Smartsheet vs Wrike

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Our analysts compared Smartsheet vs Wrike 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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Wrike is a cloud-based software that helps users manage distributed projects and promotes team collaboration. With this program, teams can align priorities and speed up execution to boost business results.

With a strong focus on equipping teams to succeed, this vendor provides a robust suite of features that cater to marketing, creative, product development, business operations and professional services teams. It’s equipped with enterprise-level security and is designed to scale at a team and organizational level.
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$9/User, Monthly
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$9.80/User, Monthly
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Mobile
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On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

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In Person
Live Online
Videos
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Documentation
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Live Online
Videos
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Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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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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  • Gain Visibility Into Project Details: Wrike’s dashboards use widgets to show an overview of key data on a single screen. You can use the out-of-the-box widgets or create custom versions. This allows managers to track overdue items, see the tasks awaiting approval, view tasks based on status and monitor other details. 
  • Save Time: Automated reminders take work off of managers’ plates. Once a task is assigned, the system sends deadline alerts to the assignee and also sends managers update notifications for continual progress monitoring. 
  • Always Stay Connected: Wrike’s mobile app ensures anyone on your team can access project information from their device of choice, at any time and while on the go. 
  • Configure Integrations: Wrike Integrate enables you to integrate with thousands of other apps, giving your team access to the platforms you need. Additionally, it supports workflow automation and data syncing. 
  • Connect to Other Tools: Wrike supports integration with many of the top tools needed to enhance project success. Examples include Tableau for business intelligence insights, Box for file storage needs, Salesforce for CRM activities, SAML for single sign-on (SSO), Slack for messaging and GitHub for two-way task and issue management. 
  • Shape the System to Your Needs: Customizations allow you to get the most out of Wrike. Work in a way that’s best for your team by taking advantage of custom fields, workflows and more. 
  • Make Processes More Efficient: Using workflow rules, you can create standards that keep every task moving smoothly through each project phase. This makes it easy to track the status of every task and to ensure everyone receives the correct work in the proper order. 
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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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  • Gantt Charts: Zoom out to see the full view of a project’s tasks, dependencies, timeline and scope. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to adjust task dates and add dependencies. It’s also easy to toggle between different views (day, week, month, etc.). Wrike facilitates data transfer for users switching from Microsoft Project, ensuring all elements are imported for MPP, MPX and XML formats. 
  • Task Management: Wrike brings together all aspects of your project — tasks, schedules and team communications — into a single location for more efficient project management. The platform connects with Gmail, Apple Mail and Outlook, allowing you to manage tasks directly from your inbox. It also facilitates time tracking and reporting. 
  • Project Templates: A range of pre-built templates allow teams to start with key elements already in place. Specific template types include agile teamwork, project scheduling, event management, product launches, Kanban projects, ticketing and helpdesk, sprint planning, and product roadmaps. 
  • Reports: Wrike offers reporting capabilities to users with business and enterprise accounts. The report builder takes you through the four-stage process of creating a report, with inputs for type, source data, filters and layout (table or column). Report topics include weekly project status, unassigned tasks, active tasks by assignee and others. 
  • Wrike Resource (premium add-on): This feature provides resource management and is available with Business, Wrike for Marketers and Enterprise plans. A visual, intuitive interface facilitates workload planning and changes, providing full visibility of team performance. You can also customize resource utilization analytics tools to track KPIs for better insight. 
  • Wrike Proof (premium add-on): Streamline feedback processes and review cycles with visual tools and a centralized system that keeps version control in check. You can assign approvers internally as well as invite external reviewers. The software also connects with Adobe Creative Cloud tools, letting creatives review feedback and make updates from the app they work in. 
  • Wrike Lock (premium add-on): Wrike provides cloud security and privacy with encryption keys. Both your data and the keys are encrypted, letting you determine who can access and edit the information stored on the platform. You have full control over the individual keys via a master key that’s stored by the Key Management Service from AWS. 
  • Wrike Publish (premium add-on): This feature enables digital asset management (DAM). Integrations with DAM platforms provide a range of capabilities, including stakeholder collaboration and file proofing. You can also attach files to tasks, quickly search your workspace for the right asset and gain brand consistency across campaigns. 
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Product Ranking

#5

among all
Project Management Software

#1

among all
Project Management Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

81
92
83
86
80
92
88
69
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Project Tracking
Platform Features
Mobile Capabilities
Task Management
Platform Security
Platform Features
Time Tracking and Management
Project Planning and Scheduling
Dashboards and Reporting

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Smartsheet
Wrike
+ 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 92 69 98 97 86 89 90 98 0 25 50 75 100
57%
43%
0%
86%
0%
14%
80%
0%
20%
80%
20%
0%
86%
0%
14%
57%
0%
43%
88%
0%
12%
92%
4%
4%
67%
8%
25%
92%
0%
8%
86%
14%
0%
57%
43%
0%
75%
17%
8%
83%
8%
9%
67%
8%
25%
83%
0%
17%
14%
57%
29%
100%
0%
0%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

67%
6%
27%
78%
11%
11%
63%
0%
37%
100%
0%
0%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 22301 reviews
Great User Sentiment 4988 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.

85%
of users recommend this product

Wrike has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 85% when considering 4988 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (20)
4.7 (42)
4.4 (17366)
4.2 (2357)
n/a
4.2 (1705)
4.5 (3333)
n/a
4.7 (728)
4.6 (369)
4.3 (854)
4.2 (515)

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 Wrike and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Project Management Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for Platform Features, Project Planning and Scheduling, Time Tracking and Management and Platform Security.

Analysts' Pick Award
Platform Features Award
Project Planning and Scheduling Award
Time Tracking and Management Award
Platform Security 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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User-Friendly Interface: Approximately 60% of users mention Wrike’s user-friendly interface and features in addition to easy installation.
Collaboration: According to 90% of users, it's easy to share files and collaborate with internal and external team members, stakeholders and business partners.
Support and Learning Materials: Wrike offers helpful customer support to help with implementation questions and any other concerns that arise as stated by 65% of users.
Customizable and Flexible: Approximately 75% of users say Wrike has a customizable and flexible system to fit their business needs.
Organization: There are plenty of folders and labels to keep files and projects organized, as reported by 85% of users.
Notifications: Wrike delivers various project notifications and alerts as stated by 61% of users.
Helpful Tools: Approximately 71% of users appreciate Wrike's various dashboards, Gantt charts, reports and other distinct modules.
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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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Steep Learning Curve: Of the users who describe Wrike's user interface, 39% say the interface has a steep learning curve and is hard to understand.
Training: Approximately 35% of users iterate that implementation training and support is available but is difficult to learn.
Alerts: Of the users who discuss Wrike's alerts and notifications, 38% of them say there's no way to adjust how many they receive.
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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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Wrike, a cloud-based project management platform, has attracted significant attention for its comprehensive features and ability to streamline workflows. Users frequently highlight its intuitive interface, robust functionality, and scalability as key strengths. The platform's customizability empowers teams to tailor their project management processes to their specific needs, enhancing efficiency and productivity. Wrike's Gantt charts, for instance, provide a clear visual representation of project timelines and dependencies, enabling project managers to track progress and identify potential bottlenecks. Additionally, Wrike's automation capabilities, such as automated workflows and custom request forms, free up valuable time for teams to focus on high-impact tasks. However, some users note that Wrike's extensive features can lead to a steeper learning curve compared to simpler project management tools. Navigating the interface and discovering all the functionalities may require some initial investment of time and effort. Additionally, while Wrike offers various pricing plans to accommodate different team sizes and requirements, some users find the cost to be relatively high compared to other options in the market. Despite these considerations, Wrike remains a popular choice for teams seeking a powerful and versatile project management solution. Its ability to adapt to diverse workflows, coupled with its robust features and scalability, makes it particularly well-suited for larger teams and organizations with complex project requirements. Wrike's comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities further enhance its value proposition, providing valuable insights into team performance and project progress.

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