nTask vs Plane Project Management vs Zoho Projects
nTask, Plane, and Zoho Projects are all freemium project management platforms with mobile apps, but they lead with different strengths. nTask is the most…
freemium · From Free for up to 5 users; paid plans from 4 dollars per user per month billed annually
Best for: Teams already using other Zoho apps, or that want Gantt-based planning, workflow automation, and 50-plus integrations.
At a Glance
nTask
Plane Project Management
Zoho Projects
Primary category
Project Management
Project Management
Project Management
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Freemium
Freemium
freemium
Starting price
Free (paid plans from $3/user/month)
Free for up to 12 seats; paid plans from $6/seat/month
Free for up to 5 users; paid plans from 4 dollars per user per month billed annually
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows
iOS, Android
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Yes
Not documented
Public API
Not documented
Yes
Yes
Standout Differences
nTask has the lowest paid entry price
nTask's Premium plan starts at $3/user/month, undercutting Plane's $6/seat/month Pro tier and Zoho Projects' roughly $4-5/user/month Premium tier only slightly, but with risk management layered in at the Business tier.
nTask
Plane is open source and self-hostable
Plane is released under AGPL-3.0 and can be deployed via Docker or Kubernetes, including air-gapped setups, a data-control option neither nTask nor Zoho Projects offers.
Plane Project Management
Zoho Projects has the widest integration ecosystem
Zoho Projects connects with more than 50 third-party apps and ties natively into the wider Zoho One suite, going well beyond what nTask or Plane document.
Zoho Projects
All three cap their free tiers differently
nTask limits free teams to 5 members, Plane caps its free cloud tier at 12 seats, and Zoho Projects limits its free plan to 5 users and 3 projects.
nTask, Plane Project Management, Zoho Projects
Feature-by-Feature
Free Tier and Pricing
Feature
nTask
Plane Project Management
Zoho Projects
Free plan user cap
Limited
Limited
Limited
Task and Work Management
Feature
nTask
Plane Project Management
Zoho Projects
Native time tracking
Available
Limited
Available
Gantt charts
Available
Available
Available
Workflow automation builder
Not documented
Not documented
Available
Governance and Extensibility
Feature
nTask
Plane Project Management
Zoho Projects
Issue and risk tracking
Limited
Available
Not documented
Self-hosting or open-source deployment
Unavailable
Available
Unavailable
AI-assisted features
Not documented
Available
Not documented
Third-party integration breadth
Limited
Limited
Available
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
Plane Project Management
Free — $0/seat/month Monthly
Pro — $6/seat/month Monthly or annual (25% off annually)
Business — $13/seat/month Monthly or annual (13% off annually)
Enterprise Grid — Custom Custom
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
Plane Project Management
Pros
Open source (AGPL-3.0) with a free self-hosted option and full source access
Generous free cloud tier for up to 12 seats
Modern, fast interface compared to legacy tools like Jira
Self-hosting and air-gapped deployment support enterprise and compliance needs
Backed by OSS Capital, a fund focused on sustainable open-source businesses
Cons
Younger product, founded in 2022, with a smaller feature set than mature tools like Jira in some enterprise areas
AI credits are metered per seat, which can add complexity to cost planning
Self-hosting requires infrastructure management
Smaller third-party integration and app marketplace than Atlassian's Jira ecosystem
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 that want lightweight native risk and issue tracking bundled with affordable task management.
Choose Plane Project Management: Engineering and product teams that want an open-source, self-hostable Jira or Linear alternative with AI-assisted workflows.
Choose Zoho Projects: Teams already using other Zoho apps, or that want Gantt-based planning, workflow automation, and 50-plus integrations.
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.
Plane Project Management
Open-source Jira replacement for engineering teams — Engineering teams migrate from Jira to Plane for a faster, self-hostable issue tracker with cycles and modules.
Self-hosted project management for regulated environments — Organizations with strict data-control requirements self-host Plane, including air-gapped deployments.
Startup product and roadmap planning — Startups use initiatives, cycles and the built-in wiki to plan roadmaps and track sprints in one tool.
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 is open source?
Plane, released under AGPL-3.0, and self-hostable via Docker or Kubernetes. Neither nTask nor Zoho Projects offer a self-hosted option.
Which has native risk management?
nTask includes a built-in risk register on its Business plan and above. Plane covers general issue tracking but not a dedicated risk register, and Zoho Projects does not document risk management.
Which tool has the broadest integration library?
Zoho Projects, with more than 50 third-party integrations and native ties into the wider Zoho One suite.
Which is cheapest to get started with a small team?
nTask has the lowest paid entry price at $3/user/month, though all three offer usable free tiers capped at different user counts.
Which is best for engineering teams that want a Jira alternative?
Plane, purpose-built with work items, sprint-style Cycles, Modules, and AI-assisted workflows aimed squarely at Jira and Linear users.
Do all three offer mobile apps?
Yes, nTask, Plane, and Zoho Projects are all available on iOS and Android alongside the web.