The Basecamp alternative with the business side built in
Basecamp keeps projects calm and clients in the loop. MonoDesk shares that calm, and adds the parts Basecamp hands to other apps: Leads, Proposals, Invoices, time tracking and a weekly plan across every client.
Free during beta · No credit card required
The short answer
- Your team runs on message boards, check-ins and group chat.
- You want unlimited users on one flat price, and native apps.
- Proposals and invoicing already live in tools you’re happy with.
- You bolt on a proposal app, a time tracker and an invoicing tool to make Basecamp work for clients.
- Project limits on Basecamp’s smaller plans pinch.
- You want one weekly plan across all your clients, not one project at a time.
MonoDesk vs Basecamp, feature by feature
Basecamp details are from its public website, checked October 2026.
| Feature | MonoDesk | Basecamp |
|---|---|---|
| Kanban boards | Yes: Every project To Do, Doing and Done, with labels, subtasks, files and comments | Yes: Card Tables Basecamp’s take on kanban |
| Clients and leads | Yes: Built in client records and a Leads pipeline | No: Not built in |
| Proposals | Yes: Built in branded, open tracking, e-signature (Core and Pro) | Partly: Through integrations such as Nusii or Proposify |
| Invoices | Yes: Built in from the project, with deposits, part payments and recurring invoices | Partly: Through integrations |
| Time tracking | Yes: Built in by task, across the day, week or month | Partly: On Pro plans or third-party time trackers |
| Client-facing space | Yes: Client Portal one branded link per client, no client logins | Yes: Client mode clients count toward your user limit |
| Planning | Yes: Weekly Planner tasks from every project in one week, with Google Calendar sync | Yes: Schedule and Lineup project schedules and a cross-project timeline |
| AI | Yes: Co-Worker plans your day, drafts updates, Proposals and Invoices | Partly: Bring your own AI connect ChatGPT, Claude and agents |
| Mobile apps | Partly: Web app browser-based; no native mobile app yet | Yes: iOS and Android plus Mac and Windows |
| Zapier | Yes: Yes | Yes: Yes |
| Pricing | Free during beta, with a Free plan that stays | Basecamp pricing free plan, then flat plans with project and user limits |
Basecamp details from basecamp.com, checked October 2026. MonoDesk isn’t affiliated with Basecamp.
Why creatives move from Basecamp to MonoDesk
Same calm. More of the business in one place.
Win the work in the same place
Leads, research and branded Proposals come before the project, and an accepted Proposal sets the project up for you.
Bill without another app
Track time on the task and send the Invoice from the project, instead of copying hours into a separate tool.
One week across every client
The Planner pulls tasks from every project into a single week, so you can see what fits across every client.
Priced for one person
MonoDesk has no project limits on any plan, and it’s free during the beta.
Where Basecamp is better
For team communication, Basecamp is hard to beat.
- Message boards, check-ins and group chat
- Unlimited users on Pro Unlimited
- Hill Charts and cross-project timelines
- Native apps on every platform
Moving takes an afternoon
No consultants, no rebuild.
- 1 Add your clients. One record for each person or business you bill.
- 2 Bring your to-dos across. Copy your to-dos into a spreadsheet, then import them as tasks. MonoDesk creates the projects and shows every row before anything is saved.
- 3 Share the Client Portal. One link per client for the plan, files, approvals and messages.
Switching from Basecamp: your questions
Is MonoDesk a good Basecamp alternative for freelancers?
Yes, if you want the business side in the same place. MonoDesk adds Leads, Proposals, Invoices and time tracking to project boards and a Client Portal. If your team mainly needs message boards and group chat, Basecamp is the better fit.
Do my clients need an account?
No. Each client gets their own Client Portal from one branded link, with no login.
Does MonoDesk limit projects?
No. Every MonoDesk plan includes unlimited projects.
How much does MonoDesk cost compared with Basecamp?
MonoDesk is free during beta, and has a Free plan that stays free afterwards. Current plans are on the MonoDesk pricing page. Basecamp has a free plan for one project, then flat-priced plans with project and user limits.
Can I use MonoDesk and Basecamp together?
Yes. Both connect to Zapier, so you can keep Basecamp for team discussion and run clients, Proposals and Invoices in MonoDesk.
Comparing other tools?
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