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Software · head to head

Asana vs KeystoneJS

Asana logo

Asana

Software

Manage your team's work, projects, & tasks online

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
KeystoneJS logo

KeystoneJS

Software

Powerful Node.js headless CMS framework and API platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Asana the free Personal tier is capped at 2 users, so it does not cover a small team; KeystoneJS database support is limited to PostgreSQL, MySQL and SQLite
  • They diverge on capability: Asana covers Multiple project views, KeystoneJS covers REST API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Asana and KeystoneJS actually diverge.

Attributes where Asana and KeystoneJS differ
AttributeAsanaKeystoneJS
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidNode.js, Self-hosted
Founded20082016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Asana

  • Multiple project views
  • Task dependencies
  • Milestones
  • Portfolios
  • Goals & OKRs
  • Workflow automation
  • Resource management
  • Reporting dashboards

Only in KeystoneJS

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Admin interface
  • Node.js
  • Next.js
  • React
  • Databases
  • Node.js support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Asana

  • Project planning & trackingnot KeystoneJS
  • Campaign managementnot KeystoneJS
  • Product launchesnot KeystoneJS
  • Event planningnot KeystoneJS
  • Agile & Scrum managementnot KeystoneJS

KeystoneJS

  • Building a headless CMS with a GraphQL API from a TypeScript schemanot Asana
  • Generating a configurable Admin UI for editorsnot Asana
  • Adding structured rich text content with the document fieldnot Asana

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Asana

  • The free Personal tier is capped at 2 users, so it does not cover a small team
  • Timeline and Gantt views, reporting dashboards and time tracking all require Starter at $10.99 per user per month
  • Portfolios, goals, workload management and approvals need Advanced at $24.99 per user per month
  • Salesforce, Tableau and Power BI integrations are Advanced or above
  • Monthly billing costs more, at $13.49 and $30.49 against the annual rates

KeystoneJS

  • Database support is limited to PostgreSQL, MySQL and SQLite
  • Keystone 5 is a separate legacy product documented on a different site and is not covered by the Keystone 6 docs
  • Upgrading requires following a dedicated Migrate to 8.0.0 guide, so major versions are not drop-in
  • Free support is a community Slack; enterprise-grade consulting and support is a separate paid engagement with Thinkmill and no published price

Pricing, plan by plan

Asana

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Asana review.

KeystoneJS

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full KeystoneJS
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Asana if

  • You need multiple project views.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want task dependencies.
Asana review

Choose KeystoneJS if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, Self-hosted.
  • You also want graphql api.
KeystoneJS review

Questions people ask

Is Asana or KeystoneJS better?
Neither clearly leads. Asana starts at Free and KeystoneJS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Asana or KeystoneJS?
Asana starts at Free and KeystoneJS at Free.
Does Asana or KeystoneJS run on more platforms?
Asana runs on Web, iOS, Android. KeystoneJS runs on Node.js, Self-hosted.
Can I use Asana for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Asana best used for?
Asana is most often used for project planning & tracking, campaign management, product launches, event planning. Of those, project planning & tracking and campaign management are not what KeystoneJS is typically brought in for.
What can Asana do that KeystoneJS cannot?
Asana covers Multiple project views, Task dependencies, Milestones, Portfolios. KeystoneJS covers REST API, GraphQL API, Admin interface, Node.js.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Asana: Does Asana have a free tier?

Yes. Asana offers a free Personal plan for up to 2 users, plus free trial access to paid plans.

Source
Asana: What is the starting price for Asana paid plans?

Asana Starter plan begins at $10.99 per user per month when billed annually, or $13.49 per user when billed monthly.

Source
Asana: Does Asana integrate with other work tools?

Yes. Asana offers 200+ integrations including Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Jira, and Zoom.

Source
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Related pages

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