Basecamp is one of the most popular and simplest project management SaaS solutions. Its low monthly fee with unlimited users makes it very appealing to small project teams.
To-do’s and discussions are the core features of Basecamp. Team members can create and group lists of tasks into To-do’s. These tasks can be assigned, scheduled, and marked complete. To-do’s in Basecamp are simple task lists. They do not track dependencies, effort levels, or allow assigning multiple resources.
Discussions are threaded, topic based, collaborative discussions. Discussions let team members collaborate and exchange ideas around a specific topic. For example, we often post project documents in the discussion area and ask project team members to review the document and submit comments.
Other features of Basecamp include file sharing and an event calendar. The event calendar can track project meetings, milestones, and other important dates.
Managing users within Basecamp is straightforward. Simply enter the user’s email address and he or she will receive an invitation to register and join your project. There are two primary levels of access to a project – team members and clients. Clients have limited access and can view project progress. Basecamp users can customize some settings, like project notifications, email frequency, and more.
If working remote, Basecamp provides a native mobile application. Within the mobile app, you can view to-do’s, discussions, documents, and most features of Basecamp.
At Aprelion, we use Basecamp with a few clients to manage small projects, with remote teams, in a highly collaborative, less-formal environment. If your organization has a mature project management process, large teams, or enterprise level projects, Basecamp is not for you. If you have an informal, collaborative team that needs a place to track documents and tasks, with some collaboration features, Basecamp will work well. It is one of the most intuitive and easy to use products we have used.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Good task management
- Simple and easy to use
- Highly collaborative
Cons
- No portfolio level features
- No resource management
- No gantt charting or linking tasks
- No reporting
Pricing
- $29/month – unlimited users
- $79/month for client features
For more information, visit Basecamp.com.
Click here to download the Basecamp Review as a PDF.