Smartsheet vs ProofHub

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Our analysts compared Smartsheet vs ProofHub based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Project Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Smartsheet is an enterprise-level SaaS management application that helps teams streamline processes through collaboration, project planning and task management. Users can set up tasks using a grid view, similar to a spreadsheet with automations, formulas, comments and mentions. 

It provides templates for projects and automations that can be modified and saved as a template to save time. Project views include a Kanban board, Gantt chart, timeline, calendar view, card view and a custom dashboard.

Its file and sheet sharing capabilities, comment feature and conversations remove team and data silos and give stakeholders insight into project details. A user-friendly interface helps managers and team members boost adoption rates, maintain consistency and increase efficiency. 

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ProofHub is a cloud-based solution that helps manage, collaborate and discuss work with clients and team members at a central location. It helps managers prepare notes and to-do lists, discuss plans and lay down daily tasks, calendar milestones and Gantt charts. Project requirements and deadlines can be drilled down for team members by sharing files, notes, timesheets and schedules.

Its reporting engine generates customized reports for managers to monitor project progress and resource utilization. Its proofing tool eliminates shuffling back and forth between files and emails by allowing stakeholders to discuss and finalize documents in a single window. Its centralized workspace streamlines review processes and allows content collaborations. It includes modules for time tracking and resource planning.
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$9/User, Monthly
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$45 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Use Familiar Spreadsheet Formatting: Move from regular spreadsheets to spreadsheets with versatile views and much less formula knowledge required for formatting. Make adoption and training smoother because you’re not starting from scratch with processes. We especially liked the ability to enter data using a familiar cell view and then convert it to, say, a Kanban board.
  • Create No-Code Automations: Use templates or build from scratch with a trigger, condition and action automation format. Save time on admin tasks with automations for alerts, approvals, document creation and sheet changes. Choose from four starting cell-related triggers and build from there. We thought the automation building was intuitive and straightforward. Check out our test in the “See It In Action” section below.
  • Access Multiple Views: Add dynamic views to your projects and filter and customize views to meet task requirements. For example, we added a card view organized by status and a Kanban Board sorted by task assignee. Create a customizable dashboard to pull data like task progress, workload and duration using widgets.
  • Share Proofs and Additional Information: Collaborate on team documents, provide context and add proofs and files to individual tasks or the entire sheet. We set a piece of content as a task and added extra files like logos and docs along with comments for specific client requests.
  • Train As You Go: Kick your project off with a checklist outlining best practices and research material. Use pop-ups and explainer icons with video links as you work to get a better understanding of features and capabilities. We popped over to the help center to learn how to set up baselines for our Gantt chart (you need to edit the start date and end date columns).
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  • Optimize Onboarding and Training: Take advantage of a user-friendly interface and limited complicated jargon or code to increase adoption. Hover over pop-ups to learn more about tips to improve your set up and visit the knowledge base to read articles and watch tutorials. We liked that the onboarding screens help you set up your first project and virtually walk you through project creation.
  • Speed Up Approval Processes: Use in-file comments to approve proofs and mark-up tools to highlight parts that you’d like changed or fixed along with file versions. Set up a custom field for approval status and a custom workflow for approvals. We experimented with the proofing tools and found it easy to add comments and keep track of the activity in the file.
  • Create Custom Workflows: Set your own workflows by creating a custom workflow or template you can associate with projects. Modify or add workflows by selecting the manage workflow button at the bottom of the workflow icon. We set up two different workflows without much fuss and are happy to report we could change workflows once the project was already created and in motion.
  • Pay a Flat Fee: Say goodbye to per user, per month subscription pricing. Pay a flat fee depending on the plan you choose and you can theoretically sign up an unlimited number of users.
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  • Dashboards and Reports: Customize your dashboard by adding widgets like reports, project-specific charts, shortcuts, images and text. Consolidate data from multiple sheets into a summary view using system reports. Track sheet changes using bi-directional functionality. Send reports via collaborative tools and change statuses to recur.
  • Multiple Views: View your tasks using the grid view, akin to a spreadsheet, a Gantt view as an add-on to your grid view, a Kanban board where you can drag and drop tasks and group them by assignee or status, a timeline view, a card view with customizable lanes and a calendar view that displays your tasks across its duration or by start dates only.
  • Task Management: Add your tasks and subtasks into each cell and use the indent and outdent buttons to divide tasks into groups that can be minimized to provide a project overview. Create or modify custom fields with your own text, dropdown lists and symbols to show status, assignees, priority, dates and latest comment. Attach files and proofs, write comments and mention users and set reminders for tasks.
  • Automations and Workflows: Save time with custom processes and workflows you can build by modifying templates for reminders and alerts, document generation, row changes, sheet changes and updates, and approval requests. Build your own workflow automations from scratch by choosing your trigger, setting conditions and adding actions. Manage automations by deactivating, deleting, duplicating or unsubscribing.
  • Templates: Use pre-built templates ranging from event management to HR workflows and marketing to streamline project creation. View complexity, task management and process before you apply a template. Build and save your own templates by customizing pre-built templates or creating them from scratch.
  • Integrations: Drive productivity with integrations like Office 365, Dropbox, DocuSign and Google Workspace and use iCal or Google Calendar to track project statuses.
  • Team Collaboration: Communicate with team members by commenting and mentioning users in individual tasks, adding files for additional information and chatting via the conversations tool where everyone with access to the sheet can see your comments. Integrate with Slack or Microsoft Teams to receive updates about your sheet and send messages to channels.
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  • Task Management: Start creating tasks using the basic template during onboarding that you can modify to fit your workflow by adding subtasks, custom statuses, fields and color-coding. Assign tasks to users, track time, add timelines using start and end dates and elaborate on tasks using descriptions, comments and files. Create recurring tasks to automate due dates and reminders.
  • Multiple Views: Visualize projects in the format you’re comfortable with, by toggling between the standard list view and Kanban board and filtering tasks by stages, status, assignee, label or date. Use the Gantt chart to filter based on date, find the critical path and set and show the baseline. Keep tasks, events and milestones on track using the calendar view.
  • Team Collaboration: Communicate with your team using discussions and create topics, kinda like channels, that are open to all or private to certain teams or members. Share files and proofs, and get approvals without ping-pong rally emails. Chat in real time with team members using the built-in messaging tool for private and group chats and save important messages. Send announcements on the dashboard for deadlines, personal milestones and wins.
  • Time Tracking: Improve time management by tracking time directly on your cards and adding an estimated time to compare actual versus projected times and make more accurate estimates in the future. Monitor team performance using timesheets with every single time entry in the Everything tab.
  • Dashboard and Reports: Use the Me tab as a personalized dashboard with your agenda, shortcuts, tasks, tracked time, notes and announcements. Visualize project performance with the project report dashboard. Identify inefficiencies, resource utilization and project progress with reports about time and tasks, resources, project progress snapshots, milestones and burn-up charts. Identify projects that are not on track through ‘slipping reports.’ Use data to analyze tasks, resources utilized, time logged and project completion roadmap.
  • Workflows: Streamline project creation by creating your own templates from scratch. Add time frames, enable custom fields like time tracking and set up a personalized workflow that you can add to other projects.
  • Proofing: Make feedback seamless using the proofing tool. Get real-time feedback on proofs by adding comments directly into your PNG, PDF and JPEG files and highlighting issues with mark-up tools. Allow users to reply to comments and view comments as a thread after revisions.
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Product Ranking

#5

among all
Project Management Software

#82

among all
Project Management Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

81
74
83
86
80
100
88
56
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Project Tracking
Platform Features
Mobile Capabilities
Task Management
Dashboards and Reporting
Customizations
Team Collaboration

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Smartsheet
ProofHub
+ Add Product + Add Product
Customizations Dashboards And Reporting Mobile Capabilities Platform Features Project Planning And Scheduling Project Tracking Task Management Team Collaboration Time Tracking And Management 83 80 88 92 78 96 85 77 56 86 100 56 78 77 24 82 86 71 0 25 50 75 100
57%
43%
0%
86%
0%
14%
80%
0%
20%
100%
0%
0%
86%
0%
14%
43%
0%
57%
88%
0%
12%
71%
4%
25%
67%
8%
25%
75%
0%
25%
86%
14%
0%
14%
0%
86%
75%
17%
8%
75%
8%
17%
67%
8%
25%
83%
0%
17%
14%
57%
29%
71%
0%
29%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

67%
6%
27%
61%
0%
39%
63%
0%
37%
75%
0%
25%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 22301 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 243 reviews
88%
of users recommend this product

Smartsheet has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 22301 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

92%
of users recommend this product

ProofHub has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 92% when considering 243 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (20)
4.6 (23)
4.4 (17366)
4.6 (99)
4.5 (3333)
4.6 (103)
4.7 (728)
n/a
4.3 (854)
4.7 (18)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Smartsheet and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Mobile Capabilities and Project Tracking.

Mobile Capabilities Award
Project Tracking Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated ProofHub and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Dashboards and Reporting. ProofHub stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Dashboards and Reporting Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Automation: Reviewers appreciated the no-code automation and said that it helps to eliminate productivity killers and saves time.
Collaboration: Users liked the sharing option with level-based permissions that allow collaboration with non-users and help coworkers and external stakeholders stay up-to-date on projects and processes.
Ease of Use: A user-friendly interface and templates make it easy to set up, customize and access multiple views, according to reviewers.
What Users Like
Customization: “We can customize it to fit various projects, whether we’re tracking client cases, managing document revisions, or planning team tasks. For instance, I created a project tracker for a major client contract negotiation. The ability to set deadlines, assign tasks, and update statuses in real time has streamlined our communication and kept everyone on the same page.” - Russ Johnson, Founder of Linx Legal
Collaboration: “We had this one job in a high-rise condo that put Smartsheet to the test. The sliding door system was an older model with custom-sized panels that aren’t easy to source, and it needed specific adjustments due to the unique structure of the frame. Typically, coordinating the right parts, tools, and technician experience for something like this would require several phone calls and a lot of back-and-forth. With Smartsheet, we were able to set up the job details to track not only the special parts needed but also assign a technician who was experienced with that model. When the parts came in, the technician was notified directly through Smartsheet, so he knew the moment everything was ready. It saved us from potential delays and kept the customer fully updated on when the work could be done.” - Gal Cohen, Business Development Leader and Field Area Manager JDM Sliding Doors
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Pricing: Reviewers appreciated the flat fee pricing for unlimited users.
Team Collaboration: The built-in chat feature and centralized files were perks mentioned by users.
Proofing: Users liked the online proofing, feedback and approval without having to leave the platform.
What Users Like
Visibility: “Since implementing ProofHub, we have observed a 30% decrease in project delays, mostly due to the fact that all teams now have immediate access to project boards that monitor the progress of each task. In the past, we often faced gaps in communication that delayed installs due to missed emails or miscommunications. With ProofHub’s custom workflows, every department has a clear view of deadlines, dependencies, and priority tasks, significantly reducing project holdups.” - Greg Arnold, General Manager at Kitchen Mania
Task Management: “ProofHub lets us break down each job into detailed steps, assign them to the right people, and set deadlines that everyone can see. On a big installation project, for example, I can outline each part of the process: starting from the initial site inspection, moving to wiring, handling equipment setup, completing safety inspections, and finally, testing and handover. Each stage has its own set of tasks that can be assigned and tracked independently, so everyone knows what’s next and who’s handling it. If there’s a delay in any part, we can make quick adjustments, reschedule tasks, and instantly notify the rest of the team. It saves us from having to make constant calls or send reminder emails, which can be very time-consuming.” - Daniel Vasilevski, Director and Owner of Bright Force Electrical
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System Integration: Limited integrations and complex configurations were an issue for reviewers.
Premium Add-Ons: Reviewers noted that advanced features come with a price tag that can be prohibitive for some businesses.
Slow Loading Time: Users reported it takes time to display screens export formats occasionally.
What Users Dislike
Integration: “Despite its many benefits, integrating Smartsheet with other systems posed some challenges. Initially, we experienced issues with data syncing between Smartsheet and our CRM software, leading to discrepancies in our financial reporting. Recognizing this, I allocated specific time for thorough testing before our full implementation, allowing us to identify and resolve any integration issues early on.” - Austin Rulfs, Founder of Zanda Wealth Mortgage Brokers
Learning Curve: “While Smartsheet is powerful, it can feel a bit overwhelming at first. I found that investing time in training sessions helped bridge that gap, making it easier for everyone to adapt and use the tool effectively.” - Russ Johnson, Founder of Linx Legal
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Pricing: Reviewers appreciated the flat fee pricing for unlimited users.
Team Collaboration: The built-in chat feature and centralized files were perks mentioned by users.
Proofing: Users liked the online proofing, feedback and approval without having to leave the platform.
What Users Dislike
Learning Curve: “The initial setup and adaptation period presented some challenges. Some team members found the range of features overwhelming, especially those less familiar with digital tools. As a solution, I organized targeted training sessions focusing on the specific functionalities that would benefit our workflow most.” - Dr. Maria Knobel, Medical Director at Medical Cert UK
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Smartsheet is a cloud-based work management platform that helps users streamline and organize processes with a spreadsheet-esque interface, flexible templates, multiple views and team collaboration. Apart from the grid view, you can visualize projects using a Gantt chart, Kanban board, calendar view, card view or timeline view. No-code automations are another note-worthy feature, where you can build from templates or scratch.It streamlines project creation with templates suited to different industries and end goals, so you have a jumping-off point instead of going in blind. Team collaboration is another area where Smartsheet shines, with comments, conversations and file and sheet sharing (even with people outside your organization). It also offers a customizable dashboard view, although I did find some of the chart widgets a little tricky to work, without training.Highlights for me were definitely the familiarity of spreadsheet formatting (but with more views and automations), robust collaboration capabilities and guided explainers throughout the setup. However, user reviews noted limited filters and integrations, lags and expensive add-ons as downsides.Overall, Smartsheet is a great option for teams familiar with spreadsheets but are on the lookout for more visualization and collaboration, along with the budget to spend on advanced features.

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ProofHub is a cloud-based project management solution designed to help teams of all sizes with its user-friendly interface and focus on collaboration. Its core strengths include quick adoption, customizable workflows and simple project creation. Additionally, its built-in chat browser, in-file comments and approvals for proofing and central file management are a plus for teamwork and communication. Flat-fee pricing for unlimited users sets it apart from other tools.During our free trial, we appreciated the pop-up explanations and didn’t feel like there was a steep learning curve to conquer before we kickstarted our projects. We liked the time tracking and time estimation feature and thought it offered a useful way to provide a baseline and more accurate time estimations. It was simple to toggle between multiple task views, although we wish we could modify groupings by, say, assignee instead of just sticking to workflow stages.On the flip side, reviewers weren’t awed by the basic training modules, 14-day free trial and occasional slow customer support responses. Additionally, limited integrations might be an issue if you’re a business with complex integration needs.Overall, ProofHub offers a solid collaborative project management tool that’s easy-to-use and is a fantastic option for budget-conscious users.

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