When it comes to managing projects, streamlining workflows, and keeping your team on the same page, Monday.com often emerges as a top contender. Touted as one of the most flexible and visually appealing project management tools available today, it promises to revolutionize the way teams collaborate and get things done.
But does Monday.com live up to the hype? In this comprehensive review, we break down what Monday.com offers, who it’s best for, how it compares to similar tools, and whether it’s worth your investment.
What the Software Does
Monday.com is more than just a project management platform it markets itself as a Work OS, offering customizable workflows that help teams manage everything from daily tasks to company-wide projects. At its core, Monday.com allows you to build structured boards that can be adapted to almost any use case.
Whether you’re handling marketing campaigns, managing a sales pipeline, onboarding new employees, or tracking software bugs, Monday.com offers an intuitive, centralized hub for all your team’s activity.
The platform is used by teams across industries including tech, marketing, HR, operations, and construction. With its colorful, spreadsheet-like interface and drag-and-drop simplicity, it aims to be both powerful and user-friendly.
Key Features
Monday.com is feature-rich, designed to scale with your business needs. Here are some of its standout capabilities:
Customizable Work Boards
Every project starts with a board. These can be configured with different column types status, date, person, timeline, checkbox, numbers, and more making it easy to track progress visually. Users can switch between multiple views including:
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Kanban
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Gantt chart (Timeline view)
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Calendar
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Map view
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Workload
Automations
One of Monday.com’s most powerful features is workflow automation. You can create “if this, then that” style rules without writing any code. For example:
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If a task is marked “done,” notify the project manager.
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When a due date arrives, send a reminder email.
These automations save teams hours of manual work and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Integrations
Monday.com connects with popular tools to make sure your workflow isn’t siloed. Some key integrations include:
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Google Drive & Docs
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Slack
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Zoom
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Outlook & Gmail
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Dropbox
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Salesforce
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Zapier (for advanced automation)
This helps teams centralize information from various tools in one dashboard.
Dashboards & Reporting
Monday.com allows users to create visual dashboards that pull data from multiple boards. You can track KPIs, budgets, timelines, and team workloads in real time. This is especially helpful for managers and executives.
Collaboration Tools
Each task on Monday.com can include file attachments, comments, updates, and tags. Team members can @mention each other, keeping all communication tied directly to the task.
Mobile App
The Monday.com mobile app is available on both iOS and Android, allowing users to view boards, update statuses, and communicate on the go. While not as powerful as the desktop version, it covers most essential features.
Pricing Plans
Monday.com offers a tiered pricing structure to suit individuals, small teams, and large enterprises. Here’s a breakdown:
Plan |
Price (per user/month) |
Best For |
---|---|---|
Free |
$0 |
Individuals managing simple workflows |
Basic |
$8 |
Small teams needing unlimited boards |
Standard |
$10 |
Teams requiring timeline views and integrations |
Pro |
$16 |
Advanced features like time tracking & automation |
Enterprise |
Custom |
Large organizations with security needs |
The Free plan supports up to 2 users with limited features. Most small businesses find the Standard or Pro plans the best value, as they unlock key features like Gantt charts, automation, and integrations.
It’s worth noting that Monday.com can become expensive as your team grows, especially if you need access to higher-tier functionality.
Pros & Cons
Pros
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Highly visual and intuitive user interface
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Extremely flexible with drag-and-drop functionality
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Robust automations save time and reduce manual effort
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Broad range of templates for different industries
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Excellent dashboarding and reporting tools
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Active community and customer support resources
Cons
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Can feel overwhelming due to the volume of features
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More expensive than some project management alternatives
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Many powerful features are locked behind higher pricing tiers
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Mobile app is less functional than the desktop version
Target Audience
Monday.com is ideal for:
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Mid-sized businesses and growing startups that need scalable project tracking
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Marketing and sales teams managing campaigns and leads
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Agencies coordinating client deliverables and timelines
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HR teams for onboarding and employee workflows
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Product teams planning roadmaps, sprints, and feature releases
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Remote and distributed teams needing centralized visibility
It’s less suitable for:
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Freelancers looking for simple task tracking
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Solo users who don’t need robust collaboration or reporting
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Teams with limited budgets or basic requirements
To a Known Competitor
Let’s compare Monday.com to Asana, another popular project management tool.
Feature |
Monday.com |
Asana |
---|---|---|
Visual Interface |
Highly customizable |
Streamlined |
Task Views |
Kanban, Gantt, Calendar |
List, Board, Calendar |
Automations |
Yes, advanced |
Limited in lower tiers |
Integrations |
200+ tools |
100+ tools |
Dashboards |
Advanced visual dashboards |
Basic reporting |
Mobile App |
Good, but limited |
Slightly more intuitive |
Price |
Higher per user |
Moderate |
Monday.com vs Trello
Trello is a simple, kanban-based task management tool that focuses on ease of use and visual organization. While Trello is excellent for small projects and teams, it lacks the depth and scalability Monday.com provides.
Feature |
Monday.com |
Trello |
---|---|---|
Task Views |
Kanban, Gantt, Calendar, Workload |
Kanban only |
Automation |
✅ Advanced & customizable |
🟡 Basic (Butler) |
Dashboards |
✅ Visual, multi-board |
❌ Not available |
Integrations |
200+ |
200+ |
Best For |
Scalable project workflows |
Lightweight task tracking |
Monday.com vs ClickUp
ClickUp is another all-in-one platform aimed at teams that need detailed task tracking and time management features. Both tools are highly customizable, but Monday.com stands out in UI and dashboarding, while ClickUp is stronger in Agile functionality and built-in time tracking.
Feature |
Monday.com |
ClickUp |
---|---|---|
Time Tracking |
🟡 Available (Pro tier) |
✅ Built-in (free & up) |
Docs & Notes |
✅ Basic |
✅ Strong |
Task Hierarchy |
✅ Boards/Subitems |
✅ Lists/Tasks/Subtasks |
Automations |
✅ Powerful |
✅ Very advanced |
Interface |
✅ Visual & user-friendly |
🟡 Dense & functional |
Monday.com vs Jira
Jira, built by Atlassian, is geared toward software development and Agile teams. Monday.com can replicate some Agile functionality but isn’t purpose-built like Jira is.
Feature |
Monday.com |
Jira |
---|---|---|
Agile Support |
🟡 Custom setup |
✅ Native (Scrum/Kanban) |
Dev Integrations |
🟡 Basic |
✅ Deep (GitHub, Bitbucket, etc.) |
Project Types |
✅ Versatile |
🟡 Dev-centric |
Time Tracking |
✅ Pro plan |
✅ Built-in |
Ease of Use |
✅ Visual & simple |
🟡 Complex for beginners |
Monday.com vs Airtable
Airtable combines spreadsheets with database functionality. It’s extremely powerful for managing structured data but lacks built-in project planning and team collaboration features that Monday.com delivers.
Feature |
Monday.com |
Airtable |
---|---|---|
UI |
✅ Project-focused |
🟡 Data-centric |
Collaboration |
✅ Strong |
🟡 Basic comments |
Dashboards |
✅ Visual & dynamic |
🟡 Requires apps |
Automations |
✅ Built-in & powerful |
✅ Advanced |
Templates |
✅ Industry-specific |
✅ Variety of bases |
Monday.com vs Notion
Notion is known for its flexibility in documentation, note-taking, and database creation. While it can be used for task management, it lacks the native workflow automation and team management tools that Monday.com offers.
Feature |
Monday.com |
Notion |
---|---|---|
Project Management |
✅ Built-in |
🟡 Custom setup required |
Docs/Wiki |
🟡 Basic |
✅ Strong |
Automations |
✅ No-code rules |
🟡 Limited |
Task Views |
✅ Multiple |
✅ Multiple |
Collaboration |
✅ Structured |
✅ Open-ended |
Monday.com vs Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a powerful enterprise-grade spreadsheet-based tool that excels in planning and resource management. It’s particularly useful for teams that love Excel but want more automation and collaboration.
Feature |
Monday.com |
Smartsheet |
---|---|---|
User Experience |
✅ Modern & intuitive |
🟡 Spreadsheet-heavy |
Automation |
✅ Easy setup |
✅ Complex logic |
Templates |
✅ Visual workflows |
✅ Project/finance-focused |
Gantt Charts |
✅ Interactive |
✅ Interactive |
Integration |
✅ 200+ tools |
✅ Microsoft/enterprise focus |
Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
So, is Monday.com worth the hype?
For many teams, the answer is yes. It’s one of the most powerful and visually engaging project management platforms on the market today. Its ability to handle complex workflows, automate processes, and integrate with third-party apps makes it a great investment for businesses scaling their operations.
That said, it’s not the cheapest solution and may be overkill for solo professionals or small teams with simple needs. There is a learning curve, especially when setting up advanced dashboards and automations.