Wrike: A Closer Look at Project and Work Management

updated on November 22, 2024 by tech-n-design

Pros:

• Modern, intuitive interface
• Manages both projects and ongoing work effectively
• Provides warnings for projects at risk of delays
• Advanced proofing and collaboration tools available

Cons:

• Lacks robust budgeting and invoicing tools

Overview:

Wrike is a great tool that combines project management and team collaboration and is top in its class for flexibility.

Initially designed for work and project management, Wrike has expanded over time to include AI-driven features such as project risk prediction, which can identify bottlenecks and potential delays early.

While Wrike is more expensive than some of the competitors, its ease of use makes it a good fit for businesses of all sizes.

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Read our review:

Best Project Management Software 2024

Wrike Pricing and Plans (2024):

Free Plan:

• Best for small teams or individuals handling simple tasks.
• Includes 200 active tasks and 2GB of storage for the account. The free plan gives access to Wrike’s basic task management, cloud integrations with services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and email integration​
• Missing advanced features like Gantt charts, time tracking, and custom workflows.

Team Plan:

• Price: $9.80 per user per month (billed annually).
• Features include unlimited tasks, 2GB of storage per user, Gantt charts, dashboards, and integrations with apps like G Suite, Office 365, and Slack. Additionally, this plan provides up to 50 automation actions per user each month​
• Suitable for teams needing more customization, collaboration tools, and simple automations.

Business Plan:

• Price: $24.80 per user per month (minimum of 5 users).
• Designed for medium-sized teams managing complex projects or departments. This plan adds features like custom workflows, resource management, AI-driven project risk prediction, and time tracking. It also increases storage to 5GB per user and integrates with Salesforce, Adobe Creative Cloud, and more​.
• It’s perfect for teams looking for detailed project management features, reporting dashboards, and advanced collaboration tools.

Enterprise Plan:

• Custom pricing based on organizational needs.
• Tailored for large organizations that require high-level security and administrative control. This plan includes features such as advanced user access controls, two-factor authentication, 10GB of storage per user, and support for up to 1,000 automation actions per user each month. Wrike Lock, for encryption key management, is also part of this plan​.
• Designed for companies managing multiple departments with stringent security requirements.

Pinnacle Plan:

• Custom pricing for large enterprises with complex work needs.
• Adds features like job roles, budgeting tools, SharePoint and HTML5 proofing, advanced project tracking, and up to 1,500 automation actions per user per month. This plan offers 15GB of storage per user​.
• Best suited for large-scale teams needing advanced customization and resource management.

Add-Ons Available:

Wrike offers a variety of add-ons available for the Business plan and above:

• Wrike Marketing Insights: Helps marketing teams track campaign performance data.
• Wrike Sync: Allows syncing of Wrike data with other platforms such as Jira, Salesforce, and Airtable.
• Wrike Integrate: Lets teams build custom automations similar to other automation platforms.
• Wrike Lock: Adds another layer of encryption control, available for Enterprise and Pinnacle customers​.

Competitor Comparison:

Wrike’s pricing is positioned in the mid-to-high range of the project management market. Here’s how it compares:

• Zoho Projects starts as low as $4 per user per month, making it an affordable option for smaller teams.
• LiquidPlanner charges $35 per user per month for its top-tier Ultimate plan.
• Smartsheet is priced at $32 per user per month for its Business plan​.

While Wrike may be more expensive, its comprehensive features and scalability make it suitable for businesses with more complex project management needs.

Key Features in Wrike

• Customizable Statuses: With the Business plan and higher, you can customize task statuses to fit your team’s specific workflow.
• Proofing Tools: Available in the Business plan and above, Wrike’s proofing tools allow for collaboration on over 30 file types, including videos, and offer side-by-side comparison of different file versions​.
• Project Risk Prediction: Wrike’s AI-driven feature alerts teams when projects are at risk of delays and highlights the likely areas causing issues. This feature is available in the Business plan and higher​.
• Automations: Wrike offers a no-code automation builder to streamline repetitive tasks, helping teams save time by automating processes. Automations can range from simple task assignments to more complex workflow management.​

Mobile App and On-the-Go Features

Wrike’s mobile app provides essential functionality for teams working on the move. It includes features like document scanning with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and offline task management, syncing once reconnected to the network​.

The app allows team members to stay productive away from the office, ensuring that collaboration continues smoothly.

Wrike’s Resource Management

Wrike helps teams efficiently allocate resources by tracking workload, capacity, and time usage across different projects. Resource management is available in the Business plan and above and is essential for balancing team workloads and ensuring projects stay on track​.

Wrike’s Approach to Work Management

Wrike stands out among its competitors by incorporating work management alongside traditional project management. This allows teams to handle both long-term projects and ongoing tasks, such as maintaining a blog or handling client queries, within the same platform​.

Is Wrike the Right Choice for Your Team?

Wrike’s robust features make it an excellent option for teams that need to manage complex projects while collaborating effectively. Its intuitive interface and AI-driven risk management tools can significantly improve productivity. However, for teams with simpler needs or smaller budgets, tools like GanttPro, Teamwork, or Zoho Projects may provide a better fit at a lower cost​.

FAQs

What makes Wrike different from other project management tools?

Wrike stands out for its ability to manage both project and ongoing work seamlessly. Unlike traditional project management tools, Wrike offers work management features, enabling teams to handle ongoing tasks without strict deadlines. Its AI-driven project risk prediction, extensive proofing tools, and customizable automations also make it more versatile for complex workflows.

Is Wrike suitable for small teams or freelancers?

While Wrike has a Free plan that offers basic task management, it might be overpowered for solo freelancers or very small teams. For those just starting out with project management, simpler and more affordable options like GanttPro or Zoho Projects might be a better fit. Wrike shines when managing larger teams with multiple projects that require advanced features.

Does Wrike support resource management?

Yes, Wrike includes resource management features from its Business plan upwards. Teams can track workload, manage resource allocation, and use time-tracking tools to ensure optimal resource usage. This makes it especially helpful for organizations juggling multiple projects or needing to balance workloads across departments.

How does Wrike handle project risk?

Wrike’s AI-powered risk prediction feature helps teams stay ahead of potential project delays. Available in the Business plan and higher, this tool analyzes projects and flags potential risks based on current progress and deadlines. It helps project managers identify bottlenecks early and make proactive adjustments.

What are some alternatives to Wrike if my team doesn’t need such a robust tool?

If Wrike offers more features than your team needs, consider alternatives like Zoho Projects for growing teams, GanttPro for beginners, or Teamwork for client work. These tools provide similar functionality but at lower prices, with shorter setup times, making them great for small businesses or simpler workflows. Larger organizations may want to explore LiquidPlanner for its advanced resource management and dynamic timeline adjustments.

Conclusion

Wrike is a flexible platform for teams to collaborate and work on tasks or projects. Most teams can get up and running quickly. But if Wrike feels too heavy for your team, consider GanttPro (great for project management newbies), Zoho Projects (good for small to growing teams), or Teamwork (best for client work) which offer great functionality at a lower price and faster setup. For bigger companies, LiquidPlanner is another option that’s strong on resource management and can auto adjust timelines when things go off track.