Did Trello Change? Yes — Here's What's Different After the Redesign
Yes — if you opened Trello and felt like you were looking at a different app, you’re not imagining it. Trello shipped a major redesign in 2025 that changed how the whole thing looks and where some familiar features live.
Here’s what’s different, why it drew so much backlash, and what to do if the new version isn’t working for you.
What changed
Trello rolled out a major redesign on May 22, 2025. The update changed the layout, fonts, and buttons, and moved some features around so they’re harder to find — card comments being one example longtime users called out. According to The Register, the change drew heavy backlash, including a complaint thread that grew to roughly 200 posts, and coverage that ranked it among the worst UI updates users had seen.
It may be more than a coat of paint. The Register reported that a Trello product manager said the tool is “becoming an entirely different product” — a sign the redesign is part of a larger shift in direction, not just a visual refresh. If the new Trello feels less like the simple board you remember, that framing is why.
So if your boards, cards, and buttons look and behave differently than they used to, it’s not your account or a glitch — it’s the redesign.
Is Trello still free?
Yes, Trello still has a free plan, and the redesign didn’t remove it. The changes people are reacting to are about the interface and where features live, not about pricing or losing access to your boards. Your existing boards and cards are still there — they just sit inside a layout that looks different.
What to do if the new Trello isn’t working for you
If the redesign moved things you used constantly, or the app no longer fits how you work, you’ve got two honest paths.
Option 1: A different board
If you genuinely need a kanban board — columns, cards, drag-and-drop — then the right move is another board tool, not an assistant. We rounded up the options in our guide to the best Trello alternatives, and if you’re weighing a more flexible workspace, Trello vs Notion and Asana vs Trello cover the trade-offs.
Option 2: Skip the board entirely
Here’s the honest version: a lot of people used Trello as a personal to-do list with extra steps — a place to park tasks they meant to get to. If that was you, a board may be more overhead than you need.
Carly is an AI executive assistant you run over text and email. Tell it what you need to do and it tracks the task, then blocks time on your calendar to actually do it — so things move forward instead of sitting in a “To Do” column. It also handles your inbox, scheduling, contacts, and daily briefings, starting at $35/month.
To be clear, Carly is not a kanban board — if you need columns and cards for a team workflow, use a board tool. But if Trello was really standing in for “remind me and make time for this,” an assistant that tracks and time-blocks over text is a lighter fit.
FAQ
Did Trello change its design? Yes. Trello rolled out a major redesign on May 22, 2025 that changed the layout, fonts, and buttons and relocated some features, which is why the app may look unfamiliar.
Why does Trello look different now? Because of the 2025 redesign. The update reorganized the interface and moved some features — like card comments — making them harder to find for people used to the older layout.
Did the Trello redesign get backlash? Yes. The Register reported the redesign drew heavy backlash, including a complaint thread of around 200 posts, and that a Trello product manager said the tool is “becoming an entirely different product.”
Is Trello still free after the redesign? Yes. Trello still offers a free plan, and your existing boards and cards remain accessible. The redesign changed the interface, not your access or pricing.
What’s a good alternative to Trello? If you want another board, see our best Trello alternatives. If you mostly used Trello as a personal task list, Carly tracks tasks and blocks time over text — though it’s an assistant, not a kanban board.
More on task tools: Best Trello alternatives · Trello vs Notion · Asana vs Trello
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