Smartsheet vs Trello — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Smartsheet starts at $12/mo. Trello starts at $6/mo. Trello is $6/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Smartsheet.
See price history: Smartsheet · Trello
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.
Kanban board that started as a side project at Fog Creek and sold to Atlassian for $425M in 2017. Distinctive for the simple card-drag UX that spawned dozens of clones. Free tier includes unlimited cards; paid tiers add automation (Butler), admin controls, and advanced features. Popular with side projects and small teams that would find Jira overwhelming. Now positioned as Atlassian's SMB on-ramp to the broader Jira/Confluence stack.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Smartsheet monthly | Smartsheet annual | Trello monthly | Trello annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | — / Free | — | — | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Pro / Standard | $12 | $9 | $6 | $5 |
| Pro / power | — / Premium | — | — | $12.5 | $10 |
| Teams | Business / — | $24 | $19 | — | — |
| Enterprise | Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | $17.5 |
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
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.
Trello is worth it if… small teams (1-20 people) that want free visual kanban boards — the tool your team already knows how to use without training. Free covers most small team needs; Standard adds unlimited boards; Premium adds timeline/calendar views.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Smartsheet over Trello if…
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.
Choose Trello if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $6/mo).
- You match the profile Trello is built for: small teams (1-20 people) that want free visual kanban boards — the tool your team already knows how to use without training.
- You need a general-purpose project management option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Smartsheet | Trello | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Entry price | $12/mo | $6/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Per Seat |
| Last verified | September 15, 2026 | September 18, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 18, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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Common questions about Smartsheet and Trello
- 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?
- How much does Trello cost in 2026?
- Does Trello have a free plan?
- How often does Trello change prices?
- What are the best Trello alternatives in 2026?