Best AI PM Tool for Jira Replacement (2026)

Modern AI PM tools offer everything Jira does β€” sprint boards, backlogs, workflows, reporting β€” with faster interfaces, built-in AI, and none of the configuration overhead that makes Jira administration a full-time job.

ClickUp is the best AI PM tool for jira replacement with a score of 94/100. ClickUp is the most feature-complete AI PM platform we've tested. See how it compares to 32 alternatives below.

Our Top Pick for Jira Replacement

ClickUp 94/100

The best Jira replacements combine modern UX with feature parity across sprints, backlogs, custom workflows, and reporting β€” plus AI capabilities that Jira still lacks natively. Top picks offer one-click Jira import tools that preserve project history, custom fields, and workflow configurations.

Why Jira Replacement Need Specific Tool Recommendations

Jira dominates project management with 65%+ market share among engineering teams, but dominance does not mean satisfaction. Common Jira frustrations include: configuration complexity that requires a dedicated admin, slow page loads at scale, a fragmented product suite (Jira + Confluence + Jira Product Discovery as separate tools), an add-on dependency for features competitors include natively, and a dated UI that hasn't kept pace with modern alternatives.

AI PM tools built in the 2020s have a structural advantage over Jira: they were designed from the ground up with AI capabilities, modern web interfaces, and integrated workflows that Jira is still trying to bolt on through acquisitions and add-ons. The migration from Jira is now realistic thanks to mature import tools, bidirectional sync options for gradual transitions, and AI features that provide immediate productivity gains that justify the switching cost.

Quick Comparison: Top Tools for Jira Replacement

ToolScoreStarting PriceBest ForMethodologyReview
ClickUp 94/100 Free Project Management, Large Teams Agile 5/5 Review
Wrike 87/100 Free Project Management, Large Teams Waterfall 5/5 Review
Airtable 79/100 Free Project Management, Large Teams Kanban 4/5 Review
monday.com 78/100 Free Project Management, Large Teams Hybrid 5/5 Review
Notion Projects 76/100 Free Project Management, Growing Teams Kanban 4/5 Review
Zoho Projects 76/100 Free Project Management, Large Teams Agile 4/5 Review
Mixpanel 76/100 Free Product Management, Large Teams Agile 3/5 Review
Jira Software 75/100 Free Project Management, Large Teams Agile 5/5 Review
Linear 74/100 Free Project Management, Growing Teams Agile 5/5 Review
Jira 74/100 Free Product Management, Large Teams Agile 5/5 Review
Google Workspace 73/100 $7/user/month Project Management, Large Teams Hybrid 3/5 Review
Productboard 73/100 Contact sales (free trial) Product Management, Large Teams Agile 5/5 Review
Asana 72/100 Free Project Management, Large Teams Agile 4/5 Review
Coda 70/100 Free Project Management, Growing Teams Hybrid 4/5 Review
Motion 69/100 $19/user/month Project Management, Growing Teams Agile 3/5 Review
FullStory 69/100 Contact sales Product Management, Large Teams Agile 3/5 Review
Fibery 68/100 $12/user/month Product Management, Growing Teams Hybrid 5/5 Review
Forecast 67/100 $29/user/month Project Management, Large Teams Waterfall 4/5 Review
airfocus 67/100 Contact sales (trial) Product Management, Growing Teams Hybrid 5/5 Review
Smartsheet 66/100 $9/user/month Project Management, Large Teams Waterfall 5/5 Review
Pendo 66/100 Contact sales Product Management, Large Teams Agile 4/5 Review
ChatPRD 65/100 Free (3 docs) Product Management, Growing Teams Agile 4/5 Review
Dart AI 64/100 Free Project Management, Growing Teams Agile 4/5 Review
Chisel 63/100 Free Product Management, Growing Teams Agile 4/5 Review
Hive 62/100 Free Project Management, Growing Teams Kanban 4/5 Review
Aha! Roadmaps 62/100 $59/user/month Product Management, Large Teams Hybrid 5/5 Review
Trello 61/100 Free Project Management, Small Teams Kanban 5/5 Review
Dovetail 61/100 $15/user/month Product Management, Growing Teams Agile 3/5 Review
Productive 60/100 $9/user/month Project Management, Large Teams Waterfall 4/5 Review
ProdPad 60/100 Contact sales (trial) Product Management, Growing Teams Agile 4/5 Review
Craft.io 59/100 $19/user/month Product Management, Growing Teams Agile 4/5 Review
ProductPlan 57/100 Contact sales Product Management, Large Teams Waterfall 4/5 Review
Roadmunk by Tempo 55/100 Contact sales Product Management, Large Teams Waterfall 4/5 Review

What to Look for in AI PM Tools for Jira Replacement

AI Features Jira Lacks Natively

Modern alternatives include built-in AI for story writing, estimation suggestions, sprint planning optimization, and natural language querying β€” capabilities that Jira only offers through third-party marketplace add-ons with their own cost and integration complexity.

Faster Interface With Less Configuration

AI alternatives learn your workflow patterns and auto-configure boards, fields, and views rather than requiring manual setup of schemes, screens, and workflow transitions. What takes a Jira admin hours to configure, AI tools handle in minutes.

Unified Platform Without Add-On Dependency

Modern tools bundle roadmaps, docs, feedback management, and sprint boards in a single product with unified AI. Jira requires separate Atlassian products (Confluence, Jira Product Discovery, Atlas) plus marketplace add-ons, each with separate billing and configuration.

Intelligent Migration and Gradual Transition

AI-powered import tools map Jira projects, custom fields, workflow statuses, and sprint history into the new tool automatically. Some tools offer bidirectional Jira sync so teams can transition gradually without a hard cutover.

Natural Language Querying

Instead of learning JQL (Jira Query Language) syntax, team members query their board in natural language: "Show me all unfinished stories assigned to the backend team that are blocking release 3.2." AI translates this into the appropriate filter instantly.

Detailed Tool Reviews for Jira Replacement

ClickUp 94/100

Starting from: Free Team size: Small, Mid, Large

ClickUp is the most feature-complete AI PM platform we've tested. Its Super Agents (launched Dec 2025) go beyond copilots β€” they autonomously execute multi-step work like a real teammate. Multi-model Brain lets you toggle between GPT-5, Claude, and o3 per task. With $300M+ ARR and 20M users, it has enterprise-grade scale with startup-grade AI innovation. The Codegen acquisition signals serious commitment to AI-native workflows.

Wrike 87/100

Starting from: Free Team size: Mid, Large

Wrike has the deepest AI stack in enterprise PM β€” from ML risk prediction (Knowledge Graph) to fully autonomous AI Agents (GA Feb 2026) with multi-action chaining and sandbox testing. 3x consecutive Gartner Leader in CWM with a 60% competitive win rate. Enterprise governance is best-in-class: admin-controlled agent deployment, transparent reasoning, SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001/27017/27018/27701, and HIPAA compliance. AI is included in all paid plans β€” no add-on tax.

Airtable 79/100

Starting from: Free Team size: Small, Mid, Large

We picked Airtable for its powerful automations and built-in AI assistance. It is a strong fit for large teams on project teams, with native integrations for Jira and Slack.

monday.com 78/100

Starting from: Free Team size: Small, Mid, Large

We picked monday.com for its powerful automations and planning and portfolio depth. It is a strong fit for large teams on project teams, with native integrations for Jira and Slack.

Notion Projects 76/100

Starting from: Free Team size: Small, Mid

We picked Notion Projects for its powerful automations and built-in AI assistance. It is a great pick for growing teams on project teams, with native integrations for Jira and Slack.

Pricing Comparison

Jira's pricing appears low ($7.75/user standard, $15.25/user premium) but add-ons for roadmaps, advanced reporting, and team insights increase effective cost to $20-35/user. Many Jira alternatives include these features in base pricing at $10-20/user, making the total cost comparison closer than headline prices suggest.

ToolFree TierStarting PricePricing ModelAI Included
ClickUp Yes: 100MB storage, unlimited tasks, unlimited members Free per-seat Free: No AI; Paid: ClickUp Brain included in all paid plans
Wrike Yes: Unlimited users, limited features, 2GB storage Free per-seat Free: No AI; Paid: AI included in all paid plans
Airtable Yes: Up to 1000 records per base, 1GB attachments, 100... Free per-seat Free: No AI; Paid: AI features in Team plan and above
monday.com Yes: Up to 2 seats, 3 boards, unlimited docs Free per-seat Free: No AI; Paid: monday AI in Standard plan and above
Notion Projects Yes: Unlimited blocks for individuals, 1000 block... Free per-seat Free: Limited AI responses; Paid: Notion AI add-on or included in Plus
Zoho Projects Yes: Up to 3 users, 2 projects Free per-seat Free: No AI; Paid: Zia AI included in Premium
Mixpanel Yes: Up to 20M events/month, core reports, unlimited... Free usage-based Free: Spark AI natural language queries; Paid: Full Spark AI with advanced insights
Jira Software Yes: Up to 10 users, 2GB storage Free per-seat Free: No AI; Paid: Atlassian Intelligence included in...

How to Evaluate Tools for Jira Replacement

  • Feature parity: Does the tool cover your Jira usage? Map your current Jira features (custom fields, workflow automations, board configurations, report types) against the alternative before committing.
  • Migration tooling: Does the tool offer a one-click Jira import that preserves project history, custom fields, attachments, and sprint data?
  • Gradual transition support: Can the tool sync bidirectionally with Jira so teams can migrate incrementally rather than requiring a hard cutover?
  • Performance at scale: Is the tool responsive with large backlogs (5,000+ items)? Jira's sluggishness at scale is a primary migration driver β€” the replacement must be faster.
  • Built-in AI depth: Does the tool include native AI features (story writing, estimation, sprint planning, natural language queries) without requiring add-ons?
  • Ecosystem replacement: Does the tool replace not just Jira, but also Confluence and other Atlassian products your team uses?

Getting Started: Jira Replacement Workflow

  1. Audit your current Jira usage: active projects, custom fields, workflow configurations, automations, and add-ons. Document what you actually use.
  2. Run a proof-of-concept import with one project. Verify that project history, custom fields, and sprint data transfer correctly.
  3. Pilot the new tool with one team for a full sprint cycle. Compare velocity, team satisfaction, and time spent on tool administration.
  4. If piloting with bidirectional sync, run both tools in parallel for 2-4 weeks to build team confidence.
  5. Migrate remaining teams project by project. Use AI-generated onboarding guides to help teams adjust to the new workflow.
  6. After full migration, audit the previous Jira add-on costs against the new tool's pricing to quantify net savings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth switching from Jira to a modern AI PM tool?

It depends on your pain level. If your team complains about Jira's speed, configuration complexity, or lack of native AI features β€” and you're paying $20+ per user when including add-ons β€” migration to a modern tool can reduce costs and increase productivity. If Jira works well for your team, the switching cost is not justified.

How long does a Jira migration typically take?

For a single team: 1-2 weeks including import, configuration, and adjustment. For an organization with 10+ teams: 2-3 months for a phased rollout. Most tools offer one-click import for project data, but workflow automations and custom integrations require manual reconfiguration.

Will we lose data when migrating from Jira?

Leading migration tools preserve issues, comments, attachments, sprint history, and custom field values. Workflow automation rules and marketplace add-on configurations do not transfer β€” these need to be rebuilt using the new tool's native features. Always run a test import and verify data completeness before committing.

Can we use a Jira alternative alongside Jira during transition?

Yes β€” several tools offer bidirectional Jira sync that lets teams migrate incrementally. One team can move to the new tool while others remain in Jira, with cross-team visibility maintained through sync. This is the lowest-risk migration path for large organizations.