Resource Planning Software (2026): 10 Tools Compared

Everyone says they're busy, but who has room for the next job? Resource planning software answers that question. It shows who is working on what, who is overloaded and who has space next week, so you can say yes to new work without breaking your team.

Here are ten options, in no particular order, sorted alphabetically. A couple are well-known names and the rest are smaller or more specialised. I've taken each description from the product's own website, so check current details before you decide. If you're also looking at the wider mechanics of running a team, my guide to streamlining small business operations is worth a read.

Resource planning software at a glance

In the Free plan column, Yes means the product's own site describes a permanent free plan. Trial only means a free trial is offered but no ongoing free plan, and No means neither is stated. Free plans usually limit users, projects or features, so check them against your team.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
ActivityTimeline	Jira resource planner	Teams already working in Jira	Trial only
ClickUp	Work management platform	Tasks with workload views	Yes
Float	Resource scheduling software	Scheduling people across projects	Trial only
Monday.com	Work management platform	Boards with workload planning	Yes
Mosaic	Resource and capacity planning	Forecasting headcount and workload	No
Paymo	Project and time software	Scheduling, time and leave together	Yes
Resource Guru	Resource scheduling tool	Booking people, rooms and kit	Trial only
Runn	Capacity planning software	Forecasting who's free next	Trial only
Teamdeck	Scheduling and time tracking	Resource schedules and timesheets	Trial only
Timely	Time and planning tool	Planned time against real time	Trial only

Ten resource planning tools for teams of every size

ActivityTimeline

Best for: Software teams who live in Jira and want to see who is overloaded without moving their work elsewhere.

ClickUp

Best for: Small teams who want task management first, with workload and capacity features they can grow into.

Float

Best for: Agencies and studios who plan who's working on what, week by week, and want to see capacity clearly.

Monday.com

Best for: Teams who like visual boards and want resource and workload planning added to the same account.

Mosaic

Best for: Larger service firms who plan capacity, allocation and forecasting across many people and projects.

Paymo

Best for: Small teams and freelancers who want projects, time tracking and a leave planner in one tool.

Resource Guru

Best for: Teams who book people and equipment and want to avoid double-booking by seeing availability at a glance.

Runn

Best for: Project-based teams who want to see availability, forecast demand and plan hiring needs ahead of time.

Teamdeck

Best for: Small agencies and software teams who want resource schedules, time tracking and holidays in one place.

Timely

Best for: Teams who want to compare planned hours with the time people really spent, with less manual logging.

What resource planning software helps you see

A spreadsheet can show who is on which job, until the team grows and the colours stop making sense. Dedicated software tends to cover these questions.

• Availability. Who is free, on holiday or already booked solid next week.
• Capacity. Whether the team can take on a new project without anyone working silly hours.
• Allocation. Which person is assigned to which project, for how long, and how that changes if a deadline moves.
• Skills. Who is best placed for a particular type of work, so you're not guessing.
• Forecasting. What the workload looks like over the coming weeks, so hiring or freelancer decisions come sooner.
• Planned against actual. How far reality drifted from the plan, which makes the next plan better.

Resource planning or project management: which do you need?

The two overlap, but they answer different questions. Project management software tracks the work: tasks, deadlines and progress. Resource planning software tracks the people: who is available and how much they can take on.

• A small team with a few projects may be fine with a project tool that includes a workload view.
• An agency or studio juggling clients usually benefits from a dedicated scheduling tool.
• A growing service business often needs forecasting, so it can see hiring needs before they become urgent.
• A team that bills by the hour may want time tracking in the same system.

If you're deciding how tools fit together across your business, my roundup of tools for running business operations gives the wider picture.

Questions to ask before choosing resource planning software

• Can I see a week-by-week schedule that anyone on the team can understand?
• Does it handle part-time staff, holidays and time off?
• Can I plan before a project is confirmed, using tentative bookings?
• Does it link to the project or time tools we already use?
• Who sees what? Can team members view only their own schedule?
• Can I export my data if I switch tools later?

Common mistakes when planning people's time

• Booking everyone at full capacity, which leaves no room for meetings, admin or the unexpected.
• Forgetting holidays and part-time patterns.
• Treating the plan as finished instead of updating it weekly.
• Planning in one tool while time is tracked in another, so the two never match.
• Leaving the team out of the conversation, so they find out their workload from a screen.

Workload is also a wellbeing matter. My article on how low team morale hits productivity shows what happens when people are stretched too thin.

Using staff data fairly

Resource planning tools hold information about people, such as working hours, leave and skills. Be open with your team about what is recorded and who can see it, and use the data to share work fairly, not to monitor individuals. Employment and data protection rules differ by country. This isn't HR or legal advice, so check the official guidance for your own situation.

Why a smaller resource planning tool can be a smart pick

Smaller tools often focus on scheduling and capacity, so there's less to configure. For a team of ten that's usually enough. Check that the product is still being updated, read the help pages and make sure you can export your schedule before you commit.

Do you make resource planning software or a team scheduling tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

Trying out your resource planning shortlist

Pick two or three and enter the same real week for your team in each, including holidays and a tentative project. Notice how quickly you can spot an overloaded person and how easy it's to move work around. Keep the one your team finds clearest and note anything you'd like to ask the maker.

Frequently asked questions

What is resource planning software?

It's software that shows who is available, who is booked and how much work a team can take on. Managers use it to assign people to projects and to spot overload before it causes problems.

What's the difference between resource planning and capacity planning?

Capacity planning looks at how much work the team can handle overall. Resource planning decides which people do which work. Many tools cover both.

Do small teams need resource planning software?

Not always. A shared calendar or spreadsheet can work for a small team. It starts to help when several projects compete for the same people or when you want to forecast hiring.

Can I use a project management tool instead?

Sometimes. Many project tools include a workload view, which can be enough for simple needs. Dedicated tools usually go deeper on scheduling, leave and forecasting.

How often should I update a resource plan?

Weekly is a sensible habit for most teams, and sooner when a deadline moves or someone is away. A plan that goes stale quickly loses its value.