We’ve handpicked the top six Zoho alternatives. Let’s dive into the details so you can find the best project management software to suit your team’s needs.

1. Lark – Best overall alternative

Lark is an all-in-one super app that consolidates every aspect of teamwork into a single platform. It boosts efficiency by combining messaging, virtual meetings, document collaboration, file sharing, project management, and workflow automation, all in one place.

Key features:

• Lark Messenger: Chat privately or in groups, @mention colleagues, send files, add custom bots, and schedule messages for different time zones.

• Lark Docs: Collaborate in real time by co-editing documents, adding comments, @mentioning teammates, and tracking updates seamlessly.

• Lark Meetings: Host audio and video calls, share your screen or documents, and collaborate on an interactive whiteboard. Real-time translation makes global communication effortless.

• Lark Calendar: Plan and schedule meetings with ease, view your colleagues' availability, and sync changes instantly with all attendees.

• Lark Base: Organize projects, assign tasks, automate workflows, and track progress in real time. Choose from Gantt, Kanban, Gallery, and other views for optimal project visualization.

Pros:

• All-in-one collaboration: Combines messaging, video conferencing, document sharing, and project management in one platform.

• Lark Base with AI: A no-code data management tool—just input your data, and Lark Base and its AI automation will organize the information.

• Generous free plan: You get 11 products for free, allowing you and your business to achieve your goals without spending any of your budget.

• Mobile-first design: Lark is designed for mobile use. This means you and frontline workers can communicate and collaborate together on tasks straight from your phones. 

Limitations:

• Lark has a wide variety of advanced features. However, you may need to visit Lark's YouTube channel and the Lark Help Center to master all the features.

• While Lark integrates with many tools, some users may find that certain tools are not yet supported. 

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $12 per month per user.

2. ClickUp – Best for teamwork management

Considered best for teamwork management, ClickUp is also among the best alternatives to Zoho.

Image Source: clickup.com

Key features:

• Task management: ClickUp has customizable tasks, nested subtasks, checklists, and over 35 ClickApps, allowing you to control your task management fully.

• Document management: With ClickUp’s Docs feature, you can create, edit, and share documents with your team in real time. You can also add rich editing and update your team members with a visual knowledge base.

• Centralized project-related communication: Streamline teamwork with powerful collaboration features, such as comments, proofing, chat, and document sharing. You can also brainstorm ideas with whiteboards.

• Real-time updates: No more need for needless meetings; team members can communicate, add, and update tasks in real time.

• Automated business processes: Choose over 50 actions, triggers, and conditions to automate routine work and processes. You can also start with a pre-built automation recipe and customize it based on your needs.

Pros:

• Releases new features based on customer requests

• Highly customizable project management options

• A mobile app that allows you to manage your projects on the go

Limitations:

• Steep learning curve for beginners.

• Lack of language options in ClickUp means Chinese, Japanese, and other language speakers can’t work in their own language. 

• There are alternatives to ClickUp that have more advanced features. 

Pricing: ClickUp offers a free plan for personal use. Paid plans start at $7 per user per month.

3. Scoro – Best for time-tracking tasks within projects

If you’re looking for a project management software that allows you to track time spent on individual tasks, then Scoro might be the one to choose.

Image Source: scoro.com

Key features:

• Real-time Gantt chart: This feature lets you track progress, tasks, and dependencies in an always-updated view, lessening manual updates.

• Drag-and-drop planner and Kanban task board: The features, calendars, and built-in time tracker enable efficient work prioritization and planning.

• CRM: Scoro’s CRM allows real-time tracking of deals and opportunities.

• Multi-currency management: Feature for managing purchases, orders, and costs and comparing budget scenarios to actual results.

• Reporting and dashboard: Create high-level reports and real-time dashboards for tracking performance and planning for the future.

Pros:

• Incorporates project management with time tracking for enhanced productivity

• Has project management tools for creating budgets, managing billable work, invoices, and expenses

• It has a user-friendly interface

Limitations:

• It doesn’t have an in-app chat feature, meaning it’s not a great choice for collaboration needs.

• Pricing is relatively high compared to its competitors

Pricing: No free plan available. Paid plans start at $25 per user per month.

4. Basecamp – Best for team collaboration

Basecamp is a project management platform that helps small teams move faster while making progress.

Image Source:  basecamp.com

Key features:

• Visual dashboard: Basecamp has a straightforward, one-page dashboard for your projects, schedule, and assignments. You can also use Basecamp’s unique take on Kanban, called Card Table, to organize tasks and visually track work that progresses through stages.

• Organize and share docs and media files: Basecamp has an organized space to create, share, and discuss docs files and images.

• Organize work by assigning tasks and setting due dates: Basecamp’s To-dos feature lets you track work deadlines, responsibilities, progress, and details. It also shows dated to-dos, milestones, and relevant events.

• Leave feedback on tasks: Basecamp’s Messages feature offers a centralized place to discuss big topics with your team. It completely replaces project emails.

• Chat with team members: With built-in real-time group chat, Basecamp lets you and your team discuss time-sensitive topics and move on.

Pros:

• Straightforward visual and user-friendly interface

• Features for easy collaboration

Limitations:

• Limited customization

• Pricing may not suit all business types

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $15 per user per month.

5. Pipedrive – Best for sales pipeline management

With Pipedrive, you can track your sales pipeline, manage leads, and automate your entire sales process.

Image Source: pipedrive.com

Key features:

• AI-powered automation: Pipedrive offers task automation, one-click contact data collection, webhooks, open API, and an AI-powered sales assistant.

• Customizable pipelines: Pipedrive lets you customize pipelines for your specific business needs, letting you manage your sales process more efficiently and keep your team on the right track.

• Centralized communication: With its smart features, Pipedrive lets you centralize your communication efforts, connect with your target audience, and move leads through the sales funnel.

• Create custom sales reports: Pipedrive lets you create custom sales reports to help you forecast revenue while enabling you to check your sales process and make data-driven decisions.

• Goal setting and activity tracking: Manage pipelines by setting goals, tracking activities, and getting insights.

Pros:

• Integration with third-party apps

• Sales forecasting features

• Lead management features

Limitations:

• No free plan

• There are more advanced sales management tools in the market.

• Limited customer support

Pricing: No free plan. Paid plans start at $14 per month.

6. Freshsales – Best for AI-driven sales insights

Freshsales is a customer relationship management (CRM) system that helps you manage your existing and potential customers.

Image Source: support.freshsales.io

Key features:

• Predictive insights into sales processes: Freshsales analyzes your previous sales data and predicts your future sales.

• Track and manage sales deals: This feature lets you track deals from start to finish, helping you identify bottlenecks and optimize your sales processes.

• Centralized customer and lead information database: Freshsales shows a single view of the customer, helping you deliver personalized experiences and improve customer satisfaction.

• Automates repetitive sales tasks: You can save time from repetitive tasks, such as data entry, lead scoring, and follow-up emails, and focus more on important tasks.

• Keeps track of email interactions with leads and customers: With this feature, you can understand customer behavior and tailor outreach accordingly.

• Prioritizes leads based on their interaction and engagement: Freshsales provides predictive insights into sales processes, helping you and your sales team identify trends.

Pros:

• Customizable dashboards and user-friendly interface

• Real-time notifications

• Available mobile app for iOS and Android smartphones

Limitations:

• Fewer integrations than its competitors

• Users reported inconsistencies with customer support

Pricing: No free plan available. Paid plans start at $15 per user per month.