nTask vs Paymo vs Zoho Projects

nTask, Paymo and Zoho Projects are all freemium project management tools built for small and mid-sized teams, but they lead with different strengths: nTask…

nTask

Freemium · From Free (paid plans from $3/user/month)

Best for: Cost-sensitive small teams and agencies in regulated or process-heavy fields, such as IT services and engineering consulting, that want native risk and issue tracking bundled in at the lowest paid entry price of the three.

Paymo

Freemium · From Free; paid plans from $5.90/user/month billed annually

Best for: Freelancers and small creative or marketing agencies that bill clients by the hour and want tracked time to flow directly into an invoice without connecting a separate invoicing app.

Zoho Projects

freemium · From Free for up to 5 users; paid plans from 4 dollars per user per month billed annually

Best for: Small to mid-sized teams already using, or planning to use, other Zoho apps like CRM, Books or Desk, who want Gantt-based planning and workflow automation tied into that wider suite.

At a Glance

 nTaskPaymoZoho Projects
Primary categoryProject ManagementProject ManagementProject Management
RatingNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemiumfreemium
Starting priceFree (paid plans from $3/user/month)Free; paid plans from $5.90/user/month billed annuallyFree for up to 5 users; paid plans from 4 dollars per user per month billed annually
Free planYesYesYes
Free trialNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android
Team collaborationNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
AI featuresNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
Public APINot documentedNot documentedYes

Standout Differences

Billing built into the workflow, or not

Paymo generates client invoices directly from tracked billable time without a separate app. Zoho Projects can also auto-generate invoices, but only by connecting to the separate Zoho Invoice product. The provided data does not document any invoicing capability for nTask.

Paymo, Zoho Projects, nTask

Only nTask ships a built-in risk register

nTask is the only one of the three with native risk and issue management, available from its Business plan upward, which suits teams that need lightweight project governance without a separate PMO tool.

nTask

Zoho Projects wins on ecosystem depth

Zoho Projects connects natively to the wider Zoho One suite, including Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, Zoho Invoice and Zoho Desk, and lists over 50 third-party integrations, a breadth neither nTask nor Paymo documents.

Zoho Projects

Lowest cost of entry favors nTask

nTask's Premium plan starts at $3 per user per month billed annually, undercutting Paymo's cheapest multi-user tier (Plus at $10.90 per user per month) and Zoho Projects' Premium tier (roughly $4-5 per user per month).

nTask, Paymo, Zoho Projects

Free plans differ on team size

nTask's free plan supports up to 5 team members and 5 workspaces forever, and Zoho Projects' free plan also covers up to 5 users with 3 projects, while Paymo's free plan is capped at a single user.

nTask, Paymo, Zoho Projects

Feature-by-Feature

Planning and views

FeaturenTaskPaymoZoho Projects
Kanban boardsAvailableAvailableNot documented
Gantt chartsAvailableAvailableAvailable
Calendar or list viewAvailableAvailableNot documented

Time, billing and automation

FeaturenTaskPaymoZoho Projects
Time tracking and timesheetsAvailableAvailableAvailable
Native invoicing from tracked timeNot documentedAvailableAvailable
Workflow or task automation rulesNot documentedNot documentedAvailable

Governance and ecosystem

FeaturenTaskPaymoZoho Projects
Native risk or issue managementAvailableUnavailableNot documented
Native integration with a wider business suite (CRM, invoicing, helpdesk)Not documentedLimitedAvailable

Pricing Compared

Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.

nTask

Free — $0 forever free
Premium — $3/user/month billed annually
Business — $8/user/month billed annually
Enterprise — Custom custom

Paymo

Free — $0 N/A
Solo — $5.90/month Monthly (1 user)
Plus — $10.90/user/month Monthly or annual (unlimited users)
Pro — $16.90/user/month Monthly or annual (unlimited users)

Zoho Projects

Free — 0 dollars n/a
Premium — Approximately 4-5 dollars per user per month monthly or annual
Enterprise — Approximately 9-10 dollars per user per month monthly or annual
Ultimate — Approximately 15 dollars per user per month monthly or annual

Pros & Cons

nTask

Pros

  • Low per-user pricing makes it accessible for small teams and startups
  • Combines task management, time tracking and risk management in one tool
  • Free plan is usable indefinitely for very small teams
  • Multiple work views (list, Kanban, Gantt, calendar) suit different team preferences
  • Native issue and risk tracking is uncommon at this price point

Cons

  • Interface and feature depth lag behind larger competitors like Asana or Monday.com
  • Free plan is capped at 5 team members and limited storage
  • Risk management features are only available on Business plan and above
  • Smaller company size means a narrower support and integration ecosystem than venture-backed rivals
  • Some advanced customization requires contacting sales on the Enterprise tier

Paymo

Pros

  • Combines project management, time tracking, and invoicing in one affordable tool
  • Free plan is usable for solo freelancers with light client and project needs
  • Multiple project views (Kanban, Gantt, table, list) suit different working styles
  • Time tracking flows directly into invoicing without needing a separate app
  • Priced significantly lower than larger project management suites like Asana or Monday.com

Cons

  • Free plan is limited to a single user and very few clients or projects
  • Advanced features like task dependencies and resource scheduling require the top Pro tier
  • Smaller company and team size than larger competitors, which can mean a smaller support team
  • Interface can feel dense for teams that only need simple task management
  • Fewer native integrations than larger, more established project management platforms

Zoho Projects

Pros

  • Generous free tier for small teams (up to 5 users)
  • Deep native integration with the wider Zoho One suite
  • Competitive pricing compared to Asana, Monday.com, and similar tools
  • Strong Gantt chart and time tracking functionality out of the box
  • 15-day free trial on all paid plans with no credit card required

Cons

  • Interface can feel dated compared to newer project management tools
  • Advanced automation and reporting are locked behind higher-priced tiers
  • Read-only user limits and workflow execution caps vary by plan and can require upgrades for larger teams
  • Best value is realized when paired with other Zoho apps, less compelling as a standalone tool

Use Cases

Choose nTask: Cost-sensitive small teams and agencies in regulated or process-heavy fields, such as IT services and engineering consulting, that want native risk and issue tracking bundled in at the lowest paid entry price of the three.
Choose Paymo: Freelancers and small creative or marketing agencies that bill clients by the hour and want tracked time to flow directly into an invoice without connecting a separate invoicing app.
Choose Zoho Projects: Small to mid-sized teams already using, or planning to use, other Zoho apps like CRM, Books or Desk, who want Gantt-based planning and workflow automation tied into that wider suite.

nTask

  • Small team project tracking — Manage tasks, deadlines and deliverables across multiple client or internal projects in one workspace.
  • Agency and consulting time billing — Track billable hours against client projects using built-in time tracking and timesheets.
  • Lightweight project risk tracking — Maintain a basic risk and issue register alongside day-to-day task management without adopting separate PMO software.

Paymo

  • Freelancer time tracking and invoicing — Independent freelancers use Paymo's Solo plan to track billable hours against client projects and generate invoices directly from that tracked time.
  • Managing agency client projects — Small creative and marketing agencies use Paymo's Kanban and Gantt views alongside time tracking to manage multiple simultaneous client projects and bill accurately.
  • Coordinating small business team workload — Small businesses use Paymo's resource scheduling and task management tools to coordinate team workload and deadlines across projects.

Zoho Projects

  • Cross-functional project planning — Teams use Gantt charts and dependencies to plan multi-phase projects and track progress against deadlines.
  • Client billing and time tracking — Agencies track billable hours per task and generate client invoices directly through Zoho Invoice integration.
  • Zoho ecosystem workflows — Organizations already using Zoho CRM, Books, or Desk extend project tracking natively without adopting a separate platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these three has the lowest starting price for a small team?

nTask's Premium plan starts at $3 per user per month billed annually, the cheapest paid entry point of the three, though Zoho Projects and Paymo also offer usable free plans for very small teams.

Can I invoice clients directly from time tracked in these tools?

Paymo builds invoicing directly into its time-tracking workflow. Zoho Projects can generate invoices automatically, but through its companion Zoho Invoice app. The provided data does not document an invoicing feature for nTask.

Which tool includes built-in risk management?

Only nTask lists native risk and issue management in its feature set, available on its Business plan and above.

Is any of these free plans usable for an actual team, not just one person?

nTask's free plan supports up to 5 team members and 5 workspaces, and Zoho Projects' free plan also supports up to 5 users with 3 projects. Paymo's free plan is limited to a single user.

Which is the best fit if my company already uses other Zoho apps?

Zoho Projects, since it integrates natively with Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, Zoho Invoice and Zoho Desk as part of the wider Zoho One suite.

Which tool suits agencies that manage billable client work?

Paymo's combination of time tracking and invoicing suits agencies that bill clients by the hour, while nTask's native risk and issue tracking suits agencies in regulated industries like IT services and engineering consulting.

Read the full nTask review · Read the full Paymo review · Read the full Zoho Projects review