SoftwareGlimpse
Updated 2026-08-18

Microsoft Project alternatives

Approved substitutes for Microsoft Project from existing SoftwareGlimpse catalogue peers and editorial assessments. This is a job-fit list, not a ranked best-of.

Looking beyond

Microsoft Project logo

Microsoft Project

7.4/10

Microsoft 365 project / Planner ladder for Gantt, resources and portfolios — Planner Plan 1 from ~$10/user/mo.

Read our full Microsoft Project review →

Best overall alternative

Smartsheet logo

Smartsheet

7.9/10

Smartsheet is a catalogue substitute when Excel/spreadsheet-native PMOs. Stay with Microsoft Project when Microsoft 365 standardised orgs. Reasons come from approved editorial assessments — not a ranked best-of list.

See how we compare →

Best Microsoft Project alternatives

  • 1
    Smartsheet logo

    Smartsheet

    Best overall

    Smartsheet is a catalogue substitute when Excel/spreadsheet-native PMOs. Stay with Microsoft Project when Microsoft 365 standardised orgs. Reasons come from approved editorial assessments — not a ranked best-of list.

    Best for
    Excel/spreadsheet-native PMOs
    Starting price
    See pricing
    View review
    Visit website
  • 2
    monday.com logo

    monday.com

    monday.com is a catalogue substitute when Teams standardising on one Work OS for projects, ops and cross-functional work. Stay with Microsoft Project when Microsoft 365 standardised orgs. Reasons come from approved editorial assessments — not a ranked best-of list.

    Best for
    Teams standardising on one Work OS for projects, ops and cross-functional work
    Starting price
    See pricing
    View review
    Visit website
  • 3
    Asana logo

    Asana

    Asana is a catalogue substitute when Cross-functional marketing/ops teams. Stay with Microsoft Project when Microsoft 365 standardised orgs. Reasons come from approved editorial assessments — not a ranked best-of list.

    Best for
    Cross-functional marketing/ops teams
    Starting price
    See pricing
    View review
    Visit website
  • 4
    Wrike logo

    Wrike

    Wrike is a catalogue substitute when Agencies with proofing/intake. Stay with Microsoft Project when Microsoft 365 standardised orgs. Reasons come from approved editorial assessments — not a ranked best-of list.

    Best for
    Agencies with proofing/intake
    Starting price
    See pricing
    View review
    Visit website

Compare alternatives side by side

Some links may be affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Rankings and scores are never based on commission. Affiliate disclosure

Alternative details

Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a catalogue substitute when Excel/spreadsheet-native PMOs. Stay with Microsoft Project when Microsoft 365 standardised orgs. Reasons come from approved editorial assessments — not a ranked best-of list.

Better when

  • Excel/spreadsheet-native PMOs
  • Ops teams needing Gantt + portfolios

Worse when

  • Lightweight Kanban-only teams (Trello)
  • Docs-first knowledge work (Notion)

Key tradeoff: Smartsheet fits Excel/spreadsheet-native PMOs; Microsoft Project fits Microsoft 365 standardised orgs.

monday.com

monday.com is a catalogue substitute when Teams standardising on one Work OS for projects, ops and cross-functional work. Stay with Microsoft Project when Microsoft 365 standardised orgs. Reasons come from approved editorial assessments — not a ranked best-of list.

Better when

  • Teams standardising on one Work OS for projects, ops and cross-functional work
  • Buyers who need boards + timeline + automations with mainstream brand recognition

Worse when

  • Solo operators who cannot use three paid seats
  • Buyers whose only job is PowerPoint-native executive Gantt decks (Office Timeline)

Key tradeoff: monday.com fits Teams standardising on one Work OS for projects, ops and cross-functional work; Microsoft Project fits Microsoft 365 standardised orgs.

Asana

Asana is a catalogue substitute when Cross-functional marketing/ops teams. Stay with Microsoft Project when Microsoft 365 standardised orgs. Reasons come from approved editorial assessments — not a ranked best-of list.

Better when

  • Cross-functional marketing/ops teams
  • Buyers prioritising adoption ease and goals/workflows

Worse when

  • Engineering sprint orgs that need Jira/Linear
  • Teams wanting the cheapest all-in-one seat (ClickUp)

Key tradeoff: Asana fits Cross-functional marketing/ops teams; Microsoft Project fits Microsoft 365 standardised orgs.

Wrike

Wrike is a catalogue substitute when Agencies with proofing/intake. Stay with Microsoft Project when Microsoft 365 standardised orgs. Reasons come from approved editorial assessments — not a ranked best-of list.

Better when

  • Agencies with proofing/intake
  • Mid-market/enterprise cross-functional delivery

Worse when

  • Tiny teams wanting simplest UX (Asana/Trello)
  • Eng-only sprint shops (Jira)

Key tradeoff: Wrike fits Agencies with proofing/intake; Microsoft Project fits Microsoft 365 standardised orgs.

Editorial note

Stay on Microsoft Project when Microsoft 365 standardised orgs. Move to Smartsheet when Excel/spreadsheet-native PMOs. Move to monday.com when Teams standardising on one Work OS for projects, ops and cross-functional work. Move to Asana when Cross-functional marketing/ops teams. Move to Wrike when Agencies with proofing/intake. Not a ranked best-of list — affiliate relationships never set the order.

How to choose a Microsoft Project alternative

  • Define your priorities

    List must-have workflows, team size, and budget before you fall for a feature checklist.

  • Compare your options

    Use the same criteria across products — and ignore affiliate status when you weigh fit.

  • Test before you decide

    Trial the shortlist with a real workflow. We only claim hands-on testing when it happened.

Affiliate disclosure: some links may be affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Rankings and scores are never based on commission. Full disclosure

Methodology disclosure: scores and recommendations follow SoftwareGlimpse evaluation criteria (version 1.0.0). Affiliate relationships do not determine rankings.

How we recommend: product claims are tied to recorded research where available.

AI-assisted disclosure: drafts may be AI-assisted from approved facts and assessments. Humans approve publishable editorial judgments. AI does not invent live prices or claim hands-on testing.

Editorial methodology · Affiliate disclosure

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