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Basecamp vs Zoho Projects

Basecamp and Zoho Projects are both project management tools. Basecamp is aimed at small businesses and agencies, while Zoho Projects is aimed at small businesses and enterprise. Zoho Projects costs less, from $5/mo versus $25/mo for Basecamp. Both have a free plan.

Basecamp

Opinionated, calm project management

Zoho Projects

Low-cost project management with Gantt, timesheets and blueprints

PricingFreemium · $25Freemium · $5
Starting price$25/mo$5/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial30 days15 days
Built forSmall businesses, AgenciesSmall businesses, Enterprise, Agencies
Platformsweb, ios, android, macos, windowsweb, ios, android
CountryUS · 2004IN
Rating——

Choose Basecamp if

Agencies and remote companies that value calm communication over detailed planning, especially at 30+ users on a flat plan.

  • Simple, consistent structure every project shares
  • Flat pricing with unlimited users from the Studio plan up
  • Promotes async, written communication

Look elsewhere if: Teams needing dependencies, resource planning or engineering workflows.

Choose Zoho Projects if

Budget-conscious SMBs and agencies that want Gantt charts, timesheets and issue tracking in one tool, especially inside the Zoho ecosystem.

  • One of the cheapest per-user prices for Gantt and timesheets
  • Usable free plan for up to five users
  • Tight integration with Zoho CRM, Books and Analytics

Look elsewhere if: Software teams that live in agile sprints (Jira, Linear) or teams that want the most polished collaborative workspace (Asana, monday.com).

Basecamp vs Zoho Projects pricing

Basecamp

  • Free$01 project, 1 GB storage, up to 5 users
  • Freelancer$25/mo3 active projects, 5 GB storage, up to 20 users
  • Studio$59/mo10 active projects, 25 GB storage, unlimited users
  • Pro$99/mo25 active projects, 100 GB storage, unlimited users
  • Unlimited$299/moBilled annually; unlimited projects and users, 45-day trial

Zoho Projects

  • Free$0Up to 5 users, 3 projects, 5 GB storage
  • Premium$5/user/mo$4 billed annually; unlimited projects, timesheets, Zia
  • Enterprise$10/user/mo$9 billed annually; SSO, critical path, baselines
  • Ultimate$15/user/mo$14 billed annually; resources, portfolio dashboards

Basecamp · Key features

  • Message boards, to-dos, schedules, docs and files per project
  • Campfire real-time chat and Pings for DMs
  • Automatic check-ins (recurring questions)
  • Hill Charts and Lineup for progress and timelines
  • Card Table kanban and Timesheets
  • Client access with 'Clientside' visibility controls

Cons

  • No Gantt, dependencies or custom fields
  • Limited integrations; relies on Zapier
  • Active-project caps on lower plans force upgrades

Zoho Projects · Key features

  • Gantt charts with task dependencies, critical path and baselines
  • Kanban boards, task lists, subtasks and milestones
  • Built-in issue tracker for bugs and change requests
  • Timesheets and time logs with billable and non-billable hours
  • Project budgets with earned value management metrics
  • Task blueprints that enforce a fixed, rule-based workflow

Cons

  • Interface feels dated next to Asana and monday.com
  • Agile sprints live in a separate product, Zoho Sprints
  • Free plan caps you at three projects

Basecamp vs Zoho Projects: FAQ

Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Zoho Projects?

Zoho Projects starts at $5/mo and Basecamp at $25/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.

Do Basecamp and Zoho Projects have a free plan?

Yes, both Basecamp and Zoho Projects have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Not sure yet?