Asana vs Trello
A side-by-side look at 2 Productivity tools for 2026 — the verdict, pricing, ratings, features, and what readers think.
Manage projects and tasks across teams.
Visit AsanaVisual kanban boards for organizing anything.
Visit TrelloOur take
Asana and Trello both help teams manage work, but they target different levels of complexity. Trello's kanban-only approach is beautifully simple and ideal for individuals and small teams with straightforward workflows. Asana offers multiple views, automation, and reporting that scale with larger teams. For simple visual task management, Trello wins. For structured project management with advanced tracking, Asana is the clear choice.
Pricing compared
Head to head
| Asana | Trello | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ||
| Endorsements | 1 | — |
| Starting price | $10.99/mo | $5/user/month |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 30 | — |
| Founded | 2008 | 2011 |
| HQ | San Francisco, CA, USA | New York, NY |
| Team size | 1000+ | 1000-2000 |
Pros & cons
- Purpose-built for project management
- Strong timeline, workload, and portfolio views
- Excellent automation and workflow rules
- Over 200 native integrations
- Clear task ownership and accountability
- Mobile apps available
- Not suited for notes or knowledge management
- Can get expensive for larger teams
- No desktop app
- No offline mode
- Extremely easy to set up and use
- Beautiful, intuitive kanban interface
- Generous free plan with unlimited cards
- Power-Ups extend functionality
- Great mobile apps
- Kanban-only view limits complex project planning
- Reporting is basic without paid Power-Ups
- No built-in time tracking
- Can get disorganized at scale
Similarities & differences
- Both offer kanban board views for visual task management
- Both have free plans available
- Both support team collaboration and task assignments
- Both integrate with popular tools like Slack and Google Drive
- Both have mobile apps for iOS and Android
- Asana offers List, Timeline, and Calendar views; Trello is kanban-only
- Asana has built-in workflow automation; Trello requires Power-Ups for automation
- Trello is simpler and faster to learn; Asana has a steeper learning curve
- Asana supports project portfolios and goals; Trello focuses on individual boards
- Asana includes reporting and workload management; Trello has minimal reporting
- Trello's free plan is more generous; Asana limits some features on free
Who should choose which
Choose Asana if you need structured project management with multiple views, automation, and team reporting
Choose Trello if you want simple, visual kanban boards with a minimal learning curve
Features compared
| Asana | Trello | |
|---|---|---|
| Plans & pricing | ||
| Free tier | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Free trial | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Pricing model | Per user, annual or monthly subscription | Free; Standard $5/user/mo; Premium $10/user/mo; Enterprise custom |
| Money-back guarantee | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Platforms & access | ||
| Web app | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Mobile apps | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Desktop app | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Self-hosted option | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Offline mode | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Integrations & extensibility | ||
| Public API | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Webhooks | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Native integrations | Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Zoom, Jira, 200+ integrations | Slack, Google Drive, GitHub, Jira, Confluence, Salesforce, Zapier |
| Automation (Zapier/Make) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Security & compliance | ||
| SSO / SAML | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Two-factor auth | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| SOC 2 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| GDPR compliant | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Encryption at rest | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Collaboration | ||
| Team workspaces | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Real-time collaboration | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Role-based permissions | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Guest access | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Support | ||
| Email support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Live chat support | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Phone support | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Knowledge base | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| SLA | — | 99.9% uptime SLA for Enterprise plans |
Frequently asked questions
Is Trello free to use?
Yes, Trello has a free plan that includes unlimited cards, up to 10 boards per workspace, 1 Power-Up per board, and unlimited storage (10MB per file). Paid plans start at $5/user/month (Standard) and add unlimited boards, advanced checklists, and more Power-Ups.
Can Asana replace Trello?
For most teams, yes. Asana can do everything Trello does (kanban boards) plus much more: list views, timelines, Gantt charts, portfolios, and advanced automation. However, Trello's simplicity and lower learning curve still make it preferred for small teams with basic needs.
Which is better for small teams, Asana or Trello?
For very small teams or individuals with simple workflows, Trello is often better — it's quick to set up, visually intuitive, and free for unlimited cards. For small teams that need task dependencies, workload tracking, or reporting, Asana is the better fit.
Does Trello have a timeline or Gantt view?
Yes, Trello added a Timeline view, but it requires a paid plan. Asana's Timeline view is also on paid plans. If Gantt-style planning is important, dedicated tools like ClickUp or Asana offer more robust timeline features.
Can Trello and Asana be used together?
Yes, Trello and Asana can be integrated via Zapier or direct integrations. Some teams use Trello for quick task boards while using Asana for more complex project tracking, though most teams settle on one tool to avoid duplication.