Project management tools are one of those things everyone has strong opinions about — mostly because we’ve all tried a bunch and bounced off at least a few. Some people need structure. Others need flexibility. And a lot of us just want something our brain will actually stick with.
This post is a summary of a Tuesday Toolbox discussion inside The Admin Bar community, with dozens of agency owners sharing their favorite project management tools for agencies.
There’s no single “best” tool here. But there are some clear patterns.
The Most Mentioned Tools
These were the tools that came up the most in the discussion:
A long tail of other tools came up as well (we’ll get to those).
Why Agencies Choose These Project Management Tools
ClickUp
Often described as the “least annoying” option that still does a lot.
- Flexible enough for both PM and business ops
- Works well for small teams and solo operators
- Powerful once dialed in — but not everyone uses all the features
- Common theme: learning curve upfront, payoff later
Best fit: people who want one system to handle a lot, and are willing to invest time setting it up.
Basecamp
A long-time favorite, especially for client-facing work.
- Simple, opinionated, and easy for clients to understand
- Minimal onboarding required
- Works well for small teams and waterfall-style projects
- Some felt it struggles at higher project volume or pricing
“Simple and streamlined — no feature-bloat or fancy features to distract me.”
Jeff Mackey
Best fit: agencies that value simplicity and client clarity over customization.
Notion
Loved by some, abandoned by others.
- Extremely flexible with multiple views and related databases
- Great for solo operators and custom workflows
- “Too DIY” for people who want something ready out of the box
- Requires intentional setup to avoid chaos
Best fit: people who like building their own system and want full control.
Upbase
A surprise standout in this thread.
- Clean, intuitive UI that doesn’t feel overwhelming
- Strong client-facing features
- Frequently praised for balancing features and simplicity
- Some concerns around communication and growing pains
Best fit: agencies who want structure without bloat, especially client portals.
Airtable
Used as a custom “all-in-one” by several folks.
- Extremely flexible and adaptable to existing processes
- Great for linking projects, tasks, contacts, and planning
- Can feel awkward for traditional task tracking
- Often paired with other tools
Best fit: people who want data-driven flexibility over traditional PM UX.
Trello
Still beloved by visual thinkers.
- Kanban boards just click for some brains
- Easy to understand and low friction
- Often paired with calendar or time-tracking tools
- Can feel limiting for complex projects
Best fit: visual planners who value simplicity and movement.
Asana
A mature, reliable option.
- Strong task dependencies and templates
- Scales well for teams
- Some feel it’s gotten heavy or expensive over time
Best fit: teams that want structure and stability.
Moxie
Popular as an all-in-one agency tool.
- Combines PM, CRM, proposals, and workflows
- Appeals to people who want fewer disconnected tools
- Requires setup time to fully shine
Best fit: agencies looking to consolidate tools.
Kitchen
Strong showing as a client portal.
- Clean, client-friendly interface
- No client account friction
- Often paired with other internal tools
- Frequently mentioned alongside proposal workflows
Best fit: agencies prioritizing client experience over internal PM depth.
Notable Mentions
These tools also came up, often tied to specific workflows or preferences:
- Fibery
- Teamwork
- Nifty
- Plutio
- Todoist
- Wrike
- Coda
- SuiteDash
- Freedcamp
- Linear
- Jira
- Bullet journals, whiteboards, pen & paper
- Custom-built or self-hosted solutions
Patterns We Noticed
A few themes were hard to miss:
- “Fits my brain” mattered more than features
- Many people bounced between tools before settling
- Solo operators and teams want very different things
- Simplicity beats power if the tool doesn’t get used
- Low-tech solutions are still very much alive (and effective)
“Pick the most simple and comfortable tool that does the minimum required — then resist the urge to find something better.”
Greg Mount
In other words: the “best” tool is the one you’ll actually open tomorrow.
How to Choose the Right Tool
If you’re evaluating options, these questions came up again and again:
- Are you solo, or managing a team?
- Do clients need direct access?
- Do you want flexibility or structure?
- Are you okay setting things up, or do you want something ready-made?
- Will you actually use it — or abandon it in a month?
These recommendations came directly from a Tuesday Toolbox discussion inside The Admin Bar community. Each week, we pick a new topic and crowdsource real-world tools and workflows from agency owners doing the work.
If you want to help shape this library, join the conversation next Tuesday.
Kyle Van Deusen
After spending 15 years as a graphic designer and earning a business degree, I launched my agency, OGAL Web Design, in 2017. A year later, after finding the amazing community around WordPress, I co-found The Admin Bar, which has grown to become the #1 community for WordPress professionals. I'm a husband and proud father of three, and a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
