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Project Management · head to head

Basecamp vs Kami

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

Project Management

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kami logo

Kami

Productivity

The ultimate document annotation and collaboration tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Kami the free Basic plan exposes only about 10 of the 40 or more tools
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Kami covers PDF annotation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Kami actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Kami differ
AttributeBasecampKami
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWebWeb, Chrome Extension, IOS, Android
CategoryProject ManagementProductivity
Founded20042013

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

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 Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

Only in Kami

  • PDF annotation
  • Drawing tools
  • Text tools
  • Voice comments
  • Text-to-speech
  • OCR
  • Split/merge PDFs
  • Video embedding

What people use each for

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

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Kami
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Kami
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Kami
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Kami

Kami

  • Free document collaboration for individualsnot Basecamp
  • Professional document management with advanced toolsnot Basecamp
  • Dedicated account management for workplace teamsnot Basecamp
  • K-12 and higher education document workflowsnot Basecamp

Where each one falls short

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

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

Kami

  • The free Basic plan exposes only about 10 of the 40 or more tools
  • Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas and Microsoft Teams integrations require the Teacher plan at $149 per year
  • School and district licensing including domain wide deployment is custom priced and requires a quote
  • Non education users pay separate Workplace plans at $85 or $220 per year rather than the education rate
  • A dedicated account manager is only available on the School or District plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Basecamp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 active project
    • 1 GB storage
    • 5 maximum users
  • Freelancer$25/month
    • 3 active projects
    • 5 GB storage
    • 20 maximum users
  • Studio$59/month
    • 10 active projects
    • 25 GB storage
    • Unlimited users
  • Pro$99/month
    • 25 active projects
    • 100 GB storage
    • Unlimited users

Kami

Free
  • Basic (Free)Free
    • 10+ essential tools
    • Google Drive and OneDrive integration
    • Unlimited collaborators
  • Pro$12/month
    • All 40+ tools and features
    • Unlimited pages and document types
    • Priority support
  • Work$25/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Free onboarding and training
    • Dedicated Account Manager
  • Teacher Plan$149/year
    • All 40+ tools and features
    • Full LMS integrations (Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, Teams)
    • Free onboarding and training

Which should you pick?

Choose Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.
Basecamp review

Choose Kami if

  • You need pdf annotation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome Extension, IOS, Android.
  • You also want drawing tools.
Kami review

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Kami better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Kami at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Kami?
Basecamp starts at Free and Kami at Free.
Does Basecamp or Kami run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Kami runs on Web, Chrome Extension, IOS, Android.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what Kami is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Kami cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Kami covers PDF annotation, Drawing tools, Text tools, Voice comments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Basecamp: Does Basecamp charge per user?

No, Studio tier and higher include unlimited users at no additional charge. The Free plan supports up to 5 users, and Freelancer supports up to 20 users.

Source
Kami: Does Kami offer a free plan and what does it include?

Yes, Kami's free Basic plan includes 10+ essential tools, unlimited collaborators, Google Drive/OneDrive integration, and 1,000+ templates. Full feature access requires Pro or higher tiers.

Source
Basecamp: How much storage does each Basecamp plan include?

Free includes 1 GB; Freelancer includes 5 GB; Studio includes 25 GB; Pro includes 100 GB; Unlimited includes 1 TB and can be expanded to 6 TB for an additional $100/month.

Source
Kami: What is the cheapest paid plan for Kami and what does it cost?

Pro plan is $12/month ($85/year when billed annually) and includes all 40+ tools, unlimited pages, and priority support for workplace users.

Source
Basecamp: What trial periods does Basecamp offer?

30-day free trial is available for all plans except Unlimited, which offers a 45-day free trial. No credit card required.

Source
Kami: Are there Kami plans designed specifically for educators?

Yes, the Teacher plan costs $149/year and includes all 40+ tools, full LMS integrations (Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, Teams), free onboarding, and priority support with a 30-day free trial.

Source
Kami: How much do Kami School or District plans cost?

School and District plans do not publish pricing and require contacting Kami for custom quotes. These plans include domain-wide deployment, dedicated account managers, and full LMS integrations.

Source
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