Wrike vs Smartsheet
A head-to-head comparison to help you pick the right tool
Last updated: September 14, 2026
Wrike is our recommended pick for most teams — marketing and creative teams needing enterprise project management with approvals and proofing.
Try Wrike →Read our full Wrike review →Wrike
Wrike is an enterprise-grade project management platform designed for marketing, creative, and professional services teams. It offers advanced features like request forms, proofing and approvals, and resource management alongside traditional project management tools. Wrike is used by over 20,000 companies including Google, Walmart, and Siemens.
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a work management platform that combines the familiarity of spreadsheets with powerful project management and collaboration features. It is widely used by enterprise teams for project tracking, resource management, and automated workflows. Smartsheet is particularly popular with teams comfortable with Excel who need more collaboration and automation capabilities.
Pros
- ✓Strong enterprise features including resource management and proofing
- ✓Highly customizable workflows and request forms
- ✓Excellent for marketing and creative teams managing complex approvals
- ✓Robust reporting and analytics
Cons
- ✗Expensive for small teams — free plan is very limited
- ✗Steep learning curve for full feature set
- ✗Interface can feel complex for simple project management
- ✗Some features only available on higher enterprise tiers
Pros
- ✓Familiar spreadsheet interface reduces learning curve for Excel users
- ✓Powerful automation and workflow capabilities
- ✓Strong enterprise security and compliance features
- ✓Excellent for managing large portfolios of projects
Cons
- ✗Pricing is higher than many competitors
- ✗Interface feels dated compared to modern tools
- ✗No free plan — 30-day trial only
- ✗Less intuitive for teams unfamiliar with spreadsheet-style tools
Wrike vs Smartsheet: Side by Side
| Factor | Wrike | Smartsheet |
|---|---|---|
| User Rating | 4.5/5 ★ | N/A |
| Category | Project Management | Project Management |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting Price | Free | $9/user/mo |
| Best For | Marketing and creative teams needing enterprise project management with approvals and proofing | Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation |
| Our Pick | 🏆 Recommended | — |
Wrike Features
- ✓Project planning
- ✓Gantt charts
- ✓request forms
- ✓proofing and approvals
- ✓resource management
- ✓time tracking
- ✓dashboards
- ✓automation
- ✓integrations
Smartsheet Features
- ✓Spreadsheet-style project management
- ✓Gantt charts
- ✓automation
- ✓dashboards
- ✓resource management
- ✓forms
- ✓integrations
- ✓reporting
- ✓enterprise security
Pricing Comparison
Wrike
FreemiumFree to start
Free: $0 · Starter: $40/mo · Business: $80/mo · Enterprise: custom
See full pricing →Best Use Cases
Wrike
- →Marketing teams managing campaigns and creative projects
- →Professional services firms tracking client deliverables
- →Enterprises needing advanced project management with reporting
Who Should NOT Use These Tools
Wrike is NOT ideal for:
- ✗Small teams wanting a simple task manager
- ✗Businesses with tight budgets
- ✗Teams that prefer Kanban-only workflows
Integrations
Wrike
Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Salesforce, Adobe Creative Cloud, Zoom, GitHub, Jira
Our Take
Choose Wrike if marketing and creative teams needing enterprise project management with approvals and proofing. Choose Smartsheet if enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation.
Best For
Marketing and creative teams needing enterprise project management with approvals and proofing
Best For
Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation
How Wrike and Smartsheet Are Similar
- •Both are Project Management platforms designed for business teams
- •Both offer web-based access with no software installation required
- •Both provide customer support and onboarding resources
- •Both integrate with popular third-party business tools
- •Both offer a trial or demo to evaluate before purchasing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Wrike and Smartsheet?
Wrike is best for marketing and creative teams needing enterprise project management with approvals and proofing. Smartsheet is best for enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation.
Which is better, Wrike or Smartsheet?
Choose Wrike if marketing and creative teams needing enterprise project management with approvals and proofing. Choose Smartsheet if enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation.
How much does Wrike cost?
Wrike starts at Free. Pricing model: Freemium.
How much does Smartsheet cost?
Smartsheet starts at $9/user/mo. Pricing model: Paid.
Who should use Wrike?
Marketing and creative teams needing enterprise project management with approvals and proofing
Who should use Smartsheet?
Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation