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Paymo vs Asana: Complete Comparison (2026)

Paymo vs Asana: which one actually runs your entire business?

Both handle project management: tasks, assignments, due dates, and Kanban boards. But once clients need invoices or hours need to be billed, most users end up opening extra apps... because neither has proposals, contracts, or a white-labeled client portal where clients track progress on their own without emailing you.

Paymo covers project management, time tracking, and basic invoicing in one subscription, but there are no proposals, no contracts, no client portal, and per-user pricing that adds up fast as the team grows.

Asana handles task management with portfolios, goals, and rule-based automation for internal teams, but there's no time tracking, no invoicing, no proposals, and no contracts, so billing clients requires a separate app for every step of that workflow.

Plutio handles project management, then connects it to the rest of the workflow. Tracked time feeds directly into invoices, proposals auto-create projects with task templates, and clients log into a branded portal at your own domain to check progress without emailing you. Skip the comparison and try Plutio free.

Last updated March 2026

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Quick comparison (TLDR)

Paymo covers project management, time tracking, and invoicing in one subscription. Freelancers and small teams who bill hourly and need time to translate into invoices without a second app are the primary fit. The gaps appear at the client-facing end: there are no proposals, no contracts, and no white-labeled portal where clients follow progress.

Asana handles task management for internal teams, with views including lists, boards, timelines, and calendars, plus goals and portfolios for tracking work at the department level. Asana has no time tracking, no invoicing, no proposals, and no contracts, so every billing interaction requires integrations or a separate tool stack.

Key differences at a glance

  • Time tracking: Paymo has built-in timers and timesheet reports. Asana has no time tracking and relies on third-party integrations like Toggl or Harvest.
  • Invoicing: Paymo generates invoices from tracked time and fixed fees. Asana has no invoicing feature at any plan level.
  • Pricing model: Paymo charges per user with a free tier for one user. Asana charges per user with a free tier for up to 10 users. Both get expensive as teams scale.
  • Team workflows: Asana has portfolios, goals, and approval flows suited to larger internal teams. Paymo focuses on project delivery without those organizational layers.
  • Automation: Asana has rule-based automation on paid plans. Paymo has basic recurring tasks but no conditional logic automation.
  • Client facing: Neither tool has proposals, contracts, or a white-labeled client portal. Both stop at internal project management.

The verdict? Paymo covers time tracking and basic invoicing alongside project management, but has no proposals or contracts. Asana handles portfolios and goals for larger internal teams, but billing requires other apps entirely. If you need project management, proposals, contracts, time tracking, and white-labeled client portals in one place, Plutio covers everything for $19/month.

Tired of switching between apps to bill your clients?

One branded platform. Projects to payment.

Proposals, contracts, Kanban boards, time tracking, invoicing, and white-labeled client portals. All connected for $19/month.

No credit card required

Plutio - Your entire business, one login away

User experience and setup

You sign up for a new project management tool. How long before your first project is running and your team is actually using it?

Paymo

Dashboard-first layout with a short setup curve. Paymo's interface centers on projects, tasks, and timesheets visible from the main dashboard. New accounts can create a project and start logging time within an hour. The interface is less cluttered than Asana's at the default view, though it has fewer organizational features for teams managing many projects simultaneously. The free plan allows one user and up to five clients, which works for solo freelancers evaluating the platform before committing.


  • Setup takes under an hour for basic projects
  • Free tier for solo users (1 user, 5 clients)
  • Multiple project views: list, board, Gantt, table
  • No portfolios or cross-project goals
  • Per-user pricing increases cost as team grows

VS

Asana

More views and organizational layers, but more settings to configure. Asana offers more views out of the box: list, board, timeline, calendar, and a workload view on higher plans. The free tier allows up to 10 users with unlimited tasks and projects, which gives teams more room to evaluate before paying. The trade-off is a busier interface with more settings to configure before workflows run smoothly. Most teams spend a few days mapping out their first project templates.


  • Free for up to 10 users
  • Multiple views including timeline and workload
  • Portfolios and goals on paid plans
  • More settings to configure before the first workflow
  • No time tracking or billing at any plan level
  • Per-user pricing gets costly for teams above 10

Project management features

A client signs. Now you have weeks or months of delivery work. Can you see the full timeline, manage dependencies, and know who is working on what?

Paymo

Kanban, Gantt, and table views with task dependencies. Paymo covers the core project management needs for small teams: Kanban boards, a Gantt chart with task dependencies, list view, and a table view. Task dependencies let you link tasks so one does not start until another finishes. Recurring tasks cover repeating workflows. The Gantt chart ships on all paid plans, which puts it ahead of tools that lock it behind higher tiers. Paymo lacks portfolio views and cross-project goal tracking.


  • Kanban boards with drag-and-drop
  • Gantt chart with task dependencies on paid plans
  • Recurring tasks for repeating workflows
  • File attachments on tasks
  • No portfolio views across all projects
  • No goals or OKR tracking

VS

Asana

Multiple views, portfolios, and goals for larger team workflows. Asana offers more organizational depth than Paymo. Portfolios let you track all projects in a department from one view. Goals connect individual tasks to company objectives. Approvals route work through review stages before marking it complete. Rule-based automation fires actions when task conditions are met, cutting down manual status updates. These features make Asana a fit for internal teams managing many parallel projects, but they add complexity that solo freelancers or two-person teams do not need.


  • Portfolios for cross-project tracking
  • Goals and OKR tracking
  • Rule-based automation on Starter and above
  • Approval flows for review stages
  • Gantt (Timeline) only on Starter tier and above
  • No time tracking at any plan level

Time tracking

Hourly work needs time tracking. If any part of your services is billed by the hour, you need a way to capture that time and turn it into an invoice without manual transfer.

Paymo

Built-in timers and timesheet reports across tasks and projects. Paymo's time tracking is a core feature, not an add-on. Timers run from inside tasks, so time is attached to the specific work being done. The timesheet view shows hours logged by project, task, or team member. A Paymo desktop and mobile app lets timers run in the background. Once hours are logged, Paymo can generate invoices directly from timesheet data, so there is no manual transfer between a time tracking app and a billing tool. (For reference, Plutio also tracks time at the task level and converts it directly to line items on invoices.)


  • Task-level timers with desktop and mobile apps
  • Timesheet reports by project, task, and user
  • Invoice directly from logged hours
  • Automatic idle detection
  • No built-in GPS or location tracking
  • Timesheet approval requires Business plan

VS

Asana

No built-in time tracking at any plan level. Asana does not track time. If you bill hourly or need to see how long tasks are taking, you need a third-party integration. The most common pairings are Toggl Track, Harvest, or Clockify. Each integration adds another login, another subscription, and another manual step when invoicing: export hours from the time app, import them into an invoicing tool, then generate the invoice. For teams where time tracking is secondary to task coordination, this is manageable. For freelancers billing by the hour, it creates a multi-step workflow every invoice cycle.


  • No time tracking feature
  • No timer or manual time entry
  • No time-to-invoice connection
  • Requires third-party app for hourly billing

Invoicing and billing

Project is done. Time to get paid. Can you send a professional invoice directly from your project management tool, or do you need to switch apps?

Paymo

Basic invoicing built in, with time-to-invoice conversion. Paymo generates invoices from tracked time, fixed fees, or a combination. Invoices include your logo and basic branding. Clients receive a payment link through Stripe or PayPal. Recurring invoices can send on a schedule, but automatic payment collection requires the client to re-enter card details each cycle. The invoicing is functional for freelancers sending 5-10 invoices per month, but it lacks expense tracking, multi-currency on lower tiers, and the kind of invoice customization larger clients expect. There are no proposals or contracts to sign before the invoice stage.


  • Invoice from tracked time or fixed fees
  • Stripe and PayPal payment integration
  • Recurring invoice scheduling
  • Basic logo and brand color customization
  • No proposals or contracts
  • No automatic subscription billing

VS

Asana

No invoicing at any plan level. Asana does not invoice. Once a project is complete in Asana, billing happens entirely outside the platform. Most Asana users pair it with FreshBooks, QuickBooks, or Wave for invoicing, and Toggl or Harvest for time tracking, so the typical billing workflow involves three separate tools after the project is done in Asana. For internal teams where billing is handled by a finance department, this is not a daily problem. For freelancers or agencies billing clients directly, it adds steps every invoice cycle.


  • No invoicing feature
  • No payment processing
  • No time-to-invoice connection
  • No expense tracking

Client-facing features

When a client wants to check project status, review a deliverable, or pay an invoice, what do they see? Do they see your brand or your software vendor's?

Paymo

Guest access for clients, but no white-labeled portal. Paymo lets you invite clients as guest users to view their project. Guests can see tasks, files, and discussions. There is no custom domain, so clients access the project through Paymo's URL. The guest experience shows Paymo's interface and branding rather than the service provider's. There are no proposals for clients to review and sign, no contracts to execute, and no dashboard where clients can pay invoices alongside reviewing project progress. Each of those steps requires a separate touchpoint or a different tool. (Platforms like Plutio offer fully branded portals where clients see only your business.)


  • Guest client access to project tasks and files
  • Basic client notifications on task updates
  • No custom domain or white-labeling
  • No proposals or contracts
  • No integrated client payment portal

VS

Asana

No client-facing portal, sharing is limited to project member access. Asana has no dedicated client portal. Clients can be added as free guests to a workspace and given access to specific projects or tasks. The experience is the same Asana interface your team uses, which means clients see internal comments, team discussions, and tool navigation that was not meant for them. There are no proposals, no contracts, and no way to accept payment through Asana. Client communication happens through comments on tasks, which is not a professional handoff experience for most service businesses.


  • Free guest seats for client access
  • Clients can comment on tasks
  • No dedicated client portal
  • No custom domain or white-labeling
  • No proposals, contracts, or payment collection

Team collaboration and permissions

As your team grows, can you control who sees what? Contractors, clients, and bookkeepers all need different access levels.

Paymo

Role-based access for team members and guest clients. Paymo supports multiple roles: administrator, project manager, and member. Guest clients have read-only access to their assigned projects. On the Business plan, timesheet approvals add a workflow where team members submit hours and managers approve them before invoicing. The permission system covers the basics for small teams, but it does not have the granularity that agencies with contractors, clients, and finance staff all need different views to handle without conflict.


  • Administrator, manager, and member roles
  • Guest client access per project
  • Timesheet approval on Business plan
  • No contractor-specific access levels
  • No role-based view permissions for finance vs delivery

VS

Asana

Workspace roles with guest seats, but limited permission granularity. Asana supports workspace members and guest seats. Guests are free and can access only the projects they are invited to. Paid plans add admin controls over team settings and privacy. Division-level teams within Asana can be made private. But like Paymo, granular permissions such as letting a bookkeeper see only invoice-related tasks or a contractor see only their assigned work without seeing broader project details are limited. The approval flow on Business helps with review stages, but it is a workflow feature, not a permission layer.


  • Free guest seats for external collaborators
  • Private teams and projects
  • Admin controls on Business and above
  • No contractor-specific access tiers
  • No role-based billing or financial access separation

Automation and integrations

How much of the recurring work runs on its own? Status updates, task creation, notifications, and handoffs between stages all take time when done manually.

Paymo

Recurring tasks and Zapier integration, but no rule-based automation builder. Paymo handles repeating work through recurring tasks set on a schedule. There is no built-in automation rule engine that triggers actions based on task conditions. If you want to move a task to a new section when it is marked complete, or notify a client when a milestone is reached, you need Zapier to build those automations. Paymo has Zapier and Integromat support, plus native integrations with Slack, Google Calendar, and a few billing tools. The integration library is smaller than Asana's.


  • Recurring tasks on a schedule
  • Zapier integration for external automations
  • Slack and Google Calendar native integrations
  • No built-in rule-based automation
  • Smaller native integration library than Asana

VS

Asana

Rule-based automation with a large native integration library. Asana has an automation rule builder on Starter and above: trigger an action when a condition is met, such as moving a task to a section when a due date passes, or assigning a reviewer when a task reaches a certain status. Rules reduce manual status updates for teams running repeating workflows. Asana also has a large integration library including Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, and hundreds more through native connections and Zapier. The automation depth is a key reason larger teams land on Asana over simpler tools.


  • Rule-based automation on Starter and above
  • Large native integration library
  • Slack, Google, and Microsoft Teams integrations
  • Automation limits on Starter tier
  • No time tracking or billing automation

Skip the comparison?

Get projects, time tracking, and billing in one app

Paymo and Asana both stop at internal project management. Plutio handles the entire workflow: intake, project management, time tracking, invoicing, and white-labeled client portals.

No credit card required

Plutio - Your entire business, one login away

Paymo vs Asana vs Plutio: full feature comparison

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

PRICING

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Starting price

$19/month (Core plan)

$9.90/user/month (Starter, $5.90/user annual). Free plan available.

$10.99/user/month (Starter, annual)

Free plan

No free plan (14-day trial available)

Free plan (unlimited users, 5 clients, 10 projects)

Free plan for up to 10 users

Trial period

14-day free trial

15-day free trial on paid plans

Free trial available

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Manage projects and tasks

Fully flexible project and task setup you can shape to your workflow

Full project management with List, Table, Board, Calendar, and Gantt views

Multiple views with dependencies

Project roles and permissions

Control exactly who can view or edit each part of a project

Admin and member roles (no granular project-level permissions)

You can control project access per user and team

Multiple task boards

Unlimited boards to run parallel workflows in the same project

Single board per project with multiple views (List, Table, Board)

You can create multiple boards per project

Embeddable project boards

Live project boards embedded into client portals or websites

No embeddable project boards

You can embed read-only project views

Sharable project boards

Read-only public links for sharing progress without risk

No shareable project boards

You can share project links publicly

Project stages and milestones

Define custom project lifecycles for different types of work

Task statuses only (no formal milestones)

You can define custom sections and milestones

Connected proposals, contracts, and invoices

Everything related stays connected to the project automatically

Estimates can be converted to invoices (no proposals or contracts)

Not supported

Custom project data fields

Track, sort, filter, and report on custom project data

Limited custom fields (Business plan only)

Full custom field support

Kanban boards

Drag-and-drop tasks across customizable columns

Kanban board view available

You can manage tasks in Kanban boards

Table view

Bulk-edit tasks like a spreadsheet

Table view available

You can view tasks in table format

List view

Clean task lists with clear hierarchy

List view available

You can view tasks in lists

Calendar view

See tasks and deadlines on a calendar

Calendar view available

You can view tasks on a calendar

Gantt view

Plan work visually with task order and dependencies

Gantt chart view (Business plan)

Timeline view functions as a Gantt chart

Subtasks

Break work down into multiple nested levels

Subtasks supported

You can break tasks into subtasks

Email to task

Turn emails into tasks without manual copying

No email to task

Included

Task comments

Keep discussions tied directly to each task

Task comments with @mentions

You can comment directly on tasks

Task attachments

Store files directly on the task they belong to

File attachments on tasks

You can attach files to tasks

Task priorities

Define priority levels that fit your workflow

Priority levels on tasks

Priorities must be modeled using custom fields

Task labels & color coding

Use unlimited labels to visually organize tasks

Tags and color coding on tasks

You can tag tasks and use color labels

Multiple task assignees

Assign tasks to one or multiple teammates

Multiple assignees per task

You can assign tasks to multiple teammates

Task templates

Reuse task-level structures across projects

Project and task templates

You can reuse task and project templates

Task permissions

Control access at the individual task level

Basic permissions via project roles

Permissions apply at project level, not per task

Task dependencies

Prevent work from starting out of order

Task dependencies with Gantt view (Business plan)

You can define task dependencies

Recurring tasks

Automate repeating work with flexible schedules

Recurring tasks supported

You can create recurring tasks

Custom task data fields

Add task-level fields for tracking custom details

Custom fields on tasks (Business plan only)

Full custom field support

TIME TRACKING

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Time tracking system

Easily track time using timers or manual entries

Built-in time tracker with timer, manual entry, and desktop widget

Native time tracking (Advanced plan only, $24.99/user/month)

Task-level tracking

Log time directly against tasks and subtasks

Track time per task

Requires external tools or custom fields

Project-level tracking

See time spent per project and per client

Track time per project with budget tracking

Requires reporting tools or integrations

Billable time tracking

Clearly separate billable and non-billable time

Billable and non-billable time tracking

Asana does not track billable time

Billable time invoicing

Turn tracked time into invoices without extra steps

Convert tracked time to invoice line items

Not supported

Timesheet reports

View detailed time reports by task, project, or client

Detailed timesheet reports with filtering and export

Requires third-party tools

Team timesheets

See how each team member tracks their time

Team timesheets with approval workflow

Requires integrations

PROPOSALS

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Create and send proposals

Create proposals clients can review, approve, and sign in one flow

No proposal feature (estimates only)

Asana is for task management only

Drag-and-drop proposal builder

Create custom, branded proposals without layout limits or code

No proposal builder

Not supported

Reusable proposal templates

Reuse proven proposal layouts across clients

No proposal templates

Not supported

Real-time proposal analytics

See exactly when proposals are opened and reviewed

No proposal analytics

Not supported

Live messenger on proposals

Answer questions directly while clients review proposals

No proposals

Not supported

Proposal flow automation

Move from proposal to contract, invoice, or booking automatically

No proposal automation

Not supported

Convert proposal to invoice

Create invoices directly from approved proposals

Convert estimate to invoice

Not supported

Packages and add-ons

Offer upsells and add-ons directly inside proposals

No packages or add-ons

Pricing packages are not supported

Interactive pricing tables

Let clients choose options before approving

No interactive pricing tables

Pricing tables are not supported

Dynamic data and variables

Auto-fill proposal content with client and project data

No dynamic data/variables

Not supported

Expiration dates

Automatically expire proposals after a set date

No proposals

Not supported

PDF Export

Download as branded PDFs

No proposals to export

Tasks and projects can be exported, not proposals

Reusable content blocks

Create reusable proposal sections you can reuse on demand

No proposals

Proposal blocks are not supported

Legally binding e-signatures

Collect secure electronic signatures on proposals

No e-signatures

E-signatures are not supported

Custom proposal data fields

Create custom proposal data you can sort, filter, and report on

No proposals

Proposals are not supported

CONTRACTS

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Create and sign contracts

Create, send, and sign contracts in one continuous flow

No contract feature

Asana does not handle contracts

Drag-and-drop contract builder

Create fully custom contracts with flexible layouts, no code or formatting limits

No contract builder

Not supported

Legally binding e-signatures

Collect secure signatures with audit trails and signer verification

No e-signatures

E-signatures are not supported

Multi-signature / signees

Collect signatures from multiple people on the same contract

No contract feature

Not supported

Reusable contract templates

Reuse contract structures to create new agreements faster

No contract templates

Not supported

Auto-reminders automation

Automatically follow up until contracts are signed

No contract feature

Not supported

Dynamic data/variables

Auto-fill contract content with client and project data

No contract feature

Not supported

Contract automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows the moment a contract is signed

No contract feature

Contracts cannot trigger workflows

View notifications

See when contracts are opened and reviewed

No contract feature

Not supported

PDF download with signature certificate

Download signed contracts with official proof of signature

No contract feature

Not supported

Custom signer data fields

Collect structured signer information during signing

No contract feature

Not supported

Custom contract data fields

Create custom contract data you can sort, filter, and report on

No contract feature

Contracts are not supported

INVOICES & PAYMENTS

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Create invoices and get paid

Send invoices and collect payments in one connected flow

Create and send invoices with online payments

Asana does not handle billing

Fully branded invoices

Match invoices to your brand with custom logos, colors, and layout

Branded invoices with logo and company details

Not supported

Drag and drop invoice builder

Create custom invoice layouts visually without formatting limits

Template-based invoice creation (no drag-and-drop)

Invoices are not supported

Customizable line items

Edit pricing, quantities, descriptions, and structure freely

Customizable line items

Not supported

Item or invoice discounts

Apply discounts at the item or full invoice level

Discounts on invoices

Not supported

Customizable taxes

Create tax rules that match your location and use case

Customizable tax rates

Not supported

ACH payments

Accept bank transfers for lower-fee payments

No ACH payments

Asana does not process payments

Stripe integration

Accept credit and debit cards instantly

No Stripe integration

Asana does not process payments

Square integration

Collect in-person payments when needed

No Square integration

Asana does not process payments

PayPal integration

Let clients pay using PayPal

PayPal integration available

Asana does not process payments

Flexible partial payments

Collect deposits and split payments across milestones

Partial payments supported

Payments are not supported

Payment plans

Break invoices into scheduled installments

No payment plans

Not supported

Automated recurring invoices

Automatically send invoices on a recurring schedule

Recurring invoices

Not supported

Subscription management

Manage ongoing client subscriptions and billing

No subscription management

Subscriptions are not supported

Automated payment reminders

Follow up automatically until invoices are paid

Automated payment reminders

Payments are not supported

Reusable invoice templates

Reuse invoice layouts without rebuilding each time

Reusable invoice templates

Not supported

Multiple currency support

Bill clients globally in their local currency

Multiple currency support

Payments are not supported

Invoice automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows when invoices are sent or paid

No invoice automation triggers

Contracts cannot trigger workflows

View notifications

See when invoices are opened and paid

No invoice view notifications

Not supported

Built-in expense tracking

Track project-related costs alongside invoices

Built-in expense tracking with receipt scanning

Not supported

Invoice deposits

Collect upfront payments before work starts

No invoice deposits

Not supported

Auto-invoice billable time

Turn tracked time into invoices automatically

Auto-invoice tracked billable time

Asana has no invoicing

Custom invoice data fields

Create custom invoice data you can sort, filter, and report on

No custom invoice data fields

Invoices are not supported

INBOX

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Centralized unified inbox

Manage email, chat, and messages from one shared inbox

No unified inbox

Task comments act as a shared activity feed

Full email integration

Connect and manage all your email accounts in one place

No email integration

Email-to-task is supported

Embeddable live chat

Add real-time chat to your website and client portals

No live chat

Live chat is not supported

Instant direct messages

Message teammates privately without leaving your workspace

No direct messaging

Messaging exists via comments, not chat

Contextual project conversations

Keep conversations tied directly to the project they belong to

Task comments only (no dedicated project conversations)

Comments stay attached to tasks and projects

Team channels

Create shared spaces for team-wide discussions

No team channels

Channel-based chat does not exist

Customized channels

Organize channels by team, topic, or workflow

No channels

Channels are not supported

@mentions

Notify teammates instantly inside conversations

@mentions in task comments

You can mention users in comments

Message read receipts

See when messages are read

No messaging

Read receipts are not supported

File sharing in chat

Share files directly inside conversations

No chat (file attachments in task comments only)

Files attach to tasks, not chat threads

Shared email inbox

Collaborate on incoming emails as a team

No shared email inbox

Not supported

Inbox mobile app

Access and respond to messages on mobile

No inbox feature

Mobile app includes inbox

Email reply to inbox

Reply from your email client and keep conversations synced

No inbox feature

Email replies create tasks

FILES

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Store and manage files

Keep all client and project files in one organized place

File management with proofing and approval

Files are stored within tasks and projects

Advanced folder organization

Organize files by project, client, or structure you choose

Project-based file organization

Section-based, relies on cloud integrations

Folder permissions

Control who can view or edit folders

Project-level access controls

Project-level permissions only

People folders

Group files by person when needed

No people-specific folders

Files are task-attached, not person-based

Project folders

Keep files scoped to each project

Files organized by project

Files attach to projects and tasks

In-app previews

Preview files instantly without downloading

In-app file previews with proofing tools

Preview via cloud integrations

Custom file data fields

Capture file metadata you can sort and filter

No custom file data fields

You can create and reuse custom fields

Built-in documents

Create and edit documents directly inside Plutio

No built-in document editor

No built-in document editor

Comments on files and docs

Leave comments directly on files and documents

Comments on files with visual proofing annotations

Comments on task attachments

Bulk file actions

Move, tag, or manage many files at once

Basic bulk actions

Select multiple via integrations

Files search & filter

Find files quickly using search and filters

Basic file search

Search across projects and files

External cloud sync

Sync files with Google Drive or Dropbox

Google Drive and OneDrive integration

Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive

Secure sharing controls

Restrict access with permissions or passwords

Project-based sharing controls

Project-level permissions

File sharing links

Share files externally with controlled access

Share files via project links

Task link sharing only

SCHEDULING

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Schedule meetings

Let clients book meetings directly without back-and-forth emails

Resource scheduling for team bookings (not client booking)

Asana does not have scheduling

Branded booking page

Build a fully branded, customizable booking system using a drag-and-drop editor

No public booking page

Not supported

Advanced availability management

Define flexible availability rules applied automatically to bookings

Resource scheduling with availability view (team-focused)

Scheduling is not supported

Automatic buffer times

Add buffer time automatically between meetings

No buffer times

Scheduling is not supported

Multiple meeting types

Create unlimited booking types with different rules and setups

No meeting types

Scheduling is not supported

Calendar sync (Google/Outlook)

Two-way calendar sync that stays up to date automatically

Google Calendar sync

Read-only calendar integration

Customizable booking confirmations

Fully customizable confirmation pages with no layout or branding limits

No booking confirmations

Scheduling is not supported

Redirect after booking

Send bookers anywhere after scheduling, not just a fixed thank-you page

No booking page

Scheduling is not supported

Booking automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows the moment a meeting is booked

No booking automation

Contracts cannot trigger workflows

Smart meeting reminders

Send automatic reminders without manual follow-ups

Task deadline reminders

Reminders exist for tasks only

Automatic timezone detection

Handle timezones automatically without manual adjustments

No timezone detection for bookings

Handled by external calendars

Paid appointments (Stripe/PayPal)

Collect payments during booking without extra steps

No paid appointments

Asana has no scheduling

Custom booking forms

Build booking forms with full control over questions and layout

No booking forms

Not supported

Minimum notice / daily booking limits

Set booking limits to control lead time and daily volume

No booking limits

Scheduling is not supported

Rescheduling and cancellation controls

Define flexible rules for rescheduling and cancellations

No rescheduling controls

Scheduling is not supported

AUTOMATION

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Automated workflows builder

Build advanced workflows visually without code or rigid templates

No automation builder

70+ rule templates with AI Smart Rules

Trigger-based workflows

Start workflows from real events across projects, clients, and payments

No trigger-based workflows

Rules allow task-based automation

Schedule-based workflows

Run workflows on schedules you control, not fixed intervals

No schedule-based workflows

Possible via rules and integrations

Multi-step workflows

Chain multiple actions into one continuous automation

No multi-step workflows

Complex logic requires integrations

True/False branching

Create conditional paths instead of one-size-fits-all flows

No branching logic

Limited logic without integrations

Delay-based actions

Add precise timing between steps, down to minutes or days

No delay-based actions

Delayed rules are supported

Create & update records

Create, update, or move records automatically across the system

No automated record creation

Tasks and projects only

Move & duplicate records

Reorganize work automatically without manual cleanup

No automated move/duplicate

Tasks and projects can duplicate

Delete & archive records

Automatically archive or remove records based on rules

No automated delete/archive

Deletion requires manual confirmation

API calls (webhooks)

Trigger or receive real-time events from external systems

API available (REST API)

Asana has a full API

Send emails

Send automated emails tied to real workflow events

No automated email sending

Emails require integrations

Post comments

Add notes or comments automatically where work happens

No automated comment posting

Requires integrations

Complete automation logs

See exactly what ran, when, and why

No automation logs

Logs exist at task level

Auto-fill data/variables

Pass data between steps dynamically without manual mapping

No auto-fill variables

Variables exist inside rules

Cross-entity connections

Run workflows that span projects, tasks, proposals, invoices, and more

Time entries linked to projects and invoices

Not supported

FORMS

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Create branded forms

Build fully branded forms that match your workflow and client experience

No form builder

Internal only

Drag-and-drop form builder

Design forms visually with full layout control, no code required

No form builder

Not supported

Reusable form templates

Reuse form structures without rebuilding from scratch

No form templates

Internal intake forms exist

Custom form data fields

Collect structured data you can sort, filter, and report on

No forms

You can create and reuse custom fields

Smart conditional logic

Show or hide fields based on responses, not static forms

No forms

Conditional logic is limited

Instant email notifications

Get notified immediately when forms are submitted

No forms

Requires integrations

Form automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows when a form is submitted

No forms

Contracts cannot trigger workflows

Embed forms

Embed forms anywhere without layout restrictions

No forms

Forms can be shared via links

Advanced field preferences

Control required, hidden, and default field behavior

No forms

Limited field options

Comprehensive field types

Collect text, files, dates, selections, and more

No forms

Many field types via custom fields

Form signature field

Collect legally binding signatures directly inside forms

No forms

Signatures are not supported

File upload fields

Accept file uploads as part of form submissions

No forms

Files can be uploaded

Redirect after submission

Send submitters to a custom next step, not a fixed thank-you page

No forms

Redirects not supported

CRM

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Manage clients and leads

Manage contacts and companies in one connected system

Client list for invoicing (no lead management)

Asana is not a CRM

Full company management

Track organizations, not just individual contacts

Client companies for billing only

Companies are not modeled

Custom contact data fields

Collect and manage structured contact data you define

No custom contact fields

CRM structure does not exist

Complete activity timeline

See every interaction with a client in one place

No activity timeline

Activity is task-based only

Contacts labeling and grouping

Organize contacts flexibly without rigid pipelines

Client categories

Tags exist via custom fields

WIKI

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Comprehensive knowledge base

Create an internal wiki for processes, docs, and guides

No knowledge base or wiki

Pages exist but are not client-facing

Beautiful rich text pages

Write structured, formatted content without complexity

No wiki pages

Not supported

Unlimited nested pages

Build deep knowledge hierarchies without limits

No wiki pages

Not supported

Granular page permissions

Control exactly who can view or edit each page

No wiki pages

Not supported

DASHBOARDS

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Custom dashboards and pages

Build dashboards around what matters to you, not fixed metrics

Basic project dashboard with summary views

Reporting dashboards with custom charts

Drag-and-drop dashboard builder

Design dashboards visually with full layout control

No dashboard builder

Paid ($)

Charts widget

Visualize data with customizable charts

Basic project progress charts

Included

Metrics widget

Track key numbers without manual reporting

Basic time and budget metrics

Included

Goals widget

Monitor progress toward defined goals

No goals widget

Paid ($)

Notes widget

Add contextual notes directly to dashboards

No notes widget

Not supported

Calendar widget

View upcoming events alongside work and metrics

No calendar widget on dashboard

Included

Financial widgets

Track revenue and expenses in the same view

Basic invoice and expense summaries

Not supported

BRANDING

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

White-label and branding

Run the entire platform under your brand

No white-label branding

Asana branding always visible

Custom interface theme

Apply your brand colors across the system

No custom interface theme

UI cannot be customized

Stylesheet customization

Fine-tune styling beyond basic theming

No stylesheet customization

Custom CSS is not supported

Custom login/signup pages

Use branded authentication pages instead of generic screens

No custom login pages

Login pages cannot be customized

Email branding

Send all system emails with your branding

No email branding customization

Emails cannot be branded

Custom brand fonts

Use your own fonts throughout the platform

No custom fonts

Fonts cannot be customized

Custom brand logos

Replace all platform logos with your own

Custom logo on invoices

Logos cannot be customized

Custom domain name

Run everything on your own domain

No custom domain

Not supported

Custom email SMTP

Send emails from your own email infrastructure

No custom SMTP

Not supported

Full workspace embedding

Embed Plutio directly into your website or product

No workspace embedding

Not supported

CUSTOMIZATION

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Flexible workspace setup

Shape the platform to match how your business works

Workspace organized by projects

Asana structure is templated

Main menu editor

Add, remove, or reorder navigation items freely

No menu editor

Navigation cannot be customized

User-based menus

Show different navigation for different roles

No user-based menus

Menus are the same for all users

Custom user roles

Create role types beyond preset permissions

Fixed roles (Admin, User)

Roles exist but are limited

Advanced user permissions

Control access at a granular level

Basic role-based permissions

Permissions are team-based

SSO / OAuth

Support enterprise-grade single sign-on

Google sign-in

SSO is supported on enterprise plans

INTEGRATIONS

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Connect with other tools

Integrate with external systems without lock-in

Zapier, Slack, Google Calendar, QuickBooks, and more

200+ native integrations

Zapier integration

Connect to thousands of apps without custom code

Zapier integration

Zapier is supported

Make.com integration

Build advanced automation scenarios visually

No Make.com integration

Make is supported

Pabbly Connect

Connect services without usage-based limits

Pabbly Connect integration

Possible via API

Full REST API access

Build custom integrations with full system access

REST API available

Full REST API is available

Incoming & outgoing webhooks

Send and receive real-time events

Webhooks via Zapier

Webhooks are supported

PLATFORM

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Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Asana

55/199

Mobile apps

Access your business from native mobile apps

Native iOS and Android apps

Full-featured mobile apps

iOS app

Full-featured iPhone app

Native iOS app

iOS app is available

Android app

Full-featured Android app

Native Android app

Android app is available

Mac desktop app

Native macOS app for desktop workflows

Desktop widget for time tracking

Desktop app wraps the web version

Windows desktop app

Native Windows app for desktop workflows

Desktop widget for time tracking

Desktop app wraps the web version

Paymo vs Asana FAQ

Is Paymo or Asana better for freelancers?

Paymo has an edge for freelancers who bill hourly, with time tracking and invoice generation from logged hours, so a single subscription covers project management and basic billing. Asana has no time tracking or invoicing, which means freelancers billing clients need at least two additional tools alongside Asana. The Paymo free plan allows one user with five clients, which covers most solo freelancers starting out.

Does Asana have time tracking?

No. Asana does not include time tracking at any plan level. If you need to track billable hours, you need a third-party integration such as Toggl Track, Harvest, or Clockify. Each adds a separate subscription and a manual transfer step when creating invoices. Paymo includes built-in task-level timers and timesheet reports that connect directly to invoice generation.

Which is easier to set up, Paymo or Asana?

Both have a moderate setup curve. Paymo's dashboard is straightforward and most users create their first project and start a timer within an hour. Asana has more views and organizational features, which means more settings to configure before workflows run smoothly. Most Asana teams spend a few days mapping project templates. Paymo has fewer configuration options for solo users. Asana has more views and template settings to configure before workflows run, which adds setup time for larger teams.

Can I white-label Paymo or Asana?

Neither tool offers white-labeling. Paymo clients access projects through paymoapp.com URLs. Asana guests see Asana's standard interface. Neither allows a custom domain for client access. If presenting a fully branded experience to clients matters, look at platforms like Plutio that support custom domains and complete white-labeling on every plan.

How much does Paymo cost compared to Asana?

Paymo Starter costs $9.9/user/month. Asana Starter costs $13.49/user/month (annual). Both have free tiers: Paymo free allows one user with five clients; Asana free allows up to 10 users. For full features, Paymo Business is $23.9/user/month and Asana Advanced is $30.49/user/month. Paymo is cheaper and includes time tracking and invoicing. Asana is more expensive and has neither.

Which has better automation, Paymo or Asana?

Asana has a built-in rule-based automation engine on Starter and above, letting you trigger actions when task conditions are met without external tools. Paymo has recurring tasks for scheduled repeating work but no conditional automation builder. For teams that need automated status updates and task routing, Asana's automation is meaningfully better. Paymo users wanting conditional logic need Zapier, which adds cost outside the Paymo subscription.

Do Paymo and Asana have Gantt charts?

Both have Gantt or timeline views. Paymo includes a Gantt chart with task dependencies on all paid plans starting with Starter at $9.9/user/month. Asana's Timeline view (Gantt equivalent) requires the Starter plan at $13.49/user/month. Paymo's Gantt ships at a lower price point, which benefits small teams who need visual timeline planning without moving to higher tiers.

Does Paymo have invoicing?

Yes. Paymo generates invoices from tracked time or fixed fees and sends payment links through Stripe and PayPal. Basic branding comes with invoices. Paymo does not have proposals or contracts, so client onboarding still requires a separate tool. Asana has no invoicing at any plan level. For time-to-invoice without a second app, Paymo is the option between the two.

Can I migrate from Paymo to Asana or vice versa?

Both tools support CSV export of tasks and projects. Asana accepts CSV imports for task lists. Paymo's export covers projects, tasks, and time entries. Neither has a direct import from the other, so migration involves exporting data, reformatting it, and rebuilding templates in the new tool. Budget a few days for migration and testing. Active time entries and invoice history may need to be recreated manually.

What if neither Paymo nor Asana fits my workflow?

If you need more than project management, look at platforms covering the full client lifecycle. Key features to evaluate: built-in time tracking that connects to invoicing, proposal and contract tools that create projects on signature, and a white-labeled client portal at your domain. Plutio is one platform that covers all of these at $19/month flat. The comparison table on this page shows how it stacks up against both Paymo and Asana feature by feature.

Which tool is better for agencies with multiple clients?

Asana's portfolios give agencies a cross-project view across all active client engagements, which Paymo lacks. Asana also has more automation for managing parallel workflows. But agencies billing clients hourly still need time tracking and invoicing tools alongside Asana. Paymo covers time and invoicing but lacks Asana's portfolio depth. Agencies looking for a single platform covering intake through billing often land on all-in-one options like Plutio for agencies instead.

Do Paymo and Asana integrate with each other?

There is no direct native integration between Paymo and Asana. Both integrate with Zapier, which can connect them for specific automations such as creating a Paymo task when an Asana task changes status. However, running both simultaneously adds cost and complexity. Most teams use one or the other as their primary project tool and add integrations only for specific gaps in billing or communication.

Which has better customer support?

Paymo offers email support on all plans and priority support on Small Office and Business tiers. Asana has email and chat support on paid plans, with dedicated support on Business and Enterprise. Asana has a large community forum and documentation library given its scale. Paymo has a smaller but active user community and responsive email support for most plan levels.

Can I use Paymo or Asana for client proposals?

Neither Paymo nor Asana has a proposal builder. Client proposals have to be created in a separate tool such as PandaDoc, Bonsai, or a PDF, then manually converted into a project once signed, adding a step at the start of every new client engagement. Platforms with built-in proposal tools that auto-create projects on acceptance remove that manual handoff entirely.

Which tool is better for retainer billing?

Neither Paymo nor Asana has automatic subscription billing for monthly retainers. Paymo can schedule recurring invoices, but clients must pay each one manually. Asana has no billing at all. Retainer businesses end up running Stripe or a dedicated billing tool alongside whichever project tool they use. Platforms with built-in subscription billing handle automatic monthly charges without client action each cycle.

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