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Project Management · head to head

Basecamp vs Hive

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

Project Management

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hive logo

Hive

Project Management

Project management built for speed

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; Hive the free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Hive covers Tasks.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Hive actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Hive differ
AttributeBasecampHive
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
Founded20042015

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

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 Hive

  • Tasks
  • Gantt view
  • Kanban
  • Time tracking
  • Forms
  • Zoom
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox

Both cover

  • Slack

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

Hive

  • Project and task management with multiple project viewsnot Basecamp
  • Coordinating work, proofing and resourcing for teamsnot 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

Hive

  • The free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage
  • The Starter plan at $5 per user per month is limited to 10 projects
  • Eight capabilities are sold as $5 per user add ons on the Teams plan, including CRM, timesheets, proofing, resourcing, advanced dashboards, external users and SSO
  • Buying SSO plus a few of those add ons therefore costs more than the $12 base seat itself
  • AI credits are metered monthly at 1,000, 3,000 and 5,000 by 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

Hive

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1,000 AI credits per month
    • 200MB storage
    • Up to 10 workspace members
  • Starter$5/month
    • 3,000 AI credits per month
    • Unlimited storage
    • Up to 10 projects
  • Teams$12/month
    • 5,000 AI credits per month
    • Unlimited workspace members
    • Custom fields

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 Hive if

  • You need tasks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want gantt view.
Hive review

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Hive better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Hive at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Hive?
Basecamp starts at Free and Hive at Free.
Does Basecamp or Hive run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Hive runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
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 Hive is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Hive cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Hive covers Tasks, Gantt view, Kanban, Time tracking. Both handle Slack.

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
Hive: Is Hive free?

Hive offers a free plan with 1,000 AI credits per month, 200MB storage, and support for up to 10 workspace members. Paid plans start at $5 per user per month.

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
Hive: Does Hive offer annual billing discounts?

Hive offers 33% savings when choosing annual billing instead of monthly. Annual commitment discounts are available across all plan tiers.

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
Hive: What are Hive's add-on pricing options?

Optional add-ons are available at $5 per month each, including CRM, Finance, Proofing & Approvals, Timesheets, and Team Resourcing features.

Source
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