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Top 12 Free ActiveCollab Alternatives, Compared (2026)

Explore 12 alternatives to ActiveCollab — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

Our 12 top free ActiveCollab alternatives at a glance

Quick answer

Here's the shortlist of ActiveCollab alternatives: Jira, Smartsheet and ClickUp. Jira leads on SpotScore (9.8) with a 4.4★ rating. All 12 are compared on score, rating, and price below.

If ActiveCollab isn't pulling its weight, this list points you to better options. These 12 project management software free alternatives are ranked by SpotScore (verified satisfaction and market presence), ratings, and pricing model, with editorial review on every entry. Compare them in the table, then read the detail for each pick below.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
JiraEfficiently plan, track, and launch your projects.9.8★★★★ 4.4(1180)Freefrom $7.53 /user/monthteams of all sizes
SmartsheetStreamline your projects with Smartsheet's powerful tools.9.8★★★★★ 4.57(2444)Freefrom $9/moteams of all sizes
ClickUpEffortlessly streamline your projects with ClickUp9.8★★★★ 4.4(2889)Freefrom $7 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
WrikeEffortlessly manage projects and teams with Wrike.9.2★★★★★ 4.56(2062)Freefrom $10 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
TeamGanttEfficiently manage projects and collaborate with ease.9.2★★★★★ 4.5(788)Freefrom $19/moteams of all sizes
ProjectManager.comElevate your projects with ease.9.2★★★★ 3.8(507)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Project.coStreamline teamwork and get projects done.8.6Not yet ratedFreefrom $10 /User/Monthsmall & mid-size businesses
RavetreeStreamline your projects and conquer the chaos.8.4★★★★★ 4.5(30)Freefrom $29/moteams of all sizes
ZistemoEfficiently manage and track all your projects.8.3Not yet ratedFreefrom $15 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
TeamworkEfficiently manage projects and teams with ease.8.2★★★★ 4.4(1103)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Time Track BillEffortlessly manage time and expenses with precision.7.9Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses
Project InsightEffortlessly manage projects with Project Insight.7.7Not yet ratedFreefrom $9teams of all sizes

9.8

SpotScore

Jira logo

Jira

Efficiently plan, track, and launch your projects.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is Jira?

Jira is every team's tool for project management, making it easy to track progress, priorities, and workload, while staying connected across teams. The platform helps plan, track, and launch world-class products. From simple projects to cross-functional launches, Jira is the tool to bring big ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Jira offers custom pricing plan

9.8

SpotScore

Smartsheet - Project Management Software

Smartsheet

RECOMMENDED

Streamline your projects with Smartsheet's powerful tools.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Smartsheet?

Smartsheet is a dynamic project management tool that simplifies tracking and planning for teams of all sizes. Offering a user-friendly interface, it’s designed to adapt to your unique workflows, whether you're managing simple checklists or complex project plans. Smartsheet’s intuitive platform ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Smartsheet offers custom pricing plan

9.8

SpotScore

ClickUp - Collaboration Software

ClickUp

RECOMMENDED

Effortlessly streamline your projects with ClickUp

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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Watch Demo

What is ClickUp?

ClickUp is a versatile cloud-based project management platform designed to cater to both individual project needs and the complex demands of enterprise-level teams. Offering a customizable planning experience, it allows users to toggle between two distinct views, providing flexibility based on ...

Read more about ClickUp
Free TrialTry Free →·

ClickUp offers custom pricing plan

9.2

SpotScore

Wrike - Project Management Software

Wrike

Effortlessly manage projects and teams with Wrike.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

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Watch Demo

What is Wrike?

Wrike is a web-based project management software designed to enhance team collaboration, streamline workflows, and boost productivity. It provides real-time visibility into project progress, ensuring teams stay aligned with deadlines and objectives. Task management and prioritization tools help ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Wrike offers custom pricing plan

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9.2

SpotScore

TeamGantt - Project Management Software

TeamGantt

Efficiently manage projects and collaborate with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is TeamGantt?

TeamGantt is a simple project management tool for organizing your team and managing projects. Create multiple projects, add tasks and resources to the Gantt chart or to task boards. Communicate with team members using effective tools like activity streams, milestone announcements, real-time ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

9.2

SpotScore

ProjectManager.com

ProjectManager.com

Elevate your projects with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is ProjectManager.com?

ProjectManager.com is project management software that helps you effectively and efficiently plan, execute and control your projects. It’s a flexible solution that delivers all the core capabilities of enterprise-grade project management systems while fitting seamlessly into the budget and ...

Read more about ProjectManager.com
Free TrialTry Free →·

ProjectManager.com offers custom pricing plan

8.6

SpotScore

Project.co - Collaboration Software

Project.co

Streamline teamwork and get projects done.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

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What is Project.co?

project.co is a free software suite that enables teams to work together more effectively. It gives people the power to create, edit, collaborate on, and distribute files without having to leave the application. This means you can work on your project from any device, including your mobile phone ...

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Free Trial

8.4

SpotScore

Ravetree - Project Management Software

Ravetree

Streamline your projects and conquer the chaos.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Ravetree?

Ravetree is the all-in-one project management platform designed specifically to empower client service businesses with the tools they need to manage projects, teams, and finances with confidence and clarity. Unlike generic project management tools, Ravetree delivers advanced capabilities for ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Ravetree offers custom pricing plan

8.3

SpotScore

Zistemo - Project Management Software

Zistemo

Efficiently manage and track all your projects.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is Zistemo?

Zistemo is a web based project management software that helps businesses manage and track their projects. Features include - Easy to setup and use, Easy to monitor project progress, Customizable dashboard to view real-time data, Detailed reports to analyze project performance, Automatic email ...

Read more about Zistemo
Free Trial

8.2

SpotScore

Teamwork

Teamwork

Efficiently manage projects and teams with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is Teamwork?

Teamwork is the easy, visual way to manage projects and teams. From conceptualization to collaboration to completion, users can efficiently track their work using a powerful Gantt chart timeline. Teamwork profiles can be used to assign tasks in an organized manner across multiple individuals or ...

Read more about Teamwork
Free TrialTry Free →·

Teamwork offers custom pricing plan

7.9

SpotScore

Time Track Bill - Time Tracking Software

Time Track Bill

Effortlessly manage time and expenses with precision.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

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What is Time Track Bill?

Time Track Bill is a cloud-enabled time tracking software solution. It can be used to track time for projects, clients, expenses and more. It is designed to track the time an employee works on a job, process several invoices a day, and provide you with reports to help you track your business ...

Read more about Time Track Bill
Free TrialTry Free →

7.7

SpotScore

Project Insight - Project Management Software

Project Insight

Effortlessly manage projects with Project Insight.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is Project Insight?

Project Insight is an acclaimed project and work management software that makes administering projects and tasks in one go a reality. It offers effective scheduling, budgeting, capacity planning, time and expense tracking, client rate management, project billing and so much more - all on a ...

Read more about Project Insight
Free TrialTry Free →·

Project Insight offers custom pricing plan

What each ActiveCollab alternative is good at

Jira9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Agile Methodology support for sprint tracking, roles, ceremonies, and dashboards.

Watch for: Newcomers may find the richness of features and customizations complex without proper guidance.

Smartsheet9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Customizable and user-friendly interface, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced professionals.

Watch for: Advanced features may require a learning curve, making onboarding somewhat challenging for new users.

ClickUp9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Versatile platform with constant updates and amazing customer support that prioritizes user feedback promptly.

Watch for: Steep learning curve initially, which may be challenging for newcomers without a technical background.

Wrike9.2Best for teams of all sizes

Easy-to-use interface with drag-and-drop functionality, providing seamless task management and organization.

Watch for: Difficult to navigate for beginners with a steep learning curve for mastering advanced functionalities.

TeamGantt9.2Best for teams of all sizes

Centralizes project information, ensuring easy access and reducing the risk of losing important details.

Watch for: Limited advanced features or functionalities for complex project requirements.

ProjectManager.com9.2Best for teams of all sizes

User-friendly interface allows non-technical users to easily navigate and manage projects.

Watch for: Initial learning curve for new users can be steep, requiring time to fully utilize its capabilities.

Project.co8.6Best for small & mid-size businesses

project.co is a free software suite, making it an excellent choice for teams looking to enhance collaboration without incurring extra costs.

Watch for: As a free tool, project.co may lack some advanced features such as detailed reporting, resource management, or customizable workflows that larger teams or complex projects may need.

Ravetree8.4Best for teams of all sizes

Simplifies project management with tools for communication, time tracking, and task management, all in one platform.

Watch for: Occasional bugs and glitches can disrupt user experience, and some fixes require manual page refreshes.

Zistemo8.3Best for teams of all sizes

Easy to set up

Watch for: Limited advanced features

Teamwork8.2Best for teams of all sizes

Visual project tracking

Watch for: Can be complex for beginners

Time Track Bill7.9Best for small & mid-size businesses

Cloud-enabled solution

Watch for: Limited customization options

Project Insight7.7Best for teams of all sizes

Automates repetitive project management tasks, reducing manual effort and maintenance issues.

Watch for: Performance issues like glitches, slow functionality, and lag often hinder productivity.

Why teams look for a ActiveCollab alternative

Before comparing options, it helps to name why teams leave ActiveCollab in the first place:

  • Lacks modern UI aesthetics and advanced customization options like drag-and-drop features or enhanced visual dashboards.
  • No support for assigning tasks to multiple users, creating additional manual workload for collaborative activities.
  • Missing agile project planning tools such as sprints and story writing, limiting flexibility for specific methodologies.
  • Can become slow or laggy with high volumes of data or during peak usage times.

How to choose among ActiveCollab alternatives

Here's the data-driven picture across all 12 project management software free alternatives: 12 offer a free tier; paid plans run $7–$29, with ClickUp the cheapest entry point; and Smartsheet is the highest rated at 4.57 across 2444 reviews.

How positions are set.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to ActiveCollab are Smartsheet (4.6★), Wrike (4.6★), TeamGantt (4.5★). Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to ActiveCollab, prioritize: Budget Management, Issue Management, Milestone Tracking, Percent-Complete Tracking, Project Planning, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply ActiveCollab is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend shortlisting 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to settle on the best ActiveCollab alternative

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Jira, Smartsheet and ClickUp let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Smartsheet has the strongest star rating (4.57★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Jira has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.8) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

How to cut over from ActiveCollab

Before switching off ActiveCollab, run the checks that prevent headaches later. Export your data, verify the import, and confirm feature parity for your must-have workflows. Pilot the new tool free, then migrate, leaving ActiveCollab active until you're done.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].