18 Hive alternatives worth considering (and what each one gets right)

If this year has taught us anything, it’s that modern teams need the right tools and technology to survive. The number one requirement is a powerful work management platform that empowers team members to do much more with far less.

But which platform to choose? With so much project management software on the market, the choice might seem overwhelming at first. One such option is Hive, which has gained in popularity since its launch in 2015. It’s a great solution for organizations (especially those with small teams and freelancers) to centralize their work, share and collaborate on tasks, and visualize and manage ongoing projects. 

However, if you’re looking at project management tools, you’ll know that there’s a certain investment required, both in terms of resources allocated and the time it takes to learn. That means you should be sure the work management software you choose is suitable for your organization, not only for today, but also for tomorrow, as you grow. 

With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of all the top Hive alternatives available. Discover the pros and cons of each option and learn why, when it comes to supporting your team through challenging times, Wrike is the all-in-one solution you need.

What is Hive?

Given how busy us worker bees are right now, you have to give Hive top marks for its cool name. As the name suggests, it’s a central hub for teams to collaborate, manage, and analyze their work. With a range of features, including project planning, Gantt charts, and templates, teams can use Hive to collaborate, plan, manage, and execute projects of all sizes. They can also create and assign tasks, including due dates, priorities, and automated workflows.  

As a cloud-based project management software solution, it’s a good choice for modern teams that need to work together across different locations and departments. Founded in 2015, Hive says it’s “the only project management platform for hybrid work, shaped by users,” but many Hive competitors might feel their platforms also cater very well to hybrid users, and are built and adapted in response to user needs. 

The good part of its pricing model is that teams and organizations can scale up and pay for additional functionality as needed. Of course, the downside to this is that its initially affordable offering can quickly start stretching the budget.

Hive pros and cons

Like any project management software, the Hive tool offers benefits and challenges. Some will matter more to you than others, but here we’ve outlined a couple of the most-mentioned ones to give you an idea of what’s on offer.

Pros of Hive

• Easy to use: Busy teams don’t have time for lengthy onboarding and steep learning curves. One of the big attractions of Hive is its ease of use, which takes very little time to master.
• Time tracking tools: As managing resources becomes even more crucial, the ability to track time is fast becoming a key part of any work management kit.
• Multiple project views: Unlike some Hive alternatives, this platform has six to seven different work views, including the ever-popular Gantt charts and Kanban boards, as well as calendars and tables.

Cons of Hive

• Restrictive hierarchy: Without spaces, folders, and contextual subtasks, Hive’s flat hierarchy makes it challenging for businesses to organize their work as they grow and scale. 
• Scaling features like advanced automation and reporting cost extra — $5/user/month on top of your base plan.
• If you skip the add-ons, and you’re stuck manually updating project dates.

Reduced integrations: Hive has only 15 native integrations, a low number compared to most competitors (Wrike has over 400).

Reasons to upgrade from Hive 

Every team, department, or organization is different, with varying needs and requirements. Hive might be serving your purposes well right now, but if you’re thinking about making a change, here are five reasons why now might be the time. 

• Scale: While Hive works great for small businesses, organizations that want to future-proof their software should look at more robust and comprehensive alternatives.
• Budget: The free version is perfect for small teams, but if you find yourself paying for add-ons such as analytics, timesheets, and resource management, it might be worth reviewing Hive alternatives to see if a more all-in-one solution is available.
• Integrations: Do you regularly use third-party apps such as Adobe Creative Cloud or Salesforce? You might prefer project management software that enables native integration with more than just 12 other platforms.
• Templates: While Hive offers templates for Agile development, client-based agency/branding project, content calendar, new hire onboarding, product roadmap, and strategic planning, most organizations will require much more than this, especially if they have multiple teams or departments.
• Customization: Unique teams need unique software. While the Hive platform offers some customization, it doesn’t include anything like Wrike’s custom item types.

Hive alternatives at a glance

Here’s a quick look at the top Hive alternatives and what sets each one apart:

Hive alternatives: Tool-by-tool breakdown

Below is a closer look at each Hive alternative, covering key features, strengths, and where each tool fits best.

ClickUp

ClickUp markets itself as a replacement for multiple apps. It offers 15+ project views, time tracking, docs, goals, automations, and dashboards under one roof.

Key features: Custom task statuses, multiple views (list, board, Gantt, calendar, workload), 5,000 automations per month on Business plans, native time tracking, 100+ templates, and ClickUp Brain AI.

Pros: Highly flexible for different team types. Generous free plan. Consistently updated with new features.

Cons: According to negative reviews on Capterra, “Most users report performance and speed issues, including slow load times, lag, and delayed updates, disrupting workflow.”

Best for: Tech-savvy teams that want to consolidate multiple productivity tools and don’t mind a longer setup.

Notion

Notion is a modular workspace that lets teams build their own system using pages, databases, kanban boards, calendars, and wikis. It doubles as a knowledge base and a lightweight project manager.

Key features: Relational databases, 50+ block types, Kanban, timeline, calendar, and table views, templates, Notion AI, and integrations with Slack, Google Drive, GitHub, and Zapier.

Pros: Extremely flexible. Works well as both a wiki and a project tracker. Strong for teams that want to combine documentation with task management. The free plan is functional.

Cons: Reviewers on G2 say it has a steep learning curve, face usage limitations, and note that it has limited features. 

Best for: Teams that want to combine knowledge management, documentation, and lightweight project tracking in one place, especially startups and smaller orgs that don’t need deep project management features.

Wrike

 

Wrike is a work management platform aimed at mid-size to enterprise teams. It’s especially popular in marketing agencies and professional services for its proofing tools, resource management, and structured reporting.

Key features: Gantt charts, custom workflows, built-in proofing, dynamic request forms, resource management, approval workflows, and 400+ integrations.

Pros: Strong analytics and reporting. Built-in proofing for creative assets. Highly configurable for large teams.

Cons: The configurable dashboards are powerful, yet the initial setup felt heavy for lightweight projects with some users saying the setup feels heavy for simple campaigns, and requires meaningful setup time before teams see its value.

Best for: Marketing agencies, professional services firms, and enterprise teams managing structured workflows, creative reviews, and resource planning across multiple projects.

Lark

Lark combines messaging, video conferencing, document editing, calendar, and project management into one platform. It was built to replace fragmented tool ecosystems and positions itself as a single workspace for distributed teams.

Key features: Kanban boards, Gantt charts, real-time document co-editing, built-in meeting transcription, timezone-aware scheduling, workflow automation, wiki functionality, and cross-platform mobile and desktop access.

Pros: Eliminates app-switching across communication and project tools. Strong real-time translation for global teams. The free tier is generous compared to competitors’.

Cons: The platform is extremely feature-rich, but it also has a steep learning curve according to some reviewers, so it can feel overwhelming for new team members. The mobile version was hard for some employees. As of now, direct native connectors for Google Drive, Trello, identity management systems, and HRIS platforms are not available.

Best for: Growing tech companies and distributed teams that want one platform for everything and are willing to invest in onboarding.

Asana

Asana is one of the most widely used project management platforms. It connects daily work to company-level goals and is well suited for cross-functional teams managing multiple projects simultaneously.

Key features: Timeline (Gantt), boards, list view, rules-based automation, portfolio tracking, goal setting, workload management, and 200+ integrations.

Pros: Clean interface. Strong workflow automation. Good at linking tasks to strategic goals. Reliable for cross-functional teams.

Cons: Users on Capterra complain that there are too many email notifications, limited customization options, and have challenges managing alerts across multiple projects.

Best for: Marketing, operations, and product teams that want clear task ownership, timelines, and goal visibility without heavy configuration.

Monday.com

Monday.com is built around visual boards and flexible column types. Teams use it to manage everything from simple task lists to complex cross-functional workflows and dashboards.

Key features: Customizable boards, timeline view, automations, dashboards, forms, workload planning, and 200+ native integrations including Mailchimp, Jira, and HubSpot.

Pros: Fast onboarding. Highly visual. Strong native automations. Good for creative and marketing teams.

Cons: Advanced reporting and resource management features are limited without premium plans. Users say pricing is expensive, especially for small teams.

Best for: Creative, marketing, and operations teams that need visual project tracking with strong automation and don’t want to build complex configurations from scratch.

Trello

Trello is one of the simplest project management tools available. It runs on the Kanban system (boards, lists, and cards) and has added AI-powered features and calendar sync in recent updates.

Key features: Drag-and-drop Kanban boards, Butler automation, Power-Ups (calendar, reporting, integrations), Trello Inbox for task capture, and planner for calendar sync.

Pros: Near-zero learning curve. Fast to set up. Great for individuals and small teams. Affordable.

Cons: Trello can feel limited for larger or more complex projects. It lacks advanced features like time tracking, resource management, and reporting tools. As projects grow, managing many boards can become cumbersome and lead to clutter. 

Best for: Individuals, small teams, or anyone new to project management who needs a visual, low-friction way to track tasks without complex setup.

Worksection

Worksection is a project management platform built for agencies and client-service businesses. It’s designed around time tracking and financial visibility, with task hierarchies that go three levels deep (project → task → subtask).

Key features: Built-in time tracking with hourly rates, Gantt charts, Kanban boards, client access and reporting, multi-project management, and guest roles with private comments.

Pros: Clean, intuitive interface with minimal training required. Strong time-to-billing workflow. Good value relative to features. Highly rated by agencies managing multiple client projects.

Cons: According to G2 reviews, users note that it has limited features and functionality, poor integration options, and has various problems with the mobile app

Best for: Digital agencies, consultants, and design studios that bill by the hour and need time tracking, client reporting, and budget visibility baked into task management.

Basecamp

Basecamp simplifies project management by bundling message boards, to-do lists, file storage, calendars, and team chat into a single flat structure. Its pricing model (flat rate per company, not per user) makes it unusual in the market.

Key features: Message boards, to-do lists with assignments, Hill Charts for progress visualization, automatic check-ins, Kanban-style card tables, and centralized document management.

Pros: Dead simple. Flat pricing covers unlimited users. Strong for small teams and client communication. Minimal onboarding needed.

Cons: Basecamp has very basic task management capabilities, no advanced views like Gantt charts or timelines, and limited customization and scalability. (bigtime.net) Reviewers highlight transparency and simple collaboration but wish for more mobile polish and advanced reporting. (brandvm.com) BigTimeBrand Vision

Best for: Small to mid-size businesses and agencies that prioritize communication and organized collaboration over complex project structure — and want predictable pricing that doesn’t scale per seat.

Spark

Spark (by Readdle) is primarily an email client with built-in AI features, team collaboration tools, and integrations with project management platforms like Evernote, Dropbox, and Todoist. It does not function as a standalone project management system, but might be a great alternative for Hive users.

Key features: Smart Inbox, AI email summaries and writing, integrated calendar, email delegation for teams, scheduling, and integration with Asana, Trello, Todoist, MeisterTask, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Zoom.

Pros: Clean, modern UI. Good for teams that want to manage communication and action items from email without switching apps. Works across macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android.

Cons: Users on G2 say Spark has a poor interface, bug issues, and has a lot of missing features. 

Best for: Small teams and individuals who want to manage action items from email more efficiently and integrate with existing project management tools, but is not a replacement for dedicated PM software.

Workzone

Workzone is a mid-market project management tool built for teams that need structured intake forms, real-time dashboards, and clear workload visibility without the complexity of enterprise platforms.

Key features: Gantt charts, task dependencies, project templates, workload reports, time tracking, document proofing and approvals, pre-built forms for request management, and real-time project dashboards.

Pros: Strong for managing incoming project requests. Unlimited training and support included. Good visibility across multiple projects. Intuitive for non-technical users.

Cons: Workzone lacks some advanced project management features and integrations, and may struggle with the needs of larger-scale projects. Users also mention limited reporting options.

Best for: Teams that need structured project intake and workload management without an overwhelming feature set.

Resource Guru

Resource Guru is a resource scheduling and capacity management tool. It focuses specifically on who is working on what, when they’re available, and whether the team is over or under-allocated.

Key features: Drag-and-drop resource scheduling, availability tracking, leave management, utilization reports, time tracking, and integrations via Zapier.

Pros: Simple, intuitive scheduling interface. Clear visibility into team capacity and availability. Strong reporting for utilization and burn rates. Fast to set up.

Cons: Users on G2 complain about Resrouce Guru’s limited or missing features, scheduling issues, and limited functionality. 

Best for: Teams that need a dedicated tool for scheduling and capacity planning, and best used alongside a separate project management platform.

Quire

Quire is a task management tool built around an infinite nested list structure. It lets teams break large projects into as many levels of subtasks as needed, with Kanban boards and Gantt timelines layered on top.

Key features: Infinite nested task hierarchy, Kanban boards, dynamic timeline (Gantt), smart sublists, real-time collaboration, time tracking, calendar integration, and a focus mode for individual productivity.

Pros: Can manage complex, multi-layered projects. Clean interface with minimal learning curve.. Good for small to mid-size teams.

Cons: G2 users say it has limited customization, inadequate reporting, and integration issues.  

Best for: Teams that want a clean, low-overhead tool without enterprise-level configuration.

Kantata

Kantata (formerly Mavenlink) is a professional services automation (PSA) platform built for agencies, consultancies, and service firms. It connects project delivery, resource planning, and financial management in one system.

Key features: Resource management and forecasting, project accounting, budgeting, margin tracking, time and expense tracking, Gantt charts, portfolio management, and Salesforce integration (via Kantata SX).

Pros: Financial visibility at the project level, and resource planning and utilization tracking. Built for organizations that need to tie project delivery directly to profitability. Trusted by firms like Deloitte and Hitachi.

Cons: Kantata requires a minimum purchase of 50 seats, making it expensive and unsuitable for small companies. There is a noticeable learning curve, and many features require upfront configuration and training to use effectively.

Best for: Mid-to-large professional services organizations that need full lifecycle project management from scoping through invoicing.

Linear

Linear is a project management and issue-tracking platform built specifically for software teams. It prioritizes speed, keyboard-first navigation, and a clean interface over feature breadth.

Key features: Issue tracking, sprint planning via cycles, project roadmaps, GitHub/GitLab integration, Initiatives for strategic objectives, burndown charts, and a minimalist keyboard-driven UI.

Pros: Extremely fast and responsive. Distraction-free design. Near-zero onboarding time for engineering teams. Strong developer tool integrations.

Cons: G2 users note that the limited customization options may not meet the needs of larger teams or complex workflows.

Best for: Engineering, product, and design teams at startups and high-growth tech companies that want a fast, focused tool for sprints, issue tracking, and roadmap management.

Jira

Jira (by Atlassian) is the most widely used agile project management and issue-tracking platform in software development. It supports Scrum, Kanban, and hybrid methodologies with deep customization.

Key features: Scrum and Kanban boards, sprint planning, backlog grooming, burndown charts, custom workflows, JQL (query language), 3,000+ marketplace integrations, and Confluence integration for documentation.

Pros: Works well for agile teams. Powerful querying and reporting. Deep integrations with GitHub, Bitbucket, and CI/CD pipelines. Industry standard for software teams.

Cons: The interface can feel overly complex for new users, and some features require a steep learning curve. Occasional performance lags occur with very large projects. 

Best for: Software development teams running Agile processes that need deep sprint management, issue tracking, and integration with developer tools. Not usually recommended for non-technical teams.

Teamwork

Teamwork is a project management platform built for client-service businesses. It includes time tracking, invoicing, billable rates, and client access — all in one place.

Key features: Task management with subtasks and dependencies, time tracking, Gantt charts, milestones, Kanban boards, resource scheduling, billing and invoicing, client portals, and integration with Slack, Google Workspace, and Zapier.

Pros: Strong native time tracking tied to billing. Built-in client access and transparency features. Good for agencies tracking project health and budget simultaneously. Solid Gantt chart functionality.

Cons: Users report that navigation and views can be unintuitive, with some features hard to find and menus that don’t always make it easy to get to the right information.

Best for: Agencies and consultancies managing multiple client projects simultaneously that need time tracking, invoicing, and client visibility built directly into project management.

Smartsheet

Smartsheet looks and feels like Excel but adds collaboration, automation, and portfolio management on top. It’s built for teams that think in rows and columns and want to manage structured, data-heavy projects.

Key features: Grid, Gantt, card, and calendar views; cell linking and formulas; cross-sheet references; automation rules; resource management; dashboards; and live data from Google Docs and Tableau.

Pros: Familiar for Excel users. Strong automation. Scales to enterprise-level portfolio management. Good for process-heavy and compliance-driven environments.

Cons: On Trustpilot, 56% of reviewers gave Smartsheet one star, with one user saying, “Avoid this company like the plague.” 

Best for: Operations managers, project managers, and data-heavy teams that are comfortable in spreadsheets and need structured workflows, formula-based tracking, and portfolio visibility.

Choosing the right Hive alternative for your team

As a task management tool, Hive ticks a lot of boxes. It streamlines communication and centralizes work in a single, easy-to-use space. But it’s also been called a “one-trick pony” with a paid plan that “feels thin.” If you’re thinking about making the switch to a more complete, long-term solution that can help streamline and accelerate every facet of your work, Wrike is a clear winner. 

Wrike is a great choice for teams who want to sail confidently into an AI-powered future. It’s packed with advanced capabilities in automation, reporting, and customization that will help teams stay ahead of the curve (and competition). Its simple pricing structure will help to weather budget fluctuations too, as each plan is a self-contained suite of versatile features.

Don’t waste time or money on stopgap solutions. Partner with Wrike to strengthen your team — for today, tomorrow, and for all the years of growth ahead.