Basecamp vs Teamwork.com: which should you choose?
Quick answer: Basecamp is built for small teams wanting simplicity, while Teamwork.com suits agencies and client services. For most users Basecamp is the stronger default, but Teamwork.com can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case. Teamwork.com has the lower entry price.
If you're weighing Basecamp against Teamwork.com, the right answer depends on your priorities. Below we compare them on pricing, strengths and the use cases each one fits, then give a clear verdict.
Side-by-side
| Basecamp | Teamwork.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | team collaboration | client work management |
| What it's known for | Opinionated, simple team collaboration tool combining to-dos, message boards, schedules, docs and chat, with flat per-account pricing instead of per-seat. | Project management built specifically for client services and agencies, with built-in time tracking, billing, budgets and profitability reporting. |
| Pricing | Plus from ~$15/user/mo; Pro Unlimited ~$299/mo flat for unlimited users (billed annually, ~$3,599/yr). No free plan (free trial). | Free Deliver plan (limited seats); Deliver from ~$10.99/user/mo; Grow ~$19.99/user/mo; Scale ~$54.99/user/mo; Enterprise custom (billed annually). |
| Best audience | Small-to-large teams wanting simple, calm collaboration without per-seat costs or Gantt complexity. | Agencies and client-services teams that bill time and need profitability/retainer tracking. |
| Best for | Small teams wanting simplicity, Remote teams, Flat-rate pricing for large teams | Agencies and client services, Billable time and budgets, Profitability tracking |
| Entry price | $15/user/mo | Free |
| Biggest strength | Flat Pro Unlimited price ($299/mo) is very cheap for large teams. | Purpose-built for agencies/client services with time, billing and profitability native. |
| Main caveat | No Gantt charts or dependency management; limited reporting. | Paid plans enforce minimum seat counts (3-5 users). |
Features compared
Where they really diverge is in the day-to-day feature set:
Basecamp key features
- To-do lists, message boards, schedules, docs & file storage per project
- Group chat (Campfire) and direct messages (Pings)
- Hill Charts for visual progress tracking
- Card Table (lightweight Kanban) and My Stuff / Lineup overviews
Teamwork.com key features
- Project management with List, Board (Kanban), Gantt, Table and Calendar views
- Built-in time tracking with billable hours
- Invoicing, budgeting and profitability/retainer reporting
- Client/intake forms and unlimited free client users
Pricing tiers side by side
Basecamp plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Plus | $15/user/mo | Per-user; 500 GB storage; good for small teams |
| Pro Unlimited | $299/mo (annual) | $349 monthly; unlimited users & projects, 5 TB storage, Timesheet + Admin packs |
Teamwork.com plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 5 users, 5 projects, time tracking, billing, proofing, 100 automations/mo |
| Deliver | $10.99/user/mo (annual) | Min 3 users; automations, intake forms, unlimited client users |
| Grow | $19.99/user/mo (annual) | Min 5 users; advanced reporting, workload, budgeting |
| Scale | $54.99/user/mo (annual) | Retainer management, custom reports, resource scheduling |
Tiers compiled from the vendors' published plans and independent reviews; prices are approximate and change often, so confirm current figures (and your region's taxes) on each vendor's site.
Strengths compared
Where Basecamp wins
Flat $299/mo for unlimited users makes large-team collaboration dramatically cheaper than per-seat rivals.
- Flat Pro Unlimited price ($299/mo) is very cheap for large teams.
- Opinionated simplicity; minimal onboarding.
That makes it the stronger pick for small-to-large teams wanting simple, calm collaboration without per-seat costs or Gantt complexity.
Where Teamwork.com wins
Project management built specifically for client work, with time, billing and profitability baked in.
- Purpose-built for agencies/client services with time, billing and profitability native.
- Free guest/client users on all plans.
That makes it the stronger pick for agencies and client-services teams that bill time and need profitability/retainer tracking.
Verdict: choose by fit
Pick by fit rather than by an overall score.
- Choose Basecamp if you fit its core audience — small-to-large teams wanting simple, calm collaboration without per-seat costs or Gantt complexity.
- Choose Teamwork.com if you fit its core audience — agencies and client-services teams that bill time and need profitability/retainer tracking.
FAQ
Is Basecamp better than Teamwork.com?
Basecamp is the stronger default for most users, but Teamwork.com can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
What is the main difference between Basecamp and Teamwork.com?
Basecamp is flat $299/mo for unlimited users makes large-team collaboration dramatically cheaper than per-seat rivals. Teamwork.com is project management built specifically for client work, with time, billing and profitability baked in.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Teamwork.com?
Entry pricing differs: Basecamp starts at $15/user/mo, while Teamwork.com offers a free tier. Compare the tiers above against your usage.
Sources
Facts above are drawn from these independent reviews and the vendors' own pages for Basecamp and Teamwork.com: