Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Basecamp VS Smartsheet

Compare Basecamp VS Smartsheet and see what are their differences

Basecamp logo Basecamp

A simple and elegant project management system.

Smartsheet logo Smartsheet

Smartsheet is an intuitive online project management tool enabling teams to increase productivity using cloud, collaboration, & mobile technologies.
  • Basecamp Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-19
  • Smartsheet Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-29

Basecamp features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Basecamp features an intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface that simplifies project management for all team members, even those with minimal technical expertise.
  • Centralized Communication
    The platform consolidates various forms of communication (messages, discussions, and check-ins) in one place, ensuring that all team members stay on the same page.
  • Task Management
    Basecamp provides robust task management features, including to-do lists, deadlines, and automatic check-ins to help teams track progress and ensure timely completion of work.
  • Document and File Storage
    Offers integrated document and file storage, making it easy to share, organize, and access important project files without needing additional tools.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    With apps for desktop, iOS, and Android, Basecamp can be accessed from various devices, allowing team members to stay connected and productive regardless of their location.
  • Flat Pricing
    Offers a simple, flat-rate pricing model which can be more cost-effective for larger teams, as there are no per-user fees.

Possible disadvantages of Basecamp

  • Limited Customization
    Basecamp's design and features are relatively rigid, which can be limiting for teams that require more customization options for different projects.
  • Lack of Advanced Features
    While it covers basic project management needs well, Basecamp lacks some advanced features such as Gantt charts, advanced reporting, and time tracking which are available in other project management tools.
  • No Hierarchical Task Structuring
    Does not support sub-tasks within tasks, which can be a limitation for complex projects that need detailed task breakdowns.
  • Limited Integration Options
    Compared to other tools, Basecamp has fewer integrations with third-party apps and services, which can be a drawback for teams relying on a diverse tech stack.
  • Notification Overload
    Users may experience too many notifications, especially in larger teams or projects, which can lead to important updates being missed or ignored.
  • Flat Pricing
    While flat pricing can be a pro for large teams, it can be less cost-effective for smaller teams or individual users, as they might end up paying for capacity they don't use.

Smartsheet features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Smartsheet offers an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, making it accessible for users of all skill levels.
  • Collaboration Features
    The platform supports real-time collaboration with features such as shared sheets, comments, and automated update requests.
  • Versatility
    Smartsheet can be used for a variety of purposes, including project management, task tracking, and process automation.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Smartsheet integrates with numerous other software applications like Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, and Jira, enhancing its utility.
  • Automation Options
    The software offers robust automation features to reduce manual work, such as automated workflows, reminders, and status updates.
  • Reporting and Analytics
    Users can create detailed reports and dashboards to gain insights into their projects and workflows.

Basecamp videos

Basecamp 3 - Intro & Overview

More videos:

  • Review - Campfire Pro Review | Apps for Writers
  • Review - Basecamp Project Management Review
  • Review - 5 Reasons Why I Love Basecamp
  • Review - Asana vs. Basecamp

Smartsheet videos

Project Tools Review: Microsoft Project vs. Smartsheet

More videos:

  • Review - Smartsheet Project Management Overview
  • Review - Introduction to Smartsheet
  • Review - Smartsheet Review: Key Features, Pros, And Cons
  • Review - Smartsheet review 2021
  • Review - Introduction to Smartsheet
  • Review - Smartsheet Review - 4 Reasons Why You Shouldnt Use Smarthsheet -Walktrough, Top Features, Pros & Con
  • Review - Introduction to Smartsheet

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Basecamp and Smartsheet)
Project Management
73 73%
27% 27
Task Management
71 71%
29% 29
Productivity
93 93%
7% 7
Work Management
59 59%
41% 41

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Basecamp and Smartsheet

Basecamp Reviews

  1. Boyd Richardson
    · Writer at SE ·

    As a writer, I've been using Basecamp for a few years now and I must say, it has been a game-changer for me. Basecamp is a cloud-based project management tool that offers a suite of features to help teams collaborate efficiently and effectively.

    I started using Basecamp as a project management tool to manage my writing projects. Initially, I found it a bit overwhelming, but with time I got used to the interface and the features. Basecamp has a clean and intuitive design that makes it easy to use. The dashboard is well-organized and shows all the active projects and tasks at a glance. Basecamp has a variety of features that make it easy to manage tasks, track progress, communicate with team members, and share files.

    🏁 Competitors: Trello
    👍 Pros:    Easy to use|Cost-efficient|Highly customizable
    👎 Cons:    Limited integrations|No time tracking|Limited report

Top 10 Notion Alternatives for 2025 and Why Teams Are Choosing Ledger
Basecamp offers a clean interface and basic tools for communication and task management. It’s great for small teams who want to keep things low-friction, but its simplicity can become a limitation for teams that need deeper structure, real-time collaboration, or scalable workflows.
The Top 7 ClickUp Alternatives You Need to Know in 2025
Benefits:Basecamp's simplicity makes it ideal for startups or small businesses looking for an all-in-one solution without the complexity of larger platforms.
25 Best Asana Alternatives & Competitors for Project Management in 2024
Basecamp is a project management software helping remote teams organize tasks, track project progress, and collaborate over tasks. The tool aims to bring task management and project team communication under one tent with features like to-do lists and message boards.
Source: clickup.com
The 10 best Asana alternatives in 2024
While switching between views and filtering for individual tasks is a little more complex than in Asana, Basecamp makes it easy to monitor project progress at a high level. The Move the Needle feature visualizes project status as a color-coded gauge showing whether the project is on track, at risk, or a concern. So if you're looking for a simple tool that prioritizes basic...
Source: zapier.com
20 Obsidian Alternatives: Top Note-Taking Tools to Consider
Basecamp is a project management tool, but it does feature note-taking and task management. All your projects (notes in this case) are housed under one dashboard where you can view, edit, rearrange and archive notes as needed.
Source: clickup.com

Smartsheet Reviews

25 Best Asana Alternatives & Competitors for Project Management in 2024
Smartsheet is a project management tool that lets you manage, track, and plan multiple projects. The key feature of Smartsheet is the Control Center—a portfolio and project management solution. Project managers can save time on manual work with the Control Center’s automation capabilities.
Source: clickup.com
The 10 best Asana alternatives in 2024
Smartsheet is great for enterprise teams that want the versatility of Excel or Google Sheets alongside additional collaboration, visualization, and automation features. But that mix comes with a steep learning curve and a less aesthetically pleasing interface than other popular project management tools. While you can start using Asana without much frustration right away,...
Source: zapier.com
10+1 Best Workflow Management Software 2024 For Maximum Efficiency
Smartsheet offers a host of features such as project management, automation, and integrations. However, its interface might be a little more complex for new users. It provides integration with popular apps like Microsoft 365 and G Suite and supports automation functions.
Source: www.manifest.ly
16 Best Asana Alternatives of 2024 (Free + Paid)
This Asana alternative’s strength is also its weakness, which is spreadsheets. Project management software was developed as a response to the limitations of spreadsheets. Smartsheet is maybe too smart in that it’s complicated and difficult to use. That steep learning curve can be overcome with much time and effort, but having to buy add-ons to do important tasks such as time...
Excel on Steroids vs Workflow Management — Smartsheet vs Pneumatic
And while, as mentioned above, Smartsheet does have ‘workflows’, these are a very different beast from Pneumatic workflows: there is no handover of processes from team to team as such, Smartsheet workflows are, essentially, spreadsheet automation scripts that run in response to user-configured triggers to make changes to the project (or its formatting) and/or notify specific...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Basecamp should be more popular than Smartsheet. It has been mentiond 37 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Basecamp mentions (37)

  • How I Achieved 10x Productivity at Remote Work
    Remote work is an established term these days, but back in the days i.e. Prior to COVID or a few more years back, this term was quite alien in the developer community. Even though there were organizations like Basecamp which were working remotely for more than 20 years, the developer ecosystem was not built around the concept of working remotely or to put it in simple words, separately from your colleagues. Just... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • The 35 CSS properties you must know to do 80% of the work
    It's interesting, I've sampled basecamp.com and the number was 35 too, very similar variables, taking into consideration Basecamp is Older than Hey and heavily flex-box oriented. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Work From Home or the Office: Is It a Problem?
    David Heinemeier Hansson, also known as DHH, may not be a familiar name to you, but it's highly likely that you have come across either the product or the framework he created: Basecamp and Ruby on Rails. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • open discussion
    (Basecamp: Project management software, online collaboration) Trusted by millions, Basecamp puts everything you need to get work done in one place. It's the calm, organized way to manage projects, work with clients, ... Source: about 2 years ago
  • New to project management. Advice?
    I think you want to look at Basecamp and even Slack may work for you. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

Smartsheet mentions (5)

  • Feature id like to see
    It can probably be mimicked with SmartSheet project management software. A free account would be sufficient for this. Source: about 2 years ago
  • What are the everyday tools that you use in operating your small business?
    Smartsheet is a cloud-based spreadsheet tool that I use for client management, CRM tracking, and accounting. It has all of the features of Microsoft Excel, but it also allows you to share your sheets with others and work on them collaboratively. This is a great tool for small businesses because it allows you to keep track of all of your clients in one place, and you can access it from anywhere. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Rows.com: Spreadsheets on Steroids
    3. Business processes What Rows does falls mostly into the realm of small databases and business processes. And while each has their own approach, I'd say that most other "next-gen spreadsheets" are also focusing on these (big and important) use-cases. Airtable (https://airtable.com/), Spreadsheet.com (https://spreadsheet.com/) and Smartsheet (https://smartsheet.com/) all play mainly in this area. GRID is focusing... - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • What do front-end developers do?
    I want to make apps like monday.com and smartsheet.com. I do not want to build websites. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Entry Level job/Salary Expectation/Skill needed for programming?
    Right now my passion is building web-based applications (not websites) and mobile apps. Like I want to build something similar to monday.com or smartsheet.com. I don't wanna build something like TurboTax or Windows or macOS. Source: about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Basecamp and Smartsheet, you can also consider the following products

Asana - Asana project management is an effort to re-imagine how we work together, through modern productivity software. Fast and versatile, Asana helps individuals and groups get more done.

Wrike - Wrike is a flexible, scalable, and easy-to-use collaborative work management software that helps high-performance teams organize and accomplish their work. Try it now.

Trello - Infinitely flexible. Incredibly easy to use. Great mobile apps. It's free. Trello keeps track of everything, from the big picture to the minute details.

Teamwork - The Project Management App for Professionals. The most powerful and simple way to collaborate with your team.

monday.com - The most intuitive platform to manage projects and teamwork

Redmine - Flexible project management web application