5 Monday.com Alternatives for Easier Project Management

Why look for Monday.com alternatives, a platform praised by millions for its intuitive visual boards, quick setup, and basic automations? Simple: because every team deserves a solution that meets 100% — or as close as possible — of your workflow needs.

While Monday.com is excellent for teams that need clear project visibility and real-time collaboration, some important features are locked behind premium tiers, and the interface can feel overwhelming when managing more complex tasks. 

That can become a barrier to truly organized, productive work.

That’s why we’re comparing five Monday.com alternatives that might solve your specific pain points. 

By the end, you’ll know which one best fits your project management style.

Why Teams Are Seeking Monday.com Alternatives in 2025?

Have you browsed Reddit or review sites looking for Monday.com alternatives? You’ll notice some recurring themes — both from users defending the platform and those searching for a better fit.

Custom dashboards that update automatically with every change are a clear highlight, as are automated reports and customizable workflows.

However, some teams see this level of complexity as a drawback. When all you need is a simple “if X, then Y” rule, overly intricate automations can become frustrating. 

Recurring task setups often take time and technical skill, making the process feel more complicated than it should be.

Fans of Monday.com also appreciate its user-friendly interface and notification system, which helps keep teams aligned and projects on track.

But for many, those benefits come at a steep price. Want to bulk-edit columns across multiple boards without upgrading? That’s off the table.

Combine that with a complex setup experience, and the tool’s strengths start to feel less accessible — especially for teams looking to streamline quickly with simplicity and flexibility.

The bottom line: Monday.com shines with smart dashboards and real-time updates, but struggles with rigid automations and steep paywalls that many users call excessive. 

Teams are switching not because they dislike Monday.com, but because they want:

• Essential features like bulk editing without premium fees;
• A platform that scales with them, not against them;
• A simpler, faster way to get things done.

So, while Monday.com does get a lot right (and when it does, it’s great), the real opportunity for competitors is to preserve its best features while removing the friction.

5 Monday.com Alternatives Worth Testing This Year

Teams today are looking for tools that retain Monday.com’s biggest strengths — like customizable dashboards and workflow automations — while eliminating its downsides, such as premium pricing for basic features and complex setup.

If your team needs a more flexible, intuitive, and operationally aligned solution, it’s worth exploring these five Monday.com alternatives:

1. AnyDB

AnyDB is a Monday.com alternative designed for teams managing operational workflows with structured data, such as budgets, assets, inventory, or customer records.

If you use Monday.com and still have to go to Excel or Google Sheets to do things that Monday.com lacks, AnyDB is the best alternative.

By combining a relational database with personalized views, the platform lets you link tasks directly to strategic information and build highly customized dashboards.

Unlike Monday.com, which offers rich visuals but locks advanced automations and integrations behind paid plans, AnyDB delivers flexibility from the start. 

Users can create dashboards based on real-time data, apply granular permissions, and integrate external tools via APIs or Zapier.

That makes it ideal for teams working with complex data who need control and customization — those building workflows with deep links between data and tasks, all within a clean, fast interface focused on productivity.

Key Features

• Relational Data: Connect tasks to clients, finances, products, or documents.
• Granular Permissions: Control access by table, field, or view.
• Forms & Approvals: Internal flows for data entry and automated validation.
• Custom Dashboards: View KPIs, tasks, and project status using dynamic filters.
• Integrations: Connect with other apps via Zapier or API.
• Spreadsheet interface: Easy onboarding for Excel and Google Sheets users.
• AnyDB doesn’t limit core features to premium plans: we offer a generous free plan.

Downsides

• No offline mode available (yet).
• Smaller ecosystem compared to more established players like Monday.com, Asana or ClickUp.

2. Asana

Ever considered Asana as a Monday.com alternative? This platform blends task management with goal alignment and AI — ideal for teams that need clarity in project progress, executive dashboards, and smart automations.

Standout features include Smart Projects (AI-generated project creation with suggested descriptions, sections, and custom fields), visual reports, progress charts, customizable fields within portfolios, and refined permissions.

Key Features

• AI Smart Fields & Smart Charts: AI-generated fields and visuals for richer, organized data.
• Portfolios & Executive Dashboards: High-level overviews across multiple projects.
• Goal Alignment: Connect tasks to strategic objectives.
• Robust Dependencies & Automations: Trigger-based rules, manual logic, and conditionals.
• Wide Integrations: Google Workspace, Slack, Jira, Zoom, open APIs.
• Clean, intuitive UI: Great for team adoption.
• Dashboards and portfolios: Especially appreciated by PMOs and managers.

Downsides

• Higher-tier plans are expensive for full automation capabilities — especially compared to more generous free plans elsewhere.
• Custom fields and dashboards require time to set up and master.
• Confusing licensing: dormant or domain-linked accounts may still be charged, frustrating many teams.

3. ClickUp

ClickUp is an all-in-one project management solution that combines tasks, documents, whiteboards, AI-powered features via ClickUp Brain, and deep customization — great for teams seeking total versatility in one platform.

Key Features

• Lists, Gantt, Kanban, Whiteboards: Multiple views for different workflows.
• ClickUp Brain & AI: Task summaries, auto-updates, content creation, and smart project handling.
• Automation & Formulas: Build logic-based workflows with formulas; signature fields allow for digital approvals.
• Hubs & Docs: Centralized navigation across documents, boards, and dashboards.
• Native Integrations: Slack, Salesforce, Google Docs, and more.

Downsides

• Steep learning curve; the UI can feel overwhelming due to the breadth of features.
• Users often report performance lags and occasional bugs.
• Complex automation setups require time and expertise.

4. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a spreadsheet-style project management solution featuring advanced formulas, automations, and a strong focus on resource and portfolio management.

Recent updates include enhancements to the Control Center (standardized workflows), new premium apps, and expanded resource features, but little innovation in terms of UI or AI capabilities.

It’s a solid choice for teams familiar with Excel, thanks to formula support and multiple dashboard views, though Kanban remains a secondary view here.

Key Features

• Easy onboarding for Excel and Google Sheets users.
• Powerful for portfolio and multi-project planning.
• Advanced resource management features for enterprises and established PMOs.

Downsides

• Steep learning curve, especially for non-technical users.
• UI feels “dated” and less intuitive for teams who prefer Kanban.
• Opaque pricing model, renewals can increase up to 100%, with hidden costs per user/editor.
• Support is often criticized for being slow and ineffective.

5. Wrike

Wrike is a corporate-grade platform built for large teams eor complex workflows. It offers Work Intelligence™, an AI feature that flags potential deadline and resource risks, and supports the creation of custom item types to meet the needs of teams across marketing, IT, and more.

This enables teams to generate detailed reports and custom dashboards with robust granularity, along with enterprise-level permissions like SOC 2 compliance and SSO — making it an excellent fit for large organizations.

Key Features

• High-level reporting and visibility for managers.
• Enterprise compliance (SOC 2, two-factor authentication, SSO).
• Strong support and training (videos, webinars, dedicated team).
• Scalable tools for enterprise teams (proofing, automations, workload management).

Downsides

• Steep learning curve: complex setup and UX often polarize users.
• Interface can be slow and complicated; users report inconsistent performance.
• 3-license minimum and rigid billing frustrate smaller teams.
• Some core features like basic timesheets may not meet advanced needs.

Quick Comparison Table of These Monday.com Alternatives

To help you choose, here’s a side-by-side comparison:

Ready to Simplify Your Project Management Stack?

The right tool should strike a balance between power and simplicity. After all, there’s no point in having a feature-packed platform if it slows down your workflow or charges extra for basic capabilities.

If you’re feeling stuck with Monday.com, start by identifying the top three pain points your team faces — such as:

1. Limited automation
2. Difficulties configuring complex workflows
3. High costs for basic actions like bulk editing

With these challenges mapped out, test at least two alternatives that directly address them.

 If your projects involve heavy data, structured processes, or require seamless integration with other tools, AnyDB is a great place to start. It was designed exactly for that.

Want to take the first step? Get started with our free plan to see how AnyDB adapts to your real-life workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions About Monday.com Alternatives

Still unsure whether you should consider a Monday.com alternative? Check out the answers to common questions below.