Asana vs Trello
Asana
AI-powered work management platform orchestrating complex editorial workflows and multi-channel content campaigns
Publishers using it: 7 · incl. USA Today, BOOM! Studios
Trello
A visual project management tool that helps teams organize tasks, collaborate on projects, and boost productivity.
Publishers using it: —
Last verified Oct 19, 2026
At a glance
- Asana scores 4.0/5 and Trello scores 2.9/5 in Benchmark Grid's independent editorial calendar software benchmark, both assessed on the same 10 criteria.
- The widest gaps are multi-channel planning (Asana 4.4, Trello 3.0) and editorial workflow & approvals (Asana 4.5, Trello 3.5); they are within 0.3 on 4 of 10 criteria.
- Asana is built for small, mid-market and enterprise publishers; Trello for small and mid-market.
- On total cost of ownership Asana scores 3.5 and Trello 4.7 (higher means better value, not a lower price).
- In our tracking 7 publishers use Asana and 0 use Trello.
- Scores last verified 19 Oct 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a score or a position.
Where they differ
Asana is stronger on multi-channel planning (4.4 vs 3.0), editorial workflow & approvals (4.5 vs 3.5), custom fields & templates (4.6 vs 3.8) and planning & scheduling views (4.6 vs 3.8).
Which one fits
Choose Asana if…
- You publish at small, mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight multi-channel planning, editorial workflow & approvals and planning & scheduling views heavily — Asana leads on those in this benchmark.
Choose Trello if…
- You publish at small and mid-market scale.
Also weighing these
The nearest-scored tools to Asana and Trello in this benchmark, listed A to Z.
- 3.0Monday.comA versatile AI-powered Work OS for centralizing editorial workflows and cross-team project managementRead review
- 3.5MultiCollabGoogle Docs-style real-time collaboration and editorial commenting directly within the WordPress block editorRead review
- 3.8PublishPressProfessional editorial, permission, and workflow management tools for WordPress content teams and digital publishers.Read review
- 3.1StoryChiefA centralized platform to plan, create, and distribute content across multiple channels with AI-driven optimization.Read review
All 12 scored tools are in Best Editorial Calendar Software.
Who uses them
Publishers we have detected running each tool, from ads.txt, site code and published case studies. Agencies, brands and vendors are excluded.
Asana · 7
Trello · 0
No publisher adoption verified yet.
Head to head
| Criterion | Asana | Trello |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial workflow & approvals14% of capability | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Planning & scheduling views14% of capability | 4.6 | 3.8 |
| CMS & publishing integrations12% of capability | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| Collaboration12% of capability | 4.7 | 4.2 |
| Custom fields & templates10% of capability | 4.6 | 3.8 |
| Multi-channel planning10% of capability | 4.4 | 3.0 |
| Performance tracking8% of capability | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Usability8% of capability | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Implementation & support6% of capability | 3.8 | 3.2 |
| Permissions & security6% of capability | 4.5 | 4.2 |
| Capability45% of composite | 4.1 | 3.5 |
| Publisher fit40% of composite | 4.0 | 1.5 |
| Total cost of ownership15% of composite | 3.5 | 4.7 |
Cost of ownership
| Sub-score | Asana | Trello |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 3.8 | 4.8 |
| Entry cost | 4.0 | 4.9 |
| Implementation cost | 3.5 | 4.8 |
| Hidden-fee risk | 3.3 | 4.5 |
| Ongoing cost | 2.9 | 4.7 |
Asana pricing
Free Personal tier (up to 2 users); Starter from $10.99/user/month; Advanced from $24.99/user/month (annual billing). Enterprise and AI add-ons require custom quotes.
Trello pricing
Free up to 10 collaborators; Standard $5/user/month. (vendor pricing page, verified 2026-08-06)
What users say
Asana
21 positive · 10 neutral · 13 negative
Trello
15 positive · 37 neutral · 19 negative
Mentions we could not tie to a real user, and those flagged as promotional, are excluded. Sentiment is opinion, and is independent of the verified publisher adoptions above.
Asana scores 4.0 and Trello scores 2.9 in Benchmark Grid's independent Best Editorial Calendar Software benchmark (benchmarkgrid.com/vs/asana/trello, verified Oct 19, 2026)
Common questions
How do Asana and Trello differ?
Asana is stronger on multi-channel planning (4.4 vs 3.0), editorial workflow & approvals (4.5 vs 3.5), custom fields & templates (4.6 vs 3.8) and planning & scheduling views (4.6 vs 3.8). Neither is better in the abstract — which one suits you depends on which of those dimensions carries the most weight in your operation.
Which is cheaper, Asana or Trello?
On total cost of ownership — pricing transparency, entry cost, implementation, hidden-fee risk and ongoing cost — Asana scores 3.5/5 and Trello scores 4.7/5. A higher score means better value, not a lower sticker price.
How are these scores calculated?
Each tool is assessed against its category's published criteria (10 in this benchmark), which make up Capability (45% of the composite), Publisher fit (40%) and Total cost of ownership (15%). Assessment is carried out by SODP's editorial team against a published methodology. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, scores or positions.
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Both tools are scored in Best Editorial Calendar Software. See alternatives to Asana or alternatives to Trello.
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Where to next
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