The 10 Best Remote Work Tools for Project Management

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With a sharp increase in permanent hybrid working models post-pandemic, it’s wise to consider implementing one of the best remote work tools for project management to keep your team in sync. Top project management tools offer your team a centralized overview of all ongoing tasks, appointments, and deadlines. They also offer invaluable insights into available resources, team workload, and smart data analytics.

Based on my experience testing project management tools, I’ve compiled a top-ten list of the best tools for remote teams right now. I focused on the most relevant features for hybrid workers, including collaboration tools, mobile accessibility, and third-party integrations for a seamless workflow.

The Best Remote Work Tools Tested by Our Experts

monday.com — Best remote work project management tool for customization

200+ Templates
Free Forever
VISIT SITE

Wrike — Best project management tool for integrations and fast-paced remote teams

No CC Required
Free Forever
VISIT SITE

Smartsheet — Best spreadsheet-style project management tool for remote teams

Unlimited Viewers
Free Trial
VISIT SITE

ClickUp — Best budget-friendly project management tool for remote team collaboration

No CC Required
Free Forever
VISIT SITE

Resource Guru — Best remote team PM tool for scheduling and resource allocation

No CC Required
30-Day Free Trial
VISIT SITE

Teamwork — Best remote team project management software for client collaboration

Up To 5 Users
Free Forever
VISIT SITE

Bonsai — Best remote team software for project management, CRM, accounting, and taxes

First 2 Months Free
7-Day Free Trial
VISIT SITE

ProWorkflow — Best project management tool for remote teams juggling several projects

No CC Required
14-Day Free Trial
VISIT SITE

Oracle Netsuite — Best project management tool for remote teams needing enterprise resource planning

14-day free trial
VISIT SITE

The Top Remote Work Systems Ranked

  1. monday.com — Best remote work project management tool for customization
  2. Wrike — Best project management tool for integrations and fast-paced remote teams
  3. Smartsheet — Best spreadsheet-style project management tool for remote teams
  4. ClickUp — Best budget-friendly project management tool for remote team collaboration
  5. Resource Guru — Best remote team PM tool for scheduling and resource allocation
  6. Teamwork — Best remote team project management software for client collaboration
  7. Bonsai — Best remote team software for project management, CRM, accounting, and taxes
  8. ProWorkflow — Best project management tool for remote teams juggling several projects
  9. Oracle Netsuite — Best project management tool for remote teams needing enterprise resource planning
  10. WorkOtter — Best project management tool for large remote teams of up to 10,000 users

What Benefits Do Remote Work Tools for Project Management Offer?

Remote work systems for project management are perfect for distributed teams that need to meet project deadlines. They are beneficial for:

  • Increasing productivity — Teams can concentrate on important projects thanks to an intuitive PM tool that offers automation features, which reduce manual processes. A study by the Stanford Graduate School discovered significant productivity increases associated with remote work.
  • Monitoring progress — Real-time tracking features enable monitoring of project advancement and ensure timely delivery.
  • Enhancing visibility — Tasks are assigned in a transparent way, giving project managers a bird’s eye view of what teams are working on.
  • Fostering collaboration and communication — Collaboration and messaging tools facilitate team interaction, idea sharing, and effective decision-making.
  • Boosting efficiency with automation — Automated notifications and reminders help reduce manual labor and prevent oversights.
  • Creating a centralized database — A single platform aggregates all project data, allowing for easy access and improved organization.
  • Promoting accountability — Clear assignment of tasks and responsibilities ensures every team member knows their role, driving responsibility and enhancing performance.

Top 10 Best Remote Management Tools Reviewed for 2024

Read my in-depth reviews of the ten best remote work tools for project management and learn more about their features, pricing plans, and who they’re best for. These reviews are intended to help you compare and choose the best workforce management tool for your organization.

1. Monday.com – Overall, the Best Project Management Tool for Remote Workforces

Monday.com is the most intuitive platform for project management that I’ve reviewed. It’s a productivity powerhouse that should be your go-to for nearly anything project-related.

Managing tasks in one place has never been easier with the convenience of Monday.com’s centralized repository for projects. Its clean interface is extremely user-friendly and comfortable to navigate, making it perfect for beginners who are new to project management.

Monday.com interface displaying various project views, progress tracking, and employee assignments.

Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
$9/user/month – Free plan for 2 users
– 14-day free trial for Pro plan
– Embedded files
– Assign tasks
– Whiteboard collaboration
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 200+ inc. Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Dropbox, Slack

As one of the best task management software products, Monday.com is ideal for boosting productivity across multiple teams. It has features like an AI task generator, customizable boards, and views (Kanban, Gantt, map) that provide greater visibility into your team’s activities to track progress and help them stay on task.

Team members can share and embed dashboards, documents, images, and videos into workdocs and take advantage of drag-and-drop features. Plus, the platform enables hundreds of team members to co-edit in real-time while auto-saving work, making communication a breeze by allowing teams to instantly share comments, assign tasks, and get live updates.

Setting up automations and integrations is straightforward and efficient, allowing for workflow optimization and task centralization. This process helps save time for higher-priority tasks and expedites task completion.

However, one limitation of this robust productivity tool is that it lacks granular controls for task management offered by competitors like Asana, like being able to break down projects into nested subtasks, which is crucial for managing detailed projects. Another downside is that its free version only allows for up to two seats, while ClickUp allows an unlimited number of users for its free version.

Pros pros

  • Intuitive interface
  • AI task generator
  • Customizable boards
  • Effortless collaboration
  • Simple automations and integrations

Cons cons

  • Lacks granular task management
  • Limited seats with free version

2. Wrike – Great PM Tool for Fast-Paced Remote Teams Integrating Multiple Products

If you need seamless integration with other products, Wrike is the best project management solution around. The PM tool also includes an AI assistant, which is ideal for fast-paced teams with time-sensitive deadlines.

Wrike provides stable integrations and connects with over 400 popular apps and other project management tools for remote teams. Setting up integrations is easy, and you can transfer and sync data, automate workflows, and work on projects at an accelerated pace. These convenient features help employees focus on important tasks.

Wrike dashboard showing team management, project phases, and template assignments.

Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
$9.80/user/month Free plan for 1 user – File sharing
– Proofing + approval tool
– Commenting
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 400+ inc. Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Dropbox, Slack, JIRA

With its comprehensive task management system, Wrike helps distributed teams manage tasks with due dates, dependencies, and recurring tasks. It also provides customizable templates for teams in various fields, which can help them get the ball rolling with their projects.

One thing to note that’s unique is its AI-powered virtual assistant, which follows voice commands and converts uploaded images into text, speeding up the completion of rote tasks for teams. By leveraging AI, it becomes easier for teams to scale up a startup or business.

Whether you’re working with a large or small team, collaboration is simple with Wrike’s “social network” since you can create groups, tag people, send direct messages, chat, or join a video call. And with Wrike’s messaging app, which works with Microsoft Teams, communication becomes a cinch for virtual employees working on the same project or task.

The biggest disadvantage of Wrike is that its platform can be complex to use. Some users feel that it has a steep learning curve compared to Trello, which may be tough for workers who are new to remote team project management software.

Pros pros

  • Stable integrations with 400+ apps and tools
  • Messenger app for Microsoft Teams
  • Customizable templates for managing tasks
  • AI-powered virtual assistant

Cons cons

  • Clunky interface
  • Relatively complex, with a steep learning curve

3. Smartsheet – Ultimate Tool for Robust Project Management and Data Organization

Smartsheet is a secure, cloud-based project management platform and is my top choice when it comes to project management for remote teams with a spreadsheet-like layout, which lets managers revolutionize how they organize data and manage projects the smart way.

The platform reduces the complexity of handling large sets of data by leveraging its DataTable feature, so you can visualize, collaborate, and automate data from various databases. It also integrates with many tools, including data protection management systems like AMX, to enhance data organization and security.

Smartsheet dashboard displaying database and DataTable Sharing feature with invite details, email notifications, collaborations, and Admin and Viewer Permissions.

Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
$7/user/month Free plan for 1 user, up to 2 editors – Real-time collaboration with notifications
– Task assignment to multiple users
– Workflow automations
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 1000+ inc.
G Suite, Microsoft Teams,
Adobe Creative Cloud, DocuSign, Tableau

Its biggest feature is that it prioritizes data security and has strong access permission controls, bank-grade encryption, two-factor authentication, and SAML single sign-on. Thus, it’s great for remote employees who require secure communication and access to sensitive data.

Moreover, workflow optimization can be achieved through automated calculations and data checks, alert systems, and reminders. Its robust mobile apps also enable constant project collaboration with teammates, regardless of location.

Smartsheet aids collaboration in real-time by allowing teams to share files and specific rows in sheets, leave comments in sheets, work on to-do lists together, or track the progress of projects. It also facilitates communication by connecting to apps like Microsoft Teams for chat and video conferencing.

But it isn’t entirely without drawbacks. It’s not the most intuitive – locating and accessing sheets can be difficult, and sheet formulas aren’t always identical or as simple as they are in Excel. Also, setting up integrations can be challenging, and phone support costs extra as an add-on.

Pros pros

  • Secure cloud platform
  • Best for organizing large data sets
  • Gantt charts for timeline management
  • Template library for project planning
  • Workflow automations

Cons cons

  • Less intuitive interface
  • Challenging integration setups
  • Phone support costs extra

4. ClickUp – Superior Workforce Collaboration Tool

ClickUp is the perfect choice for distributed teams seeking the best remote working collaboration tools, providing a ton of flexible features for project management.

The collaboration tool includes multiple views of the same boards for transparency, the ability to assign tasks and subtasks in multiple lists to team members, smart notifications, and Mind Maps for brainstorming. Plus, it offers native real-time chat and email, so teams can communicate easily.

ClickUp dashboard displaying team shared space with each employee's assigned task, collaboration notes, and time tracking.

Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
$5/user/month Free forever plan for unlimited users – Team shared spaces
– Collaborative docs
– Real-time chat
Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS (including Apple Watch), Android 1,000+ inc.
Office 365,
Google Drive, GitLab, HubSpot, Slack

Users have reported that ClickUp University courses and videos are very easy-to-follow to learn how to use its features and onboard new team members and project managers. This makes ClickUp a great employee management software solution.

What’s more, its Sprints feature is excellent for Agile and Scrum, which is extremely useful for software developers and UX/UI designers working remotely. And here’s a bonus – the collaboration productivity tool offers compatibility with Linux, which many competitors do not.

Task management becomes a breeze since it also serves as a great productivity tool. Teams will find it convenient with its Gantt chart views, excellent customization and time tracking features, cloud storage, and reliable automations. Plus, you can create reports.

ClickUp enables integrations with over a thousand popular apps, and project managers have reported seamless connections with Google Drive and Slack. In fact, many users have reported that the PM tool operates better than Google Workspace.

The platform can sometimes be laggy, unfortunately, with slow speeds when teams are handling large projects or long task lists.

Pros pros

  • Sprints and Mind Maps features
  • Native real-time chat
  • Seamless integrations
  • Supports Linux OS
  • Reliable automations
 

Cons cons

  • Laggy, slow performance with large projects or long task lists
  • Slow responses to fixing bugs or errors

5. Resource Guru – Outstanding Project Management Tool for Scheduling

Resource Guru is a powerful remote employee management software product for distributed teams working across various time zones. It’s a top choice for teams that handle scheduling workloads, multi-booking, and resource management.

The platform streamlines the management of multiple resources – like people or equipment – in one place. Plus, it allows for easy tracking of employees’ availability and prevents over-allocation with its unique clash management feature.

ResourceGuru management software to supervise employees easily

Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
$4.16/user/month – No free plan
– 30-day free trial available
– Collaborate on documents
– View team assignments
– Video conference calls
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 1,500+ inc. Google, Outlook, iCal, DropBox, Slack

In addition, its drag-and-drop calendar makes scheduling effortless. This powerful tool is incredibly valuable for HR teams or hybrid teams working in IT, construction, or healthcare who manage personnel and equipment.

Moreover, it has great integrations with over a thousand apps, including Google, Outlook, or Apple iCal calendars – a bonus for freelancers and managers working from home who juggle multi-client bookings and video conference calls on a daily basis.

Resource Guru lets you create, assign, and customize tasks for your team, as well as view your team’s availability and assigned tasks. Collaboration is simple since teams can share documents and work on them together, exchange files, and hop on a Slack huddle or video conference call.

While Resource Guru has great tools to manage remote employees and resources, it offers more limited access control than Smartsheet, which offers two additional hierarchy levels and more granular access controls for roles and permissions. Users have also reported that its mobile app has a poor user experience, and its calendar sync can be slow to update sometimes.

Pros pros

  • User-friendly
  • Comprehensive resource management tools
  • Advanced clash management
  • Easy drag-and-drop calendar for effortless scheduling
  • Integrates with Google, Outlook, and Apple iCal calendars
 

Cons cons

  • Limited access control
  • Poor mobile app experience
  • Calendar sync can be slow to update

6. Teamwork – Top Management Tool for Successful Client Collaboration

As the top team project management tool for client collaboration, Teamwork is a powerful item to have in your arsenal – whether you’re a founder, project manager, virtual assistant, or simply working on a distributed or hybrid team.

Ideal for remote operations, this tool fosters client collaboration with an integrated chat app and mobile support for help desk and customer service teams. It also enhances team synergy with proofing features and shared spaces and notebooks.

TeamWork dashboard displays tasks, time tracking, milestones completed, and users.

Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
$5.99/user/month – Free plan for up to 5 users
– Free trial available
– Proofs
– Messages
– Team shared notebooks and spaces
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 1,500+ inc. Google, Outlook, iCal, DropBox, Slack

Another big advantage is that it offers two-factor authentication and encryption, which can ensure customer interactions remain confidential and protected when Help Desk and Customer Service teams provide assistance.

Nailing task management is another plus, as this platform allows granular task assignment and tracking, and its Gantt chart functionality offers clear project progression visualization and timeline adjustments.

This collaboration platform integrates seamlessly with apps like Slack, Google Drive, and Dropbox, enhancing productivity. Its API access, meanwhile, enables custom extensions, catering to various business needs.

While ClickUp boasts a more user-friendly design, Teamwork’s interface isn’t as sleek. Teamwork’s CRM-project module link needs refining, making tools like Monday.com – with fully integrated CRM and project management tools – a more enticing alternative for businesses.

Pros pros

  • All-in-one work project management solution
  • Remote working collaboration tools in one place
  • High levels of customizability
  • Offers mobile apps that let you work, chat with your team, and stay in touch with customers anywhere
 

Cons cons

  • Less intuitive interface
  • CRM integration needs improvement
  • Licenses needed for full features

7. Bonsai – All-in-One Project Management Toolkit for Business

Bonsai is the Swiss Army knife of project management in the cloud, with bonus features like CRM software, invoicing, and accounting all in one place. With its user-friendly interface, it’s an ideal business management software product for small business owners and freelancers.

Task management in Bonsai is effortless, offering easy task setup, built-in timers, and a collaborative platform. It streamlines solo and team projects, keeping all timesheets centralized.

Bonsai dashboard displays project timeline, finances, and tools for proposals/contracts/forms, time tracking, and scheduling.

Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
$17/user/month – No free plan
– 7-day free trial available
– Task delegation
– Document sharing
– Time tracking
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 5,000+ inc. QuickBooks, Calendly,
Zapier,
Google

Beyond typical project management, Bonsai shines by providing top-notch financial, tax, and CRM features. It provides smart automation and a bunch of industry-specific templates, like virtual assistant contracts and business proposals.

In the realm of virtual work, Bonsai’s collaboration capabilities aren’t to be underestimated. It combines document sharing, task allocation, and time tracking and effortlessly allows you to invite other contractors to manage projects collaboratively.

And integration is Bonsai’s forte, syncing with QuickBooks, Calendly, and Zapier. It also offers integrated scheduling features, serving as an alternative to Resource Guru.

Despite its strengths, Bonsai isn’t flawless, though. Its comprehensive toolkit can overwhelm novices. The cost of its plans start at $17/month, and add-ons like the tax assistant cost another $10/month, which may deter small-scale teams.

Pros pros

  • Excellent for freelancers
  • Simplifies project management, CRM, finances, and time tracking
  • Automates accounting
  • Hundreds of templates for various business needs
  • Tax assistance
 

Cons cons

  • Extensive features may be overwhelming for novices
  • Somewhat higher price plans
  • Add-ons like Tax Assistant and Partners cost extra

8. ProWorkflow – Best Xero Integration Tool for Businesses of All Sizes

ProWorkflow offers the best Xero integration and distributed team management software for managing multiple projects with comprehensive tools, making it ideal for project and financial management for businesses of all sizes.

The platform’s main selling points are its intelligent time-tracking system and Xero integration. They’re game-changing tools for meticulous project oversight and delivery, and Xero allows real-time visibility for financial and accounting tasks.

ProWorkflow interface displays unpaid invoices, projects to invoice, as well as invoices in Xero which has been integrated.

Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
$18/user/month No free plan – File sharing
– Messaging system
– Time tracking
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 5,000+ inc.
Xero, QuickBooks, Freshbooks,
Zapier,
Google

Task and resource management is a breeze with ProWorkflow’s comprehensive dashboards, allowing project managers to assign and monitor tasks, projects, and timelines, including the workloads of each team member.

Files, messages, and documents can also be shared within virtual teams, allowing for easy collaboration. Each project or task can have a dedicated discussion thread, and comments can be replied to via email notifications, facilitating communication.

Additionally, ProWorkflow integrates with other tools like Google Drive, Quickbooks, Dropbox, Zapier, and more. Detailed reports can also be generated and customized.

ProWorkflow has some downsides, however. Its user interface can be confusing and isn’t as intuitive as that of ClickUp and Smartsheet. Also, its mobile app can be difficult to use when managing multiple projects. Lastly, its plans are relatively pricey, starting at $18 per month.

Pros pros

  • Great tool for managing projects
  • Unique time-tracking system
  • Customizable dashboards
  • Seamless integration with popular tools like Xero
 

Cons cons

  • Expensive plans
  • User interface could be more intuitive
  • Mobile app lacks visibility for multiple projects

9. Oracle NetSuite – Holistic Remote Workforce Management Software

Oracle NetSuite is a holistic workforce management software product that also serves as a cloud-based ERP solution. It is designed to streamline the complexities of project management and team collaboration.

With its stand-out scalable cloud-based platform, it offers real-time visibility into dashboards, project progress, reports, and Gantt charts. It has robust ERP, CRM, PSA, and e-commerce features, making it a flexible solution for businesses operating at a global level.

Oracle NetSuite displays project lists, schedule, project status, and toolbars for payments, communication, Gantt chart, and many more.

Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
$10K-$100K+, plus one-time implementation fees No free plan – Shared dashboards
– Activity time logs
– Connects to email & chat apps
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 5,000+ inc. Shopify, Amazon,
Google, DropBox

Its user-friendly interface and robust task management capabilities for creating, assigning, and tracking tasks make project handling a breeze. Additionally, it makes team project management easy with automated business processes.

NetSuite’s collaboration tools include shared dashboards and activity time logs. You can also connect to email and chat apps so teams can communicate, which is crucial for remote work success.

Furthermore, the product integrates with many popular tools that teams commonly use, including e-commerce platforms and marketplaces like Shopify and Amazon.

However, there have been some complaints that integrations are inflexible and slow down the system, unlike Wrike, which offers smoother integrations. Also, NetSuite implementations are substantial and expensive, ranging from $10,000-$100,000+.

Pros pros

  • Comprehensive project management, ERP, CRM, PSA, and e-commerce solution
  • Scalable in the cloud
  • Real-time visibility and analytics
  • Collaboration tools
  • E-commerce integration tools
 

Cons cons

  • Slow, inflexible integrations
  • Very expensive
  • Difficult to implement

10. WorkOtter – Top-Ranked Remote Project Management Software

WorkOtter offers top-tier remote team management tools while serving as an excellent resource and portfolio management system. Its versatility makes it an ideal solution for workforce management for teams of all sizes, enhancing the effectiveness of remote work systems.

Praised for its user-friendly design, it’s also appreciated for its advanced analytical tools like Gantt charts, heat maps, and time bubbles. Its unique features, like automated adjustments of deadlines and timings, are also an added advantage.

WorkOtter interface displays portfolio management features with Gantt view, phase, status tracking, assigned employees and allocated tasks.

Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
$10/user/month No free plan – Share dashboards, charts, and reports
– Unlimited file sharing
– Email notification updates
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android JIRA, Microsoft Project, Google, Office 365, Box, Dropbox, Sharepoint, and more

The biggest standout feature of WorkOtter is its “What If?” scenario planning tool, which allows users to simulate different outcomes of project decisions. It’s a valuable tool for project managers who want to evaluate risks before committing to a project.

For virtual teams, WorkOtter shines with its collaboration features. Its interactive, personalized dashboards and comment system allow you to respond via email notifications to cultivate a connected, engaging workspace within distributed departments.

Integration with popular tools like JIRA, Excel, and Microsoft Project is seamless with WorkOtter. Many users report that the two-way syncing with Microsoft Projects has solved the problem of transitioning large numbers of people.

While WorkOtter does not have many reported drawbacks, it has limited scheduling capabilities. For example, it doesn’t have calendar management and employee scheduling, and it lacks conflict detection to prevent overlaps in resource allocation and real-time alerts and notifications so teams can adapt to changes and conflicts. Despite this, WorkOtter remains a strong contender as it aligns with PMI standards.

Pros pros

  • Scenarios feature simulating outcomes of project decisions
  • User-friendly
  • Two-way integration with MS Projects, JIRA, Project Libre, and Excel
  • Comments can be replied to via email notifications
  • Great for PMOs and PMP-certified project managers

Cons cons

  • Limited scheduling capabilities

The Best Remote Workforce Management Software Compared

Here’s a quick comparison table of my top-rated work tools for project management, so you can compare their features and pricing to find the right solution for your unique needs:

Remote Work Tool Starting Price Free version Collaboration Features Compatibility Integrations
Monday.com $9/user/month Yes – Embedded dashboards and files
– Assign tasks
– Whiteboard collaboration
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 200+ inc. Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Dropbox, Slack
Wrike $9.80/user/month Yes – File sharing
– Proofing and approval tool
– Commenting
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 400+ inc. Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Dropbox, Slack, JIRA
Smartsheet $7/user/month Yes – Real-time collaboration with notifications
– Task assignment to multiple users
– Workflow automations
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 1000+ inc.
G Suite, Microsoft Teams,
Adobe Creative Cloud, DocuSign, Tableau
ClickUp $5/user/month Yes – Team shared spaces
– Collaborative docs
– Real-time chat
Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS (including Apple Watch), Android 1,000+ inc.
Office 365,
Google Drive, GitLab, HubSpot, Slack
Resource Guru $4.16/user/month Yes – Collaborate on documents
– View team assignments
– Video conference calls
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 1,500+ inc. Google, Outlook, iCal, DropBox, Slack
Teamwork $5.99/user/month Yes – Proofs
– Messages
– Team shared notebooks and spaces
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 1,500+ inc. Google, Outlook, iCal, DropBox, Slack
Bonsai $17/user/month No – Task delegation
– Document sharing
– Time tracking
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 5,000+ inc. QuickBooks, Calendly,
Zapier,
Google
ProWorkflow $18/user/month No

– File sharing
– Messaging system
– Time tracking

Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 5,000+ inc.
Xero, QuickBooks, Freshbooks,
Zapier,
Google
Oracle NetSuite $10K-$100K+, plus one-time implementation fees No

– Shared dashboards
– Activity time logs
– Connects to email & chat apps

Windows, Mac, iOS, Android 5,000+ inc. Shopify, Amazon,
Google, DropBox
WorkOtter $10/user/month No – Share dashboards, charts, and reports
-Unlimited file sharing
-Email notification updates
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android JIRA, Microsoft Project, Google, Office 365, Box, Dropbox, Sharepoint, and more

Factors to Consider When Buying Remote Work Management Software

When choosing the best remote work management software, it’s crucial that it overcomes the common challenges of remote work. It’s important to weigh various key aspects before finalizing your decision.

You’ll want to assess the platform’s ease of use, depth of task management capabilities, and provisions for collaboration and communication, as well as its cost-efficiency, potential for scaling as your team grows, and the strength of its security.

Ease of Use

When it comes to work tools for project management, user experience should always be a top priority. A user-friendly tool with an intuitive interface means quicker onboarding with less training needed. This allows teams to become more productive and focused on important projects.

Task management

Ensure the software offers versatile and customizable task management capabilities, including detailed task creation, assignment, tracking, and seamless integration with calendars – and that it can fit your team’s workflow. Opt for tools that facilitate collaboration within tasks and provide insightful analytics to enhance team productivity. Check out our guide on the best task management software.

Communication and Collaboration 

When working remotely, effective communication and collaboration are essential for successful project management. Look for project management tools that offer features like shared workspaces and document sharing.

This includes communication tools for real-time chat, video conferencing, and commenting. They help virtual teams in various geographical locations and time zones stay organized and on top of their tasks.

Integrations with apps

Assess the remote working software’s capability to integrate with commonly used apps for business and how easy the setup process is. Also, it’s important to verify whether these integrations are available on all pricing plans or are limited to certain tiers.

Pricing and scalability

When evaluating the best project management tools, you’ll need to consider two things – your organization’s budget and whether there are plans to scale up. First, though, you should identify the needs of your organization and then weigh the costs of each tool you compare while looking for scalable features.

These might include the capacity to manage a growing volume of projects or team members, as well as other features your organization requires that may not be available on the most affordable plan.

Security

Security is important when you’re working remotely, especially if you’re handling sensitive data within projects. Look for security features like encryption (e.g., AES-256), two-factor and multi-factor authentication, and single sign-on.

This protects your data from being intercepted and prevents unauthorized access to your accounts. You might also consider using a VPN.

What is the Best Free Project Management Tool for Remote Teams?

I have concluded that the best free project management software options are ClickUp, Monday, Wrike, and Smartsheet. Take a look at these top free tools and the unique free features that they offer.

Tool Free Plan Users Unique Free Features Free Collaboration Tools Cost to Sale
ClickUp Free plan for unlimited users – Unlimited tasks
– Two-factor authentication
– Kanban boards
– Collaborative docs
– Real-time chat
– Sprint management
$5/user/month
Monday.com Free plan for 2 users

– Unlimited docs
– Mobile apps for iOS and Android
– 59 app integrations (Slack, Teams, Google, Dropbox)

– Collaborative docs
– Assign tasks
– Integrates with apps for chat, email, and sharing files
$9/user/month
Wrike Free plan per user

– Task management
– Assign resources
– Apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android

– Share files
– Assign tasks
– Collaborate on tasks

$9.80/user/month
Smartsheet Free plan for 1 user, up to 2 editors – 100 automations per month
– Gantt, grid, card, calendar views
– Single sign-on via Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Apple ID
– Shared dashboards and reports
– Assign tasks
– Commenting
$7/user/month
Teamwork Free plan for up to 5 users – Tasks and subtasks
– Time tracking and logs
– Integrations
– Assign tasks
– Commenting
– Automated notifications and assigned roles
$5.99/user/month

Conclusion – What’s the Best Remote Team Management Software in 2024?

The best team management software simplifies the process of managing projects and employees in different geographic regions and time zones.

Keep in mind that the best work tools for project management vary for different use cases, so consider factors like budget, requirements, and features that your team will heavily rely on.

That said, I’d say Monday.com is the best remote team management software due to its comprehensive features, such as customizable boards, Kanban and Gantt views, an AI task generator, and features that promote seamless collaboration and integration, all of which come with the free version.

I drew this conclusion after assessing the top 10 best work tools for project management and evaluating their distinct features across usability, task management, collaboration, pricing plans, and integration capabilities.

Remote Work Solution FAQs

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Mars Groves
Technology Writer
Mars Groves
Technology Writer

Mars Groves is a security researcher and technology writer. He serves as the editor in chief for Secjuice and as an advisory board member for a startup. In his spare time, he practices Shamatha meditation, reads non-fiction books, and enjoys traveling.