Monday.com vs Trello
Last updated: 2026-07-11
Monday.com and Trello are both project management tools, but at very different complexity levels. Monday.com is a feature-rich platform with multiple views, automation, dashboards, and time tracking. Trello is the simplest Kanban tool — boards, lists, cards, and not much else. Your choice is between power and simplicity.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | popular Monday.com | best Trello |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0/mo (Free, up to 2 users) | $0/mo (Free) |
| Free trial | Free plan available (up to 2 users) | Free plan available (10 boards, unlimited cards) |
| Best for | Visual project management with colour-coding | Simple Kanban project management |
| Free plan | 2 users, 3 boards | 10 boards, unlimited cards |
| Starting price | $9/user/mo (Basic), $12/user/mo (Standard) | — |
| Views | Board, Timeline, Calendar, Gantt, Map | Board (Kanban), Table, Calendar, Map |
| Time tracking | Pro plan+ | — |
| Automation | Standard plan+ | Butler (built-in no-code automation) |
| Dashboard | Pro plan+ | — |
| API access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrations | 200+ apps | Slack, Google Drive, Zapier |
| Support | Email + chat (24/7 on Enterprise) | Community (Free), Email (Paid) |
| Starting paid price | — | $5/user/mo (Standard), $10/user/mo (Premium) |
| Power-Ups | — | 100+ integrations |
| Checklists | — | ✓ |
| Labels | — | ✓ |
Monday.com Pros & Cons
Pros
- Highly visual — colour-coded boards make status obvious
- Very flexible — can adapt to any workflow type
- Multiple views — board, timeline, calendar, Gantt, map
- Built-in time tracking on Pro plan
- Good automation builder (no-code workflows)
- Strong reporting and dashboard features
Cons
- Free plan very limited (2 users, 3 boards)
- Can feel overwhelming — lots of options
- No built-in goals/milestones (unlike Asana)
- Pricing per user — expensive for large teams
- Learning curve for advanced features
Trello Pros & Cons
Pros
- Simplest Kanban interface — boards, lists, cards
- Free plan covers small teams (10 boards, unlimited cards)
- Easy to learn — no training required
- Good mobile app
- Power-Ups extend functionality (integrations, automation)
Cons
- Very limited for complex projects — no Gantt, timelines, or dependencies
- Free plan limited to 10 boards and 1 Power-Up per board
- No built-in time tracking or reporting
- Not suitable for teams > 20 people
- Can become cluttered with large card counts
Final Verdict
If your team has outgrown simple Kanban boards and needs timelines, dashboards, automation, and time tracking, Monday.com is the upgrade. If you just need simple, visual task management and don't want a learning curve, Trello's free plan (10 boards) is hard to beat. Many teams start with Trello and switch to Monday.com or Asana as their needs grow.
Our pick: Trello (simplicity) / Monday.com (features)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trello really free?
Trello's free plan includes 10 boards, unlimited cards, unlimited lists, and 1 Power-Up per board. It's genuinely usable for small teams. The Standard plan ($5/user/mo) adds unlimited boards and more Power-Ups.
Does Trello have Gantt charts or timelines?
No. Trello is Kanban-only (with table, calendar, and map views on paid plans). If you need Gantt charts, timelines, or dependencies, use Monday.com, Asana, or ClickUp instead.
Can Trello handle complex projects?
Trello can handle moderately complex projects with checklists, labels, due dates, and Power-Ups. But for projects with dependencies, resource allocation, and detailed reporting, Monday.com or Asana are better suited.