When it comes to selecting project management software, teams have a wide range of options, including Wrike and Asana. Both of these tools are fantastic for managing tasks and projects; however, there are slight differences in each project management solution’s approach and features.

We’ll compare and contrast Asana and Wrike based on the features that any of the best project management platforms should have built-in. For this feature comparison, we’ll be looking at the enterprise versions of Wrike and Asana.

SEE: Hiring kit: Project manager (TechRepublic Premium)

Jump to:

Wrike vs. Asana: Features comparison

FeaturesWrikeAsana
Task managementYesNo
Team collaborationYesYes
CustomizationYesYes
IntegationsYesYes
ReportingYesYes
Time trackingYesNo
Unlimited storageNoYes
Free planYesYes
Starting price (billed monthly)$9.80 per user per month$13.49 per user per month

What is Wrike?

The Wrike logo.
Image: Wrike

Wrike is a popular project and work management tool from Citrix. The Wrike platform is highly customizable, offering everything from custom workflows to custom dashboards. Wrike’s other key features include real-time project management and end-to-end visibility for all projects and tasks, as well as robust security elements. Besides the cloud portal, it is available as a mobile app for iOS and Android as well as desktop app for both Windows and Mac, which is why it made our list of the top project management software for Mac users in 2023.

For more information, read our full Wrike review.

What is Asana?

The Asana logo.
Image: Asana

Asana is a cloud-based tool for simple task and project management. Asana is known for its ability to enable teams to easily track all aspects of a project, collaborate in real-time and manage their resources. Besides the cloud portal, it is available as a mobile app for iOS and Android as well as desktop app for both Windows and Mac.

For more information, read our full Asana review.

SEE: 6 best cloud-based project management software for 2023

Wrike and Asana pricing

Both Wrike and Asana offer forever free plans — which is why they both made our list of the best free project management software — as well as several different levels of paid plans. Wrike offers more flexibility in terms of pricing plans, with four pricing levels besides the free one in addition to a 14-day free trial. Wrike’s pricing plans are as follows:

  • Free: $0 per user per month.
  • Team: $9.80 per user per month.
  • Business: $24.80 per user per month.
  • Enterprise: Quote available upon request.
  • Pinnacle: Quote available upon request.

See the full Wrike review for a more complete breakdown of these pricing plans and which features are supported on which plans.

Meanwhile, Asana only offers two paid plans beyond the forever free plan in addition to a 30-day free trial. Asana’s pricing plans are as follows:

  • Basic: $0 per user per month.
  • Premium: $10.99 per user per month billed annually, or $13.49 per user per month billed monthly.
  • Business: $24.99 per user per month billed annually, or $30.49 per user per month billed monthly.

See the full Asana review for a more complete breakdown of these pricing plans and which features are supported on which plans.

Feature comparison: Wrike vs. Asana

Task management

Wrike and Asana are excellent tools for managing project tasks, and they’re similar in their approach. For example, both Wrike and Asana enable teams to add tasks, sort tasks by due date, attach files to tasks and set deadlines. Each project management tool allows teams to add subtasks to tasks, so breaking down work is simple.

Both Wrike and Asana allow teams to view tasks in the way they see fit. Asana offers several views, including list view, kanban boards and timelines (which are essentially Gantt charts). Wrike offers up to 10 different views such as Table view, Gantt Chart and Stream.

A key difference lies in their time-tracking capabilities, which is important when managing tasks and resources. Wrike has a built-in time tracking tool. Asana lacks time tracking, so you’ll need to use a third-party integration, which is a minor annoyance. For more recommendations, see our list of the 6 best software for project management time tracking in 2023.

Figure A

A Wrike Gantt timeline for a campaign.
Image: Wrike. A Wrike Gantt timeline for a campaign.

Team collaboration

When it comes to managing projects, team collaboration matters. Fortunately, Wrike and Asana are both built for simplified collaboration. Wrike and Asana allow teams to comment on tasks, upload attachments for context and create shared team calendars.

These two project management tools also offer more robust collaboration tools such as proofing, which helps keep feedback streamlined in a single platform. Both tools also integrate with email platforms if your teams prefer to communicate that way.

There are some differences between these tools’ collaboration features. For example, with Wrike, teams can edit task descriptions simultaneously via the live editor; Asana does not support this feature.

Figure B

An Asana cross-functional project plan showing a typical list view.
Image: Asana. An Asana cross-functional project plan showing a typical list view.

Customization

No two organizations manage projects exactly the same, which is why customization is critical when selecting project management software. Wrike and Asana offer many customizations, which teams can use to personalize their workspaces.

Both project management tools allow teams to build custom workflows. In Asana, teams can use the Workflow Builder, a visual tool for creating automated work processes. In Wrike, teams can use the Automation Engine to do the same. Features like this are why both Asana and Wrike landed our list of the best workflow management software for 2023.

Integrations

Wrike and Asana offer a huge library of integrations teams can choose from. Popular integrations for Wrike include Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Gmail, Jira and Slack. Popular integrations for Asana include all of these options as well as Adobe Creative Cloud, Tableau, Clockwise and Zapier.

SEE: 7 best project portfolio management (PPM) software for 2023

Wrike pros and cons

Pros of Wrike

  • Strong roadmap and time management functionality.
  • Strong user community support.
  • Good company service and support.
  • High scalability up to complex projects.
  • Collaboration between internal and external groups.
  • Powerful workflow automation capabilities and analytics.

Cons of Wrike

  • Not intuitive for users new to the software.
  • Better for more complex workloads.
  • UX can be a challenge to navigate.
  • Dashboard options are limited.
  • High-price premium tier means smaller companies will miss the best features.

Asana pros and cons

Pros of Asana

  • Ease of project setup and integration with clients.
  • Intuitive, user-friendly interface.
  • Ease of assigning tasks and tagging.
  • User-friendly tools such as drag-and-drop.
  • Portfolios feature which lets users customize and group projects.

Cons of Asana

  • Powerful features locked in premium price tier.
  • New users might have a hard time understanding the Asana interface.
  • No auto-shifting for related tasks.
  • Limited scalability for large teams.
  • No source-code integration.

Review methodology

To compare these two platforms, we read product documentation, consulted user reviews and tested the software. We considered factors such as price, user friendliness, user interface, project views, task management and more.

Should your organization use Wrike or Asana?

Wrike is one of the most fully featured project management software platforms out there, although you do need to pay for one of the higher-tier pricing plans in order to get access to all the functionality. Thus, Wrike is well-suited to medium or large businesses who need a certain level of project management support. However, it may be overwhelming for small businesses who don’t have such complex project needs.

Asana doesn’t have quite as many features when compared directly to Wrike, though its functionality will be more than enough for many teams. This makes it less overwhelming for smaller companies, which is why we named it the best overall on our list of the best project management software for small businesses. If Wrike feels like too much for your needs, then Asana is a worthy alternative.

Thankfully, both tools offer free trials so you can test them before committing to a plan. They also offer forever free plans if you want to test them over a longer period of time and are okay with a more limited feature set. If neither tool fits your needs, there are plenty of other project management tools out there. Check out our top picks for the best project management software for 2023.

Featured partners

1 monday.com

Visit website

monday.com Work OS is the project management software that helps you and your team plan, execute, and track projects and workflows in one collaborative space. Manage everything from simple to complex projects more efficiently with the help of visual boards, 200+ ready-made templates, clever no-code automations, and easy integrations. In addition, custom dashboards simplify reporting, so you can evaluate your progress and make data-driven decisions.

Learn more about monday.com

2 Quickbase

Visit website

Big ideas aren’t simple to execute. So we’re here to help you tackle any project, no matter how complex. We’re Quickbase.

Quickbase helps customers see, connect and control complex projects that reshape our world. Whether it’s raising a skyscraper or coordinating vaccine rollouts, the no-code software platform allows business users to custom fit solutions to the way they work – using information from across the systems they already have.

Learn more about Quickbase

3 Wrike

Visit website

Wrike’s top-notch workflow management software allows you to easily visualize priorities, boost collaboration, and maintain control of your projects. Bonus: you can move seamlessly between apps, without logging in or out. Wrike has more than 400+ integrations with popular platforms such as Google, Dropbox, Microsoft Office, and many more. Automation and AI features strip away time-consuming admin tasks so you can do the best work of your life.

Learn more about Wrike

4 WorkOtter

Visit website

WorkOtter is the #1 ranked SaaS project, resource, and portfolio management solution. WorkOtter is disrupting PPM with features, world class support, and visual dashboards that make your PMOs look brilliant.

Learn more about WorkOtter

5 ClickUp

Visit website

ClickUp is one of the highest-rated project management tools today. Use Docs, Reminders, Goals, Calendars, Chat, scheduling, assigned comments, custom views, & more with this all-in-one project management tool.

Used by 800,000+ teams in companies like Airbnb, Google, and Uber, it brings all of your projects into a single app! Built for teams of all sizes and industries, Our fully customizable & proprietary features make it a must-have for anyone wanting to keep project management in one place.

Learn more about ClickUp

Subscribe to the Project Management Insider Newsletter

Subscribe to Project Management Insider for best practices, reviews and resources. From project scheduling software to project planning apps, stay up to date with the latest in project management tools. Delivered Wednesdays

Subscribe to the Project Management Insider Newsletter

Subscribe to Project Management Insider for best practices, reviews and resources. From project scheduling software to project planning apps, stay up to date with the latest in project management tools. Delivered Wednesdays