English 
Français 
Español 
Comparison of the best project management tools to use in 2025: selection, technical criteria and practical recommendations for choosing the platform best suited to your teams and your processes.
Why a project management tool is essential in 2025
The transformation of organizations towards hybrid and distributed working modes makes the project management tool central for coordination, traceability and performance.
A concrete case illustrates this need: NovaProd, a design SME located in Lyon with remote collaborators, migrated to a single platform to synchronize its teams, reduce duplication, and improve invoicing reliability. This transition required the evaluation of several technical and human criteria before the final choice.
- Visibility on progress: guarantee shared reports and tables of bord.
- Coorinter-team dining: integration with messaging, CRM and development tools.
- Security and Conformity: encryption, access management and GDPR compliance.
- Automation: Reduction of repetitive tasks through rules and AI.
- Mobility: mobile access and performance in variable network conditions.
| Need | Operational impact | Example of a suitable tool |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility and reporting | Faster decisions, fewer meetings | Wrike, Smartsheet |
| Collaboration simple | Rapid adoption by teams | Trello, Asana, Notion |
| Fine planning | Meeting milestones and optimizing resources | Microsoft Project, GanttPRO |
For NovaProd, the chosen tool had to take into account existing integrations (messaging, CRM, code repository). The team assessed the impact on the delivery chain and the possibility of automation via business rules. The web and mobile agency DualMedia supported the project with technical integration and data migration, ensuring a seamless transition.
List of concrete benefits observed lors of the implementation:
- Reduction of redundant email exchanges by 20 to 40 %.
- Better estimation of lead times thanks to consolidated historiques.
- Precise budget control by project.
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Daily project-related emails | 35 | 12 |
| Weekly follow-up meetings | 2 | 1 |
| Average delivery time | 28 days | 21 days |
Insight: The value of a project management tool is not measured solely by its functionality, but by the time savings and decision-making quality it provides for all stakeholders.
Technical and functional criteria for choosing a project management tool
Choosing a project management tool requires a methodical assessment of technical, functional, and financial aspects. The approach must document needs, prioritize requirements, and test candidates in real-world conditions.
A fictitious digital services company (ESN), SynapseDev, has formalized its specifications around five axes: integration, automation, security, user experience and total cost of ownership. Decisions were made in a multidisciplinary workshop to align IT managers, project managers, and operational staff.
- Integration with the ecosystem: API, webhooks, connectors (Slack, Git, CRM).
- Automation and AI: scripts, rules, predictive suggestions.
- Security and Conformity: encryption, audits, rights management.
- User experience: learning curve, views (Kanban, Gantt).
- Cost and scalability: licenses, scalability, support.
| Criteria | Questions to ask | Acceptance indicator |
|---|---|---|
| Integration | Are there native connectors for CRM and messaging? | Slack/Google/CRM connectors present + documented API |
| Automation/AI | Can we automate the creation of tasks from events? | Workflow builder + AI suggestions |
| Security | Conformité GDPR and safeguard policy? | ISO/GDPR certifications + active encryption |
Practical checklist for a 30-day proof of concept (PoC):
- Importer 3 real projects and configure them (tasks, milestones).
- Test essential integrations (messaging, code repository).
- Measure the time taken to get started by 5 target users.
- Validate the rapports and exports (CSV, PDF).
- Evaluate technical support and SLAs.
Examples of useful integrations to consider: integrating an AI chatbot for quick access to tickets (see AI integration), synchronization with the ERP or CRM for invoicing, and connection with the intranet for documentation. DualMedia offers support for integrating chatbots and improving workflows: integrate an AI chatbot and extranet/intranet management.
| PoC Test | Metric | Acceptable threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started time | Hours for 90 % of common tasks | < 4h |
| API Availability | Successful calls / total | > 99.5 % |
| Mobile performance | Main screen loading time | < 2s on 4G |
Insight: Documenting real-life scenarios and measuring impact through a PoC prevents operational disruptions and reveals hidden costs related to integrations and licenses.
Detailed Comparison: Asana, Trello, Monday.com, ClickUp, Jira, and Wrike for 2025
This section offers a practical analysis of the most cited tools in 2025, with use cases, forts points and technical limits for each team profile.
To illustrate, a fictitious marketing agency, PixelWave, tested five solutions over three months to determine the tool best suited to its client portfolio and agile processes.
- Asana: Task management and priorization with AI suggestions.
- Trello: Kanban simplicity, good for small teams and freelancers.
- Monday.com: Extensive customization and advanced automations.
- ClickUp: highly configurable but more complex all-in-one solution.
- Jira: suitable for technical and software development teams.
- Wrike: Reporting and security for large organizations.
| Tool | Ideal profile | Force main | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asana | Marketing / Operational Teams | Clean interface + AI priorization | Can become more complex on very large projects |
| Trello | Freelancers, small teams | Kanban simplicity, quick start | Not optimal for complex interdependencies |
| Monday.com | SMEs seeking customization | Automations and integrations | Increasing cost according to modules |
| ClickUp | Versatile teams wanting all-in-one | Rich and customizable features | Learning curve importante |
| Jira | Dev and DevOps teams | Fine version management and workflows | Interface sometimes cumbersome for non-techies |
| Wrike | Large companies | Reporting robust and secure | Cost and complexity for small teams |
Concrete examples of use:
- PixelWave selected Asana for the marketing collaboration and Trello for the creative roadmap.
- A SaaS startup will favor Jira for development cycles and ClickUp for internal documentation.
- Technical project teams often combine Wrike for overall management and GanttPRO for detailed planning.
| Use cases | Recommended tool | For what |
|---|---|---|
| Agile product roadmap | Jira / ClickUp | Version management, backlog, sprints |
| Marketing campaign tracking | Asana / Trello | Task visibility and ease of adoption |
| Multi-project planning | Wrike / Monday.com | Reporting, Gantt views and resource allocation |
To learn more about using Trello, a practical guide is available here: Trello guide.
Insight: The best tool is the one that aligns features, integrations and user adoption; a combination of platforms is often the most pragmatic solution to cover all needs.
Solutions tailored to agencies and SMEs: Basecamp, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, Notion and complementary tools
Agencies and small businesses have specific needs: client management, budget tracking, and clear display of deliverables. Solutions vary depending on size and digital maturity.
Example: Local agency Atelier Code chose Notion for its knowledge base and Smartsheet for client project reporting. The partnership improved visibility into budget tracking and project documentation.
- Basecamp: simplicity for customer relations and centralized exchanges.
- Smartsheet: Power of reporting, suitable for data-intensive projects.
- Microsoft Project: Fine-grained planning and resource management at scale.
- Concept: collaborative documentation and project templates.
- Zoho Projects & GanttPRO: alternatives for SMEs with a controlled budget.
| Solution | Agency/SME advantage | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Basecamp | Simple and structured customer communication | Limited scheduling features |
| Smartsheet | Rapports and powerful pivot tables | Learning curve for non-analysts |
| Microsoft Project | Detailed planning and resource management | Quite technical, requires formation |
| Notion | Knowledge base and internal processes | Less suitable for heavy planning |
Best practices for agencies:
- Standardize templates for proposals and deliverables.
- Set up project-based budget tracking with automated exports.
- Former project managers to essential metrics (burn rate, AVA).
- Ensure the centralization of assets (images, models) and backups.
For mobile teams and app optimization, check out resources on app ROI and frameworks: ROI of mobile apps and mobile app frameworks.
| Agency objective | Recommended tool | Concrete action |
|---|---|---|
| Centralize client briefs | Notion / Basecamp | Create a client brief template and validation checklist |
| Budget monitoring | Smartsheet | Automatic monthly pivot tables and reports |
| Complex planning | Microsoft Project / GanttPRO | Gantt with dependencies and resource allocation |
Insight: for agencies, the combination of a documentation tool (Notion) and a management tool (Smartsheet or Microsoft Project) makes it possible to reconcile customer relations, production and financial control.
Technology trends and deployment: automation, AI, security and upskilling
The underlying trends for 2025 combine automation, artificial intelligence, integration, and security requirements. The deployment of a project management tool must be managed as a strategic project in its own right.
A fictitious SME, EcoBuild, implemented a 6-month deployment roadmap that included tool audits, PoCs, migrations, formation, and ongoing support. Success criteria were defined and measured using specific KPIs.
- Automation: business rules, conditional notifications, synchronizations.
- AI: Intelligent priorization, charging suggestions, risk detection.
- Security: encryption, access management, approval funnel.
- Change management: progressive formation and internal documentation.
- Interoperability: Open and standardized APIs to avoid silos.
| Tendency | Impact | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated AI | Reduction of repetitive tasks | Activate suggestions and learning over 3 months |
| Automation | Less human error | Creation of automated critical workflows |
| Enhanced safety | Customer trust and confidence | Regular audits and permissioned access |
Recommended 6-step migration plan:
- Audit of tools and architecture diagram (include collaborative messaging).
- PoC on 1 to 3 pilot projects.
- Phased data migration and integrity testing.
- Formation by role and establishment of internal champions.
- Automation of repetitive processes.
- Post-deployment review and continuous optimization.
Useful resources to accelerate skills development: agile methods and best practices to avoid briefing errors.
| Stage | Estimated duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Audit | 2-3 weeks | Rapport of deviation and recommendations |
| PoC | 1 month | Measured results and decision |
| Deployment | 2-3 months | Tool in production + formation |
Insight: A successful deployment combines relevant technical choices, human support, and rapid iterations; support from an expert agency like DualMedia reduces technical risks and accelerates return on investment.
Why choose a project management tool in 2025?
A project management tool is essential for centralizing tasks, improving visibility, and automating workflows. By 2025, it will also allow for the integration of AI functions to prioritize actions and anticipate risks.
How to evaluate a project management tool for an agency?
Evaluating a project management tool involves testing integration with client tools and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. It's important to measure the impact on deadlines and billing, and conduct a PoC on real projects.
What are the benefits of a project management tool for an SME?
A project management tool centralizes communication, reduces errors, and facilitates financial management. SMEs gain in productivity and traceability with bord spreadsheets adapted to the size of the team.
Is AI integration into a project management tool useful?
Integrating AI into a project management tool automates repetitive tasks and provides forecasts to avoid delays. It becomes a major lever for optimizing resources and prioritizing tasks.
Is Asana suitable for marketing teams?
Asana is a great fit for marketing teams thanks to its simple views and prioritization features. Its AI assistant makes it easy to prioritize tasks and coordinate among contributors.
Is Trello suitable for large projects?
Trello is ideal for simple workflows and small teams, but can be limited for highly complex projects with many dependencies. It remains useful for visual task management of basic tasks.
How to use Monday.com to automate processes?
Monday.com allows you to create automations through rules and integrations, reducing manual tasks. It is particularly effective for synchronizing actions between services and triggering notifications.
Is ClickUp suitable for centralizing documentation and tasks?
ClickUp is designed as an all-in-one tool capable of centralizing documentation, discussions, and tasks. Its high level of customization allows the space to adapt to the needs of mixed teams.
Is Wrike suitable for large companies?
Wrike is designed for large organizations that require advanced reporting and strict governance. Its security and reporting features make it a logical choice for demanding organizations.
What role does security play in choosing a project management tool?
Security is crucial: data encryption, access management, and GDPR compliance ensure the protection of sensitive information. This is a non-negotiable criterion for strategic projects.
Our team of development and design experts is ready to transformer your ideas into reality. Contact us today for a quick and accurate estimate.