Basecamp is an all-in-one project management platform with built-in communication tools and flat-rate pricing, while Trello is a visual kanban-based task management tool with per-user pricing and extensive integrations. Basecamp suits teams needing centralized collaboration, whereas Trello excels for teams preferring visual simplicity and customization.
Basecamp vs Trello — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Project management and team communication platform with integrated messaging and task tracking.
Visual project management platform built on kanban boards for task tracking
Pricing Model. Core Approach. Communication Tools. Ease of Setup. Customization & Integrations. Best Team Size. Free Trial. Subtasks & Dependencies
Both tools serve different team needs effectively. Basecamp is ideal for organizations seeking an all-encompassing collaboration platform with included communication and transparent flat-rate pricing, particularly beneficial for larger teams. Trello remains the superior choice for teams valuing visual simplicity, flexibility through integrations, and scalable per-user pricing for growing organizations.
Basecamp: $99 (unlimited users) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Basic task automation only | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Optimal for under 50 users | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 2 (Kanban, List) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Basic admin controls | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 3 views (To-Do Lists, Message Boards, Schedule) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: ~50 integrations | Trello: 240+
Basecamp: 30-60 minutes to start using | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Basic progress tracking within individual projects only | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Message boards and real-time updates as primary hub | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Basic (simple task assignments, status updates) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Mobile-optimized interface with core features (2024-2026 updates) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 2-20 users; suited for small teams | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: $1,470-3,675 (per user plan) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 0.3-0.5 weeks (1-2 days) | Trello: 1.5 hours
Basecamp: 3 (To-Do, Message Board, Schedule) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 30 days (no credit card required) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: $299 (flat-rate for unlimited users) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: $299 (unlimited users) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Message boards, campfire chats, built-in messaging | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Low (focused on simplicity) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: $299 (unlimited users) | Trello: $5 per user
Basecamp: $349 (unlimited users) | Trello: $17.50 per user
Basecamp: Yes - messaging, discussions, announcements | Trello: No - requires integrations
Basecamp: ~50-100 integrations | Trello: 600+ integrations
Basecamp: Native with task dependencies | Trello: Checklist-based subtasks
Basecamp: 20-200+ users | Trello: 1-100 users
Basecamp: High - comprehensive feature set | Trello: Low - intuitive visual interface
Basecamp: $99/month (unlimited users) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: $99/month (flat rate) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 500-2000ms typical | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Message boards, group chat, pings, comments | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 3 (text, checkbox, date) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Message boards, DMs, comments, announcements | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Basic (task assignment, reminders only) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 3 (List, Board, Calendar) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 50+ via Zapier | Trello: 150+ Power-Ups available
Basecamp: Unlimited (all messages searchable) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Yes (to-do lists, schedules, message boards) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 1,000-3,000ms (batch updates) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 100GB per account | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: $99 flat (unlimited users) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Flat rate after 1 user | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: Yes: to-do lists, timelines, milestones, dependencies | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 3 million+ (2024 estimate) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: $99/month (flat) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: $299/month (flat) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 1-2 days | Trello: 5-15 minutes (create board, add cards, invite team)
Basecamp: 5 (chat, threads, message boards, pings, notifications) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 0 (no native databases) | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: 85% of desktop features | Trello: N/A
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Basic Kanban only, no sprints
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: 1-10 users, small teams
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Minimal - intuitive interface
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Limited customization
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Basic progress tracking only
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Unlimited boards and cards
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Not natively supported
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Mobile offline access available
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Board, List, Calendar, Map
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: REST API available
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Comments, mentions, activity feed
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: $5 per user (Standard)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Yes (unlimited basic features)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Via Power-Ups only
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Same-day (hours)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Basic with Butler automation
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Emerging AI Power-Ups available
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: No, manual tracking only
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: 3 (Kanban, Calendar, Table)
Monthly Cost (Single User, Standard Plan)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: $10/user (Standard)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: $99 (Standard at $10/user)
Professional Plan Price (Per User/Month)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: 4 (timeline, calendar, map, table)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Manual board cloning required
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Free tier for unlimited users (basic features)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Up to 50 optimal
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: $5 (Standard plan)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Unlimited boards
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: 1 view (kanban only)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Not supported; single-view kanban only
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Full kanban interaction, card editing, and comments
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: No - descriptions only, requires Power-Ups
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: $5 (Standard) - $17.50 (Business)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: 5 (calendar, timeline, table, map, dashboard)
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Limited kanban/scrum with Butler rules
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: 240+ Power-Ups available
Basecamp: N/A | Trello: Unlimited in free tier
How to choose between Basecamp and Trello
Basecamp vs Trello — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Basecamp vs Trello. Contains 141 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Basecamp vs Trello — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Basecamp vs Trello.
Is Basecamp really cheaper for large teams?
Yes, significantly. Basecamp's $299/month flat rate covers unlimited users, making it substantially cheaper for teams of 10+ people compared to Trello's per-user model ($5-$17.50/user). For a 20-person team, Basecamp costs $299 while Trello ranges $100-$350 monthly before power-ups.
Which tool has better collaboration features?
Basecamp excels with built-in messaging, real-time discussions, document collaboration, and schedules integrated into one platform. Trello requires external tools (Slack, Google Docs, Zoom) for robust collaboration, which can fragment communication across multiple platforms.
Can Trello match Basecamp's communication abilities?
Partially. You can integrate Slack, Microsoft Teams, and other communication tools into Trello workflows, but this adds complexity, cost ($3-$15/user/month for power-ups), and requires managing multiple platforms rather than one unified system like Basecamp provides.
Trello is typically better for early-stage startups due to its low per-user cost ($5/user), intuitive interface requiring minimal training, and flexibility to add features as you grow. Basecamp's $299/month minimum is more suitable once teams reach 10+ members.
Does Basecamp offer non-profit discounts?
Yes, as of 2026, Basecamp provides 10% off Pro Unlimited for verified non-profits, reducing the monthly cost from $299 to approximately $269/month. This makes it even more cost-effective for mission-driven organizations with larger teams.
How to Choose Between Basecamp and Trello
Pricing Model: Basecamp has Flat-rate unlimited users ($299-$349/month), while Trello has Per-user pricing ($5-$17.50/month).
Core Approach: Basecamp has All-in-one platform with messaging, docs, schedules, while Trello has Visual kanban board with task cards.
Communication Tools: Basecamp has Built-in messaging, discussions, real-time chat, while Trello has Limited; requires external integrations.
Ease of Setup: Basecamp has Steeper learning curve, more features to configure, while Trello has Intuitive visual interface, quick to start.
Customization & Integrations: Basecamp has Limited integrations, less customizable, while Trello has 600+ integrations, highly customizable.
Best Team Size: Basecamp has Mid to large teams (5-100+ users), while Trello has Small to mid-size teams (1-50 users).
Free Trial: Basecamp has 30-day free trial available, while Trello has 14-day free trial available.
Subtasks & Dependencies: Basecamp has Native subtasks and task dependencies, while Trello has Basic subtasks via checklists, limited dependencies.