The digital workplace has outgrown the simple project checklists you may have once associated with task management apps. The software has moved from passive repositories for to-do lists to active participants in workflows.

In 2026, the biggest shift in task management applications is the rise of agentic AI. The category has moved from simple automation (e.g., if this, then that logic) to autonomy. By integrating AI agents that can reason, plan, and execute, these platforms are delivering on a decade-old promise of eliminating work about work.

Keeping projects on track remains a challenge for enterprises of all sizes, but the stakes are getting even higher. Recent data from the Project Management Institute (PMI) suggests that while organizations have improved, the average project performance rate still hovers around 74%, leaving lots of room for improvement.

However, the PMI reports a massive divide between teams that prioritize “power skills” and AI-driven business acumen and those that stick to traditional methods, with the former seeing 27% lower failure rates.

The goal of task management apps has moved beyond mere visibility. Analyst firm Gartner predicts that by the end of 2026, 40% of enterprise applications will deploy task-specific AI agents, a whopping leap from less than 5% just a year ago.

“AI agents will evolve rapidly, progressing from task- and application-specific agents to agentic ecosystems,” Anushree Verma, a senior director analyst at Gartner, said in a company statement. “This shift will transform enterprise applications from tools supporting individual productivity into platforms enabling seamless autonomous collaboration and dynamic workflow orchestration.”

What are task management tools?

Task management software, also referred to as collaborative work management tools or work coordination platforms, has a variety of uses. These range from personal task lists or ad-hoc projects with small teams up to complex projects involving numerous stakeholders, such as the launch of a new product that touches several business departments.

Compared to sophisticated project portfolio management (PPM) tools, task management apps have a gentler learning curve and tend to be more accessible for all types of employees, not just trained project managers. At the same time, collaborative task management apps offer more functionality than basic to-do list apps.

In many cases, task management apps are available under “freemium” payment models, enticing users with limited free versions and offering more features with paid plans. This approach has made the tools popular among small businesses and startups, as well as within small pockets of larger companies.

Task management software vendors are also focused on building out features that appeal to IT teams at large enterprise organizations. This means adding security and administration tools required by IT, as well as compliance with certain data protection regulations.

What do look for in task management software

According to software review site G2, these are the features you should expect in task management applications:

• Task creation and assignment
• Task list management
• Task interdependencies
• Start/end dates
• Status editing
• Progress reporting
• Collaboration tools
• Workflow automation
• AI integration
• Time tracking
• Document creation
• OKR (objectives and key results)
• No-code platforms
• Client onboarding
• Kanban project management

7 task management apps to consider

While not an exhaustive list of all task management products on the market, below are seven popular options available today, including information about the tools, how they work, their notable features, and their pricing. (Prices are broken down by month but reflect annual billing; fees are typically higher if paid monthly.)

Asana

Asana has evolved from a tracking tool into what the company describes as an orchestration engine. Its “AI teammates” are designed to identify risks and draft project briefs. Smart Goals use AI to predict if a project will miss its deadline based on real-time team velocity.

• Plans and pricing
  • Personal plan: free for individuals (doesn’t include AI features)
  • Starter plan: $11/user/month
  • Advanced plan: $25/user/month
  • Enterprise plan: contact sales

ClickUp

ClickUp aims to replace your tech stack, offering native AI agents, whiteboards, docs, and time tracking in a single interface. Its Universal Search is designed to find any file or task across ClickUp and integrated apps like Slack or Google Drive.

• Plans and pricing
  • Free version available (limited AI features)
  • Unlimited plan: $7/user/month
  • Business plan: $12/user/month
  • Enterprise plan: contact sales

Microsoft Planner

Now integrated with Teams, Microsoft Planner is designed to combine the simplicity of to-do lists with the power of Project, with an assist from Microsoft 365 Copilot. Its Task Chat replaces comments with threaded, real-time Teams messaging directly inside a task.

• Plans and pricing
  • Included with Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise plans

Monday.com

Known for its flexibility, Monday.com is designed to allow teams to build no-code “work operating systems” for any department. Its AI-Powered Triage is designed to categorize and assign incoming work requests based on team capacity.

• Plans and pricing
  • Free plan available for individuals (doesn’t include AI features)
  • Basic plan: $9/seat/month
  • Standard plan: $12/seat/month
  • Pro plan: $19/seat/month
  • Enterprise plan: contact sales

Notion

Notion is designed to merge documentation and task management, for a single source of truth for users. Its Notion Agent is an AI that can answer questions about your project history and documentation.

• Plans and pricing
  • Free for personal use (limited trial of AI features)
  • Plus plan: $10/user/month (limited trial of AI features)
  • Business plan: $20/user/month
  • Enterprise plan: contact sales

Trello

Still considered the gold standard for simplicity, Atlassian’s Trello has remained competitive by doubling down on its “smart canvas” visual roots. Its AI Board Builder creates an entire project framework from a single sentence prompt.

• Plans and pricing
  • Free plan for up to 10 collaborators (doesn’t include AI features)
  • Standard plan: $5/user/month (limited AI features)
  • Premium plan: $10/user/month
  • Enterprise plan: $17.50/user/month

Wrike

Wrike is designed for high-scale, cross-functional teams that need rigorous resource management and financial tracking. Its Multi-Action AI Agents are designed to independently route work and prompt for missing data without human input.

• Plans and pricing
  • Free plan available (doesn’t include AI features)
  • Team plan: $10/user/month (limited AI features)
  • Business plan: $25/user/month
  • Pinnacle and Apex plans: contact sales

The future of task management

For IT leaders, the challenge is no longer just choosing the right tool but mastering the collaboration between humans and algorithms. Those who successfully bridge this gap won’t just keep their projects on track — they will redefine what their team goals.

Driving that collaboration will be task intelligence. According to Forrester principal analyst Betsy Summers, task intelligence offers insights about automation potential, duplication across teams, transferability,  and cost to outsource.

“This level of task intelligence will be key to unlocking meaningful workforce optimization,” Summers writes in a recent blog post. “It’s a lens for understanding how work happens now — and how it can happen better.”

This article was originally published in April 2019 and most recently updated in February 2026.

Related reading:

• Asana puts ‘AI teammate’ agents to work
• Monday.com’s agent builder promises to automate work management tasks
• Buyer’s guide: How to choose the right project collaboration software