# What is Trello?

> Trello is a free visual task board from Atlassian: boards, lists and cards. What it is, when a small team should use it, and a first board step by step.

Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/trello · Updated 2026-10-24 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com)

[Business](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary#topic-business) · [AI glossary](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary)

Quick answer

Trello is a visual task tool from Atlassian. Work lives on boards; a board has lists (the stages work moves through) and cards (one per task) that you drag from list to list. Cards hold labels, due dates, checklists, comments and files, and the free plan covers a small team.

Last updated October 24, 2026

[Take the free module →](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/trello-for-teams/1)Module 1 of the free [Trello for Teams: One Board for Client Work](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/trello-for-teams) course, about 10 minutes. No account needed.

Updated October 24, 2026 · By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about)

## Why it matters for a small business

Small teams often run work from email threads and a shared spreadsheet, so nobody can see at a glance what is stuck or whose turn it is. A Trello board puts every task where everyone can see it, and moving a card is the status update.

It is simpler than Jira: no sprints or story points, just lists and cards. That makes it a good fit for office work such as client onboarding, content calendars or hiring.

## In a real lesson: Trello: Track Client Onboarding on One Team Board

In the free [Trello client onboarding lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/trello-client-onboarding), a four-person bookkeeping firm (made up) creates one board with To do, In progress, Waiting on client and Done, and adds five tasks for three new clients.

The Cobalt Legal card gets a red Urgent label and a 30 October due date, then moves to Waiting on client, so the whole team can see it is stuck with the client, not with them.

[Try this lesson free](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/trello-client-onboarding) or [read the step-by-step guide](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/trello-client-onboarding).

## Common confusions

### Trello vs Jira

Both are from Atlassian. Trello is boards, lists and cards for any team; Jira adds sprints, story points and reports for software and IT teams.

### Trello vs a spreadsheet tracker

A spreadsheet holds the same tasks as rows, but status is a cell someone has to update. In Trello, moving the card is the update, and due dates remind people.

## Tips

- Start each card with the client or project name, so the board reads like a list of clients.
- Keep lists to four or five plain stages, with a separate list for work waiting on someone outside the team.

## Related terms

[Kanban board](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/kanban-board) · [Automation rule (Trello)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/automation-rule) · [WIP limit](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/wip-limit) · [Action items](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/action-items)

## More Business terms

[Triage](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/ai-triage) · [Trial balance](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/trial-balance) · Trust account (law firm) · Turnaround time

## Where you use it: free lessons

- [Trello: Track Client Onboarding on One Team Board](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/trello-client-onboarding) (Trello, 10 min)
- [Trello: Mark Work Complete Automatically with a Free Rule](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/trello-butler-done-rule) (Trello, 7 min)

## Frequently asked questions

**Is Trello free?**

Yes, Trello has a free plan for small teams, with boards, lists, cards, labels, due dates and some automation. Paid plans add more views, more automation runs and admin controls; check Trello's pricing page for current limits.

**How do I start a board in Trello?**

Click Create in the top bar, then Create board, type a title, check the Workspace and click Create. Then add your lists and cards.

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