Wrike in the big review with 2418 words

Wrike in 3 sentences also works, but doesn’t bring much to the interested reader. Learn more about Wrike’s features and functionality, pricing, and why support called after only two hours of testing in this review!

In this test and review, we present various features related to Wrike* to give you a good overview. The main topics are as follows:

Intro

The most important facts in brief:

Wrike is a software for the management of the entire company
There is a good Gantt chart and solid task management
The possibilities for individualization are good – even in the mobile app

Wrike supports data storage in the EU with data center in Amsterdam
There are no limitations in the number of users for free variants
Approaches to document management and approval are available with the Proof addon
Active support is already available during the test phase

Try Wrike now*

The company

Wrike was founded in 2006 and currently has 1000 employees. In February 2021, Wrike was acquired by Citrix at a value of $2.25 billion. The project management software is said to have 20,000 customers and over 2 million users. By the way, a free Wrike basic version for up to 5 users has been available since 2012. In this review, the Wri k e Business version* was tested in a 14-day trial.

Getting started with Wrike

The Wrike* test starts with the selection of a template. The complex project is chosen because both project planning and virtual Kanban boards are mapped here. The basic structure of the project view consists of folders and projects. Projects have the same properties as folders, but an additional date to specify a runtime. This already shows Wrike’s focus as a total solution for the company. Subordinated are tasks, so that one can plan the project analogously to folders of a file manager.

Project overview in Wrike Review — *The project overview in Wrike*. *The sidebar displays the project folders. The center area gives the different views. On the right you can see the properties of the selected project.*

Wrike quickly shows in the test that it is not intended solely for the pure planning of projects but as a comprehensive project management tool. This covers most of the following functions:

Project planning in Wrike

Project planning is one of the cornerstones of Wrike* project management software. Project phases for better structure or subprojects are represented by the folders. General project data is stored at the highest level of the project.

Task Management

Within the project as well as the subordinate structures the simple task management in lists or other visualizations is possible. The usual task management information can be attached to a task:

Description
Responsible
Duration in days
Deadline
File attachments
Subtasks and timed tasks Dependencies

The description text can be designed comprehensively with lists, images and tables. What is unfortunately missing in the test are priorities. However, these can be set by yourself via individual fields. Attachments can be moved between tasks.

*The view of a task in Wrike. In this case, the task has two subtasks and is being processed.*

Milestone planning

Tasks can be transformed into the form of milestones. When starting a new project, you should begin with the milestones and project phases to get an overview of the time frame. Milestones can be processed in the same way as tasks.

Gantt chart or Gantt plan

In the overall view, Wrike*’s Gantt Chart provides a solid overview of project phases, milestones, and individual tasks. It is possible to include predecessor and successor relationships and display the critical path. The integration into the overall construct with tasks is well done. Gantt charts of subprojects can be collapsed and displayed on their own. A nice feature is sharing snapshots at a specific time via link. For example, a status report can be passed on well or the deadline can be communicated to the subproject manager.

Communication and collaboration with Wrike

Collaboration in Wrike * is an important factor in the project.

Different visualizations of a project

For example, Wrike shows the virtual Kanban board in addition to the task list in the review. This provides a basis for collaboration and it is possible to use filters to display the relevant tasks. A good addition is the creation of custom workflows that project tasks must pass through. For example, a release can be set to be able to complete a task.

Important to know:
The Kanban Board is not the heart of this software, but only a complementary view for the tasks. Those who exclusively use agile management methods such as Scrum or Kanban should rather rely on specialized software.

The personal view vs. general dashboards

In the personal view, users can manage all their own tasks. The usual project view with task list, Kanban board and Gantt chart is used. Also analytics are possible and show one how many tasks have been done etc. Additional dashboards can be supplemented with new widgets. This involves, for example, overdue tasks or progress across all projects.

Simplification of project communication on a task basis

At the task level, you can attach even more information. Mentioning via “@” is possible in comments, so you can see a notification about the comment.

Time bookings
Comments with Mentioning about “@”
Log of all activities
Approvals by project participants

Roles and permissions

In Wrike* there is the administrator, normal or external users and guests. The individual roles have different permissions and can be assigned by the administrator.

Requirements management

Requirements management can be well integrated into Wrike by using approval with a customized workflow for tasks and placing it ahead of editing in the project. Otherwise, there is no separate requirements management.

Resource planning

Wrike has developed its own addon for resource management. This can be booked separately to the standard software via the account settings. With the addon, the effort for tasks can be unlocked. Newly added with it are work time lists for the view of all entered hours of the team and the overview of the workload.

Resource management in Wrike - This requires an additional subscription — *Resource management in Wrike – This requires an additional subscription*

Project controlling

The options for project controlling in Wrike* are comprehensive: First, there is the simple analysis at the project level. Here you can display, for example, the number of completed tasks or the time representation of the progress in the project.

Time analysis is also available at the project level, providing a project manager with an overview of booked times. From this you can quickly read whether you are over or under the set budget.

Additional analysis can be performed with the Wrike Analyze* add-on, which also supports a forecast function.

*The analysis of a project is well suited for controlling*

Theextra report functioncan also be used to generate weekly reports of all kinds.

Document Management

In Wrike you can upload and edit general files. There is a possibility to view and compare versions of the files. Proper editing is also possible via the file view, widget or proof editor.

With Wrike Proof addon you have the possibility to establish shares for files such as videos, images and documents. Even external guests can perform a document review. However, the Proof addon is only available as an additional subscription and is not integrated into the standard application.

Conclusion – With Wrike Proof there is a good basic equipment for sharing files, but not yet a complete document management. However, the integration of SharePoint, to which the proof editor can be extended, should be interesting.

Multi-project management

Wrike* makes it easy to manage multiple projects. There is the possibility to create projects via the folder structure. The dashboard provides an overview of the progress of all projects. It is also possible to display different projects in time via the calendar.

How does Wrike perform in the most important evaluation criteria?

Features and functionality

The functionality of Wrike is really comprehensive. There are almost all the features you would want in a project management software. The focus will be on planning and working with schedules. Nevertheless, cooperation and collaboration are not neglected.

And if you are still missing one or the other feature, you can find it in the list of additional integrations. Access via the Wrike API also allows the development of custom applications.

There is also a desktop app and a mobile app as extensions. The browser can be improved withto-do lists from Wrike.

Important
The integration of further applications requires the paid activation for the integration subscription.

Other criteria of evaluation

The language can be set to 10 different variants, which allows international editing in the project.
All versions can be used free of charge for 14 days for testing.
Request forms are a handy feature to introduce processes such as ordering from IT or leave into the organization.

User interface and ease of use

Wrike* has a clear and sensible basic structure. The interface is kept very simple to keep the focus on the content. For example, there are few options to change the view (only your own company logo can be present for emails or the default view in the software.

Due to the many contents and possibilities, this software is of course not as intuitive to use as a simple task management software. Therefore, we at Wrike Review also need some time to get used to it. However, once you have worked with this tool, you will quickly find your way around.

On a positive note, functions that are not enabled by subscriptions do not appear as blocked. This can often seem confusing.

The Wrike app in a short test

The Wrike app provides the ability to collaborate on projects while on the go. The default setting of the app focuses on communication in the project:

The “To-dos” show an overview of the tasks to be completed.
The dashboard offers the analogous view to the web version
The Inbox displays the notifications of the projects in Wrike.
The folders show the sidebar of the web variant. This allows you to see all lists, projects and tasks at a glance

In the navigation setting you can set the thumb menu yourself — *Setting the navigation in the Wrike app*

A convincing feature is theindividualization of the thumb menu(menu at the bottom of the screen). You can alternatively select reports, project activity feed and other menu items. The inbox always remains, but you get to decide on 3 out of 4 menu items. In terms of document management, the app-side document scanner is suitable for having your documents approved later via Proof.

Data protection, hosting and service

Data protection – Where is the data located and where are the servers?

The topic of data protection is definitely important for Wrike*.In a blog post Wrike already informs in 2018 how to deal with the GDPR regulation. Part of this is the development of a data center in Amsterdam to be able to store data in the EU as well.

In addition to the usual encryptions, you can also book the “Lock” addon and get an additional level of security.More about this directly at Wrike in the Security section.

Accessibility and stability of Wrike project management software

Important to know:
There is no self-hosted server installation but only the cloud version (SaaS).

The cloud solution runs very smoothly and there are no noticeable delays in the test. Wrike proactively provides future update us possible failures.The current status of Wrike can be checked here.

Support from the manufacturer (customer service) in case of problems

Wrike provides an extensive online help center. Here you will find videos, interactive training and an active community of users. With the help center you can quickly find your way around the software.

For current problems, you can either fill out a contact form or support case, or reach out for help. In the support case, there is an option to select a callback service to find a quick solution. There is even the possibility to switch to a live chat on the website.

You can find more information about support in a post about the top experts.

Support directly at the test
Only 2 hours after logging in to the trial version, the support asked by phone if you needed help. This can be interpreted as a good customer contact and advertising measure. In any case, customers are not left alone during the test phase.

Costs when using Wrike

The cost overview in Wrike is staggered into 4 different levels from Free to Enterprise. The number of users can be set in increments of 5 and the feature set differs between versions.

Wrike costs and rates — *Costs and tariffs of Wrike*, (*click leads to manufacturer**)

By the way
An overview of the costs for project management software from different providers can be found here.

Additional addons can be added to all variants in the form of subscription. The prices for this are not publicly available.

Free

The Free variant is available free of charge with reduced functionality. In this version, the basic functions of a task management tool remain. Good to know that the following integrations are already available:

Google Drive
Dropbox

Box
Microsoft Office 365

OneDrive
iCal

Wrike Cost: $0.00 /user/month

Professional

For small businesses and startups, the Professional version is suitable. A maximum of 15 users are allowed to work with this version. For this, there is a basic version for project planning and collaboration with task management, Gantt charts and sharable dashboards. Additional integration of

MS Project
Excel

Wrike Cost: $9.80 /user/month

Business

In the range of 5 to 200 users, the business variant can be selected. This version was tested intensively in the review. The range of functions includes everything you need for a decent project management software:

Individualization via additional fields, workflows and the workspace
Real time reporting
Time recording and graphical analyses
Roles and rights for teams and projects
Automation with 200 actions/user/month
Salesforce integration

Wrike Cost: $24.80 /user/month

Enterprise

If you have more than 200 users or already need certain features for security with 5 users, reach for the Enterprise package from Wrike*. Apart from the increase to 1000 actions/user/month in the automation, there is no big difference to the business version. The most important features for enterprise customers are probably the increased security and improved administration via rights and roles.

Pinnacle

For more complex companies and projects, it is worth upgrading to Pinnacle. Here you get secured areas in the tool, advanced reporting features, and budgeting and scheduling at the enterprise and project levels. The number of automation actions increases to 1500 actions/user/month.

Cost comparison

to the Wrike Review

Test Wrike*

Wrike	1 User	5 User	25 User	75 User
Free (bis 5 Nutzer)*	0$	0$	-	-
Team*	117$	588$	2.940$	8.820$
Business*	297$	1.488$	7.440$	22.320$

Kosten bei Projektmanagement-Software Wrike pro Jahr /
Pricing for Projectmanagement Software Wrike per Year - in US Dollar (pm-tools.info, March 2024, * = Affiliate Link)

in pm-tools price comparison

Good to know
Those who use the Professional or Business version can use additional templates. To do this, you need to select the “Wrike for Marketers*” or “Wrike for Product Management*” versions.

Our evaluation of Wrike as a project management tool

The advantages

Privacy is respected at Wrike and there is a European data center in Amsterdam.

The Gantt Chart with milestones gives a good overview of the timeline and is shareable with Snapshot to customers.

Wrike covers large parts of project management with project planning, task management and project controlling. This also makes the software suitable as an overall solution for the management of the organization.

A proper time recording is integrated

For starters, Wrike offers simple task management for free.

The cons

Despite extensive help and tutorials, familiarization requires some time.

Cloud hosting means that users and companies have to be able to rely on the service provider. This can be difficult in some industries (e.g. pharmaceuticals, healthcare).

When looking at extensions or having more than 200 employees, Wrike prices for the software are opaque.

For whom is Wrike worthwhile?

Wrike itself already focuses on the individual user groups with the price categories and the user restriction. Small teams, startups and individualshave simple task management with the free variant. There are a few alternatives in this segment, which is why users have a good choice.

However, if you are thinking of switching to a professional version later on, choosing Wrike makes sense. In our opinion, one of the biggest customer magnets is good project planning. In the Professional version, the Gantt Chart is already included and the price is definitely within reason. Nevertheless, this version remains limited to companies with 200 or fewer users. This includes, for example, modern craft businesses, consulting firms or medium-sized marketing agencies. Especially with free guest access you can improve the cooperation with the customer

Larger companies go for the Business, Enterprise version*, or even Pinnacle. All the features discussed in the Wrike review are included. The entry price compared to direct competitors is comparatively cheap, but you should keep in mind that there are extra costs due to subscriptions. These include resource management or the integration of external applications. Those who want to use the tool as a total solution for enterprise management need time for integration. However, when properly fitted, it can provide good support in everyday life.