In this guide: Best project management tools for web teams compared: how to choose, top picks, Kanban vs timeline views, client collaboration, and our recommendation.
Web projects involve many moving parts: design, content, development, reviews, revisions, launch, and ongoing maintenance. Without a project management system, deadlines slip, tasks get forgotten, and clients get frustrated.
Note: features and pricing change regularly — check current plans.
Choosing a PM tool
Ask:
- Team size: solo freelancer, small team, or growing agency?
- Project type: one-off websites, ongoing retainers, or product development?
- Views needed: Kanban boards, lists, timelines (Gantt), calendars?
- Client involvement: do clients need access to review and approve?
- Integrations: Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, GitHub, Figma, time tracking, CRM?
- Budget: per-user pricing adds up.
- Ease of use: the best tool is the one your team actually uses.
Top picks compared
Trello
- Simple Kanban boards with cards, checklists, and automation (Butler).
- Very easy to learn.
- Best for: freelancers and small teams with straightforward workflows.
Asana
- Lists, boards, timelines, calendars, and workload views.
- Strong for task dependencies and structured projects.
- Best for: agencies managing multiple projects and teams.
ClickUp
- Highly customizable with many views, docs, goals, time tracking, and automation.
- Can feel overwhelming at first.
- Best for: teams wanting an all-in-one workspace.
Monday.com
- Visual, flexible boards with automations and dashboards.
- Best for: teams that like visual workflows and client-facing dashboards.
Notion
- Docs + databases in one; build custom project trackers, wikis, and client portals.
- Best for: teams that value documentation and flexibility.
Jira
- Powerful for software development with sprints, issue tracking, and developer integrations.
- Best for: development teams building complex applications.
Basecamp
- Projects with to-dos, message boards, schedules, and client access; flat pricing options.
- Best for: agencies that want simplicity and client communication in one place.
Linear
- Fast, modern issue tracking for product and engineering teams.
- Best for: development-focused teams.
Kanban vs timeline views
Kanban (boards)
- Columns represent stages (e.g., To Do → In Progress → Review → Done).
- Great for visual workflows and ongoing work like maintenance requests.
- Easy to see bottlenecks.
Timeline (Gantt)
- Tasks on a calendar with durations and dependencies.
- Great for projects with deadlines and sequential phases (e.g., design must finish before development).
- Helps communicate launch dates to clients.
Most web teams use both: timelines for project planning and Kanban for daily execution.
Example web project board:
- Backlog
- Discovery & Planning
- Design
- Client Review
- Development
- QA & Testing
- Launch
- Done
Client collaboration
- Guest access: invite clients to specific projects with limited permissions (Asana, ClickUp, Basecamp, Monday).
- Approval workflows: clients approve designs and content inside the tool.
- Shared timelines: clients see progress and deadlines.
- Forms: collect content, feedback, or requests via forms linked to tasks.
- Design feedback tools: combine PM tools with visual feedback tools (e.g., website annotation tools) for comments directly on web pages.
- Clear communication rules: where discussions happen (the PM tool vs email vs chat).
Link your PM tool with your CRM so won deals become projects automatically — see Best CRM Tools for Freelancers.
Our recommendation
| Team | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Solo freelancer | Trello or Notion |
| Small web agency | Asana, ClickUp, or Basecamp |
| Agency with heavy client collaboration | Basecamp or Monday.com |
| Development-heavy team | Jira or Linear (+ GitHub) |
| Documentation-focused team | Notion |
Setup tips:
- Create a project template for website builds with standard tasks and checklists (e.g., include the Launch Checklist).
- Assign one owner per task with due dates.
- Hold a weekly review of all projects.
- Automate recurring tasks (monthly maintenance, reports).
Further reading: Google’s Core Web Vitals guide on web.dev
Key Takeaways: Project Management Tools
- Choose based on team size, project type, client involvement, and integrations.
- Trello is simplest; Asana and ClickUp scale well; Jira and Linear suit developers.
- Use timelines for planning and Kanban for daily work.
- Give clients limited access for approvals and progress.
- Build reusable project templates for consistent delivery.