Trello
by Atlassian Inc.
Visual kanban board tool with Butler automation for rule-based task management and team workflows. Trello is a visual kanban-based project management tool launched in 2011 by Fog Creek Software (now Glitch). Atlassian acquired Trello in 2017 for $425 million.
Performance Scores
2 rankings evaluated
Score range: 7.2 – 7.4
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#5Best Project Management Automation Tools in 2026
Score: 7.2 · Best for: Small teams and individuals wanting simple Kanban-based automation
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#5Best Project Management Automation Tools in 2026
Score: 7.4 · Best for: Small teams and individuals needing simple Kanban-based task management with basic automation
Key Facts
pricing
| Attribute | Value | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing (June 2026) | Per-user pricing (annual) unchanged in June 2026: Free (10 collaborators, 250 Butler runs/mo), Standard $5, Premium $10, Enterprise $17.50; monthly Standard $6 and Premium $12.50. | Jun 2026 | Trello official pricing page |
| AI features (2026) | 2026 added Atlassian Intelligence to paid tiers: AI-powered quick capture on Standard and AI content generation on Premium, bundled rather than billed separately. | Jun 2026 | Trello official pricing page |
General
| Attribute | Value | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2011 | May 2026 | Trello |
| Acquisition | Acquired by Atlassian in 2017 for $425 million | May 2026 | Atlassian |
| Registered Users | 50+ million registered users | May 2026 | Trello |
| Butler Automation | Butler: rules, card/board buttons, scheduled + due date commands | May 2026 | Trello |
| Free Tier | Free: unlimited cards, 10 boards, 250 Butler runs/mo | May 2026 | Trello |
| Standard Plan | $5/user/month (Standard plan) | May 2026 | Trello |
| Power-Ups | Power-Ups: Slack, Google Drive, Jira, GitHub, Dropbox, etc. | May 2026 | Trello |
| Parent Company | Part of Atlassian ecosystem ($4.36B FY2024 revenue) | May 2026 | Atlassian 10-K |
Strengths
- ●Butler automation available on all plans including Free
- ●Simplest onboarding curve among PM automation tools
- ●Power-Ups extend functionality with 200+ integrations
- ●Productive within 1 day — lowest learning curve of any PM tool evaluated
- ●Free plan with unlimited cards and 10 boards per workspace
- ●Butler automation uses natural language for rule creation
- ●Standard plan at $6/user/month is among the most affordable
Limitations
- ●Limited to Kanban-centric workflows; no native Gantt or timeline view
- ●Less capable for complex multi-project management scenarios
- ●Butler automation is less flexible than Monday.com or Asana rules engines
- ●No native Gantt chart, time tracking, or resource management without Power-Ups
- ●Board-based structure scales poorly for complex, multi-phase projects
Based on evaluations in 2 rankings: Best Project Management Automation Tools in 2026, Best Project Management Automation Tools in 2026
About Trello
Trello is a visual kanban-based project management tool launched in 2011 by Fog Creek Software (now Glitch). Atlassian acquired Trello in 2017 for $425 million. As of April 2026, Trello reports 50+ million registered users and is part of the Atlassian ecosystem ($4.36 billion FY2024 revenue).
Butler automation (built into Trello since 2019) provides five automation types: rules (trigger+action that fire automatically), card buttons (one-click actions on individual cards), board buttons (one-click actions across a board), scheduled commands (run at specified times — daily, weekly, monthly), and due date commands (fire relative to card due dates). Example automations include: when a card is moved to "Done," mark the due date as complete, add a comment, and move to archive; every Monday at 9 AM, create a new card in the "To Do" list with a checklist. The free plan includes unlimited cards, up to 10 boards per workspace, and 250 Butler command runs per workspace per month. Standard plan ($5/user/month) provides unlimited boards, advanced checklists, custom fields, and 1,000 command runs per month. Premium plan ($10/user/month) adds dashboard view, timeline view, map view, calendar view, and unlimited command runs. Enterprise plan ($17.50/user/month) includes organization-wide permissions and multi-board guest access.
Trello connects to external tools through Power-Ups (integrations). Popular Power-Ups include Slack, Google Drive, Jira, Confluence, GitHub, Dropbox, Evernote, and Salesforce. The Trello REST API enables custom integrations and webhook-based automation.
Integrations (8)
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Questions About Trello
Basecamp vs Asana: which is better for team collaboration in 2026?
Basecamp is a flat-rate collaboration suite at $349/month for unlimited users, ideal for teams above 25 people that prefer opinionated tooling. Asana is per-user workflow software at $13.49-30.49/user/month with multiple views, custom rules, and portfolios, suited to teams needing configurability.
Can you automate Trello boards?
Yes. Trello includes Butler, a built-in automation system that supports rules, card buttons, board buttons, calendar commands, and due date commands. Butler is available on all Trello plans, including the free plan with limited automation runs.
What is Trello and what is it used for?
Trello is a visual project management tool based on Kanban boards, developed by Fog Creek Software in 2011 and acquired by Atlassian in 2017 for $425 million. It uses boards, lists, and cards to organize tasks visually. Over 50 million registered users have signed up as of 2026.
How to automate Trello boards with Butler
Trello Butler is a built-in automation tool. Open a board, click "Automation" in the top menu, and create rules (trigger + action), scheduled commands (time-based), or card/board buttons (manual triggers). Butler is available on all Trello plans with usage limits.
Learn More
Basecamp vs Asana 2026: Flat-Rate Collaboration vs Per-User Workflow
Basecamp (1999) is a flat-rate collaboration suite at $349/month unlimited users with built-in chat, docs, and to-dos. Asana (2008) is per-user workflow software at $13.49-30.49/user/month with multiple views and a rules engine. This 2026 comparison covers pricing, philosophy, integrations, and which tool fits which team size.
Trello vs Asana: Complete Comparison (2026)
A comparison of Trello and Asana for project management in 2026. Trello offers Kanban-first simplicity with Butler automation at $6-12.50/user/month. Asana provides multi-view structured workflows with unlimited rules at $13.49-30.49/user/month. Includes pricing for 15-person teams and migration data.