Best PM Tools for Startups
The best project management tools for startups in 2026. Affordable, scalable, and packed with features to help your team move fast.
What We Look For
Our Top 5 Picks
ClickUp
#1One app to replace them all
ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity platform that combines project management, docs, goals, and chat in a single application.
Pros
- Most features for the price
- Generous free plan
- All-in-one platform
- Highly customizable views
- Built-in docs and whiteboards
Cons
- Can feel overwhelming
- Performance issues with large workspaces
- Frequent UI changes
- Mobile app less polished
Notion
#2Connected workspace for docs and projects
Notion is an all-in-one workspace that blends notes, docs, project management, and wikis into a single flexible tool.
Pros
- Extremely flexible
- Beautiful design
- Great for documentation
- Strong template gallery
- AI features built-in
Cons
- Not ideal for complex project management
- Can be slow
- Offline mode limited
- Learning curve for databases
Linear
#3Streamlined issue tracking for software teams
Linear is a modern issue tracking and project management tool built for high-performance software teams.
Pros
- Blazing fast UI
- Beautiful design
- Keyboard-first workflow
- Great for dev teams
- Excellent GitHub integration
Cons
- Not ideal for non-dev teams
- Limited customization
- No time tracking
- Young product (fewer integrations)
Asana
#4Work management platform for teams
Asana is a web and mobile work management platform designed to help teams organize, track, and manage their work and projects.
Pros
- Intuitive interface
- Strong automation features
- Excellent integrations
- Good free tier
- Multiple project views
Cons
- Expensive at scale
- No built-in time tracking
- Limited customization on free plan
- Can be overwhelming for simple projects
Trello
#5Visual tool for organizing work
Trello is a visual collaboration tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to organize projects and tasks.
Pros
- Dead simple to use
- Great free plan
- Perfect for Kanban
- Strong Power-Up ecosystem
- Fast and lightweight
Cons
- Limited for complex projects
- No native Gantt chart
- Reporting is basic
- Not ideal for large teams
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Tool | Rating | Free Plan | Starting Price | Integrations | Time Tracking | Sprints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | ★ 4.2 | ✓ | Free | 1000+ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Notion | ★ 4.5 | ✓ | Free | 100+ | — | ✓ |
| Linear | ★ 4.7 | ✓ | Free | 50+ | — | ✓ |
| Asana | ★ 4.3 | ✓ | Free | 200+ | — | — |
| Trello | ★ 4.4 | ✓ | Free | 200+ | — | — |
How We Rank Tools
Our rankings are based on hands-on testing, feature analysis, pricing evaluation, and real user feedback. We re-evaluate tools quarterly to ensure our recommendations stay current. Affiliate partnerships do not influence our rankings or editorial decisions.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This does not affect our editorial independence.