Skip to content
Start here
Project Management

Trello vs Asana: Which Project Management Tool Should You Choose in 2026?

The simplest Kanban board in the category against a full project-planning platform. Here is what each costs, and the point at which a team outgrows Trello.

Trello logoFree, from $5/user/mo

Trello

VS
Asana logoFree (2 users), from $10.99/seat/mo

Asana

Bottom line Editorial assessment

Which is better, Trello or Asana?

Choose Trello if your team works mostly within individual boards and wants the lowest cost; choose Asana if you coordinate several projects and need timelines, dependencies, and reporting. Trello Standard is $5/user/mo billed annually versus $10.99/seat/mo for Asana Starter, and Trello's free plan covers up to 10 collaborators per Workspace, compared with 2 users on Asana's free plan.

Quick verdict: Trello is less than half Asana’s price per seat ($5 vs $10.99 on annual billing) and has the more generous free plan — up to 10 collaborators against Asana’s 2 users. Asana is the better choice once work needs dependencies, timelines and reporting across many projects. For small teams running boards, Trello leads on cost; for coordinated multi-project work, Asana earns its higher price.
Verified data

Trello vs Asana: quick facts

At a glanceTrelloAsana
CategoryProject Management
Entry priceFree, from $5/user/moFree (2 users), from $10.99/seat/mo
Free planYes, up to 10 collaborators per WorkspaceYes, Personal plan, up to 2 users

Is Trello cheaper than Asana?

Yes. Trello Standard is $5/user/mo and Premium $10/user/mo billed annually; Asana Starter is $10.99/seat/mo and Advanced $24.99/seat/mo. Trello’s free plan also covers up to 10 collaborators per Workspace, where Asana’s free Personal plan stops at 2 users.

Verified data

Trello vs Asana at a glance

CategoryTrelloAsana
Free planYes, up to 10 collaborators per WorkspaceYes, Personal plan, up to 2 users
Entry paid tierStandard — $5/user/mo annual ($6 monthly)Starter — $10.99/seat/mo annual ($13.49 monthly)
Mid tierPremium — $10/user/mo annual ($12.50 monthly)Advanced — $24.99/seat/mo annual ($30.49 monthly)
Top tierEnterprise — $17.50/user/mo, billed annuallyEnterprise — contact sales
Free plan limitsUp to 10 boards per Workspace, unlimited cards, 10MB per file2 users, unlimited tasks and projects
CSV exportPremium Workspaces only (JSON export on all plans)Available
Native import from the other toolNone — Trello has no generic import toolCSV importer, with documented steps for Trello exports

Verified September 17, 2026Prices recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page. See sources

Prices from trello.com/pricing and asana.com/pricing, checked September 17, 2026. Trello Enterprise is shown at the per-user rate Trello lists; Enterprise pricing varies with the number of users.

Editorial assessment

How they actually differ

Trello is a Kanban board with add-ons; Asana is a project-planning system that also has boards. That difference drives everything else. Trello is faster to learn and cheaper to run, and its free plan comfortably covers a small team. Asana gives you timelines, Gantt views, dependencies and reporting dashboards from its first paid tier.

When teams outgrow Trello

The usual trigger is coordination across projects rather than within one board: needing to see deadlines across several teams, map dependencies, or report on progress. Trello’s Premium plan adds views and admin controls, but Asana is designed for that cross-project layer from the start.

Getting your data out

Check exports before you commit. Trello exports boards to CSV only in Premium Workspaces; every plan can export JSON. Trello has no generic import tool of its own, so moving into Trello later relies on copy-paste, its API or third-party Power-Ups. Asana’s CSV importer is available on every plan and has documented steps for Trello data.

Trello

Pros

  • Lowest paid price of the two ($5/user/mo annual)
  • Free plan for up to 10 collaborators per Workspace
  • Very fast to learn: boards, lists and cards
  • Unlimited Power-Ups on every plan, including Free

Cons

  • Limited cross-project planning and reporting compared with Asana
  • CSV export requires Premium
  • No native import tool for bringing data in
  • Free plan limited to 10 boards per Workspace

Asana

Pros

  • Timeline, Gantt views and dashboards from the first paid tier
  • Dependencies, portfolios and goals for multi-project work
  • CSV importer on every plan with documented Trello steps
  • No user-seat limits on paid plans

Cons

  • More than twice Trello’s entry per-seat price
  • Free plan limited to 2 users
  • Advanced is a steep jump to $24.99/seat/mo
  • Steeper learning curve than a simple board
Verified data

Cost calculator: what does your team actually pay?

Trello

 
$0/mo

Asana

 
$0/mo
 

Illustrative estimate using list prices billed annually, checked September 17, 2026. Trello Enterprise pricing varies with user count. Always confirm current rates before purchasing.

Choose Trello if…

Your team works mostly within individual boards, values speed and simplicity, and wants the lowest cost, or can stay on the free plan with up to 10 collaborators.

Choose Asana if…

You coordinate several projects at once and need timelines, dependencies and reporting that a board alone does not give you.

Total cost over time

Uses your selections above. Estimate excludes add-ons, overages, and negotiated discounts.

Ready to pick your project management tool?

Both have free plans. Try your real workflow in each before you pay.

Verified data

Trello vs Asana: security, offline & remote work

How Trello and Asana compare on compliance reports, sign-in controls, offline access and the setup details that matter for remote, hybrid and in-office teams. Every value links to the vendor page it came from.

What we checkedTrelloAsana
Security & compliance
SOC 2 reportSOC 2 Type IIsourceSOC 2 Type IIsource
ISO/IEC 27001CertifiedsourceCertifiedsource
Other certificationsISO/IEC 27018, CSA STAR, TISAXsourceISO/IEC 27017, ISO/IEC 27018, ISO/IEC 27701, CSA STAR Level 1, SOC 3source
HIPAA (BAA)Not publishedBAA availableEnterprise+source
GDPR data processing agreementDPA offeredsourceDPA offeredsource
Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)YesAny plan with Atlassian Guard Standard (add-on); included in EnterprisesourceYesEnterprisesource
SCIM user provisioningYesAny plan with Atlassian Guard Standard (add-on); included in EnterprisesourceYesEnterprisesource
Two-factor authenticationYesEnforcement: All plans (managed accounts)sourceYesEnforcement: Enterprisesource
Admin audit logYesAny plan with Atlassian Guard Standard (add-on); included in EnterprisesourceYesEnterprise+ (or Enterprise with Compliance Management add-on)source
Data residency choicesNot publishedUS, EU, Japan, AustraliaEnterprise (add-on); included in Enterprise+source
EncryptionAES-256 full-disk encryption at rest; TLS 1.2+ in transitsource256-bit encryption at rest and in transitsource
Self-hosting optionCloud onlysourceNot published
Offline access
Offline modeWorks offlineThe iOS and Android apps let you create and edit boards, lists and cards offline and sync automatically on reconnect; the web and desktop apps need an internet connection.sourcePartialThe iOS app works offline for checking notifications, commenting, changing due dates or assignees, completing tasks and adding tasks; pending actions sync when you are back online.source
Desktop appsWindows, macOSsourceWindows, macOSsource
Mobile appsiOS, AndroidsourceiOS, Androidsource
Offline limitsMobile apps only; the desktop apps and web need an active connectionsourceTasks and conversations in projects never opened on the device are not visible offline (new tasks can still be added to them)source
Remote, hybrid & in-office
IP allowlistingNot publishedYesEnterprise+source
Device & session controlsYesFreeBuilt-in mobile device management (MDM) support for the iOS and Android apps, listed on every plan.sourceYesEnterpriseSAML session timeout (1 hour to 30 days) plus an optional mobile session timeout; mobile app controls (limit downloads, screenshots, copy/paste) are sold as a Permissions Management add-on.source
Editorial assessment

What this means for your team

  • Audit reports: both publish a SOC 2 report, and Trello and Asana also hold ISO/IEC 27001. Ask each vendor for the report under NDA before you sign; security reviews usually want the latest one.
  • Single sign-on: Trello includes it on Any plan with Atlassian Guard Standard (add-on); included in Enterprise; Asana includes it on Enterprise. If your team signs in through Okta, Microsoft Entra ID or Google, price the plan that includes SSO, not the entry plan.
  • Health data: Asana will sign a HIPAA business associate agreement (Asana: Enterprise+). We found no BAA offer for Trello, so keep protected health information out of it.
  • Working offline: Trello lets you keep working without a connection; Asana works offline only in part. Details are in the Offline mode row above.
  • Office-only access: Asana can restrict sign-ins to approved IP ranges on Enterprise+. That suits an office network or a company VPN; fully remote teams need a VPN for it to work.
  • Where your data lives: Asana lets you choose US, EU, Japan, Australia on Enterprise (add-on); included in Enterprise+. This matters for teams hiring across the EU, UK or Australia.

Trello: worth knowing

  • SecuritySAML SSO and enforced 2FA for Trello come through Atlassian Guard, a separate subscription (from $4/user/month) unless you are on Trello Enterprise, which includes Guard Standard. source
  • OfflineTrello's desktop apps behave like the web app and do not work offline; only the mobile apps sync offline changes. source

Asana: worth knowing

  • RemoteAsana's IP allowlist can be applied to all users, only organization members, or only guests, and optionally to API traffic. source
  • SecurityMandatory 2FA on Enterprise tiers can be enforced for guests as well as domain members, useful for outside collaborators not on your SSO. source
  • RemoteWith data residency, all of an organization's Asana data must sit in one region (US, Frankfurt, Tokyo or Sydney). source
  • SecurityMobile app controls that limit downloads, screenshots and copy/paste are listed on the pricing page as a Permissions Management add-on. source

Checked September 19, 2026 against each vendor’s own trust center, help docs and app pages. Hover or tap “source” to see the exact wording we relied on. “Not published” means we could not find the vendor saying it on its own site; it doesn’t mean the feature is missing. Plan names are the lowest plan the vendor says includes the feature. Security · Offline · Remote vs office · Download the data

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Trello cheaper than Asana?

Yes. Trello Standard is $5/user/mo billed annually against $10.99/seat/mo for Asana Starter, and Trello’s free plan covers up to 10 collaborators versus 2 users on Asana’s free Personal plan.

What does Trello’s free plan include?

Unlimited cards, up to 10 boards per Workspace, unlimited Power-Ups, 10MB per file uploads and up to 10 collaborators per Workspace.

Can Asana import my Trello boards?

Yes, through Asana’s CSV importer. Trello exports boards to CSV only in Premium Workspaces; without Premium, Asana points to a browser-extension export or third-party migration apps.

Can Trello import from Asana?

Not natively. Trello says it has no generic import tool; the options are pasting a list (each line becomes a card), the Trello API, or third-party Power-Ups.

Which is better for a small team?

Trello, if your work fits on boards: it is cheaper and its free plan covers up to 10 people. Asana is better once you need timelines, dependencies and cross-project reporting.

Migration Guides

Already decided? Here’s how to actually switch.

Step-by-step migration guides covering what transfers automatically, what doesn’t, and how to handle the gap, in both directions.

Editorial assessment

When to Buy — and When to Walk Away

Every “best project management tool” listicle tells you why to buy. Here’s the other half: the specific conditions under which Trello or Asana is the wrong purchase for your team.

Trello

Buy Trello if:

  • Your team is under 10 people and can run on the free plan
  • Work lives on a handful of boards and rarely spans projects
  • You want the lowest per-seat price in the category

Do NOT buy Trello if:

  • You need to map dependencies across projects and teams
  • You need CSV exports but do not plan to pay for Premium
  • Leadership expects portfolio-level reporting

Asana

Buy Asana if:

  • Several teams share deadlines and dependencies
  • You need timelines, Gantt views and dashboards from day one
  • You are consolidating from spreadsheets or other tools and want a CSV importer on every plan

Do NOT buy Asana if:

  • Your team only needs a shared Kanban board
  • Budget is tight and headcount is over 2; Trello’s free plan goes further
  • You will not use timelines or reporting, so you would pay for unused depth

Sources

Prices on this page were recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page on the date shown at the top of the page. Vendors change pricing often — check the live source before you buy.

Every figure is also in our open dataset (JSON and CSV, CC BY 4.0), with its source page and verification date. See how we research pricing.

Cite this page: HelpCompare, “Trello vs Asana: Which Project Management Tool Should You Choose in 2026?”, helpcompare.com/trello-vs-asana/ (updated ).

Source links on this site are checked every month; last check . How sources are checked.

Start with the job

Guides for the jobs this software does

Plain-language guides: the steps, what to check before you buy, common mistakes, and every tool it takes with verified prices.

Need sign-off?

Turn this into a one-page decision brief

Verified prices costed for your team size, a check against your must-have requirements, the questions to settle before you sign, and a source for every figure. Print it, or paste it into an email to whoever approves the spend.

Build a decision brief

From shortlist to switched

Built for the leader who owns the selection, answers for the spend, drives the rollout, and lives with the results. HelpCompare covers the whole decision, not just the first step.

Bill Belcamino, founder of HelpCompare
About the author

Bill Belcamino

Founder and author, HelpCompare

Engineer by training, operator by experience, marketer by choice. Bill spent eight and a half years as an engineer at HP, was COO of Auctiva (the number one third-party selling platform on eBay, past 200,000 users) and ran Google’s $70M/year search syndication partnership at Alot.com. Then he spent 13 years building his own web properties with his own money at stake. He has bought, trialled, integrated and cancelled more SaaS tools than he can count, and started HelpCompare because the real cost of switching tools is the part nobody covers.

“I’ve sat on both sides of the table: the agency recommending the tool and the client paying for it.”

Researched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team. Pricing on this page was last verified on September 17, 2026. No paid sponsorships, no affiliate commissions.