How to Switch From Trello to Asana: Migration Steps and Gotchas

Move a Trello board to Asana with the CSV importer: export the board, map columns to tasks and sections, and watch out for comments and Power-Up data.

By Galactic News Editorial · Published 2026-11-09T13:28:36+00:00 · Updated 2026-11-09T13:28:36+00:00

Moving boards between Trello and Asana is a common step for growing teams. Trello is great for simple boards. Asana fits teams that need timelines, goals, and reporting. The move itself is straightforward. The CSV importer carries your work across from a file you export first.

This guide covers the export, the import, the mapping between the two tools, and the gotchas that catch teams out. It follows Asana's own help pages and current pricing, checked in November 2026. Prices are US list prices.

Before you start, decide which boards to move. Do not migrate everything. Archived boards and dead projects add noise to a new workspace. Move the boards your team still uses. Leave the rest behind.

How to switch from Trello to Asana: export, then import

Asana documents one route for Trello boards. Export the board as a CSV file, then upload it with the CSV importer. The file decides what moves. Each row becomes one task. Pick one export method per board. Do not run two imports of the same file, or you will get duplicates.

Method 1: Export the board, then import the CSV

CSV export needs a Trello Premium workspace. Open the board menu, select Print, Export, and Share, then Export as CSV. Asana's help page still calls the plan Business Class, the older name for Premium. The CSV holds one row per card. Comments stay behind, since Atlassian says they are not included in CSV exports. Archived cards are left out too, unless you add .csv to the end of the board link in your browser.

1. Open the board and export it as a CSV file.
2. Open the file and check the columns. Task Name must be the first column, followed by Description, Sections, and Assignee.
3. Log in to Asana and create a new project with the + button.
4. Choose Import spreadsheet and select the CSV file.
5. Click Make changes to preview the import and map each column to the right field.
6. Click Continue to project and review the new work.

You can also import a CSV into an existing project. Open the project, click the project header menu, and select Import, then CSV. Note that CSV import only adds new tasks. It cannot update tasks that already exist, so importing the same file twice creates duplicates.

Method 2: No Premium plan? Use an export extension

Without a Premium workspace, Trello only exports boards as JSON. Asana's help page points to the Export for Trello browser extension for the CSV file in that case. Install it, export the board, then run the same CSV importer. The rest of the steps do not change.

Keep a JSON export as a backup too. Every board member can download it. It holds the 1000 most recent actions on the board, including comments. A Premium workspace export can also bundle raw attachments in a ZIP file. Treat the JSON as a safety net, not an import file. Trello cannot rebuild a board from it.

Mapping Trello to Asana

The two tools use different words for the same ideas. Write the mapping down before you import. Share it with the team so everyone knows where their work went.

Some Trello ideas have no direct match. Trello cards carry only a due date. Asana tasks can also carry a start date, so add one where it matters. Then open Timeline view to see the project as a schedule.

Custom fields need a paid plan. The free Personal plan does not include them. If your boards rely on custom fields, plan for Starter. It costs $10.99 per user per month on annual billing.

Pricing to budget for

The move can change your bill. The two tools price very differently. Check the cost for your team size before you commit.

Trello Free covers up to 10 collaborators per workspace and 10 boards. Standard costs $5 per user per month on annual billing. Premium costs $10 per user per month. Premium adds Timeline, Calendar, Table, and Dashboard views.

Asana Personal is free, but it caps at 2 users. That rules it out for most real teams. Starter costs $10.99 per user per month on annual billing. It adds Timeline and Gantt views, dashboards, and unlimited automations. Advanced costs $24.99 per user per month. It adds portfolios, goals, workload management, and native time tracking.

For a team of 10, Trello Standard costs $50 a month. Asana Starter costs $109.90 a month. Asana costs more than double. Make sure the team will use the extra features before you pay for them.

Gotchas that catch teams out

Power-Up data does not migrate. Story points from a Points Power-Up and fields from the Custom Fields Power-Up stay behind. Record those values in the CSV or rebuild them as custom fields after the import.

Comments and attachments do not travel in a CSV file. Atlassian says comments are left out of CSV exports entirely. Move critical files and notes to the new tasks by hand. Verify every attachment on high-value tasks.

Archived cards should stay archived. Do not import them into active projects. They create backlog noise and confuse the team. Export one final JSON backup of each board before you archive it. Then archive the board.

Dates need care. Asana's CSV importer expects US date format, month, day, then year. A file with dates in another format will import wrong dates. Fix the format before you upload.

CSV import cannot update existing tasks. If you import the same file twice, you get duplicate tasks. If a task changes in Trello after the import, update it in Asana by hand. There is no sync between the two tools.

Start dates need a paid plan. In the CSV, a Start Date column works with a paid subscription. Without one, the value lands in the task description instead. Review the timeline after import and fix any dates that look wrong.

After the import: set up Asana properly

The import is only half the job. A raw import gives you Trello boards inside Asana. It does not give you the best features. Spend an hour setting the project up properly.

1. Add custom fields for priority, status, or story points.
2. Set up task dependencies so work flows in the right order.
3. Open Timeline view and add start dates.
4. Create a project template from the imported project for future work.
5. Add the project to a Portfolio if you track several projects at once.
6. Archive the Trello board after 30 days, once the team trusts the new project.

Keep Trello readable for 30 days after the move. The team will need to check old card comments and attachments. After 30 days, archive the boards and cancel the subscription if you no longer need it.

When not to switch

Asana is not right for every team. If your work is simple and visual, Trello may be the better tool. A team of three tracking a content calendar does not need portfolios and workload management.

Cost is the other reason to stay. Starter at $10.99 per user per month is more than double Standard at $5. A small team that only needs boards will save money by staying put.

Move when the work outgrows boards. If you need timelines, dependencies, goals, and reporting, the higher price earns its keep. If you only need a shared board, it does not.

Bottom line

Moving a board takes an afternoon for most teams. Export the CSV, then switch from Trello to Asana with the CSV importer. Map boards to projects and lists to sections before you start. Check comments, Power-Up data, attachments, and dates after the import. Keep Trello open for 30 days as a safety net. Then archive it and let the team work in Asana.