Wrike Review 2025: Features, Pros & Cons
updated
|EditorUpdated: Jan 3, 2025, 5:18 pm
Our Verdict
Our Verdict
Wrike is a robust project management software ideal for medium to large teams needing advanced features like task management, Gantt charts, time tracking, and customizable workflows. Its strong collaboration tools, including real-time editing and document sharing, enhance team productivity and communication. The platform is highly customizable, making it suitable for diverse workflows and Agile methodologies. While Wrike is user-friendly, some users note a learning curve and concerns about pricing for smaller businesses. Despite occasional performance issues with large projects, Wrike is a powerful tool for teams seeking a versatile, feature-rich solution to streamline project management and improve collaboration.
Pros
- Offers diverse project management tools.
- Custom workflows, dashboards, and reports.
- Real-time editing and document sharing.
- Connects with numerous third-party apps.
- Advanced security and compliance features.
Cons
- Challenging for new users.
- Expensive for smaller teams.
- Slows with large projects.
- Can be cluttered and confusing.
- Requires stable internet connectivity.
What Is Wrike?
Wrike is a robust project management and collaboration software designed to help teams streamline their workflows, enhance productivity, and manage tasks efficiently. Developed by Wrike, Inc., this cloud-based platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools tailored to support the needs of various industries and organizational sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.
Key Features of Wrike
- Task Management: Wrike enables users to create, assign, and manage tasks with ease. The software provides a detailed overview of all tasks, their statuses, deadlines, and assigned team members. This visibility helps teams stay on track and ensures that deadlines are met. Tasks can be organized into folders and subfolders, allowing for a hierarchical structure that suits complex projects.
- Collaboration Tools: Wrike is designed to foster collaboration among team members. It includes features such as @mentions, real-time commenting, and document sharing, which help keep everyone on the same page. Teams can work together more effectively by sharing updates, feedback, and files directly within the platform, reducing the need for lengthy email threads.
- Custom Workflows and Automation: One of Wrike's standout features is its ability to customize workflows. Teams can create workflows that align with their unique processes, ensuring that tasks move smoothly from one stage to the next. Additionally, Wrike offers automation capabilities, such as rule-based triggers and task dependencies, to reduce manual effort and speed up repetitive processes.
- Time Tracking and Reporting: Wrike provides built-in time tracking tools that allow users to log time spent on tasks. This feature is particularly useful for project managers who need to monitor the productivity of their team members or assess the time required to complete certain tasks. Wrike also offers advanced reporting capabilities, enabling teams to generate custom reports that provide insights into project progress, team performance, and resource allocation.
- Gantt Charts and Timeline Views: Wrike offers Gantt charts, a visual representation of project timelines, which are essential for project planning and management. These charts help teams visualize the project's progression, identify potential bottlenecks, and adjust schedules accordingly. Wrike also supports other views, such as Kanban boards and calendars, giving teams flexibility in how they manage and visualize their work.
- Integration Capabilities: Wrike integrates seamlessly with various other tools and platforms, such as Google Drive, Microsoft Office, Slack, Salesforce, and Adobe Creative Cloud. These integrations allow teams to work within Wrike without needing to switch between different applications constantly, enhancing productivity and reducing friction.
- Security and Compliance: Security is a significant concern for organizations, and Wrike addresses this with robust security measures, including data encryption, regular security audits, and compliance with standards like GDPR. These features ensure that sensitive data is protected and that the software meets the compliance needs of various industries.
Benefits of Using Wrike
Wrike is particularly beneficial for teams looking to improve their project management and collaboration capabilities. The platform's flexibility and scalability make it suitable for various industries, including marketing, IT, product development, and professional services. Its intuitive interface and comprehensive features help teams reduce the time spent on administrative tasks, increase transparency, and improve overall project outcomes.
In addition, Wrike's customization options and automation capabilities can significantly enhance efficiency, allowing teams to focus more on strategic activities rather than routine administrative tasks. The ability to integrate with various third-party applications further extends its functionality, making it a versatile tool for organizations with diverse needs.
Our Take
Wrike is a powerful, all-in-one project management solution that offers a range of features designed to enhance team collaboration, streamline workflows, and improve project visibility. Its robust capabilities, combined with its ease of use and flexibility, make it a popular choice among teams looking to optimize their project management processes. Whether managing simple tasks or complex projects, Wrike provides the tools necessary to keep teams organized, efficient, and productive.
What Sets Wrike Apart
Wrike distinguishes itself from competitors through several unique features and strengths:
- Customizability and Flexibility: Wrike offers a high degree of customizability, allowing users to tailor the platform to their specific workflows. Custom dashboards, workflows, and project templates enable teams to create a personalized environment that aligns with their processes.
- Advanced Collaboration Tools: Wrike provides robust collaboration features, including real-time editing, document sharing, and live co-editing. The platform integrates with various communication tools, like Slack and Microsoft Teams, to facilitate seamless team collaboration.
- Comprehensive Project Management Features: Wrike includes a wide range of project management tools, such as Gantt charts, Kanban boards, time tracking, and workload management. These features help teams plan, execute, and monitor projects efficiently.
- Resource Management and Allocation: Wrike offers advanced resource management capabilities, including workload views and resource allocation tools. This helps managers optimize team capacity and balance workloads effectively.
- Integration Capabilities: Wrike integrates with a vast ecosystem of third-party applications, including popular tools like Salesforce, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, and many others. This allows teams to streamline their workflows by connecting Wrike with their existing tools.
- Robust Reporting and Analytics: The software provides powerful reporting and analytics tools that help teams track project performance, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions. Customizable dashboards and reports give managers insight into project health and team productivity.
- Security and Compliance: Wrike emphasizes data security and compliance, offering features like role-based access control, two-factor authentication, and compliance with standards such as GDPR and SOC 2. This makes it a reliable choice for companies with stringent security requirements.
- User Experience and Interface: Wrike's user-friendly interface is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible for users of all experience levels. The platform also offers mobile apps, ensuring users can manage their work on the go.
- Scalability: Wrike is suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises. It offers various pricing plans and feature sets that cater to different organizational needs, ensuring it can scale as a business grows.
Project Management Features
Wrike's project management capabilities are comprehensive, designed to enhance team collaboration, improve efficiency, and streamline workflows. Here’s an overview of Wrike's key project management features:
1. Task and Work Management
- Task Creation and Assignment: Wrike allows users to create tasks, set priorities, assign them to team members, and establish due dates. Tasks can be broken down into subtasks to manage more detailed workstreams.
- Recurring Tasks: Supports the creation of recurring tasks for routine activities, reducing repetitive manual task setup.
- Custom Workflows: Users can define and customize workflows to match their team’s processes, with stages that reflect different statuses or phases of work.
2. Project Planning and Scheduling
- Gantt Charts: Provides dynamic, interactive Gantt charts that visualize project timelines, task dependencies, and project progress. Users can adjust timelines by dragging and dropping tasks directly on the Gantt chart.
- Kanban Boards: Offers customizable Kanban boards for visual task management, enabling teams to track the status of tasks through different stages of a project.
- Timeline View: A detailed timeline view allows users to see project milestones, deadlines, and scheduled tasks, aiding in effective project planning and scheduling.
3. Resource and Workload Management
- Workload View: The workload view offers a visual representation of each team member's tasks and availability, allowing managers to balance workloads and avoid overburdening team members.
- Resource Allocation: Tools for resource allocation help managers assign tasks based on team members’ availability, skills, and workload, ensuring optimal resource utilization.
4. Collaboration and Communication
- Real-Time Collaboration: Wrike enables real-time collaboration, with features for live document editing, inline commenting on tasks, and instant feedback.
- File Sharing and Document Management: Users can attach files directly to tasks, maintain version control, and collaborate on documents without leaving the platform.
- @Mentions and Notifications: Wrike supports @mentions for direct communication within tasks and provides notifications to keep everyone informed about updates and changes.
5. Reporting and Analytics
- Custom Dashboards: Users can create custom dashboards to track key metrics, project progress, and team performance. Dashboards can be tailored to show relevant information for different roles within the organization.
- Advanced Reporting: Wrike offers advanced reporting tools, including pre-built report templates and the ability to create custom reports. These reports can provide insights into project health, team productivity, and resource utilization.
- Time Tracking: Integrated time tracking allows team members to log time spent on tasks, providing valuable data for future project planning and resource management.
6. Integration and Automation
- Integration with Third-Party Tools: Wrike integrates with a wide range of third-party applications, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Salesforce, and more, allowing teams to streamline workflows across different platforms.
- Automated Workflows and Triggers: Wrike supports automation rules that help teams automate repetitive tasks and processes, such as task assignment, status updates, and notifications.
7. Security and Access Control
- Role-Based Access Control: Wrike provides robust access control features, including role-based permissions, ensuring that sensitive project information is accessible only to authorized personnel.
- Two-Factor Authentication: To enhance security, Wrike offers two-factor authentication (2FA), adding an extra layer of protection for user accounts.
8. Agile and Scrum Support
- Agile Project Management: Wrike is well-suited for Agile methodologies, offering tools like Kanban boards, sprint planning, and backlog management to support Agile teams.
- Custom Agile Workflows: Users can create custom Agile workflows to match their specific project management styles, enhancing flexibility and adaptability.
9. Mobile Access
- Mobile Applications: Wrike offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, enabling users to manage tasks, collaborate, and stay updated on project progress while on the go.
Wrike’s robust set of features makes it a versatile tool for managing a wide range of projects, from simple task tracking to complex, multi-team initiatives. Its combination of flexibility, collaboration tools, and advanced project management capabilities makes it a powerful choice for teams looking to optimize their project workflows.
Wrike Pricing and Plans
| Features | Free | Team | Business | Enterprise | Pinnacle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| User Limit | Up to 5 | 5 to 25 | 5 to 200 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Task Management | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom Workflows | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gantt Charts | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Time Tracking | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dashboards | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shared Dashboards | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Collaborative Proofing | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom Fields | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Resource Management | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Workload View | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Project Portfolio Management | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automation Engine | • | Basic | Advanced | Advanced | Advanced |
| Integrations | Basic | Basic | Advanced | Advanced | Advanced |
| Security & Permissions | Basic | Basic | Advanced | Advanced | Advanced |
| Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Customizable User Types & Permissions | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Advanced Reporting & Analytics | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compliance & Security Features | • | • | ✓ | Advanced (GDPR, SOC 2, etc.) | Advanced (GDPR, SOC 2, HIPAA, etc.) |
| Dedicated Support & Training | • | • | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Price (per user/month) | Free | Starts at $9.80 | Starts at $24.80 | Custom Pricing | Custom Pricing |
Featured Partners
1
Monday.com
Multiple tiers including free to enterprise
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Support for several third party apps
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deel.com
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1Password
From $7.99 per user per month, billed annually
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Advanced encryption
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monday sales CRM
On monday.com's Website
Free; $9 per user per month for basic features
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monday sales CRM
On monday.com's Website
Free; $9 per user per month for basic features
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monday sales CRM
On monday.com's Website
Free; $9 per user per month for basic features
14 days
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Who Is Wrike Best For?
Wrike software is best suited for teams and organizations that need a robust, flexible project management solution to manage complex projects and workflows. It is particularly ideal for medium to large-sized businesses across various industries, including marketing, IT, product development, professional services, and creative teams, who require advanced features like task management, Gantt charts, resource allocation, and time tracking.
Wrike is also a strong choice for Agile teams that rely on customizable workflows, Kanban boards, and sprint planning tools. Its collaboration capabilities, such as real-time editing, document sharing, and integrated communication, make it suitable for teams that prioritize seamless collaboration and communication.
Enterprises with stringent security and compliance needs also benefit from Wrike's robust security features, including role-based access control, two-factor authentication, and compliance with standards like GDPR and SOC 2. Additionally, businesses looking to integrate with a wide range of third-party tools, such as Salesforce, Slack, and Microsoft Office 365, will find Wrike’s extensive integration capabilities beneficial.
What Users Are Saying
The Pros:
- Comprehensive Features: Users appreciate the wide range of features Wrike offers, such as task management, Gantt charts, time tracking, resource allocation, and customizable workflows. These features make it a versatile tool for managing complex projects.
- Customization and Flexibility: Many reviews highlight Wrike’s high level of customization, allowing teams to tailor the platform to their specific needs and workflows. This flexibility is a significant plus for users with diverse project management requirements.
- Collaboration Tools: Wrike's collaboration features, like real-time editing, document sharing, and integrated communication tools, are frequently praised for enhancing team collaboration and communication.
- User-Friendly Interface: The platform’s intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface is often mentioned positively, making it accessible for users of varying experience levels.
The Cons
- Learning Curve: Some users mention a steep learning curve, particularly for those new to project management tools or those transitioning from simpler software solutions.
- Pricing Concerns: A few reviews express concerns about Wrike's pricing, especially for small businesses or startups. Some users feel that advanced features come at a higher cost.
- Performance Issues: Occasional mentions of performance lag or system slowdowns are noted, especially when handling very large datasets or complex projects.
Matthew Mayo (@mattmayo13) holds a master's degree in computer science and a graduate diploma in data mining. As managing editor of KDnuggets & Statology, and contributing editor at Machine Learning Mastery, Matthew aims to make complex data science concepts accessible. His professional interests include natural language processing, language models, machine learning algorithms, and exploring emerging AI. He is driven by a mission to democratize knowledge in the data science community. Matthew has been coding since he was 6 years old.