Smartsheet vs Wrike — Which One Wins?
Pick Smartsheet if: Teams that live in spreadsheets but need real project management features layered on top
Pick Wrike if: Enterprise teams juggling multiple cross-functional projects with heavy reporting needs
Our take: Smartsheet for simplicity, Wrike for power users.
| Smartsheet | Wrike | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | No free plan (30-day trial) | Pro $9/user/mo | Free for up to 5 users | Team $9.80/user/mo |
| Features | Spreadsheet-style project management, Gantt, card, and calendar views, Automated workflows, Resource management, Dashboards and reports | Gantt charts and workload view, Cross-tagging across projects, Request forms and approvals, Time tracking built-in, 400+ integrations |
| Best for | Teams that live in spreadsheets but need real project management features layered on top | Enterprise teams juggling multiple cross-functional projects with heavy reporting needs |
| Learning Curve | Medium | Medium |
The Real Difference
Both offer free tiers, so the real question is what you get when you start paying.
Smartsheet stands out with Spreadsheet-style project management and Gantt, card, and calendar views. Wrike counters with Cross-tagging across projects and Request forms and approvals.
Smartsheet's Achilles heel: it’s a spreadsheet pretending to be a pm tool — power users love it, everyone else gets confused. Wrike's: the ui feels dated and cluttered — onboarding new team members takes longer than it should. Pick whichever weakness you can live with.
Bottom Line
If you value spreadsheet-style project management and teams that live in, go with Smartsheet. If enterprise teams juggling multiple matters more, Wrike is your pick. Neither is a bad choice — but one will fit your workflow better.