ProjectManager is the broader, more established project management tool and wins for teams that want depth, integrations, and a mature ecosystem. Wrike is the lighter, more affordable option that covers the core project management tool workflow for less. If you need maximum capability and ecosystem, choose ProjectManager; if lower cost and simplicity matter more, Wrike is the stronger-value pick.
Quick comparison
| Feature | ProjectManager | Wrike |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $13/mo | Free plan |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| G2 rating | Not listed | Not listed |
| Best for | project teams wanting a mature, full-featured project management tool | project teams on a tighter budget |
| Starting price | ProjectManager starts around $13/user/month. | Wrike offers a free plan. |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Primary tradeoff | ProjectManager fits best when its default workflow already matches the team, while Wrike is stronger when its focus maps more closely to the work being managed. | Wrike fits best when its default workflow already matches the team, while ProjectManager is stronger when its focus maps more closely to the work being managed. |
| Best for | project teams wanting a mature, full-featured project management tool | project teams on a tighter budget |
Features and depth
ProjectManager is gantt-driven project and resource planning; Wrike is versatile work management platform. On raw capability and feature depth, ProjectManager is the stronger of the two — it covers more of the project management tool workflow out of the box and handles edge cases that Wrike only reaches through workarounds or add-ons. Wrike keeps a deliberately narrower surface area, which is a feature for teams that find broader tools cluttered. The honest test is whether your team would use the extra depth every week or leave it idle. Map your three most common project management tool tasks against each product before deciding, because feature lists rarely predict daily fit.
Ease of use
For everyday usability and onboarding, Wrike is the easier of the two to live with. Wrike gets a team to first value with less configuration, while ProjectManager asks for more upfront structure and setup. Both ProjectManager and Wrike reward teams that adopt their default workflow rather than fighting it. Adoption is where most project management tool rollouts succeed or stall, so weigh who opens the tool every day — and how much training they will tolerate — more heavily than any single capability. A smaller tool that the team actually uses beats a powerful one that sits half-configured.
Flexibility and control
Neither ProjectManager nor Wrike is open source, so control comes down to data export, portability, and how much you depend on each vendor's roadmap. ProjectManager offers more depth here through richer admin settings, export options, and APIs, while Wrike keeps things simpler at the cost of some configurability. If avoiding lock-in is a priority, confirm both products' export formats and API limits before you store years of project management tool data in either one. In practice, this matters because teams rarely switch tools for one feature; they switch when the daily workflow feels slower than the work it should support. Test one real use case in each before committing.
Pricing and value
On price, Wrike is the better value for most teams. ProjectManager starts around $13/user/month; Wrike offers a free plan. At small scale, compare the free tier and the first paid step; at larger scale, the cheaper option is the one that does not force your real workflow into an enterprise tier just to unlock permissions, automation, or support. ProjectManager can still win on total cost if it replaces other tools you already pay for, so price the whole stack, not just the per-seat sticker. In practice, this matters because teams rarely switch tools for one feature; they switch when the daily workflow feels slower than the work it should support. Test one real use case in each before committing.
Integrations and ecosystem
ProjectManager has the broader ecosystem — more native integrations, a larger community, and more templates, guides, and people who already know it. Wrike connects to the common tools but leans on a smaller marketplace for anything niche. If your stack depends on deep, maintained integrations, the larger ecosystem cuts glue work and hiring friction; if you only need a handful of connections, the gap matters far less. Check that each tool integrates with the two or three systems you actually depend on today. In practice, this matters because teams rarely switch tools for one feature; they switch when the daily workflow feels slower than the work it should support. Test one real use case in each before committing.
Pricing deep-dive
ProjectManager
- Paid plans start around $13/user/month (billed annually); higher tiers add automation, admin controls, and scale.
- Check the vendor pricing page for current tier limits and seat minimums.
Wrike
- Free plan: $0 — covers core project management tool use with limits on seats, usage, or history.
- Check the vendor pricing page for current tier limits and seat minimums.
Pricing verdict: Projectmanager starts around $13/user/month; Wrike offers a free plan. ProjectManager has no free plan and Wrike has a free plan. For most teams Wrike is the lower-cost choice on the entry tiers. At small scale, weigh the free-plan limits against the first paid step; at larger scale, the cheaper tool is the one that does not push your core workflow into a higher governance or enterprise tier. Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's page before you commit.
How to migrate from ProjectManager to Wrike
What real users say
ProjectManager: ProjectManager users praise its fit for project teams wanting a mature, full-featured project management tool, and most complaints center on price at scale or features they do not need.
Wrike: Wrike users praise its fit for project teams on a tighter budget, and most complaints center on gaps in depth, integrations, or polish versus the larger incumbent.
Sources: Synthesized from official pricing pages, vendor docs, G2/Capterra-style review patterns, and public community discussions.
Final verdict
Choose ProjectManager if...
- Choose ProjectManager if you want the broader, more capable option and the team will use it as the primary project management tool.
- Choose ProjectManager if mature integrations, community, and available expertise matter more than squeezing the lowest price.
- Choose ProjectManager if its workflow already resembles how your team works, keeping switching and training costs low.
Choose Wrike if...
- Choose Wrike if you want a lower-cost, simpler option rather than bending ProjectManager to fit.
- Choose Wrike if its lower entry price and free or cheaper tiers map better to your budget and usage.
- Choose Wrike if its strengths line up with your top project management tool workflow instead of forcing the team into the wrong defaults.
Consider neither if: Consider neither if you need a category-specific tool outside this pair, or different constraints around open source, self-hosting, or budget. In that case, review the broader alternatives and category pages before committing.