Asana vs Smartsheet — Which One Wins?
Pick Asana if: Mid-size teams that need structured project workflows without developer complexity
Pick Smartsheet if: Teams that live in spreadsheets but need real project management features layered on top
Our take: Asana for simplicity, Smartsheet for power users.
| Asana | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free for up to 10 users | Starter $10.99/user/mo | No free plan (30-day trial) | Pro $9/user/mo |
| Features | Timeline and Gantt views, Workflow automation, Custom fields and forms, Portfolio tracking, 200+ integrations | Spreadsheet-style project management, Gantt, card, and calendar views, Automated workflows, Resource management, Dashboards and reports |
| Best for | Mid-size teams that need structured project workflows without developer complexity | Teams that live in spreadsheets but need real project management features layered on top |
| Learning Curve | Medium | Medium |
The Real Difference
Both offer free tiers, so the real question is what you get when you start paying.
Asana stands out with Timeline and Gantt views and Custom fields and forms. Smartsheet counters with Spreadsheet-style project management and Gantt, card, and calendar views.
Asana's Achilles heel: free plan is barebones — you hit paywall fast on reporting and automation. Smartsheet's: it’s a spreadsheet pretending to be a pm tool — power users love it, everyone else gets confused. Pick whichever weakness you can live with.
Bottom Line
If you value timeline and gantt views and mid-size teams that need, go with Asana. If teams that live in matters more, Smartsheet is your pick. Neither is a bad choice — but one will fit your workflow better.