20 Free Monday.com Alternatives (Why We Switched & Saved $5,000/Year)
TL;DR - Quick Answer
32 min readQuick tool comparison. Features, pricing, and what works best for your needs.
20 Free Monday.com Alternatives (Why We Switched & Saved $5,000/Year)
After spending $5,247 annually on Monday.com for our 12-person team, I finally asked myself: "Are we actually using half these features?"
The answer was no. We were paying for advanced automations we never configured, time tracking we didn't use, and collaboration features that sat untouched. So I tested 20 alternatives—both free and paid—to find what actually delivers value without the enterprise price tag.
The result? We saved $4,200 in year one by switching to ClickUp's free plan (and eventually upgraded to their $7/user plan—still 70% cheaper than Monday.com).
In this guide, I'll break down 20 Monday.com alternatives, from completely free to budget-friendly paid options, plus a migration strategy that won't disrupt your team's workflow.
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Start your free trial⚡ Quick Takeaway
Best Free Alternatives:
- ClickUp - Most features for free
- Trello - Simplest visual workflow
- Asana - Best for task management
- Notion - Most flexible workspace
- Airtable - Best database features
Best Value Paid Alternatives:
- ClickUp - $7/user/month (vs Monday.com $10-24/user)
- Teamwork - $5.99/user/month
- Wrike - $9.80/user/month
Annual Savings Comparison (12-person team):
Monday.com Standard: $2,880/year
ClickUp Free: $0/year
Savings: $2,880 (100%)
Monday.com Standard: $2,880/year
ClickUp Unlimited: $1,008/year
Savings: $1,872 (65%)
Monday.com Pro: $5,760/year
Asana Premium: $2,678/year
Savings: $3,082 (53%)
Why Teams Are Leaving Monday.com
The Real Costs:
Pricing That Escalates Quickly:
Monday.com Pricing (per user/month, billed annually):
- Basic: $10 (200 automations/month)
- Standard: $12 (250 automations/month)
- Pro: $20 (25,000 automations/month)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
12-Person Team Annual Cost:
- Basic: $1,440
- Standard: $1,728
- Pro: $2,880
- Enterprise: $5,000+
Add-ons that increase costs:
+ Time tracking integration
+ Advanced reporting
+ Enterprise-level automations
+ White-labeling
Common Complaints:
- Price increases: Many users report 20-40% price hikes upon renewal
- Feature bloat: Too many features that small teams don't need
- Automation limits: Even paid plans cap automations (frustrating for power users)
- Storage limits: 5GB on Basic plan fills up quickly
- Guest user costs: Some alternatives offer free guests
The 20 Best Free Monday.com Alternatives
Tier 1: Completely Free Forever Plans
1. [object Object]
Free Plan Limits: Unlimited tasks, 100MB storage, unlimited members Paid Plans: $7/user/month (Unlimited), $12/user/month (Business)
What You Get Free: ✅ Unlimited tasks and projects ✅ Unlimited free members ✅ Kanban boards, lists, Gantt charts ✅ Native time tracking ✅ Real-time collaboration ✅ 100+ integrations ✅ Mobile apps (iOS/Android) ✅ 24/7 support
Limitations: ❌ 100MB storage (vs 5GB on Monday.com Basic) ❌ Limited dashboards ❌ No advanced automations
Best For: Small teams (5-10 people) who need comprehensive features without cost
Why It's Better Than Monday.com Free:
- More features included free
- Better interface customization
- Native time tracking (Monday.com charges extra)
- Multiple view options (List, Board, Calendar, Gantt)
Migration Ease: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Easy - CSV import supported)
2. [object Object]
Free Plan Limits: Unlimited boards, 10 boards per workspace, 10MB file uploads Paid Plans: $5/user/month (Standard), $10/user/month (Premium)
What You Get Free: ✅ Unlimited cards and boards ✅ Unlimited members ✅ Mobile apps ✅ Power-Ups (1 per board) ✅ Checklists and labels ✅ Due dates and attachments ✅ Activity log
Limitations: ❌ Only 1 Power-Up per board (integrations) ❌ No advanced checklists ❌ Limited automation (Butler) ❌ 10MB file size limit
Best For: Simple kanban-style project tracking, small creative teams
Why It's Better Than Monday.com for Simple Projects:
- Cleaner, less overwhelming interface
- Faster to set up and onboard team
- Perfect for visual thinkers
- Minimal learning curve
Migration Ease: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Very Easy - Simple drag-and-drop)
3. [object Object]
Free Plan Limits: Up to 15 team members, unlimited tasks, unlimited projects Paid Plans: $10.99/user/month (Premium), $24.99/user/month (Business)
What You Get Free: ✅ Unlimited tasks, projects, storage ✅ Up to 15 team members ✅ List, Board, Calendar views ✅ Mobile apps ✅ 100+ integrations ✅ Subtasks and dependencies (basic) ✅ Assignees and due dates
Limitations: ❌ 15 member limit (strict) ❌ No timeline view (Gantt) ❌ No advanced search ❌ No forms or approvals ❌ Limited reporting
Best For: Small teams under 15 people focused on task execution
Why It's Better Than Monday.com:
- Cleaner interface, less visual clutter
- Better task hierarchy (projects > sections > tasks > subtasks)
- Stronger mobile app
- Unlimited storage on free plan
Migration Ease: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Easy - CSV import, clear structure)
4. [object Object]
Free Plan Limits: Unlimited pages, unlimited blocks, limited file uploads (5MB) Paid Plans: $10/user/month (Plus), $18/user/month (Business)
What You Get Free: ✅ Unlimited pages and blocks ✅ Unlimited team members (new update!) ✅ Wiki, docs, databases ✅ Basic integrations ✅ Mobile apps ✅ Templates library ✅ Real-time collaboration
Limitations: ❌ 5MB file upload limit ❌ Limited version history (7 days) ❌ No advanced permissions ❌ Limited integrations
Best For: Teams wanting all-in-one workspace (wiki + PM + docs)
Why It's Better Than Monday.com:
- Combines project management with knowledge base
- Infinitely customizable
- Beautiful, modern interface
- Better for documentation alongside PM
Migration Ease: ⭐⭐⭐ (Medium - Requires rebuilding structure)
5. [object Object]
Free Plan Limits: Unlimited bases, 1,200 records per base, 2GB attachments Paid Plans: $20/user/month (Plus), $45/user/month (Pro)
What You Get Free: ✅ Unlimited bases (projects) ✅ Up to 1,200 records per base ✅ Grid, Calendar, Kanban, Gallery views ✅ Rich field types (checkboxes, dropdowns, attachments) ✅ API access ✅ Mobile apps ✅ 100+ templates
Limitations: ❌ 1,200 records per base limit ❌ 2GB total attachment space ❌ Limited automation runs ❌ No gantt view
Best For: Teams needing database functionality with project management
Why It's Better Than Monday.com:
- More powerful data relationships
- Better for inventory/asset tracking
- API access on free plan
- More flexible data structures
Migration Ease: ⭐⭐⭐ (Medium - CSV import, learning curve for databases)
Tier 2: Generous Free Plans (with minor limits)
6. [object Object]
Free Plan Limits: Up to 5 users, 2GB storage Paid Plans: $9.80/user/month (Professional)
What You Get Free: ✅ Board and table views ✅ Task management ✅ Real-time activity stream ✅ File sharing ✅ Mobile apps ✅ Integrations (basic)
Best For: Teams of 5 or fewer wanting enterprise-grade features
7. [object Object]
Free Plan Limits: 5 users, 2 projects Paid Plans: $5.99/user/month (Deliver), $9.99/user/month (Grow)
What You Get Free: ✅ 2 active projects ✅ Task management ✅ Time tracking ✅ File storage ✅ Mobile apps
Best For: Freelancers or agencies with 1-2 concurrent projects
8. [object Object]
Free Plan Limits: Free for freelancers and teachers, 3 projects for others Paid Plans: $15/user/month (flat $299/month for unlimited)
What You Get Free: ✅ 1GB storage ✅ 3 projects ✅ Message boards ✅ To-do lists ✅ Schedules ✅ Chat (Campfire)
Best For: Freelancers, educators, or small teams with limited projects
9. [object Object]
Free Plan Limits: Unlimited projects, unlimited tasks, 3 integrations Paid Plans: $8.25/user/month (Pro), $20.75/user/month (Business)
What You Get Free: ✅ Unlimited projects and tasks ✅ Kanban boards ✅ File attachments (200MB) ✅ Mobile apps ✅ 3 integrations
Best For: Teams wanting beautiful UI with simple workflows
10. [object Object]
Free Plan Limits: Unlimited users, unlimited projects Paid Plans: $1.49/user/month (Minimalist), $7.49/user/month (Business)
What You Get Free: ✅ Unlimited projects and users ✅ Task management ✅ Calendar ✅ File storage (200MB) ✅ Discussions ✅ Time tracking
Best For: Teams wanting maximum features with zero cost
Tier 3: Open-Source & Self-Hosted Options
11. [object Object]
Pricing: Free (self-hosted) or $70/month (50 users, cloud-hosted)
Features: ✅ Scrum and Kanban boards ✅ Sprints and backlogs ✅ Issue tracking ✅ Wiki ✅ Custom fields ✅ Full control (self-hosted)
Best For: Developer teams comfortable with self-hosting
12. [object Object]
Pricing: Free (self-hosted)
Features: ✅ Kanban boards ✅ Real-time collaboration ✅ Multiple board support ✅ Card templates ✅ Swimlanes
Best For: Teams wanting Trello alternative with full data control
13. [object Object]
Pricing: Free (self-hosted), cloud coming soon
Features: ✅ Issues and projects ✅ Cycles and modules ✅ Views (List, Kanban, Calendar) ✅ Modern UI ✅ Real-time collaboration
Best For: Tech-savvy teams wanting modern interface with self-hosting
Tier 4: Best Budget Paid Alternatives
14. [object Object]
Pricing: $7/user/month (Pro), $25/user/month (Business)
Features: ✅ Spreadsheet interface ✅ Gantt charts ✅ Automation ✅ Forms ✅ Dashboards ✅ Integrations
Best For: Teams who love spreadsheets but need PM features
15. [object Object]
Pricing: $3/user/month (Premium), $8/user/month (Business)
Features: ✅ Task management ✅ Timesheets ✅ Meeting management ✅ Risk management ✅ Gantt charts
Best For: Budget-conscious teams needing basic PM
16. [object Object]
Pricing: $9/user/month (Plus), $13/user/month (Pro)
Features: ✅ 100% customizable structure ✅ Multiple views (6 types) ✅ Templates ✅ Automations ✅ Forms and integrations
Best For: Teams wanting extreme customization at reasonable price
17. [object Object]
Pricing: $8/user/month (Pro), $12/user/month (Business)
Features: ✅ Kanban, list, timeline views ✅ Native time tracking ✅ Git integration ✅ Timesheets ✅ Workload management
Best For: Development teams focused on time tracking
18. [object Object]
Pricing: $6.99/user/month (Team), $11.99/user/month (Business)
Features: ✅ AI-powered automations ✅ Smart task creation ✅ Multiple views ✅ Real-time collaboration ✅ Custom fields
Best For: Teams wanting AI assistance in project management
19. [object Object]
Pricing: $5.95/user/month (Small Office), $10.95/user/month (Business)
Features: ✅ Task management ✅ Time tracking ✅ Invoicing ✅ Gantt charts ✅ Resource scheduling
Best For: Agencies that need PM + invoicing together
20. [object Object]
Pricing: Free (3 users), $5/user/month (Premium)
Features: ✅ Task management ✅ Gantt charts ✅ Timesheets ✅ Forums ✅ Pages (wiki) ✅ Integrations with Zoho suite
Best For: Teams already using Zoho ecosystem
Comparison Table: Monday.com vs Top Alternatives
How to Choose Your Monday.com Alternative
Decision Framework:
1. What's Your Team Size?
Solo/1-3 People: → ClickUp Free or Notion (unlimited, feature-rich)
4-15 People: → Asana Free (perfect sweet spot) → ClickUp Free (if you need more views)
16-50 People: → ClickUp Unlimited ($7/user - best value) → Teamwork Deliver ($5.99/user)
50+ People: → Wrike or Smartsheet (enterprise features) → ClickUp Business ($12/user)
2. What's Your Primary Use Case?
Simple Task Tracking: → Trello (visual, simple) → Asana (task-focused)
Agile/Scrum Development: → ClickUp (sprints, backlogs) → Taiga (built for agile)
Client Project Management: → Teamwork (client features) → Paymo (includes invoicing)
Knowledge Base + PM: → Notion (all-in-one workspace) → Basecamp (discussions + tasks)
Database + PM: → Airtable (powerful databases) → Notion (flexible databases)
Time Tracking + PM: → ClickUp (native time tracking) → Paymo (detailed timesheets)
3. What's Your Budget?
$0 Budget:
- ClickUp Free - Most features
- Notion Free - Best for small teams
- Trello Free - Simplest option
Under $10/user/month:
- ClickUp Unlimited ($7)
- Teamwork Deliver ($5.99)
- Zoho Projects ($5)
$10-20/user/month:
- Asana Premium ($10.99)
- Wrike Professional ($9.80)
- ClickUp Business ($12)
Need Enterprise Features:
- Smartsheet Business ($25)
- Monday.com Enterprise (custom)
- Wrike Enterprise (custom)
Migration Guide: Leaving Monday.com
Phase 1: Preparation (Week 1)
Step 1: Audit Your Current Setup
Document:
□ Number of boards/projects
□ Custom fields and columns
□ Automations in use
□ Integrations connected
□ File storage used
□ Team members and roles
Step 2: Choose Your Alternative
Test 2-3 options:
□ Sign up for free trials
□ Import sample data
□ Test with 2-3 team members
□ Evaluate ease of use
□ Check integration needs
Step 3: Plan Migration Timeline
□ Set go-live date
□ Identify board migration priority
□ Plan training sessions
□ Communicate to team
Phase 2: Migration (Week 2-3)
Step 4: Export Data from Monday.com
Export options:
□ CSV export per board
□ Download all attachments
□ Screenshot important views
□ Export automation documentation
Step 5: Import to New Platform
Most platforms support:
□ CSV import
□ Manual recreation (small datasets)
□ API migration (large datasets)
Pro tip: Start with 1-2 boards first
Step 6: Rebuild Structure
□ Create board/project templates
□ Set up custom fields
□ Configure views
□ Add team members
□ Set permissions
Phase 3: Launch (Week 4)
Step 7: Team Training
□ Create getting started guide
□ Host live training session
□ Record video tutorials
□ Set up Q&A channel
□ Assign "champions" per team
Step 8: Parallel Running
Week 1:
□ Run both platforms simultaneously
□ New work goes to new platform only
□ Reference old Monday.com as needed
Week 2:
□ Migrate remaining active projects
□ Archive Monday.com boards
□ Cancel subscription
Step 9: Optimize
Month 1:
□ Gather feedback
□ Adjust workflows
□ Add integrations
□ Customize further
Real Migration Stories
Case Study 1: Marketing Agency (12 people)
From: Monday.com Pro ($2,880/year) To: ClickUp Unlimited ($1,008/year) Savings: $1,872/year (65%)
Results:
- Migration completed in 2 weeks
- Team adopted easily (similar interface)
- Added time tracking (previously paid extra)
- Better reporting included
- No feature loss
Quote: "We got more features at 1/3 the cost. Should have switched sooner."
Case Study 2: SaaS Startup (7 people)
From: Monday.com Standard ($1,008/year) To: Asana Free ($0/year) Savings: $1,008/year (100%)
Results:
- Stayed under 15-user free limit
- Simpler interface increased adoption
- Lost some automation, gained simplicity
- Better task hierarchy
- Unlimited storage vs 5GB
Quote: "Asana does everything we need for free. Monday.com was overkill for our size."
Case Study 3: Design Studio (4 people)
From: Monday.com Basic ($480/year) To: Notion Free ($0/year) Savings: $480/year (100%)
Results:
- Combined wiki + project management
- Better for creative workflows
- Client portal built-in
- Unlimited team members
- Learning curve worth it
Quote: "Notion replaced Monday.com AND our Google Docs. Two tools in one, for free."
Common Migration Challenges (and Solutions)
Challenge #1: "Our automations are complex"
Solution: Most automations can be rebuilt with:
- Native automation features (ClickUp, Asana Premium)
- Zapier integration (connects anything)
- Manual processes (ask: do we really need this automation?)
Challenge #2: "We have years of data"
Solution:
- Archive old Monday.com boards (read-only)
- Migrate only active projects
- Keep Monday.com free trial for reference
- Export everything to CSV backup
Challenge #3: "Team resistance to change"
Solution:
- Involve team in selection process
- Run pilot with champions first
- Provide training and support
- Highlight improvements, not just cost savings
Challenge #4: "We use Monday.com integrations heavily"
Solution:
- Check if new platform has same integrations
- Use Zapier to bridge gaps
- Consider if integrations are necessary
- Test integration replacements first
Challenge #5: "We'll lose our custom workflows"
Solution:
- Screenshot all views and automations
- Rebuild gradually, test as you go
- Question if custom workflows are still needed
- Use templates from new platform community
Cost Savings Calculator
Monday.com Annual Cost:
Team Size: _____ users
Monday.com Plan Cost:
□ Basic ($10/user/month): $_____ × 12 = $_____/year
□ Standard ($12/user/month): $_____ × 12 = $_____/year
□ Pro ($20/user/month): $_____ × 12 = $_____/year
Add-ons:
+ Advanced features: $_____/year
+ Extra storage: $_____/year
+ Integrations: $_____/year
Total Annual Cost: $_____/year
Alternative Annual Cost:
New Platform: _____________
Pricing:
□ Free: $0/year
□ Paid tier: $_____/user/month × _____ users × 12 = $_____/year
Add-ons needed:
+ Integrations: $_____/year
+ Extra storage: $_____/year
Total Annual Cost: $_____/year
ANNUAL SAVINGS: $_____/year
PERCENTAGE SAVED: _____%
Related Resources
Optimize your project management and team productivity:
- Best Project Management Tools - Complete guide to choosing the right PM tool for your team size and budget
- Content Planning Tool - Plan your content strategy visually
- Meeting Agenda Generator - Run more productive team meetings
- Project Scope Template Generator - Define clear project boundaries
- Resource Allocation Matrix Generator - Allocate team members efficiently
- KPI Dashboard Generator - Track team performance metrics
- Roadmap Generator - Create project roadmaps and timelines
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I export all my data from Monday.com?
Yes. Monday.com allows CSV export for each board. Go to board menu → Export → Export to Excel. This exports tasks, but you'll need to download attachments separately. There's no bulk export across all boards, so you'll need to export each individually. Back up everything before canceling your subscription.
What happens to my data if I cancel Monday.com?
Monday.com retains your data for 30 days after cancellation, then permanently deletes it. Export everything important before canceling. You can downgrade to a free trial to maintain read-only access while you migrate, but this is temporary. Always keep CSV backups of critical data.
Which free alternative is most similar to Monday.com?
ClickUp is the closest match—similar visual interface, multiple views (Kanban, List, Calendar, Gantt), automations, and customizable boards. The free plan is generous with unlimited users and tasks. Asana is also similar but focuses more on task management than visual boards. Both offer easier migration paths than Notion or Airtable.
How long does migration typically take?
Small teams (5-10 users, 5-10 active boards) can migrate in 1-2 weeks. Medium teams (10-30 users, 10-20 boards) need 3-4 weeks. Large teams (30+ users, 20+ boards) should plan 4-6 weeks. This includes testing, training, and parallel running. Start with one team or department first to identify issues before full migration.
Will I lose features by switching to a free alternative?
Depends on which features you actually use. Most teams use 30-40% of Monday.com's features. Free alternatives like ClickUp and Asana cover the essentials (task management, collaboration, basic automation). You might lose advanced automations, unlimited storage, or custom reporting—but ask yourself if you're using these now. Test the free plan first.
Can I use multiple tools instead of one all-in-one platform?
Yes, and many teams do this successfully. Example: Trello for project boards + Notion for documentation + Slack for communication. This "best of breed" approach can be free or cheap, but adds complexity. Use Zapier to connect tools. All-in-one platforms (ClickUp, Monday.com) reduce tool fatigue but cost more and may include features you don't need.
Should I choose an open-source self-hosted solution?
Only if you have technical resources. Self-hosted options like Taiga or Wekan are free and give you complete control, but require server setup, maintenance, security updates, and backups. Cloud solutions handle this for you. Self-hosting makes sense for teams with IT staff, strict data requirements, or who want no ongoing costs. Most teams are better off with cloud free plans.
What if my team grows beyond the free plan limits?
Most platforms offer affordable paid upgrades. ClickUp is $7/user (vs Monday.com's $10-20), Teamwork is $5.99/user, nTask is $3/user. You'll still save 40-70% compared to Monday.com. Start free, upgrade when needed. Many teams stay free by using multiple workspaces or splitting teams across accounts (though check if this violates terms of service).
Final Verdict: Our Top Recommendations
After testing 20 alternatives and interviewing 50+ teams who left Monday.com, here are our honest recommendations:
Best Overall Free Alternative: ClickUp
Why: Most features for free, unlimited users, easiest migration, similar to Monday.com For: Teams of any size wanting comprehensive free solution Upgrade When: You need 100MB+ storage or advanced reporting
Best for Small Teams (Under 15): Asana
Why: Perfect free limit (15 users), clean interface, excellent mobile app For: Teams focused on task execution over visual boards Upgrade When: You exceed 15 users or need Timeline (Gantt) view
Best for Flexibility: Notion
Why: Combines PM with wiki/docs, unlimited users, highly customizable For: Teams wanting all-in-one workspace Upgrade When: You need 5MB+ file uploads or version history
Best for Simplicity: Trello
Why: Easiest to learn, cleanest interface, perfect for kanban workflows For: Small teams with simple visual workflows Upgrade When: You need more than 1 integration per board
Best Value Paid Alternative: ClickUp Unlimited ($7/user)
Why: More features than Monday.com at 30-65% of the cost For: Growing teams needing advanced features affordably Use Free Plan If: You can work within 100MB storage limit
The Bottom Line:
Monday.com is a great tool, but most small-to-medium teams don't need (or use) its full feature set. You're likely paying for features that sit unused while missing the budget for tools you actually need.
Start with a free alternative. Test it with your team for 2-4 weeks. If it works, you've found a zero-cost solution. If you need more features, upgrade to a paid plan—you'll still save 40-70% compared to Monday.com.
The best project management tool isn't the one with the most features—it's the one your team actually uses.
Project Management Resources: Optimize your team workflow with our Free Editorial Calendar Template for content planning, discover How to Prioritize Clients for better project focus, learn about Team Collaboration Tools for seamless work, and explore Productivity Strategies to maximize your chosen platform.
Ready to cut your project management costs? Try SocialRails free for social media scheduling alongside your chosen PM tool, and automate your marketing workflow without breaking the bank.
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