Wrike Review

ByObeydul Haque Reading Time: 7 minutes

Wrike, founded in 2006, is headquartered in San Jose, California, and serves a global user base across industries like marketing, IT, creative services, and professional services. Its primary goal is to provide a centralized platform where teams can plan, track, and manage projects efficiently. Wrike stands out for its flexibility, allowing businesses of all sizes—from startups to enterprises—to customize workflows and adapt the platform to their specific needs.

Wrike’s core offerings include task management, real-time collaboration, time tracking, reporting, and automation. It supports both Agile and Waterfall methodologies, making it suitable for diverse project management approaches. The platform integrates seamlessly with popular tools like Slack, Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, and Salesforce, enhancing its utility in complex tech ecosystems.

Key Features of Wrike

1. Task and Project Management

Wrike’s task management system is intuitive and robust. Users can create tasks, assign them to team members, set deadlines, and track progress in real time. Tasks can be organized into projects or folders, with options to create subtasks for granular control. The platform’s drag-and-drop interface simplifies task prioritization and scheduling.

Wrike’s Gantt charts and Kanban boards provide visual representations of project timelines and workflows. The Gantt chart feature is particularly useful for planning complex projects, as it displays dependencies and milestones clearly. Kanban boards, on the other hand, are ideal for Agile teams, enabling them to manage tasks through customizable stages like “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Completed.”

2. Real-Time Collaboration

Collaboration is at the heart of Wrike’s design. The platform supports real-time document editing, allowing team members to work on shared files simultaneously. Comments, @mentions, and threaded discussions ensure seamless communication within the context of specific tasks or projects. Wrike’s proofing and approval tools are especially valuable for creative teams, enabling stakeholders to review designs, videos, and documents directly within the platform.

3. Time Tracking and Reporting

Wrike’s built-in time tracking feature allows users to log hours spent on tasks, providing insights into productivity and resource allocation. Managers can generate detailed reports to analyze team performance, project progress, and budget utilization. Customizable dashboards display key metrics, such as task completion rates and overdue tasks, helping teams stay on top of their goals.

4. Automation and AI

Wrike leverages automation to reduce manual work. Users can create custom workflows with triggers and actions, such as automatically assigning tasks when a project reaches a certain stage. Wrike’s AI-powered Work Intelligence feature offers predictive insights, like identifying potential project risks or suggesting optimal task assignments based on team members’ workloads.

5. Mobile and Desktop Accessibility

Wrike offers dedicated apps for iOS and Android, ensuring users can manage tasks on the go. The mobile apps replicate most desktop functionalities, including task creation, commenting, and time tracking. The desktop interface is clean and user-friendly, with customizable views to suit individual preferences.

User Experience

Wrike’s user interface is modern and visually appealing, though it can feel overwhelming for new users due to the sheer number of features. The platform offers a guided onboarding process, including tutorials and templates, to help teams get started. However, mastering advanced features like custom workflows or reporting may require additional training, especially for non-technical users.

The platform’s flexibility is a double-edged sword. While it allows for extensive customization, setting up complex workflows or integrations can be time-consuming. Small teams with straightforward needs may find Wrike’s capabilities excessive, while larger organizations will appreciate its scalability.

Wrike’s customer support is a highlight, with 24/7 availability via email, phone, and live chat. The platform also maintains a comprehensive knowledge base with articles, videos, and webinars. Premium plans include dedicated account managers, which is a boon for enterprise users.

Pricing and Plans

Wrike offers a tiered pricing structure to cater to different user needs. Below is an overview of its plans as of April 2025:

  • Free Plan: Ideal for small teams, the free plan supports up to five users and includes basic task management, file sharing, and real-time activity streams. However, it lacks advanced features like Gantt charts, time tracking, and reporting.
  • Team Plan ($9.80 per user/month): Designed for growing teams, this plan includes interactive Gantt charts, dashboards, and integrations with tools like Microsoft Teams and Adobe Creative Cloud. It supports 2-25 users.
  • Business Plan ($24.80 per user/month): Aimed at mid-sized organizations, this plan adds custom fields, automation, and advanced reporting. It supports 5-200 users and is the most popular tier for its balance of features and cost.
  • Enterprise Plan (Custom pricing): Tailored for large organizations, this plan includes advanced security features, single sign-on (SSO), and custom access roles. It supports 5-1,000+ users.
  • Pinnacle Plan (Custom pricing): Geared toward creative and professional services teams, this plan offers advanced proofing, resource management, and budgeting tools.

Wrike provides a 14-day free trial for paid plans, allowing users to test premium features. While the pricing is competitive compared to alternatives like Asana and Monday.com, the cost can add up for larger teams, especially on higher-tier plans. Some users have noted that essential features, like time tracking, are locked behind more expensive plans, which may deter budget-conscious teams.

Integrations

Wrike’s extensive integration ecosystem is one of its strongest selling points. The platform connects with over 400 tools, including:

  • Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom
  • File Storage: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive
  • CRM and Marketing: Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo
  • Development: Jira, GitHub, Bitbucket
  • Creative Tools: Adobe Creative Cloud, MediaValet

Wrike’s API and Zapier integration enable custom connections with niche tools, making it adaptable to unique workflows. The seamless integration with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace enhances productivity by allowing users to access Wrike features within familiar environments.

Performance and Reliability

Wrike’s cloud-based infrastructure ensures high availability and minimal downtime. The platform uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) for hosting, providing robust security and scalability. Data is encrypted both in transit and at rest, and Wrike complies with GDPR, CCPA, and ISO 27001 standards.

In terms of performance, Wrike’s web and mobile apps are responsive, with quick load times even for large projects. However, some users have reported occasional lag when handling extensive dashboards or complex reports, particularly on lower-end devices. Regular updates and bug fixes demonstrate Wrike’s commitment to improving the platform.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Versatile Features: Comprehensive task management, collaboration, and reporting tools cater to diverse industries.
  • Scalability: Suitable for teams of all sizes, from startups to enterprises.
  • Extensive Integrations: Seamlessly connects with popular business tools.
  • Automation: Reduces manual work through custom workflows and AI-driven insights.
  • Strong Support: 24/7 customer service and a robust knowledge base.

Cons

  • Learning Curve: Advanced features may overwhelm new users.
  • Pricing: Higher-tier plans can be expensive for large teams, and some features are locked behind premium plans.
  • Complexity for Small Teams: May be overkill for teams with simple project management needs.
  • Occasional Lag: Minor performance issues with complex dashboards or reports.

Who Should Use Wrike?

Wrike is best suited for:

  • Mid-Sized to Large Teams: Organizations with complex projects and multiple stakeholders benefit from Wrike’s scalability and advanced features.
  • Creative and Marketing Teams: Proofing, approval, and creative tool integrations make Wrike ideal for content-driven workflows.
  • Agile and Hybrid Teams: Support for Kanban boards and Gantt charts accommodates various methodologies.
  • Tech-Savvy Users: Teams comfortable with customization and integrations will maximize Wrike’s potential.

Small teams or those with basic needs may find simpler alternatives like Trello or ClickUp more cost-effective. Similarly, businesses requiring niche project management features (e.g., construction or event planning) may need specialized tools.

Comparison with Competitors

Wrike vs. Asana

Asana is known for its simplicity and user-friendly interface, making it a strong choice for smaller teams. However, Wrike offers more advanced features like Gantt charts and time tracking at lower price points. Wrike’s automation and reporting capabilities also surpass Asana’s, though Asana’s free plan is more generous.

Wrike vs. Monday.com

Monday.com excels in visual project management and offers a highly customizable interface. Both platforms are feature-rich, but Wrike’s integrations and AI capabilities give it an edge for tech-heavy workflows. Monday.com’s pricing is slightly more flexible, with lower entry-level costs.

Wrike vs. Jira

Jira is tailored for software development teams, with deep Agile and DevOps integrations. Wrike, while supporting Agile methodologies, is more general-purpose and better suited for cross-functional teams. Jira’s learning curve is steeper, while Wrike balances complexity with accessibility.

Real-World Use Cases

Marketing Agency

A mid-sized marketing agency uses Wrike to manage client campaigns. The team creates tasks for content creation, social media scheduling, and client approvals, using Gantt charts to visualize campaign timelines. Proofing tools streamline creative reviews, and integrations with HubSpot and Google Drive ensure seamless data flow. The agency’s leadership uses Wrike’s reports to track billable hours and campaign performance.

IT Department

An enterprise IT department leverages Wrike for software development and infrastructure projects. Kanban boards track development sprints, while automation assigns tasks based on developer availability. Integration with Jira and GitHub aligns Wrike with the team’s existing tools, and custom dashboards provide visibility into project status for stakeholders.

Creative Studio

A creative studio uses Wrike’s Pinnacle plan for video production. The team collaborates on storyboards and edits within Wrike, using proofing tools to gather client feedback. Time tracking ensures projects stay within budget, and the Adobe Creative Cloud integration streamlines asset management.

Conclusion

Wrike is a powerful and versatile project management platform that excels in flexibility, collaboration, and integrations. Its robust feature set, including task management, automation, and reporting, makes it a top choice for mid-sized to large teams with complex workflows. While the learning curve and pricing may deter smaller teams, Wrike’s scalability and customization options ensure it meets the needs of diverse industries.

For teams seeking a comprehensive solution to manage projects, collaborate in real time, and integrate with their tech stack, Wrike is a worthy investment. The 14-day free trial offers a risk-free way to explore its capabilities, and the free plan is a solid starting point for small teams. As businesses continue to navigate the challenges of remote work and distributed teams, Wrike’s cloud-based, feature-rich platform positions it as a leader in the project management space.

I (plan to) write about business, finance, SEO, WordPress, and whatever else interests me. You might find those interesting too. For now, find me on Twitter/ X.