37Signals has done a tremendous job building a project management application for the masses with BaseCamp. We use it religiously at Imulus; to communicate with our clientele on a regular basis. While there are several free alternatives available on the web (see list below), why do people continue to pay 37Signals for an application they can install for free?

1. Intuitive Interface
You are more apt to use a product which is intuitive and easy to interact with. Having used Microsoft Project for several years, I understand this well. Microsoft Project works well for project managers and other users with Microsoft Project, yet the PM is only a fraction of the development team. BaseCamp is accessible by all, including the customer. It gives one window into the project development which is seen by the entire team.

For it to be usable by everyone, including the client it must be intuitive. Not just geared for us tech heads or project managers.

2. No Setup Hassle
For a product to have mass appeal it must be easy to setup. These free applications usually require developers to install and configure. Whereas BaseCamp uses a simple wizard to move the customer through the setup process and instantly into a working environment in just a few minutes.

3. Free Upgrades for Life
The subscription business model has tremendous appeal for the non-technical customers. No need to re-install, re-license, or patch the software. Pay the monthly fee and keep using the service without headaches.

4. It Just Works
In the year we have been using BaseCamp we have had zero noticeable downtime and no errors. This makes for a pleasing user-experience.

Yet there are always those of us who would don’t love the idea of a monthly subscription, and for those people I offer these alternatives to BaseCamp.

• activeCollab http://www.activecollab.com/
  PHP based. Free, clone of BaseCamp with some tweaks.
• dotProject http://www.dotproject.net
  PHP based. Free, but the interface needs alot of help.
• Copper http://www.copperproject.com/
  PHP based. Nicely designed. More robust then BaseCamp and geared more for the project manager.
• TasksPro http://www.taskspro.com/
  PHP based. Well built. Feature rich but geared more for the project manager.