Wrike review: our verdict

This Wrike review looks at a project management platform built for teams that have outgrown simple task boards. Wrike combines task and project tracking with Gantt charts, dashboards, request forms, automation, time tracking, resource planning and built-in proofing of creative files, plus a growing set of AI tools. It is aimed squarely at agencies, marketing and creative teams, professional services firms and operations departments that need structure and control across many projects at once.

Our assessment is that Wrike is one of the strongest choices for agencies and service teams, because it handles client intake, approvals, workload balancing and time tracking in one place. The cost is complexity: many of its best features sit on the Business plan or above, integrations often need paid add-ons, and new users can find the interface overwhelming. This is an editorial assessment based on Wrike's own pricing, feature and security pages and on independent reviews; NerdBible did not run its own hands-on trial.

What Wrike is and who it is for

Wrike is a cloud-based work management platform with web, desktop and mobile apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, according to its pricing page. Work is organised into Spaces, projects, folders and tasks, and each project can be viewed as a board, table, calendar, Gantt chart or resource view.

It suits agencies and in-house creative teams that need to take in requests, review and approve assets with clients, and keep billable time under control. It also fits operations and project management offices that juggle shared staff across many projects. It is less suited to a small team that just wants a shared to-do list, or to freelancers who want invoicing built in.

Key features

Projects, views and dashboards

Tasks can be broken into subtasks, assigned, scheduled and tracked across several views. PCMag found that individual projects feel focused even when the wider interface is busy, and that adding, filtering and sorting tasks is easy. Dashboards built from widgets give managers a high-level view, while the Business plan adds more detailed real-time reports built from templates or from scratch.

Request forms and automation

Dynamic request forms with conditional logic standardise how work comes in, which Wrike positions as central to client intake for agencies (Wrike for agencies). Automation rules follow a simple trigger and action model; PCMag liked the flowchart-style rule builder and found it easy to create rules from templates.

Proofing and approvals

Wrike's online proofing lets reviewers comment directly on images, PDFs, Office documents, videos and web pages, compare versions side by side, and route assets to approvers automatically. External clients can be invited to review. Wrike also lists integrations with Adobe Creative Cloud and digital asset management tools. PCMag notes proofing requires at least the Business plan and covers a wide range of file types.

Resource management and time tracking

Wrike's resource management pages describe workload charts that show requested effort per person per week, role-based capacity forecasting, timesheet approval with a lock date so entries cannot be changed after sign-off, and budget tracking against logged hours. PCMag confirms time tracking and workload management start on the Business plan, while the more advanced resource and capacity planning and budgeting sit on the custom-priced Pinnacle tier.

AI tools

Every paid tier includes some AI features, from content editing and comment summaries on the Team plan to AI agents and an assistant called Copilot on Business and above. Higher tiers include more AI actions each month, and Wrike sells extra packs. PCMag found the AI features worked as expected but cautioned that not every team will benefit from them.

How much does Wrike cost? Plans and pricing structure

Wrike has five tiers. Our page shows current prices; this is how they are structured according to Wrike's pricing page.

  • Free: core task management with board and table views and the web, desktop and mobile apps. PCMag notes it supports unlimited users but leaves out Gantt charts, automation and time tracking.
  • Team: for 2 to 15 users, adding Gantt charts, shareable dashboards and basic AI features.
  • Business: for 5 to 200 users, adding templates, resource management, proofing, time tracking, reports and more AI. Most teams should start here, in PCMag's view.
  • Pinnacle and Apex: custom-priced plans for complex and enterprise work, adding advanced resource planning, budgeting, advanced reporting and, on Apex, the Integrate, Sync and Whiteboard add-ons.

Prices are quoted per user per month but billed annually, and Wrike sells seats in groups, for example in blocks of five for accounts of up to 30 seats. Business plans and above are annual only. A free 14-day trial is available, and if it lapses the account is blocked until you choose a plan or drop to Free, with data kept intact. Paid add-ons include Whiteboard, Integrate, Two-Way Sync, Datahub and Lock.

Is Wrike secure?

Wrike's security page lists two-factor authentication, role-based access, customisable user types, selective sharing, Locked Spaces whose content cannot be shared outside the space, and US and EU data centres with continuous backup. Its pricing FAQ says European accounts are hosted in Paris and others in Santa Clara, California, and lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27018 and CSA STAR assessments. The optional Wrike Lock add-on lets organisations manage their own encryption keys through Amazon's key management service.

Two caveats from PCMag: multi-factor authentication is only available on the Pinnacle and Apex tiers, whereas some rivals offer it on every plan, and PCMag found no recent evidence of major breaches involving Wrike. Its privacy policy separates the customer data in your projects from the personal data Wrike collects about users, and PCMag reports the company says it generally cannot read customer data.

What could be better

  • Cost climbs quickly. PCMag calls Wrike expensive, especially with add-ons, and TechRepublic also lists price as its main drawback.
  • Integrations behind add-ons. Many integrations, such as two-way calendar sync or the Google Drive connector, need the Business plan plus the Integrate or Sync add-on, which PCMag found cumbersome.
  • A steep start. The first-run experience can be overwhelming, with many tabs, panels and options.
  • No invoicing. Time tracking feeds reports and approvals, but there is no built-in billing or invoicing system.
  • No direct messaging. Conversations happen in task comments; there is no built-in chat.
  • Security features gated. Multi-factor authentication and advanced controls are reserved for top tiers.

Who should choose something else

Small teams that mainly need a shared board and simple deadlines will find Wrike more than they need; a lighter tool, or Wrike's own Free plan, will do. Client service businesses that want time tracking, budgets and invoicing in one system should look at a tool with built-in billing, such as Teamwork, which PCMag picks for client work. Budget-conscious teams may prefer Zoho Projects, which PCMag notes starts far cheaper and charges less for integrations. And if your team lives inside one ecosystem, the project features already included in that suite may be enough.

What other reviewers found

  • PCMag described Wrike as a deeply customisable app that "competently handles everything from building forms to proofing", praising its proofing, forms and time tracking while marking it down for high costs, add-on-dependent integrations and a crowded interface.
  • PCMag's project management roundup keeps Wrike on its list of tested picks but gives its Editors' Choice awards to GanttPro, Teamwork and Zoho Projects for beginners, client work and small teams.
  • TechRepublic rated Wrike highly for medium to large organisations, liking its organised interface, wide integrations and support resources, but noted it is expensive and that advanced security sits on top plans.
  • TechRadar's older review praised an intuitive interface and customisable dashboards, but criticised the lack of built-in chat and the difficulty of using tracked time for invoicing.

Where they agree: every outlet sees Wrike as capable and flexible, and every one names price as a drawback. Missing chat and invoicing tools come up repeatedly.

Where they differ: TechRadar and TechRepublic call the interface intuitive and organised, while PCMag's more recent review found it occasionally overwhelming, likely reflecting how much Wrike has added since. TechRadar's review is also old enough that its plan names and features have changed.

What that means for you: Wrike rewards teams willing to invest in setup and training, ideally with someone who owns the configuration. Use the free trial on the plan you actually intend to buy, and price in any add-ons your integrations need.

Is Wrike worth it? Bottom line

For agencies, creative studios and operations teams that manage many projects and shared staff, Wrike is one of the most complete platforms available, with proofing, request forms, time tracking and resource planning that lighter tools lack. It costs more than many rivals once you add the features you need, and it takes time to learn. If structure, approvals and workload control are your priorities, it is well worth a trial.

Frequently asked questions

Does Wrike have a free plan?

Yes. Wrike's Free plan includes task and project management, board and table views, and the web, desktop and mobile apps, and PCMag notes it supports unlimited users. It leaves out Gantt charts, automation, time tracking, proofing and resource management. Wrike also offers a 14-day free trial of its paid plans without a credit card, after which you can choose a plan or move to Free.

Is Wrike good for agencies?

It is one of the stronger options. Wrike offers request forms for client intake, proofing and approvals that clients can join, time tracking with timesheet approval, and workload charts for balancing staff across projects. Most of these features need the Business plan or higher. The main gaps for agencies are the lack of built-in invoicing and the extra cost of some integrations.

Is Wrike hard to learn?

It can be at first. PCMag found the first-run experience overwhelming because of the number of tabs, panels and options, although individual projects feel more focused once set up. Wrike offers templates, interactive training, a community forum and help articles, and recommends professional onboarding for larger teams. Teams that assign one person to own the setup tend to adopt it more smoothly.

Does Wrike have time tracking?

Yes, from the Business plan up. You can log time manually in timesheets or start a timer on a task, and managers can review, approve and lock time entries so they cannot be changed later. Logged time feeds workload views and reports. Wrike does not include an invoicing system, so billing usually means exporting time or connecting a separate accounting or invoicing tool.

Is Wrike secure?

Wrike lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27018 and CSA STAR assessments, role-based permissions, Locked Spaces and data centres in the US and EU. Customers can add Wrike Lock to manage their own encryption keys. PCMag notes that multi-factor authentication is limited to the Pinnacle and Apex tiers, so smaller teams should check which controls their plan includes.

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