Basecamp vs Trello
Basecamp starts at $29/mo and Trello at $5/user/mo on annual billing — but seat minimums, user caps, tiers and billing terms decide the real bill. See it costed below.
Costed for three setups
| Setup | Basecamp | Trello | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small team · 3 users | $29/mo Freelancer | $15/mo Standard | Trello |
| Small team · 3 users (monthly billing) | $29/mo Freelancer | $18/mo Standard | Trello |
| Growing team · 10 users | $79/mo Pro | $50/mo Standard | Trello |
| Growing team · 10 users (monthly billing) | $79/mo Pro | $60/mo Standard | Trello |
| Company · 50 users | $199/mo Pro Unlimited | $250/mo Standard | Basecamp |
| Company · 50 users (monthly billing) | $329/mo Pro Unlimited | $300/mo Standard | Trello |
At a glance
| Feature | Basecamp | Trello |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing unit | Flat per account (no per-user fees) | Per user |
| Watch out for | Packages cap active projects (3, 8, 12) as well as users (5, 10, 15). | Free stops at 10 collaborators and 10 boards per Workspace. |
| Cheapest paid (annual) | $29/mo | $5/user/mo |
| Cheapest paid (monthly) | $29/mo | $6/user/mo |
| Entry plan includes | Freelancer: flat · up to 5 users | Standard: per user |
| Forever free | Yes | Yes |
| Trial | 30 days | Not listed |
| Add-ons | Extra 1 TB storage $50/mo on Pro Unlimited. | Atlassian Guard (SAML SSO) is a separate subscription from $4/user/mo (included on Enterprise). |
All plans
Basecamp
| Plan | Mo | Yr/mo | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | flat · up to 3 users |
| Freelancer | $29 | — | flat · up to 5 users |
| Pro | $79 | — | flat · up to 10 users |
| Pro Plus | $99 | — | flat · up to 15 users |
| Pro Unlimited | $329 | $199 | flat · unlimited users |
Trello
| Plan | Mo | Yr/mo | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | per user · max 10 |
| Standard | $6 | $5 | per user |
| Premium | $12.50 | $10 | per user |
| Enterprise | — | $17.50 | per user |
Gotchas
Basecamp
- Packages cap active projects (3, 8, 12) as well as users (5, 10, 15).
- Pro Unlimited is $199/mo only on annual billing — $329/mo monthly.
- Clients and guests: see the FAQ on the page for how they count.
Trello
- Free stops at 10 collaborators and 10 boards per Workspace.
- Enterprise is annual-only and the page estimates price by user count — larger teams get a quote.
- SSO needs Atlassian Guard ($4/user/mo) below Enterprise.
FAQ
Is Basecamp cheaper than Trello?
For 10 users, annual billing on paid plans: Basecamp $79/mo on Pro vs Trello $50/mo on Standard. The answer flips with team size, user caps and monthly vs annual billing — use the calculator on the project management hub for your exact team.
Do Basecamp and Trello have free plans?
Basecamp: Free: one project for personal use, 3 users max, 1 GB. Paid packages: 30-day free trial. Trello: Free plan: $0, free for up to 10 collaborators per Workspace.
How do Basecamp and Trello handle AI?
Basecamp: Bring your own AI agents (CLI access) plus official ChatGPT and Claude connectors with MCP support — no AI usage fee listed. Trello: AI features are included on Standard, Premium and Enterprise; there is no separate AI usage price on the page.