15 Best Adobe Workfront Alternatives in 2023

Adobe Workfront connects creative work from start to finish and is designed to manage project portfolios, prioritize tasks, collaborate with team members, and track progress in real-time. Although some creative businesses might find this tool a great addition to their Adobe suite of tools, others feel that the software slows down their output.

In this article, we'll take a deep dive into each of these alternatives, exploring their features and pricing. Whether you’re a project manager, part of a large marketing team, or just starting your creative business, we've got you covered with various options to suit every need and budget.

Why should I look for an Adobe Workfront alternative?

Adobe Workfront is not everyone’s cup of tea. Based on genuine reviews, here are three compelling reasons to consider switching to an alternative solution.

#1 Complicated interface

While the software has many features that can benefit users, many have found the interface complicated and overwhelming.

From managing tasks and timelines to collaborating with team members, the software has a lot of functionality to offer. However, this can also make it difficult for new users to navigate and understand how to use the software effectively.

Another factor that contributes to the interface's complexity is the software's layout.
The software's interface can be overwhelming and crowded, with various buttons, tabs, and menus that can be confusing to navigate.

However, with all that functionality, the tool becomes confusing to do simple project management. Here's a review from G2:

“It's very typical and difficult to understand at a go. We needed to have several sessions to understand each of the tools in depth. Tasks are not automatically connected and it's very difficult to merge and track the messages if the number of users increases.”

#2 The tool is on the pricey side

While Adobe Workfront is quite secretive about its pricing tiers, reviews suggest they had to reserve some budget. The highly customizable software allows businesses to tailor it to their specific needs. However, this level of customization can come at a premium cost, making it less accessible for companies with smaller budgets.

“Workfront's interface and workflows are a bit complicated, which can make it challenging to use effectively. The cost is also on the higher side with limited customization properties.”

#3 Bugs limit the capabilities of the features

While the software is regularly updated and maintained, some users have reported encountering bugs and glitches that can impact their productivity and overall experience with the software.

“Numerous tools are available within the application, but their execution is not optimal, and bugs often arise when using them.”

Top 15 Adobe Workfront alternatives you should try

Now that we have discussed some common issues with Adobe Workfront, let's explore some of the top alternative options available.

1. Rodeo

Rodeo is a comprehensive project management software solution that streamlines project organization from start to finish. With Rodeo, you have access to a range of tools such as task planning, invoicing, and reporting, all in one place. 

Here’s a better look at the features that Rodeo has to offer:

#1 Intuitive interface

Unlike Adobe Workfront’s clunky interface, Rodeo boasts a sleek and modern design that users adore. Upon logging into Rodeo, you are presented with an overview of outstanding tasks, recently recorded time, and current project statuses, allowing you to assess what requires your attention and jump into work quickly. 

Sophie van der Togt, Head of Account at social media agency Dorst & Lesser, reaps the benefits of the easy-to-use Rodeo platform. "The interface looks very neat and refined, and new hires quickly get used to it. Whenever I show a new intern or employee how it works, we only need to go through everything once and that’s it.”

#2 Create projects and tasks in a few clicks

Fortunately, the project set-up process in Rodeo is simple enough. Rodeo guides the process by prompting you to begin with a phased budget. This approach enables you to visualize and manage the cost of each project segment before commencing work, which can lead to more efficient cost management.

As projects often move rapidly, it's crucial to have a project management solution that can keep up. Planning and assigning tasks in Rodeo is a seamless process. Perfect for capacity planning, Rodeo displays the skills and current availability of each employee before you assign them to a task.

#3 Time tracking that’s connected to your budget

Accurate time tracking is essential to bill clients for the appropriate amount of work. Rodeo offers two ways for users to track time. You can start the stopwatch on your dashboard when you begin working on a task or add a timecard after completing the task.

Plus, Rodeo's integration with QuickBooks (US) and Xero (UK) further streamlines bookkeeping and billing processes.

Agencies such as Digital Agency JaxX have been able to increase project profitability by 30% since they started using Rodeo’s time tracking feature.

#4 Dedicated support team 

Implementing new software into your workflows can be daunting at first. We get it, you don’t want to slow down your team’s productivity.

Rodeo offers free personalized implementation, onboarding and support, eliminating the steep learning curve typically associated with onboarding new employees. 

Who is this tool for?

Rodeo is specifically built to meet the needs of project teams working in the creative industry. The tool helps out with the administrative side of projects so you can spend more of your time creating. Marketing agencies, video production studios, freelancers, and event organizers are just a few who use Rodeo.

Pricing

With Rodeo, you pay for access and features based on the unique needs of individual team members rather than purchasing the same license for everyone. This unique pricing structure can help you save money by allowing you to temporarily suspend access when team members or freelancers are not actively working on a project.

Starting at $29.99 per month, Rodeo offers a full-user license, and you can add additional users for the following prices:

• Full user (+$14.99 per month): Access to all features except the planner 
• Standard user (+$8.99 per month): Access to time tracking and the project dashboard 
• Planner add-on: (+$4.99 per user/month): Resource management and task planning

Want to experience Rodeo for yourself before committing? No worries. Take advantage of our 14-day free trial or schedule a demo to learn more. 

Try for free

2. nTask

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nTask provides users with excellent communication features and an attractive pricing structure. Its issue-tracking and project risk-management capabilities also set it apart from the competition.

However, if customer support is important to you, you might want to look elsewhere. A significant number of online reviews mention that nTask's customer service team can be frustrating to work with due to slow response times. 

Related: 15 Best nTask Alternatives in 2023

Key features 

• Team management 
• Time tracking and timesheets 
• Issue tracking 
• Risk management 

Who is this tool for?

nTask is ideal for small to medium-sized companies that require visual task organization, issue tracking, and virtual meetings in one place.

Pricing

• Premium plan ($4 per user/month): Unlimited projects, workspaces, and tasks
• Business plan ($12 per user/month): Custom roles, risk tracking, advanced reporting
• Enterprise plan (pricing upon request): Custom onboarding, 100GB of file storage

3. Teamwork

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Collaboration is the name of the game for Teamwork, and it delivers in spades for teams looking to streamline their project-based work. 

With unlimited free client users included in its more expensive plans, teams with heavy external collaboration will find this feature particularly useful. 

While the tool does have some reporting features, it may not meet the needs of teams that require in-depth reporting.

Related: 20 Best Teamwork Alternatives in 2023 [In Depth Review]

Key features 

• Time tracking
• Budgeting and profitability
• Tasks and subtasks

Who is this tool for?

Teamwork offers a range of plan options suitable for companies of any size, with a particular focus on project-based work. All plans require a minimum of 3 or 5 users, it may not be the best option for individual freelancers or startups.

Pricing

• Free forever plan: Maximum 5 users, projects templates, and tasks
• Starter plan ($8.99 per user/month): dashboards, custom inboxes
• Deliver plan ($13.99 per user/month): Minimum 3 users, time tracking and invoicing
• Grow plan ($24.99 per user/month): Minimum 5 users, 50 project templates, and workload management

4. Basecamp

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Basecamp is known for its exceptional collaboration features, including group chats, direct messaging, and automatic check-ins, that keep teams connected and updated on project progress. 

However, one of Basecamp's major drawbacks is its limited view capabilities, as it only offers a single project view, which may be frustrating for teams managing multiple projects. 

Also read: 19 Best Basecamp Alternatives in 2023 [Free & Paid]

Key features 

• Message boards 
• To-do lists
• File storage and sharing 

Who is this tool for?

Basecamp's pricing model is geared towards either freelancers or enterprise-level organizations. Medium-sized creative companies may find that Basecamp's pricing isn't as affordable compared to other Adobe Workfront alternatives.

Pricing

• Individual plan ($15 per user/month): 500GB file storage and access to all features
• Pro unlimited plan ($349 per month for unlimited users): 1:1 onboarding and 5 TB storage

5. Paymo

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Paymo excels in project finances and human resource management, particularly in creating estimates and sending recurring invoices. Its invoicing feature supports various languages and currencies, making it a valuable tool for international teams. 

Paymo’s actual project management features are somewhat lacking. Users have reported complications with Paymo’s invoicing abilities and limited reporting options.

Related: 15 Paymo Alternatives to Try [Free & Paid]

Key features 

• Gantt charts
• Leave planner
• Resource management
• Automatic time tracking

Who is this tool for?

Paymo is an ideal solution for small to medium-sized businesses that require payment processing and human resource management features in addition to the standard capabilities of project management software.

Pricing

• Free plan: unlimited time tracking and invoices
• Starter plan ($5.95 per user/month for a maximum of 1 user): unlimited estimates and expenses, 25 GB storage
• Small office plan ($11.95 per user/month): recurring tasks, unlimited tasks and clients
• Business plan ($24.95 per user/month): free onboarding, employee leave management, and 500 GB storage

6. Wrike

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Initially a popular document-sharing solution, Wrike has evolved into a project management software with features supporting asset production, and performance insights.

However, Wrike's limited collaboration capabilities, aside from proofing, can be a challenge for remote teams, who may require chat features to stay connected throughout the workday.

Also read: The 15 Best Wrike Alternatives for Project Management in 2023

Key features 

• Resource management
• Proofing 
• Kanban boards 
• Dynamic request forms

Who is this tool for?

Wrike caters to the needs of medium to large-sized organizations that rely on team collaboration, client management, and resource allocation. 

Pricing

• Free plan: project and task management
• Team plan ($9.80 per user/month): custom fields, automations, dashboards
• Business plan ($24.80 per user/month): reports, project blueprints, and folder structure
• Enterprise plan (pricing upon request): admin permissions, SSO, and password policies
• Pinnacle plan (pricing upon request): job roles, budgeting, and 15 GB storage per user

7. Monday.com

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Monday is a flexible project management solution that stands out for its exceptional customizability and streamlined color-coordinated interface. Additionally, many users find Monday's dashboards more intuitive than competing tools.

The project management platform does offer customizable reports with some advanced insights but it may not provide the in-depth metrics necessary to assess a project's health, such as employee productivity or project profitability.

Related: Top 25 Monday Alternatives to Try in 2023

Key features 

• Dashboards 
• Real-time document collaboration
• Task planning
• Forms & automations

Who is this tool for?

Monday is a suitable choice for teams from various industries with the technical know-how of project management software, and a desire to set up custom workflows. 

Pricing

• Individual plan (free for up to 2 users): up to 3 dashboards and 200 templates
• Basic plan ($10 per user/month): Unlimited viewers and 5GB file storage
• Standard plan ($12 per user/month):  Timeline, Gantt, and calendar views
• Pro plan ($20 per user/month): Private boards, dependencies, and formulas
• Enterprise plan (contact sales): Advanced reporting and analytics and improved
• Note: All paid plans require a minimum of 3 users. 

8. ClickUp

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Over the past few years, ClickUp has emerged as a prominent project management platform, largely thanks to its no-code customization capabilities, templates, task management, and workflow automation.

The tool's promise to save users 20% of their time has resulted in the inclusion of numerous features. However, this level of complexity may be overwhelming for some users. 

Related: Top 20 ClickUp Alternatives to Try [Free & Paid]

Key features 

• Goal tracking 
• Task management
• Whiteboards 
• Resource planning

Who is this tool for?

ClickUp is a versatile tool suitable for organizations of any size. Its free forever plan is ideal for freelancers or small startups requiring only a basic set of features.

Pricing

• Free forever plan ($0 for 5 workspaces): native time tracking and unlimited tasks
• Unlimited plan ($9 per user/month): unlimited storage and dashboards
• Business plan ($19 per user/month): advanced automations and custom exporting
• Business plus plan ($29 per user/month): custom role creating and permissions
• Enterprise plan (contact sales) team sharing and personal views 

9. Zoho Projects

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Zoho Projects offers various features that can streamline workflows, such as resource utilization charts, reports, and goal-setting capabilities.

While Zoho Projects is a comprehensive tool, it is only one component of the broader Zoho ecosystem. Therefore, it's best suited for teams already utilizing another Zoho product, which can be integrated to enhance its functionality.

Related: Top 15 Zoho Projects Alternatives [Free & Paid]

Key features 

• Task automations
• Issue tracking
• Project forums and chats
• Charts and reports

Who is this tool for?

Zoho Projects is a perfect solution for large enterprises with a significant software budget that need a diverse set of features across multiple departments.

Pricing

• Free plan ($0 for up to 3 users): maximum 3 users, 2 projects, limited storage
• Premium plan ($5 per user/month): maximum 50 users, unlimited projects, 20 project templates
• Enterprise plan ($10 per user/month): 30 project templates, 120GB storage 

10. Productive

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Productive is an all-in-one project management software that covers sales pipeline management, resource allocation, and project management.

The tool emphasizes financials and profitability, providing tools to track employee cost rates, company overhead costs, and revenue prediction through resource planning and progress reports.

However, some users have criticized Productive's task management component, and others would like to see additional sales pipeline features to make it a complete tool.

Key features 

• Resource management
• Time tracking
• Sales funnels
• Documents and collaboration 

Who is this tool for?

Productive is a project management solution specially designed for professional service firms, agencies, and studios.

Pricing

• Essential plan ($20 per user/month): time tracking and documents
• Professional plan ($28 per user/month): rate cards and recurring invoices
• Ultimate plan ($39 per user/month): revenue forecasting and expense approval
• Enterprise plan (pricing upon request): on-premise onboarding and support

11. ProofHub

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ProofHub meets several requirements for those seeking a platform with essential task management, collaboration, reporting, and accessibility features. It provides useful features such as chat functions, discussion threads, and file markups, making it suitable for teams with limited existing communication channels.

Although you can create timesheets and track time, it is not connected to an hourly rate, making it difficult to determine its impact on your project budget.

Read also: 15 Best ProofHub Alternatives to Consider [Free & Paid]

Key features 

• Table, calendar, and board views
• Templates 
• Request forms 
• Team chats

Who is this tool for?

ProofHub is an ideal fit for medium to large-sized teams seeking standard features like task management and file proofing for their projects. The tool may be too costly for freelancers or smaller teams.

Pricing

• Essential plan ($50 monthly): 40 projects and unlimited users
• Ultimate control plan ($99 monthly): Unlimited users and projects

12. Smartsheet

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If you're searching for a tool with a spreadsheet-like interface, Smartsheet is a viable alternative to Adobe Workfront that you should consider. The platform is particularly useful if you're looking to streamline and expand your workflows.

While it excels in time management and project budget management, essential components for project success, it lacks unique features such as content management and digital asset management.

Also read: 18 Best Smartsheet Alternatives in 2023 [Free & Paid]

Key features 

• Team collaboration
• Task management
• Digital asset management
• Resource management

Who is this tool for?

Smartsheet is an ideal option for teams seeking to manage project data using a spreadsheet format. 

Pricing

• Free plan ($0 for 1 user): dashboards and reports
• Pro plan ($9 per user/month): unlimited sheets, free email support
• Business plan ($32 per user/month): document builder, activity log
• Enterprise plan (contact sales): integrations, custom domains

13. Airtable

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Airtable is particularly adept at data management and storage, enabling users to construct databases to suit their workflow requirements. It provides features such as compliance tracking, contact management, and the ability to create dashboards.

As a low-code platform, Airtable necessitates a basic level of technical expertise for project managers to leverage its customization potential.

Also read: 15 Airtable Alternatives to Consider in 2023

Key features 

• Interface designer 
• Kanban view 
• Gantt view
• Reporting 

Who is this tool for?

Airtable is a valuable tool for teams that require extensive data storage or spreadsheet management. 

Pricing

• Free plan: unlimited bases, up to 5 creators
• Plus plan ($12 per user/month): revision history and table syncing
• Pro plan ($24 per user/month): personal views and timelines
• Enterprise plan (contact sales): field and table editing permissions

14. Asana

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As a project management tool, Asana stands out from other software on this list due to its user-friendly interface and ease of use. Its notable features include task management, a variety of different views, and the ability to add milestones to projects.

However, while Asana is an excellent tool for project planning, it is less robust when it comes to project execution, especially in terms of financial management as the platform is not designed for budget tracking.

Related: Top 20 Asana Alternatives to Consider in 2023

Key features 

• Goal tracking 
• Gantt charts 
• Kanban boards 
• Custom workflow builder 

Who is this tool for?

Asana is designed for teams seeking a comprehensive solution to monitor their tasks and establish milestones in accordance with project activities. 

Pricing

• Basic plan (free):  Maximum 15 users and unlimited tasks and projects
• Premium plan ($13.49 per user/month): automated workflows and milestones
• Business plan ($30.49 per user/month): proofing and advanced reporting
• Enterprise plan (contact sales): custom branding and priority support

15. Citrix Podio

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Citrix Podio is a flexible project management tool that is highly customizable. It enables you to adjust your workflows to suit the preferences and requirements of your team members, resulting in increased efficiency and productivity. 

However, new users may experience a significant learning curve due to Podio's complexity.

Key features 

• Task management 
• File sharing 
• Integrations
• Automations

Who is this tool for?

Citrix Podio works best for teams with some technical expertise since it’s a low-code platform.

Pricing

• Free plan: task management and workspaces 
• Plus plan ($14/month): automated workflows and read-only access
• Premium plan ($24/month): visual reports and sales dashboards

Takeaway

That concludes our list of the top 15 alternatives to Adobe Workfront. If your team is comfortable navigating a complex tool with a lengthy list of features, options such as monday.com or Teamwork may suit your needs.

However, if you require a solution that caters specifically to the needs of creatives, we recommend trying out Rodeo. Rodeo provides all the necessary features to manage your creative projects without a steep learning curve.

Why not give it a try? Sign up for our 14-day risk-free trial today.