Monday.com: Private vs. Shareable vs. Main Boards – What’s the Difference?
Overview
Monday.com offers three board types—Main, Shareable, and Private—each designed to support different levels of visibility, collaboration, and security. Understanding how these board types work is essential for organizing your workspace efficiently and securely.
This guide breaks down the key differences and helps you choose the right board type for your needs.
? What Is a Board in monday.com?
A board in monday.com is a customizable workspace where you manage tasks, projects, or data. You can track statuses, assign people, and automate workflows.
There are three board types:
| Board Type | Who Can Access | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Main | All team members in the account | Internal team collaboration |
| Shareable | Internal users & external guests | Working with clients, vendors, freelancers |
| Private | Only invited members | Confidential or sensitive projects |
? Main Boards
✅ Default for team-wide collaboration
Who can access it?
- All members and admins in your workspace
Use cases:
- Internal task tracking
- Company-wide projects
- Department roadmaps
Key features:
- Automatically visible to all team members
- Easy to collaborate across teams
- Supports automations, integrations, dashboards
⚠️ Guests and external users cannot access Main Boards.
? Shareable Boards
✅ Designed for collaboration with external users
Who can access it?
- Internal team members and external guests
Use cases:
- Client project tracking
- Freelancer task lists
- Vendor coordination
Key features:
- Invite people outside your organization (e.g., via Gmail or other domains)
- Guests can only see the shareable board they’re invited to
- Same board functionality as Main Boards
? Ideal for keeping external collaboration separate from internal data.
? Private Boards
✅ For confidential projects or personal work
Who can access it?
- Only people explicitly invited to the board
Use cases:
- HR or legal workflows
- Leadership planning
- Personal project drafts
- High-level strategic boards
Key features:
- Hidden from everyone else by default
- Can be made visible to others later
- Supports full feature set including automations and integrations
? Great for sensitive or limited-access content.
? Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Main | Shareable | Private |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible to all team members | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Invite external guests | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Controlled user access | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ideal for sensitive data | ❌ | ⚠️* | ✅ |
| Supports automations/integrations | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Can be used in dashboards | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| External collaboration | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
⚠️ Shareable boards can include limited sensitive data, but with strict permissions and guest controls.
? When to Use Each Board Type
| Scenario | Recommended Board Type |
|---|---|
| Planning an internal team sprint | Main Board |
| Collaborating with a freelancer | Shareable Board |
| Tracking personal goals | Private Board |
| Sharing updates with a client | Shareable Board |
| Creating a leadership-only roadmap | Private Board |
? You must be the board owner to change its type.
? FAQs
Can I turn a Private board into a Shareable one?
Yes, as long as you’re the board owner. Just change the board type in settings.
Do Shareable boards cost more because of guest access?
No. monday.com allows up to 4 guests per paid seat.
Can guests access dashboards?
Only if the dashboard includes only Shareable boards that the guest has access to.
What happens if I remove someone from a Private board?
They lose all access immediately. Their updates remain visible.
