Softwr

Project Management · head to head

Basecamp vs Paymo

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

Project Management

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paymo logo

Paymo

Project Management

Work & project management for teams

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; Paymo every advertised price rises after 3 months, with Plus going from $10.90 to $15.90 per user and Pro from $16.90 to $23.90
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Paymo covers Task management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Paymo actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Paymo differ
AttributeBasecampPaymo
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
Founded20042008

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 Paymo

  • Task management
  • Time tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Gantt charts
  • Resource scheduling
  • Google Workspace
  • SSL encryption
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Zapier

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

Paymo

  • Time tracking for freelancersnot Basecamp
  • Project management for small teamsnot Basecamp
  • Invoice generation and client managementnot 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

Paymo

  • Every advertised price rises after 3 months, with Plus going from $10.90 to $15.90 per user and Pro from $16.90 to $23.90
  • The free plan allows 1 user, 1 client and 2 projects
  • The Solo plan is still capped at 3 clients and 5 projects
  • Gantt charts, task dependencies and scheduling require the Plus plan
  • Integrations are excluded from both the free and Solo plans

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

Paymo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 user
    • unlimited time tracking
    • unlimited invoices
  • Solo$5.9/month
    • 1 user
    • flat rate/retainer projects
    • 3 clients
  • Plus$10.9/month
    • unlimited users
    • spreadsheet view
    • recurring tasks
  • Pro$16.9/month
    • unlimited users
    • Gantt charts
    • task dependencies

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 Paymo if

  • You need task management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want time tracking.
Paymo review

Questions people ask

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

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
Paymo: What is the storage limit by plan?

Free: 1GB, Solo: 5GB, Plus: 50GB, Pro: 500GB.

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
Paymo: Can I use Paymo with multiple users on the Free plan?

No, Free and Solo plans are limited to 1 user only. You need Plus or Pro for multiple 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
Paymo: What happens after the promotional pricing period ends?

Regular prices apply: Solo $9.90/month, Plus $15.90/user/month, Pro $23.90/user/month.

Source
Paymo: Is there a discount for annual billing?

Yes, annual payment offers up to 40% discount compared to monthly billing.

Source
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