Best Project Portfolio Management (PPM) Software (2026)
Quick answer: Our top pick is Smartsheet, followed by Hive and Microsoft Project. Entry prices start near $10/mo. All 5 are compared below on price, strengths and the key trade-off of each, so you can match one to your needs.
Choosing the right tool here comes down to fit, not hype. This guide rounds up the 5 tools we'd actually recommend for this job, with what each does best, what it costs, and who should pick it.
We looked at where each tool genuinely earns its keep for this use case, what the entry tier really costs, and who walks away happy. Pricing reflects public plans at the time of writing.
Free Personal plan (up to 10-15 seats); Starter from ~$10.99/user/mo; Advanced ~$24.99/user/mo; Enterprise and Enterprise+ custom (billed annually; monthly billing higher).
Cross-functional teams
The picks, ranked
1. Smartsheet spreadsheet-based PM
Spreadsheet-like interface scaled into enterprise work and project management, with Gantt, automation, dashboards and strong portfolio/PPM capabilities. Best suited to teams that care most about spreadsheet power users.
Why it's on this list: A spreadsheet interface scaled into enterprise work management, Gantt and portfolio reporting. Aimed squarely at spreadsheet-driven enterprise teams and PMOs needing PPM, dashboards and IT/ops tracking.
Standout features:
Dashboards and reports for portfolio roll-ups
Forms for data collection into sheets
Standout strength: Free plan exposes grid, Gantt, card and calendar views.
Worth knowing: Max file size is 30 MB on Pro, 250 MB on higher plans.
Pricing: Free (1 user, limited); Pro from ~$9/user/mo; Business ~$19/user/mo; Enterprise custom (billed annually).
Flexible project and work management with multiple project views, native chat, time tracking and a growing AI assistant, aimed at collaborative teams. Best suited to teams that care most about collaborative cross-team work.
Why it's on this list: Project management that bundles native chat and an AI assistant alongside Gantt, Kanban and calendar views. Built for collaborative cross-functional teams wanting PM plus built-in chat in one workspace.
Standout features:
Hive AI assistant (Buzz) for planning and content
Multiple project views: Gantt/timeline, Kanban, calendar and table
Standout strength: Flexible views suit different team styles.
Worth knowing: Free plan supports up to 10 workspace members with 200 MB storage.
Pricing: Free plan; Starter from ~$5/user/mo; Teams ~$12/user/mo; Enterprise custom (billed annually; verify current tiers).
Microsoft's classic project scheduling and portfolio tool with powerful Gantt, critical path, resource management and Power Platform/Teams integration. A strong default when traditional/waterfall project managers is the priority.
Why it's on this list: Microsoft's classic powerhouse for detailed Gantt scheduling, critical path and enterprise portfolios. A natural fit for traditional/waterfall project managers in Microsoft 365 orgs needing detailed scheduling and PPM.
Standout features:
Project financials, budgeting and costing (Plan 3+)
Enterprise portfolio and demand management (Plan 5)
Standout strength: Mature resource and portfolio management.
Worth knowing: Critical path, baselines and the desktop client require Plan 3 or higher.
Pricing: Project Plan 1 from ~$10/user/mo; Plan 3 ~$30/user/mo; Plan 5 ~$55/user/mo (cloud, billed monthly/annually; on-premise editions separate).
All-in-one project management combining tasks, milestones, docs, chat and time tracking in one workspace, with a strong free tier for small teams. A strong default when small to mid-size teams is the priority.
Why it's on this list: An all-in-one workspace tying tasks to milestones, with docs and chat, plus unlimited members on free. Built for small-to-mid teams wanting one milestone-driven workspace for tasks, docs and chat.
Standout features:
Time tracking and workload reporting
Multiple views (List, Kanban, Calendar, Timeline)
Standout strength: All-in-one workspace (tasks, docs, chat, time) at a modest price.
Worth knowing: Combines tasks, milestones, docs, chat and time tracking in one tool.
Pricing: Free plan; Starter from ~$7/member/mo; Pro ~$10/member/mo; Business ~$16/member/mo; Enterprise custom (billed annually).
Polished, widely adopted work-management platform with strong task tracking, timelines, portfolios and a deep automation/AI layer for cross-functional teams. Picked here for how cleanly it handles cross-functional teams.
Why it's on this list: A broad, refined work-management platform that scales from a free personal board to enterprise portfolios. A natural fit for cross-functional marketing/ops teams scaling from free to enterprise who want polish and many views.
Standout features:
Workflow Builder and unlimited rule-based automations (paid plans)
Goals, Portfolios and Portfolio Workload for cross-project tracking
Standout strength: Strong free Personal plan and a clear upgrade path to enterprise.
Worth knowing: Guests / external collaborators are free and unlimited on all paid plans.
Pricing: Free Personal plan (up to 10-15 seats); Starter from ~$10.99/user/mo; Advanced ~$24.99/user/mo; Enterprise and Enterprise+ custom (billed annually; monthly billing higher).
Don't over-think the ranking: the gap between adjacent picks is small. Decide what you can't compromise on — price, a specific strength, or learning curve — and let that pick for you. Free tiers and trials mean a 30-minute hands-on test beats another hour of reading.
FAQ
What is the best option in this list?
For most people, Smartsheet is the strongest all-round pick in this guide, but the right choice depends on your budget and exact workflow.
Are there free options?
Yes — Hive and Nifty offer a free plan or tier, so you can validate fit before paying. Check each entry's pricing line above.
How were these tools chosen?
Each pick is judged on fit for the specific job in this guide — its real strengths, pricing and who it suits — using features and facts drawn from independent reviews and the vendors' own documentation, cited in Sources below.
How often is this guide updated?
We revisit pricing and rankings regularly as vendors change plans and ship features.
Sources
The features, strengths and facts cited for each pick above are drawn from these independent reviews and vendor pages: