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Best Microsoft Planner Alternatives — 12 Compared, With Free Tools (2026)

Explore 12 alternatives to Microsoft Planner — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

The best free Microsoft Planner alternatives, ranked by SpotScore

Quick answer

Looking for a Microsoft Planner alternative? The top picks are Easynote, TaskQue and Focuster. Easynote comes out ahead with a SpotScore of 8.9 and a 4.8★ rating. See all 12 compared on score, rating, and price below.

Not every team clicks with Microsoft Planner, and that's fine. These 12 task management software free alternatives give you real choices on price, features, and usability. We rank them by SpotScore, which combines real-user satisfaction with market presence, then layer in ratings and pricing. Scan the comparison table first, then read the detail for each pick.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
EasynoteEffortless project management for teams of any size.8.9★★★★★ 4.8(20)Freefrom $29 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
TaskQueMaximize productivity with TaskQue: your all-in-one task management solution.8.8★★★★☆ 4.21(14)Freefrom $5 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
FocusterStreamline teamwork and skyrocket productivity with Focuster.8.7★★★★★ 4.75(4)Freefrom $7.99/mosmall & mid-size businesses
FantasticalEffortlessly manage your schedule, anytime and anywhere.—★★★★☆ 4.42(19)Freefrom $3.33/mosmall & mid-size businesses
SkedPalEffortlessly manage your time with SkedPal.—★★★★★ 5(1)Freefrom $9.95/moteams of all sizes
TodoistStay organized and get things done with ease.9.8★★★★★ 4.63(326)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
ClickUpEffortlessly streamline your projects with ClickUp9.8★★★★★ 4.87(2889)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
SmartsheetStreamline your projects with Smartsheet's powerful tools.9.8★★★★★ 4.56(2444)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
AsanaOrganize. Collaborate. Accomplish.9.7★★★★★ 4.59(2562)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
monday.comTransform the way you work with Monday.com.9.7★★★★★ 4.59(1575)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Any.doStay organized and get things done efficiently.9.6★★★★☆ 4.28(170)FreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
MiroThe Innovation Workspace for Modern Teams9.6★★★★★ 4.75(2730)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes

8.9

SpotScore

Easynote - Task Management Software

Easynote

Effortless project management for teams of any size.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Easynote?

Easynote is a task and note management tool for individuals and small teams that want project tracking, shared notes, and basic contact management in a single workspace. Setup is fast and the interface is minimal, making adoption straightforward for teams that do not need workflow automation or ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Easynote offers custom pricing plan

8.8

SpotScore

TaskQue - Task Management Software

TaskQue

Maximize productivity with TaskQue: your all-in-one task management solution.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is TaskQue?

TaskQue is a task management software for freelancers and small teams that can help you to eliminate time wasting, forgetfulness, or non-productive activities. TaskQue comes with prebuilt smart views to discover your tasks by project, tags, clients and status; filter tasks; sort the tasks ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

8.7

SpotScore

Focuster - Task Management Software

Focuster

Streamline teamwork and skyrocket productivity with Focuster.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

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What is Focuster?

With Focuster Task Management software, teams will be more productive and MORE profitable.  This web-based solution offers simplified management of work by enabling one login to access all areas of the application.  Using tasks, reminders, to-do lists and a variety of features that enable ...

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Fantastical - New SaaS Software

Fantastical

Effortlessly manage your schedule, anytime and anywhere.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

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What is Fantastical?

Fantastical is a cutting-edge calendar and task management app for iOS and Mac devices, designed to streamline meetings, events, and tasks for organisations. With features like customizable widgets, notifications, and time zone scheduling, it's the perfect tool for managing your busy schedule. ...

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Free TrialTry Free →
SkedPal - New SaaS Software

SkedPal

Effortlessly manage your time with SkedPal.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is SkedPal?

SkedPal is the perfect smart calendar app to make time blocking and scheduling easier than ever! This cloud-based software helps to find the best available times for tasks and projects, and creates comprehensive timetables in mere seconds. Say goodbye to using a combination of to-do lists and ...

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Free Trial

9.8

SpotScore

Todoist - Task Management Software

Todoist

RECOMMENDED

Stay organized and get things done with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Todoist?

Todoist is the practical, flexible way to manage your tasks and get more done. With Todoist, you can add tasks to projects, organize tasks with priorities and deadlines, set reminders for yourself, collaborate in shared projects with others, capture ideas with notes, and much more.This software ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $4/Month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.8

SpotScore

ClickUp - Collaboration Software

ClickUp

Effortlessly streamline your projects with ClickUp

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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watch-demo

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What is ClickUp?

ClickUp is a versatile cloud-based project management platform designed to cater to both individual project needs and the complex demands of enterprise-level teams. Offering a customizable planning experience, it allows users to toggle between two distinct views, providing flexibility based on ...

Read more about ClickUp
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $7/User/Month when yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.8

SpotScore

Smartsheet - Project Management Software

Smartsheet

Streamline your projects with Smartsheet's powerful tools.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is Smartsheet?

Smartsheet is a dynamic project management tool that simplifies tracking and planning for teams of all sizes. Offering a user-friendly interface, it’s designed to adapt to your unique workflows, whether you're managing simple checklists or complex project plans. Smartsheet’s intuitive platform ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $9/month when yearly

9.7

SpotScore

Asana

Asana

Organize. Collaborate. Accomplish.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is Asana?

Asana is built for the way you work. It gives teams a single place to track work across projects and organize the full stream of activities—from brainstorming new ideas, to moving tasks forward, to updating colleagues around the world. Asana combines features you need with a simplicity that ...

Read more about Asana
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $6.92/user/month when monthly, also offers free forever plan

9.7

SpotScore

monday.com - Project Management Software

monday.com

Transform the way you work with Monday.com.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is monday.com?

Monday.com is a flexible work operating system designed to help teams plan, execute, and track all types of projects and workflows in one place. Ideal for marketing teams, product managers, sales professionals, developers, and operations teams, monday.com simplifies collaboration across ...

Read more about monday.com
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $9seat/month when yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.6

SpotScore

Any.do - Task Management Software

Any.do

Stay organized and get things done efficiently.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

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What is Any.do?

Any.do is a task management and daily planning app for individuals and small teams who want to combine their to-do list and calendar into one interface. Its drag-and-drop scheduling, Google Calendar sync, and daily review feature prompt users to prioritize rather than just accumulate tasks. ...

Read more about Any.do

Starts from $3/Month, also offers free forever plan

9.6

SpotScore

Miro - Whiteboard Software

Miro

The Innovation Workspace for Modern Teams

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Miro?

Miro is an AI-powered collaboration platform that helps teams brainstorm, plan, and execute projects on an infinite digital canvas. Designed for product managers, UX designers, engineers, marketers, and cross-functional teams, Miro brings structure and creativity together in one workspace. ...

Read more about Miro
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $8/mo /member when monthly, also offers free forever plan

How Microsoft Planner competitors stack up

Across Task Management Software, 12 products compete directly with Microsoft Planner. The strongest overlap is with Easynote, TaskQue and Focuster. Each is compared against Microsoft Planner on rating, pricing and feature coverage below.

Sites and apps like Microsoft Planner

Searches for "sites like Microsoft Planner" and "apps like Microsoft Planner" land on the same shortlist as "Microsoft Planner alternatives" — the 12 options below cover both, whether you want a like-for-like replacement or something lighter.

Why these Microsoft Planner alternatives made the cut

Easynote8.9Best for teams of all sizes

Clean interface makes task and project management accessible for both beginners and experienced users.

Watch for: Initial setup and interface can feel daunting for first-time users without prior guidance.

TaskQue8.8Best for teams of all sizes

Simplifies task and project management through intuitive features, making it easy to assign, track, and manage workflows effectively.

Watch for: The interface design lacks appeal, with minimal colors and navigation issues making it less user-friendly for some users.

Focuster8.7Best for small & mid-size businesses

Focuster simplifies task management with features like to-do lists, reminders, and tasks that keep teams focused and organized in one platform.

Watch for: Focuster is a web-based solution, which means users need a reliable internet connection to access it, limiting offline functionality.

FantasticalBest for small & mid-size businesses

Natural-language event entry lets users type plain English like "lunch with mom tomorrow at 1" and have it parsed into a structured event.

Watch for: The subscription pricing is widely seen as too expensive for a calendar app, and a recent price increase frustrated long-time users.

SkedPalBest for teams of all sizes

Smart scheduling

Watch for: Limited integrations

Todoist9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Clean interface that works for users at all skill levels, from beginners to power users.

Watch for: Lacks advanced features available in competitors, including Kanban board views.

ClickUp9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Versatile platform with constant updates and amazing customer support that prioritizes user feedback promptly.

Watch for: Steep learning curve initially, which may be challenging for newcomers without a technical background.

Smartsheet9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Customizable and user-friendly interface, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced professionals.

Watch for: Advanced features may require a learning curve, making onboarding somewhat challenging for new users.

Asana9.7Best for teams of all sizes

Simple interface supports easy adoption for personal and professional use.

Watch for: Steep learning curve for new users due to the richness of features and complex implementation for larger organizations.

monday.com9.7Best for teams of all sizes

Customizable boards with color-coding, timelines, and dashboards let teams track tasks and project progress visually.

Watch for: The wide range of features can overwhelm newcomers or users starting from scratch.

Any.do9.6Best for teams of all sizes

Simplifies task management with features like drag-and-drop, subtasks, labels, and attachments, which enhance organization and productivity.

Watch for: Most advanced features, such as tags, themes, and location-based reminders, are locked behind the premium version.

Miro9.6Best for teams of all sizes

Enables collaboration with globally dispersed teams through pre-made templates and interactive features.

Watch for: The platform's richness of features and customizations may be overwhelming for newcomers without adequate support or guidance.

The things that matter when replacing Microsoft Planner

Comparing pricing, ratings, and strengths across the 12 free alternatives: 12 offer a free tier; paid plans run $3.33–$29, with Fantastical the cheapest entry point; and SkedPal is the highest rated at 5★ across 1 reviews.

How the order works.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Microsoft Planner are SkedPal (5.0★), ClickUp (4.9★), Easynote (4.8★). Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Microsoft Planner, prioritize: Project Management, Task Management, Portfolio Management, Resource Management, Resource Allocaiton, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Microsoft Planner starts from $10 /user/year. Many alternatives offer similar functionality at different price points — some with free tiers, others with more flexible per-seat pricing. Use the filters above to narrow by budget.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Microsoft Planner is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend narrowing to 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to decide on a Microsoft Planner alternative

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Easynote, TaskQue and Focuster let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: SkedPal has the strongest star rating (5★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Easynote has the highest Spotsaas Score (8.9) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

Making the move from Microsoft Planner

A clean break from Microsoft Planner starts with your data. Export it, verify the new tool can take it in, and check that your core workflows carry over. Pilot the switch with a small team or project before going all in, and don't cancel Microsoft Planner until the migration's finished. Free trials above make testing low-risk.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].