Smartsheet Review: Pros, Cons, Features and Pricing
Smartsheet is a marketing workflow software that helps teams manage projects and collaborate efficiently. It's ideal for marketing departments, project managers, and creative teams in industries like advertising and digital marketing. Smartsheet offers easy-to-use tools for managing complex workflows and improving team productivity.
Smartsheet addresses issues like project visibility and team collaboration for marketing teams and project managers. In this article, I'll cover Smartsheet's features, pros and cons, use cases, pricing, etc., so you can decide if this software aligns with your marketing management needs and goals.
Smartsheet Evaluation Summary
- From $9/member/month (billed annually)
- Free trial + free demo available
Why Trust Our Software Reviews
Smartsheet Overview
In my opinion, Smartsheet is a solid choice for teams needing a flexible marketing workflow platform. Its spreadsheet-like interface offers powerful features, though it might feel outdated compared to more intuitive tools. Smartsheet excels in integrations and handling complex projects, making it great for project managers and marketing departments dealing with extensive data or requiring advanced reporting.
However, the onboarding process could be smoother, and its pricing might not suit smaller teams. If you're looking to compare, other tools might offer sleeker interfaces, but Smartsheet's functionality and scalability can be hard to match for those who value depth over aesthetics.
pros
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It offers extensive customization options for tailoring workflows to your needs.
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The spreadsheet-like interface makes it easy for your team to adopt.
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You can manage complex projects with ease using its powerful project management tools.
cons
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It lacks some intuitive features found in other marketing workflow tools.
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The learning curve can be steep if you're new to project management software.
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Your team might find the interface feels outdated compared to newer tools.
How We Test & Score Tools
We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection and what makes a tool effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.
Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across seven criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.
Core Functionality (25% of final scoring)
The starting point of our evaluation is always the core functionality of the tool. Does it have the basic features and functions that a user would expect to see? Are any of those core features locked to higher-tiered pricing plans? At its core, we expect a tool to stand up against the baseline capabilities of its competitors.
Standout Features (25% of final scoring)
Next, we evaluate uncommon standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality typically found in tools of its kind. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.
We also evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.
Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)
We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the tool. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.
Onboarding (10% of final scoring)
We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use a tool with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the tool with no experience. High scoring solutions indicate little or no support is required.
Customer Support (10% of final scoring)
We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Tools and companies that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.
Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)
Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the tool again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.
Value for Money (10% of final scoring)
Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.
Core Features
Task Management
You can easily create, assign, and track tasks, ensuring your team stays on top of deadlines. This feature helps you manage workloads and prioritize effectively.
Gantt Charts
Smartsheet's Gantt charts let you visualize project timelines and dependencies at a glance. They help you plan and adjust project schedules with ease.
Dashboards
With dashboards, you get a real-time overview of project status and metrics. They keep your team informed and aligned with project goals.
Automation
Automate repetitive tasks to save time and reduce errors in your workflows. This feature allows you to focus on more strategic activities.
Reporting
Generate detailed reports to analyze progress and performance across projects. This helps you make informed decisions based on data insights.
Collaboration Tools
Smartsheet's collaboration tools let your team communicate and share files within the platform. This feature enhances team coordination and reduces email overload.
Ease of Use
Smartsheet's ease of use can be a mixed bag for your team. The spreadsheet-like interface offers familiarity, but it can feel clunky compared to more modern tools. While its extensive features provide depth, new users might find the learning curve steep. Once you get past the initial setup, you’ll likely appreciate its powerful project management capabilities. However, if your team prefers intuitive and sleek interfaces, Smartsheet might not be the best fit.
Integrations
Smartsheet integrates with Microsoft Teams, Slack, Adobe Creative Cloud, Power BI, Tableau, Salesforce, Jira, Power Automate, Zapier, and Google Workspace. Smartsheet also offers an API and connects with third-party integration tools to further extend its capabilities.
Smartsheet Specs
- API
- Batch Permissions & Access
- Budgeting
- Calendar Management
- Collaboration Support
- Contact Management
- Contact Sharing
- Customer Management
- Dashboard
- Dashboards
- Data Export
- Data Import
- Data Visualization
- Dependency Tracking
- Document Sharing
- Expense Tracking
- External Integrations
- File Sharing
- Gantt Charts
- Kanban Boards
- Multi-User
- Notifications
- Project Management
- Resource Management
- Scheduling
- Task Scheduling/Tracking
- Third-Party Plugins/Add-Ons
- Time Management
- Travel Management
- Workflow Management
