Which has the more generous free plan for a growing team?

SmartTask Free Forever lists unlimited tasks, users and projects. Hive Free lists unlimited tasks but caps workspaces at 10 members and includes 200MB of storage.

How much do SmartTask and Hive cost to start paying for?

SmartTask Premium starts at $6 per user per month, billed yearly. Hive Starter is listed at $5 per user per month. Features needed on higher plans or as add-ons change the total cost.

Can clients collaborate in either product?

SmartTask offers a client portal and unlimited free guests. Hive offers external-user access as an add-on.

Does Hive have CRM like SmartTask?

Both have CRM capabilities. SmartTask lists contacts, a deal pipeline and email; Hive offers CRM as an optional add-on.

Which plan includes time tracking and portfolios?

SmartTask lists time tracking and portfolios on Business. Hive lists both on Teams; its separate timesheets feature is an add-on.

Which is better suited to creative review and approvals?

Hive offers a proofing and approvals add-on for reviewing documents and creative work. SmartTask focuses its published client-facing tools on a client portal and guest collaboration.

Do SmartTask and Hive have AI features?

SmartTask lists AI Agents on Premium. Hive Free includes 1,000 AI credits per month, and Starter lists an AI Assistant.

Can I use SmartTask and Hive outside a browser?

Both publish Windows, Mac, iOS and Android app availability alongside browser access.

SmartTask vs Hive

SmartTask is the better fit for teams delivering client projects that need a client portal and unlimited free guests; Hive suits teams that want collaborative project work, AI credits and optional proofing tools. Both combine project management with chat, time tracking and CRM capabilities, but their free-plan limits and paid-feature packaging differ.

Last updated November 4, 2026.

At a glance

SmartTask compared with Hive, one row per dimension
Dimension	SmartTask	Hive
Free-plan limits	Unlimited tasks, users, and projects	10 members, unlimited tasks, 200MB storage
Paid starting price	Premium $6 per user/month, billed yearly	Starter $5 per user/month
Client collaboration	Client portal and unlimited free guests	External-user add-on
CRM	Contacts, deal pipeline, and email	Optional CRM add-on
Project finances	Project budgeting on Business	Optional Finance add-on
Time tracking	Business plan	Teams plan
Project portfolios	Portfolios on Business	Portfolios on Teams
Resource planning	Workload and capacity planning	Optional team-resourcing add-on
AI	AI Agents on Premium	1,000 AI credits/month on Free
Integrations	App integrations, Zapier, and API	App integrations, Zapier, and Enterprise API
Platforms	Browser, Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android	Browser, Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
Enterprise support	Customer Success Manager	Dedicated Customer Success Manager

Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.

Which should you choose?

Choose SmartTask if

Teams sharing project progress through a client portal
Businesses inviting many clients as free guests
Groups needing unlimited users and projects on a free plan
Client delivery teams combining deals, resources and budgets

See SmartTask — 20% CASHBACK

Choose Hive if

Teams using collaborative notes and native chat
Small groups wanting a Gantt view on Starter
Creative teams needing optional proofing and approvals
Teams seeking AI credits on a free plan

See Hive — 20% CASHBACK

The verdict

Pick SmartTask when clients need regular access to project work, or when an unlimited-user free plan matters. Pick Hive when your team needs collaborative notes, Gantt views on its entry-level paid plan, or proofing and approvals as an add-on. Compare the plans that contain your required features: SmartTask puts budgeting, time tracking and portfolios on Business, while Hive puts time tracking and portfolios on Teams and offers several specialist tools as add-ons.