Question 1: Is your team primarily engineering/development?
Yes, software development → Go to Question 1B
No, marketing/ops/mixed → Go to Question 2
Question 1B: Do you need deep customization or speed?
Deep customization (enterprise, complex workflows) → Jira Standard at $8.15/user/mo. Free for up to 10 users. Scrum, Kanban, custom workflows, JQL.
Speed and modern UX → Linear Standard at $8/user/mo. Free for up to 250 issues. Keyboard-first, opinionated, fast.
Question 2: Do you want one tool for docs + tasks + wiki?
Yes, all-in-one → Go to Question 2B
No, just task/project management → Go to Question 3
Question 2B: Do you prefer flexibility or features?
Flexibility (build your own system) → Notion Plus at $12/user/mo. Free for personal use. Databases, wikis, docs, custom views. Requires setup time.
Features (everything built-in) → ClickUp Unlimited at $10/member/mo. Free tier with unlimited tasks. Tasks, docs, chat, goals, time tracking, dashboards.
Question 3: How important is simplicity?
Maximum simplicity, minimal features → Trello Standard at $6/user/mo. Free for basic kanban. Boards, cards, checklists. Nothing more.
Structured workflows with clean UX → Asana Starter at $13.49/seat/mo. Free for 2 users. Timeline, forms, workflow builder.
Visual boards with automations → Monday Standard at $14/seat/mo. Free for 2 seats. Colorful boards, 250 automations/mo.
Question 5: Budget check — is flat-rate pricing important?
Yes, predictable costs for 20+ users → Consider Basecamp Pro at $349/mo flat (unlimited users). Simpler features but zero per-seat scaling.
Per-seat is fine → Stick with your answer from above.
Quick Price Reference
| Tool | Free Tier | Recommended Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Notion | Unlimited pages, 10 guests | Plus: $12/user/mo |
| ClickUp | Unlimited tasks & members | Unlimited: $10/member/mo |
| Asana | Up to 2 users | Starter: $13.49/seat/mo |
| Monday | 2 seats, 3 boards | Standard: $14/seat/mo |
| Trello | 10 boards, unlimited cards | Standard: $6/user/mo |
| Jira | 10 users, full features | Standard: $8.15/user/mo |
| Linear | 250 issues | Standard: $8/user/mo |
| Basecamp | 1 user | $15/user/mo or $349/mo flat |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Notion as a full PM tool?
Is ClickUp too complex for small teams?
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