Best Project Management Software for Agencies in 2025: Honest Comparison

Most project management software wasn't built for agencies. It was built for internal teams managing their own work — not for businesses juggling 15 client relationships simultaneously, each with its own deadlines, stakeholders, feedback cycles, and billing.

The result is that agencies using Asana, Monday.com, or Jira for client project management end up with a capable internal tool that fails at the client-facing layer: no white-label portal, no invoicing, no clean view of what the client needs to see. They patch the gap with email updates, separate billing tools, and Google Drive folders — creating the exact fragmentation that project management software is supposed to eliminate.

This guide compares the platforms that actually work for agency project management — covering what features matter, which tools handle client-facing work properly, and how to choose based on your agency's size and workflow.

In this guide:  What agencies need from PM software  |  8 features that matter  |  Tool comparison  |  ClientVenue  |  Monday.com  |  Teamwork  |  ClickUp  |  Asana  |  How to choose  |  FAQ

What makes project management software work for agencies

General PM tools solve internal coordination problems. Agency PM tools need to solve two problems simultaneously: internal team coordination and client-facing project delivery. These are different enough that many teams end up running two separate systems — one for the team, one for clients.

The best agency PM platforms close that gap. Here's what separates agency-grade PM software from general-purpose tools:

• Multi-client project views. An agency account manager needs to see the status of all 12 active client projects at once — not navigate between 12 separate project boards. Portfolio-level views are essential, not a luxury.
• Client-facing portals. Clients should be able to see their project progress, access files, and leave feedback without getting access to your internal workspace. Purpose-built agencies portals handle this; sharing your internal Asana board does not.
• White-label branding. The client experience should feel like your agency — your logo, your colours, your domain. Not the software company you're paying to use.
• Billing integration. Project delivery and invoicing should be connected. When a milestone is complete, the invoice should follow automatically — not require a manual step in a separate tool.
• Repeatable templates. Every new SEO client, every new web design project, every new social media retainer should trigger the same structured workflow — not require manual recreation of the project structure.
• Time tracking. For agencies billing by the hour or managing retainer profitability, time tracking against specific client projects is essential. This needs to live inside the PM tool, not in a separate time-tracking app.

Best project management software for agencies in 2025

‍

Tool-by-tool breakdown

ClientVenue — best for full agency project management

ClientVenue is built specifically for digital agencies managing multiple client accounts simultaneously. It combines project management, white-labeled client portals, invoicing, and onboarding automation in one platform — eliminating the three-tool stack most agencies run.

• Project management: Kanban boards, Gantt views, milestone tracking, task dependencies, and team assignment — all the depth agencies need for complex multi-deliverable projects.
• Client portals on every plan: Clients access a branded portal with your agency's logo and colours. They see their project progress, files, and updates — without seeing your internal workspace.
• Built-in invoicing: Send invoices, manage recurring retainer billing, and track payments inside the same platform. No separate billing tool required.
• Onboarding templates: Apply a structured onboarding workflow to every new client in one click — intake forms, welcome sequences, portal setup, and kickoff scheduling all automated.
• 1,800+ agencies already use it: From SEO agencies to creative studios to web design firms.

Try ClientVenue free — purpose-built for agencies managing multiple clients: Portals, project management, and invoicing in one platform. No credit card required. Set up your first client project in under 10 minutes.

Monday.com — best for internal team coordination

Monday.com offers excellent flexible boards, strong automation, and visual project tracking that internal teams love. It's a genuinely good internal PM tool. The gaps for agencies are significant: no white-label client portal, no built-in billing, and client access means sharing your internal workspace — which exposes internal operational detail clients shouldn't see.

• Best for: Agencies that want strong internal task management and are using separate tools for client-facing work.
• Gap: No client portal, no billing, no white-labeling — requires 2–3 additional tools for a complete agency workflow.
• Price: From $9/user/month. Team plan at $12/user/month for most useful features.

Teamwork — best for multi-client PM with time tracking

Teamwork was built with agencies in mind and handles multi-client portfolio management better than Monday.com or Asana. Time tracking and budget tracking are native features, not add-ons. Client portal access is available but not white-labeled — clients see the Teamwork interface, not your agency's brand.

• Best for: Mid-sized agencies (10–50 people) that need time tracking and budget management alongside project coordination.
• Gap: Not white-labeled, no built-in invoicing, client portal is functional but not client-optimised.
• Price: From $10.99/user/month.

ClickUp — best for maximum flexibility

ClickUp can be configured to do almost anything — it's the most customisable PM tool on this list. For agencies willing to invest in setup time, it can handle multi-client project management, reporting, and client access with the right configuration. The trade-off: that configuration time is real, client-facing features require significant setup, and there's no native billing or white-label portal.

• Best for: Technically inclined agencies that want maximum customisation and are willing to invest 2–4 weeks in configuration.
• Gap: No native client portal, no billing, no white-labeling — requires heavy configuration and additional tools.
• Price: Free tier available; Unlimited from $7/user/month.

Asana — best for internal task management only

Asana is a strong internal task management tool with clean interface design and solid automation. For agency use, it faces the same limitation as Monday.com: giving clients access means giving them access to your internal workspace. There is no client portal, no white-labeling, and no billing at any pricing tier.

• Best for: Agencies that use Asana internally and need a separate tool for client-facing work.
• Gap: No client portal, no white-labeling, no billing — not suitable as a standalone agency management platform.
• Price: From $10.99/user/month. Time tracking locked to Advanced plan at $24.99/user/month.

How to choose the right agency PM software

1. If your primary problem is client visibility and retention: Choose a platform with a proper white-labeled client portal. Clients who can see their project progress don't send 'what's happening?' emails — and they stay longer. ClientVenue is the strongest option here.
2. If your primary problem is internal team coordination at scale: Monday.com, Teamwork, or ClickUp all handle this well. You'll need to add client-facing and billing tools separately.
3. If your primary problem is billing accuracy and retainer management: Choose a tool with time tracking and invoicing built in. Teamwork handles time tracking; ClientVenue handles both time tracking and billing.
4. If you need everything in one platform: ClientVenue is the only tool on this list that combines project management, white-labeled client portals, and invoicing without requiring additional subscriptions.

The hidden cost of the multi-tool approach:  Most agencies underestimate what a 3-tool stack (PM + client portal + billing) actually costs — in monthly fees, in time spent switching between platforms, and in data that lives in three different places and never quite syncs. A single platform that handles all three typically saves 5–10 hours per week in administrative overhead.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best project management software for agencies?

For agencies that need white-labeled client portals, project management, and billing in one platform, ClientVenue is purpose-built for this use case. For internal team coordination with a separate client-facing layer, Monday.com and Teamwork are strong options. For maximum flexibility with high configuration investment, ClickUp. For purely internal task management, Asana.

Can agencies use Asana for client project management?

Asana can be used for internal project management, but it lacks the client-facing features agencies need: no white-label portal, no invoicing, no custom-branded client experience. Giving clients Asana access means giving them access to your internal workspace, which creates a poor client experience and exposes operational detail they shouldn't see.

How much does agency project management software cost?

Pricing varies from free (ClickUp basic) to $9–$25/user/month for most platforms. For a 10-person agency, expect $90–$250/month for a general PM tool — plus additional costs for billing software and client portal tools if using separate platforms. ClientVenue offers a flat rate that covers all three, which often costs less than the sum of three separate tools.

What features do agencies need in project management software?

The eight features agencies need most: multi-client portfolio view, white-labeled client portals, project templates, billing and invoicing integration, time tracking, client onboarding workflows, task dependencies for complex projects, and milestone tracking. Most general-purpose PM tools cover the last four but not the first four.

What is the difference between agency PM software and general PM software?

General PM software (Asana, Monday.com, Jira) is built for internal team coordination — managing tasks within one organisation. Agency PM software is designed for the agency-client relationship — managing multiple client accounts simultaneously, providing client-facing visibility, handling billing, and maintaining a professional client experience. The client-facing layer is what most general tools lack.

Related articles:  Does Asana Have a Client Portal? (Honest Answer)  |  Best SEO Project Management Software for Agencies  |  What Is a Customer Portal? How to Create One  |  The Complete Client Onboarding Checklist for Agencies

‍