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SmartSuite vs. Hive: A Comparison for Boosting Team Productivity

By Ryan Cezar Malaluan, CAPM; Editor: Geram Lompon

Introduction

As a long-time enthusiast and reviewer of project management tools, I’ve had the opportunity to explore and evaluate numerous platforms aimed at helping teams stay productive and organized. Through extensive hands-on experience with SmartSuite and Hive, I’ve seen firsthand how these platforms perform in real-world business environments. In this article, I aim to break down their differences and similarities, ensuring that you find the best platform to fit your team's needs.

I've spent weeks testing SmartSuite and Hive in various scenarios, from managing complex, cross-functional projects to handling everyday task tracking. Each product has unique strengths, and I’ve compared them in key areas like usability, features, pricing, and support options.

In this article, you'll learn which platform offers better automation tools, which scales more effectively for different business sizes, and how their pricing structures compare. Whether you’re a startup looking to streamline workflows or a large enterprise needing robust collaboration tools, this guide will simplify your decision-making process and ensure you choose the right tool for boosting productivity.

SmartSuite vs Hive: Brief Overview

SmartSuite

SmartSuite is a comprehensive work management platform that streamlines workflows and improves team collaboration. With its robust set of tools, SmartSuite helps organizations easily manage complex projects and routine everyday tasks, offering tailored solutions for businesses of all sizes.

Key Selling Points:

• Flexible workflow customization to match project needs

• Real-time collaboration and communication tools

• Cross-platform support (web, mobile, API)

• A variety of pricing plans starting at $10/user/month

• For handling both routine tasks and complex projects

Try SmartSuite with a 14-day free trial and access to all features

Hive

Hive is a powerful productivity platform that simplifies task management and collaboration for fast-moving teams. With its intuitive design and automation capabilities, Hive enables teams to centralize all activities in one place for easier project management and higher efficiency.

Key Selling Points:

• Customizable automation workflows to boost productivity

• Centralized communication hub for teams

• Integrations with popular apps and tools

• Affordable and flexible pricing structure starting at $1/user/month

• Suitable for teams of any size, from startups to large enterprises

Get started with Hive's 14-day free trial for paid plans

Quick Verdict: Which Platform is Right for Your Team?

Hive is the clear choice if your team thrives on powerful automation and budget-friendly pricing. With its robust automation tools and customizable workflows, Hive is ideal for fast-moving teams that need a straightforward, scalable solution. Starting at just $1 per user per month, it’s hard to beat Hive’s value.

However, if you need more comprehensive, customizable tools to handle complex projects and routine tasks, SmartSuite is your go-to. SmartSuite excels in its flexibility and real-time collaboration features, making it the right fit for teams looking for a more tailored, all-in-one solution. It starts at $10 per user per month.

In summary, Hive is best for teams seeking affordability and automation, while SmartSuite is perfect for organizations that need versatility and deeper project management capabilities.

Key Differences: Which Platform Best Fits Your Workflow?

When choosing between SmartSuite and Hive, it’s clear that both platforms serve different needs, and neither is universally superior. Instead, each shines in specific areas, making them ideal for distinct customer profiles.

Why I Recommend Hive for Teams Focused on Automation and Simplicity

Hive is an excellent choice for teams looking to streamline their processes with minimal friction. Its standout feature is the ease of creating automated workflows, which can help reduce manual tasks and keep projects on track. Whether automating task assignments, setting reminders, or updating project timelines, Hive’s automation can significantly enhance productivity.

Hive’s value proposition is hard to beat for teams with fast-paced projects and limited budgets. Its pricing starts at just $1 per user per month, making it an affordable solution for startups or smaller teams that need to maximize efficiency without breaking the bank.

Key Advantages of Hive:

• Highly affordable: Starts at $1/user/month, perfect for budget-conscious teams.

• Effortless automation: Customizable workflows reduce manual work.

• User-friendly interface: Simple and intuitive, suitable for teams without a steep learning curve.

• Scalable for different team sizes: Whether small or large, Hive grows with your needs.

Why I Recommend SmartSuite for Teams Needing Customization and Versatility

On the other hand, SmartSuite shines for teams that need more than basic automation. Its strength lies in its flexibility and ability to manage routine tasks, track goals, and handle complex projects. SmartSuite’s rich features include custom workflows, real-time collaboration, and deep integrations, making it an ideal platform for businesses requiring more granular control over their processes.

With SmartSuite, you’re not just managing tasks; you’re optimizing workflows to fit your team’s exact needs. This makes it perfect for larger enterprises or growing teams that handle diverse projects and need robust solutions.

Key Advantages of SmartSuite:

• Highly customizable: Create tailored workflows to fit your business model.

• Real-time collaboration: Ensure smooth communication and task updates across teams.

• Comprehensive project management : Handles everything from routine tasks to complex multi-team projects.

• Flexible pricing plans: Starting at $10/user/month, it offers a range of options for different business needs.

Who Each Platform is Best For

• Choose Hive if your team prioritizes affordability, automation, and a simple-to-use and scalable platform. While Hive offers robust project management features, teams handling sensitive information may also want to consider their data privacy needs when choosing a platform.

• Choose SmartSuite if your business needs a highly flexible, all-in-one work management solution that supports collaboration, handles complex workflows, and offers deeper customization options. SmartSuite provides more granular control over security and compliance features for organizations where data privacy is a top priority, making it a better fit for industries with strict data protection requirements.

Introducing SmartSuite and Hive: What They Offer?

Frequently Asked Questions (SmartSuite FAQs)

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Frequently Asked Questions (Hive FAQs)

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Head-to-Head Comparison: SmartSuite vs. Hive

1. Workflow Customization

Winner: SmartSuite

SmartSuite excels at workflow customization. During my time using both platforms, SmartSuite stood out for its ability to let me tailor workflows to fit our specific needs. Whether managing complex, multi-step processes or simple task tracking, SmartSuite allows you to build workflows from the ground up, customizing task statuses, fields, and automation. Hive, while offering some customization, is more limited in this area, focusing more on pre-set workflows.

When I tested SmartSuite with my team, we created a detailed project pipeline that seamlessly adapted to multiple departments. Hive’s templates felt restrictive, especially when handling cross-functional projects.

If your team needs a platform that adapts to your unique processes, SmartSuite provides the flexibility to optimize your workflow exactly how you need it.

2. Automation Tools

Winner: Hive

Hive takes the lead in automation. With its powerful automation features, Hive allows teams to set up repetitive tasks and rules quickly, keeping everyone on track without constant manual updates. I found Hive’s automation much easier to set up and manage. For example, assigning tasks based on triggers (like deadlines or task completion) in Hive is a breeze, while SmartSuite’s automation tools felt more cumbersome and required more effort to configure.

While testing Hive, we were able to automate task assignments and reminders across multiple projects in just a few clicks, significantly reducing the manual workload. Despite being capable of automation, SmartSuite didn’t offer the same ease and speed.

Hive's automation tools are a clear advantage for teams seeking to reduce manual tasks and boost productivity with minimal setup.

3. Collaboration Features

Winner: SmartSuite

SmartSuite shines in collaboration, especially for teams that need real-time updates and detailed communication. Its in-app messaging and comment features are integrated deeply into workflows, allowing team members to communicate and share files without leaving the platform. SmartSuite is a single source of truth for all team communications, ensuring everyone stays on the same page. Hive offers collaboration tools, but they feel more basic in comparison.

In my experience, working within SmartSuite felt more fluid when collaborating across departments. Comments, notifications, and file sharing were seamless, all centralized in a single source of truth, ensuring consistency and transparency. Hive’s collaboration tools were functional, but they didn’t have the same depth, and often we had to switch between external communication tools.

If your team relies on tight collaboration, constant communication, and the need to assign owners to tasks for better accountability, SmartSuite’s deeper integration of communication and ownership features will keep everyone aligned and in sync. Everything will be organized in a single source without needing to rely on other tools for these functions.

4. Pricing

Winner: Hive

One of Hive’s standout features is its pricing model. Starting at just $1 per user per month, Hive is the choice for budget-conscious teams that want to maximize value without sacrificing essential features. SmartSuite, while feature-rich, starts at $10 per user per month, making it a more expensive option.

When testing both platforms, Hive’s affordability was a significant factor, especially for smaller teams with tight budgets. Although SmartSuite may be justifiable for larger teams with more complex needs, it may not be ideal for those just starting out or operating on a smaller scale.

If affordability is your top priority, Hive’s low-cost pricing gives you the essential tools you need at a fraction of the cost.

5. Scalability

Winner: SmartSuite

SmartSuite is better suited for scaling as businesses grow. It offers a range of advanced features that can handle increasingly complex workflows and larger teams. Hive is scalable but tends to best suit smaller to mid-sized teams. If your business anticipates rapid growth, SmartSuite provides more long-term flexibility and capacity.

As our team expanded, SmartSuite proved more adaptable to the growing complexity of our projects. Hive, while functional, became harder to manage as we added more users and projects.

For teams anticipating growth and needing a platform that can handle increasing complexity, SmartSuite offers a scalable solution that evolves with your business needs.

Conclusion

After thoroughly testing both SmartSuite and Hive, it's clear that each platform serves different needs. Hive is an excellent choice for teams focused on automation and affordability. Its streamlined features, combined with an unbeatable starting price of $1 per user per month, make it perfect for small to mid-sized teams looking to boost productivity without breaking the bank.

On the other hand, SmartSuite is the go-to for businesses needing more customization, scalability, and robust collaboration tools. It excels in handling complex workflows and offers the flexibility to grow with your team, making it ideal for larger enterprises or rapidly scaling businesses.

Based on my hands-on experience, Hive is best for those who prioritize simplicity and budget, while SmartSuite shines for teams needing more advanced features and long-term growth potential. Choose the one that fits your business needs, and you'll be well-equipped to enhance your team's productivity!

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