Best Creative Agency Project Management Software: Top 9 in 2025
Creative agencies have unique needs, such as managing client expectations and feedback loops. In this roundup of the best creative agency project management software, I highlight options that cater to these needs and help boost team efficiency.
Written by Mehak Siddiqui (Writer)
Reviewed by Kate Hawkins (Editor, Writer)
Facts checked by Simona Ivanovski (Fact-Checker, Formatter)
Last Updated:
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: This Is the Best Creative Project Management Software
- monday.com — Best overall software for creative teams. Try the Standard plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- ClickUp — Highly customizable tool for all project types. Test out the Business plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Asana — Intuitive and feature-rich project management software. Sign up for a free trial of the Advanced plan.
- Wrike — Powerful software to manage larger projects. Get a 14-day free trial of the Business plan.
- FunctionFox — Specialized agency management software. Get the Premier plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Hive — Simple, affordable software to manage creative work. Sign up for the Starter plan for just $5 per user per month.
- Trello — Simple kanban board software to track project progress. Try Trello’s excellent free plan.
- Zoho Projects — Affordable software that integrates with the Zoho ecosystem. Get a 15-day free trial of the Premium or Enterprise plan.
- Basecamp — Communication-focused software with flat-fee pricing. Sign up for a 60-day free trial of Basecamp’s Pro Unlimited plan.
Facts & Expert Analysis About Creative Agency Project Management Software:
- Creative teams are overworked: Over 30% of agencies describe their teams as somewhat overworked, and 13% say they’re frequently overworked.1 The right software can help address this challenge and improve efficiency.
- Agencies have unique needs: Most creative agencies need specific features to speed up project delivery, such as asset proofing, client access, automated approvals and workload views.
- Time tracking is key: Not having an easy and accurate way to keep time can lead to missed deadlines, over- or underallocation of attention to specific projects, and employee burnout. User-friendly software can address this challenge.
Agencies working on ads, design or marketing face the unique challenge of juggling multiple clients and ever-changing creative briefs. This makes it vital to have a reliable system for collaboration, task management, timekeeping and billing. The best creative agency project management software can help streamline these workflows.
In this article, I’ll discuss the top options based on factors like user-friendliness, task tracking and timekeeping. Many of my choices are from our list of the best project management tools, but I’ve focused on the ones that work especially well for creative teams.
Cloudwards’ Choice: monday.com
Cloudwards' Choice: monday.com
I think monday.com is the best choice for almost any creative agency. Its visually intuitive interface makes it easy to manage multiple campaigns and stay up to date with deadlines and changes. It also includes advanced features like automations and reporting to keep creative teams in sync. You can try the Standard plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
What Is Creative Agency Project Management Software?
Project management software for creative agencies refers to digital tools that can help agencies better plan and deliver their work. They streamline work by bringing together task tracking, creative asset management and team and client collaboration in one place.
The Best Creative Agency Project Management Software Compared
The table below provides an overview and comparison of the top software solutions I recommend:
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| PM Tool: | Free Plan | Price* | Best For | USP** | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Yes, <2 users | $12 | All creative teams & agencies | Intuitive visual interface, versatile, user-friendly | Expensive for large teams |
 | Yes, unlimited users | $7 | All creative teams & agencies | All-in-one workspace, unlimited customization | Complex setup |
 | Yes, <10 users | $10.99 | Small & mid-sized teams | Structured, customizable, strong resource management | Limited features on lower-tier plans, expensive for large teams |
 | Yes, unlimited users | $10 | Larger teams | Advanced proofing & approval tools for creative assets | Complex setup, steep learning curve |
 | No | $10 | Ad & marketing agencies | Built for creative teams, strong time-tracking & budgeting tools | Limited customization & collaboration |
 | Yes, <10 users | $5 | Solopreneurs or small creative teams | Affordable, easy to set up & use | Best features available as add-ons only |
 | Yes, <10 users | $5 | Simple projects, kanban lovers | Ultimate simplicity, Butler automation | Board view only, no time tracking |
 | Yes, <5 users | $4 | Small to mid-sized agencies | Easy to use, works well with Zoho ecosystem | Limited integrations |
 | Yes, <20 users | $15 | Growing creative or design teams | Easy to use, useful collaboration features | Lacks advanced features like automations |
**Unique Selling Point
Cloudwards Hands-On Testing
I tested essential features across different software to get an accurate sense of how they perform for real-world creative use cases. The tables below summarize my findings.
Feature Comparison Overview
The table below highlights the key features available in the tools I recommend. However, availability varies depending on the plan you opt for, with higher-tier plans being the most feature-rich.
| Tool: | View Types | Time Tracking | Custom Fields | Dashboards | Real-Time Collab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6: list, board, timeline, calendar, etc. | Yes: Pro plan | |||
| 6+: board, timeline, Gantt, map, etc. | Yes: limited on lower tiers | |||
| 5+: board, list, calendar, etc. | Yes: Advanced plan | |||
| 6: table, board, list, calendar, chart, Gantt | Yes: Business plan | |||
| 3+: to-do list, chart, Gantt, etc. | Yes | |||
| 3+: kanban, chart, Gantt, etc. | Yes: Teams plan | |||
| 3+: board, timeline, table, etc. | No | |||
| 3+: list, kanban, Gantt, etc. | Yes: Premium plan | |||
| To-do list | No |
Platform & Administration
All of these software solutions offer varying storage space, file management options and permissions depending on the plan you choose.
| Tool: | Platform Apps | Storage | File Management | Permissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web | 500MB-1000GB | File column, gallery view, versioning, uploads from cloud drives | Board, dashboard, workspace & account level |
| Web | 60MB-unlimited | Attachments, integrations with cloud drives | Folder, list & space level |
| Web | Unlimited (100MB max per file) | Attach/upload files to tasks, comments; integrates with cloud drives | User permissions, app controls |
| Web | 2GB-15GB per user | Upload files from local/computer, Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc; file versioning | Access roles: full/editor/limited/read-only. Custom roles for Enterprise. |
| Web | 10GB (additional storage available as add-on) | Agency-specific file types; email share with external members | Typical user role permissions |
| Web | 200MB-unlimited | Task/file attachments, kanban/Gantt views, asset upload | Team-level permission controls; details vary by plan |
| Web | 10MB-250MB per file | Card attachments, links to cloud storage, upload preview | Board-level roles (admin, normal, observer) |
| Web | 2GB-unlimited | My folders/team folders, upload limits, file sharing, versioning | Role/department-level permissions; configurable folder/share limits |
| Web | 1GB-5TB | Allows uploads of up to 10GB per attachment, version control, linking to external cloud files, folder structure | Role-based access, with admin/owner able to restrict edits/deletes, limit chat/history, manage clients as guests |
Integration & Automations
Most of the software I recommend can connect to other work apps you may be using. The only exception is FunctionFox, which is designed as a standalone tool for creative agencies.
| Tool: | Integration Count | Top Integrations | Native vs 3rd-Party | Automation Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200+ | Slack, Gmail, Outlook, Jira, Dropbox | Mostly native | Workflow builder with triggers & actions (e.g., auto-notify, auto-create items) |
| 1,000+ | Slack, GitHub, Google Sheets, Zapier | Balanced | Custom integrations/API, drag-&-drop automation of tasks & triggers |
| 200+ native integrations & thousands via Zapier | Slack, Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, Figma | Balanced | “Rules” to automate tasks (e.g., when task complete → trigger action) |
| Thousands through Wrike Integrate | Google Drive, Zoom, GitHub, Jira | Mostly third-party | Powerful workflow automation, AI assistance, status-based triggers & approvals |
| Very limited native integrations | None | Native only | Agency ops-focused automation (less broad than general PM tools) |
| 15 native integrations & thousands via Zapier | Google Drive, Calendar, Dropbox, QuickBooks | Balanced | Drag-&-drop “recipes” for cross-app automations/triggers |
| Several native integrations & thousands via Zapier | Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox | Balanced | Built-in automation (Butler) with triggers/actions, quota limits |
| 50+ Zoho apps & thousands via Zapier | Confluence, Bitbucket, Jenkins | Mostly third-party | Workflow rules, custom triggers/actions, blueprints for complex flows |
| Several native integrations & thousands via Zapier | Zapier, Google Calendar, Slack, time-tracking add-ons | Mostly third-party | No automation options |
Usability & Performance Assessment
I prioritized user-friendliness and focused on software that’s easy for teams to adopt. This ensures that creative professionals can focus on their work and not get caught up in trying to learn complex tools.
| Tool: | Learning Curve | Interface Design | Mobile Experience | Customer Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | Visual, color-coded, intuitive | Very good | 24/7 chat, extensive docs |
| Intermediate | Modern & highly customizable | Good | Chat, email support |
| Easy-intermediate | Structured & intuitive | Good | Community, paid support |
| Intermediate-difficult | Flexible but complex | Good | Email, community forum |
| Intermediate | Straightforward & customizable | Good | Extensive docs, community |
| Easy | Colorful & user-friendly | Good | Extensive docs, community |
| Easy | Minimalist, card-based | Very good | Extensive docs, community |
| Easy | Basic & user-friendly | Good | Extensive docs, community |
| Easy | Simple, but navigation feels clunky | Good | Extensive docs, community |
The Best Project Management Software for Creative Agencies
Below are my top nine options for project management tools that creative agencies can use, starting with my top pick, monday.com.
1. monday.com — Best Creative Agency Project Management Software
monday.com is a visual project management tool that lets you set up customizable boards for different workflows. It’s easy to collaborate with both internal and external stakeholders to keep everyone on the same page, track progress and meet deadlines.
What Makes monday.com Special
monday.com tops our list of the best project management software because it combines a clean visual layout with deep customization and automation. This allows teams to quickly build workflows that fit their specific goals and requirements. Read our monday.com review for more.
When to Choose monday.com
I recommend opting for monday.com’s Standard plan if you’re a small or mid-sized creative team looking for a user-friendly but customizable tool. It gives you helpful automations, useful integrations and clear reporting dashboards, and it costs $12 per user per month, annually.
- Maximum users: 2
- Minimum users: 3; All prices per user
- Minimum users: 3; All prices per user
More plans
- Minimum users: 3; All prices per user
- Enterprise-level features.
2. ClickUp — Customizable Project Management Software With a Generous Free Plan
ClickUp is a great free project management tool, and its paid tiers are competitively priced. Although it can seem a bit overwhelming to new users, it’s a comprehensive solution for any kind of agency work.
What Makes ClickUp Special
ClickUp is an all-in-one system with many features for task management, collaborative docs, team collaboration and time tracking. The platform can be customized to fit different workflows, and it eliminates the need for multiple tools. Read our ClickUp review for more.
When to Choose ClickUp
I recommend choosing ClickUp if you want complete control over granular aspects of your workflow and don’t mind a bit of a learning curve. The Unlimited plan is a great deal, at just $7 per user per month, but even the free plan is a viable choice for small teams.
- Basic functionality with some limitations
- All prices per user
- All prices per user
3. Asana — Intuitive Resource Management Software for Creative Agencies
Asana is an intuitive and straightforward software for real-time visibility into workloads, timelines and responsibilities. It streamlines collaboration and milestone tracking, making it a great choice for marketing campaigns or creative businesses.
What Makes Asana Special
Asana is a team-focused app that makes it easy to manage projects and collaborate. Its built-in resource management and timeline tools help creative agencies balance workloads and deliver projects on time. Learn more about the software in our Asana review.
When to Choose Asana
Pick Asana if you’re a project manager looking for a simple tool to organize projects and resources. The Starter plan is a solid choice for growing teams, though features like approvals and proofing are available only on the Advanced plan.
- Up to 10 users
- Price is per user. unlimited users, expanded features
- Price is per user. unlimited users, even more features
- Custom pricing, advanced security features
4. Wrike — Advanced Proofing and Workflow Tools for Ad and Design Agencies
Wrike provides tools like dynamic request forms, automated workflows, cross-tagging and real-time workload views. This makes it ideal for managing complex workflows and business operations in larger agencies juggling multiple clients. Read our Wrike review for all the details.
What Makes Wrike Special
Wrike is powerful for team productivity, with robust proofing and approval features to streamline feedback on creative assets. Its customizable workflows and advanced reporting enable full visibility and control of complex, multi-client projects.
When to Choose Wrike
I recommend Wrike if you manage multiple clients or large-scale creative projects. The Business plan is customizable for up to 200 team members, and the platform supports guest approvals and proofing for more than 30 file formats.
- Unlimited users. Basic features.
- Price is per user. Plans for 5, 10 and 15 users.
- Price is per user. No monthly option. Plans for 5 to 200 users.
More plans
- For large teams; Enterprise-grade security and scalability; Plans for 5 to an unlimited number of users.
- For teams with complex work needs; Advanced tools and analytics for complex work; 5 to unlimited users
5. FunctionFox — Specialized Project Management Software for Marketing Agencies
FunctionFox is an agency management software solution with built-in features for tracking time, budgeting and reporting. It’s specifically designed to cater to the unique needs of a creative workflow. Learn more about it in our FunctionFox review.
What Makes FunctionFox Special
This tool has a powerful blend of project-tracking and financial management tools designed for creative professionals. FunctionFox’s simple interface helps agencies stay organized and profitable without getting lost in too many complex features.
When to Choose FunctionFox
FunctionFox is a solid choice for creative or ad agencies that need a simple project planning solution with time-tracking and expense-tracking features. Opt for the Premier plan to gain access to advanced features like Gantt charts and resource forecasting.
- **3 user minimum **Price is per user
- **3 user minimum **Price is per user
6. Hive — Collaborative Workspace for Fast-Paced Creative Processes
Hive offers campaign-friendly features like proofing and approval tools, task templates, automated workflows and centralized communication. This provides teams an affordable way to maintain efficient, cross-functional coordination across multiple campaigns. Read our Hive review for more details.
What Makes Hive Special
Luckily Hive is affordably priced, with an entry-level plan that costs only $5 per user month and a more feature-rich Teams plan for just $12 per user per month. It also offers a free plan, which makes it suitable for solopreneurs or small teams on a budget.
When to Choose Hive
Choose Hive if you need affordable and user-friendly software for your agency workflow. It can help you manage multiple campaigns with quick client feedback and communication. However, you need to pay extra for its best features, such as approvals.
- Max 2 users; 200MB storage; Up to 10 users; Unlimited tasks; Unlimited collaborative notes; Gantt, Kanban, calendar & table views; Email in Hive; Desktop, iOS and Android apps; Native chat messaging; Custom emojis
- Everything in Free plus: Unlimited storage Upload files on a task or project. Up to 10 workspace members Add up to 10 full access users into your Hive workspace Up to 10 projects Create up to 10 projects Gantt view View your projects by task timeline and dependency. Cloud storage integrations In-app calendar Zoom and Slack from Hive AI Assistant
- Price per user; Everything in “Free”; Unlimited files & storage; Unlimited workspace members; Workspace add-ons; External guest access; Shareable forms; Time tracking; In-app calendar; Cloud storage integrations; Zoom and Slack from Hive
- Everything in Teams; Flexible add-ons included; Enhanced security and permission controls; Custom analytics and reporting; Unlimited onboarding; Dedicated Customer Success Manager; Enterprise API; Access to Professional Services
7. Trello — Kanban Board Software to Streamline Creative or Design Projects
Trello specializes in kanban boards, and has a highly intuitive and visual approach to project management. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to track different task statuses and processes, though it may become cluttered as your agency grows.
What Makes Trello Special
Trello shines with the simplicity of its kanban boards, which make project management feel effortless and creative. It also has a great free plan that supports up to 10 team members, as well as unlimited plugins to give it an extra boost of functionality. To learn more about it, read our Trello review.
When to Choose Trello
Trello is a solid project management tool for solopreneurs or small teams. You can try Trello’s free plan for an easy-to-use visual workspace.
- Unlimited users, 10 boards, Unlimited power-ups, Unlimited storage
- Price is per user, Unlimited boards, Custom fields, Invite guests
- Price is per user, Several new views
- Price is per user, Advanced admin & security settings. Discounts for larger teams.
8. Zoho Projects — Budget-Friendly Project Management for Creative Teams
Zoho Projects is an affordable tool with the necessary features to manage tasks, timelines and client projects. It’s especially useful for teams that need built-in time tracking, collaboration features and easy integration with other Zoho apps for a seamless workflow.
What Makes Zoho Projects Special
Zoho Projects integrates seamlessly with the broader Zoho ecosystem (CRM, Books, WorkDrive, Analytics), meaning agencies can link project work, client data, billing and analytics in one unified platform. Learn more about it in our Zoho Projects review.
When to Choose Zoho Projects
Even if you’re not in the Zoho ecosystem, you can opt for Zoho Projects’ Premium plan if you want an affordable platform with built-in time tracking, customization options and powerful collaboration features. It’s a great project management tool for small businesses.
9. Basecamp — Efficient Communication Hub for Creative Work
Basecamp serves as a centralized platform to manage projects. It’s especially useful for teams that want clear communication and simple task tracking without the complexity of advanced features.
What Makes Basecamp Special
Basecamp stands out for its unique interface that brings together project tracking and messaging. This handy combination makes it easy to collaborate without juggling multiple apps. Read our Basecamp review for more details.
When to Choose Basecamp
Choose Basecamp if you want a simple project management app that centers on team collaboration. Enjoy a 60-day free trial of Basecamp’s flat-fee Pro Unlimited plan, which is a great deal for large creative teams.
- One project 1 GB storage space
- Per user. Unlimited projects, Unlimited users, All features. 500GB storage.
- Unlimited users. 5TB storage. Priority support.
Honorable Mentions
A few other options didn’t make the top tier but are still worthy contenders, offering useful features at competitive prices. Take a look at my selection below.
| Provider: | Price | Why It’s Special | Integrations | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Free plan available; Team plan starts at $20 per user per month | Hybrid spreadsheet database platform for custom workflows, asset tracking & creative data management | Google Drive, Box, Jira, GitHub & many more | Creative agencies building custom pipelines, using asset/tracking systems or managing lots of data |
 | Free plan available; Premium plan starts at $3 per user per month | Affordable all-in-one work management with native time-tracking workflows for creative teams | Google Calendar, Microsoft Teams, Zapier | Smaller creative teams, freelancers and agencies requiring solid project/task management on a limited budget |
 | Free plan available; Solo plan starts at $3.90 per user per month | Designed for creative service workflows, with time tracking, invoicing & proofing features | Slack, Google Calendar, Typeform, Zapier, QuickBooks | Creative agencies that also bill hours, track time, profitability & need budget/invoice integration |
Methodology: Our Testing Framework & How to Choose the Best Creative Agency Project Management Tool
To compile this roundup, I tested different software solutions while looking at several key elements. Below is a breakdown of exactly what I focused on and why, which should guide you in choosing the best tool for your needs.
What Are the Benefits of Creative Management Tools?
Creative management tools bring structure to the chaos of creative work. They help streamline communication between different stakeholders, including designers, writers and clients. With these tools, everyone can focus on their deliverables and keep projects moving smoothly from concept to completion.
Most tools have the benefit of centralizing all the data related to creative workflows, such as task statuses, deadlines and time entries. They also provide real-time insights into progress and bottlenecks. This makes it easy to stay organized and collaborate all in one place.
Potential Challenges of Creative Management Tools
Choosing the right tool for your team’s needs will help you attain measurable benefits. However, a few challenges can arise if the software is too complex or a team is resistant to adopting it. Some tools can feel overwhelming to set up or too feature-heavy for smaller teams.
Ensuring that everyone consistently uses the tool can become an ongoing problem as well. After all, even the best software works only when the whole team is on board. At the same time, some tools can become quite pricey for larger teams, which could cancel out the benefits they provide.
Final Thoughts
Specialized Project Management Software for Marketing AgenciesNo matter what projects you’re working on, the right tool can help you achieve your goals. It’s worth taking the time to carefully choose software that fits your unique requirements and priorities. I recommend monday.com as the best option for most teams.
What features are you looking for in project management software? What’s the biggest challenge you’re trying to address in your workflow? Is there any other software you’d like to know more about? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below; I’d be happy to help out. Thank you for reading.
FAQ: Best Creative Project Management Software
monday.com is the best project management tool for creative teams. It offers a highly intuitive and customizable platform that makes it easy to plan and collaborate.
Set clear goals, organize your tasks and assign roles to different collaborators. Tools like monday.com and ClickUp help with this and make it easy to track progress, deadlines and feedback.