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Project Management

Basecamp vs Smartsheet: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of Basecamp and Smartsheet. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: Smartsheet starts at $9/mo, making it $6/mo cheaper than Basecamp ($15/mo). Basecamp offers a free plan.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026

Basecamp vs Smartsheet: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureBasecampSmartsheet
Starting Price$15/mo$9/mo
Number of Plans34
Free TierYesNo
Pricing Modelflatper-seat
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Smartsheet is the more affordable option, starting at $9/mo compared to Basecamp's $15/mo. Both are Project Management tools with 7 combined pricing plans and 61 features compared.

Basecamp stands out with a free plan for getting started. Basecamp uses flat pricing while Smartsheet uses per-seat pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Project Management needs.

Pricing Plans
Basecamp
Basecamp
Try it free
Smartsheet
Smartsheet
Try it free
Tier 1
FREE
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Completely free
  • One project
  • 1 GB storage space
  • Up to 20 users
  • Upgrade later if you need more projects, storage space, or users
  • Pay-per-user pricing
  • Unlimited projects
  • 500 GB storage space
  • 24/7/365 customer support
  • Purchase optional Timesheet and Admin Pro Pack upgrades
  • Month-to-month billing
  • Extended 60-day free trial
  • Fixed price no per-user charges
  • Unlimited projects
  • 5 terabytes storage space
  • Priority 24/7/365 customer support ? Jump to the front of the queue when you contact support
  • Includes Timesheet upgrade ? Track hours/time spent working on projects
  • Includes Admin Pro Pack upgrade ? Gives account owners and admins greater control over access, permissions, and more
  • Personal onboarding with our team ? One of our experts is happy to walk your team through Basecamp to get you up to speed
  • Billed in one lump sum annually for simplified accounting. Or $349/month if you prefer to pay monthly.
Start with FREE
Pro
$9/month
Includes
  • Unlimited free Viewers
  • Gantt, table, board, and calendar view
  • Rich formulas
  • Unlimited sheets, forms, and reports
  • 250 automations per month
Start with Pro
Tier 2
PLUS
$15/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Pay-per-user pricing
  • Unlimited projects
  • 500 GB storage space
  • 24/7/365 customer support
  • Purchase optional Timesheet and Admin Pro Pack upgrades
  • Month-to-month billing
Start with PLUS
Business
$19/month
Includes
  • Unlimited free Guests
  • Timeline view
  • Team workload tracking
  • Admin capabilities
  • Unlimited automations
  • 1 TB attachment storage
Start with Business
Tier 3
PRO UNLIMITED
$299/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Extended 60-day free trial
  • Fixed price no per-user charges
  • Unlimited projects
  • 5 terabytes storage space
  • Priority 24/7/365 customer support ? Jump to the front of the queue when you contact support
  • Includes Timesheet upgrade ? Track hours/time spent working on projects
  • Includes Admin Pro Pack upgrade ? Gives account owners and admins greater control over access, permissions, and more
  • Personal onboarding with our team ? One of our experts is happy to walk your team through Basecamp to get you up to speed
  • Billed in one lump sum annually for simplified accounting. Or $349/month if you prefer to pay monthly.
Start with PRO UNLIMITED
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Includes
  • AI formulas, texts, and chartsNEW
  • SAML-based SSO
  • CollectionsNEW
  • Work Insights
  • Enterprise Plan Manager
  • Unlimited attachment storage
  • Directory integrations
Start with Enterprise
Tier 4
Advanced Work Management
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Control Center
  • Dynamic View
  • Data Shuttle
  • Connectors
  • DataMesh
  • Calendar App
  • Pivot App
  • Premium Support
Start with Advanced Work Management

Swipe to compare plans →

Basecamp

Simple project management and team communication in one place

View all Basecamp plans

Smartsheet

Spreadsheet-like platform for managing work at scale

View all Smartsheet plans
Our Pick

Basecamp

Basecamp offers a free plan.

Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.

Best value: Basecamp

Try Basecamp free

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Basecamp if:

  • You need a free plan with Completely free, One project—Basecamp offers no-cost access with no credit card required
  • You want more features built-in—Basecamp offers 9 additional features across its plans
  • Basecamp's 3-tier flat structure gives clearer cost visibility for budget planning

Choose Smartsheet if:

  • You want lower per-user costs—Smartsheet starts at $9/mo, saving $6/mo compared to Basecamp at $15/mo
  • You need 4 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
  • Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—Smartsheet offers negotiated terms for large deployments

Basecamp offers a free plan [1], eliminating the cost barrier for evaluation, while Smartsheet requires paid subscription from the start. This gives Basecamp a significant advantage for teams with budget constraints or extended trial periods. Once you outgrow Basecamp's free tier, upgrading to a paid plan at approximately $15/mo provides substantial additional functionality. Compare this pricing path against Smartsheet's tiering starting at $9/mo to assess total cost of ownership over 12 months. Basecamp's 3 tiers provide flexibility at different budgets, while Smartsheet's 4 tiers structure may force you into higher-cost plans than necessary for your use case. If evaluation cost matters to your decision, Basecamp is the obvious starting point with zero financial commitment. Use the free tier to validate core functionality before committing to paid plans from either tool.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Basecamp vs Smartsheet

Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Smartsheet?
As of March 2026, Smartsheet starts at a lower price point. Basecamp starts at $15/mo while Smartsheet starts at $9/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does Basecamp have vs Smartsheet?
Basecamp offers 3 pricing plans, while Smartsheet offers 4 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Basecamp or Smartsheet offer a free plan?
Basecamp offers a free plan, while Smartsheet does not. If budget is a concern, Basecamp lets you get started at no cost.
Does Basecamp or Smartsheet offer custom enterprise pricing?
Smartsheet offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. Basecamp lists all its pricing publicly.
What pricing models do Basecamp and Smartsheet use?
Basecamp uses a flat pricing model, while Smartsheet uses per-seat pricing. The right model depends on your team size and usage patterns.
How do Basecamp and Smartsheet compare for Project Management?
Both Basecamp and Smartsheet are Project Management tools. Basecamp offers 3 plans starting at $15/mo, while Smartsheet offers 4 plans starting at $9/mo. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your Project Management needs.

Sources

  1. Basecamp Official PricingVendor pricing page
  2. Smartsheet Official PricingVendor pricing page

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