Alternatives · Asana

20 best Asana alternatives in 2026

Work management with AI teammates and a no-code studio for building cross-system workflows. Below: what to switch to, scored on the six things that matter, and an honest word on when to stay.

Start free PricingAsana site
20
tools compared
6
fully open source
12
with a free tier
2026-09-22
last verified
Architecture at a glance
Asana
Models
?Vendor managed
Runs in
Web, desktop, mobile
Where it lives
The vendor's cloud
Produces
Tasks
Docs
Workflows across connected systems
Code
TODO for AI
Models
AnthropicOpenAIGooglexAIDeepSeekEvery provider
CROSS-VENDOR REVIEW
Runs in
Your PC
Cloud VM
Real Chrome
Voice
Where it lives
Always-on cloud VM · vault · your logins
Produces
Code
SEO
Email
Ads
Social
CRM
Struck-through outputs are outside Asana's scope. TODO for AI runs the same models plus the rest, from a machine that stays on.
Context

Why people look past Asana

Asana is the enterprise end of this comparison. AI teammates are assignable, AI Studio builds multi-step automations that reach into connected systems, and the governance around it is the most mature here. For intake, classification, routing and reporting it does what it says.

It is a workflow product, though. Outside the prebuilt teammates, value comes from designing the flow, which means it pays off on the fiftieth identical request and adds little for the one-off task you would otherwise describe to a colleague. There is no model choice, no shell, and AI requests are capped at five per user per month before extra billing starts.

01
Design first, run second

Prebuilt teammates cover common patterns, and everything beyond them is AI Studio, a builder. Work that does not repeat never justifies building the flow, so it stays with a human.

02
Five requests a month, then a meter

Paid plans include 5 AI requests per user per month. Beyond that it is $0.50 to $0.60 per request or an add-on per user.

03
No model choice, no machine

You get Asana's models and Asana's reach. No shell, no cloud VM, no logged-in browser session.

Positioning

Most of this list solves a different problem

Different problem

Asana gets the task done.
TODO for AI organises the whole company’s work.

Asana answers one question: how do I get this task done, inside the workflow you built? So do the others — Cursor inside the editor, Claude Code in one person's session, Lindy by asking its assistant.

We answer a different one: where does the work live? One board per project, and a project for each part of the company — engineering, marketing, ops, finance, one per client. Your colleagues work on it. So do your agents, as many as you want to run, each with its own model, tools and permissions. Items carry the people who worked them and the agent that ran them, and the board filters by person, so what the company has in flight is one screen instead of a Slack thread.

That is not a team plan bolted onto an AI tool. It is the product. The agents are how items get closed; the board is what the company runs on.

At a glance

All options in one table

ToolInterfaceModelsOpenFromScore /30
TODO for AIWeb, desktop, CLI, voiceEvery providerPartlyFree29
OpenHandsWeb, CLIAny providerYesFree (self-host)22
OpenClawChat apps, CLI, desktopAny provider (BYOK)YesFree21
Hermes AgentChat apps, CLI, desktop appAny provider (BYOK or Nous Portal)YesFree20
NotionWeb, desktop, mobileClaude, GPT, Gemini, Grok, you pickNoFree19
ClickUpWeb, desktop, mobileClickUp Max, Claude, GPT, Gemini, you pickNoFree18
AiderTerminalAny provider (BYOK)YesFree16
LindyWeb builderMost major models, you pickNo$30/mo16
GitHub CopilotIDE, GitHub.com, CLIOpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI, moreNoFree16
OpenCodeTerminalAny provider (BYOK)YesFree15
ClineIDE extensionAny provider (BYOK)YesFree15
LinearWeb, desktop, mobileWhatever the delegated agent runsNoFree15
OpenAI CodexTerminal, ChatGPT web, IDEOpenAI onlyPartly$8/mo14
CursorIDEMulti-vendor, meteredNo$20/mo14
Claude CoworkClaude Desktop, web, mobile, Chrome side panelAnthropic onlyNo$20/mo14
Claude CodeTerminal, IDE, desktop app, webAnthropic onlyNo$20/mo13
ChatGPTWeb, desktop, mobileOpenAI onlyNoFree12
ManusWebVendor-selectedNo$20/mo11
LovableWeb builderVendor-selectedNo$25/mo11
Base44Web builderVendor-selected, choice on paid plansNo$16/mo11
Asana (baseline)Web, desktop, mobileVendor managedNoFree14
Method

How we scored

Each tool gets 0 to 5 on six dimensions: model freedom, long-running work, beyond code, openness, team & permissions, cost predictability. The sum is the score in the table. Facts (pricing, interface, models, licence) were checked against each vendor's public pages on 2026-09-22.

The ratings are ours, and we are on the list, so weigh them accordingly. Every fact behind a rating is checkable, and where a competitor is the better pick for a job we say so in its card.

The list

Each alternative, honestly

1 · Our pick

TODO for AI

29/30

Every model from every vendor on one flat plan, a persistent cloud VM, your real Chrome, and CLI tools for marketing, SEO, email and ops. 82% on Terminal-Bench 2.1. And one board your team and your agents share, with a project for each part of the company.

Pick it if
  • + Most tasks are one-offs described in a sentence
  • + The agent needs a shell, a repo or your logged-in browser
  • + You want to choose the model per task
  • + You do not want to build a workflow before getting value
Skip it if
  • - Your work is repeatable intake, routing and reporting at scale
  • - You need enterprise governance and reporting
  • - Someone on the team will own and maintain the workflows
Start free Pricing
Full TODO for AI vs Asana
2 · coding agent

OpenHands

22/30

Open-source autonomous software agent with a self-hosted or cloud workspace.

  • + Open source
  • + Sandboxed workspace per task
  • + Multi-model
  • - Focused on software tasks
  • - Self-hosting is real ops work
  • - No real-browser or business integrations
Best for Teams that want an open, self-hosted autonomous coding agent.Free (self-host)
vs TODO for AI Site
3 · general agent

OpenClaw

21/30

Open-source personal agent that runs on your own machine and answers in WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack and 20+ other chats, bring your own keys.

  • + Fully open source, MIT, run by a non-profit foundation
  • + Any model through your own keys, including local Ollama
  • + Reachable from the chat apps you already use
  • + State, memory and credentials stay on your hardware
  • - You run and secure it: gateway, exposed ports, plugin supply chain
  • - Per-token bills per provider, no pooled plan
  • - No hosted machine, so it stops when your box does
  • - You install, configure and update it yourself
Best for Technical people who want a self-hosted assistant in their chats and are happy to operate it.Free
vs TODO for AI Site
4 · general agent

Hermes Agent

20/30

Open-source self-improving personal agent from Nous Research: skills it writes itself, memory that persists, reachable from 20+ chat apps.

  • + Fully open source, MIT, 30k+ GitHub stars
  • + Writes and refines its own skills from experience, memory persists across sessions
  • + Any model via own keys, OpenRouter or Nous Portal
  • + Cron scheduler, subagents, seven sandbox backends
  • + Migrates from OpenClaw in one command
  • - You host, secure and update it, or rent a VPS
  • - No hosted machine bundled; cloud browsers are third-party providers you configure
  • - No persistent task list, work lives in chat threads and cron jobs
  • - No team roles or pooled usage
Best for Technical users who want a self-hosted agent that learns them over time and lives in Telegram, Discord or the terminal.Free
vs TODO for AI Site
5 · work platform

Notion

19/30

The docs-and-databases workspace, with Custom Agents that run on schedules and triggers inside it.

  • + Custom Agents pick their own model: Claude, GPT, Gemini, Grok or Auto
  • + Run on schedules and on triggers, in Notion or from Slack, without anyone watching
  • + Shareable like teammates, with full access, edit or run-only permissions
  • + MCP connections to 18+ apps plus custom MCP servers an admin enables
  • + Activity logs showing what the agent did and when
  • - No shell anywhere: not your machine, not a cloud VM, not a sandbox
  • - Reach is the MCP connections an admin wired, plus optional web browsing
  • - Cannot act in your logged-in browser session
  • - Credit metering on top of seats, so a busy agent is a second bill
Best for Teams whose work already lives in Notion and who want agents to maintain it.Free
vs TODO for AI Site
6 · work platform

ClickUp

18/30

All-in-one work platform whose Super Agents can be @mentioned and assigned tasks like teammates.

  • + Super Agents behave like team members: @mention them in comments, assign them tasks
  • + Pick the model or let Brain route between Claude, GPT and Gemini
  • + Autopilot Agents scoped to Spaces and Lists, on recurring schedules
  • + MCP both ways, so external agents can work the workspace too
  • + The board, docs, chat and whiteboards are already one product
  • - No direct shell and no machine: agents act on workspace objects and connected tools
  • - Two subscriptions stacked, workspace seat plus AI seat, then credits on top
  • - Agent capability is a list of skills rather than an open-ended runtime
  • - Notoriously heavy product if all you wanted was a list
Best for Teams already running ClickUp who want agents inside their existing boards.Free
vs TODO for AI Site
7 · coding agent

Aider

16/30

The original open-source pair-programming CLI, git-native, any model.

  • + Very token efficient
  • + Git-native commits
  • + Runs anywhere Python runs
  • - Pair-programming, not autonomous: you drive each step
  • - No browser, no cloud, no scheduling
  • - Code-only
Best for Developers who want a lightweight, transparent CLI pair programmer.Free
vs TODO for AI Site
8 · general agent

Lindy

16/30

No-code AI teammates for business workflows: email, CRM, meetings and support, built from triggers and steps.

  • + The strongest no-code builder here for business workflows
  • + Large catalogue of triggers and app integrations
  • + You pick the model per task, and computer use is included
  • + Credits pool across the whole workspace
  • - Built around defined workflows rather than open-ended work
  • - Credits are an abstraction, and the rate changes per plan
  • - Lives in its own cloud: no shell on your machine, no repo
  • - Closed source
Best for Ops and go-to-market teams automating repeatable processes without writing code.$30/mo
vs TODO for AI Site
9 · coding agent

GitHub Copilot

16/30

GitHub's coding agent: completions in the editor, a cloud agent that takes an issue and opens a pull request.

  • + The widest model picker in a coding agent: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI, Moonshot, Microsoft
  • + The cloud agent works from an issue and opens a pull request, in GitHub's infrastructure
  • + Copilot CLI runs in your own terminal with per-command approval
  • + Cheapest serious entry at $10, and a real free tier
  • + Third-party agents, Claude Code and Codex, run inside the same GitHub surface
  • + Already installed wherever your code already is
  • - Everything is repo-shaped: the output is a pull request or it does not exist
  • - The cloud agent runs on GitHub's runners, so long-running work leaves your machine
  • - No business tooling, no inbox, no ad account, no logged-in browser
  • - Premium requests are metered per model, so heavy agent use bills on
Best for Teams whose work lives on GitHub and who want agents attached to issues and pull requests.Free
vs TODO for AI Site
10 · coding agent

OpenCode

15/30

Open-source terminal coding agent, bring your own keys, any provider.

  • + Fully open source
  • + Any model via your own keys
  • + Fast terminal UI
  • - Pay-per-token bills you have to track yourself
  • - No cloud machine, no scheduling, no team features
  • - Code-only
Best for Developers who want a free, hackable terminal agent and already hold API keys.Free
vs TODO for AI Site
11 · ide

Cline

15/30

Open-source VS Code agent extension, bring your own keys, plan and act modes.

  • + Open source
  • + Any model
  • + Good MCP support
  • - Runs only while VS Code is open
  • - Token bills add up fast on frontier models
  • - Code-only
Best for VS Code users who want an open agent with their own keys.Free
vs TODO for AI Site
12 · work platform

Linear

15/30

The issue tracker engineering teams like, now with agents you can assign issues to.

  • + The best shared board in software, and agents are first-class citizens on it
  • + 30+ agents assignable to issues, including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Copilot and Devin
  • + Linear Agent runs Claude Code or Codex in Linear's own sandbox and drafts the PR
  • + Agent Interaction API and MCP server, so you can build your own
  • - Engineering work only: an issue ends in a pull request or it does not belong here
  • - The agent has no shell on your machines and no browser of its own
  • - Model choice belongs to whichever agent you delegated to, not to you
  • - Most agents you assign are a second subscription, unless you stay inside Linear Agent
Best for Engineering teams who want issues, cycles and coding agents on one board.Free
vs TODO for AI Site
13 · coding agent

OpenAI Codex

14/30

OpenAI's coding agent: an open-source CLI plus a cloud sandbox inside ChatGPT.

  • + Strong token efficiency on GPT-5.6
  • + CLI is open source
  • + Cloud tasks run in parallel from the ChatGPT UI
  • - OpenAI models only
  • - Cloud sandbox is ephemeral and repo-scoped
  • - No browser automation, no business tooling
Best for Teams already on ChatGPT Plus or Pro who want GPT-native coding.$8/mo
vs TODO for AI Site
14 · ide

Cursor

14/30

A VS Code fork with built-in AI chat, unlimited tab completion and repo-scoped cloud agents.

  • + Best-in-class inline editing and tab completion
  • + Multi-model
  • + Familiar VS Code experience
  • - Cloud agents start from a repo and end at a pull request, so non-code work has no shape to run in
  • - Agent usage is metered by model, so bills track habits not headcount
  • - No business tooling: the browser is there to verify your app, not to run your accounts
Best for Engineers who want AI inside the editor while they type.$20/mo
vs TODO for AI Site
15 · general agent

Claude Cowork

14/30

Anthropic's agentic mode: hand Claude a multi-step task and it works on its own, including scheduled runs in the cloud.

  • + Real autonomy on multi-step work, with scheduled runs on Anthropic's servers
  • + Built-in browser automation plus Claude in Chrome
  • + Claude-grade output quality
  • + Included on every paid plan, no extra tool to buy
  • - Anthropic models only, so no second model checks the first
  • - Runs in Anthropic's sandbox, not on your own machine or in your repo
  • - Extends through MCP connectors rather than any CLI you install
  • - Closed source
Best for Claude subscribers who want autonomous document, research and browser work without leaving Anthropic.$20/mo
vs TODO for AI Site
16 · coding agent

Claude Code

13/30

Anthropic's coding agent, tied to Claude models and Claude subscription tiers.

  • + Excellent code quality on Opus and Sonnet
  • + Mature terminal UX, hooks, subagents
  • + Chrome extension for browser tasks
  • + Cloud sessions and routines run scheduled work without your machine
  • - Anthropic models only, no second opinion
  • - Cloud sessions are repo-shaped: GitHub repos, allow-listed network, claude/ branches
  • - Built for repos, not for marketing, email or ops workflows
  • - Closed source
Best for Developers whose work lives in a repo and who are all-in on Anthropic models.$20/mo
vs TODO for AI Site
17 · general agent

ChatGPT

12/30

The default AI assistant, with agent mode, deep research and connectors bolted onto the chat product.

  • + The best general assistant for everyday questions
  • + Deep research and agent mode are genuinely good
  • + Connectors into Drive, email and calendars
  • + A usable free tier, and the cheapest paid entry at $8
  • - OpenAI models only
  • - Caps are per feature, so you hit a wall in one place while credit sits unused in another
  • - Agent mode runs in OpenAI's sandbox, not on your machine or in your repo
  • - No shell on your machine, no CLI tools, and its browser is not your logged-in Chrome profile
Best for Anyone who wants one excellent assistant for research, writing and everyday questions.Free
vs TODO for AI Site
18 · general agent

Manus

11/30

A general-purpose cloud agent that browses, researches and produces documents.

  • + Good at research and document generation
  • + Cloud browser built in
  • + No setup
  • - No shell, files or repos on your own machine
  • - Credit pricing is hard to predict
  • - You do not choose the model
  • - Closed
Best for Non-technical users who want one-off research and slide decks.$20/mo
vs TODO for AI Site
19 · app builder

Lovable

11/30

A prompt-to-app builder: describe a web app, get a hosted React front end with a built-in backend, edited by chat.

  • + Fastest path from a sentence to a deployed web app
  • + Backend, auth, database and hosting are built in
  • + Two-way GitHub sync, so the code is yours
  • + Workspace roles, per-member credit caps and SSO on Business
  • - Builds its own apps: it cannot work in a codebase it did not generate
  • - Every edit is a credit, and a wrong turn costs the same as a right one
  • - The model is picked for you
  • - Nothing outside the app: no browser, no email, no ops
  • - Closed source
Best for Non-developers and product people who want a working web app prototype without writing code.$25/mo
vs TODO for AI Site
20 · app builder

Base44

11/30

Wix-owned prompt-to-app builder with backend, auth and hosting included, metered in messages and integration credits.

  • + Cheapest entry in the category at $16
  • + Backend, auth, database and hosting included on the free plan
  • + Model selection and GitHub sync on paid plans
  • + Wix ownership gives it a long runway
  • - Builds its own apps: no way into an existing codebase
  • - Two credit meters, so a busy app spends integration credits after you stop prompting
  • - Nothing beyond the app: no browser, email or ops
  • - Closed source, Wix-hosted
Best for Small businesses and non-technical builders who want an internal tool or simple app live quickly and cheaply.$16/mo
vs TODO for AI Site
Decision guide

How to choose

Every model, one flat plan, a machine that stays onTODO for AI
Fully open source, bring your own keysOpenHands, OpenClaw, Hermes Agent
AI inside the editor while you typeCline, Cursor
Self-hosted autonomous coding agentOpenHands
An everyday assistant for chat, writing and researchChatGPT, Manus
Autonomous work without leaving one vendorClaude Cowork
No-code builder for repeatable business workflowsLindy
A shared team workspace with agents inside itNotion, ClickUp, Linear
A hosted web app from a prompt, no developerLovable, Base44
Our take
Asana is the right answer for repeatable operational workflows with real governance. TODO for AI is the opposite shape: you describe a task in a sentence, an agent you configured does it on machines you own, and nobody designs a flow first. Teams that need both usually keep Asana for intake and put the messy execution on a TODO board.
FAQ

Common questions

What is the best Asana alternative?
TODO for AI if you want every model, an always-on cloud machine and business tasks in one agent. OpenHands if you want teams that want an open, self-hosted autonomous coding agent.
Is there a free Asana alternative?
TODO for AI has a free Hobby plan. OpenHands, OpenClaw, Hermes Agent, Aider, OpenCode, Cline are free tools where you bring your own API keys and pay per token.
Is there an open-source Asana alternative?
OpenHands, OpenClaw, Hermes Agent, Aider, OpenCode, Cline are fully open source. TODO for AI publishes its edge runtime and CLI.
Is TODO for AI an Asana alternative?
For execution, yes. Asana automates workflows you design; TODO for AI takes a task in plain language and works it with an agent that has a shell on your machines. For enterprise work management, Asana is the more complete product.
Do Asana AI teammates work outside Asana?
AI Studio workflows can act in connected systems such as a CRM, and Asana connects to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini over MCP. There is no shell and no browser session.
What do AI teammates cost?
Paid plans include 5 AI requests per user per month, then $0.50 to $0.60 per request or $5.99 per user per month. AI Studio has a separate credit pool per account.
Can I choose the model?
No, Asana manages the models. TODO for AI lets each agent pick from Claude, GPT, Gemini and Grok on one plan, or point at a local Ollama model you host.