15 Best project management software for architects – Plaky

Much like in most other industries, architects are under a lot of pressure to put their best foot forward while juggling multiple projects. 

Luckily, we live in a tech-driven world, so there is software for everything nowadays — including software that keeps architects on top of their tasks.

In this blog post, we will go through a list of the top 15 project management software for architects in 2023. 

But first, let’s consider what architecture project management software even is and why it’s an indispensable companion to most architects today. 

What is architecture project management software?

Frequently, missed deadlines are just one of the issues architects encounter while honing their craft and making architecture dreams come true for their clients. 

For the most part, the seeds of their failures are common mistakes like ineffective communication or a lack of management and leadership. 

Architects are truly blessed today, though, given the number of tools available that promise to keep them on track with their projects. 

We call these tools architecture project management software because that’s exactly what they do — they help you manage your projects throughout their lifespans to ensure both your and your clients’ satisfaction.

Keep in mind that this software is not the same as the one used for architectural modeling. Usually, there aren’t any design features in this software, as its focus is on helping users efficiently manage their projects. 

In other words, this software allows architects to spend less time worrying about the business side of their projects and concentrate more on their designs.

Top 15 project management software for architects

We’ve sifted through the best and the worst PM software available today. Here’s our list of the top 15 project management tools architects should check out in 2023.

#1 Plaky — best free project management software

Plaky project management software (Source: Plaky)

Plaky is a free project management tool for architects, engineers, and anyone else who needs to sort out their work life and business. Designed to be used by teams across many industries and sectors, it’ll help you plan and carry out any projects you have in mind, no matter their size.

With Plaky, your workflow and productivity can only get better since this customizable software allows for centralized data. Whatever information you need about your projects, both you and your team will be able to access it easily. 

Better yet, Plaky is a reliable solution for storing project-related data since it lets you share unlimited links, documents, and files. 

Communicating with your team will also be a piece of cake, as you can use the item cards to add comments about your tasks and projects. And no, you won’t miss any notifications — you can set up email or bell reminders to know immediately when there are any updates.

Pros of using Plaky as an architect

• Unlimited number of projects and users — Not only is Plaky free forever, but you can also create as many projects and add as many users as you want to your workspace. Use Plaky’s project management template to get you started.
• Activity tracking — Use the Activity and Last Seen buttons to track your and your team’s activities, changes, updates, and more.

Cons of using Plaky as an architect

• Limited integrations and board views — You can choose either the Table or Kanban board view. Currently, the only integration available is with Clockify, the most popular free time-tracking app for teams.

Available for: web, Android, iOS

Type of planPlaky free plan & pricingFree trialN/AFree planYesPaid plansN/A

#2 Monograph — best for improved client experience

Monograph project management software (Source: Monograph)

Given that it was designed by architects for architects, Monograph might be a shoo-in for anyone looking to either try out architecture project management software for the first time or switch to a new tool.

Much like similar tools, Monograph comes with features that help bring projects to a close on time and on budget. 

Besides being a great project management tool for architects, Monograph also has a number of useful accounting features. Some of its key features, like MoneyGantt, show a project’s progress across different factors, like time, phases, and milestones, in a bar chart.

Another major focus of Monograph is the workforce. Creating each project will require you to add roles for your team. 

The most interesting part is that you can allocate hours for each team member. In the Resource tab, you can even check how many hours your team has worked and plan out their schedules in advance.

Pros of using Monograph as an architect

• Build projects through phases — Use the Project Planner to map out your projects by adding different phases, allocating the budget for each phase, assigning roles and forecasted hours, and more. 
• Create detailed invoices — Monograph offers a built-in invoice builder that makes creating invoices fast and easy. Once done, print, download, export to QuickBooks Online, or share your invoices with clients directly via email or link.

Cons of using Monograph as an architect

• Rudimentary task management and notification options — Monograph doesn’t have a refined task system for inputting every bit of information about each project. A better customizable notification system would do wonders for any architect’s workflow as well.

Available for: web

Type of planMonograph free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planNoPaid plans$40 per user per month (billed annually)

#3 ClickUp — best for total beginners

ClickUp project management software (Source: ClickUp)

ClickUp is a tool built with pure productivity in mind. Packed with various features that make work easier on a daily basis, the software is a good option for project and product management, human resources and marketing teams, and more. 

The software comes with a 6-level hierarchy structure for breaking down any type of work:

• Workspace, 
• Spaces, 
• Folders, 
• Lists, 
• Tasks, and 
• Subtasks.

Though it wasn’t made specifically for architects, it ought to be quite useful to them too — there’s even an architectural design template they can rely on.

For the most part, ClickUp aims to help you manage your work all in one place. Its list of features is quite impressive and includes but is not limited to:

• Creating unlimited tasks that you can set priority for, add due dates and tags, etc.,
• Using whiteboards to brainstorm ideas with your colleagues,
• Choosing from a few different views, including list, Kanban, calendar, and even mind map view,
• Using collaborative docs, native time tracking, and real-time chat tools.

All of these features could make an architect’s job so much easier and speed up project completion. 

Pros of using ClickUp as an architect

• Simple and intuitive to use — ClickUp guides you through the whole process of creating a workspace, naming it, choosing the best color theme, etc. You also get access to different Onboarding videos and quick tutorials on how to use the software to its full potential.
• Task automations — Use the Automate button to access pre-set automations or create custom ones to fine-tune your workflow.

Cons of using ClickUp as an architect

• Limited storage and spaces — With ClickUp’s free plan, you only get 5 Spaces per Workspace and only about 100MB of file storage space, which will barely cover a few projects. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, go for ClickUp alternatives that come with unlimited storage space, workspaces, and teams. 

Available for: web, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Type of planClickUp free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planYesPaid plansUnlimited — $5 per member per month (billed annually)
Business — $12 per member per month (billed annually)
Business Plus — $19 per member per month (billed annually)
Enterprise — POA

#4 nTask — best for integration with other apps

nTask project management software (Source: nTask)

Although not specifically made for architects, nTask is an all-encompassing cloud-based project management platform. Its features include a host of project and task management functionalities, but also more advanced features, such as:

• Risk management, 
• Team management, and 
• Issue tracking.

But this might just be an architect’s dream platform given that nTask also allows for various integrations. With Zapier, you can integrate nTask with over 1,000+ apps, such as:

• Zoom,
• Google, Apple, and Outlook calendars,
• Google Meet, and
• Microsoft Teams.

The project management features are just as impressive. 

It only takes a few steps to plan out your projects, and that includes allocating funds and resources to different tasks, defining work capacity and more. You can create various tasks, sub-tasks, and even repeat tasks when needed. 

Naturally, this all is enhanced by a fantastic communication system. nTask comes with a team chat feature. You can use this chat for general communication, such as: 

• Sharing updates, 
• Chatting with your colleagues, and 
• Sharing documents and managing files.

Pros of using nTask as an architect

• Integrated Gantt chart software — The Gantt chart will help you visualize your progress and highlight issues you have to address.
• Detailed time tracking — Track your team’s time spent on tasks, estimated times needed for projects, and the actual time each project took to complete to accurately forecast future project timelines.

Cons of using nTask as an architect

• Very limited Basic Free plan — Most of the major project management features (different board views, budget tracking, extensive file storage space, etc.) are available with Premium, Business or Enterprise plans. 

Available for: web, Android, iOS

Type of plannTask free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planYesPaid plansPremium — $3 per user per month (billed annually)
Business — $8 per user per month (billed annually)
Enterprise — POA

#5 Monday — best for large architecture firms

Monday project management software (Source: Monday)

Monday is a well-known project management tool that can be used across most project-based industries, including architecture. Its main aim is to both keep your work assets organized and improve workflow. 

For instance, Monday has come up with a functionality called Workdocs, which enables collaborative documentation that involves the whole team. 

The best part of Monday’s Workdocs is that you can turn any text — a task tied to a project, for example — into an actionable item. Better yet, you get real-time updates for your docs and can include hundreds of people within one workdoc and enjoy seamless collaboration.

Another favorite of ours is Workforms. This feature allows you to create custom forms for your business for collecting information from potential clients or collaborators. You can then embed those forms on your website, send them via email, or share the links to them with the right people.

Monday might be ideal for larger architecture firms that don’t mind paying for project management software. Its paid plans all allow for an unlimited number of seats, items, and boards.

Pros of using Monday as an architect

• Automations center and integrations — Available with Standard, Pro, and Enterprise plans, you can get access to 250+ actions each month and automate your workflow as you see fit. Monday also integrates with some of your favorite apps, like Slack, Dropbox, Google Drive, and more. 
• Multiple table views — Monday lets you pick the board view that fits your way of thinking perfectly, including Kanban, Chart, Cards, and Gantt. 

Cons of using Monday as an architect

• Limited free plan — Monday’s free plan limits the number of items you can have in your boards (up to 1,000). File storage is not impressive either, as you only get 500MB. Luckily, there are some free alternatives to Monday that may be right up your alley, even if your budget is $0.

Available for: web, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Type of planMonday free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planYes (up to 2 seats)Paid plansBasic — $8 per seat per month (billed annually)
Standard — $10 per seat per month (billed annually)
Pro — $16 per seat per month (billed annually)
Enterprise — POA

#6 Mosaic — best for project workforce management

Mosaic project management software (Source: Mosaic)

If you’re into analysis, reports, and other ways of gaining information about your business, Mosaic may be the ideal project management software for you. 

Though this AI-powered software wasn’t built for architects specifically, it includes a range of features that will certainly come in handy, such as:

• Task management,
• Timesheets and time tracking,
• Resource planning, and
• Project portfolios.

Mosaic’s main purpose is to help you manage all of your work, including all your projects, tasks, and scopes. The software gives you an insight into the whole workload and even offers tools to improve your business and profitability.

Pros of using Mosaic as an architect

• AI team builder functionality — Mosaic offers a smart team builder feature that uses AI to sift through your employees and assemble a team for your next project in mere minutes. 
• Budget and time tracking — Use real-time budget and time-tracking features to keep an eye on the time and money spent on each project. Rely on variance reports to predict better schedules in the future in order to improve your business’ profitability.

Cons of using Mosaic as an architect

• Not suitable for individuals — If you work alone, you probably won’t get to use many of the functionalities Mosaic offers. That may be a bit wasteful in the long run, especially since you can get the most basic (and useful) PM features with some free software tools.

Available for: web, Android, iOS

Type of planMosaic free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planNoPaid plansTeam — $9.99 per user per month (billed annually)
Business — starting at $14.99 per user per month (billed annually)
Enterprise — POA

#7 Asana — best for a customizable workflow

Asana project management software (Source: Asana)

Asana is a cross-team work platform that can be used across many industries and departments, from marketing and sales to architecture. It owes its versatility to its endless customization options — that is, if you can splurge on the more expensive plans.

Asana helps teams organize, track, and manage their projects, and it does that by offering a ton of useful features and tools. Some of the best ones for architects include:

• Gantt charts, which will serve as visual representations of your projects’ progress,
• Goals, which are reminders of company goals and subgoals that concern the whole team, and
• Real-time data reporting and charts, which give you an insight into the health of your projects and your team’s work quality.

Pros of using Asana as an architect

• Tons of app integrations — You can integrate Asana with daily essentials like Google Drive and Slack. If you want a time-tracking feature too, integrate it with a time tracker app like Clockify. 
• Workflow Builder — Connect all information and all teams in one place in order to streamline processes and projects. This feature is a newer addition to Asana. It includes task automation, progress monitoring and reporting, using Forms to manage work requests, and more.

Cons of using Asana as an architect

• Better PM features available with expensive plans — The free plan doesn’t include the most useful features like Workflow Builder, Portfolios, Goals, etc., though it does come with the basics any architect could put to good use. If you also need to be able to make custom fields and have a team larger than 15 users, this free Asana alternative is a better choice.

Available for: web, Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Type of planAsana free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planYes (up to 15 teammates) Paid plansPremium — $10.99 per user per month (billed annually)
Business — $24.99 per user per month (billed annually)
Enterprise — POA

#8 Wrike — best for complex projects

Wrike project management software (Source: Wrike)

Wrike is a project management tool whose main purpose is to boost productivity and improve workflows across many different (and usually rather complex) projects. 

Its list of features is impressive, and there are a few different paid plans, depending on your needs and the size of your business.

Luckily, all of the plans offer useful features for architects. For instance, the free plan comes with features such as: 

• Task and sub-task management, 
• Account-wide work schedules, 
• Different board views (like Table or Kanban), and
• Email integration and notifications.

That said, Wrike’s paid plans are a better option. With the paid plans, you can access even more features that can make a real difference for your workflow, like:

• A dynamic Gantt chart, 
• Collaborative calendars, 
• Advanced reporting and analytics, and 
• Dynamic request forms.

One thing that’s true for all plans, though, is very limited storage space. You can get 15GB max per user, and that’s only if you go for the Pinnacle plan.

Pros of using Wrike as an architect

• Resource planning and management — Access a range of resource management tools to speed up resource planning, predict resource demand, track how much time you have spent on your projects, monitor budget spending in real-time, and more.
• Approval software — Prevent delays and speed up your workflow by easily adding approvals needed for different tasks, signing off approval requests, and keeping a close eye on any outstanding approvals.

Cons of using Wrike as an architect

• Limited number of users with cheaper plans — The Free plan allows for unlimited users but doesn’t have some crucial PM features, like custom fields. On the other hand, the paid plans (Team and Business specifically) have features like personal schedules and custom fields, statuses and workflows but are capped at 200 users max. If you want to add an unlimited number of users and the best features, you have to go with the Enterprise or Pinnacle plan.

Available for: web, Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Type of planWrike free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planYesPaid plansTeam — $9.80 per user per month (billed annually)
Business — $24.80 per user per month (billed annually)
Enterprise — POA
Pinnacle — POA

#9 Notion — best for individual use

Notion project management software (Source: Notion)

Notion’s appeal for architects lies in its customizability. The software is based on creating different pages and populating them with blocks or rather, pieces of content. The pages can be about anything you want, so you don’t have to use Notion only for projects. 

Notion is more of a build-it-yourself project management tool. You build your ideal workspace by adding different pieces of content to it. In fact, you build each page and everything you want it to have from scratch. 

If you’re an individual, Notion’s free plan should suit you well enough, given that you get an unlimited number of blocks to use. However, Notion has a block limit if you add 2 or more workspace members to your plan. 

Something that’s definitely noticeable with Notion is that it doesn’t offer any of the special features you can find with other software, like budget planning and predictions or time tracking, unless you integrate it with other software. 

Still, it’s a solid project management tool for sharing information and daily collaboration that should improve your workflow.

Pros of using Notion as an architect

• Customize with different connections — Notion makes it easy to avoid switching between tasks while you’re hard at work. The software offers an impressive list of different connections you can use to customize your Notion workspace.
• Gantt, calendar, and Kanban views — You aren’t limited with how you want to display your project data. Easily switch between different views to gain more insight into your projects.

Cons of using Notion as an architect 

• Limited file size and number of users — You have to go for the paid plans if you want to upload files larger than 5MB and add more collaborators (max 250 with the Business plan; custom number available with Enterprise). If that seems like a bad deal, there’s a free Notion alternative that allows an unlimited number of users and 10MB file uploads.

Available for: web, Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Type of planNotion free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planYes (up to 10 collaborators)Paid plansPlus — $8 per user per month (billed annually)
Business — $15 per user per month (billed annually)
Enterprise — POA

#10 Nifty — best for smaller architecture firms

Nifty project management software (Source: Nifty)

Collaboration is the name of the game with Nifty — a project management hub fit for most industries, including architecture. 

The idea behind Nifty is to streamline your workflow so that all goals, tasks, and communication are kept within one application, thus ensuring mistakes are rarely made.

Nifty’s projects are based on milestones and tasks. Naturally, the progress is shown in one of the best visual tools available — a Gantt chart.

What we love the most about Nifty is the amount of information we can add to each project. Every project, for instance, has a discussion board where the team can talk about the latest changes and updates. 

Since Nifty also integrates with Zoom, this tab makes it easier for any architect to enhance their workflow on a daily basis — or, at the very least, avoid having to use different apps to communicate.

Another impressive feature is that Nifty has its own Docs. However, you can also use Google Docs, Spreadsheets, and Presentations directly in Nifty and avoid disrupting your workflow.

Pros of using Nifty as an architect

• Task and milestone dependencies — Ensure interrelated tasks and milestones follow a set fulfillment schedule.
• Centralized documents and files — Consolidate all the project’s files and documents within the project card to never lose track of what’s important for a project.

Cons of using Nifty as an architect

• Limited number of users — If you go for the free plan, you get to add an unlimited number of team members, but you can have only two active projects (with Starter, you get 40). The project limit is lifted with Pro, Business, and Unlimited plans, but only the most expensive plan lets you add an unlimited number of users (not ideal for businesses looking to grow over time).

Available for: web, Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Type of planNifty free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planYesPaid plansStarter – $39 (billed annually)
Pro – $79 (billed annually)
Business – $124 (billed annually)
Unlimited – $399 (billed annually)

#11 TeamGantt — best for Gantt chart enthusiasts

TeamGantt project management software (Source: TeamGantt)

As it was founded over a decade ago, TeamGantt has had lots of time to establish its authority in the software industry as one of the most useful project management tools. 

Just like the software’s name suggests, this is the best solution for anyone who prefers visualizing their projects and their progress in a Gantt chart.

This software is easy to use and rather intuitive, so users don’t have to worry about facing a steep learning curve. 

TeamGantt’s official YouTube channel offers step-by-step tutorials on how to use the software. But, it’s unlikely you’ll need much help as all the functionalities are easy to access and understand.

Pros of using TeamGantt as an architect

• Built-in collaboration tools — The software tracks all comments related to your tasks and projects, which you can then go through effortlessly in the Discussions tab. The Summary tab also saves all the shared documents and files that you may need to complete a project.
• Workload and availability tools — Easily keep track of your team’s workload in the Gantt chart view via the Availability tab. See how many tasks your team members have or how many hours they have allocated for each working day.

Cons of using TeamGantt as an architect

• Limited project and task views — TeamGantt’s biggest advantage is the incredible Gantt chart view, but that can also be seen as its main disadvantage. You can go for the Daily, Calendar, or List view, too, but the focus is on the Gantt charts. If you don’t love them or know how to use them, you won’t like this software.

Available for: web, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Type of planTeamGantt free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planYesPaid plansLite – $19 per manager per month (up to 5 collaborators) (billed annually)
Pro – $49 per manager per month (billed annually)
Enterprise – $99 per manager per month (billed annually)

#12 BQE Core — best for overall business management

BQE Core project management software (Source: BQE)

Most tools on this list focus on project management alone. However, BQE Core offers additional features that actually make it the best solution for business management too.

 Among other things, this software comes with a whole host of features related to human resources, customer relationship management, and more.

What we love the most about BQE Core is how organized it is, to the point that it has multiple dashboards. You can customize dashboards to fit your needs precisely — just drag and drop the information boxes around to create your perfect data order. 

When dealing with multiple projects or teams, this feature alone could ensure you always have the most important information right in front of you. Unfortunately, the software isn’t intuitive and may be too complex if you’re not tech-savvy.

Pros of using BQE Core as an architect

• Detailed project accounting and budgeting — Stay in the know regarding your business’ financial performance. Check the performance of your clients, staff, projects, and phases and use integrated project accounting tools to shorten billing time with automated client invoices and ePayments.
• Time and paperless expense tracking — Use the Time & Expenses tab to track time not just for projects but overhead and time off too. You can also accurately track and link all expenses to their respective projects (and even create a digital expense record by uploading photos of the receipts).

Cons of using BQE Core as an architect

• You’re unlikely to use all the features — BQE Core may be ideal for architects looking for additional business management features. If you have a small team or work alone, it may be a bit overwhelming and underused, especially since the learning curve is quite steep.

Available for: web, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Ubuntu, Android, and iOS

Type of planBQE Core free plan & pricingFree trialNo (free demo only)Free planNoPaid plansVaries (request a quote)

#13 Teamwork — best for resource management

Teamwork project management software (Source: Teamwork)

Not only is the sheer scope of features Teamwork offers immense — it’s also highly intuitive to use.

But, does the free plan come with most of the best PM features? Right now, it doesn’t. If you can spare some cash, Teamwork will grace you with a ton of useful features that can improve any architect’s workflow (and project success rate), including:

• Time management (time tracking, time estimates, and more),
• Workflow automation (get a designated number of automations you can set up per month),
• Portfolio view (see every detail about your projects in one place),
• Custom reports (based on tasks, projects, milestones, and users),
• Unlimited clients and collaborators, and
• Custom branding and custom domain with SSL.

Pros of using Teamwork as an architect

• Easy collaboration — The software has an integrated chat that you can use to share information and updates with your colleagues. Additionally, you can consolidate project updates with the Messages feature, as well as organize key data with the Notebooks feature.
• Detailed resource and team management — Use the Workload Planner to organize your team’s work and how much time they spend on projects. Rely on the Resource Scheduler to plan and forecast the resources needed for your future projects in advance.

Cons of using Teamwork as an architect

• Limited features with cheaper plans — The free plan allows up to 5 users and 2 projects only, not to mention the limited features and integrations (no integrated team chat, you cannot track change history, etc.). The most useful features are reserved for the Grow and Scale plans, which come with a steep price tag.

Available for: web, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, and iOS

Type of planTeamwork free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planYes (up to 5 users)Paid plansDeliver – $9.99 per user per month (billed annually)
Grow – $17.99 per user per month (billed annually)
Scale – POA

#14 Accelo — best for adaptive project management

Accelo project management software (Source: Accelo)

Accelo offers a few different solutions for a few different industries, so it wasn’t made with architects in mind. However, its Projects tool could be a great option for architects looking to combine a few project management methodologies.

The tool is based on both traditional and agile methodologies. Depending on which plan you go for, you will get access to a ton of PM features, including:

• Custom project fields and dates,
• Project dependencies,
• Budgeting (including real-time budget tracking), and
• Project materials and expenses tracking.

Accelo also allows its users to purchase different tools available with their other products, such as Retainers, Billing, or Reports. So, if you also want to invoice projects based on your progress and budget, you can — but you have to buy another product.

Pros of using Accelo as an architect

• Automated project time logging — The time-tracking feature is integrated into not just projects, but tasks and milestones as well, to ensure every second of work is accounted for.
• Interactive Gantt chart planning — While you’re inputting the information about your project, the data will appear in a Gantt chart that’ll visually showcase all your tasks and milestones.

Cons of using Accelo as an architect

• Steep learning curve — Accelo displays information in a very logical way, but it’s not as easy to use as we would like it to be. The interface isn’t intuitive enough, which makes using this tool feel like additional work.

Available for: web, Android, iOS

Type of planAccelo free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planNoPaid plansPlus – $24 per product per user per month (billed annually)
Premium – $39 per product per user per month (billed annually)

#15 ArchiSnapper — best for on-site reports and inspections

ArchiSnapper project management software (Source: ArchiSnapper)

At a glance, ArchiSnapper may seem like regular project management software, but it’s very different from any other piece of software we’ve seen on this list so far. 

ArchiSnapper helps you manage projects a bit differently — it allows you to create field reports and punch lists, inspect projects on-site, and even access various reports, statistics, and charts about your projects.

The main difference between ArchiSnapper and other types of PM software is that it doesn’t use the typical projects-and-tasks form of management. Instead, you create a new project and then add all sort of information about it, such as:

• To-do lists,
• Contacts,
• Documents and plans,
• Notes, and
• Pictures.

The bulk of the work with ArchiSnapper is actually done through the corresponding app. You can add all your projects on your computer and then use the app to sync the information before going on-site to do your reports.

Pros of using ArchiSnapper as an architect

• Gantt planning — With ArchiSnapper, you can easily make your custom Gantt plan with phases, tasks, and dependencies and share it with your team and colleagues as a PDF.
• Custom checklists — If you’re going in for an inspection or walkthrough, use the Checklist feature for faster reviews. Later on, you can analyze the gathered information to find potential issues that need to be addressed immediately. 

Cons of using ArchiSnapper as an architect

• Mainly used for on-site project management — ArchiSnapper doesn’t offer enough features for an improved workflow for architects and detailed project management that goes beyond on-site reporting. Therefore, it’s best to use it alongside another type of PM software.

Available for: web, Windows, MacOS, Chromebook, Android, iOS

Type of planArchiSnapper free plan & pricingFree trialYesFree planNoPaid plans$29 per user per month (billed annually)

What project management software should architects use?

Not every architect is blessed with project management skills, so it’s vital to choose software that can compensate for this. Essentially, project management software makes daily work more efficient as it ensures any project — no matter its scope — is entirely manageable. 

When choosing your ideal PM software, you might get overwhelmed with how many options there are. In that case, consider the basics first — ease of use and scalability.

Look for a tool that’s intuitive to use and doesn’t require tackling a steep learning curve. Additionally, make sure it’s adaptable enough to support a growing business so that you don’t have to replace it later on.

Now, every PM tool comes with its own set of features, but not all of these features are useful to architects. Everybody also has their own preferences and needs when it comes to project management, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

That said, the following features stand out as the most important ones for architects today:

• Real-time communication and collaboration features,
• Time, task, and information management features, and
• Financial management features.

Real-time communication and collaboration features

Architects are no strangers to sudden project changes, so real-time communication and collaboration are a necessity for them.

Project management software that comes with real-time updates is a major advantage in this industry. This kind of software drastically reduces the risk of miscommunication on any changes, failures, delays, etc. 

Better yet, the ideal project management software for architects should also come with a solution for data and document management risks. Centralizing all the data tied to a single project in one place makes it easier for project team members to access said data.

Transparency is key in this case, as it helps keep the whole team on the same page. Ideally, though, the software should allow for unlimited file sharing. That way, the architects and their teams could share as many documents, files, links and similar as they need.

💡 Plaky Pro Tip

Your project can fail if you and your team experience poor communication. Check out this post to learn more about the importance of communication in project management and how to improve it.

• Why is communication important in project management?

Time, task, and information management features

According to a study by Newforma and Dodge Data & Analytics, some of the biggest problems architects and engineers face are tied to bad project information management, like:

• Difficulties with sharing information with external team members, and
• Finding the right information when trying to make an informed decision.

All of these problems can be resolved with project management software that comes with time, task, and information management features.

For instance, such software could come with a workspace where you can create new tasks, assign them with just a few clicks, set deadlines, and attach any important documents and information to them. 

Even better if team members receive prompt notifications about any updates to their tasks.

Progress and time-tracking features are also a big plus, as they allow architects to see exactly what has been done on the project at any given time and how much time they have left to bring the project to a close.

Financial management features

Finally, since architecture projects can incur lots of expenses, you may want to consider using project management software that comes with money management features. 

You’d think that most of these types of software would come with financial management tools, but they really don’t. Some architects already use other programs or apps to handle their finances.

Staying within budget is always a major goal, but it can be tough to achieve when you’re dealing with external contractors, different teams, and lots of information. 

If the software is up to the task, though, it would enable architects to keep tabs on their predicted vs. actual project expenses, track their budgets in real time, and even estimate budgets for future projects.

Better yet, some software options come with invoicing features too. This feature makes it even easier to take projects to the finish line!

Conclusion: Ensure satisfaction across the board with architecture project management software

One of the main reasons you should get architecture project management software is to make your life easier. Along the way, though, this software will also ensure you meet your client’s wishes with every project and that they’re 100% satisfied, not just with your work but your professionalism too.

Though you can easily be the most talented architect out there, that doesn’t mean your project management skills will match your eagerness to keep everything under control. Fortunately, technology has your back.

Every tool on this list comes with some incredible features architects could put to good use. For the most part, though, make sure your final choice enables you to:

• Easily communicate with your team and/or clients,
• Track information and all the details related to your projects (time, activities, documentation, and similar).

As you could see, there are free software tools that match this description. Any other feature available with those tools counts as the icing on the cake — one that could positively influence all your future projects and your overall career.

✉️ Have you already tried some of these software tools for architecture? Share your thoughts by contacting us at [email protected], and we may include your answers in this or future posts. If you liked this blog post and found it useful, share it with someone you think would also benefit from it.