When working in a team, it’s not always easy to keep track of goals and projects. That’s why apps like Asana and Trello were designed, as they help managers stay organized. With everything at their fingertips, productivity will skyrocket.
While many Fortune 100 companies use them, the apps are quite different in terms of philosophy and features. If you’re still undecided between these two, you’ve come to the right place. Below, you can find out about the similarities and differences between the software.
The Similarities
Asana and Trello are both used in project management, and they’re contending for the best in their class. Here are some similarities between the two.
Free to Use
When you want to try out Asana or Trello, you can do so for free. The free plans are pretty powerful, and you can easily handle your team’s workflow with either. However, where Trello allows unlimited users with the free plan, Asana only supports 15 members unless you upgrade to a paid plan.
File Storage
Both platforms allow users to store files on a cloud server for easy access, and you can upload unlimited files this way. There are individual file size limits depending on your payment plan. For example, the Asana free plan will only let you upload files under 100MB, and Trello’s free plan has a 10MB limit.
Integrations
Integrations are available for Asana and Trello, allowing teams to incorporate their preferred software into their project management app. These add-ons are designed to help teams use everything in one app. Both apps have around 200 integrations, such as Slack, Outlook, and Microsoft Teams.
Mobile Apps
You can get mobile apps for Asana and Trello on iOS and Android, and these apps are pretty helpful for those on the go. Don’t expect them to replace the PC versions, as they’re mostly stripped down. You can still use them for work, but it’s better to return to your computer for more involved aspects of the job.
Easy to Use
Because some workers may not be familiar with project management software, they may get confused with the apps. Asana and Trello mitigate this issue by making their products user-friendly. Anyone can understand how to use either software with some experimentation.
The Differences
Asana and Trello have entirely different design philosophies behind them, and they also come with features the other software might not have. Below are some of the most obvious ways the apps vary.
Type of Management
Trello is mostly just a Kanban board, a tool invented for teams who want a visual system for managing tasks, communication, and workflows. The freemium version contains the essential Kanban board, and purchasing a paid plan will allow you to access features that improve the board. It’s elementary to use and navigate, especially for smaller teams.
With Trello, a completed task can simply be moved from one category to another, such as “To Do” to “Done.” As a Kanban board with extra features, you won’t go wrong with its simplicity.
On the other hand, Asana isn’t based on a Kanban board — although it has one — but it’s designed for larger businesses that hire more employees and freelancers. It focuses more on juggling multiple tasks and task dependencies, and it has many extra features for these ends. Asana is highly popular due to its more detailed tasks, which are essential for complicated projects.
Asana lets managers break down a project into categories and assign tasks to others. These tasks can be placed into groups, too This feature helps handle large teams with diverse skillsets since different subgroups will require their own goals.
Therefore, it’s safe to say that Trello has a more direct management philosophy behind it because the Kanban system was designed for quick management without excessive features. However, Asana is more suitable for larger businesses. Those who want to manage themselves will find Trello a better choice.
Tracking Progress and Reporting
Trello is a Kanban board, and each task is moved from one column to the next after the member deems a task is complete. Unfortunately, It doesn’t have any reporting system whatsoever. You’ll need to send the manager or other team members a message signifying something is complete.
Asana is more progress-oriented, and each task has a progress tracker to help you check its status. You’ll also get notifications as part of recent status updates.
You can also create a basic report with Asana, but neither platform has a full reporting function included.
Security
Both apps are actually quite similar in terms of security since they’re based on Amazon Web Services. However, there is still one key difference in this regard. Trello has two-factor authentication, while Asana currently lacks this security feature.
Customer Service
Trello is also superior in terms of customer service. Most of the time, its tutorials and forums are helpful for less complicated problems, but Trello does have a contact form. It’s not the best support, but you still get an answer from an agent.
Asana isn’t the best when it comes to customer support. It has guides, an Academy, and tutorials. Sadly, the support team tends to respond slowly, and the agents prefer to answer technical issues.
Pricing
Trello is cheaper than Asana, but only if you go by the plan prices alone. Asana wins in terms of pricing due to the number of features you get with their paid plans. Trello doesn’t give you much with its paid plans that Asana doesn’t offer.
Asana’s Business plan, for instance, has more features like portfolios, workload view, and advanced integration support. With it, you can use Salesforce and other powerful software. On the other hand, Trello has no equivalent to this plan.
What Should I Use?
In the end, Asana and Trello are just about tied in terms of functionality and features. You can pick up either platform for free and learn how to use it with some experimentation. They’re marketed toward different clients, with Asana being perfect for larger businesses and Trello more suitable for small and simple teams that don’t require extra features.
Asana does win slightly because of its versatility. It has many more features that suit larger organizations, but they also benefit freelancers who juggle between multiple clients and projects. Big or small, Asana can handle the assignment without fail.
Trello’s Kanban system is straightforward to use, and its user interface also has an attractive aesthetic appeal for some users. It will benefit those who focus on fewer tasks, a strength of the Kanban board. Unfortunately, Trello has very little else when it comes to versatility.
The winner is Asana in terms of features and support for larger, complicated projects. Trello is still a great platform, but it will work better for more straightforward assignments.
More Is Better
When it comes to working with projects, having more options is usually the better choice. Trello is great for Kanban system fans, as it contains an effective Kanban board. However, Asana is far superior to Trello in many other aspects.
Which platform do you prefer or have used in the past? Do you think there’s a better task management app? Let us know in the comment section below.
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