18.2
Planforge is a hybrid project and portfolio management product for traditional, agile, or combined project work.
Free planAndroidiOSWeb
Best Innovation Software in 2026
Planforge leads this chart of 18 (8.2/10, free plan). IdeaGist is next (7.4/10, free plan), and Orchidea is the next highest-placed with a free plan (7.4/10). Innovation software helps teams collect ideas, run evaluations, manage challenges and track an innovation portfolio. Compare the idea tools, workflow features, integrations and deployment options that fit your work. For Android use, check whether a product has an Android app and whether its key workflow is available there. Also compare web, iOS, Windows, API and self-hosted support, plus free plans, trials and paid…
27.4
IdeaGist is a collaboration platform for people developing ideas and those interested in them.
Free planAndroidiOSWeb
37.4
Orchidea is an innovation platform for organizations to collect, develop, evaluate, and manage ideas with AI-powered tools.
Free planAndroidiOSWeb
- 4
Brightidea
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.3From $99 a month - 5
Ideanote
Ideanote is an innovation workspace for collecting, developing, managing, and acting on ideas.
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI7.3Free plan - 6
Innovation Cloud
Innovation Cloud is a structured platform for moving innovation and product-development work from concept through commercialization using phases, deliverables, and gates.
Free planWebAPILinuxmacOS7.2From $27 a month - 7
Planview AdaptiveWork
Planview AdaptiveWork is portfolio and work management software for planning and delivering portfolios, projects, and work.
AndroidiOSWebAPI6.9 - 8
innoCentrum Enterprise
WebAPISelf-hosted6.7From $1.25 a month - 9
Hives.co
Hives.co helps organisations gather and manage ideas, insights, and feedback, including employee suggestions and product innovation proposals.
AndroidiOSWeb6.5From $795 a year - 10
Traction
WebAPI6.4From $4,000 a year - 11
Wazoku Platform
WebAPI6.2From $15,000 a year - 12
Qmarkets
Qmarkets is an innovation management platform for organizations seeking to turn ideas into measurable outcomes.
WebAPILinuxSelf-hosted5.9 - 13
IdeaScale
IdeaScale is a web platform for gathering, assessing, and advancing ideas across an organization.
Web5.8 - 14
Sideways 6
Sideways 6 is idea management software for companies collecting and developing employee suggestions, then delivering and measuring their impact.
WebAPI5.8 - 15
Exago
Exago is web-based corporate innovation management software for collecting ideas and guiding them through collaboration, concept or business-case…
Web5.7 - 16
HYPE Boards
AndroidiOSWeb5.2 - 17
Accolade
Web4.6 - 184.6
Choosing well
Compare plans and entry costs
A free plan can let you assess an innovation tool before committing. A free trial is another way to test the workflow, while paid pricing may start at a listed monthly amount or require a quote.
Ideanote’s annual paid entry is $6 per user each month.
Match the workflow to your process
Compare idea submission and evaluation workflows before choosing. Challenge management matters when you collect responses around a defined problem or programme.
Look for the way a tool moves an idea from submission through review and onward action, rather than focusing on the name of a feature.
Check portfolio and integrations
An innovation portfolio view can help organise initiatives beyond incoming ideas. Listed integrations show how the service connects with other software.
Review the integrations named by the product and confirm they cover the systems your team already uses.
Choose where the service runs
Check Android availability first if you need to submit or review ideas from a phone. Then compare web, iOS, Windows, API and self-hosted deployment options.
A web service may suit browser-based work, while an API or self-hosted option can fit a wider internal setup. Confirm the platforms and deployment model before buying.
Questions people ask
Do these innovation tools have Android apps?
Android support varies by product. Check the product's platform details and confirm that idea submission, evaluation and review work on Android.
Can I start with a free plan?
Yes. Products including IdeaGist, Ideanote, Innovation Cloud and Orchidea offer a free plan.
Which products offer a free trial?
Brightidea and IdeaScale offer free trials, while Innovation Cloud lists a 30-day trial.
Do prices appear on the product pages?
Pricing varies. Hives.co lists $795 per month annually, innoCentrum Enterprise starts at $1.25 per user per month, and several products use pricing on request.
What features should an innovation platform cover?
Assess whether the service supports idea submission, evaluation workflows, innovation portfolio views, challenge management, listed integrations and the deployment options you need.