Best Online Roadmap Tool Shortlist
These are the top roadmapping tools I selected for my shortlist, which I’ll cover in more detail a bit further down:
Product managers and product owners understand the importance of a clear, comprehensive roadmap. Being able to see where your team is headed and the milestones along the way are crucial to effective teamwork, alignment, and success. Enter online roadmap tools. These product management tools help you map out your product strategy and get everyone on the same page.
To help you pick the very best product roadmap tool for your team, I’ve researched and evaluated the top options on the market. Find my detailed outlines below!
What is an Online Roadmap Tool?
An online roadmap tool is a web-based platform used to plan, visualize, and communicate the strategic direction and milestones of a product. These tools are primarily used by product managers, product owners, product teams, and project managers. Stakeholders also rely on them to monitor the progress of product development and ensure alignment among team members and leaders. Product roadmap tools outline a comprehensive roadmap for how a product will be built, updated, and maintained.
Overviews Of The 10 Best Online Roadmap Tools
Here are my overviews of the 10 best online roadmap tools I’ve selected to highlight. I’ve included each platform’s best use case, standout features, integrations, and pros and cons. I also added a screenshot of the interface to give you a feel for the different tools.
Miro
Best for mapping product development workflows
Miro is a virtual whiteboard that can be used in various contexts, including product roadmapping and mapping out processes and workflows.
Why I picked Miro: I added this platform to my list because it’s highly versatile, yet well suited to a roadmapping use case. The whiteboard has all types of graphics and lines that can be used for mapping out your product plan. It’s also particularly useful for outlining workflows and processes. This is super helpful for your product development team because they can outline both the what and the how of your product roadmap in the same system.
Miro Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the product’s vast template library and wireframing capabilities. There are tons of templates to choose from and customize, or you can easily start with a blank slate. Whiteboards also have infinite zoom, allowing you to go way back or way into your design. You can also use the platform for wireframing, making it a flexible and valuable tool for product development at various stages.
Integrations include Webex, Figma, Jira, Azure DevOps, Confluence, Trello, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Zoom, and 100+ others. You can access thousands of additional tools using a Zapier integration. This may require an additional expense.
Pros
- Large template gallery
- Intuitive and friendly interface
- Free plan available
Cons
- Highly versatile, may not be specialized enough
- Lacks advanced roadmapping features
ProductPlan
Best for its high-level security features
ProductPlan is a dedicated product roadmapping software, with best-in-class security features to keep your product data locked down.
Why I picked ProductPlan: If security is a top priority for your product development team, this platform could be a good choice for your roadmapping needs. The simple drag-and-drop roadmap builder lets you pull together your product plan easily. Meanwhile, SOC 2 Type II, PCI Level 1, and GDPR compliance help you rest assured that your precious product data is secure. The software also boasts enhanced password security and advanced admin management.
ProductPlan Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the built-in prioritization feature. You can weigh each item’s value against its effort to automatically prioritize your backlog. Another cool feature is the built-in communication capabilities. Team members can comment and tag one another to keep up to date on progress and any changes. Finally, access permissions allow you to share roadmaps with private, customized views for different access levels.
Integrations include Jira, GitHub, Azure DevOps, Trello, Confluence, Vimeo, PivotalTracker, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. You can also connect the software to Zapier to unlock additional integrations.
Pros
- Team communication and collaboration tools
- Roadmap highlights show how plans change over time
- Weekly training sessions with all plans
Cons
- Portfolio view not available in basic plan
- Integrations are limited based on pricing tier
Productboard
Best for implementing user feedback
Productboard is a system of record for product management, with tools to support roadmapping, user feedback collection, and feature prioritization.
Why I picked Productboard: For teams that want to underscore their roadmap with user insights, this platform is a good fit. I added it to my list because of its user feedback capabilities. You can not only centralize user feedback from various sources in the software, but also analyze it and make sense of it.
The tool’s AI capabilities can parse through your feedback data to reveal common themes and sentiments. You can then turn user suggestions into features and projects to be prioritized. The platform can be used for prototyping a new product or improving upon an existing one.
Productboard Standout Features and Integrations
A standout feature of this platform is its product portals. They can be used for testing, feedback collection, and validation efforts in your product development process. Portals are set up with features that are under development or ready for launch before they go live in your product. You can then share these portals with clients, customers, stakeholders, or team members. It’s an effective way to run tests ahead of product launches to pinpoint and address any bugs or issues.
Integrations include Salesforce, Intercom, Zendesk, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Gong, FullStory, Mixpanel, Miro, Loom, Figma, Jira, GitHub, and more.
Pros
- Highly customizable solution
- Responsive, knowledgeable customer support
- Customizable roadmap templates
Cons
- No notes or annotations on timelines
- Somewhat complex, takes time to learn
ZenHub
Best with workflow automation capabilities
Zenhub is a project and product management platform that offers roadmaps, boards, workflow automation, and more.
Why I picked Zenhub: This software offers both a clear and comprehensive roadmapping module as well as project management boards for breaking down work into smaller pieces. But what really stood out to me about this software is its workflow automation features. You can assign a single issue across multiple boards, ensuring all relevant parties stay up-to-date on progress. You can also use the GitHub automation to facilitate better handoff and collaboration between technical and non-technical teams.
Zenhub Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software’s GitHub extension and integration. The platform is built to fit easily into GitHub, making for a friendly and familiar environment. You can access all of the system’s features and functionalities directly from your GitHub account, reducing app-switching and duplication of tasks like record-keeping. The integration can also be used to automate tasks like updates and moving through workflow stages.
Integrations include GitHub, Slack, Miro, and Figma. An API is also available for building custom integrations.
Pros
- Ability to create multiple workspaces
- Community support network
- Highly functional GitHub integration and extension
Cons
- Users limited to 250 in teams plan
- SOC-2 compliance only with enterprise plan
Roadmunk
Best to build roadmaps for presenting
Roadmunk is a roadmapping tool that’s designed to help you craft presentation-ready product roadmaps quickly.
Why I picked Roadmunk: I added this platform to my list for those of you who need to present a roadmap to your stakeholders ASAP. This software is great for whipping up a visually appealing roadmap quickly and easily. You can opt for a timeline or swimlane view, and create multiple roadmaps using the same data. The roadmaps you create in the platform can be exported as URLs, PNG, or HTML files for easy sharing. Multiple templates are also available to help speed up your roadmap creation.
Roadmunk Standout Features and Integrations
One standout feature is definitely the software’s template hub. There are dozens of roadmap templates to choose from, covering technology, business, and product needs. The templates are fully accessible in the platform’s free trial. This is nice for people who want to give it a try, or need to create their roadmap quickly for a presentation. Templates can be customized using your data set, and you can allocate resources and set milestones to suit your needs.
Integrations include Jira, Azure DevOps, and Trello. An API is also available for building custom integrations.
Pros
- Easy sharing in multiple formats
- Quick setup and easy to navigate
- Lots of self-serve support content
Cons
- Additional fees for some add-ons
- Integrations limited on lower price tiers
GLIDR
Best for running tests and experiments
GLIDR is a product management solution that helps you build a data-driven product roadmap and run tests and experiments on your product.
Why I picked GLIDR: I chose to add this software to my list because of its focus on experimentation. Not only can you build product roadmaps in the platform, but you can also consolidate all of your product data in one place. From user research to customer feedback and test results, you’ll have plenty of data to make decisions about what to build next. The public portal lets you run tests with real users, and analyze the feedback and data you get from their experience. It’s well-suited to innovative teams that want to build their product in an iterative way, or startups striving to find product-market fit.
GLIDR Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the built-in knowledge database. You can store all of your feedback and data from running experiments and user research in one place. The repository is searchable, helping you find the insights and data you’re looking for quickly and easily. Another cool feature is the public portal and public roadmaps. This helps you run user testing and keep external parties in the loop about what’s coming up in your product.
Integrations include Zoom, Figma, Jira, Intercom, Trello, Slack, and a Chrome Extension. Zapier can also be connected to configure additional integrations.
Pros
- Connects product with go-to-market strategy
- Easily save data from tests run through system
- Good for data-driven product development
Cons
- Integrations limited in starter plan
- Starter plan limited to 1 project
Visme
Best for a flexible creative platform
Visme is an online creative platform you can use to build nearly anything, including product roadmaps.
Why I picked Visme: This is a super flexible platform that can be used for so many different things, roadmaps being just one of them. I added it to my list because depending on how your team works, you might be looking for a versatile tool for creating various types of assets. In addition to roadmaps, you can develop mockups, presentations, charts and graphs, video content, and more.
This software can be a useful tool to add to your team’s toolkit because it can be used for creating engaging content for stakeholders and other audiences. For example, you can create product mockups to go alongside a pitch deck. Or, you can develop data visualizations to outline product performance or user research. You might even craft customer-facing documentation to improve the onboarding experience and adoption of your product.
Visme Standout Features and Integrations
One standout feature of the product is its built-in templates. You can select from a large bank of ready-made roadmaps to customize and create your own. There are templates for various other assets, too, which is especially helpful if your team is lacking in design or UX expertise. Another nice feature is the ability to implement custom branding into your roadmaps. This makes for a visually appealing, on-brand roadmap that’s ready for presenting to investors and other key stakeholders.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Loom, Slack, Typeform, JotForm, HubSpot, Salesforce and Mailchimp, among others.
Pros
- Large template library
- Friendly drag-and-drop interface
- Free plan available
Cons
- Highly versatile, may not be specialized enough
- Lacks advanced roadmapping features
JIRA by Atlassian
Best for agile development teams
Jira is a tried-and-true product management software that provides developers with a system for tracking, organizing, and prioritizing tasks.
Why I Picked Jira: I chose this platform for my list because of the level of detail and the flexibility it offers. You can create customized, timeline-based product roadmaps in the software, and Kanban and Scrum templates are also available. Products can be broken down into smaller pieces that can be categorized as stories, issues, and tasks. Tasks can be assigned right from the roadmap view, helping keep everyone aligned on responsibilities and ownership. The entire platform is built around an agile methodology, and helps you track progress and shift priorities as needed.
Jira Software Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software's tracking and customization capabilities. Tracking helps you monitor your product’s progress throughout development. All tasks associated with a particular issue are tracked, and you can use the reporting tool for an up-to-date snapshot of your team’s progress. The roadmapping and task management tools are highly customizable, but so are the views. You can select from various views available to get an overview of your product plan from whatever perspective is best suited at the time.
Integrations include Adobe, Dropbox, Figma, Google Workspace, InVision, Microsoft, Miro, Slack, Zendesk, Zoom, and more.
Pros
- Works well with other Atlassian products (Confluence, Trello, Bitbucket, etc.)
- Built-in resource management
- Highly customizable and detailed
Cons
- No mass-editing and scripting
- Linking between stories and tasks could be improved
AHA.io
Best online roadmap tool with idea management and whiteboarding
Aha.io is a product management software company that offers roadmapping and idea management solutions as well as a virtual whiteboard tool.
Why I picked Aha.io: This platform covers several aspects of your product planning and management processes. Its roadmapping tool offers everything you need to map out your plan, like timeline views and swimlanes. But you also get tools to help you ideate, strategize, and prioritize, which is why I added it to my list.
Whiteboards allow your product team to brainstorm and connect ideas collaboratively. From there, they can use the idea management module to refine their ideas and gather feedback. Finally, prioritization comes with built-in scoring options to ensure the most impactful work gets done first.
Aha.io Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software’s AI capabilities, which include a writing assistant and smart feedback management. The AI can help you draft everything from meeting notes to release memos and even product announcements. Meanwhile, the software’s AI can also help you interpret and categorize feedback. This really helps speed up your processes, from bringing new features and products to market to testing them with real users and implementing customer feedback.
Integrations include Azure DevOps, GitLab, GitHub, Jira, Trello, Asana, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Pivotal Tracker, and Rally, among others. You can also integrate with thousands of additional tools using Zapier.
Pros
- Highly customizable and flexible
- Lots of self-serve support content
- Robust, comprehensive feature set
Cons
- Comes with a learning curve
- Reporting is somewhat basic
Venngage
Best library of roadmap templates
Venngage is a web-based creative platform that can be used to craft roadmaps and other types of assets, with a broad template gallery to get you started.
Why I picked Venngage: If you need to create a roadmap quickly, and want a pre-built template to get you started, this could be the right platform for you. Its template bank hosts over 10,000 ready-made outlines that can be used for various purposes. It has Scrum, product development, portfolio, website, release, and other specialized roadmap templates. Many of the templates are available for free, which lets you give the tool a try before you buy.
Venngage Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the platform’s additional templates, which cover things like timelines, presentations, proposals, mind maps, and more. You can use the same platform to outline and share your work with stakeholders and other teams. This is especially useful for product teams that need to keep other departments in the loop on their plans and progress. Another helpful feature is the knowledge base, which has tons of courses and webinars to ramp up your design skills.
Integrations can be built using the platform’s API.
Pros
- Self-serve customer support content
- Friendly drag-and-drop interface
- Free plan available
Cons
- Highly versatile, may not be specialized enough
- Lacks advanced roadmapping features
The 10 Best Online Roadmap Tools Summary
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Miro Best for mapping product development workflows | Free plan available | From $10/user/month | Visit Website |
2 | ProductPlan Best for its high-level security features | 14-day free trial | From $49/user/month | Visit Website |
3 | Productboard Best for implementing user feedback | 15-day free trial | From $25/user/month | Visit Website |
4 | ZenHub Best with workflow automation capabilities | 14 days free trial | From $12.50/user/month | Visit Website |
5 | Roadmunk Best to build roadmaps for presenting | 14-day free trial | From $19/month, paid annually | Visit Website |
6 | GLIDR Best for running tests and experiments | 14-day free trial | From $25/month | Visit Website |
7 | Visme Best for a flexible creative platform | Free plan available | From $29/month | Visit Website |
8 | JIRA by Atlassian Best for agile development teams | 7-day free trial + free plan | From $7.75/user/month | Visit Website |
9 | AHA.io Best online roadmap tool with idea management and whiteboarding | 30-day free trial available | From $9/user/month | Visit Website |
10 | Venngage Best library of roadmap templates | Free version available | From $19/user/month | Visit Website |
Other Online Roadmap Tool Options
Here’s a list of the tools that didn’t make it to the top, but are still worth your consideration:
- airfocus
Best for scalability and flexibility
- Craft.io
Best all-in-one product management solution
- ClickUp
Best complete work management platform
- Targetprocess
Best for comprehensive business planning
- ProdPad
Best with OKR planning included
- Hygger
Best for simplicity and user-friendliness
- Notion
Best for creating roadmaps within an intranet
Selection Criteria For Online Roadmap Tools
Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best product roadmap software for this article:
Core Functionality
Before getting into specific features, I always look for the core functionality of a product. When it comes to online roadmap tools, here are the core capabilities I expect to see:
- The ability to create a product plan, and
- A visual representation of your product roadmap.
Key Features
Beyond the basic functionality I’ve outlined above, here are some of the top roadmapping features I saw in my research:
- Timeline management: You should be able to schedule milestones and you may be able to schedule resources, too.
- Project management tools: Many platforms have sprint management, tasks and dependencies, swimlanes, workflows, etc.
- Backlog prioritization: Most tools allow you to prioritize projects and initiatives from your backlog using Scrum and other methodologies.
- Multiple view formats: Configure your roadmap as a Kanban board, Gantt chart, timeline, calendar, and other visual roadmap views.
- Collaboration features: You might be able to plan your roadmap collaboratively in real time. You can also usually share roadmaps easily with collaborators and stakeholders.
- Customer feedback: Some tools allow you to solicit feedback from users to inform new features, new products, and your product vision.
- Roadmap templates: Many platforms have product roadmap templates to help speed up your roadmap planning process.
- Reporting dashboards: Most tools have reporting and analytics capabilities to help you track progress and team performance against business goals.
Usability
Next up in my assessment criteria, I looked at the user-friendliness of the roadmap software’s user interface. Many of these platforms have a drag-and-drop interface, which makes it easy to set up and customize your product roadmap. Ideally, the roadmap workspace should be intuitive to navigate without too much of a learning curve. I also looked for smart, straightforward automations for streamlining your product development process.
Integrations
It’s important for your online roadmap tool to connect easily with your other core SaaS products. I looked for integrations with popular project management software like Trello, Asana, monday.com, and Wrike. I also looked for integrations with other popular workplace tools like Slack and Google Workplace. Integrations with popular development team tools like Github and Azure DevOps are also a bonus, as are APIs you can use to build custom integrations.
Pricing
Your software budget is often the final frontier in selecting a new SaaS tool to add to your team’s toolkit. So what’s the average price of an online roadmap tool? I tried to get the price per month on a monthly payment plan so you don’t have to commit long-term if you don’t want to. Some offer free plans or free versions that are suitable for small teams and startups. But if you’re looking for more advanced product features, a paid plan will usually offer what you need.
Online Roadmap Tools FAQs
Still have questions about product roadmapping, and the online tools that facilitate it? I’ve answered some common questions on the topic for you here.
What are the benefits of having an online roadmap tool?
How do I create a product roadmap?
What makes a good product roadmap?
What’s Next?
So, hopefully now you have a better sense of the online roadmap tools available to you. Remember, there is no single best product roadmap software. But there are a ton of options, and it’s worth investigating which one will most effectively meet your needs. With the information outlined in this article, you should have what you need to find the best product roadmap tool for your team!
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