The idea of ​​relying on the best project management software for remote teams bodes well for a number of reasons. While it’s true that the pandemic has disrupted the way businesses have traditionally worked, it didn’t take long for businesses to get smart. A global surge in increasing use of technology and productivity apps for remote collaboration has spawned for this purpose.

But then again, there’s still a small chance you’re new to project management, and the concept of remote project management software is relatively new. Therefore, before we talk about different programs to use, let’s answer some of the basic questions.

Brief introduction to remote project management

Remote project management is about hybrid connectivity between team members spread across different platforms. This is of course a very vague description of RPM. However, when you interpret it under the Agile setting, where project managers, team members, and stakeholders are connected across various remote locations, things start to make sense.

In other words, it’s your usual project management portfolio with virtual teams instead of physical offices and requirements like that.

For this reason, remote project management software is the basis for such operations. Without these programs, teams cannot communicate, collaborate, and work effectively.

If you’re already familiar with the GTD (*Getting Things Done) model in the project management industry, you probably know how advanced remote project management software has become. The bare minimum that any of these modern tools offer is the ability to “chat” with your colleagues and do myriad other things that allude to the GTD workflow.

No precise formula or criterion qualifies a remote project management software as the “best” program. When looking for these software solutions, a quick rule of thumb is to compare their key features with the needs of your business or project.

If you are running hybrid operations for a software development lifecycle workflow – and also across an agile team, then we would say that Monday, Asana or MS Teams could be the right choice for you. On the contrary, if your project management team just needs a small project management tool for essential communication and file sharing purposes, then Slack and Slack alternatives are the right choice.

And so on…

From a general perspective, robust remote teams work best when they rely on a program with multiple capabilities, such as:

• Built-in or built-in Gantt charts
• chat function
• Creation and monitoring of timesheets
• Overview of the project roadmap
• Permission and role settings

… and tons of other features. The list could practically go on.

Our criterion for choosing the best remote project management software

We have selected a number of programs based on different functions. The judging criterion isn’t tight, but we wanted these programs to follow a certain standard when making recommendations.

• User Interface: Does the remote project management app, software or tool offer an intuitive user interface with the latest Industry 4.0 visuals?
• UX: In terms of usability, button and tool mapping, how smooth is the learning curve of said program?
• Third-party app integrations: While not a primary part of the base software, third-party app integrations make collaboration and overall productivity more efficient.
• Communication options: What else does a remote project management tool offer besides the basic chat functionality?

In addition to the above requirements, other features like time tracking, timesheets, Gantt charts, cloud data support and vice versa are a plus for the programs listed below.

So make your choice and find out which software works best for you.

4 Best Project Management Software for Remote Teams

nTask

As a project management software for remote teams, nTask covers the “management” and project development part of the entire workflow.

The tool offers a visually appealing interface with a unique feature set. Each sub-function presents dedicated modules to cover different aspects of effective communication, program and project development.

Additionally, team admins get a high-level view of ongoing tasks and activities via an interactive Gantt chart. Task dependencies can be easily modified to alter a project’s schedule and deliverability – ie when a specific action is taking longer than expected to complete.

With hundreds of third-party app integrations, meeting management tools, and passive communication via project/task hubs, nTask is more than enough to monitor workflow in a hybrid or remote environment.

Main features:

• 100% SaaS environment with no installation and guaranteed uptime
• Supports WebOS, iOS and Android platforms
• Interactive Gantt charts
• Special Kanban module with cards, lists and much more
• Risk management module
• Timesheets for effective time tracking
• Create task owners and appoint core team leaders for each activity
• Billable vs. non-billable hourly support

… and much more.

Pricing:

• Basic plan for individuals from $0
• Premium plan for small and medium businesses at $3 per user per month
• Pricing details for enterprise plans are available by contacting us

Monday.Com

Monday.com, formerly known as Da Pulse, sits squarely between hybrid and full-on remote project management. This tool is perfect for teams that are away from the office due to multiple features and third-party app integrations.

Monday’s interface is nothing short of amazing. You’ll find a visually striking layout with pop-ups and side-screen tooltips to give a quick overview of the program. In addition, this project management software for remote teams enables connectivity with Slack, Microsoft and other platforms to make your daily dose of communication a pleasant experience.

Main features:

• Attractive user interface matched to a minimalistic layout
• Drag-and-drop functionality for easy file sharing
• Creation of several projects for different teams and responsible persons
• Multiple data visualization tools
• Timeline overview for monitoring team progress
• Robust customer support
• Custom Fields
• File export in multiple formats

In addition to the aforementioned features, Monday.com also offers a short 30-day trial period. This remote project management tool is worth trying if you are interested in evaluating the program without paying anything up front.

Pricing:

• Free/Basic plan with a 30-day trial limit
• The basic plan starts at $3 per user per month
• The standard plan starts at $10 per user per month

Contact the Monday.com support channel for details on high trier priced plans.

hub planner

Next on our list of “best project management software for remote teams” we have Hub Planner. It’s a near-perfect solution as long as anyone cares about hyperactive resource management. “Almost perfect” because there is always room for additional features to make remote project management efficient.

In terms of resource management, in Hub Planner you look at tangible vs. intangible resources. For example, the team management portion of each exercise is performed through features dedicated to team progress tracking, timesheets, file sharing, and collaboration. Similarly, inanimate resource management is covered via forecasting, reporting, scheduling engines, and budget management features.

Additionally, this tool guarantees 24/7 data access across remote locations with no service interruptions.

Main features:

• Custom Fields
• Excellent project forecasting and capacity planning
• Visually stunning reports with attention to detail
• Support for Zapier apps

Pricing:

• The free plan starts with a 60-day trial period
• The paid plan starts at $7 per month

smartsheet

Finally, we have Smartsheet, a reliable project management tool for salespeople and smart teams.

Because the B2C sector always needs virtual resources and programs to maximize revenue, productivity, and collaboration, Smartsheet is not afraid to offer a wealth of features.

Sales team leaders can access various built-in features in this program. Deal management and pipeline visibility make it easier to close deals while monitoring upcoming sales activity. Likewise, the whole customer relationship management aspect of the project is covered by department-specific tools that are worth exploring.

All in all, Smartsheet is vital for remote project management teams responsible for sales and vice versa.

Main features:

• Multiple intuitive dashboards
• Create custom sheets according to each distribution’s project needs
• Set automatic reminders to drive multiple sales
• The Gantt chart overview provides a visual progress of ongoing projects
• Powerful reporting function

Pricing:

• $7 per user/per month
• The free plan only works in trial mode for 30 days

Summarizing everything:

Whether it’s a remote environment or an on-site office, project management has its fair share of challenges. However, the modern agenda is to work smart instead of working hours by investing inappropriate labor hours that are better invested in other productive activities.

This is another reason to rely on robust project management software for remote teams. If you don’t see your favorite tool on this list, feel free to mention it in the comments section below. We’d love to get back to you with additional insights to help our readers decide on this particular program.

Much luck!

Author’s biography:

Fred Wilson: Agile and Software Consultant – nTask Over 15 years of experience working with agile teams. I write about what inspires me, research how great Agile teams work, and read avidly about technologies that have the potential to revolutionize things.