17 Most Powerful Free & Paid Microsoft Project Alternatives & Competitors

Are you here looking for Microsoft project alternatives? 

Microsoft Project is one of the oldest and the pioneer apps in the project management field. 

With nerve-wracking expectations because of its parent company, Microsoft, the tool is trusted and widely acclaimed by project managers across the universe. 

The popularity and the hype of this product continue, although, numerous products offer strong competition and some even outperform this now-aging tool. 

Just as the wise saying – “Time Flies”, gone are the days when Microsoft Project was the go-to project management software. The number of tools for project management has skyrocketed, resulting in an immense increase in competition.

In this blog post, we have made a list of 17 tools that can be considered to be worthy competitors for Microsoft Project.

List of Microsoft Project alternatives

By no means is this list comprehensive of all MS Project alternatives, but it includes the best and the closest alternatives. 

1. ProofHub

ProofHub is an all-in-one project management software for teams that comes with a myriad of powerful features. This is one of the nest MS Project alternatives that brings together everyone from your team members to clients to projects at a centralized place. 

ProofHub offers a user-friendly experience with its straightforward interface, while Microsoft Project may require a bit more time to learn due to its complexity.

ProofHub excels in collaboration with inbuilt chat, discussions, notes, and file sharing, keeping your team on the same page without switching apps.

In contrast, Microsoft Project focuses more on planning and tracking, offering fewer collaboration features, and possibly requiring extra tools for team communication.

Microsoft Project provides you with a plethora of features, but “version control” isn’t one of them. And, ProofHub ticks that box! 

Your team members always have access to the latest version of the file. This eliminates the need for multiple downloads and switching between different apps for the review process. 

One thing that makes ProofHub more effective and affordable than Microsoft Project is the flat pricing and effectiveness for small teams. The tool adapts and grows along with your business. 

Microsoft Project, on the other hand, is more expensive. It does offer a free 30 day free trial but its paid plans are more expensive than any other tool mentioned in this list.

Key features 

• Powerful collaboration features such as Discussion, Notes, and comments with @mention ensure that your team members can communicate with ease and be on the same page at all times. 

• Built-in chat for 1:1 as well as group communication for quickly transferring important information, files, and documents as well as solving queries in real-time. 

• Efficiently store, organize, and share documents and project files on the centralized dashboard. This ensures simple access to the necessary files for various team members from remote locations as well. 

• Multiple task list views such as Board view, Table view, Gantt chart, and calendar view help you get multiple perspectives about the project progression and identify potential roadblocks early.

• Built-in time tracker helps you monitor the time your team members are spending on various projects and tasks. This helps in identifying areas where time is lost, and thereby, determines the productivity of your team. 

Pros 

• With ProofHub, it is simple to follow a roadmap, stay up to date on tasks that are lined up, communicate with teams, and execute ideas together.
• Built-in chat helps in quick and easy communication among team members. 
• Intuitive and user-friendly interface.
• Online proofing for quick approvals and effective version control
• Quick onboarding and simple learning curve.
• Effective and quick response from the customer support team 
• Customizable workflows for typical requirements.

Cons 

• The need for an easier way to manage email notifications.

Pricing

ProofHub offers flat pricing. This means you can add as many users as you want without any additional charges. The Essential plan starts from $45 per month (billed annually), while the Ultimate Control Plan costs $89 per month (billed annually). 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.6 of 5

G2 – 4.5 of 5

For a detailed comparison, check the table below with the main features of popular plans.

ProofHub: All-in-one tool
$89 month (billed annually) for unlimited users

• Kanban board
• Gantt charts
• Table view
• Real-time chat
• Discussions
• Proofing and approval
• Reports
• Notes
• Time tracking
• Files and documents

$89/month, flat for
unlimited users

Microsoft Project:
$55 /month per user

Slack: Realtime chat
$7.25 /month per user

Dropbox: File storage
$24.00/month per user

Gsuite: Docs, calendar
$6.00 /month per user

Evernote for teams: Notes
$12.50 /month per user

$523.75 /month for 5 people,
$1047.5/month for 10 people…

Try ProofHub for free

No credit card required. Cancel anytime.

2. GanttPRO

If you are looking for software similar to a Microsoft project, then GanttPRO is the best alternative to MS Project. With Gantt charts, the interface resembles MS Project. 

The tool comes with a myriad of project management features including task management, progress tracking, resource and time management, team collaboration, portfolio management, and more.

The one thing that differentiates GanttPRO from MS Project is the collaboration and communication features that are native to GanttPRO, rather than linking a separate tool as is the case with Microsoft Teams. 

However, task dependencies are more or less the same in both tools, so GanttPRO has an advantage only in the field of collaboration. 

Key features 

• Offers powerful planning and scheduling features. 
• You can set up separate workspaces for projects. 
• The built-in timer keeps track of the time.

Pros 

• User-friendly interface and first-time users can create Gantt charts with ease.
• Effective resource management for identifying and resolving bottlenecks early.
• Roles and permissions are properly defined.

Cons 

• The drag-and-drop functionality is really complicated and sometimes buggy. 
• The customer support team is not effective and quick to respond.
• Customization options are limited. 

Pricing

The basic plan starts at $7.99 per user per month, while the business plan starts at $19.99 per user per month. These plans are for a team of 5 members and above. 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.8 of 5

G2 – 4.8 of 5

3. ActiveCollab

When looking for an effective MS Project equivalent, ActiveCollab has the potential to manage projects and a platform for encouraging team members to collaborate with ease. The software brings all your data in one place accessible to every team member where they can easily communicate with each other.

With a tool that supports you in work management, time-tracking, and invoicing your team members can work with transparency, thereby, enhancing collaboration. 

However, if you are planning to shift to ActiveCollab from Microsoft Project, we would recommend you consider ProofHub for its flat pricing system and advanced collaboration features. 

Key features 

• Multiple task list views
• Effective deadline management. 
• Real-time feedback

Pros 

• Built-in time tracker and chat for a seamless workflow.
• User-friendly interface and intuitive dashboard.
• A wide visual of tasks and projects along with priority labels. 

Cons 

• Customization options are limited.
• Assigning multiple tasks to users is not possible.
• Certain tasks get overwhelmingly manual, resulting in delays and complications.

Pricing

The Pro plan starts from $8 per user per month, while the Pro+Get Paid plan costs $11.75 per user per month. 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.5 of 5

G2 – 4.2 of 5

4. Teamwork Projects

As the name suggests, the software has been designed specifically to enable collaboration and teamwork among team members working together. 

The MS Project replacement, Teamwork Projects is a world-class project management and productivity tool that helps you to get organized and get stuff done. It allows you to define project tasks, assign them to people, and track the progress of tasks.

With a highly secure interface and the compatibility to work on multiple devices, Teamwork Projects certainly boasts to be one of the best alternatives to Microsoft Project.

Key features

• Effective time tracking for forecasting resources accurately
• Project portfolio 
• Built-in collaboration and communication features 

Pros 

• Built-in invoicing and budgeting features.
• Automated alerts and notifications.
• You can create custom workflows for individual project requirements.

Cons 

• The customer support, as well as the sales team, are not effective.
• Reporting and data analysis still needs a lot of improvement.
• Multi-tasking is quite complex and becomes overwhelming.

Pricing

The Starter plan costs $5.99 per user per month, while the Grow plan costs $19.99 per user per month. There is also a free forever plan for a team of up to 5 members. 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.5 of 5

G2 – 4.4 of 5

5. Basecamp

If you are looking for the best alternative to Microsoft Project that is suitable for small businesses and entrepreneurs, Basecamp should be your choice. 

This is because Basecamp provides all the necessary tools and functionalities to manage projects on a single dashboard. What gives Basecamp an edge over MS Project are the project templates and scheduling capabilities. 

Further, the functioning of the tool on multiple devices makes this one of the best Microsoft Project competitors.

Key features

• Built-in chat “Campfire” for quick communication
• Mute notifications to focus on critical tasks 
• You can store and share documents 

Pros 

• ‘Everyone’ tab for a quick team overview.
• The tool comes in handy for serving as the central source of access for project files.
• Simple learning curve.

Cons 

• Built-in time tracking and budgeting tool not available.
• There is a built-in chat, but still gets overwhelming. 
• Customization features are limited.

Pricing

The pricing plan starts from $15 per user per month. 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.3 of 5

G2 – 4.1 of 5

6. Trello

If you are looking for an alternative to Microsoft Project that uses the idea of boards for projects and cards to keep things on track, Trello is the best software for you.

This tool offers a developer API section where users have coding abilities to develop apps and plugins, which is quite unique in comparison to other tools in this list.

What makes Trello one of the best MS Project alternatives online is the quick drag-and-drop functionality, in-line editing, data filtering, archiving of sensitive records, and SSL encryption of data.

Key features 

• The drag-and-drop feature in Kanban.
• Seamless integration with different tools 
• Built-in task automation, Butler.

Pros 

• You can create customized boards as per the individual requirements of your project.
• Onboarding is easy, even for first-time users.
• Highly adaptive and interactive tool.

Cons 

• In-depth analytics and reporting are not available.
• The tool forces a limit to your brainstorming ideas.
• Difficult to manage intricate and complex projects.

Pricing

The basic plan starts from $5 per user per month, while the Enterprise plan costs $17.50 per user per month. For the enterprise plan, you need a team of a minimum of 15 members.

User rating

Capterra – 4.5 of 5

G2 – 4.4 of 5

What if Trello doesn’t look like your cup of tea, you get more options here – 21 Best Trello Alternatives & Competitors

7. Planview Adaptivework

When searching for an alternative to Microsoft Project, and your primary motive is a simple learning curve, then Planview is the tool for you. 

With functionalities more or so similar to MS Project, Planview (formerly Clarizen) helps you to streamline processes like time tracking, and risk management in a centralized place making room for more visibility across other processes.  

Apart from providing new users with a simple onboarding process, what differentiates Planview from Microsoft Project is the robust automation features and the discipline in overall project management for seamless collaborative working.

Key features 

• With the automation feature for repetitive tasks
• The tool provides effective scalability
• Effective t project progress tracking

Pros 

• Highly customizable dashboards
• The customer support team is quick to respond and effective
• Manage large and multiple portfolios with ease 

Cons 

• The reporting features are not up to the mark
• Tutorials and self-help videos are limited
• Pricing system is not transparent

Pricing

Pricing details are not mentioned transparently on their website. You can contact their sales team for detailed pricing and quotation. 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.2 of 5

G2 – 4.1 of 5

8. LiquidPlanner

The most effective thing about LiquidPlanner is that this tool focuses on doing the right work at the right time. This makes LiquidPlanner one of the best alternatives to MS Project. 

The tool provides you with a wide visualization for an all-round view of the project progression. When compared with MS Project, LiquidPlanner helps your team focus on priorities with the smart project schedule.

This means your team can rely on the predicted finish dates even with varying surroundings and conditions.

Key features 

• Real-time forecasting of the project 
• Built-in time tracker 
• Automated process for resource allocation 

Pros 

• Simple learning curve and quick onboarding
• User-friendly and customizable dashboard
• There are numerous ways to manage entities which improves the usability of the tool in managing complex projects 

Cons 

• Built-in billing and invoicing features are not available
• Customization features are limited
• The software lags and slows down while handling large projects

Pricing

The Essential plan starts from $15 per user per month, while the ultimate plan costs $35 per user per month. You also get a 14-day free trial. 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.3 of 5

G2 – 4.2 of 5

9. Asana

If you are looking for an effective project management tool that will help you manage multiple projects, Asana is the tool for you. 

Now that Asana provides you with a built-in time tracker, managing tasks and monitoring progress becomes a breeze. Asana comes in handy as the MS project alternative with the innate ability to automate repetitive tasks and flexible enough to support Agile and Scrum project management frameworks. 

Additionally, the seamless integration provides you with a continuous workflow, unlike Microsoft Project which does not offer integration effectively. 

Key features

• Advanced reporting functions. 
• Comprehensive time tracking functionalities.
• Task dependencies

Pros 

• If you are a solopreneur or just starting a small business, the free plan would be sufficient for all your management requirements. 
• Customizable dashboards.
• User-friendly interface.

Cons 

• Assigning tasks to multiple team members is not possible.
• User roles and permissions are not defined properly, which results in users making random changes without understanding the consequences. 
• Slightly overwhelming for first-time users.

Pricing

The Premium plan starts from $10.99 per user per month, while the Business plan starts from $24.99 per user per month. 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.5 of 5

G2 – 4.3 of 5

Read more – 11 Best Asana Alternatives & Competitors

10. Kantata

When it comes to Kantata (formerly Mavenlink), is a single application that unites project management, time tracking, resource planning, and more into one place. 

With advanced analytics and a powerful business intelligence (BI) engine, this tool is considered a perfect MS Project alternative.

In comparison with MS Project, Kanata is powerful with a combination of Mavenlink and Kimble, which provides you with effective and powerful resource management features for managing projects with high efficiency.

Key features

• Built-in in-depth analysis and insights 
• Efficient resource management 
• Real-time collaboration features 

Pros 

• Managing multiple projects is simple.
• Wide visibility of projects and portfolios.
• Custom field reporting helps you to manage and define KPIs and make informed data-driven decisions.

Cons 

• The absence of a time stamper makes it difficult to compare the actual progress with the forecasted progress. 
• Large and complex projects are slightly slow and lag during certain functions.
• Tutorials and resources are not sufficient.

Pricing

The pricing details are not available on the website transparently. You need to fill up a form, and their sales team will get in touch with you.

User rating 

Capterra – 4.2 of 5

G2 – 4.1 of 5

11. Project Insight

One thing about Project Insight is the adaptability of the software that makes it a great alternative to Microsoft Project for both small as well as enterprise businesses. You could effectively create custom workflows for different projects as per necessity. 

What sets Project Insight apart from MS Project is the advanced insights and reporting analysis. This helps you to have complete control over the project progression and thereby, take necessary steps to solve bottlenecks early and manage deadlines.

Key features 

• Resource management and allocation
• Executive dashboards and reports
• Timesheet and expense tracking

Pros 

• Automation helps you to concentrate on work rather than on data entry. 
• Effective planning and forecasting functionality helps in making informed decisions 
• The customer support team is effective with quick response

Cons 

• Initial setup and configuration is a lengthy process
• The user interface requires improvement with frequent glitches resulting in loss of time 
• Not many templates available, you will have to build workflows from scratch

Pricing

There is a basic plan that starts from $3 per user per month. As you add the necessary features, the price increases accordingly. The Enterprise plan starts from $45 per user per month. The software also provides a free plan for your team. 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.4 of 5

G2 – 3.6 of 5

12. ClickUp 

This is a versatile tool that ranks as an effective alternative for Microsoft Project. The best part about ClickUp is the “ClickUp University” where you can learn about all the functionalities in ClickUp with ease. 

Although the tool boasts itself to be scalable and adaptive as your business grows and expands, we would recommend considering ProofHub for scalability – primarily because the flat pricing would never impact your budget during expansion!

What distinguishes ClickUp from MS Project is the number of templates that you get with ClickUp. This will help you to set up a workflow with ease, and thereby, improve the overall productivity. 

Key features 

• Customized workflows to suit the specific requirements 
• Highly intuitive and user-friendly dashboard 
• Analytics tools for reporting and visualization

Pros 

• Initial configuration is quick and easy.
• Built-in time tracking with versatile workflow management.
• Powerful tool for managing projects across different departments.

Cons 

• The tool can be overwhelming for new users.
• Per member charges make this tool expensive for large teams.
• Not enough information about update rollout.

Pricing

The unlimited plan starts from $7 per user per month, while the Business plan costs $12 per user per month. Further, ClickUp provides a free plan as well.

User rating 

Capterra – 4.7 of 5

G2 – 4.7 of 5 

Explore more options to manage projects successfully – 15 Best ClickUp Alternatives

13. Smartsheet

If you are looking for a Microsoft Project that works like spreadsheets, Smartsheet is the effective Microsoft Project replacement. You can use this tool to enter a variety of project-related details like description, status, due dates, and who has been assigned to complete a task. 

Smartsheets also lets you attach files, add comments, and request updates among other things. Workflow automation and smooth collaboration features provide an added advantage.

In competition with MS Project, the ability to generate custom reports that collect data from sources within multiple sheets makes this tool great alternative for Microsoft Project.

Key features 

• In-depth analysis and reports for forecasting. 
• Automation of repetitive tasks. 
• Different built-in templates.

Pros 

• Can effectively streamline complex project activities.
• You can create custom workflows as per individual project requirements.
• Wide visibility over various projects.

Cons 

• Requires technical assistance for initial set-up.
• Overwhelming for new users with steep learning curve.
• The customer support team is not effective.

Pricing

The Pro plan costs $7 per user per month, while the business plan costs $25 per user per month.

User rating 

Capterra – 4.5 of 5

G2 – 4.4 of 5

Explore other software with spreadsheets – Top 10 Smartsheet Alternatives

14. Monday.com

Monday.com is an effective alternative to Microsoft Project management software. It is a project management software that helps customize workflow, offers task automation, and helps users remain aligned and updated on a task. 

Further, teams working on the Agile framework will be able to work effectively on Kanban boards for task management and customized dashboards to track task progress in real-time.

In comparison with MS Project, Monday.com provides you with an amazing user interface, something which the latter lacks. This provides a visual appeal for team members who are able to use the tool comfortably for long continuous hours effortlessly. 

Key features 

• Intuitive CRM capabilities 
• You can edit the template to create a customized workflow
• Built-in time tracker

Pros 

• Helps in smoothly managing projects as well as assists in manually tracking spreadsheets.
• Seamless integration with different tools to create a seamless workflow.
• Different templates help you create custom workflows as per different project requirements.

Cons 

• Initial setup is a complicated and hectic process.
• The customer support team is not effective.
• The process of exporting data and files from the software is slightly complex.

Pricing

The basic plan costs $8 per user per month, while the Pro plan costs $16 per user per month. 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.6 of 5

G2 – 4.7 of 5

15. Wrike

With Wrike you have a platform for creating custom workflows that can help your team have an overall transparent view of the workflow order. You can plan, track, and analyze projects with wide perspectives using this tool. 

Additionally, you can invite clients and other collaborators to use the tool for free. The key functionality in Wrike that slightly outperforms MS Project is the user-intuitive workload management. 

However, you would again need an integration for communication and collaboration, so instead of looking at Wrike as an alternative to MS Project, you could switch to ProofHub which comes in as a complete package. 

Key features 

• Over400+ app custom integrations 
• With in-depth analysis, reports, and infographics 
• Cross-tagging for visualizing the entire workload 

Pros 

• You can effectively create milestones and set dependencies to ensure your team is aware of the progress.
• The customer support team is efficient and quick to respond.
• Quick onboarding and simple learning curve.

Cons 

• When working on large complex projects, the loading speed of the software becomes slow.
• Typical PM functionalities are limited to premium and high cost plans.
• The reporting function is slightly complicated to use.

Pricing

The team plan starts from $9.80 per user per month, while the Business plan costs $24.80 per user per month. The per-user pricing makes this tool quite expensive for large teams.

User rating 

Capterra – 4.3 of 5

G2 – 4.2 of 5

If you think Wrike is not suitable, look for more options here – 21 Top Wrike Alternatives & Competitors to Try for Successful Project Management

16. Toggl Plan

Toggl Plan is another MS project competitor that simplifies task scheduling and planning through checklists, memos, milestones, multiple assignees, and a clear overview. Toggl Plano offers birds-eye view of the assigned tasks that show a chronological timeline with color coding.

This tool outperforms Microsoft Project when you are analyzing both tools on the basis of visual appeal. This is an important aspect of engaging your team members to work continuously on a platform. Otherwise, the functionalities more or less remain the same. 

Key features 

• Real-time collaboration and notifications 
• You can build and create unique custom workflows 
• You can create profitability projections, ROI, and milestone tracking. 

Pros

• The user interface is clean and easy to use.
• Timelines help you to get a transparent understanding of the project progression.
• Efficiently monitor your entire team in a single place.

Cons 

• The pricing structure is quite complex, you might end up paying extra for just one additional feature you want.
• Permissions and access roles are not defined properly.
• The mobile application is not versatile enough in comparison to the web.

Pricing

The Team plan costs $7 per user per month, while the Business plan costs $13.35 per user per month. 

User rating 

Capterra – 4.5 of 5

G2 – 4.3 of 5

17. Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects comes in as an effective Microsoft Project competitor that offers Kanban boards to help organize tasks, a social feed to get task updates, and forums for discussions. 

Zoho Projects helps connect teams to improve productivity and also comes in handy with Gantt charts and a timesheet feature for team managers to keep track of how much time a team member spends on their task.

The “social feed” functionality in this tool is the X-factor that differentiates this tool from Microsoft Project. This feed provides you with the overall activity list of the various tasks and their progression.

They look similar to the real social media feeds, thereby, making it easy for the users to understand and adapt to this tool.

Key features 

• You can set up milestones, notifications, and reminders
• Transparent view of the workflow order
• The built-in calendar 

Pros 

• Built-in time tracking and in-depth analytics help you make informed decisions.
• Monitor the workload on your team members, to ensure even workload distribution.
• Simple drag-and-drop functionality for changing the stage of any project.

Cons 

• Steep learning curve.
• Customization options are limited.
• Certain features are slightly complex when it comes to practical implementation.

Pricing

The premium plan costs $4 per user per month, while the Enterprise plan costs $9 per user per month. However, the per-user pricing intrudes into your budget planning as the team size increases.

User rating 

Capterra – 4.3 of 5

G2 – 4.3 of 5

Microsoft Project Limitations

Although MS Project has been at the forefront for a very long time, there are certain specific reasons for users to consider alternatives.

Let’s discuss the key factors that force the need for a Microsoft Project alternative.

1. Steep learning curve

Put simply, Microsoft Project is not for beginners. The program is very technical and not at all user-friendly. The onboarding process is overwhelming for first-time users, especially from non-technical backgrounds. 

2. Poor internal communication

Microsoft Project does not have an organized internal communication feature. You are forced to rely on additional tools for communication such as Skype or Slack. 

Further, you cannot even integrate these tools into MS Project to create a seamless workflow.

Read more: 4 Internal communication challenges: Here’s how to fix them

3. High-price

Microsoft Project is a bit pricey for a project management tool, especially with the steep learning curve and lack of internal communication feature. 

Moreover, you have to pay for each license and integrate other tools for an overall project management interface.

4. Difficult to share data

A project management tool should provide handy features for sharing data and exporting project files. However, the MS Project does not provide feasibility in this context. 

Further, when working on iOS devices the point of sharing does not make sense. 

5. No integration

Microsoft Project does work fine with other Microsoft products, however, it is not the case with non-Microsoft tools. 

So, if you want to integrate with Salesforce or Slack; it is better to find an alternative that gets the job done. 

Which factors to consider while selecting a Microsoft Project alternative?

The four major factors you need to consider when searching for a Microsoft Project Alternative.

1. Ability to manage tasks & teams

Businesses searching for a project management tool expect the tool to completely manage work teams and accomplish daily tasks without any complications. 

A decent MS Project alternative should make it easy for companies to manage tasks and teams.

2. Agile features

As a business owner, your goal is to reply quickly to customer questions. Your team likes flexibility, so think about using an Agile project tool instead of MS Project to keep up in the fast-moving tech world.

3. Data safety

The tool should not make the project files accessible to users outside the team or the organization. Several MS Project alternatives use cloud technology for secure data management and improved task focus.

4. Pocket-friendly

You should look for tools that provide a free version like Trello or a flat pricing system like ProofHub. Flat-priced tools come with scalability as a big advantage, as the tool will adapt and grow with your team and the complexity of new projects. 

Get started with the best of all 

MS Project for project management was a natural combination – decades ago. However, businesses have grown and expanded exponentially. 

Technological growth is incomprehensible, thereby, making MS Project an effectively aging tool. If you are feeling the crunch of growth and exploring options to break free from this invisible, then this article must have given you the base to start your exploring journey. 

But to make things simple, ProofHub is an all-in-one project management and team collaboration software, so you need not worry about any external factors.

Microsoft Project Alternatives FAQs