Businesses are seeking new ways to increase efficiencies and project management software is providing the solution to quickly and easily improving operations. Smartsheet and Jira are two of the leading solutions on the market today, however, Smartsheet is designed for work management, whereas Jira is a software development tool. To determine which is best for you and your team’s unique needs, we compared Smartsheet vs. Jira head-to-head.
Smartsheet vs. Jira: At a Glance
Jira and Smartsheet have both earned their positions as two of the most popular project management platforms available. The two are similar in that they each offer ample features that empower teams to manage projects, track work, automate workflows and build new solutions. Both also offer mobile apps for Android and iOS devices, giving project managers and team members the ability to work from just about anywhere they are.
Smartsheet differs from Jira in that it is first and foremost a work management software designed for managing tasks and work pipelines. It combines the familiarity of spreadsheets with visual timeline management, communication and automated workflow features. The customization tools for its data cells include conditional formatting and changeable column types, making it a great tool for data storage and handling.
Meanwhile, Jira is a software development tool that offers more industry-specific features such as robust bug and issue tracking. This makes it the go-to management tool for developers and software companies. Jira is mostly used for project planning and issue management while Smartsheet is mostly used for project planning and project collaboration.
Smartsheet
Starting price
Free 30-day trial, then $9
per user per month
Project management-type
Work management
(e.g., assign tasks and track projects)
Great for
The average small business looking to improve task management
Free 30-day trial, then $9
per user per month
Work management
(e.g., assign tasks and track projects)
The average small business looking to improve task management
Smartsheet is an online work execution platform helping organizations plan, manage, track and automate projects in real time. With a familiar spreadsheet-like interface, the platform is easy to use, even for beginners. The ability to initially use a tool cuts down on the arduous process of training employees on a new software system.
Smartsheet is full of project management tools such as time tracking, file sharing, project reporting and task management that help teams maximize productivity. The ability to view work alongside conversations, decisions and rationale all in one place reduces lag time caused by slow communication. It also has automated workflow options to fit an individual’s work preferences. Different dashboards such as card, grid, Gantt chart or calendar view are used to organize data. Smartsheet easily integrates with applications for business intelligence and payroll, making it a great choice for the finance, accounting and business industries.
Also note that Smartsheet offers Smartsheet for Jira Connector, which enables you to track your software development projects that are tracked in Jira. What this does is establish a connection between the two solutions, giving those who need to harness the power of both Smartsheet and Jira the ability to do so. It comes with Smartsheet’s Enterprise Plan as part of its Smartsheet Advance Package (must contact Smartsheet for pricing).
- Comprehensive tools for teams
- Flexible layout
- Intuitive to learn
- Offers tools that measure industry trends
- Integrates with Jira for those that need both solution
- Does not offer a free version, like Jira
- Pricing structures can be confusing
- Cannot use off-line
Jira
Starting price
Free forever plan for up to 10 users, then $8.15
per user per month
Project management-type
Software development tool
(Kanban, Scrum and Sprint)
Great for
Software developers and those in the field of development
Free forever plan for up to 10 users, then $8.15
per user per month
Software development tool
(Kanban, Scrum and Sprint)
Software developers and those in the field of development
Jira by Atlassian is a customizable workflow engine. Because Jira began as a project management tool for software developers, it is commonly known as a bug and issue tracking software. In addition to bug tracking, the software is useful for product and project management with features for task management, calendar, automation, reporting and dashboards.
Workflows can follow Scrum, Kanban or hybrid models depending on what is most appropriate for each particular project. It works best for teams that rely on Agile methodologies in project management. Jira users can also select hundreds of add-ons in the Atlassian marketplace to further customize their experience.
- Free forever plan for up to 10 users
- Low-cost monthly plans start at $8.15
- Offers unique features designed for developers (e.g, bug tracking, development status)
- View repositories with code
- Create and manage product roadmaps
- Agile reporting
- Save time with automation rules
- Large number of features
- Customizable
- Character limits for certain requests
- Complicated interface
- Steep learning curve
- Short, 7-day free trial
How Smartsheet and Jira Stack Up
| Smartsheet | Jira | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Does not offer free plan | Free plan for up to 10 users |
| Pricing | Plans start at $9 per user per month (with annual billing) | Plans start at $8.15 per user per month (with monthly billing) |
| Storage | Starting at 20 GB attachment storage | Starting at 2 GB file storage |
| Reporting | Includes two types of reporting features—row reports and sheet summary reports | Numerous types of reporting include burndown charts, time-tracking reports and user workload reports |
| Task tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Workflow automation | Yes | Yes |
| IOS and Android mobile apps | Yes | Yes |
| Work off-line | No | Yes |
| Easy-to-use | Yes | No, requires a steep learning curve |
| Budget tracking | Yes | No |
| Roadmaps | No | Yes |
| Integrations | ~100 (e.g., Slack, Jira, Salesforce, Adobe, Zapier, Excel, Oculus, Dropbox, HubSpot, McAfee) | ~3,000 (e.g., Adobe, Figma, Lucidchart, GitHub, Zendesk, Slack, Trello, Google Sheets, Excel, Jenkins, Scriptrunner) |
| Customer Support | Online web support for basic plan, up to 24/7 phone support for highest-tier plan | Free plan offers community support, cloud support teams are available for paid plans |
One drawback to Smartsheet is that the platform does not offer a free plan. Most of the project management software tools on the market, including Jira, offer consumers a free plan to get them started. While the free plans usually are limited to a small number of users and do not come with advanced features, they are a good option for small teams with basic needs or to get new users familiar with the system before committing to a paid plan. Smartsheet does provide a 30-day trial period to try the software before committing to a paid plan.
Both Smartsheet and Jira’s lowest-tier paid plans are comparable in pricing, however, Jira’s medium-tiered plan is $16 a month while Smartsheet’s medium-tiered plan is $19 a month.
Want to review even more options? Check out our guides to the best Jira alternatives and the best Smartsheet alternatives.
Additional Comparisons
Jira is designed for complex functions such as bug tracking, project management, Kanban software development and Scrum software development. The platform’s confusing interface reflects this, requiring users to put time into learning the new platform. Smartsheet’s spreadsheet interface, on the other hand, is intuitive for users who spend a great deal of time working with spreadsheets.
Overall Jira has more when it comes to reports and integrations, but Smartsheet offers features like budget management, client portal and cost-to-completion tracking that Jira does not.
Bottom Line
Both project management platforms come highly recommended by their users. Jira is a natural fit for software development teams that need to track every step in the software development process or for Agile development teams that need to track bugs. Smartsheet is best for financial and fintech small businesses that work with large databases and need a tool to project data in a clear, spreadsheet-style format.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are Jira and Smartsheet the same thing?
No, they are two different platforms. Jira is a software development tool and Smartsheet is designed for work management. However, they’re both leading solutions that come highly recommended by their users.
Are there any free project management solutions?
Some providers, such as Jira, offer free versions of their software, however, the features are limited compared to their higher-tiered plans. By upgrading to a paid plan, you can increase storage and users, along with more advanced features.
Why is project management important?
Project management is important in business because it helps you complete projects successfully and hit goals for yourself and your clients. Coordinating a multifaceted project for which several people owe deliverables, keeping everyone organized and ensuring the output meets expectations—all this while under the stress of a deadline—presents a challenge for even the most experienced project manager. These challenges become more feasible through project management best practices.
