• What a Small Team Needs
  • The Tools

A small business with a team needs a project management tool where everyone can see who owns each task, when it's due, and the hours that have gone into each project compared with what was quoted. The tool also has to be simple enough that the whole team keeps using it. This page sets out what five tools say about team features on their own websites, then covers how to roll one out and how to check a project's hours against its budget.

Billed publishes this page, and Billed is listed first. The other four tools are listed alphabetically and aren't ranked. Each description quotes the tool's own pages, opened on October 30, 2026. Plans and prices change, so check each tool's pricing page for current details. If you work alone, see project management tools for freelancers, which covers the solo setup.

What a Small Team Needs

  • Shared projects and tasks, with an owner and a due date on each task.
  • Roles and permissions, so each person sees and changes what they should.
  • Team time tracking, to compare hours used with hours quoted.
  • Client visibility, if clients review work or approve stages.
  • Connections to your other tools, such as email, chat and invoicing.

The Tools

Billed

From Billed's own product pages:

  • Team projects: "Add your team, track your tasks and create Invoices in one place." (projects and collaboration)
  • Teammates: its FAQ says "Yes your teammates can add tasks. You can invite them from your settings and give them permission to add tasks."
  • Team time: "Create timesheets from the time you and your team have tracked to see how the team is spending its time" (time tracking).

See Billed's pricing page for plans.

Basecamp

From Basecamp's features page:

  • "Every project in Basecamp gets its own page."
  • "Add the tools you need (to-dos, message boards, chat, a calendar, card tables), then invite co-workers, clients, even AI Agents."
  • "Make a list, or ten lists. Assign items, set due dates, attach files, even create subtasks."

Smartsheet

From Smartsheet's home page:

  • "Integrate your favorite apps with Smartsheet, keeping all your work in sync and your team in the loop"
  • It lists "Portfolio visibility without the manual effort" among its AI features.

Teamwork.com

From Teamwork.com's home page:

  • "Teamwork.com is the agentic PSA that helps you win, plan and deliver projects with live margin at every step."
  • "Every project stays in view, from quote to invoice."

Wrike

From Wrike's home page:

  • "Wrike enables you to envision work, easily capture the information you need to kick-start projects, and bring multiple teams into the same place."
  • Its feature list includes "Request forms" and "Workflow automation".

Rolling a Tool Out to Your Team

  1. Start with one type of project, such as a standard client engagement, and set it up end to end.
  2. Name stages the way your team talks, and give every task one owner.
  3. Agree on the basics in writing: where tasks live, when time gets logged and who updates status. Turn them into a short standard operating procedure.
  4. Set permissions before inviting clients, so they see only their own projects.
  5. Review after a month, then add the next type of project.

For handing work to others, see how to delegate tasks effectively.

Worked Example: Checking a Project Against Its Budget

These are sample figures for a fictional three-person studio.

A client project was quoted at 60 hours at $95.00 an hour: 60 × $95.00 = $5,700.00.

Hours logged so far:

  • Designer: 18 hours
  • Developer: 26 hours
  • Project lead: 6 hours
  • Total: 18 + 26 + 6 = 50 hours, or 50 × $95.00 = $4,750.00 of the budget

Remaining: 60 − 50 = 10 hours, or $5,700.00 − $4,750.00 = $950.00.

With 10 hours left, the team can see the developer has logged 26 of the 50 hours and check whether the remaining tasks fit before the budget runs out, rather than finding out at invoicing time. See how to calculate profit margin and how to handle scope creep.

Related Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a small business look for in project management software?

Shared projects and tasks with owners and due dates, roles and permissions, team time tracking, client visibility if you need it, and connections to the tools you already use.

How do I get my team to use a new project management tool?

Start with one type of project, give every task an owner, write down where tasks live and when time is logged, and review after a month before adding more.

Which project management tool should a small business choose?

This page doesn't rank them. Compare the team features each tool describes on its own pages with how your team works, then try your choice on one real project.

How is this page different from the freelancers page?

This page covers teams: permissions, shared tasks and hours across several people. The freelancers page covers working alone, with a sample of what solo projects earn per hour.

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