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Comparison · PM
Ellie Planner vs SmartSuite
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Ellie Planner and SmartSuite — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Shared themes:mcp
Ellie Planner vs SmartSuite: at a glance
| Feature | Ellie Planner | SmartSuite |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | PM | PM |
| Velocity score | 3.8 | 7.5 |
| Sparks · 30d | 0 | 0 |
| Top themes | task management, mcp, calendar sync, ipad | mcp, governance, dashboards, no-code-platform |
| Last editorial update | 1mo ago | 1d ago |
| Website | Visit → | — |
What is Ellie Planner?
Ellie opens its task data to outside agents, eight months after its last changelog.
Ellie is a solo-built task and calendar planner spanning web, desktop, iPhone and iPad. After an eight-month gap, the catch-up release lands a real Week Calendar on iPad, Pomodoro sessions started from a task and restored across reloads, Quick Capture as a standalone window on a global shortcut, rich-text task notes with Markdown shortcuts, and MCP/API access in beta. Beneath the headline items sits the unglamorous work: recurring tasks, timezones, rollover, and calendar sync behaviour.
What is SmartSuite?
SmartSuite's dashboard filters learn to exclude, as admin undo reaches deleted teams.
SmartSuite ships weekly on three fronts: AI access (a hosted MCP server and a refreshed model picker), admin governance (Managed Secrets with an audit trail, and now deleted teams that go to the Recycle Bin with their members) and dashboard depth. The latest release gives dynamic filter widgets an Is / Is Not operator that viewers can switch on the dashboard.
Ellie Planner vs SmartSuite: editorial side-by-side
Ellie opens its task data to outside agents, eight months after its last changelog.
◆ Current state
Ellie is a solo-built task and calendar planner spanning web, desktop, iPhone and iPad. After an eight-month gap, the catch-up release lands a real Week Calendar on iPad, Pomodoro sessions started from a task and restored across reloads, Quick Capture as a standalone window on a global shortcut, rich-text task notes with Markdown shortcuts, and MCP/API access in beta. Beneath the headline items sits the unglamorous work: recurring tasks, timezones, rollover, and calendar sync behaviour.
◆ Where it's heading
The consistent pattern across four years of releases is reach - Outlook and Google calendars, Slack, Notion, Todoist, iOS widgets - all aimed at making Ellie available wherever work originates. MCP applies that instinct to agents rather than apps, and the release frames it exactly that way. The in-app AI assistant from a year ago put a model inside Ellie; MCP inverts the arrangement and lets an agent the user picks hold the task data instead.
◆ Prediction
MCP access is explicitly beta and gated behind Power Features, so the open questions are whether it graduates and how it is priced. The entries do not say which clients have been tested against the endpoint.
SmartSuite's dashboard filters learn to exclude, as admin undo reaches deleted teams.
◆ Current state
SmartSuite ships weekly on three fronts: AI access (a hosted MCP server and a refreshed model picker), admin governance (Managed Secrets with an audit trail, and now deleted teams that go to the Recycle Bin with their members) and dashboard depth. The latest release gives dynamic filter widgets an Is / Is Not operator that viewers can switch on the dashboard.
◆ Where it's heading
The product is turning into a governed backend that scripts and AI agents operate, with credential controls and recoverable access structures. Dashboard and mobile parity work runs alongside as steady catch-up, removing the need for duplicate widgets and making admin actions reversible.
◆ Prediction
Expect more audit and access controls around automated actors, such as scoping which scripts or connections can use a secret, and further dashboard filter and mobile widget releases.
Alternatives to Ellie Planner and SmartSuite
Other PM products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Ellie Planner or SmartSuite.
Tracecat
Tracecat 1.2.0 goes stable in under two days: sub-cases, workflow forms and on-prem tunnels.
Float
Float is moving from who's-free scheduling toward staffing on experience and pricing on rate cards.
RentRedi
RentRedi opens tenant chats to teammates, part of a run of fixes for landlords with staff.
Hive
Hive makes its AI proofer a named approver and lets workflow buttons open prefilled Forms.
Fibery
Fibery hands integrations to AI: describe any HTTP API and it builds, tests and hosts the connector.
See all Ellie Planner alternatives → · See all SmartSuite alternatives →
Recent activity from Ellie Planner and SmartSuite
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 2d agoSmartSuiteFilter Widget: Multiple Operators in Dynamic Filters
- 2d agoSmartSuiteRecycle Bin: Restore Team
- 9d agoSmartSuiteManaged Secrets
- 9d agoSmartSuiteMobile: Data Schema Widget
- 16d agoSmartSuiteMobile: Pivot Table Widgets on Dashboards
- 16d agoSmartSuiteAI: Updated Supported Models
- 1mo agoEllie PlanneriPad Week Calendar, Pomodoro, Quick Capture, rich notes, and MCP ⚡
- 9mo agoEllie Planner🧹 Todoist integration, improved Slack/Notion integrations and more
- 1y agoEllie PlannerEllie AI, Task templates, "Add task" from calendar events and more ✨ ⚡
- 1y agoEllie PlannerNotion integration, Analytics, Rituals, Notifications and a ton more
- 2y agoEllie Planner🐹 Outlook Calendar Integration, iOS Widgets, Slack integration and more
- 3y agoEllie Planner📆 Mac menu bar, improved auto sync and more
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Ellie Planner and SmartSuite?
Both compete on the same themes — mcp — within PM. SmartSuite is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 7.5 vs 3.8), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Ellie Planner better than SmartSuite?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. SmartSuite is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 7.5 vs 3.8), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other PM products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Ellie Planner?
Top Ellie Planner alternatives in PM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Ellie Planner alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/ellie for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to SmartSuite?
Top SmartSuite alternatives in PM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "SmartSuite alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/smartsuite for the full list with editorial commentary on each.