What people complain about in Trello
11 reported problems name Trello as what the person is currently using. Below is what they said was missing, and what they resorted to instead.
- Complaints
- 11
- Avg severity
- 2.8/5
- Would pay to fix
- 1
- Industries
- 3
What they wish it did
Capabilities people described needing that Trello does not give them, taken from the highest-scoring problems first. These are individual accounts written in each person’s own terms, so two entries may describe the same underlying gap in different words.
- A search tool that directly navigates to and highlights the exact text match within a card
- Automated client onboarding system with templates
- Integrated feedback capture directly on creative files within workflow
- Unified platform that eliminates tool-switching for core agency tasks
- Client-facing progress dashboard that reduces status inquiries
- Unified client communication tool integrated with project management
- Invoicing and proposal software linked to project milestones
- File delivery system with version control and client feedback built-in
- Dashboard combining all client interactions and progress
- Trello search should include lists, not just boards and cards
What they do instead
The manual processes people built around the gap. A long workaround list is the strongest evidence a problem is real: someone is already paying for it in time. Where several people described the same workaround, it is marked.
- manually reading through each card to find specific items after search
- Manually setting up client onboarding each time
- Using WhatsApp messages for feedback on videos and designs
- Switching between 5-6 tools to complete single tasks
- Clients asking repeatedly for progress updates instead of self-service
- uses WhatsApp for client communication
- uses Google Drive for file delivery
- uses Sheets to track proposals and invoices
- uses Notion or Trello for project updates
- uses email for client communication
- may go back to my notebooks
The problems themselves
Highest opportunity score first.
Search results in Trello show only the card or folder containing the item, forcing the user to manually read through the entire card to find the specific information.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologySoftware PerformanceSearchBoostSmall creative agency struggles with fragmented workflows across multiple tools, leading to lost feedback, inefficient client updates, and no centralized view of agency operations.
4HighProfessional ServicesProject ManagementAgencyFlow StudioThe user is unable to set up repeating cards in Trello from their mobile device, forcing them to use a desktop computer for this simple function.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologyProject ManagementTrello Mobile EnhanceTrello is extremely slow and unresponsive for uploading, refreshing, and accessing data.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologySoftware PerformanceSnapBoardNew business owner lacks a system to track remote coders' productivity without micromanaging.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologyEmployee ManagementCodePulse ManagerUser is frustrated that the calendar view in Trello requires a $10/month paid plan, making a basic scheduling feature inaccessible for free users.
2MildGeneral Business ServicesScheduling & BookingFreeBoard CalendarFreelancer struggles to keep organized across proposals, invoices, file delivery, project updates, and client communication when managing multiple clients and revisions.
3MediumGeneral Business ServicesClient ManagementFreelanceFlowTrello widget fails to show future dates and sort control (swirl icon) does not work reliably, with no bug fixes from Atlassian.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologySoftware Bug/PerformanceTrello Bug SquasherDeleted cards in the mobile app reappear on the desktop app due to syncing issues.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologySoftware Reliability & PerformanceSyncFix ProThe user cannot tag people in comments on attachments in Trello, leading to poor communication flow.
2MildSoftware and TechnologyCommunication & CollaborationAttachFlow ProUser cannot search for Trello lists, only boards and cards, making it hard to find specific information and pushing them back to notebooks.
2MildGeneral Business ServicesUser ExperienceListSearch Pro
Read this fairly
These are complaints, and only complaints — nobody posts to say their software worked. A high count mostly reflects how many people use Trello at all, so this page is not a quality judgement and should not be read as one. What it is good for is the shape of the gaps: the specific jobs people could not get done, which are the same whether the tool is popular or not.