Cards and Boards: The Best Kanban Apps for Team Productivity Ranked

taskade kanban board

Cards and Boards: The Best Kanban Software Ranked

From WWII Spitfires through Toyota’s just-in-time manufacturing to software development, Kanban has been everywhere. For over 80 years, the framework has redefined productivity and changed the way we get things done. In today’s article, we take a look at some of the best Kanban software for your team.

While you can rock Kanban with a simple analog setup, adopting a digital workflow will help you make the most out of the method. So, why don’t you take a look at our list of the best Kanban software in the wild and take your pick?

Use the following links to jump between the tools. 👇

• 📌 Taskade
• 📌 Trello
• 📌 Kanban Tool
• 📌 KanbanFlow
• 📌 MIRO
• 📌 Notion
• 📌 Zenkit
• 📌 Todoist
• 📌 Workflowy
• 📌 ClickUp
• 📌 Wrike
• 📌 Airtable
• 📌 Jira
• 📌 Kanbanize
• 📌 Kanban Zone
• 📌 Bitrix24

So, what do you say for a short history lesson?

What Is Kanban and What Can You Use It For? 📌

“The slower but consistent tortoise causes less waste and is more desirable than the speedy hare that races ahead and then stops occasionally to doze. The Toyota Production System can be realized only when all the workers become tortoises.”

Taiichi Ohno, Father of the Toyota Production System

Who Is the Father of Kanban? 🥚

The history of Kanban started back in the 1940s with Taiichi Ōno, an employee of a Japanese automaker Toyota. Facing the economic slump that hit Japan after WWII, Ōno looked for ways to curb wasteful practices and improve overall productivity at the company.

Long story short, Ōno came up with a set of improvements that would later become the Toyota Production System (TPS). One of the key elements of the overhaul was “Kanban,” a system of cards meant to optimize the process of restocking raw materials.

What Is Kanban for Software Development? 👨‍💻

After years of successful application in manufacturing, Kanban caught the attention of white collars. If Taiichi Ōno was the father of Kanban for big-scale production, David J. Anderson is the father of Kanban for software development and knowledge work.

Similar to the original concept, the Kanban Method is a process of gradual workflow improvement. It helps teams manage projects by visualizing workflows as a board, with cards and columns representing tasks and steps in a process.

And this is when digital Kanban boards come into play.

What Are the Benefits of Kanban Software? ⚡️

Compared to the analog corkboard-style workflow, Kanban software gives teams much more control over the process. It also makes Kanban perfectly useful for fully remote teams which can easily access and modify boards on the go.

Other benefits of Kanban software include:

• ⚡️ Real-time synchronization and cloud backup
• ⚡️ Visual aids like icons and color-coded tags
• ⚡️ User-friendly UI and drag-and-drop editing
• ⚡️ Collaboration features (video conferencing, chat)
• ⚡️ Integrations with business-grade apps and tools
• ⚡️ Real-time progress tracking and project overview
• ⚡️ Analytics, reporting, and administration tools
• ⚡️ Security features like encryption and 2FA
• ⚡️ And more…

A Kanban framework coupled with the best Kanban software will help you bring order to the most disorganized projects. Your team will always know what needs to be done, how to prioritize work, and what tasks should end up on the back-burner.

Compare the Best Kanban Software In 2021 🌟

Finding the best Kanban software for your team can be a time-consuming task. And since Kanban is all about saving time and resources… we’ve done the heavy lifting for you! Here are 16 awesome Kanban tools for your team. 👇

1. Taskade
2. Trello
3. Kanban Tool
4. KanbanFlow
5. MIRO
6. Notion
7. Zenkit
8. Todoist
9. Workflowy
10. ClickUp
11. Wrike
12. Airtable
13. Jira
14. Kanbanize
15. Kanban Zone
16. Bitrix24

#1 Taskade

If project management is magic, Taskade is an archmage. With true real-time synchronization and communication features, Taskade is one of the best Kanban software and team collaboration platform on the market.

To build a Kanban workflow in Taskade, simply create a new Project (click here to learn how) and select the Board view. All that’s left is to populate the digital whiteboard with as many boards and cards as you like. You can also pick one of the 500+ free templates to get started quickly.

Every Kanban board in Taskade can be customized and tailored to your teams’ needs. That includes color-coded tags, different types of to-do lists, formatting options, and even emojis. Because Kanban doesn’t have to be boring!

Here’s a list of other Taskade features that’ll make your Kanban workflows even better. 👇

Taskade Kanban Features at a Glance 👀

• Drag-and-Drop Navigation. Reorder cards/columns, prioritize tasks, and move elements of your Kanban workflows by dragging them across the screen.
• Board Cross-Linking. Connect boards with hyperlinks to quickly navigate between tasks, cards/columns, content blocks, and individual projects.
• Free Video Conferencing. Video conference and chat with your team in real-time, in the same window, without leaving the app.
• Customize the Workflow. Customize columns/cards and individual tasks. Pick checkbox styles, apply colors, or add emojis anywhere you like.

• Zoom In, Zoom Out. Get a bird’s-eye view of the workflow by zooming out on all project views. Zoom in to focus on a column or set of tasks.
• Keyboard Shortcuts. Format lists, reorder elements, and complete tasks without taking your hands off of the keyboard!
• Undo/Redo. Undo any edits to the workflow like you’d in a text editor. Reverse changes even when collaborating with other team members.
• Project and Version History. See all changes made by you and your team members. Restore projects to a previous snapshot with a single click.

• Copy Tasks/Sub-Tasks. Copy column/card elements directly to other boards in a shared workspace, subspace, or project. Receive a notification on completion.
• Multi-Select. Modify or bulk assign many board elements at once. Select several tasks to copy, paste or reorder.
• Folding/Unfold Lists. Create high-level nested lists. Fold and unfold lists to hide or display sub-tasks manually or with the ⌨️ Ctrl/⌘+↑keyboard shortcut.
• Sort Columns/Cards. Organize tasks and sub-tasks in a column by due dates, status, and name. Define sorting rules inside a pop-up menu.

• Drag-and-Drop Uploads. Drag-and-drop documents, images, video, and other files to upload. Add attachments to chat or anywhere in the project space.
• #Tags. Organize your workspaces with color-coded tags and filter projects with clickable hashtags. Add #tags anywhere inside a workflow.
• Recurring Tasks. Create recurring items with custom due dates, start and end times, and intervals. Set to repeat daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly.
• Project and Global Search. Search inside workspaces, projects, boards, and cards. Click on search results to quickly jump between items.

• User Roles & Permissions. Define user roles and editing privileges (Owner, Admin, Editor, Checker, Viewer) for all team members.
• Export Boards. Export your shared Kanban boards as images. Use exported files for emails and presentations or print them out.
• Shared Calendar and Roadmap. Track progress in a shared calendar and on an interactive Roadmap. Sync with Google, Apple, and Outlook calendars.
• Assign Tasks. Assign to-dos and notify team members with @mention. Receive email notifications whenever somebody mentions you in a project.

Taskade Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free (forever!)
• Unlimited boards and cards
• Unlimited team members
• Unlimited storage (25 MB per file)
• Real-time collaboration and screen sharing
• Real-time synchronization
• Dark mode/night theme
• Sync with Apple, Google, and Outlook
• Activity feed, 7-day version history
• Customizable push notifications
• Cross-linking across projects and workspaces
• 500+ free templates
• Team permissions
• List, org chart, mind map, and action views
• 🔵 Unlimited ($5/month per user billed annually)
• Everything in the Free plan +
• Unlimited storage space (250 MB per file)
• Workspace branding and customization
• Recurring tasks and bulk assign
• Checker role permission
• Sort/repeat tasks and custom intervals
• Cloud storage integrations
• Extended reporting and version history
• Priority support and tailored onboarding
• Extended workspace/project permissions
• Custom SAML, 2FA, and Single Sign-On (SSO)
• Board export to image

#2 Trello

When it comes to Kanban software, Trello needs no introduction. The app offers a solid visual-first productivity environment for teams and individuals. Built around the concept of boards and cards, Trello brings native support for Kanban workflows.

You can think of Trello as a fully-featured digital corkboard — although the developers compare it to a digital whiteboard — where your team can “pin” colorful cards with tasks to track. Trello is one of the best Kanban software for all types of projects.

Trello Kanban Features at a Glance 👀

• Drag-and-drop editing
• Color-coded labels and tags
• Support for attachments
• Comments and voting
• Calendar and Timeline
• Built-in automation via Butler

Trello Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free
• Unlimited cards (up to 10 boards)
• Unlimited storage (up to 10 MB per file)
• 50 automations per month
• Activity log, assign, and due dates
• 2-factor authentication and templates
• 🔵 Standard ($5/month billed annually)
• Everything in the Free plan +
• Unlimited boards and custom fields
• 1,000 automations per month
• 🟣 Premium ($10/month billed annually)
• Everything in the Standard plan +
• Unlimited automations
• Dashboard and Timeline views
• Table, Calendar, and Map views
• Admin and security features
• Basic data export
• Priority support
• 🟡 Enterprise ($17.50 per user/month billed annually)
• Everything in the Premium Plan +
• Organization-wide permissions
• Extended permissions
• And more…

See how Trello compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#3 Kanban Tool

Kanban Tool is one of the oldest web-based tools built around the principles of Kanban and visual workflows. With a rich set of collaboration features, it’s a solid choice for teams of all sizes, especially those working remotely across time zones.

Kanban Tool Features at a Glance 👀

• Real-time collaboration
• Comments and notifications
• Time tracking and reports
• Visual customization
• Changelog and analytics
• Integrations and export

Kanban Tool Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free
• Limited to 2 boards
• Limited to 2 free users
• No support for attachments
• 🔵 Team ($5 per user/month)
• Everything in the Free plan +
• Unlimited boards
• Unlimited file attachments
• 🟣 Enterprise ($9 per user/month)
• Everything in the Team plan +
• Time tracking and reporting
• Kanban automation
• User groups management

#4 KanbanFlow

KanbanFlow is user-friendly Kanban software for teams looking for an intuitive, customizable, and flexible Lean experience. Don’t let the colorful visuals fool you. KanbanFlow comes packed with powerful Kanban features that’ll help you and your team get more done.

KanbanFlow Features at a Glance 👀

• Real-time collaboration
• WIP limits and swimlanes
• Sub-tasks and collapsible columns
• Documents and file attachments
• Search and filtering options
• Analytics and reporting

KanbanFlow Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free
• Unlimited users
• Unlimited boards and tasks
• Recurring tasks
• WIMP limits, subtasks, filters
• 🔵 Premium ($5 per user/month)
• Everything in the Free plan +
• Analytics and time tracking
• Search, revision history, and integrations
• Advanced security features
• Priority support
• And more…

#5 MIRO

Miro is an “infinitely zoomable canvas and web whiteboard” that offers a range of tools designed to improve team collaboration. Miro includes a fully-fledged Kanban mode, drag-and-drop navigation, and a catalog of customizable templates for quick startup.

Miro Features at a Glance 👀

• Real-time Kanban collaboration
• 200+ customizable templates
• Infinite zoomable canvas
• Sticky notes, shapes, drawings, and more
• Screen sharing and presentation mode
• Video conferencing, chat, and comments

Miro Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free
• 3 editable boards
• Built-in templates
• Basic integrations
• 🔵 Team ($8/month per user billed annually)
• Everything in the Free plan +
• Unlimited boards and visitors
• Custom templates
• Projects and private boards
• 🟣 Business ($16/month per user billed annually)
• Everything in the Team plan +
• Smart diagraming and unlimited guests
• Advanced security features
• 🟡 Enterprise (custom)
• Everything in the Business plan +
• Enterprise-grade security
• Data governance
• Centralized account management
• Premium support
• And more…

See how Miro compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#6 Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace for personal and team projects. The platform offers a highly customizable Kanban workflow fit for engineering, creative, HR, sales, and marketing projects of all shapes and sizes. A great choice for productivity enthusiasts.

Notion Features at a Glance 👀

• Integrations and templates
• Real-time collaboration
• Embed with 500+ tools
• Fluid user interface
• Drag-and-drop organization
• Multiple project views

Notion Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Personal/Free
• Unlimited pages & blocks
• 5 guests editors
• Cross-platform sync
• 🔵 Personal Pro ($4 per month)
• Everything in the Personal plan +
• Unlimited file uploads and guests
• Access to version history
• 🟡 Team ($8/month per user)
• Everything in the Personal plan+
• Unlimited team members
• Collaboration tools
• Advanced permissions
• Admin toolkit
• 🟤 Enterprise (custom pricing)
• Everything in the Team plan +
• SAM/SSO + advanced security
• Dedicated manager
• Custom contract

See how Notion compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#7 Zenkit

Another strong player in the Kanban field, Zenkit offers a completely new approach to Kanban boards. Instead of displaying projects in one, prescriptive way, Zenkit lets you tweak and customize everything for an ultimate Kanban experience.

Zenkit Features at a Glance 👀

• Real-time collaboration
• Integration with 1000 services
• Swimlanes and rows
• Track tasks and collaborators
• Customizable board views
• Global Kanban task overview

Zenkit Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Personal
• Limited to 3 projects
• Limited to 3 members
• 1 GB for file storage
• 1 global Kanban board
• 🔵 Plus ($9/month per user)
• Everything in the Personal plan +
• Up to 50 members
• 6 GB for file storage
• 10 global Kanban boards
• Advanced security options
• Recurring tasks, Gantt, and customization
• Priority support
• And more…
• 🟡 Business ($25/month per user)
• Everything in the Pus plan+
• Up to 300 members
• 50 GB for file storage
• 100 global Kanban boards
• SSO (SAML) and user group management
• Advanced Gantt features
• And more…
• 🟤 Enterprise (custom pricing)
• Everything in the Business plan +
• Custom API limits
• Dedicated success management
• Identification management

#8 Todoist

Todoist allows you to share lists, assign tasks, and integrate with Twist for a convenient team chat. With an excellent board view and a strong set of project management features, Todoist remains one of the best Kanban software in the wild.

Todoist Features at a Glance 👀

• Reminders and recurring due dates
• Sections and sub-tasks
• Task priority settings
• Delegating tasks
• Task notifications
• Board view, labels, filters, and themes
• Email and calendar integrations
• Activity history and progress tracking

Todoist Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free
• Up to 5 projects and collaborators
• 5MB for file uploads
• Activity history (1 week)
• 3 filters
• 🔵 Pro ($3/4 per user billed annually/monthly)
• Up to 300 projects and 25 collaborators
• 100MB for file uploads
• 150 filters and unlimited activity history
• Reminders, themes, and automatic backup
• 🟣 Business ($5/6 per user billed annually/monthly)
• Everything in the Pro plan +
• Up to 500 projects and 50 collaborators
• Team inbox, admin tools, and roles
• Team billing and priority support

See how Todoist compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#9 Workflowy

Workflowy is streamlined outlining software that lets you map out all kinds of projects. The app offers a minimalist, distraction-free board workflow called Fractal boards. You can use Workflowy in a web browser or get it for Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile.

Workflowy Features at a Glance 👀

• Infinite nested lists (in Workflowy Pro)
• Filtering features
• Color-coded tags and highlighting (beta)
• Multi-factor authentication
• Outline backup to Dropbox
• A selection of themes and fonts
• Outline sharing and collaboration

Workflowy Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Basic/Free
• All features included
• Limited to 250 bullets/month
• File upload limited to 100MB
• Only basic sharing
• 🔵 Workflowy Pro ($4.08 billed annually)
• Unlimited bullets
• Unlimited file uploads
• Advanced sharing features
• Backup to Dropbox
• Premium support

See how Workflowy compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#10 ClickUp

A shared to-do list, team calendar, mind map… when it comes to project management, ClickUp is many things. It’s also one of the best Kanban software you can get. ClickUp’s Board view is an aesthetic, powerful, and surprisingly complete Kanban experience.

ClickUp Kanban Features at a Glance 👀

• Collaboration features
• Unified workflow overview
• Drag-and-drop editing
• Board columns grouping
• Bulk card editing
• Board sorting and filters

ClickUp Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free
• 100 MB for file storage
• Unlimited tasks
• Limited to 5 spaces
• Two-factor authentication
• 🔵 Unlimited ($9/month per user or $5/month yearly)
• Everything in the Free plan +
• Unlimited storage and integrations
• Guest viewers and editing privileges
• Custom fields, Goals, and Portfolios
• List, Board, and Calendar views
• 🟣 Business ($19/month per user or $9/month yearly)
• Everything in the Unlimited plan +
• Time tracking and exporting
• Google Single Sign-On
• Full access to automation
• Map and Timeline views
• 🟡 Enterprise (custom)
• Everything in the Business plan +
• Single Sign-On (SSO) and SAML
• Custom roles and permissions
• Priority support and onboarding
• And more…

See how ClickUp compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#11 Wrike

Wrike lets you build flexible Kanban workflows backed by AI data insights and process automation. The app offers real-time collaboration and communication features, complete with comments, notifications, live edits, and reporting.

Wrike Kanban Features at a Glance 👀

• Task sorting and filtering
• Custom Kanban workflows
• Customizable dashboards
• Built-in Kanban templates
• Time tracking features
• Team communication via integrations

Wrike Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free
• Unlimited users,
• Task/sub-task organization
• Cloud storage integrations
• 2 GB of storage space
• Web, desktop, and mobile
• 🔵 Professional ($9.80/month per user)
• Everything in the Free plan +
• 5–200 team members
• 1–2GB of storage per user
• Additional integrations (MS Project, Excel, RSS)
• 🟣Business ($24.80/month per user)
• Everything in the Professional plan +
• Custom fields and workflows
• Branding and time tracking
• User roles and permissions
• Automations and real-time reporting
• 5 GB of storage per user
• 🟡 Enterprise (custom)
• Single Sign-On (SSO)
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
• Custom roles and permissions
• More automations
• 10GB of storage per user

See how Wrike compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#12 Airtable

Airtable is another project management platform that makes great use of its Kanban view. Get a fine selection of Kanban features, a user-friendly interface, and powerful collaboration and communication tools to top it off.

Airtable Kanban Features at a Glance 👀

• Drag-and-drop board editing
• Customizable cards
• Task sorting and filtering
• Collapsible stacks
• Built-in Kanban templates
• Integrations

Airtable Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free
• Unlimited bases (databases)
• Limited to 1,200 records per base
• 2 GB for attachments per base
• Real-time collaboration
• 🔵 Plus ($10/month per seat annually)
• Everything in the Free plan+
• Limited to 5,000 records per base
• 5GB for attachments
• 6-month version history
• 1 synced table per base
• Automatic table syncing
• 🟣 Pro ($20/month per seat annually)
• Everything in the Plus plan +
• Unlimited apps (extensions)
• Limited to 50,000 records per base
• 20 GB for attachments
• 1-year version history
• Editing permissions
• 🟡 Enterprise (custom)
• Everything in the Pro plan +
• Admin panel
• SAML single sign-on
• 3-year version history
• 100 GB for attachments
• 100,000 records per base
• And more…

See how Airtable compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#13 Jira

Jira is an enterprise-grade project management software built for agile teams. The platform comes with a Kanban board view that supports all the usual Kanban features like WIP limits, swimlane, backlog, and user stories. It’s an older sibling of Trello.

Jira Kanban Features at a Glance 👀

• Supports Scrum and Kanban boards
• Real-time insights and reporting
• Customizable workflows (views)
• Progress tracking and reporting
• Search and filtering options
• Customizable Kanban template

Jira Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free
• Limited to 10 users
• Backlog and reporting
• Automation and integration
• 2 GB for file storage
• Basic security features
• 🔵 Standard ($7/month per user, depends on team size)
• Everything in the Free plan +
• Project roles and advanced permissions
• Extended security features (with additional subscription)
• 250 GB for file storage and extended support
• 🟣 Premium ($14/month per user, depends on team size)
• Everything in the Standard plan +
• Unlimited storage
• Global automation for multiple projects
• Project archiving and capacity planning
• Advanced security features (with additional subscription)
• 24/7 premium support and 99.9% uptime SLA
• 🟡 Enterprise (custom)
• Everything in the Premium plan +
• Advanced security features included
• 24/7 enterprise support
• Per-user licensing
• And more…

See how Jira compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#14 Kanbanize

Kanbanize is another web-based Kanban tool designed for product development, project management, and software development teams. The app comes with everything your need to create multi-level workflows with excellent visibility.

Kanbanize Features at a Glance 👀

• Drag-and-drop workflow
• iOS and Android apps
• Board/card filtering
• Kanban templates
• Custom card fields
• Email notifications

Kanbanize Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Standard (flexible pricing, depends on users/add-ons)
• Unlimited boards
• Unlimited workspaces
• Up to 1000 users
• Analytics and integrations
• User roles and permissions
• File attachments
• And more…
• 🔵 Enterprise (flexible pricing, depends on users/add-ons)
• Everything in the Standard plan +
• Dedicated cloud instance and IP whitelisting
• Priority support and onboarding
• File storage limited to 1 TB

#15 Kanban Zone

Kanban Zone is a visual-first project management platform for individuals, small businesses, and the corporate. The app strikes a balance between powerful features and ease of use for a great Kanban experience. Works on web, desktop, and mobile.

Kanban Zone Features at a Glance 👀

• Communication and collaboration
• KPI and milestone tracking
• Linking boards and cards
• Custom card fields
• Voting and recurring cards
• Kanban templates

Kanban Zone Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Personal ($5 monthly or $6/month yearly)
• 1 administrator
• 1 collaborator
• 5 boards
• Unlimited viewers
• Limited templates
• Email support
• 🔵 Startup ($18.5/month or $15/month yearly)
• Everything in the Personal plan +
• 5 collaborators
• 10 boards
• Extended templates
• Phone support
• 🟣 Enterprise ($8.75/month per user or $7/month yearly)
• Everything in the Startup plan +
• Unlimited administrators
• Unlimited collaborators
• Unlimited boards
• Access to all templates
• Priority support

#16 Bitrix24

Bitrix24 covers all the basic bases of a digital Kanban and throws team communication and collaboration features into the package. The interesting bit about Bitrix24 is that you can self-host the platform and run it on your own servers.

Bitrix24 Kanban Features at a Glance 👀

• Search and filtering
• Board customization
• Reminders and time tracking
• Chat, video, and calls
• Drag-and-drop navigation
• Smart Kanban suggestions

Bitrix24 Pricing 💵

• 🟢 Free
• Unlimited users
• 5 GB of storage
• Chat and calls (limited to 12 users)
• Calendar and Feed
• 🔵 Basic ($49/month per 5 users or $35 yearly )
• Everything in the Free plan +
• 24 GB of storage and version history
• Templates (size capped at 2 MB)
• Analytics and reports
• And more…
• 🟣 Standard ($99/month or $70 yearly up to 50 users)
• Everything in the Basic plan +
• 100 GB of storage
• Extended customer support
• Advanced admin features
• 🟤 Professional ($199/month or $140 yearly, unlimited users)
• Everything in the Standard plan +
• 1,024 GB of storage
• Automation features
• Extended customer support

See how Bitrix24 compares to Taskade (click). 👈

And that’s it!

Ready to Pick the Best Kanban Software Around? ⚡️

The Kanban method is one of the most unassuming yet powerful and flexible project management tools around. So, why wait any longer? Pick the best Kanban software for the job and start reaping the benefits of digital boards today.

• ⚡️ Real-time synchronization and cloud backup
• ⚡️ Visual improvements like color-coded tags
• ⚡️ User-friendly UI and drag-and-drop editing
• ⚡️ Collaboration features (video conferencing, chat)
• ⚡️ Natural, keyboard-friendly editing with shortcuts
• ⚡️ Integrations with business-grade apps and tools
• ⚡️ Real-time progress tracking and project overview
• ⚡️ Analytics, reporting, and administration tools

Are you still on the fence? Sign up for a free Taskade account today or visit our Live Demo page to see if we’re a good match for your team.

P.S. We are! 🐑