The Kanban technique provides an easy-to-use and efficient task and project management system. It is predicated on two principles: workflow visualization and task limit imposed on the amount of ongoing jobs. By adhering to these two guidelines, you can complete your activities considerably more quickly and save the time you would typically spend organizing yourself.

A project management tool called a Kanban board is arranged into columns to assist teams in seeing how much work is still unfinished. Before it reaches the Done column, a card that represents the task travels from left to right through each column that represents the workflow progress. Free kanban board software revolutionizes task management and project organization. This efficient kanban tool, based on the principles of workflow visualization and limiting ongoing tasks, streamlines the management process. With a free kanban board, tasks progress visibly from left to right, aiding teams in tracking unfinished work and moving towards completion.

Why does that make sense?

Reducing the number of work in progress is based on the theory that if you only work on one activity at a time, you will be forced to concentrate completely and complete each task more effectively. Furthermore, you save a ton of time because you’re constantly focused on what you’re doing, as opposed to juggling multiple tasks and wasting time on them. The strategy behind reducing ongoing tasks with kanban boards is simple yet effective. By concentrating on a single task at a time, you enhance focus and efficiency, a core advantage of using free kanban tools. This approach not only boosts productivity but also saves significant time, a key benefit of kanban software.

How brilliant is Kanban?

You can use free Kanban boards to more effectively organize your daily personal tasks and work. They’re all available online and always reachable from any location. In the event that you happen to remember a task while walking your dog, you can easily add a new task from your smartphone to your Kanban board. Your chores are always with you, ready to be arranged for whenever you’re ready to get to them, whether you’re at work or at home, shopping or on vacation. Free kanban tools stand out for their accessibility and user-friendliness. Whether you’re using a free kanban board at home or a kanban board at work, these tools are always accessible online, making them ideal for managing projects anywhere. This flexibility ensures that, regardless of your location, your tasks are always organized and within reach, enhancing the effectiveness of task management with kanban software.

Using a free Kanban Tool board has the following advantages:

  • Greater organization in both your personal and professional life
  • Access to your tasks at any time and from any location
  • Significant time and effort savings as you eliminate the need to plan and switch between jobs.
  • Flexibility: It readily adjusts to your demands, so there are no limitations to what you can do with it or how you operate.
  • Never miss a deadline again, which include priorities and due dates. Managing deadlines and obligations will become second nature.
  • Process simplification: Because Analytics allows you to track your progress, it’s never been simpler to identify the mistakes you make most frequently and where you can improve. You will benefit from increased productivity and more time off overall from this!

The 20+ best Kanban apps to visualize work in 2024

Teamplate

Teamplate, a dynamic free kanban board software, integrates key business tools into a comprehensive kanban tool platform. This advanced kanban software facilitates high-performance collaboration with features like Chat, Video Calls, Board, Calendar, Data Room, and Spaces, establishing an optimal workflow for task management. Ideal for managing projects, Teamplate is a versatile free kanban tool designed to efficiently handle your team’s varied tasks.

This kanban board is exceptional in managing complex workflows and collaborative tasks, characteristic of the best kanban boards. With its adjustable hierarchical structure, Teamplate excels at breaking down complicated projects into simpler tasks and subtasks. This feature-rich free kanban board allows teams to effortlessly navigate between different project data views, all through a single, integrated interface.

By leveraging the capabilities of free kanban tools, Teamplate transforms abstract ideas into tangible actions, assisting teams in crafting project schedules focused on key milestones. The ease and efficiency in managing projects provided by this free kanban board software make Teamplate an essential tool for effective task management and project organization.

Teamplate Pros:

  • Comprehensive Features: Includes a board for to-do lists, document storage, and combines various functionalities in one platform.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Known for its simplicity and ease of use.
  • All-in-One Solution: Provides Kanban and checklist functionality, backlog and sprint functionality, and combines tools like Jira, Confluence, and Slack into one.
  • Effective for Project Management: Especially useful for managing projects with external clients.

Teamplate Cons:

  • Notification System: Current notifications can be easy to miss.
  • Work in Progress: Some features are still being developed and can be rough around the edges.
  • App Performance: The desktop and mobile apps can be buggier than the browser version and lack the robustness of tools like Jira/Confluence.

Pricing:

  • Free

Clickup

ClickUp’s free kanban board software revolutionizes project management by offering a comprehensive kanban tool suite. This platform provides an array of free kanban boards, allowing any team to manage numerous workflows efficiently. With ClickUp, teams can engage in more effective communication and centralize their work on a single kanban board, all at no cost.

The versatility of ClickUp’s kanban software adapts seamlessly to any team size, making it a perfect match for various levels of experience in managing projects. This free kanban tool is designed to streamline task management, offering a user-friendly interface and a range of free kanban tools. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced professional, ClickUp’s free kanban board is the ideal solution for effectively organizing and tracking projects. With ClickUp, teams gain access to robust kanban boards, enhancing collaboration and productivity without any financial investment.

ClickUp pros:

  • Select from 100 built-in connectors or the hundreds of more that Zapier offers to create a comprehensive workflow management system.
  • Establish and oversee your individual and team goals on a daily, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
  • For simple time monitoring, use the ClickUp Chrome extension to record time from your desktop, mobile device, or online browser. It’s free.

ClickUp cons

  • Not all ClickUp views are available on the mobile app

Pricing:

  • Free Forever Plan (best for personal use)
  • Unlimited Plan (best for small teams ($7/member per month)
  • Business Plan (best for mid-sized teams ($12/member per month)
  • ClickUp AI is available on all paid plans for $5 per Workspace

Paymo

Paymo, a project management tool ideal for small businesses and independent contractors, excels in integrating free kanban board software into its system. This kanban software offers a variety of views, with the Kanban view being especially prominent alongside the List, Table, Calendar, and Gantt features. As a comprehensive kanban tool, Paymo allows for seamless task management and the efficient oversight of various workflows on a single platform.

With its array of free kanban boards, Paymo simplifies the process to manage projects, making it accessible and user-friendly for its users. This free kanban tool is particularly tailored to the needs of small-scale operations, providing all the essential features of kanban boards without any cost. The platform’s free kanban features are an invaluable resource for those looking to streamline their project management processes. Paymo’s free kanban board stands as a testament to its capability to combine professional project management with cost-effective solutions, offering a robust and versatile tool for effective task organization and workflow management.

Paymo pros:

  • Workflow customization and detailed cards
  • Meta Kanban view for all tasks across all projects 

Paymo cons:

  • Task dependencies are not visible in the Kanban view
  • No Kanban swimlanes, although cards can be group and filtered

Pricing:

  • Free forever
  • Starter $9.90 – per user/month
  • Small Office $15.90 – per user/month
  • Business $23.90 – per user/month

Toggl Plan

Toggl Plan, more than just a kanban tool, is among the best free kanban software available, enhancing traditional project management apps with its robust kanban system. This software excels in project planning and tracking, ensuring efficient task completion and delivery. Its kanban board feature provides a clear visual on the task status, a key aspect of its comprehensive project management features.

Ideal for those who value collaboration features, Toggl Plan allows team members to easily drop tasks into different stages and automate tasks, streamlining the workflow process. Its drag-and-drop functionality, coupled with customizable status updates and in-task comments, makes it a top contender for the best free kanban board. This free kanban software offers a blend of simplicity and efficiency, making it a superb choice for managing projects with ease and precision.

Toggl Plan pros:

  • Multiple members can be assigned to a task. 

Toggl Plan cons:

  • No task dependencies (if this feature is non-negotiable for you, check out a few Toggl alternatives) 
  • Members are limited to two view options: Team timeline or Plan board

Pricing:

  • Team $9 – per user/month
  • Business $15 – per user/month

Monday.com

Monday.com is not just a kanban tool; it’s a comprehensive project management app that integrates a robust kanban system. As one of the best free kanban boards available, it offers exceptional task management solutions, assisting cross-functional teams in focusing on crucial tasks with ease. This free kanban software is known for its Kanban board views, which greatly enhance task status visibility.

In addition to its basic kanban features, Monday.com excels in collaboration features, making it a top choice in project management apps. It allows project managers to create real-time project dashboards, a key aspect of its project management features. The platform’s ability to automate tasks and let users easily drop tasks into different stages of the workflow further solidifies its position as a leading free kanban software. Monday.com represents a seamless blend of functionality and efficiency, catering to the dynamic needs of effective project management.

Monday.com pros:

  • Unlimited boards and docs in the free plan
  • Customizable workflows to easily track projects

Monday.com cons:

  • Features are not in-depth compared to other top Kanban board apps on this list
  • Dashboards are a paid premium feature

Pricing:

  • Free Forever Plan 
  • Basic – €12 seat/month
  • Standard – €14 seat/month
  • Pro – €24 seat/month

Asana

Asana, more than just a kanban tool, offers a comprehensive kanban system within its suite of project management apps. Utilizing the kanban method, Asana’s free version stands out as one of the best free kanban boards, enabling teams to manage tasks effectively. It offers flexible kanban boards that cater to the dynamic needs of unlimited users, making it an ideal choice for any project manager.

This free kanban software excels in showcasing task status in real-time, enhancing team collaboration features. Asana’s project management features include the ability to automate tasks and conveniently drop tasks into different project stages. The system ensures that all team members are kept informed with timely notifications as tasks progress. Asana’s implementation of the kanban method in its project management apps makes it a top-tier tool for efficient and collaborative task management.Teams may easily visualize their progress in real time with the help of Asana’s Kanban board features. For instance, a member can utilize the Advanced Search option to narrow their search to certain columns if they are seeking for a particular task. To ensure that everyone is informed, members will also get notifications when tasks progress through sections.

Asana pros:

  • Members can perform bulk actions on tasks to save time
  • Kanban board view is available on the free plan 

Asana cons:

  • Only one assignee per task
  • Subtasks can be challenging, so members will need to consider finding workarounds for complex projects

Pricing:

  • Starter  – €10.99 – per user/month
  • Advanced – €24.99 – per user/month

Wrike

Small businesses looking for an easily configurable workspace to plan tasks, manage shared calendars, and facilitate collaboration will find Wrike project management software to be perfect. Additionally, approvers can use Wrike’s visual markup tool to accelerate feedback.

Wrike pros:

  • Kanban board view allows complete visibility of tasks 
  • Time tracking feature to compare estimated versus actual time spent

Wrike cons:

  • Steep learning curve for new users
  • Gantt charts are not available in the free version 

Pricing:

  • Free Forever Plan 
  • Team – $9.80 per user/month
  • Business – $24.80 per user/month

MaisterTask

A visual project management application based on the Kanban technique is called MeisterTask.  Sleek and readily configurable Kanban boards allow team members to effortlessly oversee everyday tasks. Teams may interact and work together throughout the workflow with project management tools like numerous checklists, automation, and infinite sections.  

MeisterTask pros:

  • Task relationship links (related, duplicate, or blocking) feature to keep project members informed 
  • Built-in time tracker that comes in handy for team calculations and projections

MeisterTask cons:

  • WIP limits, unlimited projects, and reporting are paid features
  • One assignee per task 

Pricing:

  • Basic – Free
  • Pro – €11 per user/month
  • Business – € 22,50 per user/month

Nifty

Working on large-scale projects with several team members is possible using Nifty. It’s a collaborative workspace that assists you and your team in managing documents, tracking time, and organizing tasks, much like the majority of project management software. When paired with the Kanban approach, members are able to plan, prioritize, and oversee daily tasks in great detail.

Nifty pros:

  • Portfolio management feature to view members and statuses at a glance
  • Offers different user roles and permissions to control access levels

Nifty cons:

  • The free plan is limited to two active projects 
  • Expensive paid plans to use core features 

Pricing:

  • Free Forever Plan 
  • Starter – $39 per person/month
  • Pro – $79 – per person/month
  • Business – $124 – per person/month

Jira

Jira is a project management and bug-tracking tool designed for technical and agile power users. A development team may have a first column of backlog items that has been ongoing for a while. Jira therefore created a backlog for Kanban development projects and put it to a separate project tab. Teams are aware of what’s next when product managers transfer tasks from the backlog to the board.

Jira pros:

  • WIP limits can exclude subtasks from the Kanban board column count to ensure all action items for a specific task won’t be shut out 
  • Integrations with 3,000+ apps 

Jira cons:

  • Complicated user interface and migration make managing tasks burdensome
  • Teams considering Jira will need to use another software app for simple project management

Pricing:

  • Free forever
  • Standard $8.15 – per user/month
  • Premium $16 – per user/month

Proofhub

With the help of project planning tools like Proofhub, teams can organize every phase of their work and see it as it progresses. Using the Kanban tool, team members may prioritize tasks and observe how work progresses through different phases. It’s an easy-to-use platform for idea sharing and grouping pertinent files.

Proofhub pros:

  • Private task lists for assigned people only
  • Recurring events and tasks feature 

Proofhub cons:

  • Lacks budgeting capabilities
  • Not a suitable platform for agile project management compared to other top Kanban apps on this list 

Pricing:

  • Ultimate control $89/month
  • Essential $45/month

Businessmap

Within a company, Businessmap automatically reports, updates, and monitors the progress of every project. Teams can concentrate on completing tasks and streamlining procedures thanks to this data. Stakeholders and team members can work together more quickly and effectively with Businessmap.

Businessmap pros:

  • Analytic tools such as Cumulative Flow Diagram, Cycle Time Scatter Plot, and WIP Aging chart 
  • Interlinked Kanban boards on a team and management level

Businessmap cons:

  • Not ideal for businesses outside of software and engineering industries 
  • Setup and configuration may be time-intensive

Pricing:

  • Annual Plan $149/month
  • Month by Month $179/month

Planview Leankit

Planview Leankit’s adaptable Kanban boards facilitate the sharing of a unified, prioritized, and status picture of work among lean and agile teams. With features like work item history, real-time work status, and WIP limitations, members have all they need to plan and complete project tasks effectively.

Planview LeanKit pros:

  • Categorization labels that represent different types of work on a Kanban board
  • Complete audit trail of all changes made to a card

Planview LeanKit cons:

  • Lack of customization capabilities to cards and custom fields compared to other top Kanban board apps on this list
  • Steep learning curve 

Pricing:

  • Customized

Blossom

Software development teams may examine the tasks of every member of the team by mapping their whole workflow using the Kanban project management tool Blossom. Members may quickly determine whether jobs are blocked or ready for the next step by looking at the colorful “stamps” in the Kanban cards’ corners.

Blossom pros:

  • Comments are auto-saved if you navigate and come back to the card later
  • The cycle time of Kanban cards is shown on every completed Kanban card 

Blossom cons:

  • Lacks customization of Kanban boards, cards, task statuses, and team communication 
  • @Mentions to team members are not a native feature in the platform

Pricing:

  • Inquire with Blossom for pricing 

Microsoft Planner

Microsoft Planner allows teams to better concentrate and centrally coordinate their work with its integrated Kanban boards and comprehensive task cards. Users of Planner may link to Power Automate, Microsoft To Do, SharePoint, and other apps for effective task management as part of Microsoft 365.

Microsoft Planner pros:

  • Android and iOS mobile apps to update tasks on the go 
  • Attachment preview and link to display on the Planner

Microsoft Planner cons:

  • Microsoft Planner as a standalone app isn’t a solution for an all-in-one task management tool 
  • Less flexibility with customization and integrations

Pricing:

  • Inquire with Microsoft Planner for subscription plans

Smartsheet

With Smartsheet, you can plan, organize, and manage several tasks at once. Using drag-and-drop cards, card view is one of four perspectives that facilitates task organization. When enabled, the data in the dropdown list, contacts list, or symbols columns determine how the page is organized into a Kanban board. See our Smartsheet Project Management Guide for further details!

Smartsheet pros:

  • Custom branding can be applied to the entire account
  • Cards can be reorganized for better prioritization within the same Kanban board column

Smartsheet cons:

  • Free plan is limited to 2 sheets and 2 editors
  • Not suitable for small agencies 

Pricing:

  • Free €0 – per user/month
  • Pro €7 – per user/month
  • Business €28 – per user/month

Pipefy

Pipefy is a low-code/no-code workflow solution. Members may quickly notify stakeholders about their requirements for on-time delivery, automate processes, and integrate technologies. Businesses looking to grow must implement smart processes, and Pipefy offers a full array of project management tools to help teams get going.

Pipefy pros:

  • Service portals centralize documents, policies, and request forms
  • Native Integrations with Slack, GitHub, BitBucket, and Google Hangouts

Pipefy cons:

  • Mid-sized teams will have to pay a high price tag to build a simple Kanban board
  • Customization options are paid features

Pricing:

  • Free
  • Business $20 – per user/month
  • Enterprise $34 – per user/month

Flow-e

With Flow-e, job management becomes easier by converting Outlook mailboxes into a visual taskboard, akin to a Kanban process. To track work in progress, members can drag and drop cards from the Flow-e inbox into Kanban columns. One of the app’s extra features is a timeline where users can view meetings and reminders.

Flow-e pros:

  • Taskboard with unlimited columns in the free plan 
  • Standalone task cards in the workflow

Flow-e cons:

  • The free plan allows up to two email accounts
  • Not suitable for agile teams who need flexible customization features to build their workflows

Pricing:

  • Inquire with Flow-e for pricing 

Zenhub

Zenhub, an application for agile teams to manage, schedule, and carry out software projects, is the next best Kanban software. Teams may transfer issues between pipelines and give priority to the most important work by using Zenhub Boards in conjunction with a project’s GitHub issues.

Zenhub pros:

  • Different teams can use the same GitHub repos across multiple boards
  • Workflow automation features automatically sync your project as GitHub issues are updated and completed

Zenhub cons:

  • The platform is tailored to software teams
  • Works best if connected to GitHub

Pricing:

  • Zenhub offers free and paid plans starting at $7.95/user per month

Trello

One well-known Kanban product from the Atlassian software family is Trello. Teams may advance work by utilizing Trello’s personalized card and board buttons, which are made up of four essential parts: the Kanban board, cards, lists, and board menu. The options required to control member permissions, search cards, and build automations are available on the board menu. Members may also add vibrant card covers and board backgrounds to add some fun and flair. 

Trello pros:

  • The no-code automation feature, Butler, helps teams save time with administrative tasks
  • Advanced checklists (a paid feature) for granular task assignments

Trello cons:

  • Teams that regularly track multiple projects will need to select a Trello paid plan for unlimited Kanban boards 
  • Task dependencies are not easy to create or update compared to other top Kanban apps on this list  

Pricing:

  • Free $0
  • Standard $5 – per user/month
  • Premium $10 – per user/month
  • Enterprise $17.50 – per user/month

Kanban Tool

With the help of the visual management tool Kanban Tool, teams may restrict work-in-progress, cooperate in real-time, and locate and remove bottlenecks. Members may now manage their projects and examine procedures to increase productivity.

Kanban Tool pros:

  • One-click collapsible columns and swimlanes, allowing focus on specific areas only
  • File attachments with image preview

Kanban Tool cons:

  • Customization capabilities are limited compared to other top Kanban board apps on this list
  • Not suitable for businesses with 2+ team members 

Pricing:

  • Free €0
  • Team €6 – per user/month
  • Enterprise €11 – per user/month

It might take a while to choose the best project management solution, but it doesn’t have to! Sign up for a free teamplate account and take control of your work productivity today!