Zoho Sprints Review
From Zoho Desk to Zoho Projects, Zoho is well known for building excellent software products. In 2017, a new addition to the ecosystem arrived -- Zoho Sprints. The app is built specifically for Agile project management, and we ask: Does it perform as well as other Zoho products? We'll let you know in this Zoho Sprints review.
— Last Updated: 2024-01-18T15:27:26+00:00 Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska
Key Takeaways: Zoho Sprints Review
- Zoho Sprints is a cheap entry into the world of Agile project management software. It’s easy to use and ideal for all levels of experience. You can try the Zoho Sprints free plan to get a feel for the software.
- We like the timesheet features, but it would benefit from more popular tools like automated time tracking.
- For privacy and security buffs, Zoho has one of the best approaches on the market when it comes to keeping your data secure.
Zoho Sprints is another tool coming out of the Zoho brand. It’s a space to create Agile workflows, such as backlogs and sprints, and to break down large tasks into “epics.” Is the software any good? We’ll let you know in this Zoho Sprints review.
Because Zoho Sprints is very much for Agile project management, it comes with limitations. Certain project views and productivity tools aren’t available. Although it won’t find itself among the best project management software, we don’t think it’s trying to. As far as being one of the best Agile project management software options, it has tons of potential.
What Is Zoho Sprints?
Zoho Sprints is an Agile project management app. Launched in 2017, the software targets those using Agile methodology and is part of the larger Zoho ecosystem. Unlike Zoho Projects, which targets all types of project management, Sprints is specifically built for Agile teams.
Zoho Sprints Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Plenty of Agile tools
- Native chat tool
- Time-logging features
- Very affordable
Cons:
- Limited project views
- No real-time support
Zoho Sprints Alternatives
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- 7$4.92 / month(All Plans)
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- 24$9.80 / month(All Plans)
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- 48$20 / month(All Plans)
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- 50$910 / month(All Plans)
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Features: What Can Zoho Sprints Do?
We’re going to break down some of the core features that we know users will be looking out for.
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Backlog
The “backlog” page is where you will log all of the tasks you need to complete. It’s divided into two sections: project backlog and sprint backlog. When creating a project backlog, you can add start and end dates and rank each task in order of priority. Software development teams can link tasks to specific releases of the software they’re creating.
You can use the sprint backlog for all of your sprint planning. You’ll be able to assign sprints to other users, and project managers can set a time frame to complete each sprint. There’s a 30-day limit (or four weeks), but that is typical for sprints in Agile project management.
Scrum Board
Once you have defined your backlog, you can complete most of your task management within the scrum board. It’s similar to a kanban board and is divided into three sections: “to do,” “in progress” and “done.” You move each task card through the columns using the standard drag-and-drop functionality.
Within each task card, project managers can add estimation points. If you’re not familiar with these, they’re a range of numbers that help users understand the size of the workload for each task. For example, if you’re choosing between estimation points three and five, five would mean that users have to carry out more work to complete the task.
The scrum board itself works well, though it’s not customizable, meaning that you can’t create your own columns or change the name of each column. If you’re looking for more dynamic options, we suggest checking out our selection of the best scrum software.
Communication Tool
The built-in chat tool allows users to communicate remotely with relative ease. It’s a small messaging space, but you can do a lot with it. You can create separate channels, hold group chats and pin messages. You can send voice notes if you prefer verbal communication to text messages.
By using Zoho integrations, you can integrate Zoho Meeting within the chat tool. It may not be a Slack alternative, but we really like this communication tool as an integrated part of the Zoho Sprints app.
Epics
Zoho Sprints offers a dedicated space for you to manage epics and user stories. Think of “epics” as large goals you need to complete as part of your project. You can link an epic to smaller tasks to help break them down and select who owns the epic so people know who is responsible for the work.
Agile Reports
The Agile reports come in different views, including a velocity chart, burnup and burndown charts, flow diagrams and epics progress charts. You can also request reports for your timesheets and filter them by work type, sprint and user. All of the reports are useful, and those who like to get sucked into project stats and data will no doubt be happy with them.
Timesheets
Another core feature worth highlighting is the “timesheet” tab. It’s a simple space to log the hours it takes to complete your tasks. You can log your time in hours and minutes and select whether it’s billable or not.
You can’t add any reimbursement values though, so it’s not ideal for invoicing. There’s also no automatic time tracker, so you’ll need to input your working hours manually.
Zoho Sprints Features Overview
 | |
|---|---|
| $1 / month(All Plans) | |
| Review | |
| Management Views | |
| Kanban board | |
| List | |
| Calendar | |
| Timeline | |
| Spreadsheet view | |
| Gantt charts | |
| Workload planning | |
| Long-term planning | |
| Management Features | |
| Multiple project management | |
| Dependency management | |
| Native scrum management | |
| Set user permissions | |
| File storage | |
| Time-tracking | |
| Built-in integrations | |
| Reporting features | |
| General Features | |
| Free plan | |
| Free Trial | 15 days |
| Web app | |
| Windows | |
| MacOS | |
| Android | |
| iOS | |
| Support | |
| Ticket-based support | |
| Tutorials | |
| Knowledgebase | |
| Forum | |
| Live chat | |
| Phone support |
User-Friendliness & Hands-on Testing
The Zoho Sprints app itself is really enjoyable to use. Features are clearly labeled and there’s no in-house jargon you need to learn. If you’re already familiar with scrum boards and user stories and know what a product backlog is, you’ll have no issues using Zoho Sprints. Even an inexperienced user who is not familiar with Agile methodologies will be able to easily learn and use the platform.
The design sticks with Zoho’s ethos: Keep it simple. Though it won’t win any awards for appearance, it’s still easy on the eye, which makes it straightforward to navigate. There are no complaints here.
How to Install Zoho Sprints
Getting started with Zoho Sprints takes no time at all. There are no apps to download for desktop, so you will access the platform through your browser. You simply need to sign up and log in.
How to Set Up & Use Zoho Sprints
Zoho Sprints has its own user guide to help you familiarize yourself with the platform. We’ll highlight some basic useability below.
- Signing up for Zoho Sprints
Go to the Zoho Sprints website. Sign up using an email address, add a team name and create a password. You can also sign up with a Google or Microsoft account.
- Adding other users
Click on the ellipses in the left-hand menu. Select “users.” On the next page, navigate to “+ users” in the top-right corner. Add the user details and click “add” to finish.
- Create a new project
You can create a new project via your dashboard. Navigate to the “+ create” sign in the top right-hand corner and click on it.
- Adding project details
After clicking on the “create” button, you will be asked to input your project details. It’s best practice to put in as much data as possible at this stage. It helps other users understand the aim of the project and helps you get it up and running as smoothly as possible.
- Switching projects
Navigate to the “projects” tab in the top menu. You will see your projects in the form of cards. Simply select a card to enter an ongoing project.
Zoho Sprints macOS & Windows Apps
At the time of writing, Zoho Sprints didn’t have a dedicated desktop app for either macOS or Windows. Instead, you use a laptop or computer to access Zoho Sprints through a web browser.
We did not experience any user issues or crashes in the web app. Navigation was smooth and features had clear labeling. Creating tasks, linking tasks in the chat box and any data entry required went well, and overall, we found using the web app to be an enjoyable experience.
Zoho Sprints Android & iOS Apps
Mobile apps are available on both iOS and Android. During our testing, we used the iOS version. The mobile app is a streamlined version of the web app. Though you can see your product backlog, sprints and boards, other tools like chats and timesheets are not available.
The app itself is responsive. You can see your board in both portrait and landscape mode, which we like. Creating backlog items is simple enough, as is sprint planning. We don’t envision anyone using the app as their main driver for project management, but to see how things are going at a glance it works just fine.
Zoho Sprints Pricing: How Much Does Zoho Sprints Cost?
Zoho Sprints is a low-cost solution for pretty much every budget. If you’re already using the project management tool (Zoho Projects), adding Sprints shouldn’t be a problem as there are four plans to choose from, including a free version and three paid plans. Naturally, the feature set and usage expands the more you pay. We’ll break them down for you.
Zoho Sprints Free Plan
The free version may not be among the best free project management software, but it’s far from the worst. You’re limited to three users and three projects per account. Though you can create a backlog and use the board, other features like timesheets and epic management aren’t available.
If you only use a basic Agile process and fancy trying your hand at Agile development, you can use the free Zoho Sprints version as a good entry point for micro Agile teams.
Pricing Plan Breakdown
The three paid plans are all inexpensive. You get the best value when you pay annually, but month-to-month options are also available. For example, the Premier plan works out to $5 per user per month when on annual billing, whereas it’s $6 per user per month with a rolling monthly subscription.
Unless you’re part of a large company that needs unlimited users, the Elite plan offers the best value. With annual billing, it works out to $2.50 per user per month and you can add up to 100 users. You also have access to all of the features you would want for Agile project management minus some non-essential features like a custom email and domain.
Security & Privacy: Is Zoho Sprints Safe?
We like Zoho’s approach to security. It has all of the defenses we would look for from software that’s protecting user data.
Detailed Security Analysis
Zoho protects your data in a multitude of ways. First, it uses transport layer security (TLS 1.2/1.3) encryption to keep your data secure. The company also uses perfect forward secrecy. This ensures that if data is compromised later down the line, no previous communication or data can be decrypted during cyberattacks.
Other security features include two-factor authentication and single sign-on. Zoho also has round-the-clock CCTV manning its data centers. Only authorized employees can access the data centers, which they do using fingerprint ID.
Zoho Sprints Privacy Policy
Zoho has a blanket privacy policy for all of its platforms. The type of policy in place varies depending on location. Zoho currently adheres to regional-based privacy regulations in California, the U.K. and South Africa and has a global policy for the rest of the world.
Zoho also adheres to GDPR. It extends the same regulations to its global policy even though it’s not mandatory.
The only identifiable data that Zoho stores is your name, email address and telephone number, which you provide when signing up for an account. Zoho doesn’t share or sell your personal information to third-party companies. You may receive emails from Zoho about products and services, but you can opt out at any time.
Zoho Sprint’s Customer Support
There’s no real-time support with Zoho Sprints, meaning that you can’t call a phone line or use live chat. To speak to someone, you’ll need to raise a support request, which you can do within the app. There are also other support options available. These include a knowledgebase, a community forum and webinars, all of which are stacked with useful information.
New users can also request a demo. This involves speaking with a member of the support team, who takes you through the software step by step.
Support Speed & Quality
We couldn’t find any service-level agreements for response times anywhere on Zoho’s site. However, we did test the customer support and received a response within four hours of sending our query. We received the answer we needed and the response time was more than acceptable.
Zoho Sprints vs Other Project Management Services: How Does It Compare?
So, how does Zoho Sprints compare to other popular tools? It would be unfair to compare it to the likes of monday.com, which is an all-in-one platform and the best option for all types of project management.
However, in comparison to other dedicated Agile tools, Zoho Sprints stacks up pretty well. We would say that it’s more user friendly than Pivotal Tracker, especially for those new to Agile project management. It’s arguably more versatile than Jira and Wrike. However, it doesn’t feel as well polished as Nifty, another popular tool in the Agile space.
Community Feedback: Zoho Sprints Reviews on Reddit & Social Media
The general customer feedback is positive for Zoho Sprints. Most users love its simplicity and value how easy it is to digest project data. One user wrote via G2, “All the users on my project have been able to learn it very easily.” They continued, “Reports and dashboard gives me all the information in visual and easy charts.”
Any criticism of the app was trivial and often related to the design of the user interface, which some users found to be dull. This is mainly a question of preference rather than a flaw on Zoho’s part.
The Verdict: Is Zoho Sprints Worth It?
If you need an all-in-one project management tool, Zoho Sprints won’t give you everything you need. However, after comparing it to our selection of the best Agile tools, it ticks a lot of boxes and is up there with some of the leading alternatives. It has all of the features most would need, and the chat feature is an excellent addition. You can also give Zoho Sprints a try for free or for very cheap.
If you’re already in the Zoho ecosystem, then we don’t see much reason not to use it if you want to add an Agile process to your workflow. If you’re not already using Zoho products and only need an Agile project management tool, there are more worthwhile options in our roundup of the best Agile tools.
Did you find this review useful? What do you think about Zoho Sprints? Is there a project management tool you would like us to review? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading.
FAQ: Zoho Sprints
The main benefit of Zoho Sprints is that it’s packed with Agile features and terminology that will suit software development teams and those who use Agile development in their workflow.
Zoho Sprints is an Agile project management app specifically made for Agile processes.
Zoho Projects is built for all types of project management — from everyday to-do lists to managing editorial calendars. Zoho Sprints specifically targets Agile methodologies and is purpose built for product and software development teams.
