What Is Basecamp?
Basecamp is a widely used project management and remote team communication app that caters to businesses of all sizes. Similar to other project management tools that charge per user, Basecamp offers a flexible pricing plan for individuals and small teams that costs $15 per user per month.
Basecamp’s Pro Unlimited plan offers zero limits on users and charges $299 per month, billed annually. It’s a bit cost-prohibitive for smaller businesses, but if you have a larger business and need everyone on project management software, it could be a good value. The features don’t differ, but Pro Unlimited plan users get more storage, priority support and one-on-one onboarding help.
Although Basecamp did not make our list of the best project management software, we highly recommend it for remote teams. Effective communication is crucial for successful project completion, and Basecamp offers a plethora of tools to facilitate collaboration, including message boards, real-time group chat and automatic check-ins.
Potential buyers can test-drive Basecamp for 30 days without having to input credit card details. This will provide access to everything Basecamp has to offer, including 500GB of storage space, unlimited projects, 24/7 support, real-time chat and no contracts.
Whichever plan you choose, Basecamp’s interface is highly intuitive and easy to use. After logging in to your account, create a new project and you are ready to go. You can see that the project has all project management features in one place. The team communication features are available at the top of every page.
The best part here is that you can keep all communication related to a project within the project itself. This helps your team focus on a single project, not get distracted and complete them in time. Also, you don’t end up clogging communication channels with project details no one is interested in.
An example of the notifications for all projects, tasks and news from Basecamp
Featured Partners
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monday.com
Yes
From $8 monthly per user
Zoom, LinkedIn, Adobe, Salesforce and more
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HubSpot
Yes
Available
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Smartsheet
Yes, for one user and two editors
$7 per user per month
Google Drive, Slack, Tableau, Miro, Zapier and more
4
ClickUp
Yes, for unlimited members
$7 per month
Slack, Microsoft Outlook, HubSpot, Salesforce, Timely, Google Drive and more
What Sets Basecamp Apart
Basecamp provides an all-encompassing solution that integrates project management and team communication features seamlessly. There are a few different ways you can communicate with your team in Basecamp: Automatic Check-ins, Campfire, Pings and Message Board.
The Automatic Check-ins tool is a great way to set up questions for your team that you may ask daily or weekly. Campfire is a more casual chat among project members. It’s a bit like a conversation you’d have in a Discord or Slack channel. The Message Board is exactly what it sounds like and a bit more permanent (more like a forum than a chat channel). And Pings are direct messages for more private communication.
The Hill Charts feature offers a visual representation of project progress, allowing teams to identify potential roadblocks and take corrective action. Alternatively, you can view a project in cards or as a list. Also, you can invite clients to view projects whenever you need at no added charge.
These features are highly valuable for most teams, as they help them remain focused, organized and on track. However, not all users may find these features necessary or useful. Some users may prefer more customization options or integrations with other tools, which are currently lacking in Basecamp.
The per-user cost for Basecamp is a bit pricier than the industry standard and the unlimited plan could be too costly for small businesses, but it depends on your total employee count—it could be affordable for large teams. Most notably missing from Basecamp are essential project management features including Gantt charts, budgeting tools and task dependencies.
Pros
Basecamp’s all-in-one platform, communication tools, Hill Charts and client access are valuable features that set it apart from other project management and team communication tools. Given that both paid plans include all features and the availability of a free account for teachers and students, this an attractive project management solution.
Cons
Basecamp’s lack of customization options may not work for all users. The per-user and monthly cost of Basecamp’s plans are more expensive than most of its competitors. Plus, there are some missing key features that teams may need and there’s a limited list of integrations.
Core Features
Basecamp’s role assignment, timelines and communication tools are essential features for successful project management. They help teams stay organized, track progress and stay on budget.
Role Assignment Features
Basecamp allows project owners to assign roles and responsibilities for each project. This helps ensure everyone knows what they’re responsible for, and who they can go to for help.
Timelines
With Basecamp’s timeline feature, team members can visualize project milestones and deadlines. This helps them stay on track and ensures they complete the project on time.
Basecamp’s timeline feature to show a project’s life horizontally on a calendar from start to finish
Software Integrations
As of publication, Basecamp integrates with 72 other software to extend the functionality of the platform. So, if you need features such as Gantt charts, time tracking, invoicing or feedback gathering, you can integrate with a third-party app.
Communication
Teams can communicate with each other in multiple ways via Basecamp. Send a Ping (direct message) to one or more people, post a question or comment on the Message Board or have an ongoing discussion in Campfire. You can also comment on tasks as needed.
Basecamp Pricing and Plans
Please note that Basecamp also offers free accounts to teachers and students (including homeschooled students). To get this benefit, users need to send an email from their school account after signing up and Basecamp should be able to verify the authenticity of their claim.
Basecamp
Basecamp’s starter plan costs $15 per user per month on a month-to-month basis. It comes with every feature Basecamp offers and doesn’t limit you by number of users or clients added. Storage for files is limited to 500GB and there’s no one-on-one onboarding.
Basecamp Pro Unlimited
If you have a large team, Basecamp Pro Unlimited may be the best option for you. This plan includes all the same features, but it adds a few perks. Storage increases to 5TB and you get priority support and one-on-one onboarding. You also get great admin control with the option to require two-factor authentication (2FA).
Setup and Customization
After registering for either a free trial or a paid plan, launching a new project is a breeze. The platform has a clear and user-friendly interface, and it provides helpful tutorials and guides.
Basecamp has the capability to be customized, for instance, by uploading a logo, altering colors of projects and selecting notification settings. However, Basecamp offers fewer customization options than other project management tools.
People transitioning from another project management tool should consider the learning curve for both themselves and their team. Although Basecamp is straightforward to use, it can take time for team members to become comfortable with it if they are accustomed to a different tool.
Ease of Use
The heart of the Basecamp platform is its projects, which allow users to organize, communicate and manage tasks related to specific initiatives. Creating a new project is simple, requiring only a name and description. Users can customize their projects by selecting the tools they need and organizing them in a preferred order.
Basecamp allows you to create and save project templates, which can save time by providing frequently used messages, to-dos and files. Communication tools are simple to use and serve different purposes, so conversations make sense in different arenas. Adding users, tasks and tools is a straightforward process, but you have to know where to start. For example, Basecamp offers Automatic Check-ins for recurring questions, which is a huge time-saver, but you have to turn that tool on from the three-dot menu on each project.
Example of how to add users or a client to a project
Security
Basecamp has taken significant measures to ensure the security of its users’ data. To prevent bottlenecks and points of failure, all uploaded files are stored on servers with modern techniques, and data is backed up daily and stored in multiple locations. The platform also uses HTTPS to encrypt data in transit, and files are encrypted when stored.
Its servers run at full redundancy, and Basecamp facilities have sophisticated physical security measures in place, including biometric locks and round-the-clock surveillance monitoring. Basecamp’s software infrastructure is regularly updated with the latest security patches and runs on a dedicated network with firewalls. In case of a security breach, affected customers are promptly notified.
Customer Service and Support
Basecamp provides customer support from real humans, not automated bots. If you have any pre-sales questions, need assistance with the product or have any other inquiries, you can contact its support team and expect a response within approximately 10 hours. You can also find help by accessing its tutorials and help guides.
In our tests, we found Basecamp customer support representatives were quick and knowledgeable. Typically, responses took a little more than an hour via email.
Additional Features
Having the ability to simplify workflows and manage projects correctly is important for both project managers and team members. Basecamp provides plenty of features to help you reach this goal. Here are some of the standout features:
Customizable Templates
Rather than creating similar projects from scratch each time, you can create a project template and save it to Basecamp. It’s a great way to simplify workflows. You can also create to-do templates, which also saves time. Basecamp doesn’t include these templates, though.
Basecamp’s to-do list template creator and repository
Card Table
New to Basecamp is a Kanban-style board, but named Card Table. It has a slightly different visual than most Kanban boards, but it follows the same concept. Simply create a card and then move it along the stages until the work is complete.
An example of the Kanban-style card table with project cards in two columns
Guest/Client Access
Basecamp offers easy guest and client access, allowing users to invite external collaborators and clients to specific projects. Users can control access levels and permissions, ensuring that clients and collaborators only see what they need to see.
Boosts
As you complete work or post comments, others can react with emojis to celebrate goals and milestones you meet. These are known as Boosts and Basecamp will notify you anytime you get one. It’s a fun way to provide little bits of recognition as you complete tasks or a project.
Close-up of the Boosts notification screen
Basecamp Alternatives and How They Compare
Basecamp vs. Notion
When compared to Notion, Basecamp has a lower rating of 3.8 compared to Notion’s 4.5 out of 5. Notion offers a free plan and a paid plan starting at $8 per user per month, making it more affordable than Basecamp. However, Basecamp offers more communication features, such as in-app chat and direct messaging that are not available on Notion’s platform.
Basecamp vs. ClickUp
ClickUp offers a completely free plan, whereas Basecamp does not. Small teams that want to manage simple projects can use ClickUp’s free plan. ClickUp also offers more robust project management features, such as time tracking and custom fields, which are not available on Basecamp’s platform.
Basecamp vs. Trello
Compared to Trello, Basecamp has a slightly lower rating of 3.8 compared to Trello’s 4.3 out of 5. Trello offers a free plan, whereas Basecamp’s starting price is $15 per user per month. Trello is an excellent option for teams that prefer visual task management, but Basecamp offers more collaboration with its integrated communication tool set.
Learn more: See the top Basecamp alternatives or how it compares to Asana.
Featured Partners
1
monday.com
Yes
From $8 monthly per user
Zoom, LinkedIn, Adobe, Salesforce and more
2
HubSpot
Yes
Available
Google Contacts, Mailchimp, Xero, Aircall, Airtable and more
3
Smartsheet
Yes, for one user and two editors
$7 per user per month
Google Drive, Slack, Tableau, Miro, Zapier and more
4
ClickUp
Yes, for unlimited members
$7 per month
Slack, Microsoft Outlook, HubSpot, Salesforce, Timely, Google Drive and more
Who Is Basecamp Best For?
Basecamp is a project management tool that provides many features for teams of all sizes. Basecamp is the perfect tool for teams that need a central platform to manage projects, with its user-friendly interface, customizable templates and collaboration options. It’s also a great option for businesses that require real-time communication between team members and clients.
Basecamp’s role assignment features, timelines and Kanban-style board make it an ideal choice for project managers who need to delegate tasks, track progress and manage budgets effectively. Additionally, its customizable templates make it a great option for teams with unique workflows.
The menu of tools you can turn off or turn on for each project in Basecamp
Overall, Basecamp is a versatile project management tool that can cater to the needs of different teams and businesses. Its two pricing plans make it accessible to small and large teams alike, making it a great choice for startups, SMBs and enterprises. Startups will appreciate its per-user plan, and its Pro Unlimited plan is perfect for enterprise-level project management thanks to being able to have unlimited users and clients.
Our Expert Take
Overall, our experience with Basecamp has been positive. It’s easy-to-use project management software that is fairly intuitive to start using. If you want to track tasks, projects and conversations, it’s a great choice.
There are many missing features that would be key for a lot of businesses that require project management, and this is why it scores so low compared to other project management software. There are no built-in time tracking, billing or invoicing features, no Gantt charts without a third-party integration, budgeting tools or expense tracking features. There are dozens of integrations available, but most of them aren’t mainstream options.
Basecamp’s newest feature, the Card Table, is an answer to the previously missing Kanban-style board. The communication tools go above and beyond what its competitors do. And Basecamp can be an affordable option if you have a large team and can make use of the Pro Unlimited plan.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Basecamp best for?
Basecamp is the perfect project management and remote team collaboration for midsized businesses. It has flat-rate pricing and all its tools are available no matter which plan you have. To decide which plan is best for you, determine how many clients you have and your number of users. Its cheapest plan is for 10 or fewer users who don’t need to give client access, while the other two plans are for client access.
Why is Basecamp so popular?
Basecamp is an easy-to-use tool for remote teams. All the tools, communication and documents related to a project are segregated in one place, which makes it easy for team members to collaborate on a project.
Is Basecamp easy to use?
Basecamp has a very straightforward and intuitive interface. Everything related to a project―tasks, schedules, communication channels, documents and feedback―is available in a single unified interface. Its message board, group chat and automatic check-in features allow team members to work asynchronously in their own time without worrying about how it will affect the project’s progress.
Is Basecamp better than Asana?
Both Basecamp and Asana provide standard features to add efficiency when managing projects. Asana offers a customizable and scalable solution, with a variety of integrations and automations. On the other hand, Basecamp offers a turnkey solution with free and low-priced plans. Asana is best suited to larger companies and Basecamp is a better fit for freelancers, startups or small businesses. Read our Asana vs. Basecamp review to learn more.
