Asana vs Ellie Planner: Comprehensive 2024 Comparison

What is Asana

Asana stands out as a versatile project management tool, ideal for various team sizes. Its user-friendly interface, coupled with diverse features like task management, project visualization (including Kanban and Gantt charts), and robust team collaboration tools, makes it a top choice. Additionally, Asana’s integration capabilities with other apps enhance workflow efficiency. Offering a range of pricing plans, including a free version for smaller teams, Asana caters to a broad spectrum of organizational needs. It’s particularly recommended for its ease of use, extensive integrations, and comprehensive project management features.

Key Features of Asana

• Task Management: Asana excels in task management, allowing users to create, assign, and track tasks efficiently. This feature ensures that team members are always aware of their responsibilities and deadlines, promoting productivity and accountability.
• Project Visualization: With options like Kanban boards and Gantt charts, Asana offers versatile visualization tools. These features aid in understanding the project flow and milestones, making it easier to manage timelines and resources.
• Team Collaboration: Asana fosters seamless team collaboration. It allows for easy communication within tasks, sharing of files, and updating progress, thus keeping everyone on the same page and enhancing teamwork.
• Integration Capabilities: The platform integrates with a wide range of other applications and tools, streamlining workflows and automating processes. This integration makes it a flexible tool that can adapt to various business ecosystems.
• Customization and Reporting: Asana offers extensive customization options, including custom fields and reporting features. These allow teams to tailor their project management experience and generate insightful reports for better decision-making.
• User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive interface of Asana is designed for ease of use, making it accessible for teams regardless of their technical expertise. This simplicity ensures a smooth onboarding process and enhances overall user experience.

What is Ellie Planner

Ellie Planner is a daily planning application designed to help users organize their week through features like calendar integration, task management, and time-blocking techniques. It includes a brain dump area for capturing thoughts and tasks, and it supports integrations with major calendars and productivity apps such as Google Calendar, Outlook, and Todoist. Aimed at simplifying planning processes, Ellie Planner offers both a free plan and a premium subscription.

Key Features of Ellie Planner

• Calendar Integration: Ellie Planner syncs with major calendar services like Google Calendar and Outlook, allowing users to see their appointments and tasks in one unified view. This feature ensures that all commitments are aligned and easily accessible.
• Task Management: Users can create, assign, and track tasks within the planner. This helps in maintaining clarity on deliverables and deadlines, enhancing productivity and accountability.
• Time Blocking: The planner supports time-blocking techniques, encouraging users to allocate specific blocks of time for tasks, which helps in managing daily workloads more efficiently and reducing the likelihood of overcommitment.
• Customizable Views: Ellie Planner offers customizable views, enabling users to tailor the interface according to their personal productivity styles. This can include adjusting the layout of tasks, events, and notes to best suit one’s workflow.
• Brain Dump Feature: A dedicated space for “brain dumping” allows users to jot down ideas and tasks as they come, which can later be organized into actionable items. This feature helps in capturing all thoughts without disrupting workflow.
• Mobile Accessibility: The planner is accessible via a mobile app, providing the flexibility to manage schedules and tasks on the go. This ensures that users can stay updated with their plans irrespective of their location.

Asana vs Ellie Planner: Features

Features	Asana	Ellie Planner
Integrations	Google Drive, Slack, Zoho Cliq, Zapier, Jira, Zoom, Toggl Track, Loom, Harvest, Gmail​	Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Zapier, Slack, Todoist, Microsoft Outlook
Calendar	Yes	Yes
Platforms	macOS, iOS, Android, Web, and Windows	macOS, iOS, Android, Web, Windows
Task Management	Task creation and assignment, due date setting, progress tracking, project organization, tagging, comments, file attachments, task conversations	Offers labels, tags, and recurring tasks
Natural Language Processing	Yes	No
Time Blocking	No	Yes
Analytics	Yes	No
Meeting Scheduler	No	No
Time Zones	Yes	No
Reminders	Yes	Yes
Customer Support	Average	Good
1:1 User Onboarding	Asana offers customer success services including tailored training and consultation, which might include onboarding calls for new users, especially in enterprise plans	No
Pricing	Asana offers three plans: the free Personal plan for basic needs, the Starter plan at $11.59 for expanded features like timeline view, and the Advanced plan at $25.69 for comprehensive project management tools including time tracking and advanced customization.	Ellie offers a Free Plan and a Pro Plan for $9.99/month or $299.99 one-time. Pro features include timeboxing, calendar integration, and more.

Asana vs Ellie Planner: Pricing

Asana Pricing

Asana offers three main pricing tiers:

(i) Personal: This is a free plan, suitable for small teams or individuals. It includes basic project and task management features and supports collaboration with up to 10 team members. Users have access to unlimited tasks, projects, messages, and file storage.

(ii) Starter: Priced at $11.59 per user per month, this plan builds on the Personal plan. It allows collaboration with up to 500 teammates and introduces additional features like timeline and Gantt chart views, along with the ability to use forms and automation.

(iii) Advanced: At $25.69 per user per month, the Advanced plan includes all features from the lower tiers and adds functionalities such as goals, time tracking, proofing, approvals, and more advanced customization options.

Each tier offers a range of features to accommodate different needs, from individual use to more complex team collaboration and project management requirements.

Ellie Planner Pricing

Ellie Planner offers two main pricing options:

(i) Free Plan: Includes unlimited task creation, accessible via iOS and Web apps, and a feature called “Braindump”.

(ii) Ellie Pro Plan: Available for $9.99 per month or a one-time purchase of $299.99. It includes all the features of the free plan plus timeboxing, integration with Google and Apple Calendars, unlimited labels & subtasks, recurring tasks, due dates, and more.

Asana vs Ellie Planner: Reviews

Asana Review

Asana, a popular project management tool, is praised for its intuitive interface and robust feature set, making it an excellent choice for teams of all sizes. Key strengths include versatile project views, effective task and assignment management, and smooth team collaboration. Users benefit from a variety of project views like Kanban Board, Timeline, and Gantt, alongside templates for quick project setup. Asana’s progress tracking and integration with various tools like Google Suite and Microsoft 365 further enhance its utility. However, the tool’s complexity might be overwhelming for beginners, and the cost of the Advanced package may be a concern for smaller teams or individual users.

Ellie Planner Review

Ellie Planner is praised for its simplicity and effectiveness in daily planning, offering features like calendar and task views, brain dump for capturing thoughts, and integration with other apps like Google Calendar and Todoist. Users appreciate its clean interface and focus on time-blocking techniques to improve productivity. However, some drawbacks include its higher price point compared to alternatives like Todoist, and a relatively lighter set of features which may not suit those seeking more robust functionality. The app is primarily developed by a solo developer, which adds a personal touch but might affect the pace of feature updates and support. Overall, Ellie Planner is a commendable tool for those seeking a straightforward daily planner with essential features.

Which One Should You Pick

Consider Asana if

1. You’re Managing Diverse Projects: Asana is suitable for various project types, offering flexibility with multiple view options like Kanban and Gantt charts. However, it might take time to master all the features.
2. You Value Integration: Asana’s integration with many tools (like Google Suite, Microsoft 365) enhances its utility. But, be mindful that depending on external apps could complicate workflows.
3. You Prioritize Team Collaboration: Asana is strong in team collaboration features, making it easy to track responsibilities and updates. Still, for very small teams or individual use, the platform might offer more than needed.

Consider Ellie Planner if

1. You Appreciate Simplicity in Planning: Ellie Planner could be a good match if you prefer a straightforward, no-frills daily planner with essential features like calendar views and task lists. It might lack the depth of features found in more comprehensive tools.
2. You Use Basic Integration: If you need basic integrations with tools like Google Calendar or Todoist, Ellie Planner offers this functionality, though its integration options are not as extensive as some other planners.
3. You Enjoy Personalized Support: Since Ellie Planner is developed by a solo developer, you might appreciate the personal touch in customer support, although this could also mean slower updates and enhancements compared to bigger competitors.

Best Asana and Ellie Planner Alternative

Akiflow: Akiflow is a time management app offering time blocking, task scheduling, and integrations with various tools. It focuses on productivity and organization through a unified task and appointment interface.

Akiflow Price: $19 per month, paid annually