Trello vs. ProofHub: Which Project Management Tool Wins?

Choosing the right project management software matters. It decides how teams communicate, track their work, and ultimately deliver projects on time. Trello and ProofHub are two tools many project managers often pit against each other. Both aim to boost productivity, but they handle projects and workflows quite differently.

In this comparison, we’ll dig into Trello and ProofHub by looking at their core features, pricing structures, and which teams each tool fits best. By the time you finish, you’ll know which platform aligns with how your team works, what you can spend, and the complexity of your projects. You’ll walk away with the information you need to pick the tool that can actually make your team run more smoothly.

Trello’s Card-Based Approach

Trello changed the game by moving the classic kanban board into the digital world. The bright, simple design tells everyone the project’s status at a glance.

Visual Simplicity and Kanban Boards

Trello shines because it keeps things simple. You make a board for each project, lists for different steps of the workflow, and cards for each task. This layout lets everyone see what’s being worked on, what’s done, and what’s up next.

Moving items around is easy with drag-and-drop. Most team members need little training before they can add a card, change its status, or create a checklist. You can also add color-coded labels to cards so people can quickly see priorities, types of tasks, or who’s responsible for what.

Each card in Trello can hold rich content: long descriptions, step-by-step checklists, due dates, and even file attachments. Comments thread right on the cards, letting teammates discuss small pieces of work without drowning other chats in noise.

Power-Ups for Custom Fit

Trello’s Power-Ups turn the basic kanban setup into a bespoke workspace. Teams can drop in time tracking, flip the board into a calendar view, enable voting on ideas, or sync with external apps. Butler automates repetitive tasks, the Calendar view shows deadlines in one glance, and Google Drive links files right where they’re needed. Boards stay uncluttered because you only turn on the Power-Ups you actually need for each project.

Seamless Collaboration

Trello shines at keeping everyone on the same page. Every board shows a complete activity history, so anyone can check what’s changed, drop a comment, or get a notification for updates they care about. Type @ and the person’s name to pull them into a conversation, ensuring urgent info lands with the right team member.

People can subscribe to certain cards and get updates only for that piece of work. This way, the board stays tidy and everyone knows the status without wading through noise.

ProofHub: One Tool to Rule Them All

ProofHub claims the crown for all-in-one project management. It packs to-do lists, time tracking, discussions, file sharing, and even goal setting, all in one place. No need to juggle different subscriptions or switch apps; everything lives in a single, tidy interface.

All-in-One Project Management Features

ProofHub gives you flexibility with multiple ways to view your projects: pick from kanban boards, Gantt charts, table views, and calendar layouts. This means your team can choose the view that fits your method and your work style, all without jumping to a new tool.

You also get ready-to-go templates for common projects, so you can kick off new work quickly. If your team has a special way of doing things, you can set up custom workflows that lay out every step and approval your project needs.

Managing tasks in ProofHub is smarter than just assigning to-dos. You can link tasks that can’t start until others finish, mark the big milestones you need to hit, and add custom fields for details that matter to your team. The tool then finds the critical path and spots any schedule clashes automatically.

Powerful Proofing and Review Tools

ProofHub shines with its proofing features. Creative teams can upload designs, videos, and documents for input from clients or colleagues. Reviewers can click on any part of the file to leave targeted, clear comments that tie directly to the work.

Everything gets tracked, from the first piece of feedback to the final change. The revision history acts as a full audit trail, which is a huge help when you’re working with clients and need to show exactly what changed and when.

You can also set up approval workflows that mirror your organization’s reporting structure. A project can be set to need one, two, or more approvals before it can move on, so you can be confident that every piece of work has the right sign-off and quality is kept high.

Time Tracking and Resource Management

Time tracking built into the platform helps keep tabs on project profitability and how resources are allocated. Users can click to start a timer on a task or enter their hours after the fact. The system then churns out detailed reports that break down where every hour goes—whether it’s on a project or among different team members.

The resource management tools enable project managers to balance team workloads and spot early warning signs of overload. With the workload view, you can see how many hours each person is assigned and how much capacity they still have, leading to smarter planning choices.

Pricing Structure Comparison

Getting a grip on each platform’s pricing lets teams budget wisely and steer clear of surprise charges when they scale up.

Trello’s Freemium Model

Trello kicks things off with a free tier that covers unlimited personal boards and cards. You get checklists, due dates, and team collaboration on up to ten team boards without opening your wallet.

The Standard plan is $5 per user, per month when paid annually. It lifts limits on Power-Ups, bumps up file size, and adds the calendar view. At $10 per user, per month, the Premium plan layers on timeline view, dashboard view, and fancy checklists.

Enterprise pricing begins at $17.50 per user, per month, unlocking advanced security, admin controls, and priority support.

ProofHub’s Simple Pricing Model

ProofHub keeps things straightforward with flat pricing that doesn’t change based on user counts. For $45 a month, the Essentials plan lets you add as many team members as you need. The Ultimate Control plan, which offers extra features, is $89 a month.

This pricing is a huge plus for bigger teams. If you have 15 members, you’d fork out $150 a month for Trello’s Premium plan but only $45 for ProofHub Essentials. The more members you add, the more you save.

Both plans come with every single feature, but Ultimate Control throws in options for white-label branding and more ways to customize your setup.

Strong Integration Ecosystem

Today’s teams juggle a bunch of different tools, so solid integrations are a must for smooth workflows.

Trello’s Power-Up Ecosystem

Trello’s Power-Up Marketplace has hundreds of integrations with the tools businesses already use. You can connect Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox, GitHub, Salesforce, and many more. The Butler Power-Up lets you set up automated workflows to cut down on busywork.

If those options aren’t enough, teams can tap the API for custom integrations or use Zapier to connect with almost anything.

This rich ecosystem keeps teams focused on what they do best without starting from scratch. For example, the Slack Power-Up lets you add new Trello cards and get real-time updates straight in your Slack channel, so you never need to switch tools.

ProofHub’s Core Integrations

ProofHub has a smaller integration lineup than Trello, concentrating on key business apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive, along with major email services. You can also link popular time trackers and accounting software.

Though the choices are fewer, ProofHub’s all-in-one feature set cuts down the need for many outside tools. Teams may find they actually require less connecting since so many functions are built right in.

This all-in-one design can be a big plus for groups that prefer every tool in a single workspace instead of juggling multiple app integrations.

Choosing for Team Size and Project Complexity

The best tool for you will largely be shaped by your team size, how complicated your projects are, and your future growth goals.

Small Team Vibes

Small teams of 5 to 10 usually like Trello’s clean and fast setup. Its kanban boards require little training, letting everyone jump in and start arranging tasks right away.

Trello’s free tier gives a lot of power for teams with basic project needs. As work gets more involved, the same board can grow with upgraded features.

ProofHub, with its single flat-rate price, can also be a smart pick for speedy-growing small teams. All the premium tools are unlocked from the start, so moving to a pricier plan down the road isn’t necessary.

Large Team Requirements

When teams grow, they quickly find value in ProofHub’s flat-rate pricing. As headcount climbs, so do savings, helping fast-growing organizations stick to budgets. For groups needing structure, ProofHub delivers powerful tools. Gantt charts, resource tracking, and in-depth reporting handle complicated projects. Managers can create roles, set permissions, and keep everyone aligned, no matter how big the team gets.

Trello, known for its clean interface, can hit ceilings as projects grow in complexity. The board and card format still works, but intricate tasks may require Wizards and Power-Ups to fill gaps. While the setup flexibility lets teams build what they need, that extra configuration must be planned and tested to stick.

Industry-Specific Applications

Different industries have different rules for project management, so the right tool can depend on the sector.

Creative and Marketing Teams

Creative teams prefer ProofHub because they can mark up images and videos live, mesh edits and conversations in one timeline, and keep revisions clear. The built-in proofing tools keep critiques from wandering and make final sign-off cleaner.

Marketing teams like ProofHub for campaign planning. Custom fields let them track leads, costs, and performance side-by-side, while clear reports show what’s working. The roadmap of milestones keeps timelines in sync.

Trello shines for creatives that visualize projects as moving stages. Customizable cards, colored labels, and checklist templates morph boards into specific pipelines for different types of work and different clients. The drag-and-drop feel keeps everyone on the same page, from initial concept to final delivery.

Software Development Teams

Most development squads are drawn to Trello because it can stretch and flex into whatever they need. It hooks right up to tools they already use, like GitHub, Jira, and any code vaults they run.

With Trello’s card system, moving tasks through Scrum sprints and Kanban queues feels almost natural. Teams can set up one board for the coming sprint, another for the backlog, and a spot for bugs that just can’t wait.

For those who like to keep everything within one dashboard, ProofHub gets the nod. It crams project planning, time tracking, and messaging into one roof, which helps spot trouble hours and get accurate project quotes faster.

Professional Services and Consulting

Firms that bill by the hour are fans of ProofHub’s strong client-facing tools. It can spit out reports that show exactly what was done, while the time tracker links right to invoices, so hours spent and dollars billed never go out of sync.

On the other hand, consulting teams that jump from project to project love Trello’s one-click board setup. They spin up a fresh board for every client and use it to show the client where the project stands, keeping everyone in the loop without extra email chains.

Security and Compliance Features

When teams start handling sensitive client files or proprietary code, security stops being a nice-to-have and turns into a must.

Trello’s Security Measures

Trello rolls out industry-standard security: data gets locked up in transit, accounts can use two-factor key fobs, and the servers get tested by security pros on a regular cadence. For teams on the Enterprise plan, single sign-on, tighter admin settings, and extra data checks come along for the ride.

The platform meets all the key security standards and regulations for modern businesses. But if your team has very strict compliance rules, you might still want to add extra security layers.

ProofHub’s Security Setup

ProofHub comes with full security features like SSL encryption, constant data backups, and strong access controls. These security layers protect your data according to the best industry standards.

The Ultimate Control plan goes a step further by offering white-label choices and stronger security settings. This is perfect for organizations that insist on custom branding and tight security.

Making the Smart Choice

To decide between Trello and ProofHub, think about a few key points.

First, look at your team size and budget. ProofHub’s flat-rate pricing is cheaper for groups larger than 10. For smaller groups, Trello’s free version or per-user fees might make more sense.

Next, check your project complexity and features. If you need advanced tools like Gantt charts and resource tracking, ProofHub is the better fit. For teams that want a simple and adaptable tool, Trello works well.

Finally, consider the tools you’re already using. Trello connects to a wide range of apps, making it good if your team relies on many niche tools. ProofHub’s all-in-one setup can replace multiple separate apps, which keeps things streamlined.

Choose the Platform That Fits Your Workflow

When picking between Trello and ProofHub, it really comes down to how your team likes to work. Trello shines with its easy, card-based boards that let you drag and drop tasks. It connects smoothly with lots of other apps, making it great for teams that want a light, visual tool. On the other hand, ProofHub bundles everything your team might need—timelines, discussions, time tracking, and file proofing—into one price, no surprises.

So which one is best for you? Think about your team size, how often you work with clients, and whether having everything under one roof is a must. Fewer people might love Trello’s clean look, while larger teams juggling multiple projects could save time with ProofHub’s all-in-one setup.