Trello and Asana are two heavyweights in the project management ring. They both promise to streamline your workflow, boost team productivity, and transform how you manage tasks. But in the battle for the top spot, which one truly comes out on top in 2025?
Will Trello, with its visual boards and flexible design, be the champion of simplicity? Or will Asana, with its robust task management and powerful features, reign supreme?
In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll break down Trello vs. Asana, looking at key features, ease of use, onboarding, pricing, security, and support. We’ll also explore which tool is the best fit for businesses of all sizes—from startups to large enterprises. Plus, we’ll dive into which platform offers the best value for money, whether your business is based in the USA, Singapore, Vietnam, or anywhere else.
Trello vs Asana: A quick comparison
Image source: geekflare.com
After diving into both tools (using our experience as productivity software developers), these are our main thoughts:
Trello is simpler and more one-dimensional (still heavily Kanban-focused). That makes it better suited to individuals and small teams.
Trello’s free plan has no user limit, although it does limit features and views.
Asana offers a more complete platform with better workflow management tools — although it’s not perfect.
Asana offers more versatility, but at a price — Asana’s paid plans are significantly more expensive than Trello’s.
Trello vs Asana: Best tool for project management
Project management (PM) is often treated as a one-size-fits-all approach, but the right techniques and tools can vary greatly depending on the project and team. What works for a large enterprise handling complex projects might not be the best fit for a small, agile startup. The needs for documentation and compliance are also vastly different, and small teams often need the flexibility to move quickly rather than getting bogged down by strict processes.
Simple project management for startups or SMBs
Both Trello and Asana provide all the basic features you need for project management. Here’s what both platforms offer:
Different project views such as Kanban boards, tables, calendars, and timeline views.
Task management tools including assignments, comments, mentions, notifications, and more.
Detailed task cards with drop-down lists and assignable sub-tasks.
Unlimited storage, projects, and cards.
The main difference lies in the limitations of their free plans. Trello restricts features but not users—allowing unlimited users, but only Kanban boards. In contrast, Asana’s free plan supports up to 10 users with list (table), board, and calendar views.
Complex project management for larger teams
For larger project teams, both Trello and Asana offer advanced features in their paid plans, but with some key differences.
Trello includes features like project dashboards, multi-board guests, advanced user permission controls, and single sign-on (SSO), but these are only available in its Enterprise plan. While useful, Trello’s focus on Kanban boards may require third-party tools for managing project documentation, like project charters, goals, and roadmaps.
On the other hand, Asana offers similar features in its Advanced plan, including portfolio views and templates for various stages of project planning. However, its admin console with permission controls is only available in the Enterprise+ plan. While Asana is better suited for complex projects with its templates, it still lacks a built-in documentation collaboration platform, which can make managing project planning more difficult for larger teams.
Ultimately, both platforms have their strengths, but neither is a perfect solution for large-scale enterprise project management without additional tools for documentation.
Trello vs. Asana: Ease of use and software adoption
There’s a noticeable difference between Trello and Asana when it comes to ease of use and adoption, depending on the type of project or team you're working with.
Basic projects and ongoing processes
Trello is incredibly user-friendly, making it a great choice for basic projects and everyday business processes. It’s easy to find a suitable public template and adjust it to fit your needs with just a few simple changes. The limited features keep things simple, which means it’s quick to onboard new users and maintain healthy adoption rates. It’s straightforward to use, so teams can quickly move away from old-school methods like email and Excel. However, one downside is that you can’t assign sub-tasks within a card on the free plan, which could be a limitation for some teams.
In contrast, Asana offers more features but can be more difficult to master, especially for less experienced teams. If your team is small and lacks strong project management software experience, Trello might be a more intuitive option.
Managing larger projects or portfolios
Asana shines when it comes to managing larger projects or portfolios. Its built-in portfolio management tools make it easy to track multiple projects, which is especially helpful for teams involved in quarterly or yearly planning. With an advanced plan, you can create up to 20 project portfolios, providing a high-level overview of your projects. Additionally, Asana’s goals feature (available on the advanced plan) allows you to visually track your company’s objectives, which is a great benefit for larger teams working on multiple initiatives at once.
What’s the best Asana alternative for 2025? Read now
Trello vs. Asana: Best for integrations
In 2025, most teams are already using a variety of productivity tools, often referred to as their “tech stack.” So, let’s see which platform, Trello or Asana, is more likely to integrate seamlessly with your existing tools.
Trello integrations
Trello offers "Power-Ups"—add-ons that extend the functionality of your boards. A useful Power-Up is the Google Drive Power-Up, which lets you attach files from Google Drive to your boards or individual cards.
Trello provides over 20 native Power-Ups with popular applications like Notion, Evernote, and Slack. Additionally, the Power-Up directory offers more than 200 add-ons from third-party developers. Some Power-Ups, like Slack, are available with a free plan, but others require a subscription to access.
Asana integrations
Asana offers more than 30 native app integrations, including platforms like Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, GitHub, and Zoom, helping you create a more cohesive digital workspace. For instance, you can get notifications in a Slack channel when a new task moves to a specific stage.
Asana’s integrations are free, but you’ll need an account with the third-party platform. For example, if you want to integrate Slack, you’ll need a Slack account, and if the third-party software requires payment, that cost will be separate from your Asana subscription.
Which platform has the best integrations?
In terms of integrations, Trello has a slight edge, offering hundreds of Power-Ups that enhance the functionality of your boards and tasks. However, Trello’s integrations tend to rely heavily on third-party tools for basic collaboration features like video conferencing and chat, which may require additional subscriptions.
While Trello provides flexibility, using multiple third-party tools can lead to SaaS fatigue, especially when your team needs to manage eight or more platforms for a simple project. Spreading your project data across different tools can also lead to siloed workflows, which could impact team collaboration.
On the other hand, Asana offers a more streamlined experience with fewer third-party dependencies, making it a better option for teams looking for easier integration with existing tools.
What’s the best Trello alternative for 2025? Read now
Trello vs. Asana: Best value
Trello offers a free plan, two affordable premium plans, and a surprisingly cheap enterprise plan.
Source: trello.com
Free: 10 collaborators per workspace, unlimited cards, up to 10 boards per workspace, and basic task management in a Kanban board.
Standard ($5/user): Includes unlimited boards, advanced checklists, custom fields, and up to 1,000 Workspace automations per month
Premium ($10/user): Includes extra project views like calendar, timeline, table, dashboard, and map. It also includes admin and security features, Atlassian Intelligence (AI), collections, observers, and workspace-level templates.
Enterprise ($17.50/user): Includes unlimited workspaces, single sign-on, additional user access controls, multi-board guests, attachment permission controls, and more.
Trello offers the cheapest paid plan by far at $5/user per month. But its severely limited features mean it’s only suitable for smaller teams.
Asana offers a free plan, two fixed-price plans, and two different enterprise plans with custom pricing.
Source: asana.com
Personal (free): Available for up to 10 users. Includes unlimited tasks, cards, projects, comments, guests, and basic task management in board, list, and calendar views.
Starter ($10.99/user): Available for up to 500 users. It features Gantt and timeline views, Asana AI, scaled security, custom fields, and up to 250 monthly automations.
Advanced ($24.99/user): Available for up to 500 users. This plan includes workload balancing tools, forms and data collection, approval workflows, proofing, and advanced reporting.
Enterprise or Enterprise+ plan: These plans allow for unlimited users. They include resource management, guest invite controls, audit log APIs, and integration support for security information and event management (SIEM). Prices are available upon request.
Best plan for SMBs and startups
The best plan for SMBs and startups depends on the size of your team and whether you tackle complex projects.
Trello’s free or Standard plan is more than enough for simple projects and business processes. The Asana Starter plan offers better value than Trello Premium if you're a startup running multiple projects.
Best plan for larger teams and enterprises
While Trello offers an enterprise plan, it's hard to imagine many large project teams relying on it as their primary solution. For the price, Trello provides useful features for collaborative high-level planning and project implementation. However, it lacks portfolio management tools, making Asana’s Advanced plan a more suitable choice for comprehensive project management.
Asana’s enterprise-specific plans come with built-in resource management, which adds significant value. If you're looking for advanced security features—such as audit log APIs, user access controls, and SIEM—you'll need to consider Asana’s Enterprise+ plan. Although Asana's Advanced plan is pricier than Trello's Enterprise plan, it's likely a better investment for large projects. In such scenarios, the costs of delays or miscommunications can far outweigh the additional $10 to $20 per user.
Trello vs. Asana: Best customer support
Trello provides email support during regular business hours, Monday to Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM EST. However, it does not offer phone support. For minor issues, users can access self-help resources, including a wiki and developer documentation. For additional assistance, the community forum is also available for support.
Image source: support.atlassian.com
Asana offers 24/7 support, but this is limited to its enterprise plans. For users on lower tiers, support is primarily through community resources, including tickets and the support forum. Enterprise users benefit from urgent assistance via 24/7 chat support, but Asana does not provide phone support.
Considering Trello offers active support to non-enterprise members, they get the edge in this category. Asana’s focus on enterprise clients may not effectively address the needs of its smaller users.
Trello vs. Asana: Best for security and compliance
While security and compliance are important for all companies, they are particularly critical for enterprises, as regulatory bodies typically target larger organizations first. This comparison will focus on features relevant to larger companies, while also noting general data security measures that can benefit SMBs.
Both Trello and Asana provide essential security features, including:
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Adds an extra layer of verification to the login process.
Single Sign-On (SSO) Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML): Authenticates users and allows employees to access multiple applications through an identity provider.
Centralized Admin Controls: Enables control over individual user access levels (available only in their enterprise plans).
Both Asana and Trello demonstrate their commitment to data security with certifications; they are both SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001 certified. Asana also holds additional certifications, including ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, and ISO 27701.
Furthermore, Asana offers advanced access control and auditing tools in its Enterprise+ plan, enhancing security for larger organizations.
Trello vs. Asana: What customers say
Trello has a solid 4.4 out of 5 stars rating on G2, with most positive reviews highlighting its ease of use. But many Trello’s small business users report recurring issues like:
Significant limitations on the free plan’s features
Lacking features even in paid plans
While multiple employees in larger companies highlight other issues like:
An inability to handle projects on a higher level — like portfolio management
A lack of advanced customization options
Asana has the same rating with 4.4 out of 5 stars on G2. Many positive reviews mention its more complete task management and collaboration features. But many of Asana’s SMB users complain about issues like:
A steep initial learning curve
A lack of team collaboration features in the free plan
Among Asana users from larger companies — mid-market to enterprise, complaints included:
A lack of follow-up from the support team
Slow and clunky mobile apps
All in all, Trello’s reputation is better among smaller businesses. Asana’s is better among mid-market companies and enterprises.
In this category, it’s hard to choose between the two options. We recommend reading through customer comments on G2 and exploring other sites like Capterra to gain a better understanding of user experiences and feedback.
Trello vs. Asana: The best tool for you
While we've examined features, pricing, security, and other categories, the best project management tool ultimately depends on your specific needs.
Trello: If you're a startup, small business, creative professional, or solopreneur working on a few projects at a time with limited complexity and overlap, Trello offers all the necessary features—possibly even in the free plan.
Asana: For larger organizations that require high-level visibility through enhanced reporting and planning tools, Asana is the better choice. Its advanced project management features, like resource management, can make a significant difference, although they come at a higher cost.
However, it's important to note that neither Trello nor Asana serves as a comprehensive one-stop-shop for project management. With both tools, you'll need to invest in third-party integrations to create a complete software stack that can manage all your work. For small businesses or cost-conscious teams, these additional expenses can be significant.
Therefore, we recommend considering the consolidation of all projects, data, and tools into a single unified platform while minimizing costs.
Streamline collaboration and project management with Lark
When it comes to project management, both Asana and Trello have their strengths. But if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution that goes beyond task tracking, Lark is the clear winner. Unlike traditional project management tools that focus solely on tasks and workflows, Lark integrates communication, collaboration, and document management into a seamless experience—all within a single platform.
Handle every project with Lark Base
Lark’s project management tool Lark Base transforms project management by offering a fully integrated platform that streamlines workflows, enhances collaboration, and boosts productivity. Whether you're tracking project progress, managing tasks, or ensuring seamless communication, Lark Base provides everything you need in one cohesive workspace.
Customizable dashboards for complete project visibility
Lark Base’s customizable dashboard lets you visualize essential project metrics, giving you a real-time snapshot of your team's performance, project timelines, and task completion rates. With Lark Base, you can easily track:
Project status: Monitor the progress of tasks, deadlines, and milestones.
Team workload: Gain insight into team performance, ensuring resources are allocated effectively.
Powerful automation to save time and effort
Lark Base helps reduce manual tasks with powerful workflow automation features, making it easier to stay on top of deadlines and project updates. Some useful automations include:
Triggering actions: Automatically trigger actions when a task is completed or send reminders when deadlines are approaching.
Task creation and assignment: Automatically create tasks when key project milestones are reached and assign them to the appropriate team members.
Status updates: Keep task statuses up-to-date automatically based on changes or inputs from team members.
Reminders and notifications: Set reminders for key milestones, ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks.
Streamlined communication and collaboration
Lark Base brings team communication and collaboration into a single platform, eliminating the need for third-party tools like Slack. With Lark Base, you can:
Use @mentions directly in tasks, discussions, and comments, all without needing additional integrations.
Collaborate in real time: As part of the Lark superapp, Lark Base allows you to seamlessly switch between tools. You can instantly message colleagues, hop on a quick video call, or share documents—all without leaving the platform.
Advanced data management and integration
Managing project data has never been easier with Lark Base’s advanced data management features:
Import data: Quickly import data from Excel to bring all your existing project information into Lark Base.
Third-party integrations: Seamlessly connect with other apps via APIs, ensuring a smooth flow of information across your tools.
Forms: Collect and update project information using customizable forms that automatically sync data to your project base.
Customizable fields to fit your needs
Lark Base gives you the flexibility to tailor your project management process to your unique needs. You can track specific project details by customizing fields to monitor project metrics, task details, team assignments, and more.
With formula fields, you can automate calculations such as project budgets, timelines, and resource utilization, ensuring that your data remains accurate and up-to-date.
Final thoughts on Trello vs Asana
Choosing between Trello and Asana depends on your team’s needs. Trello is great for small teams or simple projects with its easy-to-use, visual layout. For larger teams or more complex workflows, Asana offers advanced features like task automation and reporting tools. However, Lark combines the best of both worlds—flexibility, collaboration, and scalability—making it the ultimate all-in-one platform for teams of any size. Try Lark for free today and see how it can elevate your workflow.
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