What is a project management tool?
A project management tool is a digital solution that helps you plan and monitor tasks, processes and resources. It creates transparency, clarifies responsibilities and makes progress measurable.
The right project management tool lays the foundation for coordinated and effective collaboration in and across teams.
Why are project management tools important?
Modern project management platforms help you streamline communication, consolidate information and automate workflows. These tools are especially beneficial for collaborative project management. They support:
Better collaboration: Tasks, responsibilities and progress are visible to everyone.
Increased productivity: Teams focus on what matters most.
Agility: Changes can be implemented flexibly without disrupting the entire process.
Traceability: Every step is documented.
What to look for in modern project management tools
In today’s digital working world, modern project management tools play a central role. They bring together communication, organization and documentation in a single system — ensuring that day-to-day work runs efficiently. This is particularly important for small and medium-sized businesses where resources are often scarce. To ensure you get the most value from your tool, look for the following features and benefits.
1. User-friendly design for ease of use
Your project management tool only delivers its full value once your team is comfortable using it. That’s why a clear UI and logical structure are essential. MeisterTask is built with simplicity in mind, so your team members can start using it straight away — no technical experience required.
2. Centralized overview and defined responsibilities
Transparency is the key to successful digital project management. A good tool gives you an at-a-glance view of which tasks are pending, who’s responsible for what, and where each project stands. Visual formats — such as Kanban boards — help you stay on top of things, even during dynamic project phases.
3. Flexibility and customization
Every company has its own way of working. That’s why your project management tool needs to adapt to your processes. Custom workflows, user-defined fields and project-specific templates let you tailor the software to your exact needs. This is particularly beneficial for teams in public administration, healthcare or manufacturing, where industry-specific workflows need to be followed.
4. Seamless integration with existing systems
Your project management software shouldn’t operate in isolation. It should connect seamlessly with your other tools — such as calendars, email programs, file management systems and communication platforms. This ensures no information is lost and prevents duplicate work.
5. Support for recurring tasks
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Templates, automations and AI features save you time — so embrace them! With MeisterTask, you can get started quickly using project templates, create tasks directly from emails and automate recurring tasks. This gives you more time to focus on skilled strategic work.
6. Top-tier data protection and security
If you’re working with sensitive data — for example, in banking or insurance — it’s essential that your tool complies with legal data protection regulations such as GDPR. Make sure your software provider has the relevant certifications and offers server locations in the EU.
7. Measurable results
A modern project management tool should support both execution and analysis. Clear reports provide precise insights into project status, completed tasks and areas for improvement. With MeisterTask's reports, you can stay in control of your time and budget throughout your entire project.
Tips for choosing the right tool: how to make the best decision
Before comparing individual tools, it’s important to determine the specific needs within your organization. Clear requirements will help you identify the most suitable solution from the wide range of project management platforms available. These questions can help guide your evaluation:
Which processes need to be supported — product launches, campaigns or internal multiproject management?
Which roles should the tool support (e.g. project managers, marketing teams)?
Which features are essential — such as to-do lists, status updates, or AI capabilities?
Are there existing tools or systems that the new tool needs to integrate with?
Is the basic version sufficient, or are advanced features required?
In many cases, a focused project management tool like MeisterTask already offers everything you need to get started — without the overhead of a complex, feature-heavy system.
Define your goals and processes: what should the tool deliver?
A modern project management solution helps distribute day-to-day tasks and supports higher-level workflows. To ensure the tool aligns with your organization’s operations, you should clarify the following in advance:
What is your goal: to reduce project timelines, improve transparency or enhance day-to-day communication?
Do you have defined workflows that could be digitally mapped?
Are there industry-specific requirements to consider, such as regulations or processes?
Project managers benefit the most from tools that are highly configurable and support templates and automations.
Involve your team and stakeholders: who will actually use the tool?
A project management tool only provides value if it’s widely adopted and used regularly. That’s why it’s essential to involve users from the very beginning.
Consider the following questions:
Which features are truly helpful for your team’s daily work?
Are there any existing complaints about previous tools (e.g. cluttered dashboards or missing features)?
Do external stakeholders need to be included as well?
Today, many teams also expect a mobile app — enabling them to manage tasks, check statuses and view to-do lists even when they’re on the go.
The 12 best project management software solutions at a glance
The range of project management tools is vast. But not every solution fits every team, project or industry. To make the right choice, it’s worth directly comparing the most widely used platforms. The following overview includes both free starter versions and robust options designed to meet complex project requirements.
1. MeisterTask
MeisterTask is a user-friendly project management tool designed with simplicity in mind. It enables seamless collaboration without a lengthy onboarding phase, so your team can get up and running quickly. With customizable workflows and templates, the software adapts easily to your team’s way of working. MeisterTask is particularly useful for organizing projects and tasks while keeping stakeholders in the loop.
One G2 review puts it this way: "The best thing about MeisterTask is that it’s easy to use and has a beautiful interface that allows me to get the most out of my work and tasks."
2. Asana
Asana is one of the most well-known project management tools on the market. The tool supports multiple views — lists, timelines, boards — and is great for task delegation, prioritization and tracking. It also offers automation for recurring processes. However, smaller teams or users without a tech background may find the wide range of features overwhelming. (Source: G2)
3. Trello
Trello is a Kanban style project management tool known for its ease of use. It’s ideal for visualizing tasks, organizing them into columns and tracking their progress. Teams can easily create to-do lists, set deadlines and monitor progress. The interface is intuitive and suits teams just getting started with digital project management. However, for larger teams or projects with many dependencies, Trello’s control options are limited. (Source: Capterra)
4. Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project is a robust planning tool, particularly suitable for organizations using standardized project methodologies. It includes comprehensive features for resource planning, Gantt charts, timelines and budget control. This deep functionality makes it ideal for managing complex projects. However, it also demands significant training and experience, which can be a barrier for teams with limited technical expertise. (Source: G2)
5. Wrike
Wrike combines task management, resource planning and project controlling in a single platform. It’s especially effective for teams with international structures or complex roles thanks to flexible permissions, dynamic views and detailed reporting options. Projects can be built modularly, making Wrike suitable for both traditional and agile methods. However, the initial setup and full use of the platform require a more intensive introduction. This can pose challenges for smaller companies with limited capacity. (Source: G2)
6. ClickUp
ClickUp follows an all-in-one approach, combining task management, documentation and time tracking in a single platform. Users can activate or deactivate features to tailor the tool to their needs. This flexibility makes ClickUp ideal for teams with varying project types. That said, the large number of modules and settings can be distracting or overwhelming, especially for less tech-savvy users. (Source: Capterra)
7. Smartsheet
Smartsheet is for companies that prefer to manage projects using spreadsheet-based structures. It closely resembles Excel but includes features like task tracking, dependencies and status reports. Users who are comfortable with spreadsheets will find a powerful planning tool with clear logic here. However, many users report that Smartsheet isn’t always intuitive. Teams with less technical experience may find the learning curve steep and onboarding time-consuming. (Source: G2)
8. Jira
Jira is widely used in agile software development and supports teams with sprint planning and iterative workflows. It offers a high degree of customization, allowing teams to tailor it to their exact needs. Thanks to a vast ecosystem of extensions and integration, Jira remains effective even for large-scale projects. That said, the terminology and user interface are heavily geared toward developers — meaning the tool often requires significant training for non-technical teams. (Source: G2)
9. Notion
Notion combines task management, documentation and knowledge sharing in a flexible, customizable interface. It allows teams to organize content, tasks and project plans all in one place. This makes it particularly appealing for smaller teams looking to structure creative processes or internal knowledge bases. However, new users often find the platform overwhelming. It can lag when handling large amounts of data, and the mobile app doesn’t always offer full functionality — limiting its usefulness on the go. (Source: G2)
10. Workfront
Workfront is designed for large organizations with multiple departments and complex workflows. It’s especially effective for marketing, production and project oversight. The platform supports capacity planning, approval workflows and detailed progress tracking, making it a strategic choice for managing large-scale project portfolios. That said, its wide range of features can be intimidating, especially for new users. Setup requires time and a good level of technical understanding. (Source: Capterra)
11. Stackfield
Stackfield merges project management with secure team communication and conforms to stringent data protection standards. It’s especially suited for regulated sectors such as public administration, legal services and healthcare. Tasks, messages and documents are processed with end-to-end encryption. Despite its security-first approach, the interface remains mostly clear and functional. However, compared to other tools, Stackfield offers limited integrations with third-party systems — which can restrict its use in more complex software environments. (Source: G2)
12. Excel
Excel is still widely used as a basic project planning tool, particularly among small teams or as a transitional solution. It allows for custom tables, note-taking and simple calculations. For clearly defined projects with a small number of participants, it can work well. But when it comes to collaborative work, automated reminders, centralized status overviews or system integration, Excel quickly reaches its limits. A dedicated project management tool offers much more structure and efficiency than Excel.
Which project management tool is right for you?
After comparing leading project management tools, one thing becomes clear: the best tool isn’t necessarily the one with the most features — it’s the one that aligns with your team’s day-to-day needs. For small and medium-sized companies, especially in public administration or manufacturing, it’s crucial that the software is quick to implement, clearly structured and easily adaptable.
This is exactly where MeisterTask stands out.
Start simple, work efficiently
With MeisterTask, you get a centralized, digital platform for managing multiple projects. The interface is clean and intuitive, and your team can get started straight away — no technical background required. Plan projects, assign tasks and monitor progress in a shared workspace. Visual boards, timeline views, and real-time notifications help keep everyone in the loop.
You can add comments, files and attachments directly to tasks — keeping everything one place and out of messy email threads. Managing roles, permissions and responsibilities is just as straightforward, whether you're working in a small team or coordinating across departments.
Features that make a real difference
MeisterTask offers intelligent features that support the realities of modern teamwork:
Set deadlines and track time
Automate recurring tasks
Stay organized with color-coded tags
Boost productivity with built-in AI tools like smart search and text suggestions
Data is stored securely on servers in Germany, ensuring compliance with the strictest data protection standards — a must for regulated industries.
Get started with MeisterTask
More than 10,000 organizations worldwide already trust MeisterTask — including teams from public administration, industry, healthcare, and financial services. If you’re looking for a straightforward, secure and easy-to-use project management tool, try it for yourself.
Find out how MeisterTask can support your team. Get in touch with our sales team for a personal, non-binding consultation.
