Alternatives

Looking for an Asana alternative?

People leave Asana when they are running a business alone and most of their tasks are follow-ups with clients, not team projects. Orbit gives you a free GTD task system where each task links to a contact or deal, plus a whole CRM, email, and invoices in one. Here is what you gain, what you give up, and how to switch.

Why people move from Asana to Orbit

Asana is a serious project-management tool built for teams: projects, sections, dependencies, workload, portfolios. If you coordinate work across people, that depth earns its keep. The mismatch shows up when you are a team of one and your "projects" are really clients, and your tasks are really the next step with each of them.

Orbit is scoped to that person. The task system is free with no limit, and every task can attach to a contact or a deal, so your list knows who each item is for. It sits inside a full CRM, so the same workspace holds your pipeline, notes, and email. Running free task management next to your contacts is the whole idea.

Orbit vs Asana

Where each tool fits. For current Asana pricing and seat limits, check their site.

OrbitAsana
Tasks and GTD listsFree, unlimitedStrong, plan-based
Tasks linked to contacts and deals
Built-in CRM (contacts, pipeline)Free to 250 contacts
Built-in email inbox100/mo free
Invoices and proposals10 free each
Deal pipeline1 free
Team project management (dependencies, workload)LighterStrong
Portfolios and cross-project reporting
Two-way Google Calendar syncAny paid planCheck their site
Price to start$0 forever, no cardCheck their site

What stays free when you switch

The task core moves over at no cost, and the CRM comes with it.

  • Unlimited tasks, projects, and GTD lists on the free plan.
  • Quick capture with the c key, contexts, and a weekly-review view.
  • Up to 250 contacts and one pipeline, so tasks link to people and deals.
  • A calendar view where you drag any task onto a time block.
  • A built-in email inbox, 100 messages a month, no Gmail connection needed.
  • Hiro, one AI assistant, with free monthly credits to sort and draft for you.

What paid plans add

A paid plan (Lite $8/mo, Pro $14/mo) is optional. Tasks and the CRM core work on the free plan.

  • Unlimited contacts, pipelines, invoices, proposals, and email at 2,000 a month.
  • The Chrome extension to save anyone from LinkedIn, X, or any site in one click.
  • Two-way Google Calendar sync so tasks and time blocks stay in step.
  • Open and click tracking, sequences, and a custom sending domain.
  • The meeting recorder on Pro, with on-device transcription you start yourself.

How to move from Asana to Orbit

A client-per-project setup maps over cleanly.

  1. 1Export your Asana data and pull client and contact details into a CSV.
  2. 2Import the contacts CSV into Orbit and map your fields, then open your free CRM.
  3. 3Recreate your task lists as GTD lists: Inbox, Today, Next, Waiting, Someday.
  4. 4If a project is really a client, turn it into a deal and attach its tasks to that deal.
  5. 5On any paid plan, install the Chrome extension so new contacts save into Orbit as you meet them.

What you might give up, and when not to switch

This is the clearest trade on the list. Asana is a real team project-management platform, with dependencies, workload balancing, portfolios, and cross-project reporting. Orbit has none of that depth. It is a CRM with a strong task system, not a tool for coordinating a team's projects.

If you manage projects across several people and need dependencies, timelines, and portfolio views, stay on Asana. It is the right tool for that. Orbit is the right tool when the whole team is you and your tasks are follow-ups with clients. For the head-to-head, read Orbit vs Asana.

Asana coordinates a team. Orbit runs the whole business when the team is you.

Keep exploring

Frequently asked questions

Can I import my Asana data into Orbit?+

Yes for your people. Export from Asana, put client and contact details into a CSV, and import it into Orbit. Then rebuild task lists as GTD lists and, where a project is really a client, turn it into a deal and attach its tasks. Most people finish in an afternoon.

Is Orbit's task management really free?+

Yes. Tasks, projects, and the GTD lists are free on every plan, with no limit and no credit card. The free plan also includes up to 250 contacts, one pipeline, a calendar, notes, and a built-in email inbox with 100 messages a month. Lite at $8 a month lifts the caps.

What do I give up leaving Asana?+

Asana's team project management: dependencies, workload balancing, portfolios, and cross-project reporting. Orbit does not have that depth. It is a CRM with a strong task system, built for one person, not a tool for coordinating projects across a team.

Does Orbit work for a small team?+

For a very small team, yes. The Team plan at $20 a seat adds a multi-user workspace, roles, lead assignment, and a shared inbox. But Orbit is a CRM, not a project-management platform, so a project-heavy team may still want Asana for the work itself.

Is there really just one AI assistant?+

Yes. Orbit has one assistant named Hiro, opened with Cmd or Ctrl J. Hiro can manage tasks, update contacts and deals, and draft follow-ups. AI is included with free monthly credits and no API key to paste, and nothing sends until you approve it.

Who is Orbit for?+

People running a business mostly alone: founders, consultants, freelancers, recruiters, and small teams whose tasks are really follow-ups with clients. It is not built to manage a team's projects, and it is not a sales-team CRM like Salesforce.

Run the business, not just the project list.

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