20 Best Agile PLM Software To Streamline Lifecycle Processes In 2024
10 Best Agile PLM Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 20 tools reviewed.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
With so many different PLM solutions available, figuring out which one is right for you is tough. You know you want to oversee product development, from brainstorming to design, production, and eventual launch but need to figure out which tool is best for it. I've got you! In this post I'll help make your choice easy, sharing my personal experiences using dozens of different tools with large teams and complex products, with my picks of the best agile PLM software.
What is PLM Software?
Agile PLM software is a specialized tool that aligns with the principles of agile product development and Product Lifecycle Management. It provides a platform for organizations to manage product-related data, collaborate on design and development tasks, and maintain visibility and control over the entire product lifecycle, supporting rapid iteration and adaptation to changing requirements.
Features include product data management, change management, collaboration tools, and workflow automation. These features enable organizations to centralize product information, manage changes systematically, facilitate collaboration among cross-functional teams, and automate processes to ensure efficient product development and delivery.
Overviews Of The 10 Best Agile PLM Software
Here’s a brief description of each agile PLM software to showcase each one’s best use case, some noteworthy features, screenshots, and pricing information.
Wrike is a robust project management and collaboration platform designed to enhance workflows and team productivity. With its versatile features, Wrike supports various project management methodologies, including Agile, making it an ideal choice for product lifecycle management (PLM).
Why I picked Wrike: I like that platform's flexibility in managing complex product lifecycles. Wrike offers customizable workflows that align with Agile methodologies, allowing teams to adapt to changing requirements swiftly. Its Kanban boards and Gantt charts provide visual representations of product stages, helping teams track progress, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions.
Furthermore, Wrike's collaborative features enhance communication and coordination among team members. Real-time editing, task commenting, and @mentions ensure that everyone stays on the same page. Its robust reporting and analytics capabilities also allow teams to generate detailed reports on project performance, monitor key metrics, and use insights to refine processes.
Wrike Standout Features and Integrations
Features include time tracking, resource management, workload views, custom dashboards, project templates, calendar integration, request forms, proofing and approvals, mobile app access, file sharing, user roles and permissions, automation with Wrike Integrate, task dependencies, milestone tracking, and risk management.
Integrations include Slack, Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Adobe Creative Cloud, Dropbox, Jira, Trello, Asana, HubSpot, GitHub, Bitbucket, Okta, OneLogin, Box, Zapier, Outlook, Zoom, Evernote, and Marketo.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good visual Gantt charts and Kanban boards
- Ability to automate workflows
- Extensive customization options
Cons:
- No in-platform chat feature for quick communication outside of project tasks
- Platform may take time to learn
Miro is a collaborative online workspace that offers a wide range of tools and features for project management, diagramming, process mapping, content visualization, and more
Why I picked Miro: As an agile PLM software, Miro stands out for its ability to facilitate real-time collaboration and iterative development. The platform's set of tools, such as digital whiteboards, mind mapping, and Kanban boards, allow teams to brainstorm, plan, and manage projects with flexibility. With Miro's intuitive interface, teams can easily visualize complex workflows, prioritize tasks, and track progress through customizable templates and agile frameworks. This adaptability ensures that teams can quickly respond to changes.
Miro also supports detailed user story mapping, sprint planning, and retrospective sessions. By providing a centralized platform where all stakeholders can collaborate, share feedback, and make informed decisions in real time, the platform ensures that the entire product lifecycle is managed efficiently.
Miro Standout Features and Integrations
Features include brainstorming tools, presentation mode, flowcharts, diagramming, video chat integration, screen sharing, Kanban boards, mind mapping, agile workflows, remote team collaboration, digital sticky notes, project management tools, feedback loops, and sketching tools.
Integrations include Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Slack, Box, Airtable, Notion, Azure, Webex, Jira, Asana, Monday.com, Confluence, Zoom, and Figma.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Pre-built workflow templates
- Infinite whiteboard for iterative processes
- Users can collaborate in real time on the same canvas
Cons:
- Some integrations only available on higher-tier plans
- Because of its flexibility, the platform may take time to learn
Zoho Sprints is a project management solution designed for agile teams to efficiently monitor and manage their products. Users can utilize the Scrum and Kanban boards to manage a product’s lifecycle, but the platform itself is not designed as a PLM solution. Still, Zoho Sprints is worth mentioning on this list as it does have a bevy of PLM features, including task management, collaboration, and reporting features.
Why I Picked Zoho Sprints: Zoho Sprints gives users a bird’s-eye view of their projects’ progress and track their respective release schedules. The platform comes in four different plans, with the Free plan being the most limited and the Premium plan is the most extensive. The price difference between each paid plan is small enough that makes it worthwhile to immediately subscribe to the Premium plan. The Free plan only has limited backlog management and reporting features while the cheapest paid plan has dramatically more management and reporting features and even Zoho Analytics integration that can give more insights on certain products. Zoho Sprints has even more features and integrations available that can turn the platform into a makeshift PLM software solution.
Businesses that use Zoho Sprints as a PLM solution can use the Scrum and Kanban boards to monitor projects. Zoho Sprints improves collaboration between team members and visualizes activity workflows through Kanban cards. The different features that businesses can use for product lifecycle management include Scrum and Kanban boards, Epic management, work item management, release management, and integrations. Most of these features are locked behind a low-cost paywall that most companies will be able to afford, even when considering the Premier plan.
Even if Zoho Sprints is not designed as a PLM solution, it still has plenty of features and supported integrations that can help users manage product lifecycles. When opting to use this solution, it’s ideal to subscribe to the Premium plan and explore the supported integrations to have a better platform to monitor product lifecycles.
Zoho Sprints Standout Features & Integrations
Features include Features roadmapping, project management, reporting & analytics, task scheduling/tracking, customer management, prioritization, and notifications.
Integrations include Integrations include Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Zendesk, and ServiceNow. Integrations via Zapier and Zoho Flow are also supported. Being part of the Zoho ecosystem allows you to connect to several of Zoho’s own services for Sales, Marketing, CRM, customer service, and other options.
Zoho Sprints costs from $3/user/month for up to 100 users and offers a 15-day free trial.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Huge functionality scalability by adding other Zoho products
- Affordable pricing
- Easy to use interface
Cons:
- Zoho Sprints doesn't have a dedicated mobile app
- Some customization limitations
PathPro is a cloud-based software designed to enhance product management through feature voting and interactive roadmaps. It focuses on empowering businesses to collect customer feedback, prioritize ideas, and organize tasks efficiently.
Why I picked PathPro: PathPro supports agile product lifecycle management through two key features: Its feature request and voting system and interactive roadmaps. Firstly, its feature request and voting system brings community members into your development discussions, allowing them to vote on suggested features, which ultimately helps you plan iterations that align with end-user needs.
Furthermore, PathPro's interactive roadmaps feature helps you structure and prioritize feature suggestions and votes. These roadmaps can also be made public for customers to follow along in the development journey. Overall, these roadmaps allow for flexibility in ideas and prioritization. Customers can also continue to provide feedback, which will consequently keep driving each iteration across the entire product lifecycle.
PathPro Standout Features and Integrations
Features include task assignments, to-do lists, feature and idea submission tools, interactive release notes, contributor shoutouts, news and announcements, public timelines, and customer analytics.
Integrations are not currently listed on PathPro's website.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Interactive release notes
- Public roadmaps to enhance transparency
- Good feature voting system
Cons:
- Lacks other feedback tools, like surveys
- Could offer more robust project management features
Bamboo Rose is the leading PLM software for goods and supply chains.
Why I picked Bamboo Rose: It connects retailers, brands, suppliers, and supply chain partners to help innovative markets products quickly, profitably, and with larger margins. These organizations can create and share visual storyboards among their teams, join with suppliers to receive creative input, and reduce sampling costs. The software’s intelligent AI assistant gives users pinpoint costing, scheduling, and optimization accuracy.
Bamboo Rose typically helps mid-sized companies and large retail or supply chain organizations get products to the market faster than their industry’s average. They can typically do this up to 60 days faster than their competition. The platform provides a scalable and secure solution to perform high-volume transactions.
Bamboo Rose Standout Features and Integrations
Features include supplier management, sales orders, demand forecasting, production tracking, inventory management, activity dashboard, shipping management, and supply chain management.
Integrations include Microsoft Azure.
Bamboo Rose offers custom pricing upon request.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- The platform automates the import and export process.
- It allows users to upload and share designs.
- Users can create digital showrooms to manage orders, suppliers, and payments.
Cons:
- It doesn’t provide many options for creating reports.
- It can be difficult to navigate at first.
ProductCenter helps organizations automate product lifecycle and data processes.
Why I picked ProductCenter: The platform can help companies see immediate product development efficiency. The platform’s solutions can help you improve business results - even in the most challenging market conditions. You can use the software to automate processes such as configuration management and change flows - basically, any process that requires workflow.
ProductCenter enables small, medium, and large-sized companies and their teams to collaborate, centralize, and improve product data management. It helps you simplify the steps to create, manufacture, and support your products, from brainstorming concepts to the final launch. It also helps ensure your company complies with regulations from ISO, FDA, and other governing bodies.
ProductCenter Standout Features and Integrations
Features include version control, BOM management, cost tracking, change management, product lifecycle management, design management, access controls and permissions, and a customizable dashboard.
Integrations include Microsoft and Autodesk applications.
ProductCenter offers custom pricing upon request.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- The platform can quickly store new data.
- It works well when integrating document management with change controls.
- It has a straightforward user interface.
Cons:
- Sometimes the system doesn’t let users check in data.
Infor Optiva PLM helps organizations manage ingredient statements, formulations, projects, and cost optimization.
Why I picked Infor Optiva PLM: The platform efficiently handles project and resource management. Its ERP capabilities allow users to access and integrate data throughout their organization with their PLM activities. The platform’s design can give you a unified view of production processes and data to improve your visibility into these processes and enhance productivity.
Infor Optiva PLM provides bulk manufacturing management features that ensure organizations of any size comply with internal and other regulatory standards. You can use the platform’s wide range of data visualizations to get an overview of your operations and focus on complex product designs. It’s an excellent option for those who must undergo strict labeling regulations.
Infor Optiva Standout Features and Integrations
Features include approval process control, change management, BOM analysis, audit management, activity dashboard, cost tracking, compliance management, portfolio management, ideation, and document storage.
Integrations include Infor CRM and Infor CloudSuite HCM.
Infor Optiva PLM offers custom pricing upon request.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Users can manage a significant number of employees at various levels.
- It’s easy to onboard new specifications and recipes.
- The excellent user interface provides smooth navigation.
Cons:
- It has a bit of a learning curve that might require guidance.
- Some users say it has too many capabilities that new users might not use.
SAP PLM provides businesses with solutions to manage their entire product lifecycle processes.
Why I picked SAP PLM: From the beginning of your product lifecycle, including product ideation and brainstorming, to manufacturing and service, SAP PLM’s features can enhance your processes. It simplifies project proposals, tasks, progress, and timelines so you can monitor data from a single platform. You can use the platform to design, plan, and manage product production with more control and visibility.
SAP PLM is an enterprise-level software part of the SAP Business Suite, which provides excellent integration with the suite’s other platforms. It also provides features that provide faster and better decision-making on product plans to satisfy custom requirements from various stakeholders. Your program, product, and project managers can collaborate to ensure all key product stakeholders know what’s going on.
SAP PLM Standout Features and Integrations
Features include project plan coordination, project document control, commercial project management, product collaboration and enterprise visualization, product engineering, and project portfolio management.
Integrations include all of SAP Business Suite’s platforms.
SAP PLM offers custom pricing upon request. SAP PLM offers a free trial but doesn’t readily provide the details.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Users can easily do the initial budgeting stages, such as quotations
- The platform ties well with various projects, such as software design and engineering
- Excellent for referring users to reports and instructions
Cons:
- It can be challenging to learn and use
- The number of features can be too much for smaller projects
Dassault ENOVIA enables businesses to launch their product around the world simultaneously.
Why I picked Dassault ENOVIA: The typical product release involves launching in developed markets and then moving to other nations. This platform helps users launch their products worldwide simultaneously, resulting in more client loyalty and higher revenues. It also shortens the time to market by reusing design functions.
Dassault ENOVIA covers medium and large-scale businesses operating in various industries, such as transportation, industrial equipment, and marine. It offers a comprehensive solution for managing your product lifecycle. It can also help these organizations save costs and enhance productivity because it’s a SaaS solution and doesn’t require additional hardware.
Dassault ENOVIA Standout Features and Integrations
Features include high-tech design management, product planning, quality and compliance, program management, strategic supplier relationships, configuration and change management, and IP classification and management.
Integrations include Adlib, C++ API, and ENOVIA X-BOM for SAP.
Dassault ENOVIA offers custom pricing upon request.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- It’s easy for beginners to use without any assistance.
- Product managers will have better control of the product’s timeline.
- Teams can easily collaborate and understand the product’s status at any time.
Cons:
- It sometimes has performance issues because of all its capabilities.
- There’s no FAQ section to help answer questions.
PTC Windchill provides users with product lifecycle and product data management solutions.
Why I picked PTC Windchill: The tool helps organizations distribute, transfer, publish, and share information in real time. You can also use this information to visualize the product data. This ensures your teams have all the actionable insights they need for better product development.
PTC Windchill provides comprehensive PLM software for companies of all sizes. It enables your teams to discover design issues in the earlier lifecycle stages and resolve them before moving to the next phase. The proof of credibility feature within the software helps users protect the organization’s intellectual property.
PTC Windchill Standout Features and Integrations
Features include quality and BOM management, outsourcing management, platform structure, data visualization and analysis, technical knowledge base, reliability and requirements management, and collaboration management.
Integrations include XDocs DITA CCMS, TouchBase, Procurence Meercat, ProWritingAid, OpenBOM, See Electrical, Rimsys, Arbortext, PTC Move, PTC Implementer, OpsHub, and Kovair Software.
PTC Windchill offers custom pricing upon request.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Users can perform quick searches for the data they need.
- Maintaining your product’s lifecycle through the change request process is simple.
- The user interface makes tracking and locating product history easy.
Cons:
- Users might experience freezes with the platform when using heavy model workspaces.
- New users might need guidance to start using the platform.
The Best Agile PLM Software Comparison Chart
Here is a table where you can compare all the tools we just covered in the overviews.
| Tools | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Wrike | From $9.80/user/month (min of 2 seats) | Website |
| Miro | From $8/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| Zoho Sprints | From $3 /user/month for up to 100 users | Website |
| PathPro | From $25/month (billed annually) | Website |
| Bamboo Rose | Pricing Upon Request | Website |
| ProductCenter | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Infor Optiva PLM | Pricing upon request | Website |
| SAP PLM | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Dassault ENOVIA | Pricing upon request | Website |
| PTC Windchill | Pricing upon request | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareOther PLM Software Options
Here are a few more options that didn’t make the best Agile PLM software list but are still worth your consideration.
How I Picked the Best Agile PLM Software
Perhaps you're wondering how I selected the best Agile PLM software for this list? To build this top 10 list, I evaluated and compared a wide range of Agile PLM software with positive user ratings.
After determining my long list of top choices, I further honed my list by using the selection criteria below to see how each platform stacked up against the next one. I also drew on my years of product management experience to pinpoint the features that add a lot of value.
Selection Criteria
Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best Agile PLM software for this article:
User Interface (UI)
The best cloud PLM system will be easy to navigate, enabling users to find the features they need to use immediately. Markets move quickly, making it essential to avoid lengthy processes to find the product information you need to use. So, I look for pre-configured platforms for fast deployment and help your teams remain productive from the beginning.
Usability
Software with excellent usability is crucial for product managers working to bring their products to the finish line. It should be easy to use and learn for new users. Therefore, I look for the software’s training modules, documentation, templates, and anything that can give you a quick start. Everything about the platform should be easy to understand immediately. Your software’s usability will prevent your teams from making mistakes due to unclear communication and not understanding how to use the platform.
Performance, Reliability, and Security
Your product data is valuable, and it’s crucial to ensure its security throughout your entire organization. So, I look for vendors who offer best-in-class IP protection to assure you that you have a secure infrastructure. I also look for vendors who offer continuous operation and optimization of the platform with a minimum availability of 99.5%. This will result in experiencing less downtime, reducing overall IT concerns, and improving compliance.
Software Integrations
Your PLM software is only as good as its integration capabilities when working alongside your current processes and systems. Your company might already be using systems for product design and development. Top PLM tools connect with other product lifecycle management software, document management systems, enterprise resource planning tools, and many others that can make your product development process. Examples include SAP ERP, Zendesk, Bantam tools, Siemens Teamcenter, and Oracle Agile PLM.
Pricing
On-premises software deployments can result in you assuming a high upfront investment for hardware, software, and configuration. Using PLM on the cloud can require investing in an operating expense model, where the vendor is still responsible for all system updates and upgrades. When considering the price, I look for vendors offering subscription pricing to give you the flexibility to support your product lifecycle needs. I also look at platforms with active user pricing, which involves paying for the real value and making adjustments as your organization grows.
Agile PLM Software FAQs
Find answers to common questions other people ask about this topic.
What does PLM software provide companies with?
PLM software provides agility to your company to help manage complexity, scale when ready, and meet customer demand while adapting to unexpected changes. This software provides product traceability, which can increase product development speed as stakeholders who work in various countries, offices, time zones, and languages collaborate efficiently. You can also use Agile PLM software to enhance innovation because it can provide real-time consumer data when developing new products.
What are the Key Features of Agile PLM Software?
Here are some key features I look for when searching for the best Agile PLM software.
- Bill of Materials (BOM): A bill of materials feature in PLM software is vital because it defines your product and its components. Advanced BOM features include segregating materials based on the role of your team members, such as developers, designers, and other professionals who collaborate on the product.
- Computer-Aided Design (CAD): Sometimes, you might find CAD sold as a stand-alone solution. CAD can simplify your design and engineering process. It helps product designers and engineers develop 2D and 3D models of a product’s commodities on a computer instead of paper. Regarding PLM, CAD features should manage product configuration changes while maintaining its physical and functional attributes throughout the lifecycle. The feature should also manage product documentation so all stakeholders can access them from a single source on any device.
- Product Data Management (PDM): The right PLM software will help users store, arrange, and analyze finished product data. A product data management feature will help users save important product designs, procedures, and necessities in one place. The product’s internal and external stakeholders, designers, and other teams can use this feature to upload and share product notes.
- Product Regulation and Governance: Staying compliant can help your organization maintain its reputation. The PLM platform you choose should centralize vital, relevant information and documentation to make it easier for everyone to achieve and maintain compliance.
- Project and Component Maintenance: Your project management capabilities provide visibility into your processes and progress. This feature enables users to manage product development and allocate resources in real time. Your team members can use it to see upcoming milestones and constraints for further product planning.
- Quote Process Management: You will need data from multiple sources throughout the quote process when developing new products. Product managers use their coordination capabilities to gather and organize product design data to support their teams. Your PLM software should be able to share the necessary data with the right team members, which helps them focus on their work and spend less time searching for the right information.
- Risk Management: Reducing risks early in the product lifecycle can prevent issues from becoming more significant while developing. This feature helps users identify potential risks, enabling them to manage, report, and mitigate them effectively. Risk analysis tools allow users to better understand their process’s weak spots. Some platforms can do this by detecting or highlighting risks, while others offer visibility through project management tools.
- User Access Levels: Your teams should be able to easily access sensitive information from a PLM platform. Product development can be expensive and complex, and you don’t want the competition to benefit from your team’s work when it’s avoidable. Your PLM software should have user access control that prompts users to enter security credentials before the system starts.
- Workflow and Change Management: This feature is a toolset that provides your teams with product activity insights. They can use it to determine the product’s phase and assign milestones to ensure their stay on track. Some software will allow users to see pending and implemented changes, which impact all aspects of your product.
- Collaboration and Reporting: Some of the best PLM software provides tools to offer some reporting capabilities to users. Excellent platforms include various methods to help users understand the data, such as a Gantt chart that conveys targets and whether you’ll hit them on time. But it’s important to implement a system that provides understandable reporting attributes.
What Other Product Software Should I Use?
As you can see from this article, PLM software is an effective tool when monitoring your product’s development throughout its lifecycle. But product management can involve more than developing the product. To ensure you’re not missing a key component of your role, you can study these articles to discover a list of product software tools to help you excel.
What's Next?
The platform you decide to use will depend on your specific needs. Agile PLM software is about maintaining process visibility and centralizing your data to facilitate them. Keep this in mind throughout your search for a new platformThe good news is that you now have this list to help you get started immediately.
If you need more help during your search for Agile PLM software or are looking for product management tips and advice, sign up for our newsletter. Here you’ll find the best product management information and updates, including tool lists to make your work more efficient.