Freemium, per-user subscription · From Free (up to 10 users); paid plans from $8.50/user/month billed annually
Best for: Software engineering teams that want a purpose-built, developer-centric issue tracker with native GitHub and GitLab integration.
At a Glance
Celoxis
Hive
Shortcut
Primary category
Project Management
Project Management
Project Management
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Subscription
Freemium
Freemium, per-user subscription
Starting price
$10/user/month
Free; paid plans from $5/user/month
Free (up to 10 users); paid plans from $8.50/user/month billed annually
Free plan
Not documented
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web
Web
Not documented
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Yes
Yes
Public API
Yes
Yes
Yes
Standout Differences
On-premise deployment is a Celoxis-only option
Celoxis is one of the few modern project management tools offering both cloud and on-premise deployment, useful for organizations with data-residency or infrastructure requirements. Neither Hive nor Shortcut documents an on-premise option.
Celoxis
Native chat and AI set Hive apart for general collaboration
Hive bundles native team chat, email integration, and an AI Assistant directly into the same workspace as its project views, reducing the need for separate communication tools.
Hive
Shortcut is built for developers, not general teams
Shortcut combines stories, iterations, and docs with native GitHub, GitLab, and Slack integrations in an interface explicitly designed to be simpler and faster than heavier tools like Jira for engineering workflows.
Shortcut
Free-tier access differs sharply
Hive and Shortcut both offer generous free plans for teams up to 10 users, while Celoxis has no free tier and requires a five-user minimum for full-access plans starting at $10/user/month.
Hive, Shortcut, Celoxis
Feature-by-Feature
Deployment and Views
Feature
Celoxis
Hive
Shortcut
On-premise deployment option
Available
Unavailable
Unavailable
Multiple project views (Gantt, Kanban, Table)
Available
Available
Available
Collaboration and AI
Feature
Celoxis
Hive
Shortcut
Native team chat
Unavailable
Available
Unavailable
Built-in AI assistant
Unavailable
Available
Unavailable
Planning and Integration
Feature
Celoxis
Hive
Shortcut
Resource and workload management
Available
Available
Not documented
Native GitHub or GitLab integration
Not documented
Not documented
Available
Analytics and Access
Feature
Celoxis
Hive
Shortcut
What-if scenario or trend analytics
Available
Unavailable
Unavailable
Permanent free plan
Unavailable
Available
Available
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Celoxis
Core — $10/user/month Annual
Essentials — $25/user/month Annual
Professional — $35/user/month Annual
Business — $45/user/month Annual
Enterprise — Custom Annual
Hive
Free — $0 forever
Starter — $5/user/month monthly or annual
Teams — $12/user/month monthly or annual
Enterprise — Custom pricing annual/custom
Shortcut
Free — $0 Monthly (up to 10 users)
Team — $8.50/user/month Billed annually
Business — $12/user/month Billed annually
Enterprise — Contact sales Custom
Pros & Cons
Celoxis
Pros
Rare dual cloud/on-premise deployment option among modern project management tools
Deep analytics with trend analysis and what-if scenario modeling
Two decades of operating history with Fortune 500 and PMO customers
Granular per-role pricing (Team-Member, Timesheet users) can lower cost for mixed teams
Cons
Five full-access-user minimum makes it less accessible for very small teams
Interface and reporting depth can have a steeper learning curve than lighter task-management tools
Advanced features like risk tracking, billing, and client portal require upgrading to Professional or Business tiers
Flexible switching between Gantt, Kanban, table and calendar views on shared data
Native chat and email reduce the need for separate communication tools
Generous free tier supports up to 10 members with unlimited tasks
Transparent, relatively affordable per-user pricing compared to some competitors
14-day free trial with full features and no credit card required
Cons
Free plan storage is limited to 200MB, restrictive for file-heavy teams
Advanced features like time tracking and portfolios require the higher Teams tier
Enterprise pricing is not publicly listed and requires a sales conversation
Smaller integration marketplace than larger competitors like Asana or Monday.com
AI Assistant is gated behind paid Starter tier and above
Shortcut
Pros
Purpose-built for software engineering teams rather than general project management
Simpler, faster interface than heavier tools like Jira
Generous free tier for teams up to 10 users
Transparent per-user pricing with no hidden enterprise-only paywalls at the Team/Business level
Strong native integrations with GitHub, GitLab, and Slack
Cons
Less suited to non-engineering teams than general-purpose PM tools like Asana
Fewer deep workflow customizations than enterprise-grade tools like Jira
Mobile app is less mature than the web application
Reporting depth trails some larger, more established competitors
Enterprise pricing is not published and requires a sales conversation
Use Cases
Choose Celoxis: PMOs and enterprises that need deep analytics, resource management, and the option of on-premise deployment.
Choose Hive: Teams wanting a flexible project view (Gantt, Kanban, Table) bundled with native chat and an AI assistant at an affordable per-user price.
Choose Shortcut: Software engineering teams that want a purpose-built, developer-centric issue tracker with native GitHub and GitLab integration.
Celoxis
Enterprise Portfolio & PMO Management — PMOs use Celoxis' analytics, dashboards, and what-if scenarios to plan and monitor portfolios of projects across an organization.
Data-Sensitive On-Premise Deployment — Organizations with data residency or security requirements install Celoxis on-premise instead of using a cloud-only alternative.
Hive
Cross-functional project management — Marketing, product and operations teams use Hive's flexible views to plan and track projects across departments in one workspace.
Agency and creative workflows — Creative and marketing agencies use Hive's proofing, approval and forms features to manage client deliverables and intake requests.
Remote team collaboration — Distributed teams use Hive's native chat and email integration to coordinate work without switching between separate communication tools.
Shortcut
Agile sprint planning — Plan and track sprint-based work using Iterations and Kanban Workflows.
Cross-team roadmap and OKR tracking — Connect engineering execution to company-level objectives and roadmaps.
Developer-centric bug and issue tracking — Track bugs and technical work with native GitHub and GitLab integration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these three can be deployed on-premise?
Celoxis, which offers both cloud and on-premise deployment. Hive and Shortcut are cloud-only.
Which is purpose-built for software development teams?
Shortcut, which is designed specifically around stories, iterations, and native GitHub and GitLab integration rather than general project management.
Which has a built-in AI assistant?
Hive includes an AI Assistant, though it is gated behind the paid Starter tier and above. Celoxis and Shortcut do not document AI assistant features.
Is there a free plan available?
Hive offers a free plan for up to 10 workspace members, and Shortcut offers a free plan for up to 10 users. Celoxis has no free tier; its Core plan starts at $10/user/month with a five-user minimum for full-access tiers.
Which offers the deepest reporting and analytics?
Celoxis, with what-if scenario modeling and trend analysis alongside customizable dashboards, a level of analytics depth neither Hive nor Shortcut documents.