Celoxis, Hive, and Smartsheet all offer Gantt-based project scheduling, but they differ in interface philosophy and deployment. Celoxis is the only one…
Best for: Mid-size and large PMOs that need the option of on-premise or cloud deployment along with deep what-if scenario forecasting and trend analysis.
subscription (per-user, tiered, plus enterprise) · From $9 per user per month (Pro plan, billed annually)
Best for: Large organizations already comfortable working in spreadsheets that want to layer in Gantt scheduling, workflow automation, and lightweight no-code apps without learning a new interface.
At a Glance
Celoxis
Hive
Smartsheet
Primary category
Project Management
Project Management
Project Management
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Subscription
Freemium
subscription (per-user, tiered, plus enterprise)
Starting price
$10/user/month
Free; paid plans from $5/user/month
$9 per user per month (Pro plan, billed annually)
Free plan
Not documented
Yes
Not documented
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web
Web
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Yes
Yes
Public API
Yes
Yes
Yes
Standout Differences
Celoxis is the only one with an on-premise option
Celoxis can run as self-managed on-premise software on Linux and PostgreSQL in addition to the cloud, a deployment path not documented for Hive or Smartsheet.
Celoxis
Hive is the only one with a free plan and native AI
Hive's Free plan covers up to 10 workspace members at no cost and includes a native AI Assistant on paid tiers starting at $5/user/month; neither is documented for Celoxis or Smartsheet.
Hive
Smartsheet's spreadsheet-native interface and app-building tools
Smartsheet is built around a familiar grid interface used by roughly 85 percent of Fortune 500 companies, and its Business tier adds WorkApps for building lightweight no-code applications and Data Shuttle for automating recurring data imports and exports, neither of which is documented for Celoxis or Hive.
Smartsheet
Smartsheet went private in 2025
Smartsheet was acquired by Vista Equity Partners and Blackstone for roughly $8.4 billion in a deal that closed in January 2025, making it privately held despite its long history as a public NYSE-listed company, a contrast with Celoxis's two-decade independent operating history and Hive's venture-backed status.
Smartsheet, Celoxis, Hive
Feature-by-Feature
Deployment and Access
Feature
Celoxis
Hive
Smartsheet
On-premise / self-hosted deployment option
Available
Unavailable
Unavailable
Free plan available
Unavailable
Available
Unavailable
Interface and Scheduling
Feature
Celoxis
Hive
Smartsheet
Spreadsheet-style grid interface
Not documented
Available
Available
Gantt chart view
Available
Available
Available
Collaboration and AI
Feature
Celoxis
Hive
Smartsheet
Native team chat
Not documented
Available
Not documented
AI assistant
Not documented
Available
Not documented
Automation and App Building
Feature
Celoxis
Hive
Smartsheet
No-code custom app building
Not documented
Not documented
Available
Automated data import/export pipelines
Not documented
Not documented
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
Smartsheet
Pro — $9 per user per month annual (billed monthly at $12/user/month)
Business — $32 per user per month annual
Enterprise — Custom annual
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
Smartsheet
Pros
Low learning curve for teams already comfortable with spreadsheets
Used at scale by a large share of Fortune 500 companies, indicating strong enterprise reliability
Flexible enough to support project management, resource planning, and lightweight app-building on one platform
Strong automation and reporting capabilities reduce manual status updates
Cons
Business plan pricing at 32 dollars per user per month can get expensive for large teams compared to some competitors
Pro plan's user cap limits its usefulness for larger deployments without upgrading
Spreadsheet-based interface can feel limiting for teams that need more visual, board-based project views without add-ons
Now privately held after the 2025 Vista Equity Partners and Blackstone acquisition, which may affect long-term public roadmap transparency
Use Cases
Choose Celoxis: Mid-size and large PMOs that need the option of on-premise or cloud deployment along with deep what-if scenario forecasting and trend analysis.
Choose Hive: Smaller or creative teams that want a flexible, chat-and-AI-native work management tool with a genuinely free starting tier.
Choose Smartsheet: Large organizations already comfortable working in spreadsheets that want to layer in Gantt scheduling, workflow automation, and lightweight no-code apps without learning a new interface.
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.
Smartsheet
Enterprise project and portfolio tracking — Project management offices use Smartsheet to track multiple projects, dependencies, and resource allocation across departments.
Marketing campaign management — Marketing teams use sheets, forms, and dashboards to plan campaigns, collect creative requests, and report on status to leadership.
IT and operations workflow automation — IT teams build lightweight WorkApps and automated workflows on top of Smartsheet data to manage tickets, approvals, and asset tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of Celoxis, Hive, and Smartsheet can be deployed on-premise?
Only Celoxis. It supports both cloud-hosted and self-managed on-premise deployment on Linux and PostgreSQL, while Hive and Smartsheet are documented as cloud-only SaaS products.
Which has a free plan?
Hive has a Free plan for up to 10 workspace members. Celoxis requires a minimum of five full-access users with no free tier, and Smartsheet's cheapest tier, Pro, starts at $9/user/month with no free plan documented.
Which is best for teams that already think in spreadsheets?
Smartsheet, since its entire interface is built around a familiar spreadsheet-style grid, layered with Gantt charts, dashboards, and automation on top.
Can any of these build custom no-code apps?
Smartsheet's WorkApps, available on its Business plan and above, lets teams build lightweight custom applications on top of sheet data. This isn't documented for Celoxis or Hive.
Does Celoxis or Smartsheet have an AI assistant like Hive's?
Not according to the provided data. Hive is the only one of the three with a documented native AI Assistant.
Is Smartsheet still a public company?
No. Smartsheet was taken private in January 2025 after an approximately $8.4 billion acquisition by Vista Equity Partners and Blackstone, even though it previously traded on the NYSE under the ticker SMAR.