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Project Management · head to head

Podio vs Zoho Projects

Podio logo

Podio

Project Management

The flexible team collaboration platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Projects logo

Zoho Projects

Project Management

Project management software for smart teams

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Podio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Podio the free plan stops at 5 users and 100 items across the whole organisation; Zoho Projects the free plan allows 5 users, 3 projects and 5 GB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: Podio covers Workspaces, Zoho Projects covers Gantt charts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Podio and Zoho Projects actually diverge.

Attributes where Podio and Zoho Projects differ
AttributePodioZoho Projects
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierYesNo
Founded20091996

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Podio

  • Workspaces
  • Apps
  • Workflows
  • Calendar
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • Zapier
  • SSL

Only in Zoho Projects

  • Gantt charts
  • Time tracking
  • Kanban
  • Blueprints
  • Zoho CRM
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Google Workspace
  • SOC 2

Both cover

  • Tasks
  • Slack
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Podio

  • Building custom workspaces and apps without codenot Zoho Projects
  • Project and task management for a small teamnot Zoho Projects
  • Client collaboration with external users on the paid plansnot Zoho Projects
  • Simple workflow automation between appsnot Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects

  • Project planning, task tracking and time logging for teamsnot Podio
  • Running projects alongside other Zoho business applicationsnot Podio

Where each one falls short

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

Podio

  • The free plan stops at 5 users and 100 items across the whole organisation
  • Workflow automation is capped at 25,000 actions a month even on Premium at $19.20 per user
  • API access is a paid add-on from $23 a month, and higher call rates run to $159
  • Extra automation is billed separately, from $39 up to $559 a month
  • Visual reports, email integrations and PDF generation all require Premium

Zoho Projects

  • The free plan allows 5 users, 3 projects and 5 GB of storage
  • Custom profiles, roles and fields require the Enterprise plan
  • Read only users are rationed by tier, at 10 on Enterprise and 100 on Ultimate
  • Ultimate allocates storage per user with a 150 GB organisation minimum, so small teams pay for capacity they cannot use
  • The pricing page does not display per user costs for any paid tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Podio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 5 users
    • 100 items maximum per organization
    • Basic task management
  • Plus$11.2/per user/month
    • $14/user/month monthly
    • Unlimited items
    • Task automation
  • Premium$19.2/per user/month
    • $24/user/month monthly
    • Advanced automation with 25,000 actions/month
    • Enhanced API

Zoho Projects

On request
  • FreeFree
    • 3 users
    • 2 projects
    • Basic features
  • Premium$5/month
    • 50 users
    • Unlimited projects
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

Choose Podio if

  • You need workspaces.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want apps.
Podio review

Choose Zoho Projects if

  • You need gantt charts.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time tracking.
Zoho Projects review

Questions people ask

Is Podio or Zoho Projects better?
Neither clearly leads. Podio starts at Free and Zoho Projects at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Podio or Zoho Projects?
Podio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Podio and On request for Zoho Projects.
Does Podio or Zoho Projects run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Podio for free?
Yes. Podio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zoho Projects starts at On request.
What is Podio best used for?
Podio is most often used for building custom workspaces and apps without code, project and task management for a small team, client collaboration with external users on the paid plans, simple workflow automation between apps. Of those, building custom workspaces and apps without code and project and task management for a small team are not what Zoho Projects is typically brought in for.
What can Podio do that Zoho Projects cannot?
Podio covers Workspaces, Apps, Workflows, Calendar. Zoho Projects covers Gantt charts, Time tracking, Kanban, Blueprints. Both handle Tasks, Slack, GDPR, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Podio: How much does Podio cost?

Podio offers a free plan with up to 5 users and 100 items limit. Paid tiers start at $11.20/user/month (annual) or $14/user/month (monthly) for Plus, and $19.20/user/month (annual) or $24/user/month (monthly) for Premium.

Source
Zoho Projects: Do I need to provide a credit card to start?

No, Zoho Projects doesn't require credit card information during signup. You begin with the free plan and can upgrade whenever you choose.

Source
Podio: Is Podio free?

Podio offers a free plan for up to 5 users with basic task management features and a maximum of 100 items per organization. Paid plans are required for more users or items.

Source
Zoho Projects: Are there long-term contracts required?

No, licenses are not contract-based. You may cancel your account at any time.

Source
Podio: What limits are on Podio's free plan?

The free plan supports up to 5 users and stores a maximum of 100 items per organization. API calls are limited to 1,000 per hour on the base tier.

Source
Zoho Projects: What happens to my data if I downgrade?

Your data remains safe when downgrading. You simply lose access to higher-tier features. Data becomes accessible again if you upgrade later. Downgrading to the free plan limits you to two projects with restricted functionality.

Source
Zoho Projects: What security measures does Zoho use?

Zoho emphasizes 24/7 monitoring, biometric access controls, and the latest encryption and intrusion detection/prevention technologies.

Source
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