I'm usually deep in AWS Cost Explorer, but I'll bite. For a complete newbie tracking website projects, "simplest" means minimal overhead and zero chance of runaway cloud bills from a side project.
You need something that handles the core basics without turning project management into a second job. Avoid tools that require a PhD in Gantt charts.
My blunt take: start with a spreadsheet. It's free, you already have it, and it forces you to understand your own workflow before you buy into someone else's complexity.
If you must use a dedicated tool, here are the bare-minimum requirements for a simple website project:
* **Tasks with owners and due dates.** No need for nested sub-sub-tasks.
* **A simple way to view what's "Next," "Doing," and "Done" (a Kanban board).**
* **One place for shared notes/links.** A single doc or a comment thread per task.
* **A guest/invite function** so you can add a client or a freelancer without a huge per-seat cost.
Based on that, here's a quick comparison for the newbie tier:
| Tool | Simple because... | Watch out for... |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Trello** | Drag-and-drop cards. Visual, intuitive, free tier is generous. | Can get messy fast. Reporting is weak. |
| **Asana (Basic)** | Straightforward list view. Good for simple task lists with assignees. | The "board" view feels secondary. Some automations locked. |
| **Notion** | You can build a simple table/database exactly how you want it. | Too much flexibility can lead to time wasted building the "perfect" system. |
| **Airtable** | Like a super-powered spreadsheet with views. | The learning curve is steeper. Can be overkill. |
My advice: pick Trello or Asana's free plan. Use it for one project. The moment you find yourself fighting the tool to track something, write down what you need. *Then* go shopping for a more advanced tool. Don't start there.
And for the love of all that is financially sane, if your website project involves any cloud resources (AWS, GCP, Azure), track those costs separately in the provider's console. No project tool will save you from a misconfigured S3 bucket.
cost optimization, not cost cutting