Project managers always need simple ways to keep the whole team on the same page. A cloud-based service, such as Asana, can help a team do its work more easily and efficiently. Asana is a helpful collaboration tool that offers customizable features for productivity. We’ll go over the best features of Asana and how they can help your team.
Pros
- Free version includes most features, including automations
- Integrations with Zoom, GitHub and more
- Project status reports
Cons
- More expensive than other project management software
- Issues with customer service
What Is Asana?
Asana is one of the best project management software options on the market, with many different views that can be tailored to all team members involved.
The free version has a ton of capabilities to make your life easier. You’ll have unlimited storage and be able to look up records of past projects, and can also message on the platform. If you have a small team, the free version can be great for the long term.
Asana also has a diverse array of project views. Whether you want to look at them in Kanban-style cards, see projects and their deadlines on a calendar or a general workload overview, those are all available to you. Being able to switch between these views gives more flexibility to your team members and means you can include more stakeholders.
Additionally, Asana supports various automatic processes and integrations that can make your team more efficient. You can set up due dates and get automatic messages in Slack when a section of a project is finished. Your team can cascade into the next stage of the project easily.
What Sets Asana Apart
Asana stands out as a top project management software option because of its many unique features and capabilities. With its cloud-based platform, Asana allows you to access your projects from anywhere, making it a convenient choice for remote teams.
One of Asana’s key strengths is its variety of project views. You can choose from Kanban-style cards, calendar views, workload overviews and more, allowing you to customize your view based on your team’s needs. This flexibility enables you to include more stakeholders and promote collaboration within your team.
Asana’s task management capabilities are also noteworthy. You can assign tasks to team members, set deadlines and create subtasks to splice projects into bite-sized pieces, making them easier to tackle. Additionally, team members can comment on tasks, promoting transparency and communication within your team.
Asana offers a free version with many capabilities, such as unlimited storage and messaging on the platform, making it a great option for small teams. For larger teams, Asana’s paid versions offer even more features, such as custom fields to track specific project information and task dependencies, ensuring that everyone is working on their assigned tasks and keeping projects on track.
Pros
With Asana, you can integrate with third-party services such as Slack and Zapier. Keeping all of your communication in one place can help streamline productivity, and its in-app messaging helps. Since Asana can let you assign project deadlines and priorities to your team, it often makes sense to keep all the discussions in one place.
Asana is also supportive of the Agile project management philosophy. It has a glossary of terms that Asana defines in its own terms for Agile project management. Using Asana for planning sprints and product launches is a great option.
Cons
With Asana, you can only assign one task to one team member. If there is a section of a project that requires more than one person, you’ll have to communicate that in a different way.
Asana sends a lot of email notifications, which can bother some users. Before getting started on a big project with Asana, the project manager should teach all team members how to adjust their email notifications so they aren’t overwhelmed with emails. This ensures that they will see emails as directly pertinent to their responsibilities, as opposed to spam.
Asana’s free plan offers unlimited accounts and three project views. Monthly pricing for its Premium plan costs $10.99 monthly per user, if billed annually, and allows everything from the free plan and more, plus more automations. The Business plan is priced at $24.99 monthly per user when billed annually, and offers advanced workflows and reporting. Finally, the Enterprise plan offers everything and more for high-level businesses that want to use Asana with no boundaries.
Asana Core Features
Asana’s core features allow businesses to manage projects of all sizes. Here’s a look at some of the core features:
Role Assignment Features
One of Asana’s key strengths is its ability to assign roles and responsibilities to team members. You can assign tasks to team members, set deadlines and create subtasks to break down projects into smaller pieces. This promotes transparency and accountability within your team.
Timelines
Asana’s timeline feature allows you to visualize project deadlines and dependencies in a simple, easy-to-understand way. Adjust dates and milestones as needed, ensuring that projects stay on schedule.
Gantt Charts
Asana’s Gantt chart feature allows you to view project timelines and dependencies in a detailed, visual way. You can easily identify critical paths, adjust timelines and make informed decisions about project priorities.
Software Integrations
Asana integrates with a variety of other software tools, making it easy to incorporate into your team’s existing workflow. For example, you can integrate Asana with Slack, Google Drive and Microsoft Teams, allowing for the easy sharing of files and communication with your team.
Dependencies
Asana’s dependency feature allows you to set up relationships between tasks, ensuring that certain tasks can’t be completed until others are done. This helps keep projects on track and ensures that everyone is working on the right tasks.
Budgeting
Asana’s budgeting feature allows you to track project expenses and stay within your budget. Track expenses in real time, set budgets per project and adjust as needed.
Asana Cost
Asana has three plans (plus an Enterprise plan). Its Basic plan is free for up to 15 users. Premium plans cost $10.99 per user per month when billed annually, otherwise, it’s $13.49 billed monthly. Its Business plan costs $24.99 per user per month when billed annually, and $30.49 when billed monthly.
In addition to the monthly cost, any state and local sales tax is additional based on the billing address. Depending on the integration, you may need to pay for third-party apps, too. If you’re a nonprofit organization, you get half off Asana’s paid plans.
| Basic | Premium | Business | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free | $10.99 per user per month, billed annually | $24.99 per user per month, billed annually |
| Contract Length | None | Monthly or annual | Monthly or annual |
| Projects | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Tasks | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Activity Log | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Storage | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Comments | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Project and Portfolio Views | List, board and calendar | List, board, calendar and timeline | List, board, calendar, timeline, portfolio and goals |
| Workflows | Basic | Automated | Advanced |
| Reporting | Basic | Standard | Advanced |
Basic
Asana’s Basic plan is a free option that offers standard features for small teams. With the Basic plan, you can create unlimited tasks, projects, messages and file storage. You can collaborate with up to 15 team members, and choose from a variety of project views, including list, calendar and board view. You can assign projects and due dates, and view project briefs and overviews.
Asana also offers iOS and Android apps for mobile access, and integrates with more than 100 free tools, including time tracking, productivity and communication apps. Overall, Asana’s Basic plan provides a solid set of features that can help small teams stay organized and on track.
Premium
Asana’s Premium plan builds on the features of its Basic plan, offering an even more comprehensive suite of tools to help you manage your team’s tasks and projects. The Premium plan includes everything in the Basic plan, plus several additional features, such as the ability to create timelines for your projects. The Workflow Builder tool allows you to automate repetitive tasks and create custom templates, forms and rules for your team to follow.
Premium plan users also benefit from unlimited dashboards, free guests and advanced search capabilities. With the ability to generate reports across unlimited projects and custom fields, you can gain valuable insights into your team’s progress and adjust your strategies accordingly. The Premium plan also offers more advanced task management capabilities, such as the ability to create task templates, set start dates and times, and add milestones to your projects.
In addition, Premium plan users have access to an admin console that enables you to manage your team’s users and access to private teams and projects, providing greater control over your team’s data and security. Overall, Asana’s Premium plan offers a comprehensive suite of features to help your team manage complex projects more efficiently and effectively.
Business
Asana’s Business plan builds upon the features of its Premium plan, providing a more advanced suite of tools for larger organizations and more complex projects. In addition to all of the features available in the Premium plan, the Business plan includes several additional capabilities, such as portfolios that provide a high-level overview of multiple projects and goals that help you set and track progress toward your team’s objectives.
The Business plan also includes workload management features that help you distribute tasks effectively across your team members, a custom rules builder that allows you to create more advanced workflows and rules, and forms branching and customization that enables you to customize forms for your specific needs. The Business plan includes approval and proofing features that allow you to streamline your team’s review processes.
Lockable custom fields provide added security and control over your team’s data, and the Business plan includes advanced integrations with Salesforce, Tableau, Power BI and Adobe Creative Cloud, enabling you to connect Asana with other tools and systems your team uses.
Overall, Asana’s Business plan provides a comprehensive set of tools to help larger organizations manage complex projects more efficiently, track progress toward goals and streamline workflows.
Asana Setup and Customization
Getting started with Asana is a simple process that can be completed quickly. You don’t have to download any apps as Asana is cloud-based. Creating an account and inviting team members to join your workspace is all it takes to begin using Asana.
Asana’s intuitive interface offers customizable settings and easy navigation, providing users with a host of project views such as list, board, calendar and timeline views. Its UI and customizable settings make it easy for new users to get started with little training.
Switching to Asana from another project management software is also straightforward. Asana’s import tool allows you to transfer projects from other software such as Trello or Basecamp. Plus, it can integrate with other tools you probably use every day, such as Slack and Google Drive, so automating processes into your existing workflow can lessen the burden of using a new system.
Asana Ease of Use
As with most project management tools, learning to use Asana may require some effort. Its many features and customizable settings may be overwhelming for new users at first. However, Asana’s intuitive interface and supportive documentation make it easier to learn and adapt over time. If you want a jump start, check out Asana Academy, which is a self-paced course.
One benefit of using Asana is its emphasis on collaboration and communication. Asana’s platform enables real-time collaboration and communication among team members, allowing them to work together seamlessly on projects. With Asana’s user-friendly interface and customizable settings, tracking progress, assigning tasks and communicating with team members becomes an effortless process.
Asana Security
Asana uses SOC 2 and SOC 3 security protocols, and adheres to GDPR, CCPA, FERPA, GLBA and four different ISO codes of practice. As of October 2022, Asana is fully compliant with HIPAA. If you’re an Enterprise subscriber, you can also use two-factor authentication, SAML 2.0 and SSO.
Asana Customer Service and Support
In addition to step-by-step how-to guides, Asana has a community forum and Academy. In the Academy, there are interactive courses, training and webinars taught by its Customer Success team. It also has a chatbot to answer basic questions, and if you have a more complex issue, it’ll file a ticket for you to speak with a customer support agent.
Asana Additional Features
Asana’s additional features provide even more flexibility and customization options for managing complex projects efficiently. With customizable templates, milestone tracking, expense tracking, Kanban board, billing and invoicing and guest/client access, Asana provides a comprehensive suite of tools for project management.
Customizable Templates
Asana provides customizable templates that allow you to save time and streamline your workflow. You can create templates for different types of projects, making it easy to start new projects with a predefined structure and set of tasks.
Milestone Tracking
Asana’s milestone tracking feature allows you to track significant project milestones and set reminders for critical dates. You can also assign milestones to specific team members and track progress toward completion.
Expense Tracking
Asana’s expense tracking feature lets you track project expenses and manage your budget. You can add expenses to specific tasks, monitor your spending and generate reports to keep stakeholders informed.
Kanban Board
In Kanban board view, you can visualize your project workflow and track progress through different stages. You can drag and drop tasks between columns, assign tasks to team members and add due dates.
Billing and Invoicing
Asana’s billing and invoicing features make it easy to manage your billing and invoicing processes directly within the platform. Generate invoices based on time tracked in Asana, and track payments and outstanding balances.
Guest/Client Access
Asana’s guest/client access feature allows you to invite external stakeholders, such as clients or partners, to collaborate on projects. You can control the level of access that guests have to project information and collaborate with them in real time.
Top Asana Alternatives and How They Compare
Here’s a quick look at some of Asana’s top competitors:
| Asana | Jira | Basecamp | monday.com | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free; $10.99 per user per month, billed annually | $7.75 per user per month | $8.90 per user per month (up to 10 users) | Free; $8 per seat per month, billed annually (min. three users) |
| Software Integrations | Integrations with hundreds of popular applications and software | Also supports many application integrations | Tons of application integrations based on what youre using the service for | Integrates with tons of apps |
| Guest/Client Access | Allows guest accounts and client accounts with multiple views | Yes, but only with paid plans | Supports guest and client accounts for viewing | Some plans |
| Budgeting | Multiple budgeting tools | No budgeting tools | Includes budgeting tools and software | Yes |
| Learn More | – | – | – | On monday.com’s Website |
| Read Reviews | – | Read Jira Review | Read Basecamp Review | Read monday.com Review |
Asana, Jira and Basecamp are all good for tracking basic projects in a team. Asana has the most available on the free version, so if you’re looking for cost savings, it’s a good choice. All of these choices are also serviceable for providing guest access and client views, but Jira only offers that with paid plans. Asana’s integrations are particularly expansive, so it can work with a lot of existing systems your business might have.
Asana vs. monday.com
For larger teams that need to keep track of lots of projects at once, monday.com is a great alternative to Asana. One of the main benefits of monday.com is that it offers an unlimited number of integrations with other software. This can be helpful if your team uses a lot of different software programs to get work done.
Asana vs. Jira
Compared to Jira, Asana is much easier to use, especially for laypeople. In the corporate world, it’s IT and software teams that typically rely on a product such as Jira to manage tasks. You’re more likely to see marketing teams use Asana simply because its user interface makes it super simple to drag and drop projects and see statuses at a glance.
Asana vs. Basecamp
Basecamp is ideal for small businesses and teams that need a simple way to keep track of projects. It is easy to use and offers a variety of features, such as lists, files and calendar views. Asana has multiple views, too, but has more of them, such as timeline, calendar, board, list and workload. Asana also comes with more than 50 templates, whereas Basecamp only has custom templates.
Who Is Asana Best For?
Asana’s free plan is ideal for businesses with fewer than 15 users working on collaborative projects. The free plan offers many helpful features that can make project management more efficient. These include unlimited projects, tasks, activity log, storage and comments. Plus, you get basic workflows, three project views, basic reporting and community support.
For teams with more than 15 users, Asana’s Premium plan offers additional features that can be worth the investment for tracking large projects. These features include everything in its free plan, plus timeline views, automated workflows and standard reporting. Asana also offers a 30-day free trial for its paid plans.
Its Business plan gives you everything in Premium, and is best for larger teams with more complex project management needs. Its features include advanced reporting, portfolios, goals, advanced workflows and resource management.
Asana is an excellent choice for businesses looking to manage multifaceted projects and introduce Agile project management into their workflow. However, if you’re a solopreneur or have a small team, an Asana alternative such as Trello may be more suitable for your needs.
Our Expert Take
Asana is a powerful project management tool that we tested extensively. In particular, we have found that Asana’s intuitive interface, customizable settings and collaboration features make it a valuable asset to any team.
One of the most notable features of Asana is its flexibility. Asana offers customizable templates, project views and settings, which can be tailored to suit the specific needs of any project or team. The ability to switch between different project views, such as list, board, calendar and timeline views, provides additional flexibility and helps teams to stay organized and on track.
Asana’s collaboration features are also noteworthy. The platform allows teams to assign tasks, track progress and communicate with team members in real time, providing valuable insights into the status of each project. This real-time collaboration helps teams to remain aligned and productive, even when working remotely.
Additionally, Asana’s automation features can help teams to save time and streamline their workflow. Asana’s Workflow Builder offers preset rules, forms and custom templates that automate routine tasks, while its integrations with other software such as Slack and Zapier help to connect different apps and tools. These integrations also help extend the functionality of your entire workflow, making it even easier to stay organized and productive.
However, Asana has some limitations that should be considered before committing to it as a primary project management tool. While the free plan offers many features, it is limited to 15 users, which may not be sufficient for larger teams. The paid plans offer additional features, but the cost can add up quickly for larger teams. Additionally, while Asana is flexible, it may take some time for users to fully understand and make the most of its customizable settings.
Another consideration is Asana’s massive amount of features. As with any new software, especially a project management tool, there is a learning curve to using Asana. Some users may find the platform overwhelming at first, with so many features and settings to navigate. However, Asana’s user-friendly interface and supportive documentation can make it easier to learn and adapt to over time.
In summary, we highly recommend Asana as a valuable tool for managing complex projects, particularly for teams that value collaboration and flexibility. Its user-friendly interface, customization options, real-time collaboration capabilities and automation features make it a powerful asset to any team. However, teams should consider the size of their team, the cost of the paid plans and the learning curve before committing to Asana as their primary project management tool. Overall, Asana has proven to be an efficient and reliable project management tool that can help teams to stay organized and productive.
Is Asana Right for You or Your Business?
If you have fewer than 15 users, Asana’s free plan is perfect for businesses working on a lot of collaborative projects. There are a ton of great features on the free plan that can help make project management more efficient.
For more than 15 users, you’ll have to level up to the Premium plan. However, with all of the extra features, it can definitely be worth it to track large projects. Asana offers a 30-day free trial for paid plans as well.
In order to keep track of multifaceted projects, and possibly introduce Agile project management into your business, Asana could be the right software for you and your team. However, if you’re a solopreneur or a two-person team, another Asana alternative such as Trello may be better suited.