Asana suits teams that think in tasks, owners and deadlines, and it has a free plan for one or two people. Smartsheet suits teams that think in rows and columns, like operations, project offices and anyone moving off big Excel trackers, with Gantt, table, board and calendar views on every plan. If your work already lives in spreadsheets, Smartsheet will feel familiar; if it lives in to-do lists and conversations, Asana will.
Both tools manage projects, so the choice comes down to the shape of your work. Asana is built around tasks that move between people. Smartsheet is built around a grid that behaves like a smarter spreadsheet. I read Asana's product and plans pages and Smartsheet's home and plans pages.
Asana and Smartsheet compared
| Asana | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Yes, Personal plan for up to 2 users | No free plan listed, a free trial |
| Core idea | Tasks, projects and goals | Sheets that work like smart spreadsheets |
| Views | List, board and calendar free, Timeline and Gantt from Starter | Gantt, table, board and calendar from Pro |
| Extra people | No seat limits from Starter | Unlimited free Contributors on Pro |
| Automation | AI Studio no-code automations | 250 automations a month on Pro, unlimited on Business |
| Integrations | 100+ free integrations incl. Slack, Google Drive, Zoom | Integrations plus links to external AI tools |
The free plan question
Asana's Personal plan is free forever for one or two people managing their own projects, with unlimited tasks and projects, list, board and calendar views, and files up to 100 MB each. Smartsheet's plans page lists Pro, Business and Enterprise with a free trial, and I couldn't find a free plan. So for a solo consultant or a pair of co-founders, Asana is the one you can run without ever upgrading.
Smartsheet's answer for bigger groups is different: Pro includes unlimited free Contributors, and Business adds unlimited free Guests. That suits teams where a few people plan and many others just update their rows.
How Gantt charts and timelines differ
This is where Smartsheet shines for project offices. Gantt view sits on its first plan, alongside rich formulas and unlimited sheets, forms and reports. Asana adds Timeline and Gantt views from its Starter plan, along with reporting dashboards and no seat limits. If your manager wants dependencies on a timeline every Monday, both can do it, but Smartsheet gets you there sooner and in a format spreadsheet users already read.
Automation limits worth checking
Smartsheet's Pro plan includes 250 automations a month, and Business makes them unlimited. Asana's Starter plan includes AI Studio for no-code automations, measured in credits per account. If you plan to automate reminders, approvals and status changes heavily, count how many runs you'd need before you pick a plan.
If you're still mapping your project, my guide to building a Gantt chart in a spreadsheet is a free way to see what you need, and this look at how Asana markets itself shows the team-first thinking behind it.
Signs you'll be happier with one of them
- Your team talks in tasks and due dates and hates spreadsheets: Asana.
- Your managers love rows, columns and formulas: Smartsheet.
- Lots of people need to update work without full access: Smartsheet's free Contributors.
- You're one or two people and want to stay free: Asana's Personal plan.
My advice on Asana or Smartsheet
If your team runs on tasks and chat, start with Asana's free Personal plan or a Starter trial. If your projects already live in big shared spreadsheets, trial Smartsheet's Pro plan and import one real tracker, because you'll know within an afternoon whether the grid suits the way you work.
Do you make project management software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Asana have a free plan?
Yes. Asana's Personal plan is free forever for one or two people, with unlimited tasks and projects.
Does Smartsheet have a free plan?
Smartsheet's plans page lists Pro, Business and Enterprise plans with a free trial. I didn't find a free plan on it.
Which has Gantt charts?
Both. Smartsheet includes Gantt view from its Pro plan, and Asana adds Timeline and Gantt views from its Starter plan.
What are Smartsheet Contributors?
Smartsheet's Pro plan includes unlimited free Contributors, so more people can take part without being counted as members.
Which is better for a small marketing team?
If the team works from task lists and briefs, Asana usually fits. If it runs campaigns from a big shared tracker with dates and owners in columns, Smartsheet feels more natural.
Can I import my Excel trackers?
Smartsheet is built around sheets, so spreadsheet trackers move across naturally. Asana works better once a tracker is broken into tasks with owners and due dates.
How many automations does Smartsheet allow?
Its plans page lists 250 automations a month on Pro and unlimited automations on Business.
