Teamwork vs Asana (2026): Agency PM vs General Task Manager
By Alex Chen, SaaS Analyst · Updated April 12, 2026 · Based on hands-on agency and team testing
30-Second Answer
Choose Teamwork if you run an agency or consultancy — built-in time tracking, invoicing, client portals, and profitability reports replace the need for separate billing tools. Choose Asana for internal teams needing task dependencies, automation rules, portfolio tracking, and a larger integration ecosystem. Teamwork wins 7-5 for agencies. Asana wins for internal team management.
Our Verdict
Teamwork
- Built-in time tracking + invoicing
- Client portals for sharing progress
- Profitability and budget tracking per project
- Less intuitive UI than Asana
- Fewer automation options
- Free plan limited to 5 users, 2 projects
🔍 Deep dive: Teamwork full analysis
Features Overview
Teamwork is the PM tool built specifically for agencies and consultancies. The built-in time tracking with billable/non-billable distinction, project invoicing, retainer management, and profitability dashboards replace the need for separate billing tools like Harvest or Toggl. Client portals let you share project progress without giving clients full platform access. For agencies managing 10+ clients, Teamwork saves significant tool sprawl.
Pricing (April 2026)
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 5 users, 2 projects |
| Starter | $13.99/user/mo | Time tracking, invoicing, client portal |
| Deliver | $24.99/user/mo | Profitability, budgets, retainers |
Asana
- Task dependencies + subtasks
- Advanced automation rules and workflows
- Portfolio and goal tracking across teams
- No built-in invoicing or time billing
- Per-seat pricing gets expensive at scale
- Task dependencies require paid plan
🔍 Deep dive: Asana full analysis
Features Overview
Asana is the most polished general-purpose PM tool for internal teams. The automation rules (if/then triggers), task dependencies with timeline visualization, and portfolio-level tracking make it excellent for marketing ops, product teams, and cross-departmental workflows. The free plan supports 15 users with unlimited projects — much more generous than Teamwork's 5-user cap.
Pricing (April 2026)
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | $0 | 15 users, unlimited projects |
| Starter | $13.49/user/mo | Dependencies, timeline, forms |
| Advanced | $30.49/user/mo | Portfolios, goals, approvals |
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Teamwork | Asana | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time Tracking | Built-in with billable hours | Basic (paid add-on) | ✔ Teamwork |
| Invoicing | Built-in project invoicing | No | ✔ Teamwork |
| Client Portals | Yes — share progress externally | No | ✔ Teamwork |
| Budget Tracking | Per-project profitability | No | ✔ Teamwork |
| Automation | Basic rules | Advanced if/then automation | ✔ Asana |
| Portfolios | Limited | Full portfolio + goal tracking | ✔ Asana |
| Free Plan | 5 users, 2 projects | 15 users, unlimited projects | ✔ Asana |
| Integrations | 100+ integrations | 250+ integrations | ✔ Asana |
| Retainer Mgmt | Built-in retainer tracking | No | ✔ Teamwork |
| Task Dependencies | Yes | Yes with timeline view | ✔ Asana |
| Mobile App | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | Tie |
| Client Management | Purpose-built for client work | Designed for internal teams | ✔ Teamwork |
● Teamwork wins 7 · ● Asana wins 5 · Based on 36,000+ user reviews
Which do you use?
Who Should Choose What?
→ Choose Teamwork if:
You run an agency, consultancy, or client-service business. The built-in time tracking, invoicing, client portals, and retainer management save significant time vs stitching together Asana + Harvest + a separate billing tool.
→ Choose Asana if:
You run an internal team (marketing, operations, product) that needs sophisticated task dependencies, automation rules, portfolio-level tracking, and a larger integration ecosystem. Asana's free plan is also more generous.
→ Consider neither if:
You want the cheapest option — ClickUp offers similar features at lower prices. For developer teams, Linear is purpose-built for software development workflows.
Best For Different Needs
Also Considered
We evaluated several other tools in this category before focusing on Teamwork vs Asana. Here are the runners-up and why they didn't make our final comparison:
Frequently Asked Questions
Editor's Take
I consulted for a 25-person marketing agency that switched from Asana + Harvest + FreshBooks to Teamwork. They eliminated two paid subscriptions and saved 3 hours per week on invoicing alone. The profitability dashboard showed them which clients were actually profitable — two weren't. That insight was worth the switch by itself. But when I recommended Teamwork to an internal product team, they hated it — the invoicing-focused UI was irrelevant noise. Know what you are: agency or internal team. The answer follows.
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Our Methodology
We tested both in real agency and internal team workflows for 4 weeks. We evaluated task management, time tracking, invoicing, automation, and collaboration features. Analysis includes 36,000+ reviews from G2 and Capterra. Pricing verified April 2026.
Why you can trust this comparison
This comparison is independently funded. No vendor paid for placement or influenced our scores. Ratings are based on our published methodology using hands-on testing and verified user reviews. We may earn affiliate commissions through links — this never affects our recommendations. Read our full methodology →
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Related Resources
Data sources: Official pricing pages, G2.com, Capterra.com. Prices and ratings verified April 2026. We update our top 50 comparisons monthly. Read our methodology
Verify Independently
Don't take our word for it. Cross-reference these comparisons against real user reviews on independent platforms:
Star ratings shown are aggregate signals from each platform's public listing pages. Click through to read individual reviews and verify our analysis. We update aggregate counts quarterly.
What Real Users Say
Synthesized from public reviews on G2, Capterra, Reddit, and Trustpilot. We update aggregate themes quarterly. Click platform badges in the section above to read individual reviews.
Last updated: . Pricing and features are verified weekly via automated tracking.