The project management software market reached £7.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit £33 billion by 2033. For marketing agencies, the right PM tool isn't just about task management—it's about profitability. According to recent industry research, nearly 50% of agencies cite time tracking as their biggest operational pain point, directly impacting their ability to bill accurately and forecast capacity.
The best project management tools for marketing agencies in 2026 are Monday.com, ClickUp, and Asana—all offering native HubSpot integration and AI-powered automation that saves agencies an average of 498 hours per employee annually. Whitehat recommends ClickUp for value-conscious agencies and Teamwork for those requiring advanced client billing features.
Yet only 23% of organisations currently use dedicated PM software, despite evidence that high-performing projects are 77% more likely to use project management platforms. The gap represents both a challenge and an opportunity: agencies that implement the right tools gain significant competitive advantage.
This guide examines which project management tools work best for marketing agencies—particularly those using HubSpot for their marketing automation. We've evaluated 15 leading platforms based on HubSpot integration quality, AI capabilities, agency-specific features, and real-world pricing.
Generic project management tools often fall short for marketing agencies because they don't account for the unique operational challenges agencies face: managing multiple clients simultaneously, tracking billable hours across diverse project types, and maintaining profitability visibility on retainer work.
The financial stakes are substantial. Research from the Project Management Institute indicates that £1.6 million is wasted every 20 seconds globally due to poor project management practices—approximately £1.6 trillion annually. For agencies specifically, AgencyAnalytics' 2024 research found that 42% of agencies reclaimed 5-10 billable hours per week after implementing AI-enhanced project management tools.
The critical features marketing agencies need include time tracking with billable rate management, client portal access for approvals and feedback, resource capacity planning to prevent burnout, creative proofing workflows for design assets, and integration with CRM platforms like HubSpot to connect project delivery with sales pipeline data.
The following comparison evaluates leading PM tools across the criteria that matter most to HubSpot-using marketing agencies: native integration quality, AI automation capabilities, and agency-specific functionality.
| Tool | Starting Price | HubSpot Integration | AI Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday.com | £7/user/month | ✅ Native (9K+ installs) | ✅ monday AI, Digital Workforce | Visual campaign management |
| ClickUp | £5.50/user/month | ✅ Native (7K+ installs) | ✅ ClickUp Brain (most comprehensive) | All-in-one value |
| Asana | £9/user/month | ✅ Native (10K+ installs) | ✅ Asana Intelligence, AI Studio | Enterprise marketing teams |
| Teamwork | £9/user/month | ✅ Native (700+ installs) | ⚠️ Basic AI features | Client billing and retainers |
| Wrike | £8/user/month | ✅ Native (paid add-on) | ✅ Work Intelligence, Copilot | Creative proofing workflows |
| Notion | £8/user/month | ❌ Zapier only | ✅ Notion AI + Agents | Content teams and wikis |
| Basecamp | £80/month flat | ❌ Zapier only | ❌ No AI features | Simple team communication |
For marketing agencies using HubSpot, native integration quality directly impacts operational efficiency. A well-implemented integration connects your sales pipeline to project delivery, enabling automatic project creation when deals close and providing attribution visibility across the client lifecycle.
Based on Whitehat's analysis of HubSpot marketplace data and client implementations, the strongest native integrations by installation count and feature depth are Asana with over 10,000 installs offering two-way sync and workflow triggers, Monday.com with 9,000+ installs providing Data Sync capabilities, and ClickUp with 7,000+ installs and a rapidly expanding feature set.
For agencies specifically, Teamwork stands out despite its smaller install base (700+) because it offers the most sophisticated deals-to-projects automation workflow—critical for agencies wanting to eliminate manual handoff between sales and delivery teams. Scoro provides real-time financial sync for agencies prioritising profitability tracking.
Notably, popular tools like Notion, Basecamp, and Float lack native HubSpot integration entirely, requiring Zapier or Unito middleware that adds cost, complexity, and potential sync failures. For HubSpot-centric agencies, Whitehat recommends prioritising tools with native integration to maintain data integrity and reduce administrative overhead. Learn more about getting the most from your HubSpot investment.
Artificial intelligence has become the defining differentiator in project management software for 2026. Gartner predicts that 80% of traditional project management tasks will be automated by 2030—a dramatic shift that's already reshaping agency operations. Early AI adopters report 61% of projects completed on time, compared to just 47% for agencies yet to implement AI-enhanced tools.
The leading AI implementations vary significantly in capability and pricing. ClickUp Brain offers the most comprehensive AI suite, utilising multiple AI models including GPT-4 and Claude, with features spanning AI Agents, automated meeting transcription, and enterprise-wide search. Standard AI features cost approximately £7 per user monthly, with more advanced Autopilot capabilities at £22 per user.
Notion AI introduced autonomous agents in late 2024 capable of executing multi-step workflows lasting 20+ minutes—particularly valuable for content-heavy agencies. These agents can research topics across connected applications like Slack and Google Drive, then compile findings without manual intervention.
Asana Intelligence focuses on no-code AI workflow creation through AI Studio, enabling marketing teams to build custom automations without developer involvement. The AI Teammates feature launched in autumn 2024 provides intelligent project status updates and risk identification.
For agencies evaluating AI capabilities, Whitehat recommends focusing on practical time savings rather than feature lists. The 42% of agencies that reclaimed 5-10 billable hours weekly achieved this through automated status updates, intelligent task assignment, and AI-generated meeting summaries—not sophisticated features they rarely use.
Asana's integration with HubSpot is the deepest available, with over 10,000 installations and two-way synchronisation that maintains data consistency across both platforms. For agencies already invested in the HubSpot ecosystem, Asana provides seamless workflow triggers—automatically creating projects when deals reach specific pipeline stages and syncing task completion back to HubSpot contact records.
The platform earned Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader status for Marketing Work Management in 2025, and its Asana Intelligence suite includes AI Studio for custom automation building. Starting at £9 per user monthly, it represents strong value for enterprise marketing teams requiring robust reporting and governance features.
Creative agencies requiring sophisticated proofing workflows should consider Wrike, which offers the most comprehensive creative asset review capabilities among major PM platforms. Ogilvy reported 85-90% reduction in approval-related email traffic after implementing Wrike's proofing features—significant for agencies where revision cycles directly impact profitability.
Wrike's MCP Server launch in June 2025 enables direct integration with Claude and Microsoft Copilot, allowing natural language queries against project data. The platform maintains Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader status for Collaborative Work Management for the third consecutive year. Note that HubSpot integration requires Wrike Integrate, a paid add-on.
For agencies seeking comprehensive functionality without enterprise pricing, ClickUp delivers exceptional value at £5.50 per user monthly. The platform includes 15+ project views, 50+ automation templates, and the most comprehensive AI assistant available in the PM space through ClickUp Brain.
ClickUp's native HubSpot integration (7,000+ installs and growing) provides solid bi-directional sync, and the platform's real-time proofing capabilities serve creative agencies well. Following a £120 million Series C raise in 2024, ClickUp has invested heavily in AI capabilities and agency-specific features including time tracking, client portals, and resource management.
Agencies where accurate time tracking and invoicing directly impact profitability should evaluate Teamwork, which offers the strongest agency-specific billing features among HubSpot-integrated tools. The platform excels at retainer management, billable rate tracking by project type, and automated invoice generation.
Teamwork's HubSpot integration, while smaller in install base than competitors, offers sophisticated deals-to-projects automation that eliminates the manual handoff between sales and delivery—a persistent pain point for growing agencies. Starting at £9 per user monthly, it provides purpose-built agency functionality without the complexity of enterprise PSA platforms like Kantata.
Based on AgencyAnalytics' 2024 research and Whitehat's experience implementing PM systems for marketing agencies, the following features directly impact agency profitability and operational efficiency:
Selecting a project management tool requires evaluating your agency's specific operational requirements rather than feature comparison alone. Whitehat recommends the following decision framework based on agency profile:
Small agencies (under 10 team members) typically benefit from simpler tools that won't overwhelm limited administrative capacity. ClickUp's free tier or Basecamp's flat £80 monthly fee provide solid foundations without per-user costs that scale quickly. However, if HubSpot integration matters, ClickUp's paid tier remains the most cost-effective option with native connectivity.
Growing agencies (10-30 team members) face the critical challenge of maintaining profitability visibility as project volume increases. Teamwork or Monday.com provide the billing and resource management features that prevent revenue leakage whilst offering HubSpot integration for sales-delivery alignment.
Enterprise agencies (30+ team members) require governance, reporting, and compliance features that justify Asana or Wrike's enterprise pricing. These platforms offer the audit trails, permission controls, and executive dashboards that larger organisations need.
Regardless of agency size, Whitehat advises against selecting tools without native HubSpot integration if you're invested in the HubSpot ecosystem. Zapier middleware creates maintenance overhead and sync failures that erode the efficiency gains PM tools should deliver. For agencies evaluating their HubSpot configuration, our website audit services can identify integration opportunities.
Project management software pricing has evolved significantly, with most vendors now offering tiered plans that scale with team size and feature requirements. The following pricing reflects UK rates for annual billing, which typically offers 15-20% savings versus monthly payment.
| Tool | Free Tier | Entry Paid | Business/Pro | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | ✅ Available | £5.50/user/mo | £10/user/mo | Custom |
| Monday.com | ✅ 2 users max | £7/user/mo | £14/user/mo | Custom |
| Asana | ✅ 15 users max | £9/user/mo | £20/user/mo | Custom |
| Teamwork | ✅ 5 users max | £9/user/mo | £16/user/mo | Custom |
| Wrike | ✅ Available | £8/user/mo | £20/user/mo | Custom |
| Notion | ✅ Available | £8/user/mo | £12/user/mo | £16/user/mo |
| Basecamp | ❌ None | £80/month flat (unlimited users) | ||
*Prices converted to GBP at prevailing rates. All prices reflect annual billing. Enterprise pricing requires direct consultation with vendors.
The best project management tool for marketing agencies depends on specific requirements, but Whitehat recommends ClickUp for value-conscious agencies seeking comprehensive features, Teamwork for agencies prioritising client billing and retainer management, and Asana for enterprise marketing teams requiring deep HubSpot integration and governance features.
Asana, Monday.com, ClickUp, Teamwork, Scoro, and Wrike all offer native HubSpot integrations available through the HubSpot marketplace. Asana has the most installations (10,000+), followed by Monday.com (9,000+) and ClickUp (7,000+). Notion and Basecamp lack native integration and require Zapier middleware.
Agency PM software typically costs £5-20 per user monthly for paid tiers, with most vendors offering free plans for small teams. For a 10-person agency, expect to pay £55-200 monthly depending on the platform and feature tier. Basecamp offers an alternative flat-rate model at £80 monthly regardless of team size.
ClickUp Brain currently offers the most comprehensive AI capabilities, including multi-model AI (GPT-4 and Claude), autonomous agents, meeting transcription, and enterprise search. Notion AI excels at long-running autonomous workflows, whilst Asana Intelligence provides the strongest no-code AI automation building through AI Studio.
General PM tools like Monday.com and Asana work well for most agencies due to their flexibility and integration ecosystems. Agency-specific tools like Teamwork, Productive, and Scoro offer purpose-built features for billing, profitability tracking, and resource management—valuable for agencies where these operational areas represent significant pain points.
The project management landscape for marketing agencies has matured significantly, with AI capabilities now differentiating leaders from laggards. The statistics are compelling: agencies using PM software with AI features reclaim 5-10 billable hours weekly, and organisations with project management maturity achieve 92% project success rates versus 33% for those without structured approaches.
For HubSpot-using agencies, integration quality should be a primary selection criterion. Native integrations with Asana, Monday.com, or ClickUp eliminate the middleware complexity and sync failures that erode productivity gains. Whitehat consistently sees better outcomes from agencies that align their PM tooling with their marketing automation platform rather than treating them as separate systems.
The right tool ultimately depends on your agency's specific operational challenges. If billing accuracy is your primary pain point, Teamwork's agency-specific features justify its selection. If you need enterprise governance with deep HubSpot integration, Asana deserves serious consideration. If comprehensive AI capabilities at a reasonable price point matter most, ClickUp delivers exceptional value.
Whatever you choose, implementation quality matters as much as tool selection. Whitehat's marketing services team regularly helps agencies configure HubSpot integrations that connect project management with sales pipeline visibility—the foundation for truly understanding which marketing activities drive client acquisition and retention.
Whitehat is a London-based HubSpot Diamond Solutions Partner helping B2B companies turn marketing into measurable revenue. Founded in 2011, we run the world's largest HubSpot User Group and combine SEO, answer engine optimisation, and HubSpot implementation into integrated programmes that connect every campaign to pipeline.
Contact us to discuss your project management and HubSpot integration requirements, or explore our guide to how top marketing agencies work.