Smartsheet
Trello
| Feature | Smartsheet | Trello |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $9/mo | Free / from $5/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | enterprise, pmo-teams, operations, construction, it-teams | small-teams, individuals, beginners, simple-projects |
| Founded | 2005 | 2011 |
| Grid View | ✓ | ✗ |
| Gantt | ✓ | ✗ |
| Card View | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reports | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dashboards | ✓ | ✗ |
| Resource Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Kanban | ✗ | ✓ |
| Calendar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Power Ups | ✗ | ✓ |
| Templates | ✗ | ✓ |
| Due Dates And Labels | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Smartsheet Pros
- Familiar spreadsheet interface reduces learning curve
- Powerful automation with no-code workflows
- Enterprise-grade permissions and governance
- Excellent for resource management at scale
✗ Smartsheet Cons
- Can feel overwhelming for simple projects
- Expensive at enterprise scale
- Mobile experience is limited
✓ Trello Pros
- Dead simple to use
- Great free plan
- Power-Ups ecosystem
- Mobile friendly
✗ Trello Cons
- Limited views
- Not great for complex projects
- Basic reporting
The Verdict
Smartsheet is built for enterprise and pmo teams, with a focus on grid-view and gantt. Trello targets small teams and individuals and leads with kanban and calendar.
Pricing is close: Trello starts at $5/mo versus $9/mo for Smartsheet — not a deciding factor on its own.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Smartsheet offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Trello takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.
