4 Collaboration Tools for Startups and Entrepreneurial Teams

Whether you’re leading an ad agency, a financial team, or a manufacturing project, your team is likely to thrive on both structure and collaboration. And you probably depend on robust tools for project and task management so your team can reduce administrative busywork and get to the tasks that matter.

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision, the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”—Andrew Carnegie

It’s critical to have a system for managing tasks and improving productivity that enables effective teamwork. But where do you start with the many software options out there? Collaboration tools for startups and entrepreneurial teams come in all shapes and sizes. You’ll need to find one with the features your team really needs and ensure the pricing is scalable. 

Four Leading Collaboration Tools for Startups

We’ve evaluated four leading platforms for team collaboration to help you identify the right feature-rich, budget-friendly solution for your startup or entrepreneurial team.

Asana

Asana is a general project management tool with app and program integration. The company has been around for over a decade, offering a complex solution that requires extensive training for new users and those who are less tech-savvy.

Features:

• Project view capabilities
• Accessibility from any location
• Task and subtask sharing
• Various report formats
• Custom templates
• Admin privacy and permissions management
• File storage security and document sharing
• Dashboard customization 
• Automatic email updates 
• Multiple workspaces
• Calendar syncing 

Limitations:

• Steep learning curve and not user friendly for untrained teammates
• Lengthy implementation
• Limited chat options
• Slow system speed due to UI delays
• No time tracking capabilities
• Limited data exporting capabilities (only JSON and CSV formats; not Excel or PDF)
• Limited task assignment capabilities (one person at a time) and project sharing

Asana is a flexible system for task management; however, it’s not as functional for teams requiring real-time collaboration on projects. Asana’s project management tools can be helpful for group and educational projects, but new users may find the interface intimidating and time-consuming.

Basecamp

As one of the early project management systems on the market, Basecamp is a viable option for stand-alone project management. It focuses on quick and easy to-do lists, document sharing, and notifications that serve a basic purpose. For highly collaborative teams, Basecamp’s over-simplified solution will limit engagement possibilities.

Features:

• Progress charts and reporting capabilities 
• Custom templates
• Simple interface
• Ability to invite external users
• Private and group messaging
• To-do lists that can be assigned to multiple users
• Calendars with agenda and calendar views
• Document and file sharing 
• Email integration

Limitations:

• Overly-simplified system
• Limited app integration
• Calendar capabilities are minimal
• No ability for time tracking or reporting unless you integrate with another program
• Limited organizational capabilities for documents and attachments
• No ability to add tags to projects 
• Reporting capabilities 
• Minimal access controls, functionality, and customization
• Limited asset sharing
• Not effective for cross-team collaboration

When you require a simple interface for managing projects, Basecamp is a good option. But the platform leaves much to be desired in the way of features for in-person or distributed teams collaborating on time-sensitive projects.

Monday.com

Monday.com is a simple project management system that helps teams execute projects with templates, time tracking, and automated notifications. When you need an easy way to manage and prepare basic projects, Monday.com is a viable solution.

Features:

• Interactive dashboards
• Templates available
• Gantt charts
• Jointly organize, track, and update projects 
• Centralized tasks and communication
• Simplified interface
• Some import and export capabilities (Excel)

Limitations:

• Limited project management capabilities
• No role-based permissions
• Minimal report customization features
• No chat capabilities
• No document sharing possibilities

Monday.com has several key limitations that make it a challenge to collaborate effectively, particularly for virtual workers. When you’re needing a feature-rich collaborative tool for your teams and complex projects, it’s better to choose a more dynamic platform with chat, reporting, and document sharing opportunities.

Flow

Flow is a feature-rich, all-in-one project management software that offers a visually-appealing and intuitive, real-time collaborative platform. Flow offers a full range of useful functionalities that make managing various teams and workflows simple and enjoyable for in-office, remote, and combination teams.

Features:

• All-in-one platform, eliminating the need for separate tools 
• Intuitive and beautiful user interface
• Scalability for small, medium, or large teams
• Easy app integrations
• One location for all tasks with flexible options for assigning and delegating
• Extensive customization options and themes
• Toggle between list view, calendar view, and Kanban boards
• Track multiple projects and teams with ease
• Built-in chat feature for direct, group, and team-wide messaging
• Keep track of what is due, overdue, unassigned, or missing a deadline
• Secure, modern cloud-based storage

Limitations:

• Feature-rich collaborative option involves some learning curve for new users, but it’s still easy to pick up
• Flow is a lesser-known, growing player in the industry that is achieving its value
• Less applicable for individual work task management and more suited for project teams and growing companies

Whether your team members collaborate in the office or virtually, or a bit of both, Flow provides a central dashboard for successful team collaboration that is highly organized and flexible. Its secure, modern cloud-based storage allows you to set permissions and rules for engagement, reducing security breaches.

As a collaboration tool for startups and entrepreneurial teams, Flow offers real-time communication and coordination and effective workflow management.

Budget Considerations for Growing Teams

The value of your collaboration platform is undeniable as it will serve as the backbone of team projects. Still, you need to keep your budget in mind and choose an option that is sustainable and scalable for the long-haul.

Pricing Levels for Collaborative Tools

Asana When billed annually, $10.99/user/month for premium $24.99/user/month for business Undisclosed price for enterprise-level features, security, and support

Basecamp $99/month

Monday.com $8/user/month for basic $10/user/month for standard $16/user/month for pro Undisclosed price for enterprise *Tiered pricing establishes a base cost according to the number of users. For example, a team of up to 20 starts at $199 per month for the standard plan.

Flow $6/user/month for basic $8/user/month for plus $10/user/month for pro

It’s not surprising that Asana is the most expensive among the options with its complex features and long-standing reputation. But remember the additional investment of onboarding time and resources for new users; the learning curve may limit your scalability. Basecamp’s set fee is understandable for its limited project capabilities. Monday.com comes with a tiered pricing plan that is confusing to follow and can be frustrating for growing companies that encounter unexpected price hikes along the way. Flow offers the most inexpensive billing option overall and flexible, transparent pricing plans for growing teams.

A Scalable All-in-One Collaboration Platform

Especially for startups and entrepreneurial teams, the best collaboration tools are often an all-in-one solution that supports scalability at any pace. Flow enables remote or in-person teams, small and large, to manage tasks and track workloads while working collaboratively and simultaneously.

With Flow, your team will enjoy the functionality of a beautiful, intuitive platform and robust reporting for data-driven success. Whether you’re a small team that is working on a tight budget or a larger company with a combination of remote and in house team members, you’ll appreciate the ability to manage tasks and projects, and you’ll enjoy a pricing structure that is scalable and customizable to fit your growing needs.

Flow offers diverse collaboration tools for startups. The setup is simple, so your team can experience increased productivity right away. Sign up for a free trial today!