project management tool · head to head
Basecamp vs Smartsheet
Smartsheet
SituationalAhead on 3 of 6 scored axes
Read the full Smartsheet review →Comparison Summary
Smartsheet scored 6.0 and Basecamp scored 5.6 on our project management tool test script.
Smartsheet: Smartsheet is a spreadsheet that runs projects: pasting or importing our data was the easiest of any app we have tested, dependencies rescheduled tasks properly, and its AI was the only one to get everything right and create subtasks on request. But there is no free plan, recurring tasks are missing, the interface switches between a new and a classic look, and the Windows app we tested is being retired in January 2027.
Basecamp: Basecamp is calm and quick: the Windows app opened in about 3 seconds, used the least memory of any app we tested here, and kept due dates, weekend days and weekly repeats exactly as entered. But it is not a task manager in the usual sense. There are no priorities, custom fields, dependencies, automation rules, Gantt chart or built-in AI, it imports only Markdown or plain text, and the free plan is a single project.
Editor's Verdict
Choose Smartsheet if…
Best for: Teams who already think in spreadsheets and want Gantt charts, dependencies and automation on top, and are happy to pay and use it in the browser.
- Paste a spreadsheet and the project is built: 40 rows with phases, dates and priorities in one go
- CSV import mapped all 7 columns itself; 200 of 200 rows came back identical in the export
- Dependencies reschedule tasks automatically and skip weekends
Choose Basecamp if…
Best for: Small teams and client work that need one calm place for to-dos, messages, files and a calendar, without fields and charts.
- The fastest and lightest desktop app in our tests: about 3 seconds from a cold start and under 1.3 GB of memory
- Due dates stay as entered, weekends included, and recurring to-dos have clear repeat options
- Markdown import of 500 to-dos in under 40 seconds, with done to-dos ticked
Head to Head
Task by task
The same prompts, pasted word for word into each app on a clean Windows 11 PC. On the 8 tasks both apps were graded on, Basecamp completed 1 and Smartsheet completed 4.
| Task | Basecamp | Smartsheet |
|---|---|---|
| P1 · Build a project | Partial≈ 15–20 min | Pass≈ 5 min |
| P2 · Views | Partial≈ 5 min | Partial≈ 6 min |
| P3 · Rules | Partial≈ 5 min | Partial≈ 12 min |
| P4 · 200-row import | Fail≈ 5 min | Pass≈ 2 min |
| P5 · Scale | Pass≈ 2 min | Pass≈ 2 min |
| P6 · Permissions | Partial≈ 3 min | Partial≈ 3 min |
| P7 · AI | Fail– | Pass≈ 4 min |
| P8 · Leave | Partial≈ 5 min | Partial≈ 4 min |
Measured on the same PC
| Measurement | Basecamp | Smartsheet |
|---|---|---|
| Installer | 109 MB | 91 MB |
| Admin rights | No | No |
| On disk | 527 MB | 379 MB |
| Starts with Windows | No | No |
| 40-task project | ≈ 15–20 min | ≈ 5 min |
| 200-row import | 200 / 200 | 200 / 200 |
| 500-row import | 500 / 500 | 500 / 500 |
| Cold start | ≈ 3 s | ≈ 14 s |
| Memory | 0.9 – 1.2 GB | 1.1 – 1.6 GB |
| Automation rule | None | ≈ 5–10 s |
| Left after uninstall | ≈ 120 MB | ≈ 87 MB |
Pros and cons
Basecamp
+ What works
- The fastest and lightest desktop app in our tests: about 3 seconds from a cold start and under 1.3 GB of memory
- Due dates stay as entered, weekends included, and recurring to-dos have clear repeat options
- Markdown import of 500 to-dos in under 40 seconds, with done to-dos ticked
- A free plan forever, and flat paid prices instead of per-user fees
- Complete export of every to-do and date as a browsable website
− What falls short
- No priority, status or custom fields, so our brief's priorities had nowhere to go
- No dependencies, no automation rules and no built-in AI assistant
- No Gantt chart or timeline; the Kanban Card Table is separate from to-dos
- No CSV import: only Markdown or text files, with titles and done state only
- Pasting a list makes one to-do, and dates can only be clicked in a calendar
- Free plan: one project, three people, 1 GB
Smartsheet
+ What works
- Paste a spreadsheet and the project is built: 40 rows with phases, dates and priorities in one go
- CSV import mapped all 7 columns itself; 200 of 200 rows came back identical in the export
- Dependencies reschedule tasks automatically and skip weekends
- Smart Assist got the summary and overdue answer right, and created subtasks after asking
- Per-user install with no admin rights; uninstall removes almost everything
− What falls short
- The Windows desktop app is being retired on or after January 6, 2027
- No free plan: Pro starts at $9 per member a month, billed yearly
- No recurring tasks; workflows can remind you but not create a task
- Two interfaces: Calendar, Gantt and settings open in the older classic view, which needs saving by hand
- Gantt needs a second date column, and Ctrl+V did not paste in the new table view
- No CSV export; Excel, Google Sheets or PDF, one sheet at a time
Privacy and security
What we saw on our own test PC. Each review also lists what the vendor states about data handling, training and certifications.
Basecamp
Signed installer
The installer is signed by 37signals LLC with a valid certificate.
No background services
The app added no startup entry, services or listening ports.
Invite-only projects
New projects are visible only to people you add; outside collaborators and clients get limited access.
No AI by default
The app has no built-in AI assistant reading your projects.
Smartsheet
Signed installer
The installer is signed by Smartsheet Inc with a valid certificate.
No background services
The app added no startup entry, services or listening ports.
Clear sharing roles
Admin, two kinds of Editor, Commenter and Viewer, per sheet or per workspace.
EU data region
Sign-up offered a European Union data region (app.smartsheet.eu), which our account used.
Features & Pricing
| Basecamp | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linux | — | — |
| iOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free plan | ✓ | — |
| Paid from | $29/mo | $9/mo |
Basecamp plans
- Free$0
- Freelancer$29/mo
- Pro$79/mo
- Pro Plus$99/mo
- Pro Unlimited$199/mo
From Basecamp's pricing page, checked Oct 30, 2026.
Smartsheet plans
- Pro$9/member/mo
- Business$19/member/mo
- EnterpriseContact sales
- Advanced Work ManagementContact sales
From Smartsheet's pricing page, checked Oct 30, 2026.
Cost for your team
- Smartsheet$540per year
- Basecamp$1,740per year
Cheapest paid plan × seats × 12, at list price. Annual discounts and volume deals not included. Basecamp also has a free plan.
Who makes them
- Company
- Basecamp:37signals LLC
- Smartsheet:Smartsheet Inc.
- Headquarters
- Basecamp:Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Smartsheet:Bellevue, Washington, USA
- Founded
- Basecamp:1999
- Smartsheet:2005
- Funding
- Basecamp:Privately held; run by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson.
- Smartsheet:Listed on the NYSE in 2018; taken private by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners in 2025.
Timelines, official links and sources are in each review: Basecamp · Smartsheet.
Read the full reviews
This page compares the two side by side. Each full review has the complete test log, every screenshot, the scoring notes, pricing, security and company details.
Basecamp reviewSituational 5.6 Basecamp is calm and quick: the Windows app opened in about 3 seconds, used the least memory of any app we tested here, and kept due dates, weekend days and weekly repeats exactly as entered. But it is not a task manager in the usual sense. There are no priorities, custom fields, dependencies, automation rules, Gantt chart or built-in AI, it imports only Markdown or plain text, and the free plan is a single project. Read the full review → Smartsheet reviewSituational 6.0 Smartsheet is a spreadsheet that runs projects: pasting or importing our data was the easiest of any app we have tested, dependencies rescheduled tasks properly, and its AI was the only one to get everything right and create subtasks on request. But there is no free plan, recurring tasks are missing, the interface switches between a new and a classic look, and the Windows app we tested is being retired in January 2027. Read the full review → Project Management Alternatives
ClickUp Recommended Small teams that want lists, boards, Gantt charts, automations and AI in one free workspace and do not mind a busy, heavy app 7.4 Read reviewReview 
Notion Situational Individuals and small teams who want tasks living next to their docs and wiki, and who are happy to build their own setup 6.9 Read reviewReview 
Airtable Situational Teams who want a flexible database behind their projects, with automations and reliable CSV in and out 6.8 Read reviewReview 
