Trello vs. Smartsheet

Project Management (PM) software solutions have made automation the norm when it comes to doing business. Teams collaborate in real-time regardless of geographic locations and communicate through video conferencing tools. Sometimes called Task Management Software (TMS) and Project Portfolio Management (PPM), these products help teams deliver quality outputs on time and within budget.

Users have access to time tracking, resource planning, task distribution, and automated invoicing using a single platform. The software products allow managers to remotely supervise co-located and geographically distributed team members and tackle tasks simultaneously.

Let’s evaluate two popular software solutions for project management: Trello vs. Smartsheet. We’ll compare their features, integrations, and prices to help you choose a suitable product that meets your business needs. Our Project Management Product Selection Tool is free, easy to use, and provides five recommendations of software solutions tailored to your requirements.

Trello vs. Smartsheet: An overview

Trello is a cloud-based project management software solution designed for all business sizes. It’s known for its system of boards and cards that shows project progress in one view. Users can make an unlimited number of boards that represent projects and lists to represent project stages. Within lists are cards that display tasks. These drag-and-drop elements keep everyone updated and eliminate the need for status update meetings.

Users can comment, attach files, and @mention colleagues with ease. The product comes with desktop and mobile apps that allow for on-the-go use with iOS and Android devices.

Smartsheet provides businesses with an innovative way to collaborate on projects in real-time from any browser or device. It combines the use of spreadsheets with automated workflow capabilities, collaborative file sharing, and visual timeline management. Businesses that work with spreadsheets find the product familiar and easy to use while powerful and customizable. Smartsheet is designed to execute plans and complete projects with speed and accountability thanks to work automation, Gantt charts, and a user-friendly interface.

Read also: 8 Kanban Tools for Project Managers and Developers

Trello vs. Smartsheet: A comparison of features

Trello is a top choice among businesses because of its features:

• Project management and tracking: Users can invite an unlimited number of users to any project who can communicate directly with each other within the board. They can comment for feedback, attach files, and mention colleagues with a few clicks.
• Visual organization tool: The software has three elements for team collaboration: boards, cards, and lists. Members of boards can drag and drop lists and cards to reflect project progress and upload files directly from Google Drive, Dropbox, and Box.
• Power ups and integrations: Power ups enable users to perform tasks without leaving the system. They can create and move cards from their email thanks to the product’s email integration. Its seamless integration with other apps makes project completion simpler and eliminates the need for switching between apps.
• Reasonable timeframes: Users will not miss deadlines because of Trello’s power up calendar that shows tasks with shorter deadlines. This feature can be activated by triggering the iCal feed from the current calendar app.

Smartsheet provides project management services through its features:

• Secure platform deployment: Smartsheet has single sign-on capabilities and security and user management features with scalable administrative controls. Both end-users and administrators share permissions to help protect their information and stay in control. Admin can approve external domains, restrict integrations, and handle internal standards.
• Real-time visibility: Users can access real-time information and make educated business decisions using Smartsheet Sights and live reports. The reports are configurable and can be highlighted without technical support to enable users to respond to trends immediately. Businesses can protect their information while assigning tasks to vendors and giving status updates to clients in real-time.
• Shared workspaces: Smartsheet offers shared workspaces for secure user collaboration. Teams can share files and folders with internal teams, partners, and clients.
• Alerts and reminders: The software automatically sends daily reminders whenever changes are made and deadlines are approaching. Users can see previous data of any cell along with the member who made the changes. Sheets can be updated from within the email without logging in to the system.

Trello vs. Smartsheet: A comparison of prices

Trello’s 3-tier pricing plan is simple: Freemium, Business, and Enterprise. The Freemium Plan is suitable for starting companies, smaller teams, and individual users to invite unlimited members and create unlimited boards. They can collaborate on projects using basic integrations and one power up. The Business Plan is designed for teams that require additional integrations, support, and features. It comes with 250MB file attachment, advanced checklists, priority support, and custom background and stickers. The Enterprise Plan accommodates up to 100 users and comes with standard and team features, power ups, automation, and security controls.

Smartsheet offers a 3-tier pricing plan: Individual, Business, and Enterprise. The Individual Plan provides email support, 10 sheets, 5 reports, 1 dashboard, and a mobile app. The Business Plan has email and phone support, 100 sheets per user, unlimited collaborators, reports, and dashboards, and a mobile app. The Enterprise Plan is customizable by contacting the vendor directly.

Trello vs. Smartsheet: A comparison of integrations

Trello integrates with other apps such as:

• Google Drive
• Slack
• WordPress
• Google Docs
• Salesforce
• Evernote

Smartsheet works with apps like:

• Klipfolio
• Harvest
• Google Drive
• Google Calendar
• Git Hook
• Easy Insight

Choose the best PM software product to help your business succeed

Trello and Smartsheet are at the top of the competition among project management software solutions because they automate work and make real-time collaboration possible. They have features that allow teams to communicate and break geographic barriers. Users can view projects with ease and get real-time updates. However, these products have differences that are worth considering when purchasing your software product.

Trello uses Kanban boards, while Smartsheet uses spreadsheets. Kanban boards are easier to manipulate because of drag-and-drop features, but spreadsheets are suitable for teams that work with figures. Trello’s Freemium Plan is beneficial to starting companies and individual users who need simple task lists — a better option than Smartsheet’s all paid subscription plans. Smartsheet is great for larger teams that require added security features thanks to its single sign-on capabilities and user and security management features.

Want more PM software options? Use our PM Software Selection Tool.