features such as drag-and-drop, visual dashboards, or automation are often missing — or require cumbersome third-party integrations. For agile teams or organizations with high UX expectations, Redmine is therefore not the best fit.

Conclusion: Redmine is stable and flexible, but technical and outdated. It is sufficient for simple task management under your own control — but for modern, user-friendly project management, other systems offer significantly more comfort and functionality.

Smartsheet - For Excel Lovers

Smartsheet combines spreadsheet functionality with project management and is aimed at users who feel at home in Excel. The platform offers Gantt charts, task tracking, formulas, automations, and dashboards – all within a spreadsheet-based interface. Smartsheet shines particularly in areas such as PMO, controlling, or reporting.

However, the table-based structure is not ideal for everyone. For teams that work visually or agilely, Smartsheet often feels technical and not very intuitive. Features such as role management, resource planning, or agile boards exist but are not deeply integrated. In addition, hosting is primarily located in the U.S., which can pose challenges for GDPR-sensitive organizations.

Conclusion: Smartsheet is strong for data-driven projects and Excel enthusiasts. However, those looking for a modern, methodologically versatile, and GDPR-compliant project management tool will find better-balanced options – especially for classic or hybrid approaches.

Trello - A Powerful Task Board

Trello is a visual project management tool based on the Kanban principle. It stands out for its ease of use, intuitive drag-and-drop interface, and quick setup. For small teams that want to manage tasks clearly and efficiently, Trello offers a straightforward entry point. It is especially popular among marketing, design, and event teams.

However, as project complexity increases, Trello reaches its limits. Gantt charts, time planning, role management, or reporting functions are missing from the basic version and must be added through so-called “Power-Ups” – often available only in paid plans. Structured hierarchies or deeper workflows are also difficult to implement. In addition, hosting takes place in the U.S., which can be problematic for GDPR-sensitive organizations.

Conclusion: Trello is excellent for simple task boards and visual collaboration. However, teams that need structured project management with defined roles, timelines, and strong data protection will quickly encounter its limitations.

Wrike - Comprehensive Project Management

Wrike is a comprehensive project management platform widely used by larger companies and agencies. It offers powerful features such as Gantt charts, time tracking, customizable workflows, dashboards, and integrations with common business tools. For structured teams managing projects across multiple departments, Wrike can be highly attractive.

However, Wrike can quickly feel overwhelming: the interface is complex, and navigation is not always intuitive. New users require onboarding, and many features only reveal their full potential in the more expensive Business or Enterprise tiers. For smaller teams or traditional projects without an IT focus, Wrike can feel excessive. Data protection is another concern: hosting is primarily outside the EU and only GDPR-compliant with additional measures.

Conclusion: Wrike is a powerful solution for large, structured teams with professional requirements. For smaller organizations or projects with high data protection needs, a more focused and privacy-conscious tool such as Allegra may be a better fit.

Zoho Projects - All-in-One

Zoho Projects is part of the larger Zoho Suite and offers a wide range of project management features: tasks, Gantt charts, time tracking, dependencies, and milestones are all included by default. Its biggest advantage is the seamless integration with other Zoho tools such as CRM, Mail, or Analytics – ideal for companies that prefer an all-in-one ecosystem.

However, the user interface of Zoho Projects is not particularly modern and can feel cluttered in places. New users need time to get accustomed to the navigation, and some features are locked behind paid plans. Flexibility for classic or hybrid project management methods is limited. Additionally, hosting takes place outside the EU, which can be problematic for companies with strict data protection requirements.

Conclusion: Zoho Projects is a solid choice for organizations already embedded in the Zoho ecosystem. For more methodically demanding or data-sensitive projects, a specialized, GDPR-compliant software solution is the superior option.