Whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise, using the right Kanban tool can transform how you manage tasks, visualize workflows, and boost productivity. You can also benefit from the latest technological advancements, like AI-powered workflows, to keep your team’s projects organized and moving smoothly.
In this guide, we’ll dive into the top Kanban tools of 2025 — like monday dev, Jira, ClickUp, and Trello — highlighting their key features, ratings, and pricing to help you find the perfect fit for your team.
Try monday devHere’s a quick summary of the tools we’ll be covering in detail below:
| Software | Best for | Standout feature | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| monday dev | Product managers, team leaders, software engineers, and QA teams | Customizable boards with drag-and-drop functionality and color-coded cards | Premium plans from $9/seat/month |
| Jira | Large organizations, IT operations, and software development teams | Customizable boards with WIP limits and backlog management | Free plan available; premium plans from $7/user/month |
| Trello | Individuals, small teams, and organizations across various industries | Customizable boards, lists, and cards with drag-and-drop functionality | Free plan available; premium plans from $5/user/month |
| ClickUp | Teams of all sizes — from individuals and small startups to large organizations | Customizable boards and cards with drag-and-drop task management | Free plan available; premium plans from $7/user/month |
| KanbanFlow | Individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized teams | Customizable boards with WIP limits, swimlanes, and color-coded tasks | Free plan available; premium plans from $5/user/month |
| Azure DevOps | Enterprises, IT departments, and software development teams | Customizable boards with configurable columns, swimlanes, and WIP limits | Free plan available; premium plans from $6/user/month |
| Asana | Teams and organizations of all sizes | Customizable boards with drag-and-drop columns and color-coded tasks | Free plan available; premium plans from $10.99/user/month |
| Smartsheet | Medium to large-sized teams and organizations | Customizable boards with drag-and-drop cards and lane “pivoting” | Premium plans from $9/member/month |
| Wrike | Medium to large-sized teams, agencies, and enterprises | Customizable boards and workflows with automated card movement | Free plan available; premium plans from $10/user/month |
| Zoho Sprints | Agile teams in small to large organizations | Customizable boards with drag-and-drop functionality | Free plan available; premium plans from $1/user/month |
What are Kanban tools?
Kanban tools are digital platforms or software designed to implement the Kanban method — a visual workflow management system that helps teams organize, track, and optimize their work processes. At their core, Kanban tools use boards, columns, and cards to represent tasks and their progress through various stages, such as “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done”.
Kanban tools are widely used in software development, IT operations, marketing, HR, and many other fields where teams need to manage tasks, projects, or workflows in a transparent and flexible way.
How to choose the best Kanban tools
Selecting the best Kanban tool for your team or organization involves carefully evaluating your specific requirements and the features offered by different solutions.
The best Kanban tools should align with your team’s unique workflows, integrate with your existing systems, support collaboration, provide actionable insights, and scale as your needs evolve. Always define your goals first, then shortlist tools that meet your criteria, and take advantage of free trials to ensure the best fit before making a final decision.
Here’s a quick summary of the key criteria for choosing a Kanban tool:
| Criteria | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Workflow visualization | Customizable boards, drag-and-drop cards |
| Task management | Sub-tasks, checklists, due dates, assignments |
| WIP limits | Column and swimlane limits, personal WIP settings |
| Customization | Adaptable columns, swimlanes, card templates |
| Collaboration | Comments, mentions, real-time updates |
| Integrations | Compatibility with other tools and platforms |
| Reporting and analytics | Dashboards, flow diagrams, performance metrics |
| Usability | Intuitive interface, easy onboarding |
| Pricing and scalability | Flexible plans, ability to grow with your team |
| Security and support | Data protection, responsive customer support |
Let’s break those items down step-by-step.
Identify your needs and goals
- Clarify the problem you want to solve: Are you aiming to improve workflow visibility, collaboration, efficiency, or something else? Define the outcomes you expect from adopting a Kanban tool.
- Determine who will use it: Consider the size and structure of your team. Will the tool be used by a small group, multiple departments, or the entire organization?
Evaluate core Kanban functionality
Ensure the tool supports essential Kanban features:
- Workflow visualization: Look for clear, customizable boards with drag-and-drop card movement.
- Task management: Features like sub-tasks, checklists, due dates, and assignments are essential for detailed tracking.
- Work in Progress (WIP) limits: The ability to set WIP limits at various levels helps manage workload and prevent bottlenecks.
- Workflow management: The tool should help visualize different work types, blockers, dependencies, and deadlines.
Assess customization and flexibility
- Board and card customization: Ensure you can adapt columns, swimlanes, and card templates to fit your unique processes.
- Workflow adaptability: The tool should evolve with your team’s needs and support changes as your processes grow.
Check collaboration and integration features
- Collaboration tools: Real-time updates, comments, mentions, and notifications are vital for teamwork.
- Integrations: Ensure compatibility with other software you use, such as project management, CRM, or communication tools.
Review reporting and analytics
- Dashboards and metrics: Look for built-in analytics like cumulative flow diagrams, lead/cycle time reports, and performance dashboards to support continuous improvement.
- Feedback loops: Features that support feedback, such as comments and email integrations, help maintain open communication.
Consider usability and support
- Ease of use: The interface should be intuitive and easy for your team to learn and use effectively.
- Customer support and community: Reliable support and an active user community can help resolve issues and share best practices.
Analyze pricing, scalability, and security
- Pricing: Compare free and paid plans, considering the total cost of ownership, including user licenses and integrations.
- Scalability: The tool should accommodate your team as it grows, supporting more users and boards without performance loss.
- Security: Ensure the tool follows industry-standard security protocols, especially if handling sensitive data.
Test before committing
- Free trials: Most reputable Kanban tools offer free trials. Use this period to test the tool’s fit with your workflow and team preferences.
- Decision matrix: Create a weighted scoring system to compare shortlisted tools objectively based on your prioritized criteria.
Top 10 Kanban tools for 2025
With so many Kanban tools on the market, selecting the best one for your team can be challenging and time-consuming. Here, we’ve reviewed the top 10 Kanban software platforms so that you can compare them side-by-side and find the one that’s right for your team.
1. monday dev
Best for: Product managers, team leaders, software engineers, and QA teams seeking a flexible, visual, and collaborative environment for managing agile workflows and product lifecycles
monday dev is an agile product development platform that streamlines planning, building, and launching products by connecting development, design, and business teams in one collaborative workspace. Its intuitive Kanban tools make it easy to visualize workflows, manage sprints, and track progress from idea to release.
monday dev ratings and reviews
Compare: monday.com vs. Jira, monday.com vs. ClickUp, monday.com vs. Asana, monday.com vs. Trello.
Key features of monday dev
- User-friendly interface with quick setup and a wide range of templates for different development processes
- Fully customizable Kanban boards with drag-and-drop task management and color-coded cards for easy prioritization
- Automation of repetitive workflows, such as moving tasks or sending notifications based on status changes
- Extensive integrations, including GitHub and GitLab, for seamless code and workflow synchronization
- Real-time dashboards and analytics to monitor sprint progress, identify bottlenecks, and gain actionable insights
monday dev pricing
- Basic: From $9/seat/month
- Standard: From $12/seat/month
- Pro: From $20/seat/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Read more about the monday dev plans and pricing.
Try monday dev2. Jira
Best for: Agile software development teams, IT operations, and organizations that require robust workflow customization, advanced reporting, and scalability for complex or cross-functional projects
Jira is an agile project management platform widely used across software development, IT, business, and marketing teams to facilitate continuous delivery and real-time collaboration. Its flexible Kanban boards enable teams to visualize workflows, manage tasks, and optimize processes for greater efficiency and transparency.
Jira ratings and reviews
Compare: Jira vs. ClickUp, Jira vs. Asana, Jira vs. Basecamp, Jira vs. monday.com, Jira Alternatives.
Key features of Jira
- Customizable Kanban boards with drag-and-drop task management, configurable columns, and workflow automation
- Work-in-progress (WIP) limits and backlog management to control flow and prevent bottlenecks
- Advanced analytics and reporting, including cumulative flow diagrams and real-time dashboards for tracking performance and identifying issues
- Scalable for teams of all sizes, with extensive automation, permissions, and enterprise-level features
Jira pricing
- Free: Up to 10 users
- Standard: From $7.75/user/month
- Premium: From $15.25/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Read more about Jira’s plans and pricing.
3. Trello
Best for: Individuals, small teams, and organizations across various industries looking for an easy-to-use, highly visual Kanban solution for task management, agile projects, or collaborative workflows
Trello is a simple, visual project management tool that uses Kanban boards, lists, and cards to help individuals and teams organize tasks and workflows efficiently. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and flexible customization make it especially popular for those new to Kanban or seeking a straightforward way to manage projects of any size.
Trello ratings and reviews
Compare: Trello vs. monday.com, Trello vs. Asana, Trello vs. ClickUp, Trello Alternatives.
Key features of Trello
- Customizable boards, lists, and cards to map out any workflow, with the ability to assign tasks, set due dates, and attach files
- Real-time updates and seamless collaboration allow team members to track progress and communicate effortlessly
- Built-in automation (Butler) to streamline repetitive actions, such as moving cards or sending notifications
- Power-ups and integrations for enhanced functionality, including calendar views, reporting, and connections to tools like Slack and Google Drive
Trello pricing
- Free: Up to 10 users
- Standard: From $5/user/month
- Premium: From $10/user/month
- Enterprise: From $17.50/user/month
Read more about Trello’s plans and pricing.
4. ClickUp
Best for: Teams of all sizes — ranging from individuals and small startups to large organizations — looking for a highly customizable, feature-rich Kanban tool that supports a wide variety of workflows and project types
ClickUp is a versatile project management platform that allows users to visualize any project as a Kanban board, offering customizable workflows and powerful collaboration features. Its flexible board view, automation options, and deep customization make it popular for teams seeking an all-in-one solution for managing tasks, priorities, and project progress.
ClickUp ratings and reviews
Compare: ClickUp vs. monday.com, ClickUp vs. Trello, ClickUp vs. Asana, ClickUp Alternatives.
Key features of ClickUp
- Customizable Kanban boards with drag-and-drop task management, color-coded labels, due dates, and priority tags
- Work-in-progress (WIP) limits and swimlanes to visually organize and control task flow across different criteria such as assignee, priority, or work type
- Advanced card customization, including attachments, checklists, custom fields, and the ability to multi-select and update several tasks at once
- Seamless collaboration through task assignments, in-card comments, file attachments, and real-time updates
ClickUp pricing
- Free: Basic features for unlimited users
- Unlimited: From $7/user/month
- Business: From $12/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Read more about ClickUp’s plans and pricing.
5. KanbanFlow
Best for: Individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized teams seeking a simple yet powerful Kanban solution with integrated time tracking and productivity tools
KanbanFlow is a lean project management tool that enables individuals and teams to visualize work, manage tasks, and track time using customizable Kanban boards with real-time collaboration features. Its built-in Pomodoro timer and robust analytics make it especially effective for boosting productivity and maintaining focus during task execution.
KanbanFlow ratings and reviews
Key features of KanbanFlow
- Customizable Kanban boards with WIP limits, swimlanes, and color-coded tasks for workflow clarity
- Integrated time tracking with both stopwatch and Pomodoro technique timers to monitor productivity
- Advanced analytics and reporting, including cumulative flow, burndown, throughput, and cycle/lead time charts for workflow optimization
- Real-time collaboration and instant updates across teams, accessible via web and mobile
KanbanFlow pricing
- Free: Basic features for unlimited users
- Premium: From $5/user/month
6. Azure DevOps
Best for: Software development teams, IT departments, and enterprises that require advanced workflow customization, detailed reporting, and integration with CI/CD pipelines and other DevOps services
Azure DevOps offers a robust Kanban board system within Azure Boards, providing teams with a visual, interactive tool to manage work items, track progress, and optimize workflow efficiency throughout the software development lifecycle. Its highly customizable boards, advanced analytics, and seamless integration with other DevOps tools make it a go-to solution for organizations practicing agile and lean methodologies, especially those needing scalability and cross-team collaboration.
Azure DevOps ratings and reviews
Compare: Azure DevOps Alternatives, Best Product Development Software, Best Software Development Tools.
Key features of Azure DevOps
- Customizable Kanban boards with configurable columns, swimlanes, WIP limits, and card styling to match any team’s workflow
- Built-in analytics, including cumulative flow diagrams, lead time, and cycle time widgets for real-time workflow monitoring and process improvement
- Product and portfolio backlogs linked to boards, enabling hierarchical work management and prioritization across multiple teams and projects
- Seamless integration with Azure Pipelines, Azure Repos, and other DevOps tools supports end-to-end software delivery and collaboration
Azure DevOps pricing
- Basic: Free for up to 5 users, then $6/user/month
- Basic + Test Plans: $52/user/month
7. Asana
Best for: Teams and organizations of all sizes — especially those focused on task management, cross-functional collaboration, and agile workflows — in creative, marketing, product development, or business operations
Asana is a project management platform with intuitive Kanban boards, allowing teams to visualize workflows, manage tasks, and track progress in a flexible, collaborative environment. Its Kanban tools help to streamline work, enhance transparency, and support continuous improvement for teams of any size.
Asana ratings and reviews
Compare: Asana vs. monday.com, Asana vs. Jira, Asana vs. Airtable, Asana Alternatives.
Key features of Asana
- Highly customizable Kanban boards with drag-and-drop columns and color-coded tasks that reflect each team’s unique workflow stages
- Detailed task cards supporting attachments, comments, subtasks, due dates, and assignees, consolidating all relevant information in one place
- Built-in automation for repetitive tasks, along with integrated analytics and reporting dashboards to monitor workflow efficiency and team performance
- Strong collaboration features, including in-task comments, file attachments, and real-time updates, ensuring seamless team communication
Asana pricing
- Personal: Free for up to 10 users
- Starter: From $10.99/user/month
- Advanced: From $24.99/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Read more about Asana’s plans and pricing.
8. Smartsheet
Best for: Medium to large-sized teams and organizations that require customizable project management, real-time collaboration, and the ability to pivot seamlessly between different work views for complex or cross-functional projects
Smartsheet is a cloud-based project management platform with a dynamic Kanban board view, enabling teams to visually organize, track, and manage tasks in real time. Its flexible card-based system, robust collaboration tools, and ability to switch between grid, Gantt, calendar, and Kanban views make it a strong choice for teams seeking both structure and agility in their workflows.
Smartsheet ratings and reviews
Compare: Smartsheet vs. monday.com, Smartsheet vs. Trello, Smartsheet vs. Asana, Smartsheet vs. Airtable.
Key features of Smartsheet
- Customizable Kanban boards with drag-and-drop cards, lane “pivoting” to organize by criteria like status or assignee, and visual indicators for status, priority, or type of task
- Real-time collaboration, sharing, and permission controls allow multiple stakeholders to update and monitor boards simultaneously
- Integration with other Smartsheet views (grid, Gantt, calendar) and import options from tools like Trello, Excel, and Microsoft Project for flexible data management
- Highly flexible and scalable, supporting everything from simple personal task lists to large-scale enterprise project tracking
Smartsheet pricing
- Pro: From $9/member/month
- Business: From $19/member/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Read more about Smartsheet’s plans and pricing.
9. Wrike
Best for: Medium to large-sized teams, agencies, and enterprises needing flexible, scalable Kanban boards with advanced customization, analytics, and integration capabilities for complex or cross-functional projects
Wrike is a comprehensive work management platform offering highly customizable Kanban boards that help teams visualize workflows, manage tasks, and collaborate efficiently across projects of any complexity. Its Kanban tools support everything from simple task tracking to advanced project management, with features like workflow automation, AI-powered insights, and real-time collaboration.
Wrike ratings and reviews
Compare: Wrike vs. monday.com, Wrike vs. Asana, Wrike vs. Jira, Wrike vs. Trello, Wrike vs. Smartsheet.
Key features of Wrike
- Fully customizable Kanban boards with drag-and-drop columns, custom workflows, and automated card movement based on task status
- Built-in time tracking and calendar sync, allowing teams to log hours on tasks and automatically update deadlines across team calendars
- AI-powered Work Intelligence suite for risk prediction, automated task creation, and workflow optimization
- Real-time collaboration, including shared dashboards, file attachments, and instant updates, supporting distributed and remote teams
Wrike pricing
- Free: Basic features
- Team: From $10/user/month
- Business: From $25/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
- Pinnacle: Custom pricing
Read more about Wrike’s plans and pricing.
10. Zoho Sprints
Best for: Agile teams in small to large organizations that need flexible, real-time Kanban boards integrated with backlog, reporting, and collaboration features
Zoho Sprints is an agile project management platform with a robust Kanban board, allowing teams to visually organize, track, and optimize workflows for maximum efficiency. Its Kanban tools can enhance visibility, streamline task management, and support continuous improvement for agile teams of any size.
Zoho Sprints ratings and reviews
Compare: Best Scrum Tools, Best Product Development Software Platforms, Best Agile Project Management Software.
Key features of Zoho Sprints
- Customizable Kanban boards with drag-and-drop functionality, allowing seamless movement of work items from backlog to active workflow and the ability to design custom workflows
- Work-in-progress (WIP) limits for each status to help teams maintain focus, prevent overload, and ensure sustainable productivity
- Swimlane views and Kanban dashboards that organize work by assignee, epic, or priority, and provide visual analytics on progress, bottlenecks, and team performance
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting tools to monitor cycle time and lead time, and identify areas for process improvement
Zoho Sprints pricing
- Free: Forever-free plan
- Starter: From $1/user/month
- Elite: From $2.50/user/month
- Premier: From $5/user/month
10 current trends in Kanban software
Like all software — driven by new technology, changing work habits, and the growing demand for smarter, more collaborative project management solutions — Kanban tools are rapidly evolving. Here’s a look at the top 10 trends defining the current landscape.
1. AI and automation integration
AI-powered features are becoming standard, helping teams automate repetitive tasks, predict project timelines, and identify workflow bottlenecks before they become issues. Kanban tools also use machine learning to analyze workflow patterns, forecast completion times, and optimize task prioritization, making them more predictive and adaptive over time.
2. Enhanced customization and flexibility
Kanban boards now offer deeper customization options, allowing teams to tailor columns, swimlanes, card templates, and workflow automations to their specific needs and industry requirements. Plus, templates, recurring tasks, checklists, and process automations are increasingly available out-of-the-box.
3. Real-time collaboration and remote work support
With remote and hybrid work now the norm, Kanban tools focus on real-time collaboration, enabling distributed teams to access boards, update tasks, and track progress from anywhere. Tools also prioritize seamless integration with video conferencing and online collaboration platforms to ensure smooth communication and workflow management for remote teams.
4. Advanced analytics and reporting
Modern Kanban tools provide robust analytics dashboards, offering insights into team performance, workflow efficiency, and bottlenecks. These data-driven insights support continuous improvement and help managers make informed decisions.
5. Gamification and user engagement
Some Kanban tools include gamification elements, such as achievement badges, leaderboards, and reward systems. These elements aim to boost user engagement and motivation, making project management more interactive and enjoyable.
6. Emotional intelligence and well-being analytics
Kanban tools now incorporate emotional intelligence analytics to monitor team morale and health, using interaction patterns and task completion data. This provides leaders with insights into team well-being and addresses a growing focus on mental health in the workplace.
7. Sustainability and eco-friendly features
With the rising focus on sustainability and broader environmental responsibility trends in tech, the latest Kanban tools also come with features like carbon footprint tracking and digital minimalism to reduce energy consumption.
8. Immersive and novel interfaces
Another novel feature for those seeking more immersive project management experiences, such as those in creative and design-oriented industries, is the introduction of virtual reality (VR) workspaces. These allow users to interact with their Kanban boards in 3D virtual environments.
9. Integration with Agile and hybrid methodologies
More Kanban tools now support hybrid project management frameworks, like Scrumban. Blending Kanban with other Agile practices helps teams adapt to changing priorities and reduce waste.
10. Scalability and enterprise readiness
Modern Kanban tools support both small teams and large enterprises with scalable features such as advanced security, user permissions, and portfolio management capabilities.
Try the customizable and flexible Kanban tools from monday dev
Built on monday.com WorkOS, monday dev includes robust Kanban tools tailored explicitly for agile software and product development teams.
Here’s a look at some of its core Kanban features and unique advantages that can help you manage sprints and release products fast — on one flexible platform.
Core features
- Pre-built Kanban templates: Customize standard columns — such as Backlog, Ready, In Progress, and On Hold — to fit your team’s unique processes.
- Customizable boards and cards: Add, remove, or rename columns to match your workflow stages and customize cards to display relevant information.
- Drag-and-drop interface: Move and reorder tasks easily between columns to reflect changing priorities, track progress, and manage workloads.
- AI-powered workflows: Evaluate, extract, summarize, and display key information in tasks.
- Collaboration: Comment on cards, share files, and communicate within the context of each task, keeping all discussions and documentation centralized.
- Automation: Move cards automatically between columns based on status changes and trigger notifications when certain actions occur.
- Integration: Sync popular development tools like GitHub and GitLab to reflect updates in your code repositories and Kanban boards accordingly.
- Real-time dashboards and analytics: Visualize team progress, monitor key Kanban metrics — such as Lead Time and Work in Progress (WIP) — and quickly identify bottlenecks.
Unique advantages
See how the unique Kanban capabilities of monday dev enhance the experience of Agile teams:
- Group by Epics: Tasks grouped by Epics or other custom criteria help teams manage larger features or initiatives.
- Priority highlighting: Color-coded priority cards make it easier for Scrum masters and teams to focus on what matters most.
- Battery widget: Specialized widgets, like the battery widget, help track sprint progress visually.
Try monday dev for two weeks to explore its Kanban features and more.
Try monday devFAQs
What is a Kanban tool used for?
A Kanban tool visually manages and tracks the progress of tasks or projects by organizing them on boards with columns representing different workflow stages, such as "To Do," "In Progress," and "Done". This helps teams improve efficiency, limit work in progress (WIP), and quickly identify bottlenecks or areas needing attention.
What are the benefits of a Kanban board?
A Kanban board provides clear, real-time visibility into the status of all tasks, making it easy for teams to track progress, identify bottlenecks, and ensure nothing is overlooked. It also enhances collaboration and efficiency by serving as a centralized hub where team members can communicate, delegate tasks, and manage workloads more effectively.
What are the elements of the Kanban framework?
The elements of the Kanban framework include visual boards (Kanban boards) divided into columns representing workflow stages, cards that signify individual tasks, and work-in-progress (WIP) limits to control the number of tasks in each stage. Additional components often include swimlanes for categorizing work, policies for process clarity, and metrics such as cumulative flow diagrams to monitor and improve workflow efficiency.
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