Keeping up to date with your work, and staying on top of your deadlines, can be a daunting task in the modern world. Thankfully, this struggle hasn’t gone unnoticed. With a wide range of productivity, organization, and project management tools being developed over the last decade.
Two popular choices in this industry are Trello and Evernote. Both well-made pieces of software in their own right, with loyal userbases at their back. Today we’ll be looking more closely at both of them, and seeing how they compare to each other. With the intention of seeing which one is best suited for your needs.
What is Trello?
Trello is a project management tool that has risen in popularity significantly since its release. Designed around the Kanban project management system, created by Toyota in the 1950s, Trello uses a very simple ‘Card’ approach to tracking your projects, and keeping an eye on those deadlines.
The platform is a streamlined approach to providing its users with more control of their productivity, as well as keeping them informed at a glance. Using a highly effective color-coded system.
What is Evernote?
Evernote is a program designed to help you with note taking, organization, task management, and archiving. Keeping you up to date with the information that’s important, whilst also making sure to keep everything you need under one roof.
Being released all the way back in the early 2000s, Evernote has a long history of providing industry specific project management needs. That seniority has earned the platform a high amount of respect, and functionality, over its lifespan.
Trello Pros
Trello has become known as the minimalist success in the project management world. Let’s take a moment to look more closely at the benefits of the platform:
Extensive Notification System
Trello uses an extensive notification system, providing you with emails when important events take place in your board. By default, this will alert you when a deadline nears, a task is completed, or new cards are created. However, the notification system can be altered to fit your own personal needs.
Less Complex Pricing Structure – Extensive Free Plan
Trello takes a more honest approach to their pricing structure, compared to many other platforms out there. Providing a high value free plan that allows you to invite unlimited people to your boards, create cards, lists, track your deadlines, and upload attachments up to 10MB. Almost all of the features that make up Trello are included in the free plan.
There are two paid versions on top of this. Business Class and Trello Gold, costing roughly $25 per month. This will provide you with more administrator tools, and a higher attachment upload limit. However, that’s about it.
You could use Trello completely free, forever. A huge plus!
Simple and Effective UI Design
Trello’s UI is one of the best in the business, with a minimalist approach to providing organization and project management. Whilst it lacks a level of complexity, which can be thought of in the wrong light, it does not slouch in its functionality. It provides a clean, simply, and straight-forward approach to its design.
Allows You to Understand Instantly When A Deadline Nears
Trello is built around a card system, which helps you track your deadlines with ease. When you create a card, you will set a deadline to that card. When that deadline is not close, it will be green. When it begins to get closer, the card will turn yellow. When the deadline passes, it will turn red.
This means, at a glance, you can quickly judge where you need to work. There is no complicated system you need to understand, just look at the cards. This provides an incredible boost to your productivity and focus.
Supported, and Syncs, on All Devices
Trello is supported on mobile, as well as its native desktop client. As long as your operating system can use a web browser, it can run Trello. The app is available on iOS, Android, and Windows.
Regardless if you’re using the mobile app, or the desktop client, your Trello platform will sync seamlessly between them. Meaning you can work on the go, and return home to find the updates you made. A handy piece of functionality.
Trello follows the Kanban system
Trello is designed around the Kanban project management system, which was invented by Toyota in the 1950s. Designed to reveal bottlenecks in workflow, and optimize productivity. In practice, the Kanban system is a way of condensing complex project information into simple building blocks, and working on them that way.
It’s this core design philosophy that makes Trello such a power tool, and is attributed to its success in the project management field.
Evernote Pros
Evernote is a long-standing titan of the project management world. Let’s look more closely at the key benefits that the platform has to offer:
Extensive Word Processor & Note Taking Functionality
Evernote was built on the foundation of note taking, so it’s so surprising that the software excels in this department. Coming with an impressive native word processor, as well as a wide range of note taking features that make it a breeze to keep yourself organized.
Well Optimized Search Function
Out of all of the project management software on the market, Evernote has one of the best search functions there is. Providing accurate search results, using a wide range of metrics to help you narrow down your searches. If you are managing a large amount of information in Evernote, then searching for specifics will be quick and simple.
Evernote Works as a Contact Management Tool
Evernote has an impressive contact management feature. Allowing you to scan business cards, and store them for later. It can also match these business cards up to LinkedIn, which is a handy feature to keep in touch with people in the future.
Furthermore, it will keep these contacts in a separate contacts page. Meaning you can segregate your business contacts all through the Evernote platform itself.
Wide Range of Integrations
Evernote has the advantage of being on the project management scene for some time now. This means it can be integrated into a wide range of other programs, as well as supporting integrations into itself as well.
You’ll be hard pressed to find a mainstream professional program that can’t be integrated with Evernote. Meaning if you have any specific industry tools, or project management platforms that you use, Evernote can integrate!
Multi-Platform Support
Evernote is supported on all platforms. From a desktop client, to app clients on iOS, Android, and Windows. The app is well made, and easy to use. With no glaring issues that get in the way of its functionality.
Furthermore, no matter which platform you are using, Evernote will sync seamlessly across platforms. Meaning you can work on Evernote on the go, and find your work waiting for you when you get into the office.
Trello Cons
No software is perfect, and Trello is no exception! Let’s take a look at some of the drawbacks of the Trello platform:
No Road-Map Feature
Road mapping is an incredibly useful tool in project management. Helping you to plan ahead, and make sure you are meeting important productivity goals. Yet, despite how vital road mapping is to project management, you won’t find it in Trello. Often requiring you to use an off-site integration to gain the functionality.
Difficult to Handle Big Projects
Trello is simply not designed for larger projects. Whilst the platform excels at providing support for small-scale project management, it begins to buckle under the weight of larger projects.
There are not enough native features in Trello to help with large project management needs. For most who use Trello in a larger project application, they will simply integrate the software into another project management platform.
Trello Has A Storage Limit
Trello comes with some surprisingly restrictive upload limits. Free users can upload attachments of up to 10MB, whilst paid users can upload up to 250MB. For many industries that need to pass large files between themselves, this limitation is simply unworkable.
No Offline Access
One minor drawback of the Trello system is that is does not support offline viewing. This means if your internet goes down, you won’t be able to access your Trello board. Whilst, in the modern age, it’s rare we find ourselves without internet. It’s not entirely impossible, and could pose significant challenges for those that have vital information tracked on their Trello board.
No Comment Editing
When you create a card in Trello, you can attach a comment to it. This information is the vital life blood of the Trello system. Yet, once this card is written, you won’t be able to edit it whatsoever. Meaning if you need to make an adjustment to the comments, you’ll have to recreate the entire card from scratch. A slight annoyance that can cost you time.
Evernote Cons
Evernote is an expertly designed piece of software, but it’s not perfect. Let’s take a look at some of the areas that hold Evernote back:
No Native Tag Support
Despite Evernote’s extensive search function, it does lack in one key department. It does not have a tagging system, which can make things difficult to find at times. On top of this, you can’t tag notes with any special comments. Robbing you of a useful feature that could be easily implemented.
No Recording Options for Audio & Video
If you are talking to someone through Evernote, and wish to capture their audio or video or later, you’re out of luck. Whilst this is a minor feature, it can be useful in certain professional contexts to save conversations, meetings, or presentations for later review.
Organization Can Be Difficult
Evernote does excel at organization, however due to the legacy method of setting up its platform, it can often become cluttered and confusing. This will not be the case for everyone, as veteran Evernote users will be used to the platform’s setup by now.
However, for new users, this can be an extremely frustrating quality of the platform. Requiring you to learn a very old style of project organization.
Paid Options Are Almost Required
Evernote does provide a free plan for its platform. However, so much is held back under the paid plans that you are almost not getting the full picture when you use Evernote for free. This creates a situation where users need to invest into the platform, before they even know if Evernote will work for them.
Advantages that Trello Has Over Evernote
Let’s take a look at the advantages that Trello has over Evernote:
Easier to Use
Trello is a far easier platform to use than Evernote. With a professional execution of its platform’s design, it is possible for new users of Trello to quickly become acquainted with the platform’s design. With Evernote, you may need some time to adapt and learn before making the most of it.
Better Value Free Plan
Trello has one of the highest value free plans on the market, and it hardly compares to Evernote’s offering. With the majority of Trello being available upfront, it shows a significant amount of confidence in their product. As well as being generous to individuals and small teams who want to make the most of a Kanban project management platform.
Easier Collaboration
Trello is far easier to collaborate on than Evernote. Providing simple features that connect people together quickly, and engage them in the work that needs doing. Whilst there are lacking collaboration features in many areas, it is still highly effective.
Advantages that Evernote Has Over Trello
Let’s take a look at the advantages that Evernote has over Trello:
More Advanced Features
Overall, Evernote has significantly more advanced project management, organization, and corporate orientated features than Trello. Whilst this is by design, on Trello’s part, it does leave Evernote with a high level of functionality that senior project managers and professionals will appreciate.
Better Word Processor & Note Taking
Evernote has some of the best word processing, and note taking functionality in the business. Coming in with almost two decades of work behind it, Trello hardly compares to what Evernote brings to the table in this department.
More Integration Support
Evernote provides significantly more integration support than Trello. Whilst both platforms make an effort to integrate to a wide range of software, Evernote has the advantage of age. Meaning they have already worked with almost every software developer in the industry, making sure that Evernote can be used in all of the mainstream options.
As well as supporting these integrations into its own platform. Making Evernote a highly flexible platform that can quickly become unique, depending on your personal professional requirements.
Who Should Use Trello?
Trello is best suited for small teams, or individuals, looking to get a better handle on their project management. Whilst the program may struggle with larger project application, this simply isn’t a problem for a lot of us. If you need a space to keep track, collaborate, and stay productive, then you can’t go wrong with Trello.
Who Should Use Evernote?
Evernote is a very extensive piece of software, with a wide range of features under its belt. It can be used by just about anybody looking to become more organized in their professional work. However, there is a theme to Evernote’s features that sticks out. It is far more concerned with filling the needs of a corporate environment, than it is a small team or individual freelancer.
Which is Better for Project Management?
The answer to this will be very subjective, as it depends on your own personal needs. Evernote will excel at a more corporate project management setting, where you are required to keep your own personal affairs in strict order. Whilst Trello excels at bringing smaller teams together, and having them work effectively to a collective goal.
Which is Better for Collaboration?
Trello may take a minimalist approach in this department, yet despite this, it provides far more effective collaboration features than Evernote. Allowing teams to come together with ease, engage quickly with their project goals, and complete tasks with a few clicks of a button.
Which is Better for Note Taking?
Evernote, with its native word processor and focus on effective note taking, is far better in this department than Trello. With a wide range of features to help you keep your notes organized, and a word processor that is just as good as Microsoft Word, it’s almost no contest.
Pricing: Asana vs Trello
Asana Pricing
- FREE plan (Basic)
- Premium 10.99$
- Business 24.99$
- Enterprise (custom)
Trello Pricing
- FREE plan (Basic)
- Trello Gold 5$
Conclusion
Both Evernote and Trello are popular for good reason. Providing significant support for your project management, collaboration, organizational, and productivity needs. Whilst both programs come with their pros and their cons, each one is tailored towards more specific needs.
It’s no surprise that thousands of people all over the world swear by these programs. With some consideration for your own needs, you’ll be able to make an educated judgement on which one will meet your needs the best.
Want to read more about Notion and other tools like Trello, Asana, OneNote, Basecamp…?
Have a look at our Notion “vs” software reviews here:
