Monday.com vs. Trello: Best for Teams

In today’s fast-paced digital workspace, project management tools are not just productivity boosters—they are lifelines. Whether you’re coordinating a marketing campaign, developing a product, or managing client tasks, having the right software can make or break your workflow.

Two platforms frequently topping the conversation are Monday.com and Trello. Both have become household names in project management, known for their flexibility and visual interfaces. But when it comes to Monday.com vs Trello, which one truly serves your team best?

In this comparison, we’ll dive deep into their strengths, weaknesses, and use cases to help you make the most informed decision. And along the way, we’ll also touch on a modern alternative—Baserow—which brings the best of both worlds with an open-source, no-code approach to visualizing tasks and managing data.

Platform Overview: Monday.com and Trello

What is Trello?

Trello is a highly visual, intuitive platform designed around the Kanban board concept. Each task lives on a card, and you can move it across columns that represent progress stages. It’s a fan-favorite among small teams, freelancers, and startups due to its simplicity and the free plan offered.

With Trello, you can:

• Create unlimited boards and cards
• Add due dates and labels
• Use checklists and attachments
• Invite team members for collaboration

However, once your team scales or your needs become more complex, you might run into limitations—especially around reporting, automation, and advanced views like Gantt charts or timeline view (which require paid integrations).

What is Monday.com?

Monday.com is a more robust and feature-rich alternative. Tailored for larger organizations, it offers a complete suite of project management software features, including:

• Multiple board types (Kanban, Calendar, Timeline, Gantt)
• Built-in time tracking
• Automation rules
• Strong data visualization
• Deep customization options

While it does come with a free version, many of its best tools are reserved for paid plans, making it more of a long-term investment for teams ready to scale their workflows.

Feature Comparison

Kanban Board and Visual Task Management

Both Trello and Monday.com offer Kanban boards as a core way of managing tasks. Trello keeps it clean and simple—you get a board, lists, and cards. For many users, especially those managing personal tasks or small projects, that’s more than enough.

Monday, however, builds on this concept. You can switch views—from Kanban to timeline, Gantt, calendar, or workload—in just a few clicks. This makes Monday a powerhouse when it comes to visualizing tasks across multiple team members and timelines.

Gantt Chart and Timeline View

When managing dependencies, overlapping projects, or resource allocation, Gantt charts are invaluable. Trello doesn’t offer this natively—you’ll need to plug in a third-party integration like TeamGantt or Planyway. That adds complexity and often, extra cost.

In contrast, Monday’s timeline view and Gantt features are built-in, making it a much stronger contender for teams with complex workflows or deadlines.

💡 Tip: Looking for even more flexibility? Baserow offers all these views—Kanban, Gallery, Calendar, Grid, and more—out of the box. You can customize views per project or user preference, giving your team the power to manage workflows however they work best. No plugins, no extra cost—just full control.

Collaboration and Real-Time Updates

Both tools allow real-time updates and comments, keeping everyone in sync. Trello’s collaboration features are best suited for smaller groups, with instant notifications and card-level communication.

Monday scales better for larger organizations, offering a bird’s-eye view of multiple projects, customizable dashboards, and status updates that reflect in real time across the system. This kind of visibility is essential for decision-makers and project leads.

💡 Tip: If you’re looking for a platform that blends the visual simplicity of Trello with the power and flexibility of Monday, consider Baserow. Its open-source nature allows you to build powerful project views, automate flows, and create your own knowledge base—without vendor lock-in or inflated pricing.

Who Gets More Value?

Trello wins for ease-of-use and cost-efficiency. It’s excellent for freelancers, small startups, and personal task management. You can get quite far before needing a paid upgrade.

Monday.com wins for depth and long-term scalability. It’s built to handle large projects, multiple teams, and granular task details. Its approach to project management is structured and data-driven, suitable for companies that outgrow Trello’s simplicity.

In both cases, if you’re feeling boxed in, a no-code alternative like Baserow might be the bridge you need. With flexible data views, table relationships, and user-friendly project templates, Baserow empowers teams to mold their own systems—no compromise necessary.

Integrations and Customization Options

Both tools offer integrations with essential services like Slack, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft Teams.

Trello uses “Power-Ups” to extend its capabilities—these include calendar views, voting tools, and integrations with apps like Evernote or Jira. However, only one Power-Up is allowed in the free version. You’ll need a paid plan for more advanced workflows.

Monday.com integrates with over 40 platforms, including:

• Zoom
• Salesforce
• HubSpot
• GitHub

It also features internal automation, allowing users to create “if this, then that” workflows for repetitive tasks. That’s a huge customization option that removes manual work from your pipeline.

Baserow takes customization to the next level—thanks to its open-source core. You can self-host, create plugins, or tailor your database for precise business needs. Whether it’s linking tasks to content, teams to deliverables, or using relational tables to organize your knowledge base, Baserow adapts as your requirements evolve.

Knowledge Base and Support

Support is often overlooked until you need it. Here’s how the two platforms compare:

Trello offers:

• An extensive community forum
• How-to articles
• Email support for paid users

Monday.com provides:

• 24/7 live support (on higher plans)
• Webinars and onboarding calls
• A massive help center and video tutorials

When onboarding new team members, especially in larger organizations, having a responsive support system is crucial. Monday shines here, but it’s worth noting that Baserow also has a growing help center, active community, and detailed guides—like their recent blog on Monday Alternatives.

Approach to Project Management

Your team’s approach to project management may ultimately determine which tool fits.

Trello thrives on flexibility. It’s visual, intuitive, and ideal for quick to-dos, agile boards, or sprint planning. You’re free to structure boards however you wish, but that also means more manual upkeep as complexity grows.

Monday.com, meanwhile, uses a structured layout with columns, item types, statuses, and automations. It’s designed for order and visibility. If you appreciate workflow systems and data categorization, Monday will feel like home.

But what if you want structure and flexibility?

That’s where Baserow truly stands out. With its table-based UI and a fully customizable structure, it empowers teams to design their own project management tools tailored to specific workflows. Whether you’re tracking due dates, building a knowledge base, or managing a multi-team operation in real time, Baserow gives you unmatched flexibility—without vendor lock-in or restrictive templates. Its open-source nature ensures that both small teams and larger organizations can evolve their systems freely as needs grow.

The Baserow Advantage

Let’s talk about a third option—Baserow.

Built as a no-code, open-source platform, Baserow allows teams to create databases that work like spreadsheets, but with powerful customization, integration, and visualization options.

Why Baserow may be a better fit:

• Visualize tasks with Kanban, calendar, gallery, and list views
• Fully open-source with the ability to self-host
• Create a knowledge base, CRM, or project tracker with no coding
• Real-time collaboration with unlimited team members
• Seamless due dates, tagging, and filtering
• Native support for relational data across multiple tables
• Extensible through APIs and plug-ins
• Straightforward pricing—with a solid free tier

Unlike Monday and Trello, you’re not locked into a specific approach to project management. You build what works for your team—whether you prefer minimalist boards or robust dashboards with data relationships and custom workflows.

Plus, Baserow is transparent, community-driven, and constantly evolving with features like time tracking, automations, and user role management being continuously developed.

Explore more on how Baserow stacks up as a Monday alternative.

Final Verdict

Monday.com, Trello, and now increasingly Baserow are standout project management software options—but they cater to different team structures and workflows.

Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide:

So, is Monday better than Trello? It really depends on your team’s size, complexity, and workflow needs. If you’re a lean operation seeking a lightweight, visual-first tool, Trello may be your best bet. If you’re managing multi-team operations with advanced dependencies, Monday.com provides the structured capabilities required.

But if you’re looking for a platform that combines the ease-of-use of Trello, the functionality of Monday, and offers even greater flexibility—Baserow clearly stands out. Whether you’re building a knowledge base, organizing tasks with a kanban board, or planning projects using a timeline view, Baserow lets you control your workspace on your terms.

With real-time collaboration, a strong free version, and no vendor lock-in, Baserow bridges the gap for teams that want powerful project management tools without sacrificing simplicity or affordability.

Conclusion

Choosing between Monday.com vs Trello is about more than features—it’s about matching a tool to your team’s culture, complexity, and growth potential.

• If you’re looking for a clean, simple platform for lightweight task management, Trello’s free version and visual boards make it a fantastic starting point.
• If your projects are intricate, involve multiple team members, and demand structured workflows with timelines and time tracking, Monday.com offers comprehensive capabilities—but at a cost.
• If you want flexibility, scalability, and total control without being forced into a specific pricing tier or feature set, Baserow is the answer.

Why settle for a tool that only partly fits? With Baserow, you get the freedom to shape your own system—free from constraints.

👉 Ready to experience a smarter way to manage your projects?

Start building your perfect workspace today with Baserow — no credit card, no limits, just possibilities.

Try Baserow today