Teamwork vs Hive
Teamwork is project management with time tracking, resource management, and client-facing features, while Hive is project management with Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and integrated email within the platform. The biggest difference up front: Hive is free, while Teamwork starts at $5.99/user/mo. Teamwork is built for client-facing teams needing project + time tracking, whereas Hive targets teams wanting project management with built-in email.
At a glance
|
Teamwork
|
Hive
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Client-facing teams needing project + time tracking | Teams wanting project management with built-in email |
| Starting price | $5.99/user/mo | Free |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | — | — |
| Free tier available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | — | — |
| Analytics | — | ✓ |
| Budgets | ✓ | — |
| Client Access | ✓ | — |
| Email Integration | — | ✓ |
| Forms | — | ✓ |
| Gantt Charts | — | ✓ |
| Templates | ✓ | — |
| Time Tracking | ✓ | — |
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
Hive
Strengths
- Gantt charts visualize project timelines with task dependencies at a glance
- Includes Email Integration as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
- Free for up to 10 users — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
- Established product with 11+ 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
The bottom line
Pricing: Hive is completely free (Free for up to 10 users), which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Teamwork starts at $5.99/user/mo, but Free for 5 users. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.
Feature gaps: Teamwork offers Budgets, Client Access and Templates that Hive lacks. Hive brings Analytics, Email Integration and Forms that Teamwork does not have.
Team fit: Both tools target mid-size teams teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.
Where each tool shines: 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. Hive's biggest strengths are: gantt charts visualize project timelines with task dependencies at a glance. includes email integration as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows.
Watch out for: With Teamwork, users commonly note that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade. With Hive, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.
Choose Teamwork if...
- You need a tool built for client-facing teams needing project + time tracking
- You specifically need Budgets and Client Access
- You care about includes budgets as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
- The free tier works for you: free for 5 users
Choose Hive if...
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams wanting project management with built-in email
- Budget is a hard constraint — Hive is free, Teamwork is not
- You specifically need Analytics and Email Integration
- You care about includes email integration as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
- The free tier works for you: free for up to 10 users
Looking for more options?
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