Best Workflow Software 2023: Top 17 Workflow Tools Compared

In today's fast-paced business world, having a streamlined and efficient workflow is crucial for success. The best workflow software tools and systems help streamline your processes, improve collaboration and communication, and increase productivity. 

But with so many solutions out there, how do you choose the best one for your management needs? 

In this article, we’ll explore the workflow software systems for 2023, taking into account features, pricing, and user reviews. Whether you're a small business owner, a project manager, or part of a large enterprise, we've got you covered with our top picks.

Project workflow management software comparison chart (top 10 highest-rated workflow tools)

Before we dive deeper into each tool, let’s briefly look at the ten best workflow tools and compare these workflow solutions in terms of pricing and what they’re best for. 

What are the best workflow software tools? Here’s our top 17 list of workflow solutions:

In this section, we’ll delve into the 17 best workflow software tools on the market, including popular workflow management tools like Asana, Wrike, and Zapier. We'll highlight their key features, pros and cons, and what sets each workflow system software apart from the competition. Regardless of the nature of your business, at least one of these workflow management systems will fit your needs.
 

1. Monday.com (best workflow software overall)

Monday is a great workflow management tool for small teams, startups, and SMBs that comes with all the features teams need to stay organized and get things done in a more streamlined way. It can be a top-notch tool for project management, task management, and time tracking.

Remote teams have much to benefit from a tool like Monday, as it offers a good deal of collaboration and communication features like Kanban boards, tasks and subtasks, whiteboard collaboration, notifications, embedded documents, file storage, and more. 

Monday also shines in automating workflows so that users don’t waste time on repetitive tasks. Monday’s workflows are easy to customize without the need to write any code. The automation builder follows a “when this happens, do that” logic. You get workflows based on agile systems, waterfalls, and sprints, among others.

Monday also has other uses, including recruitment, onboarding, and employee training. These tools and templates make this tool one of the best onboarding software on the market.

Pros:

• Free plan

• Several monthly plans to choose from

• Different views, including interactive Gantt charts and Kanban boards

• Integrates with a range of third-party apps and add-ons

• Suitable for SMBs

• Mobile apps for Android and iOS

• Resource management inside the platform

• Aesthetically pleasing interface 

Cons:

• Not suitable for enterprises

Pricing:

• Individual plan, free for up to 2 seats

• Basic plan, $11/user/per month, billed annually

• Standard plan, $14/user/per month, billed annually

• Pro plan, $22/user/per month, billed annually

• Enterprise plan has a custom quote 

Monday review

Visit Monday.com
 

2. Asana (best free workflow software)

Asana is a powerful workflow automation tool that helps teams of all sizes track and streamline their work. It works well for all kinds of projects, both short-term and long-term. You can use it to collect creative feedback, get budget sign-off, or even launch a brand campaign. 

There’s a neat free plan that includes up to 15 users, Kanban boards, basic workflows, unlimited projects and tasks, and 100+ integrations. And that’s only with the free plan. The paid plans unlock other more advanced features like task dependencies, workflow builder, forms and portfolios, and more. 

The app has a good selection of workflow and automation features. For example, you can easily set up Rules to automate repetitive tasks like setting due dates, assigning tasks to team members, and moving tasks to the right project. There are also task dependencies, time tracking with integrations, custom templates, forms with branching logic, and more. 

Pros:

• Generous free plan

• A good deal of workflow and automation features

• Intuitive Kanban boards and Gantt charts

• Powerful reporting and analytics features

• Great ease of use and suitable for beginners

• Desktop and mobile apps 

Cons:

• Too many email notifications 

• Not ideal for heavyweight projects 

• Lacks resource management, budgeting, and expense tracking features

Pricing:

• Free plan for up to 15 users

• Premium plan, starting at $10.99/user/month, billed annually

• Business plan, starting at $24.99/user/month, billed annually

• Enterprise plan, request a custom quote 

Asana review

Visit Asana
 

3. Jira (online workflow management platform for agile teams)

Jira is another advanced workflow software geared specifically towards agile teams. This workflow management online app comes pre-packed with agile features like issue tracking, sprint planning, and bug tracking. There are Kanban, scrum, and sprint boards that let you see work from different angles. 

The free plan is suitable for up to ten users, and you'll get features like unlimited project boards, backlog, basic roadmaps, and reporting features. In terms of automation, Jira has a powerful automation builder that works on a drag-and-drop functionality and uses when/if-then logic. Premium and Enterprise users have access to global automation that lets them create one rule that can automate across many or all projects. 

There's also another neat feature for creating custom workflows that model your team's processes. You could either build a workflow from scratch or edit one of the numerous pre-existing templates. Jira integrations work through the Atlassian Marketplace, where you can find 3,000+ integrations, apps, add-ons, and plugins.

Pros:

• Generous free plan

• Supports agile teams

• Ideal for software development

• Automation and custom workflows features

• Supports up to 20,000 users

• 3000+ integrations

• Great Kanban and Scrum boards 

Cons:

• Not recommended for non-technical teams

• The flexibility of the system can sometimes be overwhelming

• The on-premise solution is no longer available 

Pricing:

• Free plan for up to 10 users

• Standard plan, starting at $6.50/user/month, billed annually 

• Premium plan, starting at $12.50/user/month, billed annually 

• Enterprise plan, request a custom quote 

Jira review

Visit Jira 
 

4. Trello (good workflow process software for beginners)

If you're looking for intuitive business process workflow software, look no further than Trello. Trello has one of the most intuitive Kanban boards, but it also has other views like Dashboard, Timeline, Calendar, Table, and Map view. You can add functionality to your Kanban boards with a feature called Power-Ups. 

Trello's built-in automation tool is called Butler, which lets you create automation for all kinds of actions, like moving cards from one list to another, sending notifications, assigning tasks to users, and more. 

Trello also offers hundreds of pre-built templates for various workflows, like web development, scrum board, editorial calendar, event management, design sprint, and more. Simply choose a template and customize it to fit your exact workflow. 

Pros:

• Free plan

• Affordable monthly plans

• Intuitive Kanban boards

• Fast onboarding process 

• Ideal for beginners

• Unlimited integrations

• A good deal of automation and workflow features

• Mobile apps for Android and iOS

• Automation is available with the free plan

Cons:

• Not suitable for large-scale projects

• The more advanced features are only available with a paid plan

• No built-in tool for task dependency management

Pricing:

• Free plan

• Standard plan, $5/user/month billed annually

• Premium plan, $10/user/month billed annually

• Enterprise plan

Trello review

Visit Trello
 

5. Wrike (business workflow management app for creative and marketing teams)

Wrike is a cloud-based business workflow management app geared toward creative and marketing teams, professional service providers, and agencies. But considering the software offers plenty of flexibility and customization, it can be a good option for almost any business.

There's an excellent free plan that supports up to five users. With the time-tracking functionality, users can track how much time they spend on a task; even if you forget to track time, you can always add your hours manually. 

By using the custom workflow feature, you can create a new custom workflow to meet your team's needs. The Automation Engine is a built-in tool that can automate your most-used workflows to reduce manual work, such as reminders, updating work statuses, moving work, and more. 

Wrike has native integrations with a range of tools, and connects to a thousand more apps via Zapier. What’s more, it offers a special add-on called Wrike Integrate that lets you integrate Wrike with almost any app and automate your workflows across apps and employees. 

Pros:

• There’s a free plan

• Integrates with 150+ apps

• Includes different views, including Kanban board and Gantt chart

• Suitable for all kinds of teams

• It comes with a neat Wrike Integrate add-on

• Powerful Automation Engine

Cons:

• There’s a slight learning curve

• Lacks live chat and video calling tools

Pricing:

• Free plan, unlimited users

• Team, $9.80/user/month billed annually

• Business, $24.80 user/month billed annually

• Enterprise for large teams

• Pinnacle, for teams with complex work needs

Wrike review

Visit Wrike
 

6. ClickUp (great team workflow management platform for workflow automation)

ClickUp might be a younger workflow automation software, but it's already on par with the established names in the industry, like Asana and Monday. 

The good news is there's a free plan that comes with unlimited users and tasks, 100 MB of storage, collaborative docs, real-time chat, different task views, and more. There's a time-tracking functionality available to all users. 

ClickUp has native integration with 50+ third-party apps; via Zapier, it connects with an additional 1,000 apps. You'll also find advanced automation that lets you set triggers and actions for all types of repeatable processes, like automatically assigning tasks, posting comments, moving statuses, and more. In the Automations gallery, you'll find 50+ pre-made automation templates for setting all kinds of team workflows. 

Pros:

• Workflow automation features 

• Generous free plan

• Affordable monthly plans

• Live chat feature

• Whiteboard collaboration

• Powerful reporting capabilities

• 15+ views to tackle work from any angle

• Good deal of customization

Cons:

• It can feel bloated with too many features

• It has a learning curve

Pricing:

• Free plan

• Unlimited plan, $5/person/month billed annually

• Business plan, $12/user/month billed annually

• Business Plus, $19/user/month

• Enterprise plan, custom quote

ClickUp review

Visit ClickUp
 

7. Airtable (workflow app for creating customizable databases)

Airtable is a spreadsheet-database hybrid tool that excels at managing structured data. Airtable is a suitable solution for managing extensive databases, as well as for project management, content management, event planning, and inventory management. You can view databases in different views, including grid, form, calendar, gallery, Kanban, timeline, and Gantt. 

The free plan supports unlimited bases, five views, 2 GB of attachment per base, and 100 automations per month. Speaking of automation, Airtable has solid automation functionality. You can automate things like recurring tasks, sending an email, creating Slack messages or Twitter posts, creating issues in Jira Cloud, updating records, and more. You can add up to 50 automations to a base. Additionally, you can create up to 25 actions in one automation. 

The software integrates with platforms like Miro, Google Workspace, and Jira. Via Zapier, it connects to thousands more third-party applications.

Pros:

• Generous free plan

• Great for building databases

• Rich app marketplace

• Different views, including Gantt charts and Kanban boards

• Web, desktop, iOS, and Android apps

• Real-time collaboration and commenting

• Workflow automation features 

Cons:

• Not recommended for businesses that don’t need to create rich databases 

Pricing:

• Free plan 

• Plus plan, $10/user/month, billed annually

• Pro plan, $20/user/month, billed annually

• Enterprise plan, request a custom quote

Airtable review

Visit Airtable
 

8. Smartsheet (workflow tracking software if you like working in spreadsheets)

If you need an alternative to Google Sheets that comes with more advanced collaboration features, Smartsheet can be a top pick. The platform is very versatile and can be customized for any industry and department; possible use cases include project planning, project budgeting, resource management, and CRM. 

Overall, Smartsheet is a spreadsheet-style project management software solution geared toward businesses managing multiple projects simultaneously. It has a good selection of robust workflow tracking tools, many integration options, and communication and collaboration features. 

The automation builder features a drag-and-drop interface that lets you build automated workflows with ease. You can build automation from scratch, or you can create a workflow from a premade template. 

Businesses with advanced automation needs might be interested to hear that Smartsheet has a paid add-on for creating intelligent workflows. With this feature, you’ll be able to automate multi-step, cross-platform processes like adding new leads in CRM tools, getting updates on shipment statuses, and sending customized emails to individual users from marketing campaigns. 

Pros:

• Great alternative to Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets

• Four views, including Grid view, Gantt view, Card view, and Calendar view

• Suitable for agile projects, product launches, sprint planning, and event planning

• You can create dependencies between tasks and set up recurring tasks

• Comes with a good deal of collaboration features 

• Add-on for resource management available

• Intelligent workflows 

Cons:

• Lacks a free plan

• Expensive add-ons 

Pricing:

• Pro, $7/user/month, billed yearly

• Business, $25/user/month, billed yearly

• Enterprise, custom quote 

Smartsheet review

Visit Smartsheet
 

9. Teamwork (top software for process automation)

Teamwork is another fantastic workflow management tool geared towards businesses in any industry, especially small creative agencies planning creative campaigns for various clients. But the app can also be a good option for freelancers, independent contractors, and startups, as there's a solid free plan that supports up to five users, time tracking, 100 automations per month, Kanban boards, and more. 

You'll easily be able to create teams and sub-teams, as this is the main functionality of the software. Once you create a team, you can communicate seamlessly with one another, as there's a good range of communication tools built in. Separate teams will also be able to communicate with each other. 

The automated workflows work on a when-then logic. There are also automation workflow templates if you don't want to start from scratch; once you create automation, you can always duplicate it and use it again. Teamwork integrates with all the most popular apps, and via Zapier, it connects to thousands more. 

Pros:

• Low learning curve

• Generous free plan

• Comes with many tools for budgeting, billable hours, expense tracking and invoicing

• Rich project template library

• Workflow automation tools 

• Native integrations and integrations via Zapier 

Cons:

• Lacks live chat

• Might be expensive for smaller companies 

Pricing:

• Free Forever

• Deliver, $9.99/user/month, billed annually

• Grow, $17.99/user/month, billed annually

• Scale, custom quote

Teamwork review

Visit Teamwork 
 

10. Zoho Projects (great tool to streamline day-to-day activities)

Zoho Projects is a popular workflow tracking software for startups and small businesses. Users like it for its ease of use, affordability, and variety of tools and features. There's a free plan that supports three users and two projects. 

Software development teams might also benefit from Zoho Projects as it comes with built-in features like issue tracking and bug tracking. By using the simple drag-and-drop editor, you'll be able to automate your workflows, like sending notifications, updating team members, etc. 

There's also a business rule builder for higher-level trigger-based actions. You can set task dependencies to tie tasks together in sequential order. You might be happy to hear the software comes with a solid time-tracking functionality. In terms of team collaboration capabilities, there are personal messaging and group chat rooms. 

Pros:

• Comprehensive set of task management features

• Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and other views

• Issue tracker and bug tracking

• Ease of use

• Integrates well with other Zoho apps

• Workflow automation functionality 

Cons:

• The free plan limits the number of projects

• The best workflow automation features are reserved for the enterprise plan

Pricing:

• Free plan

• Premium plan, $4/user/month billed annually

• Enterprise, $9/user/month billed annually

Zoho Projects review

Visit Zoho Projects
 

11. Kissflow (low-code project management software with workflow automation)

Kissflow is a project management workflow software for low-code or no-code users that comes with many workflow project management tools. It lets users create, model, and deploy business process apps without writing a single line of code. 

You’ll find a very intuitive visual interface with many drag-and-drop features for creating everything from tables and fields to designing logic-based forms. You’ll be able to create workflows with sequential tasks, activate automated notifications, and more. The system has native integrations and connects to thousands of more apps via Zapier. 

Pros:

• Low-code or no-code platform

• Very intuitive interface

• Actionable reports and analytics

• Fully customizable forms to automate and streamline processes

• Easily define roles and responsibilities with access control

• Detailed reports and analytics 

Cons:

• Not suitable for large companies 

• Lacks a free plan

Pricing:

• Small Business, $18/user/month, 20 users minimum

• Corporate, $20/user/month, 100 users minimum

• Enterprise, request a custom quote

Visit Kissflow
 

12. Pipefy (low-code app for business and IT collaboration)

Pipefy is software that lets you design and automate business processes in minutes. The intuitive visual interface lets users easily create, automate, and modify any type of process. With Pipefy, you can define stages, assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and track the progress of work items through the pipeline. 

The platform also offers features such as document management, integrations with other tools, and real-time updates to help teams stay organized and efficient. Pipefy is designed to be flexible and scalable and can be used by businesses of all sizes and in a variety of industries.

Pros:

• Generous free plan

• Lets you create custom low-code workflows

• Simple and intuitive for new users

• Comes with a wide range of templates

• Plenty of native integration and via Zapier 

• Unlimited connections between workflows

• Has custom integrations 

Cons:

• Lacks Gantt charts 

• The free plan might be too limited for some teams

Pricing:

• Starter, free to use

• Business, $19/user/month, billed annually 

• Enterprise, $32/user/month, billed annually 

• Unlimited, custom pricing 

Visit Pipefy
 

13. Processmaker (workflow management app to eliminate bottlenecks) 

ProcessMaker is a workflow management software platform and a business process management (BPM) software that allows businesses to automate, optimize, and digitize their business processes. It includes features such as drag-and-drop process design, document management, data management, and collaboration tools. 

The software is designed to be user-friendly and flexible, enabling users to design and customize their own workflows and processes without requiring any coding knowledge. ProcessMaker can be used for a wide range of business processes, including human resources, finance, sales, and customer service. 

Pros:

• Offers intuitive drag-and-drop features to simplify complex processes

• Designed for Enterprise flexibility and scalability

• Connects with various third-party systems via API

Cons:

• Must get in touch with the sales team directly for detailed information on pricing

Pricing:

• Public pricing not available 

Visit ProcessMaker
 

14. Zapier (best workflow management tool for business process automation)

Zapier is a workflow application software that allows users to automate tasks between different online platforms and tools. 

Users can create "Zaps," which are automated workflows that connect two or more applications together in order to perform a specific task. For example, a user might create a Zap that automatically adds new entries in a Google Sheets spreadsheet to a Trello board as a new card. 

Zapier works with all the popular online tools and platforms, including CRM systems, project management tools, email marketing platforms, and social media networks. Users can also use the Zapier API to build custom integrations with other platforms. 

Zapier is designed to be easy to use, even for those with little or no technical expertise. It provides a simple interface for creating and managing Zaps, and offers step-by-step guides and tutorials for getting started.

Pros:

• Great for integrating non-native apps

• Offers integrations with over 3,000 apps

• Saves you time by automating workflows with minimal manual work

• Saves you the hassle of having to create complicated API codes

• Provides instructions and examples on how to create workflows

Cons:

• Business plans can be expensive 

Pricing:

• Free, $0

• Starter, $19.99/month, billed annually 

• Professional, $49/month, billed annually 

• Team, $399/month, billed annually 

• Company, $799/month, billed annually 

Visit Zapier
 

15. ProProfs Project (workflow tracking software for creating custom workflows)

ProProfs Project is a project management workflow software that helps companies manage and track the progress of their projects. It offers a range of features, including task management, resource management, time tracking, and collaboration tools. 

Some of the key features of ProProfs Project include the ability to create and assign tasks, track progress, set deadlines, and manage resources. It also offers integration with popular tools such as Google Drive and Dropbox, making it easier to share and collaborate on project-related documents and files. You can create custom workflows and view your tasks from any angle with Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and Calendar view. 

Pros:

• Straightforward and affordable pricing

• Integrates well with other ProProfs products

• Comes with resource, budget, and expense management tools 

• Offers a good deal of customization 

Cons:

• Limited integration options

Pricing:

• Everything plan, $39.97/month, billed annually 

Visit ProProfs Project 
 

16. ProofHub (workflow application software for building custom workflows with unlimited stages)

ProofHub is a workflow project management tool that helps teams and companies plan, collaborate, and deliver projects on time. With ProofHub, teams can create tasks, assign them to team members, set deadlines, and track progress. Users can also communicate with each other using the built-in chat and messaging tools, share files and documents, and track time spent on different tasks. 

In terms of workflows, there are two default workflows available, Basic workflow with two standard stages and Kanban workflow with three stages. However, you can always create your own custom workflow to fit your work processes. ProofHub also integrates with several tools that are essential for businesses, like Slack, Dropbox, Google Drive, and One Drive. 

Pros:

• Good task automation for recurring tasks and forms

• Lets you create custom workflows with unlimited stages

• Multiple view options

• Flat pricing that’s not based on a per-user basis 

Cons:

• It may be too expensive for small teams

• Lacks automated workflows 

Pricing:

• Essential, $89/month, billed annually

• Ultimate Control, $89/month, billed annually

Visit ProofHub
 

17. nTask (great workflow task management software for NGOs, educational institutes, and startups)

nTask is a cloud-based task workflow management software designed to help teams plan, track, and collaborate on tasks, projects, and workflows. It offers a range of features, including task and project management, time tracking and employee timesheets, resource management, and team communication tools. 

nTask is designed to be easy to use and intuitive, making it a good choice for teams of all sizes and levels of experience with project management software. It is available as a web-based platform and also has mobile apps for iOS and Android. It has a good deal of native integrations, and it connects to thousands more apps via Zapier. The company offers a 50% discount on all plans for eligible NGOs, educational institutes, and startups.

Pros:

• Offers a generous free plan

• Multiple view options

• Low learning curve

• A good selection of features

• Recurring tasks and task dependency features 

Cons:

• Lacks automated workflows 

Pricing:

• Free plan, for up to five users

• Premium, starts at $3/month for a single user, billed annually 

• Business, starts at $8/month for a single user, billed annually 

• Enterprise, custom pricing 

Visit nTask

Which is the best workflow tool for me? Key takeaways

Finding the right workflow software tool can be a daunting task, but making a thoughtful decision is critical for optimizing your business processes and increasing team productivity. 

In this article, we explored the top 17 workflow management systems on the market, including popular options like ClickUp, Monday.com, and Jira, each offering a unique set of features and pricing options. 

So, which is the best workflow management software for you? 

The answer ultimately depends on your specific business needs and budget. 

If you're a small business owner looking for a simple and intuitive tool to manage projects and tasks, Asana or Trello may be the best fit for you. If you're part of a large enterprise with more complex workflows, Wrike or Monday.com may be better suited for your needs. 

Ultimately, the best workflow management solution for you will depend on the specific features and capabilities you need to support your business processes.

No matter which tool you choose, it's important to carefully consider your needs and do your research before making a decision. The right workflow software can make a big difference in the efficiency and productivity of your business, so it's worth taking the time to find the best one for your needs.

If you’re still in two minds, we have a separate and more comprehensive post that walks you through 71 of the best project management software. Hopefully, you’ll find something that would be the ideal fit for your business and team.