What is the difference between Basecamp and Teamwork?

Basecamp is best for Teams wanting simplicity over feature overload, while Teamwork is best for Client-facing teams needing project + time tracking. Basecamp starts at $15/user/mo and Teamwork starts at $5.99/user/mo.

Is Basecamp or Teamwork cheaper?

Basecamp starts at $15/user/mo with a free tier. Teamwork starts at $5.99/user/mo with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to Teamwork?

Both Basecamp and Teamwork offer free tiers.

Basecamp vs Teamwork

Basecamp is opinionated project management tool focused on simplicity with to-dos, message boards, and schedules, while Teamwork is project management with time tracking, resource management, and client-facing features. Teamwork comes in cheaper, but price alone does not tell the full story. Basecamp is built for teams wanting simplicity over feature overload, whereas Teamwork targets client-facing teams needing project + time tracking.

At a glance

	Basecamp	Teamwork
Best for	Teams wanting simplicity over feature overload	Client-facing teams needing project + time tracking
Starting price	$15/user/mo	$5.99/user/mo
Free tier	✓	✓
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	✓	✓
Open source	—	—
Budgets	—	✓
Client Access	—	✓
Hill Charts	✓	—
Message Boards	✓	—
Schedules	✓	—
Templates	—	✓
Time Tracking	—	✓
To-dos	✓	—

Basecamp

Strengths

Includes Message Boards as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
Lightweight to-do lists keep daily tasks front and center without project-management overhead
Free for personal projects — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Established product with 22+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Migrating existing projects from another tool can be time-consuming
Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up

Try Basecamp → Full review

Teamwork

Strengths

Native time tracking eliminates the need for a separate time-logging tool
Includes Budgets as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
Free for 5 users — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Established product with 19+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Migrating existing projects from another tool can be time-consuming
Mobile experience lags behind the desktop version in features and polish

Try Teamwork → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Both tools offer free tiers, so you can test each before committing. Basecamp's free plan: Free for personal projects. Teamwork's free plan: Free for 5 users. When you outgrow the free tier, Teamwork is the cheaper option at $5.99/user/mo vs. $15/user/mo for Basecamp — roughly 150% less.

Feature gaps: Basecamp offers Hill Charts, Message Boards and Schedules that Teamwork lacks. Teamwork brings Budgets, Client Access and Templates that Basecamp does not have.

Team fit: Basecamp is geared toward small teams teams, while Teamwork is aimed at mid-size teams teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Where each tool shines: Basecamp's biggest strengths are: includes message boards as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows. lightweight to-do lists keep daily tasks front and center without project-management overhead. Teamwork's biggest strengths are: native time tracking eliminates the need for a separate time-logging tool. includes budgets as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows.

Watch out for: With Basecamp, users commonly note that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade. With Teamwork, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.

Choose Basecamp if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams wanting simplicity over feature overload
You specifically need Hill Charts and Message Boards
You care about lightweight to-do lists keep daily tasks front and center without project-management overhead
Your team size fits the small teams profile Basecamp is designed for
The free tier works for you: free for personal projects

Choose Teamwork if...

You need a tool built for client-facing teams needing project + time tracking
You want to save on per-user costs — Teamwork is $9.01/user/mo cheaper
You specifically need Budgets and Client Access
You care about includes budgets as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
Your team size fits the mid-size teams profile Teamwork is designed for