Top 8 visual project management software

Last updated on May 30, 2024

If you are tired of processing your project information in dull, colorless Excel sheets and need a more intuitive, streamlined way to work with your data, then this blog post is for you. 

In this article, we review eight of the best visual project management tools that help you create project plans, organize tasks, and track overall progress visually.

Here are our suggested visual project management software solutions:

Before we dive into the details associated with each of the options above, let’s first cover some basic aspects about visual project management so you can know where to start from.

Why are visuals important in project management?

Visual project management represents a method of managing projects through the use of graphical tools such as Gantt charts, timelines, roadmaps, swimlane diagrams, or dashboards.

By illustrating data in a simplified, easy-to-follow format, visuals bring more clarity and transparency into the project management process, ensuring that you spend less time and energy in searching for relevant information and get a better grasp of the overall goal to achieve.

Visual project management tools are a respite for any PM or business professional because they help:

• Improve a team’s productivity by saving time.
• Provide a clear overview of the project to make more informed, data-driven decisions.
• Visualize project progress and identify risks more easily.
• Enhance collaboration across teams, departments, and stakeholders.
• Highlight the impact of project roadblocks in real time.

In short, visual project management tools mean better visualization. With better visualization comes higher efficiency, which in turn translates into better project outcomes.

How to choose the best visual project management software

Selecting the ideal fit for you requires a careful analysis of your options in terms of various parameters such as:

• Feature richness – the solution you opt for should include a diverse range of features that would allow you to easily create and visualize projects, assign resources, and monitor the progress of each activity. Among the key features to look for are solid project planning and scheduling capabilities, resource management features, dynamic visual templates, workflow customization, collaborative functions, time tracking, third-party integrations, and task automation.
• Being listed on top review platforms with high ratings – providing quick overviews of a specific tool’s best features, user review websites bring credibility to the product in question and make it easier for you to compare it with other candidates.
• Trial versions – we strongly recommend that you go for tools that come with a free trial of minimum 2 weeks. By trying out a tool’s features at least once, you avoid making a hasty decision and wasting money.

With these in mind, here’s how you can proceed in choosing the best visual project management software:

1. Identify your team’s needs (think of the difference between in-office and remote teams).
2. Make a list of features necessary for the execution of your team’s workflow.
3. Narrow your options down to 2-3 tools that fit your team’s needs and provide the features shortlisted at point 2. above.
4. Take advantage of the free trial to assess the tool with your team.
5. Finally, decide which option best matches your needs and budget.

Which is the best visual project management software?

Here is our shortlist of the top 8 project management tools that can help you turn your data into powerful visual representations:

Let’s have a more detailed look at each of these software products to help you decide if it’s the right tool for your needs.

1. Office Timeline

Available as both a desktop and online application, Office Timeline is the only visual project management tool that helps you generate stylish graphics as native, presentation-ready PowerPoint slides. Offering an intuitive automated interface and a diverse collection of Gantt chart, timeline, roadmap, and swimlane diagram templates that you can easily customize, Office Timeline simplifies project planning and communication big time.

Features:

• Rich task and milestone representation and tracking functionalities (colors, shapes, start/end dates, duration, % complete, task dependencies, owner assignment, color-coded status options);
• Includes Data View for quick input and Timeline View with drag-and-drop functionality for easy customization right on the graphic;
• Advanced project management functionalities to show task dependencies and critical path;
• Ready-made templates for Gantt charts, timelines, roadmaps and swimlane diagrams; custom themes for improved standardization and consistency in project reporting;
• Easy share for enhanced collaboration;
• Overall status and progress tracking options (multiple timebands, Today Marker, Elapsed Time);
• Robust support resources (how-to articles, step-by-step video tutorials) and reliable customer service;
• Continuous product development updates;
• Integrates with Jira, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Excel, Smartsheet and Wrike;
• Freemium versions available and a flexible pricing model.

Pricing for the desktop version:

• Freemium model – free of charge, but restrictions apply;
• Pro Edition – $149/year;
• Pro+ Edition – $199/year;
• Expert Edition – $249/year.

Pricing for the browser-based app:

• Freemium model – free of charge, but restrictions apply;
• Premium model – $149/year.

Is Office Timeline right for you? If you need to regularly create and update high-level project plans for recurrent executive presentations, then look no further. Automatically generating crisp visuals based on your input, the tool saves you considerable time and effort and lets you repurpose your slides for future work.

2. Wrike

Supporting an unlimited number of users, Wrike is a visual project management software suitable for teams of five or more. You can customize workflows, dashboards, reports, and request forms with the help of the tool’s highly configurable features.

Boasting an intuitive interface and navigation with distinct spaces, folders, and tasks, Wrike lets you choose how to visualize priorities as you can easily switch between interactive drag-and-drop Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and traditional workload views.

Features:

• Gantt chart timelines that ensure a 360-degree view of your projects;
• Ready-to-use templates that you can quickly import and customize;
• Dedicated help center with training videos, getting-started guides, and interactive user community;
• Tasks lists, subtasks, schedules, and shared workflows;
• File sharing and real-time collaboration and communication functions;
• Pre-built native integrations with Microsoft, Dropbox, Salesforce and Marketo;
• 14-day free trial and a freemium version.

Pricing:

• Free – $0;
• Professional – $9.80/user/month;
• Business – $24.80/user/month;
• Enterprise – Available on request.

Is Wrike right for you? Yes, if you are looking for a visual project management tool that can cover projects at an enterprise level.

3. GanttPro

As its name implies, GanttPro is a visual project management solution that puts a particular focus on producing clear and impactful Gantt charts. Cutting down on feature abundancy, the tool sticks to doing a few core things really well – tracking tasks, dependencies, and resources.

Its drag-and-drop Gantt builder interface is simple-to-master, allowing you to easily mark dependencies, track timelines and get an overall view of project progress.

Features:

• Collaboration functionalities;
• Document importing and exporting;
• Resource management and time-tracking capabilities;
• Customizable templates;
• Integration with Jira Cloud;
• 14-day free trial.

Pricing:

• Basic plan for 1 user starts at $7.99/month if billed annually;
• Pro – $12.99 per user/month if billed annually;
• Business – $19.99 per user/month if billed annually;
• Enterprise – Available on request.

If Gantt charts are the preferred way to visualize and organize your project data, then GanttPro is the right match for you.

4. ProjectManager

ProjectManager is a highly flexible online project management solution used by teams across many industries such as construction, IT & dev work, manufacturing, engineering, product management, and more.

Features:

• Visual tools for Gantt charts and dashboards;
• Real-time reporting and time-tracking functionalities;
• Sharing and collaboration capabilities;
• Free onboarding and training to ensure the set-up for specific needs;
• Integrations with MS Project, Excel, Office 365, Salesforce CRM, Dropbox, Jira, and others;
• 30-day free trial.

Pricing:

• Free for up to 3 users;
• Paid plan starts from $14/user/month.

What would make ProjectManager fit for you? If your work relies on using highly customizable dashboards, this visual project management tool will definitely be up for the task.

5. Monday.com

An online visual project management software that comes with a bold color-coding system, Monday.com allows you to visualize, organize and prioritize your tasks, milestones, and projects in a variety of ways that range from Gantt chart, calendar view and tasks lists to Kanban boards, and completion-level bar charts. Using intuitive widgets, users can pull and display their data into a personalized dashboard and can configure its items to be anything from organization-level goals to project issues.

The software’s in-app commenting and messaging functions make up for easy workflow collaboration and approvals, and team members can attach materials right into the project space (including text files, videos, graphics, and spreadsheets).

Features:

• Visual boards for task management;
• Timeline, calendar, chart, and map views to visualize project status in different manners;
• Workflow automation and management to ensure a good work-life balance;
• Third-party integrations with Slack, Google Drive and Google Calendar, Jira, Trello, Typeform, Dropbox and many more through a paid plan from Zapier;
• 14-day free trial available and free plan for up to 2 users.

Pricing:

• Individual – $0
• Basic – $24/month;
• Standard – $30/month;
• Pro – $48/month;
• Enterprise – Available on request;

If you are in need of an online project management tool with a high level of flexibility, Monday.com may be a good fit. However, your team might end up spending more time on setting it up than actually using it.

6. Asana

If you are searching for a simple project management tool with straightforward related capabilities, then Asana is one reliable tool for the job. Its solid capabilities for tracking work across teams and departments, setting task priorities and real-time status updates simplify the process of delivering projects on time and budget.

Features:

• Reporting and time-tracking capabilities;
• Unlimited dashboards;
• Task templates and milestone tracking functions;
• Custom fields;
• Board, calendar, timeline, and list views;
• Integrations with Microsoft Teams, Okta, Google Calendar, and Outlook, among others;
• 30-day free trial.

Pricing:

• Basic – $0;
• Premium – $13.49/user/month;
• Enterprise – $30.49/user/month.

What makes Asana a good option for this list? It is one of the simplest project management tools.

7. Airtable

Letting you visualize your project’s overall progress in a snap, Airtable makes it easy for team members to monitor and achieve daily/monthly project targets. It comes with an assortment of different data visualization styles, smart sorting and filtering capabilities and very flexible workflow automations to cater and accommodate any process.

Features:

• Kanban, grid, calendar, and gallery views;
• Automatic table synching across multiple devices;
• Unlimited workspaces;
• Real-time task comments;
• Drag and drop experience;
• File sharing;
• Integrations with Asana, Dropbox, Slack, Trello and many more;
• 14-day free trial.

Pricing:

• Free – $0;
• Plus – $12/seat/month;
• Pro – $24/seat/month;
• Enterprise – Available on request.

If you collaborate with remote teams and want to offer them a solid visualization tool for executing projects, then Airtable is worth exploring.

8. Miro

A collaborative online whiteboard with numerous templates that include Gantt charts, research and Kanban boards, product wireframes and flowcharts, Miro relies on a visual platform built for hybrid work.

Although it doesn’t come with visual project management features, the tool is very useful when planning the early stages of a project’s lifecycle. 

Features:

• Project management with built-in video conferencing, wireframing tools, Agile workflows, ideation and brainstorming templates;
• Customizable templates to plan, brainstorm, and design workflows;
• Trusted by 99% of the Fortune 100;
• Resources for continuous learning (Miro Academy);
• Integrations with Jira, Trello, Slack, and Zoom.

Pricing:

• Free to use for unlimited users but restricted to a maximum of 3 editable boards;
• Paid plan starts at $8/user/month if billed annually.

Miro is right for you if you need a simple tool to collaboratively brainstorm ideas, create process diagrams or mind maps, but it doesn’t come with task or project management features.

Conclusion

In general, finding the ideal software to manage your projects visually comes down to evaluating your needs and matching them with a well-defined list of features. Below, we’ve included a brief overview of our eight suggested solutions to try out.

Other project management tools

Here are other software that we found interesting and may be worth giving a try:

Nifty

Nifty is the ultimate project management OS. You can stop switching between Roadmaps, Tasks, Docs, Chats and other tools. Nifty is the one app to unite teams, goals and actions in one place.

Features:

• Set a visual timeline for your big-picture goals and build team alignment by automating progress as tasks are completed.
• You can collaborate on tasks – it’s easy to flexibly organise, prioritise and track daily work with a high level of detail using Kanban, List, Timeline, Calendar and Swimlane views.
• Empower all members to share ideas, finalise specifications and gather feedback in real-time with chat and one-click video calls.
• Create beautiful docs, notes and wikis for your projects and share with anyone. Nifty also integrates with Google Docs.
• You can access automated progress reporting across all your projects and team activities to ensure operational clarity.

Pricing:

• Free – Free Forever. 100 MB and 2 active projects
• Starter Plan – $5 per month – 100 GB and 40 active projects
• Pro Plan – $10 per month – 250 GB and 100 active projects
• Business Plan – $16 per month – Unlimited
• Enterprise Plan

FAQs about visual project management tools

Let’s find out the answers to the most frequently asked questions about project management tools.