Creative project management software lets creative teams plan, organize, and collaborate on projects from a single workspace. Beyond basic task management, these tools help you manage creative requests, track billable hours, manage assets, and more.

Since numerous solutions on the market advertise themselves as the best project management software for creative teams, I decided to put them to the test.

The reviews below are based on my hands-on experience, with a close look at their features, ease of use, pricing, and overall value for creative teams.

Let’s dive right in!

WHY TRUST US?

The apps we talk about are selected, tested, and written about by human reviewers who follow strict review and editorial guidelines. We pick solutions that are practical, purposeful, and can offer real value for the specific use case or business context we’re covering — while also being justified in their pricing. Our methodology is transparent, clear, and available to everyone:

Learn more about our review methodology here →

Top 10 creative project management tools — overview

Here’s a brief overview of all the PM tools I tried out. Scroll down for my full reviews!

AppBest forFree trialFree planLowest price
Plaky by CAKE.comCreative management on a budget$3.99/user/month
AsanaCross-functional collaboration$10.99/user/month
ProofHubLarge teams$45/month
TrelloBeginners$5/user/month
WrikeComplex projects$10/user/month
ClickUpCentralizing creative work$7/user/month
HiveFast-moving teams$5/user/month
monday.comWorkflow customization$9/user/month
MiroBrainstorming and workshops$8/user/month
NiftyTracking goals and milestones$10/user/month

#1 Plaky by CAKE.com — best for creative management on a budget

Plaky is a creative project management tool designed to help teams organize work, collaborate, and monitor progress with ease.

Why choose Plaky?

If you want essential PM features without the complexity or cost of many similar tools, Plaky is the way to go.

ProsCons
– Intuitive
– Cost-effective
– Easy time tracking
– Simplifies team collaboration
– Limited integrations

Plaky provides an effective foundation for creative PM thanks to:

  • Ease of use — I appreciate Plaky’s intuitive interface in multiple project views (Table, Chart, Kanban, and Gantt), requiring no technical knowledge or help from an IT team to set it up.
  • Smooth collaboration — creative discussions, feedback, and assets remain tied to the tasks through Comments and Files, and no update gets lost in the trustworthy Activity log.
  • Built-in time tracker — the free native integration with Clockify lets you track (non-)billable hours directly in Plaky and then head over to Clockify if you want detailed reports, billable rates, timesheets, and more.

Get Plaky for free now

Time tracking in Plaky
Plaky is feature-packed yet easy on the eye

I highly recommend making use of the Clockify connection to better estimate creative work and accurately bill clients.

By the way, a Plaky account automatically gives you access to Clockify — they’re both included in your single CAKE.com account, as well as the third CAKE.com app, Pumble.

Speaking of which, the only other native integration Plaky has is the 2-way sync with Pumble to keep tasks and team communication closer.

In fact, Plaky + Clockify + Pumble equals the CAKE.com Suite — all 3 apps, fully upgraded at 50% off.

Try the CAKE.com tools

Need more? Use Plaky’s API to connect it to other tools for broader workflow automation.

Here are additional reasons why Plaky makes sense for creative PM without breaking the bank:

  • Affordable pricing — the free plan is functional, but for just a little more, you get advanced features like Board automations and Chart widgets, to name a few, to work faster and smarter.
  • Fields — while most similar tools offer no custom fields for free, Plaky allows 6 Fields on the free plan and unlimited Fields on paid plans (Text, Number, Person, Link, Date, and more) for full flexibility.
  • Template center — all users have access to ready-made boards — for creative PM, I suggest trying the Creative requests template or Marketing strategy plan template.

Bonus: all Plaky tiers offer unlimited Spaces, Boards, (Sub)Items, and users, so don’t worry about hitting usage restrictions when managing multiple campaigns or content plans.

Plaky's Chart widgets
Plaky’s Chart widgets provide quick visual insights

💡 Plaky Pro Tip

Keen to learn more about creative PM and how Plaky helps handle challenges in that field? Check these out:

What’s new in Plaky?

The most recent Plaky updates have to do with automations:

  • You can set up automatic notifications about approaching due dates via the new “Date arrives” trigger.
  • There are new dynamic value options for Date and Timeline fields.

There have also been improvements to the Clockify integration, Chart exports, and more, all of which you can see in Plaky’s Changelog.

Available for: web, iOS, Android

PlanPrice
Free$0
Pro$3.99/seat/month*
Enterprise$8.99/seat/month*
CAKE.com Bundle$12.99/seat/month*

*billed annually

#2 Asana — best for cross-functional collaboration

Asana is a tool that offers tasks, project timelines, goals, and team communication in one workspace.

Why choose Asana?

Asana excels at connecting members within a team and different teams within an organization, making it effective for cross-department creative projects.

ProsCons
– Forms and proofing
– 100+ free integrations
– Multi-homing
– Limited free plan
– Inflexible pricing

During my testing of Asana, I noted these features as the most useful for creative PM:

  • Forms — instead of messy email threads or chat, have your team use custom forms to collect creative requests, automatically pulling all the necessary details and attachments.
  • Proofing — ensure designs and PDFs are annotated directly in the app to make approval rounds faster and reduce confusion over revisions.
  • Templates — to save setup time, check out Asana’s 80+ template options, many of which cater to creative teams (e.g., Vision board, Design proposal, Creative asset feedback).
  • Extensive integrations — connect Asana with some of the 100+ third-party apps on the free plan and around a 100 more on its paid tiers to expand your creative PM workflow.
  • Guest access for external partners — invite external partners or clients to collaborate on tasks or reviews without granting access to the entire workspace.

Unfortunately, besides some templates and the free integrations, Asana’s handiest features require a paid subscription (and proofing even isn’t available on the first paid tier).

Paying users are also the only ones who get native time tracking, timesheets, and the Budgets add-on, as well as AI features.

Asana’s interface
Asana’s interface

That said, if you often manage cross-functional collaboration and are willing to pay a steeper price, Asana could be of great help thanks to:

  • Multi-homing — add a certain task to multiple projects without duplication if different creative teams need to be aligned on the same assignment.
  • Project views — allow different users to look at projects in the way that makes the most sense for their processes (List, Board, Calendar, Timeline, or Gantt).
  • Task dependencies — define relationships between tasks so that everyone has a clear picture of the overall workflow.
  • Comments and messages — discuss creative ideas and share updates via in-task comments or direct messages, eliminating long email threads.
Direct messaging in Asana
Direct messaging in Asana

I must also share a few important disclaimers about Asana’s pricing. First, Asana’s free plan allows only 2 users. Second, subscriptions are sold in user blocks, with the block size increasing as your team grows (e.g., increments of 5, 10, 25, or 50 users). So, you’re likely to end up paying for unused seats, blowing up your software costs without extra benefit.

Affordable Asana alternative — Plaky

What’s new in Asana?

Asana has continued expanding its AI features in recent months, primarily by launching AI Teammates, which can delegate and move work forward. There have also been improvements to automation, project overviews, and notification management.

Available for: web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

PlanPrice
Personal$0
Starter$10.99/user/month*
Advanced$24.99/user/month*
EnterprisePOA
Enterprise+POA

*billed annually

#3 ProofHub — best for large teams

ProofHub is a robust solution that blends task management, file sharing, proofing, communication, and time tracking.

Why choose ProofHub?

The all-in-1 approach combined with a flat-rate pricing model makes ProofHub particularly appealing for larger teams with many collaborators.

ProsCons
– All-in-1 app
– No per-user fees
– Great collaboration features
– No free plan
– Limited integrations

ProofHub has what most creative teams and their managers need without having to rely on several apps:

  • Essential task management — tasks cover assignees, labels, due dates, subtasks, and attachments, which is what I expected from this kind of software.
  • Forms — users can create linkable custom forms to collect creative requests in a structured way, turning them into actionable tasks.
  • Time tracking — your team can log hours directly in ProofHub, whether you’re tracking billable client work or simply monitoring how long projects take.
  • Proofing — team members and clients can leave comments directly on files and highlight what needs changes, reducing confusion during revision rounds.

What ProofHub could improve is integrations. I counted under 10 options (the most notable being Google Calendar, Quick Books, and Slack). But at least there’s a REST API, if you know how to use it, enabling you to connect external tools to your ProofHub workspace.

Form customization options in ProofHub
Form customization options in ProofHub

As for why I believe ProofHub could be a good choice for large teams, the main reasons are:

  • Flat-rate pricing — Unlike most similar platforms, ProofHub offers 2 tiers with a flat monthly fee and unlimited users. This model makes it cost-effective for organizations with many employees.
  • Unlimited guests — You can work on tasks with others even if they don’t have a ProofHub account. It’s a great way to collaborate with outside partners, ensuring transparency and security.
  • Custom roles — Besides the standard roles (Owners, Admins, and Normal users), ProofHub supports custom roles, too. It means you can tailor a certain role’s level of access precisely to your needs.
  • Native chat — Native real-time chat is for both 1-1 and group conversations. This way, creative teams can keep project communication tied to relevant work.
Tasks in ProofHub
Tasks in ProofHub

While the flat-rate pricing model is a big pro in my eyes, I must also underline that ProofHub doesn’t have a free plan (only a free trial) — which is inconvenient for those who have simpler needs and are therefore hoping to use a tool at no cost.

My final complaint, though not a deal-breaker, is that ProofHub’s design feels outdated despite recent UI improvements. I’d prefer a more polished look and smooth animations.

What’s new in ProofHub?

ProofHub recently introduced cleaner navigation, optimized Gantt charts with better progress tracking, and improved the My tasks view with faster search capabilities and board-to-table switching.

Available for: web, iOS, Android

PlanPrice
Essential$45/month*
Ultimate Control$89/month* in the first 3 months, then $150/month*

*billed annually

#4 Trello — best for beginners

Trello by Atlassian is a tool built around the Kanban methodology — organizing work into boards, columns, and cards for neat and visual project management.

Why choose Trello?

Trello supports work management without overwhelming you while still offering room to expand as your projects grow.

ProsCons
– User-friendly
– 200+ Power-Ups
– Many handy templates
– 10 users and 10 boards maximum on the free plan
– Too lightweight for complex workflows

Testing Trello for creative workflows, here’s what I found particularly useful:

  • Detailed task cards — tasks are as detailed as you’d expect, with assignees, due dates, labels, attachments, unlimited activity history, etc., plus custom fields for paying users.
  • Visual Kanban boards — drag-and-drop boards make it easy to track progress, simply moving cards though stages (e.g., Planning, Ongoing, Creative feedback, Closure).
  • Other project views — Trello caters to different user needs by also offering Calendar, Timeline, Table, Dashboard, and Map views, but only on the Premium tier and higher.
  • Built-in automation — no-code automations help you save time on repetitive tasks, i.e., auto-moving cards, assigning teammates, or triggering notifications based on custom rules.

The free plan is usable, but I can’t help but notice that some other apps (like Plaky and ClickUp) offer the table-style view, unlimited boards, and unlimited users for free. In contrast, Trello’s free plan only allows 10 boards or 10 collaborators per workspace.

Kanban board in Trello
Kanban board in Trello

Admittedly, this isn’t my first time testing Trello for a certain use case, but I remember when it was and how easily I figured it out. Here’s what makes it a solid tool for total beginners:

  • Minimal setup required — as soon as you launch Trello, you have the 3 main sections: Inbox for quick ideas, Planner for an external calendar connection, and Boards for tasks.
  • Plenty of templates — rather than building boards from scratch, I enjoy getting started faster with pre-made templates (Trello has categories like Project management, Design, Marketing, Remote work, and more).
  • Optional customization with Power-Ups — there are 200+ integrations/plug-ins to choose from to expand Trello’s functionality if needed (e.g., for time tracking, deep reporting, file management).

Just note that while Trello offers unlimited Power-Ups on the free plan, not all the options are free — those powered by third-party developers typically require a separate subscription.

Trello's Power-Ups
Trello’s Power-Ups

My final remark is that Trello’s simplicity makes it less suitable for teams with complex approval processes or cross-functional dependencies (unless you’re willing to heavily rely on Power-Ups, automatically making your board maintenance more demanding).

What’s new in Trello?

Trello’s paying users can now do more with Atlassian Intelligence — improve card descriptions, generate AI images for board card covers and board backgrounds, identify action items from card details and comments, and more.

Available for: web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

PlanPrice
Free$0
Standard$5/user/month*
Premium$10/user/month*
Enterprise (est. for 50 users, i.e., the minimum)$17.50/user/month*

*billed annually

#5 Wrike — best for complex workflows

Wrike is a project management platform with robust workflow automation, resource planning, reporting, and collaboration features.

Why choose Wrike?

Wrike excels when creative workflows become too complex for simpler PM tools, i.e., managing large projects and marketing campaigns with many moving parts.

ProsCons
– Proofing and forms
– 400+ integrations
– Feature-packed
– Learning curve
– Impractical pricing structure

Creative PM processes go beyond task management, and Wrike supports that through:

  • Built-in proofing — managers, teammates, and external collaborators can proof files in multiple formats and compare different versions side by side for a smooth revision of creative assets.
  • Request forms — organizing work is easier when creative requests flow in via custom forms, automatically creating tasks with all the required information.
  • 400+ integrations — Wrike integrates with hundreds of other tools to make the app even more versatile (the Adobe Creative Cloud integration is known to be especially useful for creative teams).

Unfortunately, most of the features I just mentioned — plus time tracking and advanced AI — are available only on Wrike Business and higher, which means a steep $25/user/month.

Plus, much like Asana, Wrike sells subscriptions in blocks of 5, 10, or 25 seats depending on your organization size. So, if a single new teammate joins, you can’t buy just 1 more license, and you end up paying for unused seats.

Wrike’s UI
Wrike’s UI

That said, a pricey tool like Wrike may prove to be worth it if you deal with complex creative projects, making use of features such as:

  • Powerful automation — automate repetitive actions like updating statuses or notifying reviewers to spend less time on admin work.
  • Resource management — use the Resources view and Workload charts to manage workloads across designers, writers, marketers, and other creatives.
  • Task dependencies — choose from 4 types of dependencies to map out how creative tasks connect and prevent bottlenecks.
  • Cross-tagging — keep the same task in multiple projects at once when different teams are collaborating — no need to duplicate work.
  • Detailed reporting — look at real-time reports and dashboards to monitor progress, and export them when you want to share them outside Wrike.
Automation templates in Wrike
Automation templates in Wrike

Since Wrike offers an impressive number of features, you won’t be surprised to hear new users often find the interface overwhelming at first.

Also, setup takes time. Wrike delivers the most value after you’ve configured workflows, forms, dashboards, and automations. If you’re looking for an app your team can start using immediately, Wrike isn’t the best fit.

What’s new in Wrike?

Recent updates in Wrike include Gantt chart improvements (e.g., new settings, assignees appearing as avatars), smarter Templates and Solutions Center search, and enhanced request forms.

Available for: web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

PlanPrice
Free$0
Team$10/user/month*
Business$25/user/month*
PinnaclePOA
ApexPOA

*billed annually

#6 ClickUp — best for centralizing creative work

ClickUp is a work management tool with extensive customization options and feature-rich design, suitable for all kinds of teams in creative industries.

Why choose ClickUp?

Brainstorming, planning, production, feedback, and approvals — ClickUp can support almost every aspect of your creative projects.

ProsCons
– All-in-1 tool
– Custom forms
– 1,000+ integrations
– Cluttered UI
– Learning curve

ClickUp is one of the most feature-rich platforms I tested — here’s what stood out:

  • Custom forms — ideas and requests submitted via forms automatically create tasks with the relevant details, helping you start projects faster and with fewer follow-up questions.
  • 15+ project views — everyone can work on the same project while choosing their preferred layout (the number of view options grows as the tiers do).
  • Solid automations — you can use pre-built or custom automations, allowing your team to spend more time on creative tasks than dull actions like notifying reviewers or moving tasks through stages manually.
  • 1,000+ integrations — ClickUp connects with an impressive number of apps, some of which your creative team may already be using, so integrating them makes the PM workflow smoother.

Because ClickUp tries to do so much, the interface looks busy most of the time. Also, the app is sometimes slow to load large workspaces — which I find frustrating, as it affects my focus.

ClickUp’s UI
ClickUp’s UI

Back to the positives: I think ClickUp biggest strength is its ability to centralize creative work thanks to:

  • Tasks, Docs, and Whiteboards — you can brainstorm ideas, write project briefs, assign tasks, and track progress without leaving the platform.
  • Proofing — Business and Enterprise users get unlimited proofing — annotating images, videos, and PDFs to provide clear feedback on assets.
  • Time tracking — all paying users get handy native time tracking, but some related features are only for those on the Business plan and higher (timesheets, granular time estimates) or only on Enterprise (timesheet approvals).
  • Dashboards and reporting — live, visual reporting pages summarize project progress, goals, and time entries, helping you readjust as needed.
  • Built-in chat — paid plan users have access to ClickUp’s native chat feature instead of having to switch to another app for quick discussions.
Whiteboard in ClickUp
Whiteboard in ClickUp

Of course, having lots of features at your disposal seems like a big perk, but it’s also a double-edged sword. First-time ClickUp users often complain about feeling overwhelmed and needing time to configure the platform.

And, while ClickUp’s free plan isn’t as restrictive compared to Asana’s or Wrike’s, most advanced features are still gated behind the paywall.

What’s new in ClickUp?

ClickUp has mostly been focusing on extending what its paid add-on Brain AI can do — remembering your preferences, turning any conversation into a reusable Super Agent, automating your email and calendar, and more.

Available for: web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

PlanPrice
Free$0
Unlimited$7/user/month*
Business$12/user/month*
EnterprisePOA

*billed annually

#7 Hive — best for fast-moving teams

Hive is a versatile PM tool that prides itself on being democratically built — shaping its roadmap and new features based on user feedback.

Why choose Hive?

Hive blends planning, communication, proofing, and AI features well, boosting productivity and efficiency.

ProsCons
– Full set of proofing tools
– Rich form builder
– Useful add-ons
– Limited Free and Starter plans
– Feature availability is confusing

Exploring Hive, here’s what left a good impression on me:

  • Detailed task management — tasks have assignees, dates, priority level, subactions, dependencies, and more, allowing for precision and effective planning.
  • Custom forms — Hive’s form builder with text elements, checkboxes, file attachment fields, etc. is ideal for collecting creative design requests and similar submissions.
  • Strong proofing — beyond simple annotations, Hive offers rich visual markup experience (e.g., text boxes, shapes, freehand drawing) for thorough feedback on assets.
  • AI assistant — there’s a standard AI assistant on all paid plans, but if you get the Buzz AI add-on (only on Hive Teams and Enterprise for $12/user/month), it can brainstorm content ideas, draft emails, and way more.

Unfortunately, features like shareable forms, proofing, and customizable fields are reserved for those on the 2 highest tiers.

In addition, there’s a 10-user and 10-project limit on the free plan — which is inconvenient but not unheard of. However, I’m surprised to see the same restrictions apply on the first paid plan (Starter).

Buzz AI-generated workflow in Hive
Buzz AI-generated workflow in Hive

And here’s what made me think Hive is suitable for fast-moving teams:

  • Timekeeping — there are add-ons for time tracking and timesheets with billable hours, but their availability depends on your tier (for instance, Timesheets comes on Enterprise by default but is a flexible add-on on the Teams tier).
  • Team messaging — in-app messaging supports faster feedback cycles, ultimately leading to better collaboration across creative teams.
  • Fast setup with templates — Hive offers 100+ templates, including some designed specifically for creative work (bonus perk: they load incredibly fast).
  • Resourcing — you can allocate resources by hour to specific projects and even add teammates or placeholders — super handy if your priorities and staffing needs tend to change often (but this is an add-on that works the same way as Timesheets).

Truth be told, there aren’t many native integrations (I counted 15), but Hive makes up for it by working with Zapier, which means 1,000+ additional connections for automation purposes.

Creative work templates in Hive
Creative work templates in Hive

My biggest complaint? I often found it confusing to distinguish between core features, optional Hive Apps, and premium add-ons. A clearer breakdown of what’s available on each plan would make the platform easier to evaluate.

What’s new in Hive?

Buzz AI can now delegate complex work, provide more relevant responses in comment threads, and generally perform more smoothly on mobile. And, as of recently, Hive users can pre-fill forms from table records and proof very large images — both useful for creative teams.

Available for: web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

PlanPrice
Free$0
Starter$5/user/month*
Teams$12/user/month*
EnterprisePOA

*billed annually

#8 monday.com — best for workflow customization

Monday.com is a work management platform that offers customizable boards, workflows, automations, and dashboards.

Why choose monday.com?

Creative projects rarely follow identical processes, and monday.com has the features for building a system around your specific workflows.

ProsCons
– Free shareable forms
– 850+ integrations
– Lots of view and column types
– Limited free plan
– Uneconomic pricing model

Monday.com is a robust tool. To avoid feeling overwhelmed right away, I got started with one of the 200+ templates, then explored the platform.

And here are the most useful features for creative PM:

  • Shareable forms — All users can create shareable forms to transform creative requests into tasks. However, only Pro and Enterprise users get custom branded forms for a more professional look.
  • 850+ integrations — On paid accounts, monday.com has impressive integration options. This includes apps commonly used by creative teams (Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, Canva, and others), making it easier to track task progress.
  • Guest access — On the Standard tier and higher, you can share certain projects with external partners and keep the rest of your workspace private. Controlled guest access is ideal for collaborating with clients and freelancers.
monday.com's UI
monday.com’s UI

Since different creative teams tend to work differently, monday.com has these features for building highly customizable workflows:

  • Custom fields — you get to pick from 30+ column types, with the option to reorder and add/delete them whenever you want.
  • Adaptable project views — colorful boards make it easier to monitor creative projects, whether in Table, Kanban, Gantt, Calendar, or other views.
  • Powerful automations — besides pre-made automation templates, you can choose your own triggers and actions to reduce manual work.

You can fully enjoy these perks only on monday.com’s paid plans, though. The free plan includes only 8 basic columns, Table and Kanban views, and no automations at all.

Also, time tracking and multi-board dashboard are reserved for those on the 2 highest tiers.

Column center in monday.com
Column center in monday.com

The biggest downside for me has to do with monday.com’s pricing. Similarly to Asana and Wrike, monday.com makes you buy seats in bundles (3, 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.), wasting money on unused seats unless your team size is a “neat” number.

Also, I find the AI credits system hard to grasp. The usage of monday AI features and tools is counted in hours, runs, tasks, etc., all consuming a different amount of credits, and keeping track of that can be daunting.

What’s new in monday.com?

Recent monday.com updates mostly focus on AI: new ways to connect the platform’s AI agents and external apps, turning board data into visual charts with Sidekick AI, and a human-in-the-loop block to ensure people can review and edit AI-generated actions before they are completed.

Available for: web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

PlanPrice
Free$0
Basic$9/seat/month*
Standard$12/seat/month*
Pro$19/seat/month*
EnterprisePOA

*billed annually

#9 Miro — best for brainstorming and workshops

Miro is a collaborative whiteboard platform that helps teams brainstorm, plan, and organize ideas and tasks.

Why choose Miro?

Thanks to numerous visual collaboration features, Miro is excellent for teams that regularly develop creative concepts together.

ProsCons
– 300+ pre-made templates
– 250+ integrations
– Excellent visual collaboration tools
– Gets cluttered easily
– Limited PM functionality

Miro is primarily known for:

  • Infinite canvas — the limitless whiteboard gave me the freedom to sketch ideas and map workflows without feeling constrained by traditional documents or project boards.
  • Ready-made templates — there are hundreds of customizable templates for design sprints, content planning, user journeys, etc., so I used them to get started quickly.
  • Visual planning tools — Miro supports sticky notes, diagrams, flow charts, Kanban boards, and much more, letting teams organize work in the format that best suits the project.

Now, Miro isn’t a traditional task manager, but you can create trackable task cards with assignee, status, description, start/end date, and tag fields.

Plus, Miro integrates with 250+ other tools used for PM, design, asset management, content visualization, etc. to support project execution better.

Product concept template in Miro
Product concept template in Miro

That said, Miro shines the most during brainstorming sessions and workshops — here’s why:

  • Real-time collaboration — multiple members can edit the same board simultaneously, and if you have a paid plan, you can invite visitors to collaborate (no sign-in required).
  • Async comments — users can drop comments for smooth communication and collaboration even when not everyone is online at the same time.
  • Interactive elements — tools like polls, word clouds, reactions, quizzes, etc. make team sessions and design workshops more engaging.

Miro also has a timer feature for tracking your time while running a collaborative session, but no native billable or historical time-tracking features — so it could be difficult to invoice clients with total precision.

Interactive tools in Miro
Interactive tools in Miro

You may also find Miro AI helpful. For free users, AI features are limited (primarily generating diagrams, tables, and images). On paid plans, though, you get monthly AI credits and features for more sophisticated automation and collaboration.

As for Miro’s main downside, I’d say it’s the lack of more robust PM features and structure. Since it’s essentially one giant whiteboard, it’s easy to get lost in sticky notes, diagrams, and other elements.

Finally, while I personally didn’t experience any glitches (only slow loading time for templates), I’ve seen quite a few user reports online about Miro getting sluggish with large boards — which is far from what any software user wants.

What’s new in Miro?

Like most other apps in this list, Miro has been focusing on expanding its AI capabilities. The latest updates include agentic Sidekicks, which can take on more complex tasks using the workspace context, as well as Flows, which help you transform rough inputs (like screenshots and notes) into structured outputs.

Available for: web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

PlanPrice
Free$0
Starter$8/member/month*
Business$20/member/month*
EnterprisePOA

*billed annually

#10 Nifty — best for tracking goals and milestones

Nifty is a solution that combines tasks, discussions, time tracking, reporting, goals, and more in a single app.

Why choose Nifty?

If your projects often have goal-oriented structure, Nifty can help connect everyday work with larger project outcomes.

ProsCons
– Tasks, chat, and docs in 1 app
– Strong goal tracking
– Decent reports
– Best features gated behind paid plans
– Limited native integrations

Besides strong task management with customizable fields (on paid plans), Nifty supports creative PM through features like:

  • Proofing — paying users can annotate standalone files or those attached to tasks, but this only means adding comments (no rich options like shapes and drawings that Hive has, for example).
  • Time tracking — this is another paid feature that’s super handy, letting managers see members’ logged hours, break them down by projects/tasks, export timesheets, and more.
  • Team chat — users across all plans can rely on Nifty’s native chat to ask questions, share updates, and resolve issues without switching to another app.
  • Docs — with a collaborative space for creative briefs, brand guidelines, and other project documentation, teams can always easily access the information they need.

Nifty also has forms, but they’re available natively only on Enterprise. Otherwise, it’s a paid add-on ($16/month if billed annually).

Nifty's interface
Nifty’s interface

Moreover, I like how Nifty lets users define project milestones and set measurable goals. In my experience, this feature helps everyone understand where a project stands and reduces the risk of project failure — especially when combined with:

  • Goal grouping — creative teams can group related goals together and organize them by client, department, campaign, or project phase.
  • Automated goal tracking — thanks to custom tags, fields, and assignees, Nifty can automatically add/remove related tasks and measure team and individual performance.
  • Solid reporting — while reports in Nifty aren’t as deep as in ClickUp or Wrike, for instance, this app still offers clear summaries and overviews of workloads, project progress, milestone completion, etc., contributing to efficient goal tracking.

While milestones are available for everyone, I must emphasize that goal tracking is reserved for those on the 2 highest plans.

Creating a goal in Nifty
Creating a goal in Nifty

As for integrations, the native options are very modest (fewer than 20), but thanks to Zapier (a third-party connector), you can integrate Nifty with 2,000+ apps for wider workflow automation.

I’ll also say Nifty is easy to navigate, but the design doesn’t feel as modern and polished compared to Plaky or Hive, for instance.

What’s new in Nifty?

Nifty recently introduced its MCP server, enabling assistants like Claude or ChatGPT to interact directly with Nifty workspaces. Other than that, the app has mostly worked on minor fixes and enhancements lately.

Available for: web, Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

PlanPrice
Free$0
Pro$10/user/month*
Business$16/user/month*
EnterprisePOA

*billed annually

FAQ

Let’s answer some commonly asked questions about project management software for creatives.

What features should creative project management software have?

The typical features of creative PM software include:

  • Task management
  • Flexible views
  • Proofing and approvals
  • Workflow automation
  • Time tracking
  • Templates for recurring projects

The aim is to keep project deadlines, communication, approvals, and creative deliverables organized in one central workspace.

What is the best creative project management software?

Picking the best creative PM solution depends on your team’s size, workflow, and priorities. For instance, Plaky is a great scalable and affordable app, ClickUp and ProofHub are solid all-in-1 solutions, Wrike excels at handling complex workflows, etc.

You should make the decision based on how you and your team organize and collaborate on creative projects on a daily basis.

💡 Plaky Pro Tip

We have a useful general guide on choosing suitable PM software — read it here:

What are examples of creative projects you can manage with this kind of software?

Creative PM apps can be used to manage a variety of creative projects, including:

  • Marketing campaigns
  • Graphic design projects
  • Content writing
  • Video production
  • Event planning and promotion
  • Creative agency client work

Whether you’re a freelancer, an in-house marketing team, or a creative agency, a dedicated PM tool can keep the entire creative process organized.

Is there free creative project management software?

Yes, most solutions reviewed in this listicle have a free version — however, not every free plan is equally functional. The most generous when it comes to free features and users are Plaky, ClickUp, and Miro.

Streamline your creative project management with Plaky by CAKE.com

Choosing the right PM tool for your creative team is an important decision, so you must consider both day-to-day features and the long-term essentials.

That’s why my vote goes to Plaky. In addition to all the useful features I listed in its review, Plaky offers:

  • Different user roles — assign Admin, Member, or Viewer roles to users to ensure a suitable level of control.
  • Enterprise-grade security — rest assured your data is always safe thanks to our 24/7 audit test and the relevant certifications.
  • 24/7/365 customer support — in case of any questions or issues, contact our customer support team (100% human) whenever via chat, email, or phone.

Enjoy smooth creative project management without a high price tag — get Plaky by CAKE.com today!

How we reviewed this post: Our writers & editors monitor the posts and update them when new information becomes available, to keep them fresh and relevant.