About Basecamp
Overview
Basecamp is project management software from 37signals that keeps project work, communication, files, and deadlines in one calm, organized place. Trusted by millions, it replaces the sprawl of separate apps, browser tabs, emails, and chats with a single workspace for running projects, working with clients, and communicating company-wide.
The company, privately held and running for 27 years with no debt, reports 99.99% historical uptime. Basecamp offers a free plan plus paid upgrades, and thousands of organizations sign up each week.
Key Benefits
- Keep projects, discussions, files, and calendars together on one project page
- Replace email with Message Boards where every reply stays attached to its post
- Track work with to-do lists, Hill Charts, and Card Table kanban boards
- Chat and direct-message with Campfire and Pings instead of separate chat apps
- Collect status updates on a schedule with Automatic Check-ins
- Scale with no per-user fees on higher tiers and unlimited users on Studio and up
How It Works
Every project gets its own page where you add the tools you need, such as to-dos, message boards, chat, a calendar, or card tables. You invite coworkers, clients, and even AI agents, and everything stays organized automatically. Team members assign work, leave feedback, and reference documents from one shared workspace.
Use Cases
- Agencies and freelancers manage client projects while sharing proofs, assets, and invoices
- Software teams track bugs and issues through Card Table kanban stages
- Small businesses replace scattered email and chat with message boards and Campfire
- Remote teams gather weekly status via Automatic Check-ins instead of status meetings
- Design teams store brand assets, mockups, and approved files in Docs & Files
Why Choose This Product
Basecamp ships the same core features with every package, from the free plan to the Unlimited Edition, and avoids per-user fees on its higher tiers. It comes from a stable, profitable, debt-free company with a multi-decade track record of reliable service.
Basecamp Pros & Cons
- Free plan available alongside paid upgrades
- No per-user fees, with unlimited users on Studio and higher
- 99.99% historical uptime with full transparency
- 27 profitable, debt-free years in business
- 24/7/365 support across most paid tiers
- Free plan limited to one project and 5 users
- Number of simultaneously active projects is capped per tier
Key Features
Message Boards
Announcements and discussions live as posts with every reply attached below, replacing email.
To-do Lists
Assign items, set due dates, attach files, and create subtasks across one or many lists.
Hill Charts
Show where a project really stands and whether people are stuck or on time.
Card Tables
A kanban take for moving work through stages, useful for bug tracking and development.
Campfire Chat
Real-time group chat and Pings for direct messaging without a separate chat app.
Calendar
A built-in project calendar for deadlines and milestones, with a global view across projects.
Automatic Check-ins
Ask the team recurring questions on a schedule and save everyone's answers in one place.
Docs & Files
Organize images, documents, PDFs, and cloud files from Figma, Google Docs, and Dropbox inside projects.
Reports
Get a high-level overview of where work stands across projects with Everything Views.
My Bar
Access your tasks, events, bookmarks, and notes from a keyboard-accessible bottom bar.
Basecamp Pricing
View full pricing →- 1 project
- 1 GB storage space
- 5 users max
- 3 active projects
- 5 GB storage space
- 20 users max, no per-user fees
- 24/7/365 support
- Project templates
- 10 active projects
- 25 GB storage space
- Unlimited users, no per-user fees
- Unlimited tools per project
- Project templates
- 24/7/365 support
- 25 active projects
- 100 GB storage space
- Unlimited users, no per-user fees
- Unlimited tools per project
- Project templates
- Time tracking
- 24/7/365 support
- Unlimited projects
- 1000 GB storage space
- Unlimited users, no per-user fees
- Unlimited tools per project
- Project templates
- Time tracking
- Enhanced admin features
- Priority 24/7/365 support
- Personalized onboarding
- 45-day free trial
| Feature | Free Free | Freelancer Custom | Studio Custom | Pro Custom | Unlimited Edition Custom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 project | |||||
| 1 GB storage space | |||||
| 5 users max | |||||
| 3 active projects | |||||
| 5 GB storage space | |||||
| 20 users max, no per-user fees | |||||
| 24/7/365 support | |||||
| Project templates | |||||
| 10 active projects | |||||
| 25 GB storage space | |||||
| Unlimited users, no per-user fees | |||||
| Unlimited tools per project | |||||
| 25 active projects | |||||
| 100 GB storage space | |||||
| Time tracking | |||||
| Unlimited projects | |||||
| 1000 GB storage space | |||||
| Enhanced admin features | |||||
| Priority 24/7/365 support | |||||
| Personalized onboarding | |||||
| 45-day free trial |
Pricing extracted from the product website and may change. Check the source for current details.
Frequently asked questions about Basecamp
What does the free plan include?
The free plan includes one project, 1 GB of storage, and up to 5 users. You can upgrade at any time for more projects or file storage.
Do archived or deleted projects count against my project limit?
No. Archived or deleted projects do not count toward your total, so you can keep dozens of projects on file while only a set number are active at once.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Most packages include a 30-day free trial, while the Unlimited Edition includes an extended 45-day free trial.
How many people can I add to my account?
The free plan allows up to 5 users and Freelancer up to 20. Studio and higher include unlimited people, so you add as many as you want at no extra cost.
What storage is included with each plan?
Storage ranges from 1 GB on the free plan up to 1 TB on the Unlimited Edition, and you can buy additional space if you ever need more.
Is Basecamp free?
Basecamp offers a free plan with optional paid upgrades. See the pricing section for what's included in each tier.