Monday.com vs. Wrike vs. SmartSuite: Which Project Management Tool Wins?

Choosing the wrong project management software can cost your team countless hours of lost productivity and thousands in wasted budget.

TL;DR

• Monday.com ($17-32/user/month) is best for visual project management with extensive customization options. It offers 27+ task views and powerful automation features.
• Wrike ($9.80-24.80/user/month) is ideal for enterprise teams requiring advanced workflows and extensive integrations (400+). Strongest in reporting capabilities and native productivity tools.
• SmartSuite ($10-35/user/month) focuses on built-in team collaboration and an intuitive interface with comprehensive project management features. It’s the best fit for teams wanting centralized communication and straightforward project management without complexity.

Monday.com vs. Wrike vs. SmartSuite - Features

SmartSuite Features

SmartSuite is a comprehensive project management tool that lets you manage all your projects on a centralized platform with built-in automation and a communication center.

Comprehensive project management

SmartSuite’s project management feature helps you plan, track, and manage simple to complex projects.

To simplify the process, you get numerous built-in intuitive features to execute your tasks perfectly.

Here’s what we have in store for you.

• Smart task management: You can turn any item field into a task—a checklist item, comments, or sub-item. With this flexibility, you can easily build a solid task list and assign it to the right person with a due date and priority status.

• Project phases and milestones: Having milestones ensures your project stays on track and moves towards the objective. With SmartSuite, you can set them, monitor through your reporting dashboard, and flag issues.

• Files and project deliverables: With SmartSuite, you can manage and organize all your documents. Attach project-related files, share feedback with your team, and manage version history, all within your work context.

SmartSuite supports formats like PDF, GIF, CSV, PNG, and MP4. The tool also integrates with Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and Microsoft OneDrive, making adding files to your workflows easy.

Also, you can add images directly in SmartSuite by connecting your social media and Unsplash accounts.

• Native time tracking: Monitor and evaluate task and project completion times. Built-in tracking helps group time entries see estimates, and segment billable and non-billable entries.

Team collaboration

SmartSuite outperforms Monday.com with its built-in communication and collaboration features. You can connect with peers in group chats or 1:1 conversations for quick feedback and keep stakeholders updated.

SmartSuite’s members’ directory provides a deep dive into each teammate’s details, such as availability status, job profile, and other relevant information, to give a holistic view of the project team.

Like the other two tools, you can use comments and @mentions to share updates, nudge teammates, or add new people to the conversation.

Comprehensive project reporting

SmartSuite offers a dynamic project analytics tool with configurable charts and graphs.

The reporting dashboard helps you track project performance, understand resource allocation, and identify slow-moving projects. Based on these insights, you can quickly develop plans to overcome roadblocks and get the project back on track.

You can visualize reporting in Grid, Card, Kanban, Timeline, Map, Calendar, or Dashboard views. Add as many as needed to build a visual storyboard for your project’s progress.

To share reports with stakeholders or clients, you can make the report public and share the necessary access. SmartSuite also supports printing or exporting PDF, Excel, Google Sheets, or CSV format.

Advanced workflow automation

SmartSuite's no-code automation builder is one of the most intuitive, giving a neck-to-neck competition in automation.

You can assemble automation at the task and project and automate repetitive tasks based on triggers like changing dates, sending notification emails, or updating statuses. There are six pre-defined triggers and 15+ actions, with options to build custom ones.

SmartSuite is the right choice if you:

✅ Need a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop customization.

✅ Need a platform that can adapt to various business processes.

✅ Want to centralize team communication and collaboration.

✅ Want affordable and feature-packed software.

SmartSuite isn’t the best option if you:

❌ Need extensive third-party integrations, as SmartSuite offers fewer options than Wrike and Monday.com.

Monday.com Features

Monday.com is a robust project management software that helps you track, manage, plan, and organize multiple projects.

Dashboards with custom widgets

With Monday.com, you can build custom dashboards by fetching data from all your projects for a holistic view of progress. It offers 80+ widgets through integrations with apps like videos, calendars, clocks, and images, allowing flexibility in building project dashboards.

27+ task views

Monday.com offers over 27 task views to visualize task progress throughout the project lifecycle, including charts, Gantt charts, Calendars, Workloads, Timelines, Kanban boards, Tables, Forms, Cards, Files, and Blank views.

Such a wide range of task views offers flexibility and control over the project dashboard and caters to the team's different working styles.

Workflow automation

Monday.com offers triggers, conditions, and actions to build linear to multi-step sequences. With these automated workflows, you can eliminate repetitive tasks like status updates, delete processes, or schedule calls.

Monday is the right choice if you:

✅ Need robust automation features.

✅ Need real-time data visualization and reporting.

✅ Want a tool with solid integrations.

✅ Use Monday.com’s CRM or dev tools.

Monday isn’t the best option if you:

❌ Are a small team with a limited budget, as pricing scales up quickly due to the group-based structure.

❌ Need advanced time-tracking features, which are only available on higher-tier plans.

❌ Need robust native team communication features.

Wrike Features

Advanced reporting

Build custom reports to visualize your project’s performance, resource allocation, and budgetary spending. For each report, you can add widgets or integrate with analytics tools like PowerBi and Tableau.

Native productivity tools

Wrike offers built-in centralized project management from planning to invoicing.

Some standout ones are:

• Time tracking: You can keep track of time and assess the team’s productivity.
• Budgeting: Create project budgets and monitor them against expenses incurred throughout the project lifecycle.

Team collaboration

Akin to other project management tools, Wrike also offers some robust collaboration features like cross-tagging, internal and guest invites, document editing, profile and file attachment and storage. 

Through comments and @mentions you can ask questions, share updates, and ensure everyone is one the same page.

Wrike is the ideal choice if you:

✅ Are an enterprise-level organization, requiring over 100 licenses.

✅ Require advanced customization and complex workflow automation.

✅ Want extensive integrations (over 400 different workplace apps).

Wrike isn't the best option if you:

❌ Have a small team with simple project management needs.

❌ Are looking for a tool with a minimal learning curve.

❌ Operate on a tight budget and need maximum free-tier functionality.

Integrations: Monday vs. Wrike vs. SmartSuite

SmartSuite Integrations

SmartSuite integrates with major platforms, from communication to social media. It offers five connectors, including Zapier, Ply, Integrately, Relay, and Make, to connect with 1000s of apps to transfer data.

Some of the notable integrations are:

• Salesforce.
• Slack.
• Twilio.
• Jira Cloud.
• HubSpot.
• Intercom.

Monday.com Integrations

Monday.com offers 200+ integrations and apps across various categories. It provides native integrations with popular tools like Slack, Gmail, Microsoft Teams, and GitLab.

It excels in two-way synchronization with some integrations, enhancing data flow across apps, and has an open API for custom integrations.

Some standout Monday.com integrations are:

• QuickBooks.
• Google Workspace.
• Zendesk.
• PandaDoc.
• Jira.
• Freshdesk.

Wrike Integrations

Wrike provides native integrations with over 400 workplace apps, including household names like Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Google Workspace.

But Wrike goes beyond basic integrations. It offers Wrike Integrate, an add-on that lets you build custom integrations. It offers two-way syncing with Google Sheets and API access for developers.

Some of Wrike’s standout integrations are:

• MediaValet.
• Actionable Meetings by Wrike for Zoom.
• Tableau and Power BI.

Winner: Wrike

Wrike offers 400+ native and third-party integrations across various platforms, making it more versatile project management software than the rest.

Pricing: Monday vs. Wrike vs. SmartSuite

SmartSuite Pricing

SmartSuite offers a forever-free plan, which is among the most generous. The free plan gives you 100 automated triggers, team collaboration tools, 7+ task views (Dashboard, table, boards, cards, list, calendar, and grid), time tracking, and more.

We offer four paid plans, each with a 14-day free trial.

• Team: Starts at $10/user/month, including 8+ dashboard views, 5000 automation runs, time tracking, and collaborative SmartDocs.
• Professional: Starts at $25/user/month, including two-factor authentication, Gmail & Outlook integrations, and unlimited editors.
• Enterprise: Starts at $35 per user/month, including audit logs, data loss prevention, and 50,000 API calls monthly.
• Signature: Customized plan tailored to your organization’s needs and team size.

Monday Pricing

Monday.com offers a free plan for up to 2 users, including shareable forms, 500MB storage, a 1-week activity history, and one board per dashboard.

Monday.com pricing plans have four tiers and require a minimum of 3 user seats:

• Basic: Starts at $17/user/month, including Kanban view, unlimited free viewers, and unlimited boards.
• Standard: Starts at $20/user/month, including 250 automated actions/month, 3+ dashboard views, and Zoom integration.
• Pro: Starts at $32/user/month, including all five dashboard views, time tracking, and 2-factor authentication.
• Enterprise: Includes dedicated customer success manager, cross-project analytics, and resource allocation insights. Contact sales for a quote.

Wrike Pricing

Wrike offers a free plan with features like email integration, custom work view, and enterprise-grade security. 

There are five paid plans with a 14-day free trial:

• Team: Start at $9.80 per user/month, including custom workflows, 20 free collaborators, and unlimited request forms.
• Business: Start at $24.80 per user/month, includes up to 200 users, Adobe Creative Cloud Extensions, and nested projects.
• Enterprise: Unlimited users with customizable data analysis tools and third-party integrations. Contact sales to get a quote.
• Pinnacle: Native integration with PowerBi, locked spaces, and budgeting features. Contact sales for a quote.

Compared to Basecamp, Wrike offers feature-rich plans at a cheaper price starting at only $9.80 per user/month.

Winner: SmartSuite

SmartSuite is the best contender due to its generous free plan and lower entry point for paid plans. Additionally, the price-to-feature ratio is well distributed across tiers compared to the other two tools.

Lastly, it offers flexible per-user pricing, not locking you in unused seats, unlike Monday.com and Wrike. But Wrike and Monday.com’s group-based pricing might reduce the average cost for many users.

What are Customers Saying about Monday.com, Wrike, and SmartSuite?

SmartSuite Reviews

G2 rating: 4.8/5

What users love:

• Intuitive interface and quick setup.
• Built-in communication features.
• Flexible customization options.
• Value for money compared to competitors.

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Common complaints:

• Limited integration options compared to established competitors
• Some advanced features are still in development
• Newer platform with a smaller user community
• Occasional performance issues with larger datasets

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Monday.com Reviews

G2 rating: 4.7/5

What users love:

• A highly visual interface with multiple view options
• Extensive customization capabilities
• Strong automation features
• Large template library

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Common complaints:

• Steep learning curve for new users
• Group-based pricing can be expensive for small teams.
• Interfaces sometimes feel cluttered and overwhelming due to loads of features
• Mobile app performance issues reported

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Wrike Reviews

G2 rating:

What users love:

• Robust collaboration features
• Extensive customization options
• Powerful integrations

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Common complaints:

1. Steep learning curve
2. Pricing concerns, especially for features like time tracking and budgeting.
3. Lack of correlation among project terms

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Each platform has great pros and cons. The best choice depends on your needs and budget:

• SmartSuite users value its all-in-one approach and pricing.
• Wrike users commend it for rich collaboration and adaptable dashboard features.
• Monday.com users appreciate the visual customization and automation capabilities.

Final Verdict: Monday.com, Wrike, or SmartSuite?

The right project management tool is crucial for team productivity and project success. The ideal platform should align with your workflow, scale with your team, and provide value that justifies the investment.

• Monday.com performs the best for medium to large-scale businesses and offers over 200 integrations.
• Wrike is best suited for teams who want to plan, manage, and overview resources in a centralized platform and demand many integrations.
• SmartSuite offers the best with its affordable pricing, extensive range of features, and customizability. Its ease of adaptability to any business size and project type makes it a go-to project management platform.

Ready to transform your project management approach? Start exploring SmartSuite with its free plan, or dive deeper by scheduling a demo to see how it can work for your team.

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