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startbuddi vs Trello: an honest comparison

Trello, from Atlassian, organises work as cards on boards and adds calendar, timeline and dashboard views on its Premium plan. startbuddi covers boards too, but puts projects, time, docs, chat and client portals in the same workspace as customers and invoices, which suits small service teams that run client work end to end.

We make startbuddi, so we're biased. We've tried to be fair: we list where Trello is stronger, every fact about Trello links to its source, and anything we couldn't confirm on their own site is marked "not published". Checked in September 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.
startbuddi

startbuddi is best for

Small service teams running client projects, time and invoices in one workspace

Trello logoTrello

Trello is best for

Teams that want simple kanban boards with add-ons for extra features

At a glance

Best for
startbuddiSmall service teams running client projects, time and invoices in one workspace
TrelloTeams that want simple kanban boards with add-ons for extra features
Free plan
startbuddiYes, the Free plan
TrelloYes, Free
First paid plan
startbuddiStarter, $29 a month
TrelloStandard, $5 USD per user per month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly)
Checked
startbuddiPrice book, October 2026
TrelloSeptember 2026

Where each one is stronger

The short version. Trello first, because it does some things better than we do.

Trello logoTrello is stronger at

Bigger free teamTrello Free allows up to 10 collaborators per Workspace, while startbuddi Free has 1 seat.
Power-UpsTrello says it integrates with more than 200 apps and tools, such as Slack, through Power-Ups.
Mobile appsTrello has iOS and Android apps on every plan; startbuddi is web only.
Custom fieldsTrello Standard adds custom fields on cards, which startbuddi projects do not offer yet.
Capture from other toolsthe Trello Inbox captures to-dos from email, Slack and Teams.

startbuddi is stronger at

Views without a higher tierboard, list, timeline and calendar views of tasks are part of Work rather than a Premium add.
Time tracking built instart a timer on a task, mark hours billable and see weekly timesheets for you or the team.
Clients, projects and invoices togethera project can be linked to a customer record, and its Budget tab pulls project expenses from Money Manager.
Client portals without seatsclients sign in with an email link to follow projects, approve deliverables, message you and see invoices (paid plans; Free can build and preview).
Contracts and e-signatures in Documents15 contract templates, plus signers and signature fields you place on the document before sending.

Feature by feature

Each Trello value links to where we found it. Anything their site doesn't state is marked "not published".

startbuddi and Trello, feature by feature
FeaturestartbuddiTrello
Kanban boards Yes YesSource (opens in a new tab)
Calendar view Yes Premium plan and upSource (opens in a new tab)
Timeline viewGantt timeline with dependencies in each project Yes Premium plan and upSource (opens in a new tab)
Dashboard viewWork reports and hand-built dashboards Yes Premium plan and upSource (opens in a new tab)
Custom fieldsNot in project settings yet No Standard plan and upSource (opens in a new tab)
AutomationsAutomations are locked on the Free plan Paid plans 250 runs a month on FreeSource (opens in a new tab)
Time trackingTimers, weekly timesheets, billable hours Yes Not statedSource (opens in a new tab)
Docs, contracts and e-signatures Yes Not statedSource (opens in a new tab)
Guests and client accessClient portals; Free can build and preview Paid plans Board guests from StandardSource (opens in a new tab)
Integrations Catalogue + Zapier 200+ via Power-UpsSource (opens in a new tab)
iOS and Android appsWeb app only; works in phone browsers No YesSource (opens in a new tab)
Free plan team size 1 seat Up to 10 collaboratorsSource (opens in a new tab)

What each one looks like

Real screens, captured by us or taken from the official press kit, each dated.

startbuddi: Projects
startbuddi · Projects. Captured from our own account, personal details blurred.
startbuddi: My work as a board
startbuddi · My work as a board. Captured from our own account, personal details blurred.
startbuddi: Goals and OKRs
startbuddi · Goals and OKRs. Captured from our own account, personal details blurred.

Trello's own screens are on Trello's website. We don't show another company's product without a dated capture from a trial or its press kit.

Pricing side by side

List prices as each company publishes them. We never convert currencies.

See startbuddi pricing

startbuddi

  • FreeFree
  • Starter$29 a month
  • Growth$79 a month
  • Scale$199 a month

Prices in US dollars, billed monthly. From our pricing page, updated 7 Oct 2026.

Trello logoTrello

Checked in September 2026. Check Trello's site for current plans.

Switching from Trello

What moving across involves.

  1. Export your boards from TrelloAny board member can export a board to JSON; Premium Workspaces can also export boards to CSV, which opens in a spreadsheet. Keep the file as your record of open cards.
  2. Set up projects in WorkThere is no Trello importer, so create each project from a template or blank and add open cards as tasks by hand, with owners and due dates.
  3. Recreate your automationsTrello automation rules do not carry over. Rebuild the ones you need in startbuddi Automations, which needs a paid plan.
  4. Invite your team and clientsInvite teammates, then share progress with clients through a client portal instead of adding them as board guests.

Sources

Checked in September 2026. startbuddi prices come from our own price book. Trello's website.

Questions people ask

Can I import my Trello boards into startbuddi?

Not directly. Trello exports boards as JSON on every plan and as CSV on Premium, and you add the open cards to startbuddi projects by hand or start from a project template.

Does startbuddi have a free plan?

Yes. The Free plan includes Work, Documents and Chat for one seat, with limits such as 3 documents and 1 whiteboard. Every paid plan comes with a 30-day trial.

Does startbuddi have a mobile app like Trello?

No. startbuddi is a web app that works in phone browsers, with no iOS or Android app. Trello has iOS and Android apps.

Is startbuddi just a Trello alternative?

It covers boards and tasks, and adds time tracking, docs, chat and client portals in the same workspace as customers and invoices. If you only need kanban boards, Trello may be enough.

Other comparisons

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Try startbuddi alongside Trello.

Start on the free plan with a copy of your contacts and see how it fits before you decide.

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Start with the one thing you need. The rest is there when you're ready.

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