Productive Pros and Cons: Top 5 Advantages and Disadvantages

Quick AI Summary Based on G2 Reviews

Generated from real user reviews

Users find Productive's ease of use transformative, streamlining their workflow and enhancing productivity effortlessly. (10 mentions)

Users praise the customizability of Productive, allowing tailored views and reports to fit diverse workflows seamlessly. (8 mentions)

Users value the seamless team collaboration enabled by Productive, enhancing project management and overall efficiency across the company. (7 mentions)

Users praise the intuitive and user-friendly interface of Productive, making project management seamless and efficient. (7 mentions)

Users value the responsive and personal support from Productive, enhancing their overall experience and satisfaction. (6 mentions)

Users find the lack of integrations limiting, as essential tools and modules are not well-connected, complicating workflows. (3 mentions)

Users find the missing mobile reporting features limiting, wishing for more detailed access and flexibility. (3 mentions)

Users face organization difficulties due to overwhelming layouts and limited customization options in Productive's reporting tools. (3 mentions)

Users find the reporting options lacking flexibility, limiting detailed data access, especially on the mobile app. (2 mentions)

Users find complex usability in configuring reports, making navigation challenging and limiting customization options. (2 mentions)

5 Pros or Advantages of Productive

1. Ease of Use

Users find Productive's ease of use transformative, streamlining their workflow and enhancing productivity effortlessly.

See 10 mentions

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Yulija K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Productive made my job easier, accurate resource planning, higher productivity and better workflows"

What do you like about Productive?

The tool’s game-changing dashboards and resource planning. Keeping track of capacity is super easy, seeing who’s busy, and time tracking is automated.

Jess T.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"The closest we've found to "does it all" with agencies in mind."

What do you like about Productive?

The ability to set recurring budgets for monthly retainers was the deciding factor for us - something we rely on strongly as an agency. The tool is e

2. Customizability

Users praise the customizability of Productive, allowing tailored views and reports to fit diverse workflows seamlessly.

See 8 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Jess T.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"The closest we've found to "does it all" with agencies in mind."

What do you like about Productive?

The ability to set recurring budgets for monthly retainers was the deciding factor for us - something we rely on strongly as an agency. The tool is e

Zuzana N.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Great tool for 360 project management"

What do you like about Productive?

Our company started using Productive more than 2 years ago, and we love it! It is a perfect solution for 360 project management that allows us to trul

3. Team Collaboration

Users value the seamless team collaboration enabled by Productive, enhancing project management and overall efficiency across the company.

See 7 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Yulija K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Productive made my job easier, accurate resource planning, higher productivity and better workflows"

What do you like about Productive?

The tool’s game-changing dashboards and resource planning. Keeping track of capacity is super easy, seeing who’s busy, and time tracking is automated.

Marc S.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Our agency is much more Productive now!"

What do you like about Productive?

The most helpful thing for us as an agency is the visibility we have over everything that is going on in the business. From an initial quote/budget, t

4. User Interface

Users praise the intuitive and user-friendly interface of Productive, making project management seamless and efficient.

See 7 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Yulija K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Productive made my job easier, accurate resource planning, higher productivity and better workflows"

What do you like about Productive?

The tool’s game-changing dashboards and resource planning. Keeping track of capacity is super easy, seeing who’s busy, and time tracking is automated.

Zuzana N.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Great tool for 360 project management"

What do you like about Productive?

Our company started using Productive more than 2 years ago, and we love it! It is a perfect solution for 360 project management that allows us to trul

5. Customer Support

Users value the responsive and personal support from Productive, enhancing their overall experience and satisfaction.

See 6 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Yulija K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Productive made my job easier, accurate resource planning, higher productivity and better workflows"

What do you like about Productive?

The tool’s game-changing dashboards and resource planning. Keeping track of capacity is super easy, seeing who’s busy, and time tracking is automated.

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Really Impressed"

What do you like about Productive?

I have used many other tools in this space, as well as previously built our own and also configured very bulky Salesforce instances with so much compl

5 Cons or Disadvantages of Productive

1. Lack of Integrations

Users find the lack of integrations limiting, as essential tools and modules are not well-connected, complicating workflows.

See 3 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Marc S.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Our agency is much more Productive now!"

What do you dislike about Productive?

I think the Xero integration could be better. In particular, things like a PO number not populating the correct field when an invoice is pushed.

Matt W.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"The Sweet Spot"

What do you dislike about Productive?

While the overall UX is excellent, I wish some of the modules where more integrated with each other. Specifically, the task management in the Sales CR

2. Missing Features

Users find the missing mobile reporting features limiting, wishing for more detailed access and flexibility.

See 3 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Yulija K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Productive made my job easier, accurate resource planning, higher productivity and better workflows"

What do you dislike about Productive?

The reporting could use more flexibility, and the mobile app feels a bit stripped-down compared to the web version. Wish I could pull more detailed re

Harald B.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"One of the better alternatives"

What do you dislike about Productive?

One downside is that it has too many features. Like, if I only want to use it for simple tasks like registering hours and creating new clients and pro

3. Organization Difficulties

Users face organization difficulties due to overwhelming layouts and limited customization options in Productive's reporting tools.

See 3 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Jess T.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"The closest we've found to "does it all" with agencies in mind."

What do you dislike about Productive?

Configuring particular reports can be difficult, especially when you have to think about what specific data field is going to give you the answers you

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"An All-in-One Solution for Busy Professionals"

What do you dislike about Productive?

The layout can be a bit overwhelming at first, which might make it harder for new users to navigate. Also, I found the reporting tools a bit limited c

4. Challenging Reporting

Users find the reporting options lacking flexibility, limiting detailed data access, especially on the mobile app.

See 2 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Yulija K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Productive made my job easier, accurate resource planning, higher productivity and better workflows"

What do you dislike about Productive?

The reporting could use more flexibility, and the mobile app feels a bit stripped-down compared to the web version. Wish I could pull more detailed re

Jess T.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"The closest we've found to "does it all" with agencies in mind."

What do you dislike about Productive?

Configuring particular reports can be difficult, especially when you have to think about what specific data field is going to give you the answers you

5. Complex Usability

Users find complex usability in configuring reports, making navigation challenging and limiting customization options.

See 2 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Jess T.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"The closest we've found to "does it all" with agencies in mind."

What do you dislike about Productive?

Configuring particular reports can be difficult, especially when you have to think about what specific data field is going to give you the answers you

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"An All-in-One Solution for Busy Professionals"

What do you dislike about Productive?

The layout can be a bit overwhelming at first, which might make it harder for new users to navigate. Also, I found the reporting tools a bit limited c

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Verified User in Marketing and Advertising

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

8/31/2023

"A unique tool for digital agencies"

5/5

What do you like best about Productive?

The fact that Productive is an all-in-one, scalable platform, built specifically for agencies by former agency staff, recommended to us by agency colleagues. Unlike any of the myriad of project management software offerings (JIRA, ClickUp, Monday, SmartSuite) which are great in their own right, Productive gives you the ability to run projects from prospect to payment, using all of its in-built modules (Sales, Budgeting, Project Management, Resource Planning, Time Tracking, Reporting, Billing, Docs)

It's also incredibly intuitive and easy to pick up. You're not having to spend time working out and building your ideal workspace hierarchy, because everything you need is already there in a clear, easy to follow, fast loading menu structure.

Amazing 'Insights' module, giving you the ability to report on and visualize your data virtually any way you need.

The support team are absolutely awesome, based I gather in Croatia. Within literally 4 minutes of raising a query via their in-built messaging tool, they're on the case. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Productive?

No Gantt Chart tool yet (although it's coming.)

The 'Docs' tool is lacking a few features which ClickUp has, such as checklists, sub-title, table of contents and sharing 'public' links.

It's more costly than individual project management tools, but there again it's more than that and it's going to end up replacing multiple tools you're already paying for.

Have to be on the 'Ultimate' plan to get all the features you are likely to need.

No form entry capability or automations (yet), but I can live without those. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Productive solving and how is that benefiting you?

It's allowing us to track and manage all aspects of agency activities end-to-end.

The 'Deals' section allows us to manage all associated communications and 'to-dos'.

Everyone we share tasks/docs with exists as a 'contact' within the system, which means we can effectively collaborate and track activity within the application.

Clients, who don't need their own paid account, get their own ready-made dashboard clearly listing their 'projects' and 'tasks'.

Timesheets can be filled in via an intuitive calendar view, populated from an overlay of the user's outlook calendar and also from scheduled bookings, which really speeds up time entry. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Response from Bruno Gudelj of Productive

Thank you a lot for your kind review, we appreciate it!

We move super fast, so I'm happy to share that the Checklists in Docs were released a few weeks ago.

Last week, we released the Gantt chart in Beta. You can try both features and let us know your feedback.

The Table of contents in Docs will arrive during Q1 and the Sharing with a public link during Q2 2024.

We're expecting Automations to be released before the end of 2023. :)

Feel free to reach out!

Kathleen C.

People Ops Coordinator

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

1/16/2024

"Great for time-tracking, invoicing, budgeting and reconciliation"

5/5

What do you like best about Productive?

Granularity with time-tracking, client management ease of use, the plethora of reporting capabilities Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Productive?

time-tracking UI isn't great, neither is Jira integration Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Matt W.

Co-founder

Design

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

8/31/2023

"I love working with Productive"

5/5

What do you like best about Productive?

Great interface, and even better support – you ask, and you get to speak to the team behind it. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Productive?

Like anything, you need to try it out to know where things are and that takes a bit of time, but none of it is hard. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Kristopher I.

Architectural Technician

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5/16/2023

"All in one project management software"

5/5

What do you like best about Productive?

We have been able to track time on jobs and quote more accurately for new jobs. Productivity has increased in the office and the program has allowed us to transition from a physical to a digital management system Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Productive?

There isn't much to dislike, we would like the ability to print off notes (now known as Docs), this would be helpful as we use this to create notes regarding correspondence etc. Another suggestion would be to create YouTube videos that walk users through setting up every feature in programs, sometimes it's easier for people to follow a YouTube video Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Petar S.

CEO

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5/16/2023

"Perfect for company our size"

5/5

What do you like best about Productive?

We have tried various product management tools, and neither sat well. We're a small agency with under 10 people and didn't want to pay separately for the PM, invoicing, time tracking, and note-taking tools. Productive offers all of the above and we're grateful to be using it for over 2 years already. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Productive?

Since it's a big system, adding new features probably takes a bit longer than we hope - advanced filtering of dashboards is something we're waiting for some time already. The team is super responsive to feedback via chat, so can't complain - we're a small user after all :) Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Oliver S.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5/16/2023

"Great features, great support!"

5/5

What do you like best about Productive?

Because Productive is designed specifically for agencies, all of the features included work just the way we expect them to for our agency and the platform doesn't try to do more than what it needs to. It works perfectly for our agency structure. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Productive?

Other platforms are more flexible and allow you to do set up more complex widgets and do more with your data. Some really helpful features have been on the roadmap for a really long time and we're not sure when those features will be shipped. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Internet

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5/16/2023

"Sales Novice turned pro, almost"

3.5/5

What do you like best about Productive?

I love the sales funnel. As a single agency owner, managing leads and all the information that comes from them was a right pain. With productive you're able to build a sales funnel, categorize your leads and have a central place for all the information about a lead or project in one place. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Productive?

I guess for me, I'd love a bit more training to ensure that I am getting the most from my subscription package. I love the product overall and would certainly recommend it to others. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Jacob M.

Head of Project Delivery

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

2/28/2022

"Made my job much easier"

5/5

What do you like best about Productive?

Productive supports any conceivable feature that project managers may dream of. I have worked with several competing systems. I am a black belt in both Jira, Visual Studio and Microsoft Project and I have never experienced such a comprehensive tool, that manages to also be extremely user friendly. In my company, more than 30 employees switched to Productive over night with nothing but smiles and delight.

I am not affiliated with Productive in any way, but I feel strongly for their product, because it has made everything from senior management business insight and invoicing to every day time entries much much easier. And best of all, if you run out of talent and struggle to find the right way of doing something, the Productive support team are ready to to assist and will often respond within only a few moments.

Regardless of your company's size, Productive will help you squeeze value from activities by giving you detailed insights into your business. I cannot overstate how satisfied I am with Productive. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Productive?

There is so much help to find in Productive's Help-section that it can sometimes be a little difficult to find what you are looking for. But come on... When was too much help ever a problem?:) Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Productive:

Get the free trial and test it out. Lean on the support team and allow your business to conform to Productive. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Productive solving and how is that benefiting you?

- Invoicing

- Vacation and salary management

- Project management

- Managing fixed price projects

- Business insight

- Senior management administration

- Resource planning

- and much more... Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Marlon H.

Founder & Executive Creative Director

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

2/10/2022

"One of the BEST Project/Business Management Software for Creative Agencies"

5/5

What do you like best about Productive?

I just discovered this product several weeks ago and am already in love with it. I absolutely love the user interface, functionality, cleanliness, and organization of information. Also, not only is this a great project manager, but it is a very comprehensive budget & financial manager for my creative agency. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Productive?

The mobile app, although it looks great & mirrors the desktop & web app, has some responsiveness issues with certain areas not being visible on the device screen. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Productive solving and how is that benefiting you?

I've been using Things (3.0) for awhile, and love it. But it was time to use a proper project management software. Before stumbling onto this product, I had researched every other project management software for WEEKS. I ALMOST decided to go with another one, but found Productive while randomly looking through the App Store (iOS). I did not want to use Asana, or the other well-known, big name software (tried those too). I tried ClickUp for a little bit, but I couldn't stand the UI/UX (and will wait until they finally overhaul that this year hopefully).

Productive literally saved my search. As soon as I tried out the software, I feel in love, and everything is exactly what I need to better manage my client projects, contacts, invoices, budgets, and more. I couldn't recommend this software enough. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.