monday.com is a popular work management tool, and its free plan is a good place to test it. The pricing page I reviewed lists paid plans at $9, $12, and $19 per seat per month billed annually, and the FAQ says plans start from 3 users. People look for alternatives when the per-seat cost adds up or when they want a simpler tool for a small team. I run my own stores and teach high-ticket dropshipping at Ecommerce Paradise, so I judge these tools by what they cost for a small team and how well they track suppliers, orders, and content.
Everything below comes from each vendor’s own pricing page as I reviewed it. Where a page does not show a number, I write “not shown” instead of guessing. Prices change often, so confirm them before you sign up. Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
A task tool helps once you have a business to run. If you are still deciding what to sell, start with my guide to what high-ticket dropshipping is before you set up boards and workflows.
monday.com Alternatives at a Glance
| Tool | Starting price | Free option | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | Unlimited at $7 per user a month billed yearly | Free Forever plan | Teams that want many features and a free plan |
| Asana | Starter at $10.99 per user a month billed annually | Personal plan for 2 users | Teams that want timelines and automations |
| Trello | Standard at $5 per user a month billed annually | Free plan, 10 boards per Workspace | Small teams that want a low price |
| Notion | Plus at $10 per member a month | Free plan | Owners who want notes and tasks together |
| Basecamp | Freelancer at $29 a month flat | Free plan, 1 project | Teams that want a flat price with no per-user fees |
A task tool is only useful once you have a store to run. If you want a high-ticket store built for you, start here. See the done-for-you store build →
What monday.com Costs and Where It Falls Short
The monday.com page lists a Free plan for up to 2 seats with 3 boards and 3 Docs. Basic is $9 per seat per month, Standard is $12, and Pro is $19, all billed annually. Enterprise is custom, with a quote required.
Basic lists 1,000 AI credits a month and unlimited items. Standard lists 2,000 AI credits, 3 workflows, 250 automation actions and 250 integration actions a month, a Timeline view, and guest access. Pro lists 3,000 AI credits, 20 workflows, 25,000 automation and integration actions a month, private boards, and time tracking.
Yearly billing saves 18%, and the FAQ says the monthly plan is not discounted. The page shows a total of $140 for 10 Standard seats and $220 for 10 Pro seats, which appear to reflect monthly billing. Storage and dashboard limits for work management are not shown. A 14-day free trial of Pro is listed in the FAQ.
The main drawback for a small team is the minimum of 3 seats and the automation caps on lower plans. If you only need a simple board, the tools below may cost less. I compare it with another tool in my Monday vs Asana guide.
How to Pick a Task Tool
Start with your team size. Per-seat pricing is cheap for two people and costly for ten. A flat price can win once your team grows.
Next, check the limits on the free plan. Boards, automation runs, and file sizes are common caps. A store with many suppliers and orders needs more room than a solo project.
Finally, look at how you work. Some tools favor boards, some favor lists, and some favor documents. Pick the one your team will open every day.
1. ClickUp
ClickUp lists a Free Forever plan, Unlimited at $7 per user per month billed yearly ($10 monthly), and Business at $12 billed yearly ($19 monthly). The page shows a second plan set with Core at $9 and Business at $17 per user per month billed yearly, so the plan names and prices overlap. I could not tell which set applies, so check the page at checkout.
The Free plan lists 60 MB of storage, 5 Spaces, 40 Lists per Space, and 5 active automation rules. Unlimited lists unlimited Spaces and 200 Lists per Space. Business lists 400 Lists per Space and 5,000 automation executions a month.
The page also lists Brain AI at $9 and Everything AI at $28 per user per month, though the billing period is not shown. Automation limits differ between the two tables on the page. I cover the tool in more depth in my ClickUp alternatives guide.
2. Asana
Asana lists a Personal plan at $0 for 2 users with unlimited tasks and projects and a 100 MB limit per file. Starter is $10.99 per user per month billed annually or $13.49 monthly. Advanced is $24.99 billed annually or $30.49 monthly.
Starter adds timelines, dashboards, unlimited automations, forms, custom fields, and unlimited free guests. Advanced adds portfolios, goals, resource management, approvals and proofing, and time tracking. Enterprise is custom.
The page does not show a free trial. AI requests are limited to 5 per user per month on Starter and Advanced, with prepaid requests at $0.50 each. I list other options in my Asana alternatives guide.
3. Trello
Trello lists a Free plan with up to 10 boards per Workspace, 250 Workspace command runs a month, and 10 MB per file. Standard is $5 per user per month billed annually or $6 monthly. Premium is $10 billed annually or $12.50 monthly.
Standard lists unlimited boards, 1,000 command runs a month, and 250 MB per file. Premium adds Calendar, Timeline, Table, Dashboard, and Map views, plus unlimited command runs. Enterprise is $17.50 per user per month billed annually.
All users can enroll in a free trial of Premium, though the trial length is not shown. Trello suits small teams that like boards and want a low price. I compare it with others in my Trello alternatives guide.
4. Notion
Notion lists Free, Plus at $10, Business at $20, and Enterprise as custom, per member per month. The page says you can save up to 20% with yearly billing but does not show each plan’s monthly and yearly price. The Free plan lists a 5 MB file upload limit and 7 days of page history.
Plus, Business, and Enterprise list file uploads up to 5 GB each. Page history is 30 days on Plus and 90 days on Business. Guests are free, and the page lists an external guest limit of 10.
The page lists a full refund within 3 days of monthly signup or 30 days of annual signup. Notion suits owners who want notes, documents, and tasks in one place. I cover it in my Notion alternatives guide.
5. Basecamp
Basecamp lists a Free plan with 1 project, 1 GB of storage, and 3 users. Freelancer is $29 a month for up to 3 active projects, 10 GB, and 5 users. Pro is $79 a month for up to 8 projects, 25 GB, and 10 users.
Pro Plus is $99 a month for up to 12 projects, 100 GB, and 15 users. Pro Unlimited is $199 a month billed annually or $329 monthly, with unlimited projects and users and 1 TB of storage. The page says all paid plans are fixed price with no per-user fees.
Paid plans include a 30-day free trial, and no credit card is required to start. Annual prices for the lower plans are not shown. Basecamp suits teams that would rather pay one price than count seats.
What Each Option Costs Per Year
These totals are my own math from the listed prices, using a team of 10 and annual billing where the page shows it. monday.com Standard works out to $1,440 a year and Pro to $2,280. ClickUp Unlimited works out to $840 a year and Business to $1,440, using the first plan set.
Asana Starter works out to about $1,319 and Advanced to about $2,999. Trello Standard works out to $600 and Premium to $1,200. Notion Plus works out to $1,200 and Business to $2,400 at the listed monthly figures. Basecamp Pro is $948 a year at $79 a month for up to 10 users, and Pro Plus is $1,188 for up to 15 users.
Which Tool Fits Which Store Owner
If you work alone or with one helper, a free plan is usually enough. Trello’s free plan lists 10 boards per Workspace, and Asana’s Personal plan covers 2 users. Either can track suppliers and orders without a monthly bill.
If you have a team of five or more, the math changes. Per-seat plans cost more as you add people, so compare the yearly totals above. Basecamp’s flat price may suit a team that keeps growing, as long as you stay inside the user and project caps on your plan.
If you want documents and tasks together, Notion lists both on one page. If you want the most features on a free plan, ClickUp lists the longest set of limits on its page. Pick the tool your helpers will actually open each morning.
Using a Task Tool for a High-Ticket Store
High-ticket orders have more steps than low-ticket ones. You may need to confirm stock, get a quote from a supplier, arrange freight, and follow up with the buyer. A board with a column for each step keeps those orders from slipping.
Create one board for orders, one for supplier follow-ups, and one for content. Assign each card to a person and add a due date. Review the boards for a few minutes each morning.
If you sell on a hosted platform, a store on Shopify can feed orders into your task tool through an integration. My guide to Shopify alternatives compares the other store platforms.
Costs to Watch as You Grow
The first cost is seats. monday.com, ClickUp, Asana, Trello, and Notion all price per user, so adding a helper adds a bill. Basecamp’s flat price avoids that until you pass the user cap on your plan.
The second cost is automation. monday.com Standard lists 250 automation actions a month, Trello’s free plan lists 250 command runs, and ClickUp’s free plan lists 5 active rules. Pick a plan with room for your busiest month.
The third cost is AI. Asana lists prepaid AI requests at $0.50 each, and ClickUp lists AI plans at $9 and $28 per user. Decide whether you need AI before you pay for it.
Moving Away From monday.com Safely
Export your boards first and save them as spreadsheets. Write down which automations and integrations you use. Take screenshots of each board so you can rebuild the layout.
Rebuild one board at a time in the new tool and test it with a real order. Check that notifications reach the right people. Then invite your team and move work over in small batches.
Keep your monday.com account active for a few weeks until the new boards run cleanly. The FAQ says yearly plans bought within the last 30 days may be partly refunded, and downgrades after that are not refunded. Check the terms before you cancel.
When monday.com Is Still the Right Pick
monday.com still makes sense in many cases. If your team already uses it and the plan fits your budget, moving costs time. The free plan lets you test with 3 boards before you pay, and you can try monday.com here.
Pro lists private boards, time tracking, and 25,000 automation actions a month, which suits a team with many workflows. If your needs are simple and your team is small, a cheaper tool may do the job. Match the tool to how your team actually works.
Hiring Help to Run Your Boards
Board work is easy to hand off once you write down the steps. A virtual assistant from OnlineJobs.ph can update cards, chase suppliers, and keep your order board current from a written guide. Include screenshots so they know what each column means.
For a logo or a custom template, a freelancer on Fiverr can deliver a one-off job. A branded email address through Google Workspace helps your replies look trustworthy.
Common Mistakes With Task Tools
The first mistake is building a complex setup for a small team. Start with one board and add only what you use. The second mistake is not setting due dates, which turns a board into a list of wishes.
The third mistake is organizing tasks before your business is set up. If you have not formed your company, read my guide to business formation for high-ticket dropshipping. To file an LLC quickly, Bizee is one option I recommend.
The fourth mistake is planning workflows before you have a niche. Pick one from my high-ticket niches list first. My guide to finding suppliers for high-ticket dropshipping covers the sourcing side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best monday.com alternative?
It depends on your team. Trello lists the lowest paid price at $5 per user billed annually, ClickUp lists a free plan with many features, and Basecamp lists a flat price with no per-user fees. Compare the limits you need before you decide.
How much does monday.com cost?
The page I reviewed lists $9, $12, and $19 per seat per month for Basic, Standard, and Pro, billed annually. Yearly billing saves 18% and plans start from 3 users. A free plan covers up to 2 seats.
Which monday.com alternative has a free plan?
ClickUp, Asana, Trello, Notion, and Basecamp all list free plans. Asana’s covers 2 users, Basecamp’s covers 3 users and 1 project, and Trello’s covers 10 boards per Workspace.
Do I need a task tool for a small store?
Not always. A solo owner can use a free plan with one board. A tool becomes useful once you have helpers, suppliers, and several orders in progress at once.
Can I move my boards to another tool?
You can rebuild them. Export your data, rebuild one board at a time, and test with a real order before you invite your team.
Final Verdict on monday.com Alternatives
Trello is the best pick for small teams that want a low price and simple boards, ClickUp fits teams that want many features and a free plan, Asana suits teams that need timelines and approvals, Notion fits owners who want notes and tasks together, and Basecamp suits teams that want one flat price. monday.com is still worth a look if your team needs automations and private boards and the seat price fits your budget.
Start with the free plan that matches your team, confirm the paid price on the vendor page, and build your order and supplier boards first. Then spend your attention on the store itself, because a tidy board only helps once buyers trust what you sell.
Want a high-ticket store ready for your task boards? Let my team build it for you. Get your store built →
Prefer to learn the model yourself? Start with my free mini course, or go deeper in the masterclass and coaching. Free mini course → Masterclass → Coaching →
Related Articles
If you found this useful, these guides go deeper on related topics:
- Monday vs Asana (2026): Pricing, Free Plans, Automations and Which to Pick
- Best Task Management Apps (2026): 9 Picks Compared by Price and Fit for Store Owners
- Best Simple Project Management Tools for Small Teams in 2026
- Best Asana Alternatives in 2026: 4 Project Management Tools Compared by Price, Free Plans and Fit
- ClickUp Alternatives: 5 Project Management Tools Compared for Store Owners (2026)
Trevor Fenner is an ecommerce entrepreneur and world traveler from Seattle, Washington, and the founder of Ecommerce Paradise, a platform focused on helping entrepreneurs build and scale profitable high-ticket ecommerce and dropshipping businesses. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Trevor specializes in high-ticket dropshipping strategy, niche and product selection, supplier recruiting and onboarding, Google & Bing Shopping ads, ecommerce SEO, and systems-driven automation and scaling. Through Ecommerce Paradise, he provides free education via in-depth guides like How to Start High-Ticket Dropshipping, advanced training through the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass, and fully done-for-you turnkey ecommerce services for entrepreneurs who want a faster, more hands-off path to growth. Trevor is known for emphasizing sustainable, real-world ecommerce models over hype-driven tactics, helping store owners build scalable, sellable, and location-independent brands.
He maintains homes in Seattle and Bali, spends most of the year overseas, and usually returns to Seattle for about a month each summer.
