monday.com vs Trello: Which Project Management Tool Is Better in 2026?
monday.com
From $9Trello
From $5Quick verdict
Overall pick: monday.com
Choose monday.com if you need native time tracking, built-in docs, and a broader set of project views, and are willing to pay a higher per-seat starting price. Choose Trello if your priority is a low-cost, simple Kanban board for small teams or personal task management, and you can work without native time tracking or built-in docs. monday.com is better for operations and non-technical teams that need more built-in functionality, while Trello is better for small teams and personal boards.
- Trello's entry plan ($5) is 44% cheaper than monday.com's ($9).
- Both offer a free plan, so you can test them side by side at no cost.
- Only monday.com offers: native time tracking, built-in docs / wiki.
Cost calculator
| Tool | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| monday.com · per user | $45.00 | $540 |
| Trello · per user | $25.00 | $300 |
Based on entry-level paid plans. Prices change, so check the vendor before you buy.
Which one should you choose?
| If you need… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Team needs native time tracking | monday.com | monday.com includes native time tracking, while Trello does not. |
| Team needs built-in docs or wiki | monday.com | monday.com includes built-in docs, while Trello does not. |
| Small team or personal task board on a tight budget | Trello | Trello starts at $5 per seat versus $9 per seat for monday.com, and both offer a free plan. |
| Operations or non-technical teams needing a customizable work OS | monday.com | monday.com is positioned for operations teams and non-technical teams, with Kanban, Gantt, automations, guest access, AI assistant, and API all included. |
| Simple visual Kanban for small teams | Trello | Trello is positioned for small teams and personal task boards and provides Kanban boards, automations, guest access, AI assistant, and API. |
Feature comparison: monday.com vs Trello
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✅ | ✅ |
| Starting price | $9 /user/mo | $5 /user/mo |
| Kanban boards | ✅ | ✅ |
| Gantt / timeline view | ✅ | ✅ |
| Native time tracking | ✅ | — |
| Built-in docs / wiki | ✅ | — |
| Workflow automations | ✅ | ✅ |
| Guest / client access | ✅ | ✅ |
| AI assistant | ✅ | ✅ |
| Public API | ✅ | ✅ |
Highlighted rows are where the tools differ.
Pros and cons
monday.com
- Includes native time tracking, which Trello lacks.
- Includes built-in docs, which Trello lacks.
- Offers Kanban, Gantt, automations, guest access, AI assistant, and API.
- Positioned for operations teams and non-technical teams.
- Starting price is $9 per seat, higher than Trello's $5 per seat.
- Billing is per seat, so costs scale with team size.
Trello
- Lower starting price at $5 per seat compared with monday.com's $9 per seat.
- Offers a free plan.
- Includes Kanban boards, automations, guest access, AI assistant, and API.
- Positioned for small teams and personal task boards.
- No native time tracking.
- No built-in docs or wiki.
- Billing is per seat, so costs scale with team size.
At a glance
Customizable work OS with colourful boards.
Founded 2012 · From $9 · 8/8 tracked features
Best for: operations teams, non-technical teams
See monday.com alternatives →Simple, visual Kanban boards.
Founded 2011 · From $5 · 6/8 tracked features
Best for: small teams, personal task boards
See Trello alternatives →FAQ
Is monday.com cheaper than Trello?
No. monday.com starts at $9 per seat, while Trello starts at $5 per seat. Both offer a free plan.
Does Trello have native time tracking?
No. Trello does not include native time tracking, while monday.com does.
Does Trello include built-in docs or a wiki?
No. Trello does not include built-in docs, while monday.com does.
Do both tools offer Kanban boards and Gantt views?
Yes. Both monday.com and Trello include Kanban boards and Gantt / timeline views.
Which tool is better for small teams or personal task boards?
Trello is positioned for small teams and personal task boards, and it has a lower starting price per seat than monday.com.
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Data last reviewed: pending verification. All Project Management tools →