Best project management software for agencies in 2025

Running a creative agency without the right project management software isn't just inefficient, it's unprofitable. Overservicing, overbooking, communication bottlenecks and lack of visibility all eat into margins and hold back growth.

If you overservice a client by 10%, you’re effectively working for free for about six weeks every year. 

The challenge is that most project management platforms were built for generic teams, not agencies. Agencies juggle more than deadlines. They balance creative workflows, client relationships and profitability. That means the best software must go beyond task management.

This guide reviews the best project management software for agencies in 2025. You will learn what makes agency project management software different from generic tools, the features agencies cannot do without, and which platforms are best to help you run a sustainable, profitable agency.

What is agency project management software?

Agency project management software is built specifically for creative, marketing, digital, PR and communications agencies. Unlike generic project management tools, which mainly cover task lists and timelines, agency platforms also include project estimating and quoting, resource scheduling, time tracking, invoicing and project reporting in a single system. This makes it easier to manage client work efficiently while maintaining visibility over profitability.

What is the difference between project management and agency project management software?

Generic project management software helps teams manage tasks and deadlines. Agency project management software goes further. The difference is that it connects project delivery with the commercial side of agency life. Agencies don’t just need to finish work on time, they need to know if projects are profitable, which clients are driving growth, and how resources are being used. Agency project management software gives leaders that visibility and insight, helping them scale sustainably.

Agencies that use agency management software have 10% higher average utilisation rate (BenchPress 2024 report)

What features should agency project management software include?

The most important features are:

• Planning and scheduling
  • Time estimating and capacity planning
  • Gantt charts and Kanban boards
  • Resource scheduling and workload tracking
  • Work management and collaboration
• Financial management
  • Purchase and cost management
  • Client quoting and profit reporting
  • Invoicing and revenue recognition
• Tracking and insights
  • Time tracking and utilisation reporting
  • Real-time progress and budget monitoring
  • Profit analysis by project, client, service
• Workflow and approvals
  • Customisable workflows
  • Role-based approval processes

Top agency project management solutions in 2025

1. Synergist - The agency business intelligence platform

Best for: Agencies serious about profitability, growth and strategic decision-making.

Why agencies choose it: Synergist is purpose-built for agencies, combining project delivery with resource planning, and profitability insights. No more guessing which projects make money or which clients drain resources. Synergist connects projects, people and profit, giving you the confidence to make strategic decisions that drive growth.

2. Monday.com - The visual workflow champion

Best for: Teams that think visually and need immediate project clarity.

Why agencies choose it: Monday.com has earned its reputation as the most visually appealing project management platform. The colourful, intuitive interface makes complex projects feel manageable and keeps teams engaged. The learning curve is minimal, and the visual approach helps everyone understand project status immediately.

3. Asana - The workflow specialist

Best for: Agencies with multi-stage creative processes that need workflow management.

Why agencies choose it: Asana excels at mapping sophisticated workflows and managing dependencies across large projects. It is particularly strong for agencies handling campaigns with multiple stakeholders and approval stages.

4. Teamwork - The client relationship builder

Best for: Agencies prioritising client transparency and relationship management.

Why agencies choose it: Teamwork was designed with agency needs in mind, offering client-focused features that enhance relationships and keep projects on track.

5. ClickUp - The flexible all-in-one

Best for: Agencies wanting a tool they can customise to manage anything.

Why agencies choose it: ClickUp aims to be everything for everyone. The all-in-one approach reduces tool switching, and the customisation options allow you to create workflows that fit your agency. Works well for tech-savvy agencies comfortable with extensive configuration and customisation.

6. TeamGantt - The visual timeline specialist

Best for: Agencies that live and breathe Gantt charts and timeline visualisation

Why agencies choose it: TeamGantt excels in one area: it creates visually stunning Gantt charts. If your agency manages complex, long-term campaigns with intricate dependencies, you get sophisticated timeline management without the complexity of platforms trying to do everything.

7. Wrike - The enterprise scaling solution

Best for: Growing agencies that need enterprise features without full enterprise complexity.

Why agencies choose it: Wrike bridges the gap between simple project tools and complex enterprise workflows and integrations.

8. Adobe Workfront - The creative powerhouse integration

Best for: Agencies embedded in the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem.

Why agencies choose it: If your agency lives in Adobe Creative Cloud, Workfront integrates project management directly with creative workflows, enabling seamless connection between design tools and project management.

Other notable platforms

• Resource Guru. Excellent for scheduling, but lacks financial or project tracking features, so it often needs to be used alongside another tool.
• Trello. Easy to use and great for small agencies, but it lacks features needed for growing teams.
• Basecamp. Loved for simplicity, but limited for agencies that need resource or financial insights.
• Jira. Best for development-heavy agencies. Powerful for development workflows but overkill for marketing or creative agencies.
• Notion. Highly flexible for knowledge sharing and light project tracking, but has no built-in profitability or resource management.

How to choose the best project management software for your agency

Choosing agency project management software feels like picking a partner - you're going to spend a lot of time together, and the wrong choice will make every day more difficult than it needs to be. Here's how to cut through the marketing noise and find what actually works for your agency. 

Here are the key steps to make the right choice:

1. Define your biggest pain points
   Don't start with features. Start with pain. What's keeping you awake at 2am worrying about your agency? Struggling with overservicing? Prioritise tools with profit tracking and detailed reporting. Constant resource clashes? Look for strong capacity planning and resource scheduling. 
   
   
2. Plan for the future
   What works for a 10-person agency may not suit you at 50. Your agency will change. The software you choose today needs to accommodate the agency you're becoming, not just the one you are right now. Pick a platform that grows with your business and provides more sophisticated options and deeper insights as you scale.
   
   
3. Check integrations
   Ensure the software works smoothly with your existing stack, whether that is accounting systems, CRMs or communication platforms. Finding a system with an API means that you can also integrate it with any existing bespoke or customised systems you have.
   
   
4. Consider implementation
   The right onboarding process separates transformational success from expensive shelf-ware. Look for comprehensive training programmes that understand agency workflows rather than generic tutorials. Synergist provides dedicated onboarding specialists who configure the system to match your existing processes, deliver role-based training, and provide ongoing, responsive support.
   
   
5. Measure potential ROI
   Even the best software is only valuable if it delivers measurable outcomes. Estimate the value the software could create for your agency. Will it reduce overservicing? Improve utilisation by helping you plan and schedule better? Speed up invoicing and cash flow? Provide insights that let you focus on the most profitable clients? This ensures you know whether the platform is driving growth rather than simply reducing admin. Even small improvements in these areas can add up to a significant return. 

Bottom line: the best choice is not simply the most popular tool, but the one that helps you run a profitable, scalable agency. Synergist succeeds where others fall short because it was built around business outcomes, not just task lists. Every feature connects to agency success: efficiency, profitability, clarity and growth.

If you want to see how Synergist helps agencies connect projects, people and profits, book a demo today.