Smartsheet vs Zoho Projects
Smartsheet and Zoho Projects are both project management tools. Smartsheet is aimed at enterprise and small businesses, while Zoho Projects is aimed at small businesses and enterprise. Zoho Projects costs less, from $5/mo versus $12/mo for Smartsheet. Only Zoho Projects has a free plan.
Spreadsheet-style work management for enterprises
Low-cost project management with Gantt, timesheets and blueprints
| Pricing | Paid · $12 | Freemium · $5 |
| Starting price | $12/mo | $5/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | — | 15 days |
| Built for | Enterprise, Small businesses | Small businesses, Enterprise, Agencies |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2005 | IN |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Smartsheet if
Enterprises and PMOs.
- Familiar spreadsheet feel
- Enterprise features
- Strong Gantt
Look elsewhere if: Startups wanting modern tools (Airtable, Notion).
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).
Smartsheet vs Zoho Projects pricing
Smartsheet
- Pro$12/member/mo$9 billed yearly; 1-10 members, unlimited contributors
- Business$24/member/mo$19 billed yearly; 3+ members, 1 TB storage
- EnterpriseCustom10+ members, SAML SSO, portfolios
- Advanced Work ManagementCustomControl Center, Dynamic View, Data Shuttle
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
Smartsheet · Key features
- Grid, Gantt, card, calendar views
- Automated workflows and approvals
- Forms and dashboards
- Resource management
- Portfolio management
- Enterprise governance
Cons
- Dated UI
- Costs rise at enterprise
- Less flexible than Airtable
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
Smartsheet vs Zoho Projects: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Smartsheet or Zoho Projects?
Zoho Projects starts at $5/mo and Smartsheet at $12/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Smartsheet and Zoho Projects have a free plan?
Smartsheet has no free plan. Zoho Projects has a free plan.