Smartsheet vs Trello: Complete Comparison (2026)
In comparing Smartsheet and Trello in 2026, Trello is the stronger choice for small teams and individuals needing simple visual task boards due to very easy to start. Smartsheet excels for operations teams comfortable with spreadsheet-style tools with familiar spreadsheet feel. Smartsheet offers Grid, Gantt & card views, Automation workflows, Dashboards starting at $9/user/mo. Trello provides Kanban boards, Power-Ups, Automation (Butler) from $5/user/mo with a free tier. For teams prioritizing value, Trello delivers a hiltonsoftware Score of 83/100. Smartsheet and Trello compete in the project management segment of the SaaS market, where cloud-native solutions, API integrations, and workflow automation drive enterprise and SMB adoption. Other leading project management tools include Asana, Monday.com, Jira. Smartsheet serves 90K+ orgs users globally (founded 2005) while Trello reports 50M+ active users (founded 2011).
Smartsheet vs Trello at a Glance
What are the main differences between Smartsheet and Trello?
Smartsheet and Trello differ across ease of use, features, value, support, integrations, scalability, and learning curve. Trello leads in 6 of 7 categories.
What are the pros and cons of Smartsheet vs Trello?
Which is better, Smartsheet or Trello?
After evaluating Smartsheet and Trello across features, pricing, integrations, and user satisfaction, Trello earns a higher hiltonsoftware Score of 83/100 versus Smartsheet at 71/100. Trello stands out for "very easy to start" and "generous free plan". Smartsheet delivers competitive advantages in "familiar spreadsheet feel", making Smartsheet a viable alternative.
On pricing, Trello offers a free plan for SMBs and startups. Smartsheet starts at $9/user/mo with no free tier, but justifies the cost with grid, gantt & card views and automation workflows and enterprise-grade scalability.
Bottom line: Choose Smartsheet for operations teams comfortable with spreadsheet-style tools. Choose Trello for small teams and individuals needing simple visual task boards. Both Smartsheet and Trello are established project management platforms.
Operations teams comfortable with spreadsheet-style tools.
Small teams and individuals needing simple visual task boards.
Smartsheet vs Trello: Frequently Asked Questions
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Reviewed by Alex Chen, SaaS & Productivity Analyst. Last updated: 2026-04-24. Pricing verified: March 2026.
Read our scoring methodology to understand how the hiltonsoftware Score is calculated.