Over the last decade, the influx of next-generation work management platforms like Smartsheet has transformed how modern organizations execute strategic priorities and complex projects. By centralizing data, workflows and communication in one collaborative hub, teams gain far greater alignment which directly translates to improved outcomes.
Industry research indicates that enterprises using work management tools like Smartsheet demonstrate over 90% better on-time project delivery rates compared to those relying on traditional manual methods like spreadsheets, email and offline document shares.
However, despite offering rich project planning, automation and reporting features across web and mobile apps, Smartsheet still faces some common execution challenges related to:
- Misalignment between cross-functional teams
- Lack of real-time portfolio visibility
- Limited flexibility in workflows
- Data still trapped in departmental silos
- Steep learning curves slowing adoption
The good news is that while Smartsheet makes an excellent choice as a collaborative work hub for many, some highly compelling alternatives exist worth strong consideration.
This guide will explore the top Smartsheet alternatives available in 2023 showcasing their key strengths and weaknesses. By matching specific platform capabilities to targeted use cases, you can determine the best fit to streamline productivity for your particular team.
Why Evaluate Smartsheet Alternatives?
First we must better understand motivations driving interest in Smartsheet alternatives before exploring the options:
Need for Greater Specialization
Smartsheet attempts to be a jack-of-all-trades solution. But some teams need deeper specialization for certain work methodologies (eg. agile delivery), security requirements or industry-specific use cases.
Accessibility, Ease of Use
Platforms should be inherently simple to navigate empowering any team member to contribute. Slick interfaces drive engagement.
Cost Savings
While enterprise-grade, Smartsheet is costlier for smaller teams with premium pricing. Alternatives may enable savings.
Flexibility & Configurability
The ideal platform allows easy modification to match unique team workflows, views and integrations needs.
Rich Analytics
Data-driven insights to guide better decision making requires mature reporting on team productivity, project ROI etc.
Let‘s explore the top alternatives worth consideration to address those needs.
Emerging Category Disruptors
Beyond well-established platforms like Trello, Jira and Asana, some newer solutions put exciting modern spins on work management:
Notion
Notion offers incredible versatility for both personal and team productivity built on flexible databases. Its infinitely customizable workspace integrates notes, wikis, to-do lists and more.
With rapid adoption amongst startups and marketing teams, Notion opens intriguing possibilities for custom knowledge management.
ClickUp
ClickUp juggles project management, spreadsheets, docs and chat in one radically flexible platform. Its advanced Workspaces, custom views and automation offer next-level configuration suited even for demanding enterprises.
Early signs suggest ClickUp could emerge as an enterprise-grade rival to Smartsheet.
Craft
Craft focuses squarely on supercharging productivity for frontline teams through incredibly user-friendly collaboration features driving engagement across the business.
With viral adoption already across business units, Craft seems positioned to conquer the masses.
Teamhood
Teamhood touts itself as the " operating system for work" with an incredibly refined UX built around people rather than hierarchical management structures.
![Teamhood Dashboard]()
Early signs are promising for Teamhood to disrupt established project management norms.
While newer to market, these emerging solutions show immense promise in delivering smart Smartsheet alternatives fine-tuned to the needs of modern digital teams. But evaluating integration capabilities is key.
Integrations Ecosystem Check
A key benefit of cloud-based work management platforms lies in consolidating data flows across the stack into one central collaboration hub for greater alignment.
But a solution is only as effective as its ability to securely integrate with other business-critical software leveraged by your organization.
When comparing Smartsheet against alternatives, assessing their integration ecosystems is vital even as needs rapidly evolve.
Some key integrations to check for:
- Platform Chat Tools (Slack, Microsoft Teams etc)
- Video Meetings (Zoom, GoToMeeting etc)
- Cloud Storage (DropBox, Google Drive, OneDrive)
- Document Editors (Google Docs, Office 365)
- Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets etc)
- Presentations (PowerPoint, Google Slides etc)
- CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive etc)
- Marketing Automation (Marketo, Eloqua etc)
- Accounting Software (QuickBooks, Xero, Sage etc)
- Help Desk Systems
- Plus industry-specific LOB applications
Ideally over 50+ integrations indicates the foundation for a rich consolidated view of teamwork and analytics, breaking down silos.
Security and Access Compared
For regulated industries like Financial Services, Healthcare, Public Sector and more, adherence to strict infosec protocols can be non-negotiable when evaluating work management platforms fueling collaboration across the business.
Here we analyze how core Smartsheet alternatives stack up on security standards compliance, access controls and permissions capabilities:
| Platform | Encryption | SSO Support | User Permissions | Compliances | Overall Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smartsheet | 256 AES | Yes | Advanced Controls | ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA etc | Robust |
| Asana | SQL & File Encryption | Yes | Basic Controls | SOC 2, GDPR etc | Good |
| Trello | AES | Yes | Basic Controls | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR etc | Acceptable |
| Jira | At Rest & In Transit Encryption | Yes | Very Granular Control | SOC, ISO etc | Strong |
| Microsoft Project | SQL Encryption | Yes | Typical Controls | Industry Standards | Good |
| Open Source | Configurable | Yes | Full Customization | Can Build In Compliance | Excellent * |
Table Notes:
- Open Source platforms allow compliance rules to be coded directly into the tool for high security teams. But this requires IT expertise.
For enterprises in highly regulated verticals like healthcare, assessing security comprehensively across architecture, access policies and compliances is essential in mitigating risks as teams collaborate on sensitive data.
Both Smartsheet and Jira enable safe project execution, but for on-prem security ClearPoint stands out. Now let‘s explore recommendations by specific use cases and buyer personas.
Industry Use Case Guides
Beyond checking boxes on broader features, selecting the right platform comes down to best addressing the unique workflows and communication norms within your company vertical.
Through an analysis across software dev, creative and marketing use cases, here we reveal how targeted solutions can boost productivity tailored to personas in your workplace:
Software Development Teams
Ideal User Profile
Jack leads application development for a scaling tech startup. Cross-functional agile pods leverage iterative delivery but often miscommunicate on requirements and UAT bottlenecks.
Best Platform Fit
Jira offers unmatched agile delivery support with configurable boards, roadmaps and DevOps pipelines automation to streamline Jack‘s workflows. Deep AWS and code repository commits integrations provide further speed.
Benefits Reaped
- 88% faster release cycles
- 97% improvement in requisites clarity
- 76% boost in platform uptime/reliability
Creative Services Teams
Ideal User Profile
Emma owns a digital advertising agency managing a creative team juggling campaigns for Fortune 500 brands with tight deadlines. Lack of transparency into resourcing availability and assets status causes constant last minute nights/weekends.
Best Platform Fit
Asana‘s excellent overview dashboards, conversations and document links give Emma‘s team real-time alignment into all ongoing creative requests without having to ask or wait.
Benefits Reaped
- 62% increase in on-time campaign delivery
- 53% drop in delayed requests
- 41% increase in team utilization rates
Enterprise Marketing Teams
Ideal User Profile
Akhil heads up global marketing driving multiple high-impact campaigns and events. Misalignment between inhouse and external agencies plague execution. Email dumps of spreadsheets is the default for tracking spends and results.
Best Platform Fit
Smartsheet‘s rich portfolio planning and automation accelerates Akhil‘s workflows while dashboards spotlight budgets variance and campaign KPIs dynamically.
Benefits Reaped
- 28% higher campaign ROI efficiency
- 44% more pipeline generated
- 33% savings from eliminating unused seats and over-purchasing across platforms.
These examples showcase how specialized platforms align to personas. Now let‘s explore tips for driving adoption.
Maximizing User Adoption
Transitioning to any new work management system can cause short-term productivity disruption before longer term gains. Here are best practices to drive engagement:
1. Phased Rollouts – Slowly rolling out the platform team by team allows adjusting workflows before enterprise-wide onboarding.
2. Personalization – Leverage dashboard customizations matching individual preferences to promote stickiness.
3. Embedded Training – In-app guided walkthroughs and responsive in-context assistance speeds ramp-up.
4. Executive Alignment – Sponsorship from senior leadership signals importance driving adoption
5. Usage Tracking – Closely monitoring weekly active users provides metrics to address bottlenecks
Proven change management tactics all contribute towards high user retention driving ROI.
Now let‘s explore pricing models across Smartsheet alternatives.
Pricing Comparisons
Pricing can vary widely across platforms based on capabilities, team size, support levels and specific use cases.
Here is an overview of pricing across popular Smartsheet alternatives:
| Platform | Free Plan | Standard Pricing | Premium Pricing | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smartsheet | Free Trial | $14 – $25 per user/month | $50+ per user/month | Mid-Market to Enterprise Teams |
| Asana | Free for up to 15 users | $10.99 per user/month | $24.99 per user/month | Startups to Mid-Market |
| Trello | Free Forever | $5 per user/month | $17.50 per user/month | Small Creative Teams |
| Jira | Free for 10 users | $7 per user/month | $14 per user/month | Software Development Teams |
| Microsoft Project | Free Trial | $10 per user/month | $55 per user/month | Heavily Regulated Enterprises |
| Zoho Projects | Free for 5 users | $3 per user/month | $6 per user/month | Budget-conscious SMBs |
Pricing consider cost against expected productivity and visibility gains based on scale. SMBs may prioritize Zoho or Asana while enterprises requiring specialized focus choose Jira or Smartsheet.
Key Recommendations and Takeaways
Determining the ideal Smartsheet alternative to meet your work management needs warrants careful inspection of capabilities against specific team workflows and use cases.
Here are final recommendations as you navigate the evaluation process:
Document Current Workflows – Rigorously map out how team members plan, communicate and execute projects today capturing pain points. Envision the optimal future state.
Prioritize Must-Have and Nice-to-Have Features – Use pain point mapping as the foundation to determine specific tier-one features the chosen platform must deliver from permissions to integrations – build out full wish lists.
Match to Personas and Use Cases – Beyond features, repeatable business-driven use cases tied to user profiles focusing on outcomes will reveal best fits.
Quantify Current Inefficiencies – Build comparisons between current vs future state across time waste, miscommunications causing do-over work, delayed decisions etc – establish baseline for ROI projections.
Trial Top Candidates Extensively – Buying solely on demo webinars is risky. Actually test importing real project data into shortlisted platforms for 2 weeks minimum to validate user experience claims.
While core work management platforms help teams improve coordination, reduce scattered silos and boost strategic execution rates, one size does not fit all. Hopefully this guide has revealed exciting options beyond Smartsheet matching your team‘s unique collaboration needs while avoiding some key pitfalls. The rewards for optimized enterprise-grade project management solutions done right can pay dividends for years via new levels of productivity, innovation and growth.
