Explore popular project management software that makes tracking project statuses, collaboration, and task management easier.

Microsoft Projects is a popular project management platform. In Capterra’s 2018 Top 20 Most Popular Project Management Software list, it scored 75 out of 100, placing it at the top of the list.

But a high score doesn’t necessarily mean Microsoft Projects is the right choice for every user. Reviewers on Capterra mention that it can have a steep learning curve. You may want to look at simpler alternatives if getting started quickly is a priority.

This article looks at five highly rated Microsoft Project alternatives. See the full list of Microsoft Project alternatives here

Selection criteria

We’ve analyzed data on more than 600 project management tools on Capterra and used the below criteria to identify the Microsoft Project alternatives we’re featuring here.

Core project management features: The product must offer the core project management features: task management, collaboration, and project tracking.

The product must offer the core project management features: task management, collaboration, and project tracking. At least 20 user reviews published on Capterra in the past two years: This helps ensure there are enough reviews to analyze the pros and cons.

This helps ensure there are enough reviews to analyze the pros and cons. Likelihood to recommend: The product should have a minimum average recommendation rating of 8 out of 10 on Capterra.

The product should have a minimum average recommendation rating of 8 out of 10 on Capterra. Features and functionality rating: The product should have an average functionality rating of at least 4 out of 5 on Capterra.

5 Best Microsoft Project Alternatives for Project Management

1. Asana: Work management platform for teams of all sizes

Likelihood to recommend: 8.4/10

Features & functionality rating: 4.3/5

Reviews: 7,133+

Asana allows you to create multiple tasks and subtasks within different projects and monitor their progress. Users can comment on the tasks, share documents, assign tasks to team members, and track deadlines.

The tool’s dashboard provides an overview of different project statuses and lets you create project plans that can be viewed as flowcharts, timelines, and graphs. Asana offers integrations with more than 100 other tools, such as Dropbox, Zapier, and Microsoft Office 365.

Pros Cons Users praise the software’s open APIs, downloadable conversation history, and predefined project templates. Reviewers mention that some features, such as dashboards, take time to master and require many input values. Users find the interface easy to navigate. Some users mention getting overwhelmed by too many automated email notifications. How much does Asana cost? Asana’s Basic version is free and accommodates up to 15 users. The Premium version is priced at $9.99 per user, per month, and the Business version costs $19.99 per user, per month.

Product development roadmap in Asana (Source)

2. Basecamp: Project management tool with to-do lists to manage tasks

Likelihood to recommend: 8.0/10

Features & functionality rating: 4.2/5

Reviews: 10,033+

Basecamp offers features such as message boards, to-do lists, chat tools, and shared calendars. It allows you to embed files or images into your messages and track project conversations on a single page.

Basecamp also integrates with third-party apps such as G-Suite, iCal, and Outlook.

Pros Cons Users appreciate the ability to send notifications to multiple people with a single click. Users mention that Basecamp’s price makes it unaffordable for most freelancers and small teams. Reviewers say that the software is easy-to-use and learn. Some users feel that Basecamp should incorporate more visual options, such as Gantt charts. How much does Basecamp cost? Basecamp has a single $99 per month plan that supports unlimited users and projects. Teachers and students get free Basecamp accounts while discounts are available for nonprofits.

“Hill chart” feature in Basecamp helps track project progress (Source)

3. Monday.com: Team management software that helps improve collaboration

Likelihood to recommend: 8.7/10

Features & functionality rating: 4.4/5

Reviews: 1,789+

Formerly dapulse, monday.com is a tool that helps manage teams and tasks. It provides visual charts to track project statuses, sales pipelines, HR tasks, etc. Monday.com also offers predefined project dashboards and workflow templates. You can invite new members, tag them, and track all your project conversations.

The tool integrates with other systems such as MS Excel, Trello, Asana, and Basecamp, which facilitates importing project data onto it.

Pros Cons Reviewers like that the tool allows them to share select project plans with clients. Users feel that the vendor could improve monday.com’s design and visualization capabilities. Users mention that the software is easy to set up and configure. The pricing is not on a per user basis, but only for groups of two to five users, which many reviewers noted as inconvenient and expensive. How much does monday.com cost? Monday.com has Basic, Standard, Pro, and Enterprise versions. The Basic version costs $15 per month, the Standard version $25 per month, and the Pro version $37 per month (all prices are for two users; interested buyers must contact vendor for the Enterprise plan cost).

Task management in monday.com (Source)

4. Trello: Project management tool with Kanban-style boards

Likelihood to recommend: 8.5/10

Features & functionality rating: 4.3/5

Reviews: 12,100+

Trello is known for its Kanban-style message boards that let you organize and group tasks, add people, and manage project or task statuses. You can tag team members to assign them tasks or to draw their attention to specific comments on a project.

Trello captures each task as a card. You create cards directly on the app or convert email requests to cards using Trello’s email integration capabilities. Trello’s “Power-Up” feature helps it connect with a number of other applications including Slack, Todoist, and Evernote.

Pros Cons Users mention that the tool’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy-to-use. According to some reviewers, Trello is slow to load when there are many boards. Users appreciate Trello’s integration with a wide range of other apps, such as calendars, maps, file storage tools, and videoconferencing apps. Some users mention that adding advanced features, such as the ability to create recurring tasks, would improve the product’s value. How much does Trello cost? Trello offers a free version as well as two paid versions—Business Class ($9.99 per user per month) and Enterprise ($20.83 per user per month).

Kanban boards in Trello (Source)

5. Wrike: Online project management software with Gantt charts

Likelihood to recommend: 8.0/10

Features & functionality rating: 4.2/5

Reviews: 1,448+

Wrike allows you to set project goals, assign resources, and track project progress. It offers interactive Gantt charts to track and optimize project planning.

Wrike’s drag-and-drop interface lets you quickly reprioritize projects and manage resources. You can create customized templates for different workflows and build iteration processes to plan sprints and manage backlogs. Wrike also integrates with third-party tools such as Tableau, Box, and Salesforce.

Pros Cons Reviewers mention that the tool helps them better organize tasks and assign teams/users to different tasks. Some users mention that the software takes a long time to set up and has a steep learning curve. Reviewers appreciate Wrike’s quick customer support. Users want to see an expanded ability to customize project status terminologies, set deadlines, and search for different tasks. How much does Wrike cost? Wrike’s Professional version costs $9.80 per user per month and the Business version costs $24.80 per user per month. Wrike also has a free version that supports up to five users.

Gantt charts in Wrike (Source)

How to choose the right Microsoft Project alternative

How do you go about choosing the right project management software for your business? Here’re some tips:

Shortlist products based on their features and pricing : Eliminate solutions that fall outside your budget range and don’t offer features that your business needs.

: Eliminate solutions that fall outside your budget range and don’t offer features that your business needs. Demo the products : Explore the free versions or check out free trials to get firsthand experience with how the software works and its limitations.

: Explore the free versions or check out free trials to get firsthand experience with how the software works and its limitations. Read Capterra reviews: Capterra lists software reviews written by real users. Read the reviews to understand what your peers have to say about using the software.

To expand your search scope beyond these five alternatives, visit our comprehensive project management software directory.

In the comments section below, let us and other readers know which project management tools you’re using (if any), what’s working well for you, and what’s not.