5 Best Kanban Software Apps For 2022

Udn Webber

Content Strategist

Looking for free Kanban software apps?

Kanban can easily pass off as a dance form.

After all, it’s committed to making things look great and ensuring that things move in a neatly ordered rhythm.

Move over Can-Can! 💃

The Kanban methodology makes it easy to streamline your collaboration and effortlessly manage your tasks.

And when you can enjoy all that for free, it’s a sweet deal, right?

In this article, we’ll explain what Kanban methodology is, its benefits, and the five best free Kanban software apps .

What Is Kanban?

Kanban is a method of visualizing your workflow in order to boost productivity.

Modern-day teams use it to manage tasks and to implement Agile strategies.

But what does ‘Kanban’ mean?

Kanban is a Japanese term that means billboard or sign.

Toyota started managing tasks and saving time by using this billboard-based system in the 1940s. This Kanban system helped the factory save time and deliver quality outcomes.

What to learn more about Kanban ?

Check out our article on Kanban project management .

So what’s a Kanban board ?

A Kanban board is a physical (or virtual) board where you visualize your workflow.

A typical Kanban board consists of two things:

How does it work?

Each of these columns has backlogs.

And unless you complete priority one, you can’t move on to the next task.

What good does that do?

It ensures that you focus on the task in progress and complete it successfully before moving on to the next task. This way, you’re not trying to work on too many tasks that cut into your productivity.

So if you’re bad at multitasking, cheer up.

Somebody invented a methodology declaring multitasking is no good!

Does Google have a Kanban board?

While Google does offer workspaces for its corporate clients, it does not offer a Google Kanban board or app. Some choose to create a Kanban board in Excel or Google Sheets , but there isn’t a dedicated Kanban board feature currently available in Google Suite.

Does Microsoft have a Kanban board?

Yes and no. You can embed Kanban board views into MS Teams and collaborate with team members around the clock!

5 Best Kanban Software Apps

Here are the best free Kanban tools or software apps you’ll need for managing your tasks.

1. UDN Task Manager

UDN Task Manager is the world’s highest-rated project management software used by highly productive teams.

UDN Task Manager ’s Kanban board view is all you’ll need to manage your work.

Let’s take a look at how UDN Task Manager ’s key features that’ll help you create an efficient Kanban workflow:

If you live and breathe Agile project management , you need UDN Task Manager ’s Board view.

UDN Task Manager ’s Board view is a Kanban board that’s super-easy to use thanks to the drag and drop functionality.

Each Board is arranged in columns that consist of Task Cards.

You have the option to customize the vertical columns and even group them based on their Status , Priority , Tags , Assignees , etc.

Don’t forget to make bulk edits and save time using the Multitask Toolbar !

Overloading your Agile team with work is never a good idea.

UDN Task Manager lets you set Work In Progress Limit or WIP Limit in its Board view to make your Kanban approach a success.

What does that do?

It lets you visualize your work capacity and indicates when you’re above your workload limits.

Need to work alone or with a bunch of people? UDN Task Manager lets you assign tasks to a single person, multiple people, and even Teams .

Every team has a unique workflow where tasks go through different stages. They can be ‘done’ or ‘not done’ or ‘in approval,’ ‘in progress,’ ‘under review,’ etc.

With UDN Task Manager ’s Custom Task Statuses, you can add whatever task status you desire, depending on your organization or department’s workflow!

UDN Task Manager offers advanced Filtering and Sorting options, so you only view what you need. This saves time when looking for information. 🔍

Filter your task lists based on:

Find yourself reusing a filter?

Just save it to quickly add it in the future!

Create an overview of all the happenings in your Workspace with Dashboards.

It’s THE place for all your Reports and Insights .

If you use Agile project management, then you’ll love UDN Task Manager ’s Sprint Widgets .

Using these Widgets, you can view:

Have a preference on how you view your work? Then you’ll love UDN Task Manager ’s Custom views.

The Board view is for Kanban fanatics, but there are other options for people who prefer a different approach.

Here are some of the views UDN Task Manager offers:

If you ever get bored with your current view, don’t worry.

All it takes is a click to switch between views!

Have tasks that you need to do again and again? Use Recurring Tasks to schedule such routine action items and never miss them.

Whether you want the tasks to recur daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly, UDN Task Manager has every possible option.

What if we told you, you can sit back and relax while your project management tool does your work?

Use Automations to create combinations of Triggers and Actions to automate tasks in UDN Task Manager .

UDN Task Manager Automation also supports workflows with third-party software such as Calendly , GitHub , and Bugsnag .

UDN Task Manager stands apart from other Kanban apps because it offers a free plan that’s super feature-rich. And it’s Free Forever!

Here are some of the features you don’t miss out on if you opt for the free version:

What’s more? The paid plans start at just $5/month and can accommodate teams of all sizes. Just imagine what they can do for you!

2. Trello

It’s no shocker that Trello is on this list. It’s a great free personal Kanban software solution that’s widely known.

Simply put, Trello made the Kanban board quite the buzz in the project management world.

However, a striking drawback is that the Trello free version is very limited.

To bring in more useful features, you’ll have to upgrade to their paid packages or rely on paid Power Ups.

Note : you can import Trello tasks, boards, members, archived cards, and even attachments to UDN Task Manager .

Planning on switching from Trello ? Learn about best Trello alternatives .

3. Jira

Jira is another big name on the list of free Kanban tools that can adapt to any large or small team.

The software is built for Scrum and Agile project management, and the Kanban boards let you visualize both tasks that are progressing well, and the tasks bottlenecking the process.

Jira is also highly customizable and excellent in issue management.

Drawbacks?

You can’t work in pairs or as a team on a single task since Jira doesn’t support multiple assignees.

For any task management tool, this should be a key feature.

Not so sure about Jira? Check out these best Jira alternatives and our comprehensive Jira review for more clarity.

4. Toggl Plan

Next up is Toggl Plan.

It’s a free task management and Kanban tool by Toggl.

You can add task cards to your task boards with detailed descriptions, start dates and due dates, time estimates, and more.

So it’s perfect?

Yes, if you have a small team of five or less.

If you’re larger than that, Toggl Plan isn’t the right free Kanban tool for you.

You either have to fork out $8/month per user, or you have to look elsewhere.

Speaking of looking elsewhere, you’ll have to do the same if you need an offline mode or a desktop version.

5. Zoho Project

Zoho Project is a cloud-based project management tool and a Kanban app from Zoho.

It can manage tasks, share documents, integrate with Google apps, and more.

However, Zoho Project doesn’t have time estimates.

There’s no way for you to set expectations or predict how long a task or project may take. Major deal breaker!

What Are The Benefits Of Kanban Boards?

Kanban boards help in seamless workflow management , especially for Agile teams.

So let’s take a look at how these Kanban apps can benefit you.

1. Greater visibility and collaboration

In the Kanban method, your task backlog and statuses are clearly visible on the Kanban board columns. Such a crystal clear workflow leaves no space for doubts or Monday morning anxiety !

A direct perk of this clarity is effortless collaboration.

The Kanban framework encourages real-time collaboration and full transparency when it comes to work.

How?

Anyone with access to the board or view can add comments, attachments, change progress status, etc., on a Kanban board.

When these changes and actions occur, they’re visible to others on the team, keeping them in the loop.

2. Prevents work overload

Overworking people (and their coffee machines) may sometimes get the job done. But it’s not sustainable.

This is where the Kanban approach really shines through with its Work In Progress or WIP limit .

What’s that?

The WIP limit is basically a queue limiter. Once you hit a designated number of tasks, no more tasks will come your way unless at least one task is complete or removed.

Play Your Kanban Cards Right

Adopting the Kanban method is a great option for any team looking to boost their productivity immediately.

And when it comes to the best Kanban tools, all the project management tools we mentioned will help you add the Kanban methodology into your workflow.

However, four out of five of them fall short of being the ideal tool because their free versions are inadequate.

But don’t worry.

We said four out of five, remember?

There’s one tool left, and that’s UDN Task Manager !

With this powerful free project management software , you can enjoy not only Kanban boards but also Gantt Charts and many other features for multiple projects and task management.

So get UDN Task Manager for free today and become the Kanban pro you always wanted to be!