6 Best Microsoft Project Alternatives for 2024

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 who 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.

Read the full Microsoft Project review for more information.

Top Microsoft Project alternatives comparison table

Here is a head-to-head comparison of the best Microsoft Project alternatives.

	Our rating (out of 5)	Free plan	Pricing	OneDrive integration	Over 5 GB file storage
monday.com	5	Yes	$9 user/month	Yes	Higher tiers
ClickUp	5	Yes	$7 user/month	Yes	Unlimited in paid tiers
Smartsheet	3.8	Yes	$7 user/month	Yes	20 GB to unlimited in paid tiers
Wrike	4.6	Yes	$9.80 user/month	Yes	Up to 15 GB
Teamwork	3.7	Yes	$5.99 user/month	Yes	50 GB to 500 GB in paid tiers
TeamGantt	4.5	Limited	$19 user/month	No	Info not provided

Features

• Project views include Gantt charts as well as kanban and dashboards.
• Analytic tools provide real-time data for reporting budgets and costs.
• Collaboration and communication tools are included in the app.

Integrations

Popular integrations offered by monday work management include Zoom, Slack, Google Drive, OneDrive, Salesforce and NetSuite. Integrations are limited across plan tiers, with most not available in the Individual plan.

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Clean user interface that is easy to navigate. Extensive feature set for complex projects. Logging of all changes for transparency.	Steep learning curve due to all the features. Not as many enterprise integrations as some competitors. Excessive alerts unless notification settings are configured.

Features

• Agile project management features support sprints, roadmaps and backlogs.
• Customizations don’t require codes or add-ons.
• Whiteboards allow remote teams to collaborate visually.

Integrations

Popular integrations include Slack, HubSpot, Webhooks, OneDrive, Google Drive, Zoom and Salesforce. All plans have access to 50+ integrations, including Zapier and Make. A few integrations are limited to paid plans including OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox.

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
More than 1,000 integrations with popular business tools. Real-time reporting features support evidence-based decisions. Pricing plans well-suited to small teams and growing businesses.	Limited storage for the free plan. Premium tiers might be too expensive for some small businesses. Occasional lags and performance issues reported by some users.

Features

• Pre-built templates make building out projects fast and easy.
• Proofing feature lets teams give feedback and markup content in the platform.
• Automations can be made from scratch or built using preloaded templates.

Integrations

App integrations in Smartsheet include Webex, Okta, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Tableau, ChatGPT, Zapier, OneDrive, Google Drive, Microsoft Excel and more. Integrations are limited across plan tiers, but most are available in the free version. But some, like Tableau, Microsoft Power BI and Adobe CC, are limited to higher tiers.

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Spreadsheet-based interface will be familiar to many users. Extensive platform documentation assists with troubleshooting. Guided setup process orients new users.	Only the Enterprise plan features advanced security measures. Many helpful features are only available in the premium plans or as paid add-ons. Spreadsheet interface is less user-friendly than some project management competitors.

Features

• Proofing and document management.
• Wiki knowledge base creation within the tool.
• Automation Engine which speeds up workflows and notifications.

Integrations

Wrike offers over 400 available app integrations and the ability to build your own connections with their API. Integrations include OneDrive, Google Drive, Okta, QuickBooks and HubSpot. Certain integrations, like Adobe Creative Cloud, NetSuite and Salesforce are limited across plan tiers.

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
User-friendly interface. Enterprise-grade security and data privacy. Special tools for marketing/creative teams and professional services.	Learning curve is relatively steep due to the number of features. More expensive than other tools. Mobile functionality can be limited.

Features

• Billing and invoicing management tools are included in the software.
• Google Chrome extension and Gmail add-ons are available.
• Project risk management helps teams mitigate risk.

Integrations

In Teamwork, integrations are limited across all tiers, some of which include Microsoft Project, OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive and Harvest. Zapier is available in all plans.

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Simple and intuitive-to-navigate user interface. Excellent customization and automation features. Billable time tracking.	New proofing feature is only in beta release for premium paid plans. Forever free plan offers pretty limited functionality. Pricing might be too expensive for small businesses.

Features

• Multiple project views beyond just Gantt charts.
• Many pre-made project templates.
• Shake feature which fixes violations in dependent tasks.

Integrations

Available app integrations include Jira, Slack, Dropbox, Zapier and Trello. In terms of integration options, they are more limited than most, but you can expand more with Zapier.

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Highly intuitive user interface that works well for beginners. Excellent tutorials and other learning resources. Automated dependencies for tasks.	Per-manager pricing plan won’t make sense for every business. Fewer integrations than some other competitors. Reporting features aren’t as advanced as they could be.

Is Microsoft Project worth it?

Though Microsoft Project has many advantages, it also has some disadvantages you need to consider.

Steep learning curve

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.

Not user-friendly

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.

Lack of certain features

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.

Cost

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.

Key features of Microsoft Project alternatives

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:

Intuitive user interface

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 who are already familiar with the Microsoft tech stack — due to the design of the user interface.

Beginner-friendly feature set

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.

Built-in collaboration tools

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 on a single platform can streamline your teamwork and promote collaboration.

Integrations with third-party apps

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.

Interest in forever-free plans

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 offers a forever-free plan.

SEE: 6 best cloud-based project management software for 2023

Microsoft Project pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Great for integrating with other Microsoft Products.	Costly.
Task management.	Not as beneficial for those who aren’t Microsoft fans.
Advanced features.	Learning curve.
	Other competitors offer more features and affordable plans.

Microsoft Project pricing

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 who favor on-premise project management over cloud-based solutions to opt for a local installation.

Cloud-based solutions

This subscription model includes three pricing plans with various features and functionalities.

• Project plan 1: $10 per user per month. This plan is ideal for small teams with basic project management needs.
• Project plan 3: $30 per user per month. This plan is ideal for fast-growing teams looking for additional functionalities like resource management and more.
• Project plan 5: $55 per user per month. Large enterprises with various project portfolios and complex project management needs will find this plan suitable for their needs.

On-premises solutions

This license model is also available in three tiers. Keep in mind that your actual price may vary based on your region or location.

• Project Standard 2021: $679.99 per user per month. This plan is suitable for those looking for an on-premise project management tool with limited or no collaboration tools and advanced features.
• Project Professional 2021: $1,129.99 per user per month. This includes advanced features.
• Project server: Custom pricing.

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.

Is Microsoft Project outdated?

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 Microsoft Project, and it’s missing some bells and whistles that others support, such as chatting within the software.

Is there a Google version of Microsoft Project?

Google Workspace does not offer an exact match for Microsoft Project. They have apps like Google Sheets, Google Docs, Google Calendar and Google Forms but they do not have feature-rich project management applications. You can manage simple projects with the available array of tools, but they do not have dedicated solutions for complex needs.

How do I choose the best Microsoft Project alternative for my business?

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 for each solution:

• Managing tasks and scheduling: Users should be able to see with a quick glance whether they’re on pace with their daily and bigger goals.
• Collaboration features: In-app chatting is a popular option that is usually available in a higher-tier package.
• Document management and storage: These features are also primarily available in higher-tier packages.
• Customer support: For the best overall user experience, look for good user documentation, support communities and technical support services.
• Security: Most of these products are very secure, especially if you work in an industry that processes a lot of sensitive information. It’s important to get specific about what you need.

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.

Methodology

To choose the best Microsoft Project alternatives for 2024, we considered many different parameters. This includes 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.