Smartsheet vs. Wrike: Which Project Management Tool Is Best?

For some, spreadsheets are the go-to tool for managing everything from daily tasks to complex work projects, while others find them intimidating with formulas and cluttered layouts. Present day project management platforms combine the familiarity of spreadsheets with potential features, making it easier for teams to collaborate and stay on top of progress. 

According to the Modor Intelligence report,  the global project management software market is estimated at USD 9.76 billion in 2025 and is anticipated to increase at a 15.65% CAGR, reaching USD 20.20 billion by 2030. This quick growth reflects the increasing need for platforms that simplify workflows and enhance team productivity.

Since their introduction, tools like Smartsheet and Wrike have become popular choices for businesses seeking to manage projects more efficiently. Both platforms offer a range of features and pricing plans, but differ in their user interfaces, capabilities, and integration options.

Selecting the right project management software requires weighing ease of use, features, and how well it aligns with your team’s workflow. In this guide, we’ll compare the top options to help you choose the best fit for your organization.

Let’s begin!

What is Wrike?

Wrike is a versatile project management solution that enables teams to organize, collaborate, and complete work with greater efficiency. Introduced in 2006, it has grown into a trusted platform across industries thanks to its adaptability and support for diverse workflows.

Wrike is used by companies worldwide and supports a wide range of business activities, from marketing campaigns and product launches to IT initiatives and business operations. Its robust features adapt to different needs, making it a strong choice for managing projects across industries.

Key Features of Wrike

Wrike offers strong project management tools tailored to several diverse teams and projects. Its standout features include:

• Numerous Project Views: Visualize projects through lists, dashboards, tables, calendars, Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and more. Instantly access live task data, comments, assets, and team progress.
• Built-in Resource Management: Track time, manage workloads, monitor budgets, and reallocate resources in real time, all with native tools, no extra setup or cost.
• Smooth Collaboration: Benefit from real-time collaboration with live tagging, @mentions, and in-context editing, no page refreshes needed. Comments update instantly to keep projects moving.
• Custom Item Types:Tailor Wrike to your workflows with customizable item types that reflect your language, processes, and policies.

Benefits of Wrike 

• Enables cross-functional collaboration with cross-tagging to connect tasks, projects, and teams for full visibility, far beyond Smartsheet’s restricted cell mirroring.
• Delivers built-in value through included features like resource management, time tracking, and Blueprints, asking no extra pay for add-ons.
• Offers a user-friendly interface that’s easy to learn and navigate, with no spreadsheet experience needed.
• Supports real-time collaboration with automatic updates, eliminating version control issues and enabling seamless teamwork, unlike Smartsheet, which lacks live editing.

Drawbacks of Wrike

• Combining tasks and projects in reports or dashboards is challenging, often requiring manual effort to mix them for a complete view.
• Navigation can be challenging, leading users to over-depend on pinned items, which rapidly become cluttered and hard to manage.
• The mobile app lacks several key desktop features, restricting functionality and productivity while away from a computer.

Wrike Pricing

Use Cases of Wrike

• Agile Project Management

Build Kanban boards and custom workflows personalized for Agile teams.

• Client Management

Simplify client work with collaborative tools, project transparency, and automated approvals.

• Remote Work

Enable flexible work with browser and mobile access to an integrated digital workspace.

• Business Process Management

Use customizable dashboards to track and optimize workflows.

• Event Planning

Keep event tasks and team calendars synced with visual planning tools.

• Product Roadmap

Plan and prioritize set-ups with easy-to-use Gantt charts.

• Creative Teams

Manage creative requests, feedback, workloads, and asset delivery in one place.

• Marketing Teams

Monitor performance across 50+ channels to maximize digital marketing ROI.

• IT Teams

Create custom IT request forms that change submissions directly into tasks.

What is a Smartsheet?

Smartsheet is a modern work management platform that brings people, processes, and technology together to help teams make a real impact. It’s used by organizations of all sizes to plan projects, collaborate, and get clearer visibility into their work.

Originally built to extend the power of traditional spreadsheets, Smartsheet has grown into a flexible tool now used across industries like healthcare, education, government, marketing, and construction.

It’s especially valued by teams that have relied heavily on spreadsheets, as its familiar layout makes the transition easy while still adding more advanced features. Over time, it has continued to expand, but its core promise remains the same: spreadsheets, made smarter.

Key Features of Smartsheet

Smartsheet provides versatile task management tools for all types of teams, from operations to marketing. Key features include:

• Excel-like Interface: Familiar spreadsheet-style layout attracts users comfortable with Excel, offering thorough data views, though it may be less intuitive for beginners and at times buggy.
• Premium Add-ons: Advanced features such as centralized data, dynamic analytics, and enterprise-scale strategy tools are available via paid add-ons, unlike Wrike, which offers more natively.
• Third-party Integrations: Supports 100+ integrations, including key apps like Slack, Teams, Google, Salesforce, and Adobe Creative Cloud, though fewer than Wrike’s 400+.
• Pre-built Templates: A wide selection of ready-made templates for diverse industries and roles, available in eight languages, helps teams initiate quickly and simplify workflows.

Benefits of Smartsheet

• Familiar spreadsheet-style interface makes it easy for experienced project managers to adapt, with flexible grids, formulas, and customizable columns.
• Strong reporting tools enable integration of external data and customization, though initial setup can be time-demanding.
• Quick project kickoff with a wide range of templates and a formula handbook to support users at all levels.
• External sharing allows licensed users to engage with clients or stakeholders, though access setup may need admin approval.

Drawbacks of Smartsheet

• It’s challenging to unite large files with no option to preview or revise content before sending.
• While reports can be set to sort automatically, sheets don’t offer the same automatic sorting feature.
• Unforeseen billing changes with short notice can be very difficult for teams with restricted IT budgets.

Smartsheet Pricing

Use Cases of Smartsheet

• Project Management

Plan, track, schedule, and report on projects from start to finish.

• IT & Operations

Manage tickets, allocate resources, resolve issues, and prioritize backlogs.

• Marketing

Align teams, enforce brand standards, and streamline creative approvals.

• Construction

Map out schedules, milestones, deadlines, and task dependencies.

• Content Management

Automate and simplify internal and client-facing content workflows.

• Healthcare

Support workforce planning while meeting HIPAA, GxP, CCPA, and GDPR standards.

• Financial Management

Automate audits, monitor initiatives, and manage project portfolios.

• Sales Teams

Create custom dashboards to track sales goals, financials, and performance.

Differences between Smartsheet vs. Wrike

Similarities between Smartsheet vs. Wrike

Pricing Comparison of Smartsheet vs. Wrike

Wrike vs. Smartsheet: Which is better?

Choosing between Wrike and Smartsheet really depends on what your team needs now and where you’re headed in the future. Smartsheet is great if you want a familiar, spreadsheet-style setup that supports structured workflows and compliance-heavy industries like construction or professional services. The flip side is that its Excel-like feel can come across as a little stiff or dated.

Wrike, on the other hand, is designed to be more intuitive and flexible. With customizable workspaces, strong collaboration features like cross-tagging, and built-in automation, it’s ideal for fast-moving Agile teams. It also leans on AI to simplify project management and keep work flowing smoothly.

To sum up, Smartsheet is best for teams that want structure and compliance, while Wrike fits creative, marketing, and tech teams that need adaptability and modern features. The smartest move is to test both with a free trial and see which one works best for your team’s style.

How Veridian Solutions Can Help?

Choosing Smartsheet is a smart step toward better project management, but leveraging its full potential requires the right implementation partner. As a certified Smartsheet Gold Partner, Veridian Solutions is an expert and specializes in helping organizations go beyond basic setup to build systems that genuinely transform the way they work. With over 20,000 hours of consulting experience, Veridian designs personalized Smartsheet solutions that streamline complex workflows, integrate smoothly with your existing tools, and deliver measurable outcomes. From implementation and customization to training and continuous support, our team ensures Smartsheet is not just adopted, but embraced, so your people, processes, and projects all move forward with comprehensibility and self-assurance.