Many companies relied on Microsoft Project due to its central role in the Microsoft ecosystem. It is often convenient for companies that are already dedicated to the Microsoft software stack to do so. However, when examined on its own, Microsoft lacks many of the project management features users expect from their business software.
The project management software field has grown astronomically, even for users that want free or low cost software. Whether you’re an individual, a small business or a larger organization that needs a better system for managing project workflows and tasks, these Microsoft Project alternatives are great options for a range of budgets and needs.
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Though Microsoft Project has many advantages, it also has some disadvantages you need to consider. Here are four reasons why you might search for a Microsoft Project alternative:
Microsoft Project is designed with experienced project managers in mind, which presents a very steep learning curve due to the number of features. Even advanced project managers will need time to teach themselves how to use the tool. It is not particularly intuitive and definitely not geared towards beginners.
On a similar note, Microsoft Project is not the most user-friendly project management tool out there. While the 2019 version significantly updated the user interface, the sheer number of features can make it time-consuming to find the exact one you’re looking for. Some users complain that much of the tool’s functionality goes unused, and they find it frustrating to wade through all the options.
While Microsoft Project includes almost any project management feature you can imagine, it lacks in other departments. That’s because it was designed with the assumption that you will be using other Microsoft products for other functions, such as Teams for communication and OneDrive for document management. If you’re not already part of the Microsoft ecosystem, then you’ll need to seek out additional tools besides Microsoft Project to compensate for the lack of features.
On its own, Microsoft Project is not the least expensive project management software available. It doesn’t offer a forever-free plan, and its entry-level pricing tier is more costly than some competitors. The price only goes up once you consider the external tools you’ll need to invest in for communication, document management and so on.
Read the full Microsoft Project review for more information.
Here is a head-to-head comparison of the best Microsoft Project alternatives.
| Multiple view types | Reporting and analytics | Time tracking | Forever free plan | Pricing (billed annually) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| monday work management | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $8 per user per month |
| ClickUp | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $7 per user per month |
| Asana | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $10.99 per user per month |
| Smartsheet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $7 per user per month |
| Trello | Yes | No | No | Yes | $5 per user per month |
| Teamwork | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $5.99 per user per month |
| TeamGantt | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $19 per manager per month |
| Wrike | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $9.80 per user per month |
monday work management is a web-based suite that supports milestone tracking, analytics and workflow automation, which gives it the edge over smaller project management open source apps. A desktop version is also available. monday work management runs on Windows and macOS and supports iOS and Android mobile devices. It also works with Microsoft Teams, Google, Slack, Dropbox, Zoom and Outlook.
For more information, read the full monday work management review.
Figure A
We selected monday work management due to its versatility, extensive advanced features and ability to serve the needs of various teams across various industries. It also allows users to manage both basic and complex projects with ease.
ClickUp is another web-based project management all-in-one package that can run on Windows, macOS, Android or iOS. It integrates with Slack and Zoom, and it can sync your cloud storage, calendars and messaging apps. Its project management features work as expected, but ClickUp also supports team collaboration, documentation management, whiteboarding and kanban. When purchased annually, its subscriptions are some of the most affordable solutions on the market for small businesses.
For more information, read the full ClickUp review.
Figure B
We selected ClickUp because it balances affordability with quality features, it offers a generous free plan that includes most of the necessary features required to run a project successfully. ClickUp free plan includes unlimited storage, unlimited integrations, unlimited dashboards, time-tracking capability and more.
Asana is a web-based project management offering that runs on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It’s easy to learn and use, which is its best advantage. Its simple interface makes it easy for users of all skill levels to move from task to task. Asana’s online documentation and active user community are added bonuses for ease of use. Its forever-free plan supports up to 15 users, which will suffice for many small teams.
For more information, read the full Asana review.
Figure C
Aside from being an easy-to-use project management software, Asana also stands out for its extensive advanced features. We picked it because it’s a quality project management software for distributed teams, freelancers and companies that hire contractors.
SEE: Top project management software for Mac users in 2023
Smartsheet is a flexible cloud-based project management system that runs on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. Each new project starts with a grid view — based on a traditional spreadsheet interface — that can be turned into a Gantt, calendar or card view. Beyond project management, Smartsheet offers collaborative, workflow and content management components that support dashboards, reports and forms for data input. Smartsheet integrates with Microsoft Teams, Google and more.
For more information, read the full Smartsheet review.
Figure D
We picked Smartsheet as one of the best Microsoft project alternatives for its user-friendly interface and its versatility. It can handle simple task tracking, complex project planning, and even large-scale project portfolios. Smartsheet also offers various templates that can be customized to fit different project needs, making it a flexible tool for different industries and project types.
Trello is a full-package cloud-based project management solution that runs on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It integrates with Slack and many other business applications. Users can manage their tasks within a kanban interface that makes it easy to use, even for beginners. As a project’s status changes, the card changes and moves through a variety of customized lists: To-Do, New, In Progress, Waiting, Done and more. Other project views are also available for users looking for something different from Trello’s signature kanban interface.
For more information, read the full Trello review.
Figure E
We chose Trello as one of the best Microsoft project alternatives due to its intuitive user interface. It is an excellent choice for small teams and those just getting started with a project management tool. While Microsoft Project offers many collaborative features, Trello is designed for easy collaboration and task management. Its Kanban-style boards make it easy for teams to see their tasks progress at a glance.
Teamwork is a cloud-based project management tool that is also available as a desktop app for Mac and Windows and a mobile app for iPhone and Android. It’s specifically designed for client-facing work such as marketing and consulting teams, which sets it apart from other project management apps. For example, Teamwork includes billing and invoicing tools, while many other project management tools do not.
For more information, read the full Teamwork review.
Figure F
SEE: 8 best open source project management software for 2023
We choose Teamwork as one of the top-rated Microsoft Project alternatives because it offers various features that serve the needs of client-focused teams. Agencies, professional service teams and creative teams will find Teamwork beneficial. It includes the capability to help teams manage project budgets, invoices, workload capacity, and more.
TeamGantt is a cloud-based, Gantt-focused project management tool that runs on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. As its name implies, TeamGantt offers the ability to create colorful Gantt charts with a simple drag-and-drop function. TeamGantt offers additional features, including time tracking, calendar and list views, project history and more.
For more information, read our roundup of the best Gantt chart software for your business.
Figure G
TeamGantt is one of the best Microsoft Project alternatives for its visual project planning capability that allows users to create Gantt charts and timelines. Its drag-and-drop scheduling capability makes it easy to manage projects and timelines. This helps in visualizing project schedules and dependencies, making it easier to track progress.
Wrike is a cloud-based project management tool that runs on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It’s a comprehensive software that is especially well-suited to larger businesses that need a lot of features. Fully configure the workspace with custom item types, dynamic request forms, pre-built templates and more.
For more information, read the full Wrike review.
Figure H
Enterprise users with different teams across various departments will find Wrike beneficial as a Microsoft Project alternative. You can easily adapt the platform to your team’s and overall organization’s workflow, making it helpful for enterprise businesses with multiple departments and teams working simultaneously on different projects.
Microsoft Project offers a 30-day free trial, allowing users to try the tool before buying it. Like the alternatives on this list, Microsoft Project also offers a tiered subscription and licensing model. It takes it further by offering an on-premise subscription option, allowing those that favor on-premise project management over cloud-based solutions to opt for a local installation.
This subscription model includes three pricing plans with various features and functionalities.
This license model is also available in three tiers. Keep in mind that your actual price may vary based on your region or location.
Compared to its alternatives, Microsoft Project is expensive. Although the “Project plan 1” pricing per user is cheaper than Asana and TeamGantt base subscription fees, it may not offer enough features to manage complex projects. This means you may need to buy an advanced plan, which will cost you more.
Those looking for affordable pricing may find one of the alternatives suitable for their needs, or you can explore our list of the best project management software.
Microsoft Project released a redesigned version in 2019. It now looks more like a typical Microsoft web-based product, which is a good thing if you’re a devoted Microsoft user. This update also made the user interface more similar to competitors’ and made it somewhat more intuitive to use.
Project supports a desktop and online version, runs on Windows and integrates well with other Microsoft products. If you’re already familiar with Microsoft products, especially Microsoft 365, Project might be your best choice. It has every basic feature you need to manage your projects. On the other hand, new users will need a bit of time to learn Project, and it’s missing some bells and whistles that the others support, such as chatting within the software.
Figure I
Although Microsoft Project offers a number of helpful project management features to users, it’s certainly not the right fit for every company and tech stack. Here are five things a company should look for in alternatives to Project:
If you’re not running a lot of Microsoft products already, you’ll likely find a product that’s easier for your new users to learn and master. Microsoft Project users often report a very steep learning curve — even for people that are already familiar with the Microsoft tech stack — due to the design of the user interface.
Microsoft Project is designed for super complex projects and organizations that need to track hundreds or thousands of tasks at once. If you work for a smaller organization looking to get started with project management, Microsoft Project will likely bog you down with a bunch of super advanced features that you simply don’t need.
Because Microsoft Project is designed to be used in conjunction with Microsoft Teams, it doesn’t offer any built-in communication or chat tools of its own. Choosing a project management alternative that keeps communication centralized in a single platform can streamline your teamwork and promote collaboration.
Microsoft Project is designed to work with the Microsoft ecosystem, and pretty much only the Microsoft ecosystem, meaning that integrations with third-party apps are very limited. If you need your project management software to integrate with lots of non-Microsoft products, then your team should consider a different solution.
There are many project management software tools that offer forever free plans for individuals and small teams, but Microsoft Project is not one of them. If you’re a freelancer or small business owner on a super tight budget, you’ll want to consider one of the alternatives listed here that offer a forever free plan.
SEE: 6 best cloud-based project management software for 2023
Choosing the best project management software is no different than choosing any other software. The best decisions come from weighing the pros and cons after spending a bit of time with each product you’re considering.
Can your organization afford the software? None of the bells and whistles matter if you can’t buy them. Start your decision-making process by determining the costs that will come with licensing all of your relevant users. These costs can add up quickly.
If all you need is project management support, look for the following features and assess their ease of use on each solution:
Investing in the right project management software will save you money in the long run. You want a package that meets your company’s current needs but also allows for growth without breaking the bank. This list of Microsoft Project alternatives is a helpful starting point if you’re unsure about what will work for your business needs.
To choose the best Microsoft Project alternatives for 2023, we considered many different parameters. This includes the pricing, user interfaces, project views, user friendliness and collaboration features. We gathered information about each platform from the vendor’s websites and tested the alternatives to learn about their features and capabilities. We also analyzed current and past users’ feedback on review websites to learn about user experience with each tool.
