Wrike vs Smartsheet: which should you choose?
Quick answer: Wrike is built for marketing and creative teams, while Smartsheet suits spreadsheet power users. For most users Smartsheet is the stronger default, but Wrike can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
Both Wrike and Smartsheet get recommended a lot, but they solve the job differently. Below we compare them on pricing, strengths and the use cases each one fits, then give a clear verdict.
Side-by-side
| Wrike | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | work management | spreadsheet-based PM |
| What it's known for | Enterprise-grade work management with custom workflows, request forms, proofing and resource management, popular with marketing, agency and professional-services teams. | Spreadsheet-like interface scaled into enterprise work and project management, with Gantt, automation, dashboards and strong portfolio/PPM capabilities. |
| Pricing | Free plan; Team from ~$10/user/mo; Business ~$25/user/mo; Enterprise and Pinnacle custom (billed annually). | Free (1 user, limited); Pro from ~$9/user/mo; Business ~$19/user/mo; Enterprise custom (billed annually). |
| Best audience | Marketing, creative and professional-services teams needing proofing, request forms and capacity planning. | Spreadsheet-driven enterprise teams and PMOs needing PPM, dashboards and IT/ops tracking. |
| Best for | Marketing and creative teams, Professional services, Resource and capacity planning | Spreadsheet power users, Enterprise PPM, Operations and IT project tracking |
| Entry price | Free | Free |
| Biggest strength | Strong for marketing/agency work: proofing, request forms and resource planning built in. | Familiar to spreadsheet power users; fast to adopt for Excel-heavy teams. |
| Main caveat | Resource management, budgeting and BI connectors sit in the most expensive tiers. | Pro plan caps at 10 members and 250 automation runs/month. |
Features compared
Beyond the spec sheet, these are the capabilities that define each tool:
Wrike key features
- Interactive Gantt charts, Kanban boards, calendars and table/spreadsheet views
- Request/intake forms that auto-route work into projects
- Built-in proofing and approvals (HTML5, video, documents)
- Resource and capacity planning, workload charts (Business and above)
Smartsheet key features
- Spreadsheet-style grid with Gantt, card (Kanban) and calendar views
- Automated workflows (alerts, approvals, update requests)
- Dashboards and reports for portfolio roll-ups
- Forms for data collection into sheets
Pricing tiers side by side
Wrike plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Basic task management, board view, limited integrations |
| Team | ~$10/user/mo (annual) | Gantt charts, dashboards, request forms, AI Essentials |
| Business | ~$20-24/user/mo (annual) | For 5-200 users; resource planning, AI Elite, reusable templates |
| Pinnacle / Apex | Custom | Budgeting, forecasting, Datahub, BI Connector (Power BI/Tableau), more AI actions |
Smartsheet plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1 user; grid, Gantt, card and calendar views, limited |
| Pro | $9/member/mo (annual) | $12 monthly; 1-10 members, 20 GB storage, 250 automation runs/mo |
| Business | $19/member/mo (annual) | $24 monthly; min 3 members, 1 TB storage, unlimited automations |
| Enterprise | Custom | Min 10 members, unlimited storage, SSO, advanced security |
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 Wrike wins
Enterprise work management with proofing and resource planning aimed squarely at marketing and creative teams.
- Strong for marketing/agency work: proofing, request forms and resource planning built in.
- Highly customizable workflows and item types.
That makes it the stronger pick for marketing, creative and professional-services teams needing proofing, request forms and capacity planning.
Where Smartsheet wins
A spreadsheet interface scaled into enterprise work management, Gantt and portfolio reporting.
- Familiar to spreadsheet power users; fast to adopt for Excel-heavy teams.
- Strong dashboards, reporting and PPM/portfolio capabilities.
That makes it the stronger pick for spreadsheet-driven enterprise teams and PMOs needing PPM, dashboards and IT/ops tracking.
Verdict: choose by fit
Both are good at the job, so let your priorities decide.
- Choose Wrike if you fit its core audience — marketing, creative and professional-services teams needing proofing, request forms and capacity planning.
- Choose Smartsheet if you fit its core audience — spreadsheet-driven enterprise teams and PMOs needing PPM, dashboards and IT/ops tracking.
FAQ
Is Wrike better than Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is the stronger default for most users, but Wrike can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
What is the main difference between Wrike and Smartsheet?
Wrike is enterprise work management with proofing and resource planning aimed squarely at marketing and creative teams. Smartsheet is a spreadsheet interface scaled into enterprise work management, Gantt and portfolio reporting.
Which is cheaper, Wrike or Smartsheet?
Both Wrike and Smartsheet offer a free tier, so the real comparison is the paid plans above — pick based on the storage, features and limits you actually need.
Sources
Facts above are drawn from these independent reviews and the vendors' own pages for Wrike and Smartsheet: