Monday.com vs Trello: Full Comparison (2026)

Monday.com vs Trello: two of the most popular project management tools, and neither one handles the business side of client work.

Proposals sit in one app, invoices in another, time tracking in a third, and project boards in a fourth. Teams and freelancers who manage client projects end up copying deliverables between tools, updating status in multiple places, and chasing payments through a separate billing system. The project management part works fine, but proposals, invoices, contracts, and client communication still live somewhere else.

Monday.com offers Kanban boards, Gantt charts, timelines, dashboards, and up to 25,000 automations per month on its Pro plan. The platform supports 7+ project views and has 200+ integrations. But pricing starts at $9/user/month with a 3-user minimum, there is no invoicing, no proposals, no contracts, and no client portal, so the business side of client work still happens somewhere else.

Trello keeps things simple with Kanban boards that most people can pick up in minutes. The free plan covers up to 10 users, and Power-Ups extend functionality through add-ons. But there is no built-in time tracking, no Gantt view without a Power-Up, no invoicing, no proposals, and reporting is minimal, so anything beyond basic task tracking requires additional tools.

If client work involves proposals, tracked hours, and invoicing alongside project boards, neither tool covers the full workflow. Plutio handles projects, proposals, contracts, time tracking, and invoicing in one platform for $19/month with no per-user fees.

Last updated February 2026

4.6

Quick comparison (TLDR)

Monday.com is a project management platform with Kanban boards, Gantt charts, timelines, dashboards, and automations. The interface supports multiple project views and team collaboration. But pricing starts at $9/user/month with a 3-user minimum (so $27/month minimum), automations are capped at 250/month on the Standard plan, and there is no invoicing, no proposals, no contracts, and no client portal built into the platform.

Trello is a Kanban-first task management tool with a minimal interface. Most people set up a board in under 5 minutes, and the free plan covers up to 10 users. Power-Ups extend the feature set. But there is no native time tracking, no Gantt view without a Power-Up, reporting is basic, and anything beyond simple task boards requires add-ons or external tools.

Key differences at a glance

Project views: Monday.com offers Kanban, Gantt, timeline, calendar, map, and chart views. Trello is Kanban-only natively, with calendar and timeline views available as Power-Ups on paid plans.
Automation: Monday.com includes 250-25,000 automations per month depending on plan tier. Trello has Butler automation on all plans, but with tighter limits (1,000 command runs/month on free, more on paid).
Pricing model: Monday.com charges per user with a 3-user minimum ($9-19/user/month). Trello has a free tier for up to 10 users, with paid plans starting at $5/user/month.
Time tracking: Monday.com includes a native time tracking column on Pro plans ($19/user/month). Trello has no built-in time tracking and requires a Power-Up like Toggl or Clockify.
Integrations: Monday.com has 200+ native integrations. Trello connects through the Atlassian ecosystem and Power-Ups, with direct integrations to Slack, Google Drive, and other common tools.
Learning curve: Trello takes less time to learn, with most users productive in minutes but limited to Kanban. Monday.com takes longer to configure because of the volume of features, views, and automation options.

The verdict? Monday.com has more project views, dashboards, and automation, but costs more and still lacks invoicing or proposals. Trello has a free tier and takes less time to configure, but lacks Gantt charts, time tracking, and cross-board reporting. If the workflow includes proposals, contracts, time tracking, and invoicing alongside project boards, Plutio handles all of those for $19/month with no per-user fees.

Tired of switching between apps?

One subscription replaces five tools

Project boards, proposals, contracts, task-level time tracking, and invoicing. All in one platform for $19/month with no per-user fees.

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Setup and onboarding

A new team signs up and wants to organize their first project. How long until boards are set up, tasks are assigned, and the team is actually working inside the platform?

Monday.com

200+ templates, but setup takes a full day for most teams. Monday.com gives teams a choice of 200+ templates during onboarding, covering project tracking, CRM, marketing, software development, and more. Templates provide a starting point, but customizing views, automations, and dashboards takes most teams a full day or more. Every board needs columns configured for status, priority, dates, and any custom fields the team needs. The mobile app mirrors most desktop features, so remote teams can access boards from anywhere. For teams managing one or two straightforward projects, the defaults work. For teams with complex workflows, the configuration phase adds time before the team starts working.

200+ project templates to start from
Mobile app with full board access
Custom columns and field types
Configuration takes a full day or more for most teams
Volume of options creates decision fatigue during setup
Automations need manual setup per board

Trello

Most users set up a board in under 10 minutes with no training. Trello boards take less than 10 minutes to configure. Create a board, add lists (To Do, In Progress, Done), and start dragging cards. Most users are productive within 10 minutes of signing up, with no training needed. The drag-and-drop Kanban interface is so widely recognized that many people have used a Trello-style board somewhere before. The trade-off is that simple onboarding means limited structure. There are no project templates with pre-built automations, no guided setup for complex workflows, and no dashboard pulling data across boards. For teams that need more than basic task boards, that simplicity becomes a limitation within the first week.

Boards ready in under 10 minutes
No training needed for basic use
Drag-and-drop Kanban familiar to most users
No guided setup for complex workflows
No cross-board dashboards on basic plans
Power-Ups needed for anything beyond Kanban

Project views and task management

Teams manage projects differently. Some prefer Kanban, others need Gantt charts or timeline views. How many ways can each platform display and organize work?

Monday.com

7+ views including Kanban, Gantt, timeline, and calendar on every paid plan. Monday.com includes Kanban, Gantt, timeline, calendar, map, chart, and table views on every paid plan. Teams can switch between views on the same board without recreating data. The Gantt view shows task dependencies and critical paths. Dashboards pull metrics from multiple boards into a single screen, so managers can see project health across the entire organization. Task dependencies automatically shift dates when something slips. The number of views is high, but the volume of options means teams need to decide upfront which views matter and configure them, rather than having a single default that just works.

7+ project views (Kanban, Gantt, timeline, calendar, map, chart, table)
Task dependencies with automatic date shifting
Cross-board dashboards
Subtasks and nested items
View configuration takes time per board
Gantt and timeline views can feel cluttered on large projects

Trello

Kanban-first with limited additional views. Trello's Kanban boards are the core experience, and cards move between lists, labels add color-coded categories, and checklists track sub-items within cards. Paid plans add calendar and timeline views as built-in options. But there is no Gantt chart, no task dependencies, no automatic date shifting, and no dashboard that pulls metrics across boards. For teams whose work fits naturally into a "To Do, Doing, Done" flow, Trello covers basic task tracking. For teams managing multi-phase projects with overlapping timelines, the single-board Kanban view shows its limits quickly.

Kanban boards cover basic task tracking
Labels and color coding for visual organization
Checklists within cards for sub-items
No Gantt chart view
No task dependencies
No cross-board dashboard or reporting

Automation

Repetitive tasks eat into productive hours. When a status changes, an assignment needs updating, or a deadline passes, can the platform handle the follow-up automatically?

Monday.com

250 to 25,000 automations per month depending on plan tier. Monday.com includes an automation builder on Standard plans and above. The builder uses an "if this, then that" structure: when a status changes, move the item, notify a team member, create a new task, or trigger an integration. Standard plans get 250 automations/month. Pro plans get 25,000/month, and Enterprise goes up to 250,000/month. The limits reset monthly, and exceeding the cap means automations stop running until the next cycle. For teams running 5-10 boards with moderate automation, the Standard cap runs out by mid-month. Pro plans cover most workflows, but the per-user cost ($19/user/month) adds up for larger teams.

Visual automation builder (no code)
Status change, date, and integration triggers
Up to 25,000 automations/month on Pro
Standard plan cap of 250/month runs out quickly
Exceeding cap stops all automations until next cycle
Per-user pricing multiplies cost for larger teams

Trello

Butler automation with simpler triggers. Trello includes Butler, a built-in automation tool, on every plan including free. Butler handles rules (when a card moves, do something), scheduled commands (every Monday, sort cards by due date), and card buttons (one click to apply a set of actions). Free plans get 1,000 command runs per workspace per month. Paid plans increase limits. Butler covers common automations like moving cards, setting due dates, and assigning members. But the triggers are simpler than Monday.com's automation builder, with fewer integration options and no multi-step workflows that chain several actions together based on conditional logic.

Butler automation on all plans including free
Rules, scheduled commands, and card buttons
1,000+ command runs per month
Simpler triggers than Monday.com
No multi-step conditional workflows
Fewer integration-based automations

Team collaboration

Teams need to communicate, share files, and stay aligned on project updates. Can the platform handle team communication alongside task tracking, or does work context live in separate chat apps?

Monday.com

Built-in updates, mentions, and file sharing. Monday.com includes an updates section on every item where team members can post comments, tag colleagues, and attach files. The activity log tracks every change to every item, so there is a full audit trail. Workdocs (built-in documents) allow teams to create and collaborate on documents within the platform. The communication is tied to specific tasks, so context stays with the work. Integrations with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and email push notifications outside the platform. For teams that prefer to discuss work inside the project tool rather than a separate chat app, Monday.com includes item-level comments and file attachments, though there is no built-in real-time chat.

Item-level comments and mentions
File attachments on tasks
Full activity log and audit trail
Workdocs for team documents
No built-in real-time chat
Communication is item-level, not project-level

Trello

Card comments and Atlassian ecosystem. Trello allows comments on cards, file attachments, and member mentions. The activity feed shows recent changes across the board. Being part of Atlassian, Trello connects to Confluence for documentation and Jira for development tracking. But native collaboration features are limited to card-level comments. There is no document editor, no rich-text updates section, and no real-time communication built in. Most Trello teams run Slack or Microsoft Teams alongside for discussions, then link back to cards for task context. The result is work discussions split between two platforms, with context scattered between a chat thread and a Trello card.

Card-level comments and mentions
File attachments on cards
Atlassian ecosystem (Confluence, Jira)
No built-in document editor
No rich updates or activity summaries
Team discussions happen in separate chat apps

Integrations and ecosystem

No tool works alone. When project data needs to flow into CRM, invoicing, communication, or file storage apps, how many connections does each platform offer natively?

Monday.com

200+ native integrations with an app marketplace. Monday.com connects natively to Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Salesforce, HubSpot, Jira, GitHub, Figma, and 200+ other apps. The integration builder allows custom connections using API calls, so teams can connect tools that are not in the marketplace. Automations can trigger actions in connected apps (for example, when a task status changes in Monday.com, create a ticket in Jira). The volume of integrations means most teams find native connections for their existing tools. For niche apps without native support, the Zapier integration bridges the gap.

200+ native integrations
Custom API integration builder
Automation-triggered integration actions
Zapier for additional connections
Some integrations only available on higher plans
Integration runs count against automation limits

Trello

Power-Ups and Atlassian ecosystem. Trello extends functionality through Power-Ups, which are add-ons built by Atlassian and third parties. Popular Power-Ups include Google Drive, Slack, Jira, calendar view, and custom fields. Free plans are limited to one Power-Up per board. Paid plans unlock unlimited Power-Ups. The Atlassian ecosystem gives Trello direct access to Confluence, Jira, and Bitbucket. For development teams already using Atlassian products, those connections exist natively. For everyone else, the Power-Up model means essential features (like custom fields or time tracking) require finding, installing, and sometimes paying for individual add-ons.

Power-Up marketplace with hundreds of add-ons
Direct Atlassian integrations (Jira, Confluence)
Google Drive and Slack connections
Free plan limited to one Power-Up per board
Essential features require individual Power-Up installs
Some Power-Ups have separate subscription fees

Scalability and enterprise features

A team of 5 works differently than a team of 50. As the organization grows, does the platform scale with permissions, reporting, and governance, or does pricing make growth prohibitive?

Monday.com

Scales from small teams to large organizations with role-based permissions and SSO. Monday.com scales from small teams to large organizations with features like role-based permissions, audit logs, SAML SSO, and SCIM provisioning on Enterprise plans. The platform handles hundreds of boards and thousands of items without noticeable performance issues. Dashboards pull data from across the organization, and workspaces separate departments or clients. The cost scales linearly with headcount though. A 50-person team on the Pro plan ($19/user/month) pays $950/month for project management alone. The $950 does not include invoicing, proposals, or any client-facing tools, which need separate platforms.

Role-based permissions and audit logs
SAML SSO and SCIM on Enterprise
Organization-wide dashboards
Workspaces for departments
Per-user pricing makes large teams expensive
Enterprise features locked behind highest tier

Trello

Board-based architecture that works until teams need cross-project visibility. Trello offers Enterprise plans ($17.50/user/month) with organization-wide admin controls, attachment restrictions, and power-up management. The platform handles large volumes of boards and cards. But Trello's architecture centers on individual boards rather than cross-project visibility, so scaling beyond a few teams means managing many disconnected boards without a unified dashboard. Enterprise plans add some governance, but the underlying simplicity of the Kanban-first design means organizations needing portfolio-level project oversight typically outgrow Trello's structure before they outgrow its pricing.

Enterprise admin controls
Organization-wide board management
Attachment and Power-Up restrictions
No cross-project portfolio view
Board-based architecture limits visibility at scale
No native resource management or capacity planning

Time tracking and billing

Client work needs tracked hours that connect to billing. If the team bills by the hour for any portion of the work, can the platform produce invoices without manual data entry across separate apps?

Monday.com

Native time tracking on Pro plans only. Monday.com includes a time tracking column on Pro plans ($19/user/month) and above. Team members can start and stop timers on individual items, and tracked time appears in board views and dashboards. The data exports to CSV for reporting. But there is no invoicing built into Monday.com at all. Tracked hours sit in the project management tool, and turning those hours into client invoices requires exporting data and importing it into a billing platform like QuickBooks, FreshBooks, or Xero. For teams billing 10+ clients monthly, the manual export-import cycle adds 1-2 hours of admin per invoicing period.

Native time tracking column on Pro plans
Timer and manual time entry
Time data in dashboards and reports
No time tracking on Basic or Standard plans
No invoicing, so time-to-invoice requires manual export
No billing rates per task or project

Trello

No built-in time tracking or billing. Trello has no native time tracking. Teams that need tracked hours install Power-Ups like Toggl, Clockify, or Everhour. These add-ons embed timers into Trello cards, but the data lives in the Power-Up's platform rather than inside Trello. Creating invoices from tracked hours requires moving data from the time tracking Power-Up into a separate invoicing tool. The result is three platforms for one workflow: Trello for tasks, a Power-Up for time, and a billing tool for invoices. Platforms with built-in time tracking that flows into invoicing handle the full cycle in one place.

Power-Up marketplace with time tracking options
Toggl, Clockify, Everhour integrations available
No native time tracking
Time data lives in the Power-Up, not Trello
No invoicing or billing of any kind
Three separate tools needed for task-to-invoice workflow

Skip the comparison?

Get project boards and billing in one app

Monday.com and Trello handle project management. Plutio handles the entire client workflow: proposals, Kanban boards, task-level time tracking, invoicing, and white-labeled client portals.

No credit card required

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4.4/5 Rating

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4.7/5 Rating

Monday.com vs Trello pricing breakdown

Monday.com and Trello use per-user pricing, but the cost structure is very different. Monday.com requires a 3-user minimum on paid plans. Trello has a free tier that covers up to 10 users.

Monday.com Pricing (2026)

Free: Up to 2 users. Limited to 3 boards, basic Kanban, and 500 items.
Basic: $9/user/month (3-user minimum, billed annually). Unlimited boards, 5 GB storage, prioritized support.
Standard: $12/user/month (annual). Adds timeline and Gantt views, 250 automations/month, 250 integrations/month, guest access.
Pro: $19/user/month (annual). Time tracking, chart view, formula column, 25,000 automations/month, 25,000 integrations/month.
Enterprise: Custom pricing. SAML SSO, audit logs, granular permissions, 250,000 automations/month.

Trello Pricing (2026)

Free: Unlimited boards, up to 10 users per workspace, 1 Power-Up per board, 10 MB attachment limit.
Standard: $5/user/month (annual). Unlimited Power-Ups, 1,000 workspace command runs/month, custom fields, checklists with due dates and assignees.
Premium: $10/user/month (annual). Dashboard view, timeline view, calendar view, workspace-level templates, collections, priority support.
Enterprise: $17.50/user/month (annual, 50-user minimum). Organization-wide permissions, attachment restrictions, free SSO.

The real cost: what teams actually pay

The pricing gap between these two tools is meaningful. A 10-person team on Monday.com Standard costs $120/month. The same team on Trello Standard costs $50/month. On Monday.com Pro (for time tracking), the cost jumps to $190/month. Since neither platform handles proposals, contracts, or invoicing, most teams add separate tools:

Invoicing: QuickBooks, FreshBooks, or Xero ($15-55/month)
Proposals and contracts: PandaDoc, Proposify, or DocuSign ($19-49/month)
Client communication: Slack or dedicated client portal ($0-15/month)
Time tracking (for Trello users): Toggl or Harvest ($0-12/month per user)

A typical multi-tool stack runs $80-200 per month for a small team, on top of the project management subscription. All-in-one platforms like Plutio start at $19/month for solo users with proposals, projects, time tracking, and invoicing in one subscription with no per-user fees.

The verdict: Trello is significantly cheaper for teams that only need Kanban boards. Monday.com costs more but includes views, automations, and time tracking that Trello charges for through Power-Ups. Both require separate billing and client management tools, which inflates the total cost beyond either platform's sticker price.

Which tool fits your team type?

The choice between Monday.com and Trello depends on project complexity, team size, and whether the work involves client billing or purely internal task management.

Small teams with simple projects

Trello's free plan covers up to 10 users, so a 3-5 person team managing straightforward task lists (marketing campaigns, content calendars, sprint boards) pays nothing. Most teams start using boards within minutes. Monday.com's free plan caps at 2 users, so small teams hit a paywall faster. For teams where "To Do, In Progress, Done" covers the entire workflow, Trello's lack of features is not an issue, but the moment the team needs Gantt charts, time tracking, or dashboards, that free plan stops being enough.

Growing teams with multiple projects

Monday.com has the features for this scenario, but at a cost. Once a team manages 5+ concurrent projects, the need for cross-board dashboards, Gantt charts, and automated status updates outgrows Trello's single-board Kanban view. Monday.com's Standard plan ($12/user/month) adds timeline views, guest access, and 250 automations/month, though that automation cap runs out by mid-month for active teams. Monday.com has 200+ integrations, but each integration run also counts against the automation limit.

Freelancers and agencies with client work

Neither tool covers the full workflow, because both Monday.com and Trello handle task tracking but freelancers and agencies also need proposals, contracts, time tracking tied to billing, and invoicing. Adding PandaDoc for proposals, QuickBooks for invoicing, and Toggl for time tracking means three extra subscriptions and constant data copying. Platforms with built-in project management, proposals, and invoicing handle the entire client lifecycle without a multi-tool stack.

Software development teams

Trello connects natively to Jira and Confluence through Atlassian. Teams already using those tools get direct integrations that Monday.com does not offer natively. Trello boards handle sprint planning, bug tracking, and feature backlogs at smaller scales, though reporting remains minimal. Monday.com offers a dev-specific product (monday dev) with sprint management, but teams embedded in the Atlassian ecosystem rarely switch. For development teams that also handle client-facing deliverables, neither platform covers the billing side.

Enterprise and large organizations

Monday.com includes SAML SSO, SCIM provisioning, audit logs, and organization-wide dashboards on Enterprise plans. Trello Enterprise exists but its board-based architecture makes portfolio-level visibility challenging without workarounds. Large organizations that need both project governance and cross-department reporting end up on Monday.com's Enterprise tier. The cost at scale ($19/user/month x 50+ users) is substantial, and that price covers only project management, not invoicing, proposals, or client portals.

What both tools are missing

Monday.com and Trello both handle project and task management. But when the work involves clients, neither tool handles the business operations that surround every project: proposals, contracts, invoicing, and client communication.

No proposals or contracts

Neither Monday.com nor Trello can create, send, or manage proposals or contracts. For service businesses, every project starts with a proposal and a signed agreement. Those documents live in separate tools like PandaDoc, Proposify, or DocuSign. When a proposal gets approved, someone manually creates the corresponding project board and copies scope details by hand. Platforms with built-in proposals and contracts connect the signed agreement directly to the project, so scope details carry over automatically.

No invoicing or payment processing

Neither platform generates invoices. Monday.com tracks time on Pro plans, but turning those hours into a client invoice requires exporting data to QuickBooks, FreshBooks, or a separate billing tool. Trello does not even have time tracking natively. For any business that bills clients, the project management tool and the billing tool are always disconnected. Status updates in the project board do not trigger invoices, completed milestones do not generate billing events, and payment status does not appear on the project dashboard.

No client portal

Monday.com offers guest access (Standard plan and above) where external users can view specific boards. But guests see the Monday.com interface, not a branded client portal. Trello has no guest or client-facing access on free plans. Neither platform offers white-labeled portals where clients see the business's brand, access project updates, view documents, and pay invoices in one place. Agencies and freelancers who need clients to self-serve on project updates, document approvals, and payments need a dedicated client portal tool on top of the project board.

Time tracking gaps

Monday.com includes time tracking only on Pro plans ($19/user/month). Trello has no native time tracking at all. Neither platform connects tracked hours to billing rates, calculates revenue per project, or generates timesheets that clients can approve. For hourly billing, the workflow is: track time in the project tool (or a separate timer), export the data, import into an invoicing tool, and manually create the invoice. Across 10-15 client projects per month, the manual transfer adds 2-4 hours of admin work. Task-level time tracking with invoice integration removes those handoffs entirely.

No scheduling or booking

Neither tool includes appointment scheduling or calendar booking. Consultants, coaches, and service providers who schedule client meetings use Calendly, Acuity, or a similar tool alongside their project board. Meeting details do not appear on the project timeline, and there is no connection between a booked session and a billable time entry. Platforms with built-in scheduling connect bookings to projects and billing in one workflow.

What teams do when neither tool is enough

When Monday.com or Trello cannot handle the full client workflow alone, teams take one of two paths: build a multi-tool stack and manage the manual handoffs, or move to a platform designed for the complete client lifecycle.

The typical workaround stack

Most service teams end up assembling something like this:

Monday.com or Trello for project management ($0-19/user/month)
PandaDoc or Proposify for proposals and contracts ($19-49/month)
QuickBooks, FreshBooks, or Xero for invoicing ($15-55/month)
Toggl or Harvest for time tracking ($0-12/user/month)
Calendly or Acuity for scheduling ($0-20/month)
Google Drive or Dropbox for file sharing ($0-15/month)

That is five or six subscriptions totaling $100-250 per month for a small team, with five or six logins to manage and constant manual data transfer between each tool.

The hidden cost: time spent on handoffs

The subscription cost is the visible expense. The hidden cost is the workflow friction. When a proposal gets signed in PandaDoc, someone has to manually create a project in Monday.com, set up a Toggl project for time tracking, then copy completed hours into QuickBooks when the work is done. Each handoff takes 5-15 minutes. Across 15-20 client projects per year, that is 25-50 hours annually spent on data transfer between platforms.

The all-in-one alternative

All-in-one platforms exist that handle proposals, project management, time tracking, and invoicing in a single system. The question is whether learning a new interface is worth it versus maintaining an existing multi-tool setup. For teams who have invested time building Monday.com automations or Trello board templates, migration feels like starting over. For teams already juggling five apps and spending hours on handoffs, switching to one platform can recover 3-5 hours per week.

What switching to one platform looks like

If the workflow spans proposals, task tracking, time tracking, and billing: Plutio is one platform that covers the complete workflow. Proposals convert into projects with Kanban boards. Time tracking happens at the task level and flows directly into invoice line items. Clients access a portal on a custom domain, not the software vendor's. The comparison table below shows exactly where Plutio fills the gaps that Monday.com and Trello leave open, and where each platform falls short.

Final verdict: Monday.com vs Trello

Monday.com and Trello are both project management tools that approach the same problem differently. Monday.com has more views and configuration options. Trello takes less time to configure and has fewer features to manage. Neither one handles the business side of client work.

Monday.com makes sense when:

The team needs multiple project views (Gantt, timeline, calendar) beyond Kanban boards. Monday.com offers 7+ views per board with task dependencies, but each view requires configuration time per board.
Automations need to handle status changes, notifications, and integration triggers. Pro plans include 25,000 automations/month, but Standard plans cap at 250 and stop running once the limit is hit.
Cross-project dashboards are necessary for reporting to stakeholders. Monday.com pulls metrics from multiple boards into a single view, but only on Pro plans and above.
The organization needs enterprise governance: SSO, audit logs, and role-based permissions, though these are locked behind the highest pricing tier.

The trade-off: Pricing starts at $27/month minimum (3-user requirement on Basic). Time tracking only exists on Pro plans ($19/user/month). There is no invoicing, no proposals, and no client portal. A 10-person team on Pro pays $190/month before adding billing and proposal tools.

Trello makes sense when:

Kanban boards cover the workflow and the team does not need Gantt charts, dashboards, or automation beyond basic rules. Trello boards load fast, but anything beyond drag-and-drop cards requires Power-Ups.
Budget matters and the free plan (10 users, unlimited boards) covers core needs, though the free tier limits Power-Ups to one per board and automation to 1,000 runs/month.
The team is in the Atlassian ecosystem and uses Jira and Confluence alongside project boards, though Trello's own reporting remains minimal even on paid plans.
Projects follow a straightforward task flow without dependencies or multi-phase timelines, because Trello has no task dependency tracking at all.

The trade-off: There is no Gantt view natively, no time tracking, no dashboards across boards, and anything beyond basic Kanban requires Power-Ups. Premium plan ($10/user/month) is needed for views that Monday.com includes at lower tiers.

Consider switching to an all-in-one platform if:

The workflow includes proposals, contracts, time tracking, and invoicing alongside project boards, and those currently live in separate tools.
Manual data transfer between project management, time tracking, and billing tools adds hours of admin per week.
Client-facing work needs a branded portal, not the project tool's interface.
Per-user pricing across multiple tools makes the total cost unjustifiable for the team size.
The business is growing and needs one system where finishing a project triggers invoicing automatically.

The reality: Switching means learning a new system and migrating existing data. For most teams, migration takes a focused weekend. The ongoing time savings typically recover that investment within two to three weeks.

The bottom line: Monday.com has more views, automations, and dashboards, but per-user pricing and missing client tools add up. Trello takes less time to configure and has a free tier, but lacks Gantt charts, time tracking, and reporting. Both handle task management well but stop there. Proposals, contracts, invoicing, and client portals happen in other apps. If the workflow already spans multiple tools and the handoffs between them feel like wasted time, the comparison table below shows how all-in-one platforms like Plutio stack up against both.

Research & Sources

The Monday.com vs Trello comparison above is based on official documentation review, pricing page verification, and analysis of user feedback across review platforms. All data was verified in February 2026.

Research methodology

Each tool was evaluated through official feature documentation, pricing pages, and analysis of user reviews across G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot. The focus was on common pain points from lower-rated reviews where users share honest limitations rather than promotional praise.

Platform ratings (February 2026)

Monday.com: 4.7/5 on G2 (12,000+ reviews), noted for views and automations, criticized for per-user pricing and complexity for small teams.
Trello: 4.4/5 on G2 (13,000+ reviews), noted for simplicity and free tier, criticized for limited reporting and feature gaps beyond Kanban.
Plutio: 4.6/5 on G2 (200+ reviews), praised for all-in-one coverage and white-labeling.

Common user complaints (from 1-3 star reviews)

Monday.com users frequently mention: "Per-user pricing gets expensive fast," "Too many features create confusion during setup," "Automation limits on Standard plan are too low," "No built-in invoicing for client work"

Trello users frequently mention: "Outgrew the Kanban-only approach quickly," "Reporting is basically nonexistent," "Need Power-Ups for basic features like custom fields," "No time tracking without add-ons"

Pricing sources (verified February 2026)

Monday.com: Official pricing page
Trello: Official pricing page
Plutio: Official pricing page

Feature verification

If any information here is inaccurate or outdated, please let us know so we can investigate and update.

Monday.com vs Trello vs Plutio: full feature comparison

See how all three tools compare on project management, time tracking, invoicing, proposals, and client portals

PRICING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Starting price	$19/month (Core plan)	$9/user/month (Basic, 3 user min)	$5/user/month (Standard plan, free tier available)
Free plan	No free plan (14-day trial available)	Free plan for up to 2 users	Yes (10 boards per workspace limit)
Trial period	14-day free trial	Free trial available	14-day Premium trial
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Manage projects and tasks	Fully flexible project and task setup you can shape to your workflow	Highly flexible project structures	Kanban boards with cards and lists
Project roles and permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each part of a project	You can control access at board and item level	Admin, Member, Observer roles
Multiple task boards	Unlimited boards to run parallel workflows in the same project	You can create unlimited boards	Unlimited boards (paid plans)
Embeddable project boards	Live project boards embedded into client portals or websites	Boards can be embedded	No native embed (Power-Up needed)
Sharable project boards	Read-only public links for sharing progress without risk	Boards can be shared publicly with limits	Shareable board links available
Project stages and milestones	Define custom project lifecycles for different types of work	You can define custom statuses and milestones	Lists as stages (no milestones)
Connected proposals, contracts, and invoices	Everything related stays connected to the project automatically	Proposals, contracts, and invoices are not supported	No proposals/contracts/invoices
Custom project data fields	Track, sort, filter, and report on custom project data	Custom columns on boards	Custom Fields (Standard+)
Kanban boards	Drag-and-drop tasks across customizable columns	Boards can be viewed in Kanban style	Core feature - Kanban is Trello
Table view	Bulk-edit tasks like a spreadsheet	Boards default to table view	Table view (Premium only)
List view	Clean task lists with clear hierarchy	Items can be viewed as lists	Cards in lists (default view)
Calendar view	See tasks and deadlines on a calendar	Calendar view is supported	Calendar view (Premium only)
Gantt view	Plan work visually with task order and dependencies	Gantt view is supported on higher plans	Timeline view (Premium, not Gantt)
Subtasks	Break work down into multiple nested levels	Subitems are supported	Checklists only (not true subtasks)
Email to task	Turn emails into tasks without manual copying	Included	Email-to-board creates cards
Task comments	Keep discussions tied directly to each task	You can comment on items	Comments on cards
Task attachments	Store files directly on the task they belong to	Files can be attached to items	File attachments on cards
Task priorities	Define priority levels that fit your workflow	Priority columns are supported	Labels for priority (no native)
Task labels & color coding	Use unlimited labels to visually organize tasks	Status and label columns are supported	Color labels built-in
Multiple task assignees	Assign tasks to one or multiple teammates	Multiple assignees are supported	Multiple members per card
Task templates	Reuse task-level structures across projects	Board and item templates are supported	Card templates available
Task permissions	Control access at the individual task level	Permissions depend on board setup	Board-level only (not per card)
Task dependencies	Prevent work from starting out of order	Dependencies are supported	No native dependencies (Power-Up)
Recurring tasks	Automate repeating work with flexible schedules	Recurring items are supported	Via Butler automation rules
Custom task data fields	Add task-level fields for tracking custom details	Custom columns on boards	Custom Fields (Standard+)
TIME TRACKING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Time tracking system	Easily track time using timers or manual entries	Time tracking column (Pro and Enterprise plans only, $16/seat/month)	No native time tracking
Task-level tracking	Log time directly against tasks and subtasks	You can track time per item	Requires Power-Up (Clockify, etc)
Project-level tracking	See time spent per project and per client	Project time requires rollups	Requires Power-Up
Billable time tracking	Clearly separate billable and non-billable time	Billable logic is not supported	No billable time feature
Billable time invoicing	Turn tracked time into invoices without extra steps	Invoices are not supported	No invoicing capability
Timesheet reports	View detailed time reports by task, project, or client	Time tracking add-on required	Requires Power-Up
Team timesheets	See how each team member tracks their time	Team views require dashboards	Requires Power-Up
PROPOSALS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Create and send proposals	Create proposals clients can review, approve, and sign in one flow	Monday.com is for project management only	No proposal feature
Drag-and-drop proposal builder	Create custom, branded proposals without layout limits or code	Proposals are not supported	No proposal feature
Reusable proposal templates	Reuse proven proposal layouts across clients	Proposals are not supported	No proposal feature
Real-time proposal analytics	See exactly when proposals are opened and reviewed	Proposals are not supported	No proposal feature
Live messenger on proposals	Answer questions directly while clients review proposals	Proposals are not supported	No proposal feature
Proposal flow automation	Move from proposal to contract, invoice, or booking automatically	Not supported	No proposal feature
Convert proposal to invoice	Create invoices directly from approved proposals	Invoices are not supported	No proposal feature
Packages and add-ons	Offer upsells and add-ons directly inside proposals	Proposal pricing is not supported	No proposal feature
Interactive pricing tables	Let clients choose options before approving	Not supported	No proposal feature
Dynamic data and variables	Auto-fill proposal content with client and project data	Not supported	Butler has some variables
Expiration dates	Automatically expire proposals after a set date	Not supported	Due dates on cards
PDF Export	Download as branded PDFs	Included	Print to PDF only
Reusable content blocks	Create reusable proposal sections you can reuse on demand	Not supported	Card templates only
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure electronic signatures on proposals	Monday.com has no e-signatures	No e-signature feature
Custom proposal data fields	Create custom proposal data you can sort, filter, and report on	Proposals are not supported	No proposal feature
CONTRACTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Create and sign contracts	Create, send, and sign contracts in one continuous flow	Monday.com does not handle contracts	No contract feature
Drag-and-drop contract builder	Create fully custom contracts with flexible layouts, no code or formatting limits	Form view is supported	No contract feature
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure signatures with audit trails and signer verification	E-signatures are not supported	No e-signature feature
Multi-signature / signees	Collect signatures from multiple people on the same contract	Contracts are not supported	No contract feature
Reusable contract templates	Reuse contract structures to create new agreements faster	Contracts are not supported	No contract feature
Auto-reminders automation	Automatically follow up until contracts are signed	Contract reminders are not supported	Due date reminders (Butler)
Dynamic data/variables	Auto-fill contract content with client and project data	Contracts are not supported	Butler has variables
Contract automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a contract is signed	Automations apply to items, not payments	No contract feature
View notifications	See when contracts are opened and reviewed	Payment notifications are not supported	Activity notifications
PDF download with signature certificate	Download signed contracts with official proof of signature	Contracts are not supported	No contract feature
Custom signer data fields	Collect structured signer information during signing	Contracts are not supported	No contract feature
Custom contract data fields	Create custom contract data you can sort, filter, and report on	Contracts are not supported	No contract feature
INVOICES & PAYMENTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Create invoices and get paid	Send invoices and collect payments in one connected flow	Monday.com does not handle billing	No invoicing feature
Fully branded invoices	Match invoices to your brand with custom logos, colors, and layout	Invoices are not supported	No invoicing feature
Drag and drop invoice builder	Create custom invoice layouts visually without formatting limits	Invoices are not supported	No invoicing feature
Customizable line items	Edit pricing, quantities, descriptions, and structure freely	Invoices are not supported	No invoicing feature
Item or invoice discounts	Apply discounts at the item or full invoice level	Invoices are not supported	No invoicing feature
Customizable taxes	Create tax rules that match your location and use case	Invoices are not supported	No invoicing feature
ACH payments	Accept bank transfers for lower-fee payments	Payments are not supported	No payment collection
Stripe integration	Accept credit and debit cards instantly	Stripe works via third-party tools	No payment collection
Square integration	Collect in-person payments when needed	Payments are not supported	No payment collection
PayPal integration	Let clients pay using PayPal	Possible via integrations only	No payment collection
Flexible partial payments	Collect deposits and split payments across milestones	Payments are not supported	No invoicing feature
Payment plans	Break invoices into scheduled installments	Payments are not supported	No invoicing feature
Automated recurring invoices	Automatically send invoices on a recurring schedule	Invoices are not supported	No invoicing feature
Subscription management	Manage ongoing client subscriptions and billing	Subscriptions are not supported	No invoicing feature
Automated payment reminders	Follow up automatically until invoices are paid	Payments are not supported	No invoicing feature
Reusable invoice templates	Reuse invoice layouts without rebuilding each time	Invoices are not supported	No invoicing feature
Multiple currency support	Bill clients globally in their local currency	Board currency columns exist	No invoicing feature
Invoice automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when invoices are sent or paid	Automations apply to items, not payments	No invoicing feature
View notifications	See when invoices are opened and paid	Payment notifications are not supported	Activity notifications
Built-in expense tracking	Track project-related costs alongside invoices	Expenses are not supported	No expense tracking
Invoice deposits	Collect upfront payments before work starts	Invoices are not supported	No invoicing feature
Auto-invoice billable time	Turn tracked time into invoices automatically	Monday.com has no invoicing	No invoicing feature
Custom invoice data fields	Create custom invoice data you can sort, filter, and report on	Invoices are not supported	No invoicing feature
INBOX Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Centralized unified inbox	Manage email, chat, and messages from one shared inbox	Updates inbox exists for board activity	No unified inbox
Full email integration	Connect and manage all your email accounts in one place	Email-to-board is supported	Email-to-board only
Embeddable live chat	Add real-time chat to your website and client portals	Live chat is not supported	No live chat
Instant direct messages	Message teammates privately without leaving your workspace	Direct messages are supported	No direct messaging
Contextual project conversations	Keep conversations tied directly to the project they belong to	Comments stay tied to items	Comments on cards
Team channels	Create shared spaces for team-wide discussions	Updates act like channels	No team channels
Customized channels	Organize channels by team, topic, or workflow	Board updates can be organized	No channels feature
@mentions	Notify teammates instantly inside conversations	@mentions are supported	@mentions in comments
Message read receipts	See when messages are read	Seen indicators exist in updates	No read receipts
File sharing in chat	Share files directly inside conversations	Files can be shared in updates	Attachments in comments
Shared email inbox	Collaborate on incoming emails as a team	Not supported	No shared inbox
Inbox mobile app	Access and respond to messages on mobile	Mobile app includes inbox	Notifications only (no inbox)
Email reply to inbox	Reply from your email client and keep conversations synced	Email replies create board items	No email inbox feature
FILES Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Store and manage files	Keep all client and project files in one organized place	Files are item-based, not a file system	File attachments on cards
Advanced folder organization	Organize files by project, client, or structure you choose	3-level folder hierarchy within workspaces	No folder structure
Folder permissions	Control who can view or edit folders	Board-level permissions only	No folders
People folders	Group files by person when needed	Files are item-attached, not person-based	No folders
Project folders	Keep files scoped to each project	Files organize within board folders	No folders
In-app previews	Preview files instantly without downloading	Files Gallery preview view	Preview attachments
Custom file data fields	Capture file metadata you can sort and filter	Custom form fields are supported	No file custom fields
Built-in documents	Create and edit documents directly inside Plutio	WorkDocs for embedded editing	No native documents
Comments on files and docs	Leave comments directly on files and documents	File annotation and comments	Comments on cards with files
Bulk file actions	Move, tag, or manage many files at once	Bulk select in Files Column	No bulk file actions
Files search & filter	Find files quickly using search and filters	Search across boards and files	Search finds attachments
External cloud sync	Sync files with Google Drive or Dropbox	Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive	Google Drive, Dropbox Power-Ups
Secure sharing controls	Restrict access with permissions or passwords	Board-level sharing controls	Board-level permissions only
File sharing links	Share files externally with controlled access	Board link sharing only	Attachment links shareable
SCHEDULING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Schedule meetings	Let clients book meetings directly without back-and-forth emails	Monday.com does not have scheduling	No scheduling feature
Branded booking page	Build a fully branded, customizable booking system using a drag-and-drop editor	Booking pages are not supported	No booking pages
Advanced availability management	Define flexible availability rules applied automatically to bookings	Scheduling is not supported	No scheduling feature
Automatic buffer times	Add buffer time automatically between meetings	Scheduling is not supported	No scheduling feature
Multiple meeting types	Create unlimited booking types with different rules and setups	Scheduling is not supported	No scheduling feature
Calendar sync (Google/Outlook)	Two-way calendar sync that stays up to date automatically	Calendar sync is supported	Google Calendar sync (Premium)
Customizable booking confirmations	Fully customizable confirmation pages with no layout or branding limits	Scheduling is not supported	No booking feature
Redirect after booking	Send bookers anywhere after scheduling, not just a fixed thank-you page	Scheduling is not supported	No booking feature
Booking automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a meeting is booked	Automations apply to items, not payments	No booking feature
Smart meeting reminders	Send automatic reminders without manual follow-ups	Notifications exist, not bookings	No meeting feature
Automatic timezone detection	Handle timezones automatically without manual adjustments	Timezone exists per account	Timezone detection built-in
Paid appointments (Stripe/PayPal)	Collect payments during booking without extra steps	Monday.com has no scheduling	No payment collection
Custom booking forms	Build booking forms with full control over questions and layout	Booking forms are not supported	No booking feature
Minimum notice / daily booking limits	Set booking limits to control lead time and daily volume	Scheduling is not supported	No booking feature
Rescheduling and cancellation controls	Define flexible rules for rescheduling and cancellations	Monday.com has no scheduling	No booking feature
AUTOMATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Automated workflows builder	Build advanced workflows visually without code or rigid templates	AI-powered cross-board workflows	Butler automation builder
Trigger-based workflows	Start workflows from real events across projects, clients, and payments	Item-based automations are supported	Butler rules and triggers
Schedule-based workflows	Run workflows on schedules you control, not fixed intervals	Recurring automations exist with limits	Scheduled Butler commands
Multi-step workflows	Chain multiple actions into one continuous automation	Multi-step automations are supported	Limited multi-step support
True/False branching	Create conditional paths instead of one-size-fits-all flows	Conditional logic is supported	No conditional branching
Delay-based actions	Add precise timing between steps, down to minutes or days	Delays are supported	Scheduled delays available
Create & update records	Create, update, or move records automatically across the system	Tasks and boards can be created automatically	Create/update cards
Move & duplicate records	Reorganize work automatically without manual cleanup	Items can duplicate automatically	Move/copy cards and lists
Delete & archive records	Automatically archive or remove records based on rules	Items can delete automatically	Archive cards and boards
API calls (webhooks)	Trigger or receive real-time events from external systems	API and webhooks are supported	Webhooks available
Send emails	Send automated emails tied to real workflow events	Emails can be sent via automations	Email notifications only
Post comments	Add notes or comments automatically where work happens	Updates via automations	Auto-comment via Butler
Complete automation logs	See exactly what ran, when, and why	Automation logs are supported	Limited automation history
Auto-fill data/variables	Pass data between steps dynamically without manual mapping	Formula and column values can be reused	Limited variable support
Cross-entity connections	Run workflows that span projects, tasks, proposals, invoices, and more	Cross-board automations are supported	No cross-board automation
FORMS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Create branded forms	Build fully branded forms that match your workflow and client experience	WorkForms with branding and conditional logic	No form builder
Drag-and-drop form builder	Design forms visually with full layout control, no code required	Form view is supported	No form builder
Reusable form templates	Reuse form structures without rebuilding from scratch	Forms can be reused	No form feature
Custom form data fields	Collect structured data you can sort, filter, and report on	Custom form fields are supported	No form feature
Smart conditional logic	Show or hide fields based on responses, not static forms	Conditional logic exists in forms	No form feature
Instant email notifications	Get notified immediately when forms are submitted	Notifications can trigger on submit	Activity notifications
Form automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when a form is submitted	Automations apply to items, not payments	No form feature
Embed forms	Embed forms anywhere without layout restrictions	Forms can be embedded	No form feature
Advanced field preferences	Control required, hidden, and default field behavior	WorkForms conditional logic	No form feature
Comprehensive field types	Collect text, files, dates, selections, and more	Many field types supported	No form feature
Form signature field	Collect legally binding signatures directly inside forms	Signatures are not supported	No form feature
File upload fields	Accept file uploads as part of form submissions	File uploads via WorkForms	No form feature
Redirect after submission	Send submitters to a custom next step, not a fixed thank-you page	Thank you screen only	No form feature
CRM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Manage clients and leads	Manage contacts and companies in one connected system	Contacts via boards, not native CRM	Cards can track contacts
Full company management	Track organizations, not just individual contacts	Companies can be modeled manually	No company management
Custom contact data fields	Collect and manage structured contact data you define	Custom CRM fields are supported	Custom Fields on cards
Complete activity timeline	See every interaction with a client in one place	Activity is board-based	Card activity history
Contacts labeling and grouping	Organize contacts flexibly without rigid pipelines	Tags and status columns are supported	Labels on cards
WIKI Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Comprehensive knowledge base	Create an internal wiki for processes, docs, and guides	Docs are supported, not a wiki system	No wiki/knowledge base
Beautiful rich text pages	Write structured, formatted content without complexity	Not supported	Card descriptions only
Unlimited nested pages	Build deep knowledge hierarchies without limits	Not supported	No nested pages
Granular page permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each page	Not supported	No wiki feature
DASHBOARDS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Custom dashboards and pages	Build dashboards around what matters to you, not fixed metrics	Custom dashboard widgets	Dashboard view (Premium)
Drag-and-drop dashboard builder	Design dashboards visually with full layout control	Paid ($)	No dashboard builder
Charts widget	Visualize data with customizable charts	Included	Dashboard view has charts
Metrics widget	Track key numbers without manual reporting	Included	Basic metrics in Dashboard
Goals widget	Monitor progress toward defined goals	Paid ($)	No goals widget
Notes widget	Add contextual notes directly to dashboards	Included	No notes widget
Calendar widget	View upcoming events alongside work and metrics	Included	Calendar view (Premium)
Financial widgets	Track revenue and expenses in the same view	No financial widgets in Monday	No financial widgets
BRANDING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
White-label and branding	Run the entire platform under your brand	Monday.com branding always visible	Cannot remove Trello brand
Custom interface theme	Apply your brand colors across the system	Board colors can be customized	Custom backgrounds only
Stylesheet customization	Fine-tune styling beyond basic theming	Custom CSS is not supported	No CSS customization
Custom login/signup pages	Use branded authentication pages instead of generic screens	Custom login pages are not supported	No custom login pages
Email branding	Send all system emails with your branding	Email branding is limited	Trello branding remains
Custom brand fonts	Use your own fonts throughout the platform	Not supported	No custom fonts
Custom brand logos	Replace all platform logos with your own	Paid ($)	Board background images
Custom domain name	Run everything on your own domain	Not supported	No custom domains
Custom email SMTP	Send emails from your own email infrastructure	Not supported	No custom SMTP
Full workspace embedding	Embed Plutio directly into your website or product	Not supported	No embedding option
CUSTOMIZATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Flexible workspace setup	Shape the platform to match how your business works	Workspace only	Workspaces and boards
Main menu editor	Add, remove, or reorder navigation items freely	Workspace structure can be adjusted	Limited menu customization
User-based menus	Show different navigation for different roles	Menus cannot change per user	No user-based menus
Custom user roles	Create role types beyond preset permissions	Roles exist with limits	Admin, Member, Observer only
Advanced user permissions	Control access at a granular level	Advanced permissions are supported	Workspace-level permissions
SSO / OAuth	Support enterprise-grade single sign-on	Email & password login only	SSO via Atlassian (Enterprise)
INTEGRATIONS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Connect with other tools	Integrate with external systems without lock-in	72+ integrations plus marketplace	200+ Power-Ups available
Zapier integration	Connect to thousands of apps without custom code	Zapier is supported	Zapier supported
Make.com integration	Build advanced automation scenarios visually	Make is supported	Make.com supported
Pabbly Connect	Connect services without usage-based limits	Possible via API	Pabbly Connect supported
Full REST API access	Build custom integrations with full system access	REST API is supported	REST API available
Incoming & outgoing webhooks	Send and receive real-time events	Webhooks are supported	Webhooks supported
PLATFORM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Monday.com 77/199	Trello 55/199
Mobile apps	Access your business from native mobile apps	Full-featured mobile apps	iOS and Android apps
iOS app	Full-featured iPhone app	iOS app is supported	iOS app available
Android app	Full-featured Android app	Android app is supported	Android app available
Mac desktop app	Native macOS app for desktop workflows	Desktop app wraps the web version	Mac desktop app
Windows desktop app	Native Windows app for desktop workflows	Desktop app wraps the web version	Windows desktop app

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Monday.com vs Trello FAQ

Is Monday.com or Trello better for project management?

Monday.com fits teams that need multiple project views (Gantt, timeline, calendar), automations, and cross-board dashboards. Trello fits teams that want simple Kanban boards with minimal configuration and a free tier for up to 10 users. Monday.com has more features and configuration options, but costs more per user. Trello has fewer features, but setup takes minutes and the free tier covers 10 users.

How much does Monday.com cost compared to Trello?

Monday.com starts at $9/user/month with a 3-user minimum ($27/month minimum). Trello has a free plan for up to 10 users, with paid plans starting at $5/user/month. A 10-person team on Monday.com Standard costs $120/month. The same team on Trello Standard costs $50/month.

Does Monday.com have time tracking?

Monday.com includes native time tracking on Pro plans ($19/user/month) and above. The time tracking column allows timers and manual entry on individual items. Basic and Standard plans do not include time tracking. There is no invoicing, so tracked hours need to be exported to a billing tool manually.

Does Trello have time tracking?

Trello has no built-in time tracking. Teams that need tracked hours install Power-Ups like Toggl, Clockify, or Everhour. The time data lives in the Power-Up platform, not inside Trello. Converting tracked time to invoices requires a separate billing tool, making the full workflow span three platforms.

Can Monday.com or Trello send invoices?

Neither Monday.com nor Trello can generate or send invoices. Both are project management tools without billing features. Teams that bill clients need a separate invoicing platform (QuickBooks, FreshBooks, Xero) alongside their project board. Platforms like Plutio include invoicing alongside project management.

Which tool has better automation, Monday.com or Trello?

Monday.com's automation builder includes status change triggers, multi-step workflows, and integration actions. Standard plans get 250 automations/month, Pro gets 25,000. Trello's Butler automation handles rules and scheduled commands on all plans but with simpler triggers and no conditional multi-step workflows.

Is Trello free for small teams?

Trello's free plan supports up to 10 users per workspace with unlimited boards. The free tier limits Power-Ups to one per board, attachments to 10 MB, and automation to 1,000 command runs per workspace per month. For teams that only need Kanban boards with basic automation, the free plan covers core needs.

Does Monday.com have a Gantt chart view?

Monday.com includes Gantt and timeline views on Standard plans ($12/user/month) and above. The Gantt view shows task dependencies and critical paths with automatic date shifting when tasks move. Trello does not have a native Gantt view. Trello Premium ($10/user/month) adds a timeline Power-Up, but without dependency tracking.

Can I use Monday.com or Trello for client work?

Both tools handle the project management portion of client work (task tracking, deadlines, team assignments). But neither tool handles proposals, contracts, invoicing, or client portals. Service businesses and agencies typically run 3-5 additional tools alongside their project board to manage the complete client lifecycle.

Which has more integrations, Monday.com or Trello?

Monday.com has 200+ native integrations plus a custom API builder. Trello extends through Power-Ups and the Atlassian ecosystem (Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket). For Atlassian teams, Trello has tighter native connections. For everyone else, Monday.com's broader integration marketplace covers more tools natively.

What happens if I outgrow Trello?

Teams typically outgrow Trello when they need Gantt charts, cross-board reporting, task dependencies, or time tracking. Common migration paths are Monday.com (for project depth), Asana (for workflow automation), or all-in-one platforms like Plutio (for teams that also need proposals, invoicing, and client portals alongside project boards).

Does Monday.com have a client portal?

Monday.com offers guest access on Standard plans and above, where external users can view specific boards. But guests see the Monday.com interface, not a custom-branded portal. There is no white-labeling, no custom domain, and no way for clients to view invoices or sign documents through the platform.

Can Monday.com and Trello handle proposals and contracts?

Neither platform creates, sends, or manages proposals or contracts. Service businesses use separate tools like PandaDoc, Proposify, or DocuSign for document creation and e-signatures. The signed proposal data does not flow into the project board automatically, so scope details need manual transfer.

Is Monday.com worth the higher price over Trello?

Monday.com includes Gantt charts, timeline views, cross-board dashboards, and automations that Trello lacks, but each of those features requires a higher plan tier and per-user pricing. For teams that only use Kanban boards, Trello's free or Standard plan ($5/user/month) covers the same core workflow at a lower cost. Neither platform includes invoicing, proposals, or client portals regardless of price tier.

What if neither Monday.com nor Trello fits my workflow?

If both platforms leave gaps in billing, proposals, or client communication, look at all-in-one platforms that cover the complete client lifecycle. Key features to evaluate: Kanban boards with task-level time tracking, proposals that convert into projects, invoicing connected to tracked hours, and white-labeled client portals. Plutio is one option that covers all of these, and the comparison table on this page shows how each platform stacks up feature by feature.

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