Best Simple Project Management Tools for Agencies (2026)

Quick picks

Short on time? Start with these picks, then scroll for details and trade‑offs.

ToolBest forLink
PlakyGood fit for agencies that want a straightforward setup and a clear workflow.See current pricing

Before you choose, sanity‑check these:

  • Do you need a client portal or just internal workflows?
  • Do you need approvals/sign‑offs (and an audit trail)?
  • Which integrations are non‑negotiable (email, accounting, calendar, Slack)?
  • How fast do you need to be live (today vs. next week)?

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Last updated: 8 Jan 2026

If your agency needs a delivery board that stays simple (and doesn’t turn into a full-time admin job), start here. These picks are easy to adopt, easy to keep clean, and still strong enough for client work.

If you just want a fast answer:

  • Plaky if you want simple boards, clear owners, and low friction for small teams.
  • Trello if you want the simplest kanban flow and you already live in cards.
  • Asana if you want a bit more structure (tasks + timelines) without the bloat.
Quick path picker
Pick your workflow — we’ll highlight the best fit in the table below.
1 What’s your work mostly?

No JS? Use the quick comparison below.

2 What matters most right now?
3 How much setup can you tolerate?

Less generic, more useful:

Pick based on how you work (not “best overall”)

These fit checks are derived from the shortlists in ClickUp Alternatives for Agencies (2026) — use them to choose the fastest “good enough” tool for your agency.

If your priority is Agency delivery visibility

  • Great dashboards and easy adoption
  • Setup: 1–2 hours • Pricing: Paid

Best bet: monday.com

Avoid if: Can sprawl if you create too many boards

If your priority is Structured PM

  • Clean task management and good governance
  • Setup: 1–2 hours • Pricing: Paid

Best bet: Asana

Avoid if: Less “database” flexibility than ClickUp

If your priority is Docs + lightweight PM

  • Great for SOPs + lightweight projects
  • Setup: Half day • Pricing: Paid

Best bet: Notion

Avoid if: Not a true PM tool for complex workloads

Pick based on what you’re trying to control

Most agencies don’t fail because the tool is missing features — they fail because the tool becomes “too much”. Pick the simplest tool that still enforces: ownership, next action, and client visibility.

Quick comparison

ToolBest forWatch out
PlakySimple boards for agency delivery and handoffsKeep workflows minimal; avoid too many custom fields
TrelloPure kanban and lightweight client-facing boardsReporting/portfolio features are limited without add-ons
AsanaMore structure (tasks, timelines) without going full enterpriseCan get complex if you overuse projects/tags

Plaky

Best for: agencies that want a clean delivery board with minimal setup and clear accountability.

  • Great when you want a board that new team members can understand in 5 minutes.
  • Works well for “one board per client” or “one board per service line”.
  • Pair it with your SOP/templates so the board stays consistent.

See Plaky pricing

Prefer homepage? Visit Plaky

Trello

Best for: teams that want the simplest kanban flow and strong “card-based” habits.

  • Very low friction adoption.
  • Good for client-facing status boards (simple, readable).
  • Plan for add‑ons if you need reporting at scale.

Asana

Best for: agencies that want more structure than a board (tasks, timelines, dependencies) but still want it approachable.

  • Great when you manage multi-step delivery across roles.
  • Strong for planning; keep day-to-day execution simple.
  • Be disciplined about projects and tags to avoid sprawl.

Bottom line

If you want the simplest “agency delivery board” that your team will actually keep clean, start with Plaky. If you already have strong card habits, Trello is a safe default. Use Asana when you need a bit more structure without going heavyweight.

Templates to keep it simple