Hive

Hive is a broad work-management hub for teams that need projects, approvals, collaboration, time records and billing-related work connected. It suits agencies, operations groups and other organizations coordinating many workstreams, while small teams can test the full product before committing. The main trade-off is that every use case depends on a Wi-Fi connection.

Overview

Hive combines project and task coordination with the operational work surrounding delivery. Teams can manage approvals, resourcing, time and cost reporting, and billable-time submission in the same workspace. That makes it more suitable for service businesses and teams that must account for effort than for people seeking only a simple task list.

Hive Notes adds collaborative documents that multiple teammates can edit in real time before, during and after meetings. Native connections cover Google Drive, Google Calendar, Dropbox, QuickBooks, Zoom, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, Outlook Calendar, GitHub and Box. A REST API and Hive Automate extend that reach with action-and-trigger recipes across cloud and on-premise applications. External-user access is sold as an add-on; each purchased license includes five external-user licenses, which is useful when clients or contractors need controlled participation.

Hive says its hosting is ISO 27001 accredited and that it is SOC2 certified. Its security white paper states GDPR and CCPA compliance and SOC 2 Type 2 compliance. Support is available through the in-app question-mark control or the Hive Help Center.

Key features

AI and automation

Buzz AI provides AI Mail, a meeting Sidekick, project generation, AI proofing and AI dashboards. Workflow automations can run inside Hive or across connected apps, including recurring jobs and workflows created with Buzz. This combination is valuable for teams standardizing repeatable work, but the monthly AI-credit allowance makes plan selection important if AI is central to daily operations.

Time and collaboration

Time tracking, resource management, time-and-cost reports and billable-time submission connect schedules to financial administration. Hive Notes keeps meeting documents editable by the group rather than isolating them in a separate tool. Guest access supports collaboration beyond employees, subject to the add-on arrangement.

Connectivity and access

The platform runs on Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and the web, with an API for developer-built integrations. It cannot be used offline and requires Wi-Fi, so it is a poor fit for travel, field work or unreliable connectivity.

Pricing

Hive has a free plan, paid tiers and a 14-day trial. For the first two weeks on any plan, the full feature suite is available and no credit card is collected.

Platforms

Hive supports Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and web access, plus a REST API. Wi-Fi is required, so the broad platform list does not translate into offline capability.

Who it's for

Choose Hive when project execution must connect to approvals, staffing, time, cost and billable work, or when a team wants AI and cross-service automation in one system. It is particularly compelling for agencies and operational teams with recurring workflows and several existing cloud tools. Look elsewhere if offline work is essential, if a 10-project Starter ceiling is too restrictive, or if you need a simpler tracker without time-and-billing administration.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Project, approval, resource, time and billable-work processes share one workspace.
• Pro: Buzz AI covers mail, meetings, project creation, proofing and dashboards, while automations can cross connected apps.
• Pro: Collaborative notes, extensive native integrations, a REST API and Hive Automate support mixed-tool environments.
• Pro: The no-card, full-feature 14-day trial lowers the risk of evaluating higher tiers.
• Con: Wi-Fi is mandatory, ruling out offline use.
• Con: Free and Starter both stop at 10 workspace members; Starter also stops at 10 projects.
• Con: AI credits are capped monthly and vary by tier, so intensive use can push teams toward a more expensive plan.

Alternatives

EGroupware is the better choice for teams prioritizing open-source software, Linux support or an eCloud NGO plan with unlimited users. Choose KanBo when self-hosting and broad platform coverage matter, with free task, Kanban, list and calendar views. Asana suits one or two people managing personal projects on its free Personal plan. Basecamp fits teams wanting a deliberately project-focused structure with a five-user free plan. ClickUp is an alternative for unlimited free-plan members and unlimited tasks, despite its 60MB storage allowance. Fibery is worth considering for database-centered work with up to 10 free users and 10 guests. Nifty is suited to teams comfortable with unlimited free members but only two active projects. Wrike is another work-management option with unlimited free users and 200 active tasks per account.

For broader comparisons, see Work Management Software and Project Management Software.

Verdict

Hive is a strong choice for teams that want project management tied directly to time, resourcing, approvals, billing workflows, AI and automation. Start with Free for a small workspace, use Starter when storage and AI matter, and move to Teams when membership, portfolios, forms and time tracking become central. Look elsewhere if offline access is non-negotiable or if your work does not justify Hive's broader operational scope.