Asana vs Trello (2026): Simple Boards vs Full Project Management
Asana and Trello are both Atlassian-family project management tools (Atlassian acquired Trello in 2017). Trello is beloved for its simple Kanban boards; Asana offers a full-featured project management suite. Here's how to choose between them.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Trello is perfect for small teams and simple workflows that love Kanban boards. Asana is better for teams that need multiple views (list, timeline, calendar), reporting, goals, and workload management. If your projects are simple, Trello's simplicity is a feature. If you need structure and scale, Asana wins.
Asana vs Trello: Feature Comparison
| Feature | Asana | Trello |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ✅ Up to 10 users | ✅ Unlimited boards |
| Starting Price | $10.99/user/mo | $5/user/mo |
| Board View | ✅ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (core feature) |
| List View | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ❌ |
| Timeline/Gantt | ✅ | ❌ |
| Reporting | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ (Power-Ups) |
| Automations | ✅ Rules | ✅ Butler |
| Goals/OKRs | ✅ | ❌ |
| Learning Curve | Medium | Very Low |
| Best For | Growing teams | Simple workflows |
Pricing Comparison
Trello is cheaper — Standard starts at $5/user/month vs Asana at $10.99/user/month. Both have free plans, but Trello's free plan is more generous for basic use (unlimited boards). Asana's free plan supports up to 10 users with limited features.
Project Views
This is the biggest differentiator. Trello is essentially a Kanban board tool — that's its strength and its limitation. Asana offers list, board, timeline, calendar, and Gantt views. If you need to see your work in multiple ways, Asana is the clear winner.
Simplicity vs Power
Trello's simplicity is both its greatest strength and limitation. You can set up a board in minutes and anyone can use it instantly. Asana takes longer to learn but rewards you with powerful features like custom fields, dependencies, milestones, and workload management.
Automation
Both offer automation. Trello's Butler lets you create rules, buttons, and scheduled commands. Asana's rules engine is more powerful and integrates with its broader feature set. For complex workflows, Asana's automation is superior.
🏆 Our Verdict
Trello is perfect for small teams and simple workflows that love Kanban boards. Asana is better for teams that need multiple views (list, timeline, calendar), reporting, goals, and workload management. If your projects are simple, Trello's simplicity is a feature. If you need structure and scale, Asana wins.
Related Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Asana overkill for small teams?
It can be. If your team just needs simple task boards, Trello's simplicity is a better fit. Asana makes more sense once you have 10+ people or complex multi-project workflows.
Can Trello do Gantt charts?
Not natively. You'd need a Power-Up like TeamGantt or Placker. Asana has built-in timeline (Gantt) views on paid plans.
Are both owned by Atlassian?
Trello is owned by Atlassian. Asana is an independent public company — it's not part of Atlassian.
Can I migrate from Trello to Asana?
Yes. Asana has a built-in Trello importer that transfers boards, cards, checklists, and attachments.