Smartsheet vs Trello
Side-by-side comparison · Updated 2026-03-30
Our Verdict
Neither tool wins outright — both score 4.4/5. Your team size and delivery methodology will be the tiebreaker.
Choose Smartsheet if…
Choose Smartsheet if your team focuses on project tracking and resource management and fits a scaleup, enterprise profile. Starting at $9/user/mo/user/mo with a free tier. Spreadsheet-familiar interface makes adoption easy for teams transitioning from Excel — minimal training needed for basic use
Choose Trello if…
Choose Trello if your team focuses on task management and project tracking and fits a freelancer, startup profile. Starting at $6/user/mo/user/mo with a free tier. Extremely intuitive drag-and-drop Kanban interface — virtually zero learning curve, new users productive within minutes
Feature Comparison
Pros & Cons
Smartsheet
Pros
✓ Spreadsheet-familiar interface makes adoption easy for teams transitioning from Excel — minimal training needed for basic use
✓ Extremely powerful Gantt chart and dependency tracking capabilities, ideal for traditional project management and waterfall methodologies
✓ Robust automation engine with conditional logic, approval workflows, and automated notifications that scale across the organization
✓ Strong portfolio-level dashboards and reporting allow PMOs to aggregate data across dozens or hundreds of projects
Cons
✗ Not designed for agile/Scrum teams — lacks native sprint planning, backlog management, and velocity tracking
✗ Pricing can escalate quickly at scale since every collaborator who edits needs a licensed seat
✗ Sheet-based architecture creates data silos — cross-sheet references and formulas become complex and brittle at scale
Trello
Pros
✓ Extremely intuitive drag-and-drop Kanban interface — virtually zero learning curve, new users productive within minutes
✓ Generous free tier with unlimited cards, unlimited Power-Ups, and up to 10 boards per Workspace
✓ Butler automation engine is powerful and accessible, allowing no-code workflow automation with rule-based, calendar, and due date triggers
✓ Highly visual and flexible — works for any use case from product management to wedding planning to content calendars
Cons
✗ Lacks native roadmapping, sprint planning, and backlog management — not suitable as a standalone tool for agile software development teams
✗ Boards become unwieldy with large numbers of cards (100+) — no effective way to manage complex projects at scale
✗ Limited reporting and analytics — Dashboard view only available on Premium tier, and even then lacks depth compared to dedicated PM tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Data verified 2026-03-30. Some links may be affiliate links — see disclosure.