Basecamp vs Smartsheet — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Basecamp starts at $15/mo. Smartsheet starts at $12/mo. Smartsheet is $3/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Basecamp.
See price history: Basecamp · Smartsheet
Project management from 37signals (the company behind Ruby on Rails and Hey email). Positioned as the anti-Slack, anti-Asana alternative for teams that want fewer tools and less feature bloat. Distinctive for founders David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried's opinionated "work is not war" philosophy and their flat pricing: $299/mo flat for unlimited users on Pro Unlimited. Bootstrapped, profitable, cult-following in remote-first companies.
Enterprise work platform, taken private by Vista Equity + Blackstone for $8.4B in 2023. Positioned as the alternative to Excel + Asana for enterprise operations teams that need spreadsheet-like flexibility with permissions and audit trails. Distinctive for its dominance in construction, IT ops, and manufacturing verticals. Priced $9-$32/user/mo publicly, but real enterprise deals run $25K-$500K+ ARR. PE-owned — expect margin work at renewal.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Basecamp monthly | Basecamp annual | Smartsheet monthly | Smartsheet annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / — | Free | Free | — | — |
| Entry paid | Plus / Pro | $15 | $15 | $12 | $9 |
| Pro / power | Pro Unlimited / — | $349 | $299 | — | — |
| Teams | — / Business | — | — | $24 | $19 |
| Enterprise | — / Enterprise | — | — | Custom | Custom |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Basecamp is worth it if… small teams (5-50 people) that want flat-fee unlimited-user project management with a strong opinion about async communication — no complex Gantt charts, no per-seat scaling. Pro Unlimited is a flat monthly rate regardless of team size (huge value at scale).
Smartsheet is worth it if… enterprise ops teams (100-1,000+) that need spreadsheet-like project management with Gantt charts, resource management, and portfolio dashboards — particularly if your team lives in Excel already. Pro covers small teams; Business adds automations and Gantt; Enterprise adds admin center and SSO.
Bottom line: Choose based on how you want to pay — Basecamp is flat rate, Smartsheet is per seat.
Choose Basecamp over Smartsheet if…
Choose Basecamp if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (flat rate, from $15/mo).
- You match the profile Basecamp is built for: small teams (5-50 people) that want flat-fee unlimited-user project management with a strong opinion about async communication — no complex Gantt charts, no per-seat scaling.
- You need a general-purpose project management option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Smartsheet if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $12/mo).
- You match the profile Smartsheet is built for: enterprise ops teams (100-1,000+) that need spreadsheet-like project management with Gantt charts, resource management, and portfolio dashboards — particularly if your team lives in Excel already.
- You need a general-purpose project management option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Basecamp | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Entry price | $15/mo | $12/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Flat Rate | Per Seat |
| Verification | Pricing under review | Pricing under review |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 26, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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Common questions about Basecamp and Smartsheet
- How much does Basecamp cost in 2026?
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- How much does Smartsheet cost in 2026?
- Does Smartsheet have a free plan?
- How often does Smartsheet change prices?
- What are the best Smartsheet alternatives in 2026?