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Project Management

Basecamp vs Trello: Pricing Comparison 2026

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

Bottom line: Both Basecamp and Trello offer free plans. Basecamp has 5 pricing tiers while Trello has 4.

Last updated: August 24, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated August 24, 2026
Try Basecamp freeTry Trello freePrice updated 4d agoPrice updated 4d ago

Basecamp vs Trello: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureBasecampTrello
Starting PriceCustom pricing$5/mo
Number of Plans54
Free TierYesYes
Pricing Modelflatfreemium
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Basecamp and Trello are both priced at Custom pricing, making them equally accessible Project Management tools. Together they offer 9 pricing plans with 96 features compared, so the best choice comes down to which features match your needs.

Both tools offer free plans, making them accessible for teams on a budget. Basecamp uses flat pricing while Trello uses freemium 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 free
Trello
Trello
Try free
Tier 1
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • 1 GB storage space ? You can upgrade if you ever need more file storage.
  • 5 users max
  • Project templates
  • Multiple tools per project
  • Time tracking
  • Enhanced admin features
  • 5 GB storage space ? You can upgrade if you ever need more file storage.
  • 24/7/365 support
  • Project templates
  • Multiple tools per project
  • Time tracking
  • Enhanced admin features
  • Annual billing
  • Up to 10 active projects ? Archived or deleted projects don’t count against your total. You could have dozens of projects, but only 10 can be active at once.
  • 25 GB storage space ? You can upgrade if you ever need more file storage.
  • UNLIMITED users, no per-user fees ? Add as many people as you want at no additional cost.
  • UNLIMITED tools per project ? Add multiple message boards, chat rooms, card tables, or other tools to a single project.
  • Project templates ? Create reusable project and to-do list templates with the same structure, workflows, and setup across projects.
  • Bring your own AI agents ? CLI access and skills for AI agents you run on your computer.
  • ChatGPT and Claude AI connectors ? Official Basecamp support for ChatGPT, Claude, and AI agents with full MCP support (coming soon).
  • 24/7/365 support
  • Time tracking
  • Enhanced admin features
  • Annual billing
  • 100 GB storage space ? You can upgrade if you ever need more file storage.
  • Time tracking ? Track hours/time spent working on projects.
  • 24/7/365 support
  • Enhanced admin features
  • Annual billing
  • Time tracking ? Track hours/time spent working on projects.
FREE
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Unlimited cards
  • Up to 10 boards per Workspace
  • Quickly capture to-dos from email, Slack, and Teams
  • Inbox
  • Unlimited Power-Ups per board
  • Unlimited storage (10MB/file)
  • 250 Workspace command runs per month
  • Custom backgrounds & stickers
  • Unlimited activity log
  • Assignee and due dates
  • iOS and Android mobile apps
  • 2-factor authentication
Tier 2
Freelancer, $25/mo
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • 5 GB storage space ? You can upgrade if you ever need more file storage.
  • 24/7/365 support
  • Project templates
  • Multiple tools per project
  • Time tracking
  • Enhanced admin features
  • Annual billing
STANDARD
$5/month
Includes
  • AI
  • Unlimited boards
  • Quickly capture to-dos from email, Slack, and Teams — powered by AI
  • Planner
  • Advanced checklists
  • Card mirroring
  • Custom Fields
  • List colors
  • Collapsible lists
  • Unlimited storage (250MB/file)
  • 1,000 Workspace command runs per month
  • Single board guests
  • Saved searches
Tier 3
Studio, $59/mo
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Up to 10 active projects ? Archived or deleted projects don’t count against your total. You could have dozens of projects, but only 10 can be active at once.
  • 25 GB storage space ? You can upgrade if you ever need more file storage.
  • UNLIMITED users, no per-user fees ? Add as many people as you want at no additional cost.
  • UNLIMITED tools per project ? Add multiple message boards, chat rooms, card tables, or other tools to a single project.
  • Project templates ? Create reusable project and to-do list templates with the same structure, workflows, and setup across projects.
  • Bring your own AI agents ? CLI access and skills for AI agents you run on your computer.
  • ChatGPT and Claude AI connectors ? Official Basecamp support for ChatGPT, Claude, and AI agents with full MCP support (coming soon).
  • 24/7/365 support
  • Time tracking
  • Enhanced admin features
  • Annual billing
PREMIUM
$10/monthCheapest
Includes
  • AI
  • Views: Calendar, Timeline, Table, Dashboard, and Map
  • Workspace views: Table and Calendar
  • Unlimited Workspace command runs
  • Admin and security features
  • Workspace-level templates
  • Collections
  • Observers
  • Simple data export
Tier 4
Pro, $99/mo
Custom pricing
Includes
  • 100 GB storage space ? You can upgrade if you ever need more file storage.
  • Time tracking ? Track hours/time spent working on projects.
  • 24/7/365 support
  • Enhanced admin features
  • Annual billing
ENTERPRISE
$18/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Unlimited Workspaces
  • Organization-wide permissions
  • Organization-visible boards
  • Public board management
  • Multi-board guests
  • Attachment permissions
  • Power-Up administration
  • Free SSO and user provisioning with Atlassian Guard
Tier 5
Unlimited, $299/mo, billed annually
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Time tracking ? Track hours/time spent working on projects.
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Basecamp

Simple project management and team communication in one place

View all Basecamp plans

Trello

Visual kanban boards for organizing tasks and projects

View all Trello plans

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Basecamp if:

  • You want an all-in-one project hub with message boards, to-dos, schedules, file sharing, and group chat in one view
  • Basecamp's flat $299/month for unlimited users makes it cost-effective for large teams
  • You prefer opinionated project management that tells you how to organize rather than a blank canvas
  • Your team values asynchronous communication - Basecamp's message boards and automatic check-ins reduce meetings

Choose Trello if:

  • You need a simple, visual Kanban board that anyone can use in under 5 minutes
  • Budget matters for small teams - Trello Free with unlimited cards costs nothing
  • You want optional complexity through Power-Ups rather than built-in features you may not use
  • Your workflow is primarily visual task management and you do not need message boards or group chat

Basecamp and Trello are both deliberately simple, but in different ways. Basecamp bundles six tools into one: to-do lists, message boards, schedules, file storage, group chat (Campfire), and automatic check-ins. Personal (free) supports limited projects. Pro Unlimited at $299/month includes unlimited users and projects - a flat fee that becomes extremely affordable at scale. Trello is a visual Kanban tool. Free gives unlimited cards and 10 boards. Standard at $6/user/month adds unlimited boards and custom fields. Premium at $12.50/user/month adds Timeline and Dashboard views. At 50 users on Premium, Trello costs $625/month - more than double Basecamp's flat rate. Basecamp's philosophy is anti-feature-creep. It includes exactly what it thinks teams need and nothing more - no Gantt charts, no time tracking, no complex automations. This opinionated approach either resonates or frustrates. Trello's philosophy is minimal-by-default with Power-Up extensibility - start simple, add complexity only when needed. For large teams (25+) that want a self-contained project hub with built-in communication, Basecamp's flat pricing is unbeatable value. For small teams and individuals who want visual task management without bundled collaboration features, Trello's free tier and Kanban simplicity are the leaner choice.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Basecamp vs Trello

How many pricing plans does Basecamp have vs Trello?
Basecamp offers 5 pricing plans, while Trello offers 4 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Basecamp or Trello offer a free plan?
Yes, both Basecamp and Trello offer free plans. Compare the feature limits of each free tier to see which better fits your use case before upgrading.
Does Basecamp or Trello offer custom enterprise pricing?
Basecamp offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. Trello lists all its pricing publicly.
What pricing models do Basecamp and Trello use?
Basecamp uses a flat pricing model, while Trello uses freemium pricing. The right model depends on your team size and usage patterns.
How do Basecamp and Trello compare for Project Management?
Both Basecamp and Trello are Project Management tools. Basecamp offers 5 plans starting at Custom pricing, while Trello offers 4 plans starting at $5/mo. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your Project Management needs.
AI Recommendations

Sources

  1. Basecamp Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
  2. Trello Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page

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