Best Upwave Alternatives in 2026
The top Upwave alternatives are ClickUp, Asana and monday.com: 15 work management software our editors would look at instead of Upwave, in our ranking order.
Upwave: Visual boards and work reports, with time tracking and portfolio views on higher plans. Where it falls short: there is no free plan; upwave offers a 14-day free trial..
Switching from Upwave? For most work management software buyers the best Upwave alternative is ClickUp, built for feature-rich teams seeking low entry pricing. On a budget, Zoho Projects starts at $5/user/mo.
Why People Look for an Upwave Alternative
- There is no free plan; Upwave offers a 14-day free trial
- Basic has project reports, while team reports and portfolio overviews are on Business
- Enterprise support and migration assistance sit behind the highest plan
- No free plan — 8 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallClickUp9.4
Feature-rich teams seeking low entry pricing
Visit ClickUp - Lowest priceZoho Projects8.8
Paid plans from $5/user/mo
Visit Zoho Projects - Best free optionClickUp9.4
Has a free plan (Upwave has none)
Visit ClickUp
All 15 Upwave Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forFeature-rich teams seeking low entry pricing
- Better than Upwave:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.4 vs 6.2
A feature-rich work hub with broad views, automation, AI, and low annual entry pricing.
9.4/10★★★★★Visit ClickUp -
Best forTeams wanting complete, mature work management
- Better than Upwave:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.3 vs 6.2
A mature work management suite spanning tasks, projects, portfolios, reporting, and automation.
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Asana -
Best forTeams prioritizing integrations and visual boards
- Better than Upwave:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.2 vs 6.2
A flexible work hub with strong integrations, visual views, and tiered limits.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit monday.com -
Best forMature teams needing resource and capacity planning
- Better than Upwave:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.1 vs 6.2
A mature work management platform with strong planning, reporting, and integration depth.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Wrike -
Best forOrganizations already using Microsoft 365
- Better than Upwave:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.0 vs 6.2
A Microsoft 365-centered planner with capable premium project controls.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forEnterprise teams needing configurable work operations
- Better than Upwave:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 6.2
A configurable work platform for enterprise planning, automation, reporting, and governance.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Smartsheet -
Best forBudget-conscious teams needing deep project controls
- Better than Upwave:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.8 vs 6.2
Deep project controls at a low annual entry price, with a capable free plan.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Zoho Projects -
Best forEnterprise creative and marketing operations
- Better than Upwave:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 6.2
A broad work management suite for complex enterprise creative and marketing operations.
8.7/10★★★★☆Try Adobe Workfront -
Best forClient-service teams managing budgets and profitability
- Better than Upwave:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.6 vs 6.2
A strong fit for service teams that need projects, capacity, billable time, and margins together.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Teamwork.com -
Best forEnterprise PMOs combining strategy and delivery
- Better than Upwave:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 6.2
A broad enterprise SPM suite for connecting strategic priorities with delivery work.
- Resource planning
- Timeline views
- Portfolio management
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit ServiceNow -
Best forEnterprise portfolio and investment planning
- Better than Upwave:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 6.2
A deep enterprise platform for aligning strategy, investment, delivery, and capacity.
- Resource planning
- Custom fields
- Timeline views
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Planisware -
Best forLarge organizations needing portfolio governance
- Better than Upwave:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 6.2
A broad work management platform for complex portfolio governance.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Planview -
Best forConstruction and capital-project scheduling teams
- Better than Upwave:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 6.2
A specialized work management platform for construction scheduling and capital planning.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Oracle -
Best forOpen-source teams needing structured project control
- Better than Upwave:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.1 vs 6.2
A structured, self-hostable work manager for teams that need project control.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit OpenProject -
Best forProfessional-services teams needing financial workflows
- Better than Upwave:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 6.2
A broad work management suite for teams that need projects and financial workflows together.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Scoro
Upwave Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Upwave?
ClickUp: #1 in our Work Management Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A feature-rich work hub with broad views, automation, AI, and low annual entry pricing.
Is there a free alternative to Upwave?
Yes. ClickUp, Asana, monday.com, Wrike and Microsoft Planner have a free plan or a free tier (8 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Upwave?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Zoho Projects starts lowest, at $5/user/mo.
Why do people look for Upwave alternatives?
There is no free plan; Upwave offers a 14-day free trial; Basic has project reports, while team reports and portfolio overviews are on Business; Enterprise support and migration assistance sit behind the highest plan.
How do I switch from Upwave?
Export your data from Upwave (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Upwave.
How to Switch from Upwave
- Export your data from Upwave (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Upwave.
Upwave vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Upwave | No | 6.2 | |
| 1 | ClickUp | Yes | $7/user/mo | 9.4 |
| 2 | Asana | Yes | $10.99/user/mo | 9.3 |
| 3 | monday.com | Yes | $9/seat/mo | 9.2 |
| 4 | Wrike | Yes | $10/user/mo | 9.1 |
| 5 | Microsoft Planner | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 6 | Smartsheet | No | $12/user/mo | 8.9 |
| 7 | Zoho Projects | Yes | $5/user/mo | 8.8 |
| 8 | Adobe Workfront | No | 8.7 | |
| 9 | Teamwork.com | Yes | 8.6 | |
| 10 | ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management | 8.5 | ||
| 11 | Planisware Enterprise | No | 8.4 | |
| 12 | Planview AdaptiveWork | 8.3 | ||
| 13 | Oracle Primavera Cloud | 8.2 | ||
| 14 | OpenProject | Yes | €5.95/user/mo | 8.1 |
| 15 | Scoro | No | $17/user/mo | 8.0 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update