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15 Free Microsoft Project Alternatives Ranked by Real Users (2026)

Explore 15 alternatives to Microsoft Project — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

Our 15 top free Microsoft Project alternatives at a glance

Quick answer

Here's the shortlist of Microsoft Project alternatives: Jira, Smartsheet and ClickUp. Jira leads on SpotScore (9.8) with a 4.4★ rating. All 15 are compared on score, rating, and price below.

Ready to move on from Microsoft Project? These 15 project management software free alternatives are the picks worth testing first. Our ranking leans on SpotScore, which weighs verified satisfaction against market presence, then star ratings and pricing model. Editors check each tool. Start with the table for a fast read, then go section by section below.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
JiraEfficiently plan, track, and launch your projects.9.8★★★★ 4.4(1180)Freefrom $7.53 /user/monthteams of all sizes
SmartsheetStreamline your projects with Smartsheet's powerful tools.9.8★★★★★ 4.57(2444)Freefrom $9/moteams of all sizes
ClickUpEffortlessly streamline your projects with ClickUp9.8★★★★ 4.4(2889)Freefrom $7 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
monday.comTransform the way you work with Monday.com.9.7★★★★★ 4.61(1575)Freefrom $9 seat/monthteams of all sizes
AsanaOrganize. Collaborate. Accomplish.9.7★★★★ 4.3(2562)Freefrom $6.92 /user/monthteams of all sizes
BasecampEffortless collaboration for seamless project management.9.5★★★★ 4.1(2783)Freefrom $15 /user/monthteams of all sizes
TrelloOrganize, prioritize, and stay on track with Trello.9.3★★★★★ 4.56(3997)Freefrom $5 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
WrikeEffortlessly manage projects and teams with Wrike.9.2★★★★★ 4.56(2062)Freefrom $10 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
ProjectManager.comElevate your projects with ease.9.2★★★★ 3.8(507)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Zoho ProjectsEffortless project management wherever you are.8.9★★★★ 4.3(303)Freefrom $4 /user/monthteams of all sizes
RationalPlanStreamline your project management process with ease.8.8★★★★★ 4.5(25)Freefrom $4 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
Microsoft PPMStreamline projects with Microsoft PPM.8.5★★★★ 4(1419)Freefrom $10 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
WorksuiteStreamline your projects with Worksuite's powerful management tools.8.3★★★★★ 4.8Freefrom $45 One-Time Paymentsmall & mid-size businesses
Resource Management by SmartsheetElevate your team's performance with resource management.8.2★★★★ 4.3(118)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Resource GuruEfficient resource management made simple.★★★★★ 4.6(271)Freefrom $2.50 /User/Monthteams of all sizes

9.8

SpotScore

Jira logo

Jira

Efficiently plan, track, and launch your projects.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is Jira?

Jira is every team's tool for project management, making it easy to track progress, priorities, and workload, while staying connected across teams. The platform helps plan, track, and launch world-class products. From simple projects to cross-functional launches, Jira is the tool to bring big ...

Read more about Jira
Free TrialTry Free →·

Jira offers custom pricing plan

9.8

SpotScore

Smartsheet - Project Management Software

Smartsheet

RECOMMENDED

Streamline your projects with Smartsheet's powerful tools.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Add to compare

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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 ...

Read more about Smartsheet
Free TrialTry Free →·

Smartsheet offers custom pricing plan

9.8

SpotScore

ClickUp - Collaboration Software

ClickUp

RECOMMENDED

Effortlessly streamline your projects with ClickUp

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Add to compare

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Watch Demo

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 →·

ClickUp offers custom pricing 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

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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 →·

monday.com offers custom pricing plan

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9.7

SpotScore

Asana

Asana

Organize. Collaborate. Accomplish.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

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 →·

Asana offers custom pricing plan

9.5

SpotScore

Basecamp - Project Management Software

Basecamp

Effortless collaboration for seamless project management.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is Basecamp?

Basecamp is a complete project management system that makes it easy for your team to communicate, assign tasks, schedule due dates, share files, and monitor progress. For individuals or teams that work on multiple projects at the same time, Basecamp allows you to organize everything from ...

Read more about Basecamp
Free TrialTry Free →

9.3

SpotScore

Trello - Project Management Software

Trello

Organize, prioritize, and stay on track with Trello.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Trello?

Trello is a flexible project management application that organizes your projects into boards. Each card can be easily moved from one column to another to prioritize tasks and keep you in control of when things get done. You'll know exactly who's working on what, when they completed their task, ...

Read more about Trello
Free TrialTry Free →

9.2

SpotScore

Wrike - Project Management Software

Wrike

Effortlessly manage projects and teams with Wrike.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

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Watch Demo

What is Wrike?

Wrike is a web-based project management software designed to enhance team collaboration, streamline workflows, and boost productivity. It provides real-time visibility into project progress, ensuring teams stay aligned with deadlines and objectives. Task management and prioritization tools help ...

Read more about Wrike
Free TrialTry Free →·

Wrike offers custom pricing plan

9.2

SpotScore

ProjectManager.com

ProjectManager.com

Elevate your projects with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is ProjectManager.com?

ProjectManager.com is project management software that helps you effectively and efficiently plan, execute and control your projects. It’s a flexible solution that delivers all the core capabilities of enterprise-grade project management systems while fitting seamlessly into the budget and ...

Read more about ProjectManager.com
Free TrialTry Free →·

ProjectManager.com offers custom pricing plan

8.9

SpotScore

Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects

Effortless project management wherever you are.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is Zoho Projects?

Zoho Projects is a versatile project management platform designed to help teams track their time and manage work seamlessly from any location. With an intuitive interface, it allows users to view projects and timelines in a single glance, making it easy to stay on top of progress and deadlines. ...

Read more about Zoho Projects
Free TrialTry Free →

8.8

SpotScore

RationalPlan - Project Management Software

RationalPlan

Streamline your project management process with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is RationalPlan?

RationalPlan Project Management Software is a simple and easy to use project planning software for small organizations. It is easy to learn, affordable, and includes powerful features to plan, manage and report projects. RationalPlan helps you to centrally organize all information about your ...

Read more about RationalPlan
Free TrialTry Free →·

RationalPlan offers custom pricing plan

8.5

SpotScore

Microsoft PPM - Project Management Software

Microsoft PPM

Streamline projects with Microsoft PPM.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Microsoft PPM?

Microsoft Project is the market-leading project management software application, providing more powerful project management capabilities than other alternatives. It helps organizations of all sizes to improve resource allocation and better plan for new projects through innovative ...

Read more about Microsoft PPM
Free TrialTry Free →·

Microsoft PPM offers custom pricing plan

8.3

SpotScore

Worksuite - Project Management Software

Worksuite

Streamline your projects with Worksuite's powerful management tools.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.8

Add to compare

What is Worksuite?

Worksuite is project management software designed to help business people manage projects more effectively and in a fraction of the time. Worksuite provides a platform for keeping track of your project plans, for effective team collaboration to make sure tasks are completed on time and an ...

Read more about Worksuite
Free TrialTry Free →

8.2

SpotScore

Resource Management by Smartsheet - Project Management Software

Resource Management by Smartsheet

Elevate your team's performance with resource management.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Resource Management by Smartsheet?

Resource Management by Smartsheet is the ultimate tool for efficient team and project management. Designed for high-performing teams, this software streamlines the planning process by providing features such as budget forecasting, team hiring, and utilization tracking. It simplifies the process ...

Read more about Resource Management by Smartsheet
Free Trial·

Resource Management by Smartsheet offers custom pricing plan

Resource Guru - Resource Management Software

Resource Guru

Efficient resource management made simple.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is Resource Guru?

Resource Guru is an online resource scheduling tool for project managers and operations teams at medium to large organizations that need to allocate people, equipment, and facilities across concurrent projects. It provides a centralized availability calendar that surfaces scheduling conflicts ...

Read more about Resource Guru
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What each Microsoft Project alternative is good at

Jira9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Agile Methodology support for sprint tracking, roles, ceremonies, and dashboards.

Watch for: Newcomers may find the richness of features and customizations complex without proper guidance.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Basecamp9.5Best for teams of all sizes

Simple interface that beginners can adopt quickly without training.

Watch for: Customization options for file storage and integrations are limited for advanced users.

Trello9.3Best for teams of all sizes

Easy for new and experienced users to operate with minimal setup time.

Watch for: Limited capability for handling large or complex projects due to the lack of advanced features compared to specialized project management tools.

Wrike9.2Best for teams of all sizes

Easy-to-use interface with drag-and-drop functionality, providing seamless task management and organization.

Watch for: Difficult to navigate for beginners with a steep learning curve for mastering advanced functionalities.

ProjectManager.com9.2Best for teams of all sizes

User-friendly interface allows non-technical users to easily navigate and manage projects.

Watch for: Initial learning curve for new users can be steep, requiring time to fully utilize its capabilities.

Zoho Projects8.9Best for teams of all sizes

Covers project and business management in one ecosystem, reducing the need for multiple platforms.

Watch for: Limited third-party app integrations, restricting flexibility for users heavily reliant on external tools.

RationalPlan8.8Best for teams of all sizes

Easy to learn

Watch for: Limited integrations

Microsoft PPM8.5Best for teams of all sizes

Offers Gantt charts, resource management, and task dependencies, with broad customization.

Watch for: Licensing costs deter smaller organizations compared to freemium or open-source alternatives.

Worksuite8.3Best for small & mid-size businesses

Effective project tracking

Watch for: Limited customization options

Resource Management by Smartsheet8.2Best for teams of all sizes

Interface requires minimal training for teams to adopt.

Watch for: Data export issues, with errors such as mismatched fields, limiting reliability for some users.

Resource GuruBest for teams of all sizes

Centralized resource management

Watch for: Limited integrations

Why teams look for a Microsoft Project alternative

Most Microsoft Project alternative searches trace back to a short list of frustrations:

  • High subscription cost; no longer available for outright purchase.
  • Steep learning curve requiring extensive training or tutorials to master.
  • Overly complex for small or simple projects; better suited to large organizations.
  • Interface looks dated in some areas, affecting the overall user experience.

How to choose among Microsoft Project alternatives

What sets these 15 free alternatives apart, in the numbers: 15 offer a free tier; paid plans run $2.5–$45, with Resource Guru the cheapest entry point; and monday.com is the highest rated at 4.61 across 1575 reviews.

How positions are set.

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 Project are Worksuite (4.8★), monday.com (4.6★), Resource Guru (4.6★). Compare all 15 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Microsoft Project, prioritize: Timeline View, Project Templates, Idea Management, Kanban Board, Time & Expense Tracking, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Microsoft Project starts from $10 /User/Month. 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 Project is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend shortlisting 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to settle on the best Microsoft Project alternative

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Jira, Smartsheet and ClickUp let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: monday.com has the strongest star rating (4.61★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Jira has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.8) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

How to cut over from Microsoft Project

Before switching off Microsoft Project, run the checks that prevent headaches later. Export your data, verify the import, and confirm feature parity for your must-have workflows. Pilot the new tool free, then migrate, leaving Microsoft Project active until you're done.

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