8.8
Spot Score
Microsoft Project Review: Is It The Right Project Management Software For Your Team?
Best for SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise
Free Trial Available
SOC 2Starts from $10 / User / Month
Overview
Pricing
Features
Buyer feedback
Alternatives
Media
Security & Compliance
Support
FAQ
Blogs
What is Microsoft Project?
Microsoft Project is the project management solution that helps teams easily collaborate, communicate and follow their project plan from start to finish. Microsoft Project also helps streamline business processes so that your team can better focus on important project details and more effectively reach project goals.
Pricing
Starts from $10 / User / Month
Free Trial available
Best For
Suited for solo users, small teams, SMBs, and enterprise
Security & Compliance
SOC 2SSO & MFA supported
Data residency:Global
Platform
Web-based — no mobile app
Installed - Windows
Microsoft Project Software Demo
Microsoft Project was reviewed internally using user feedback, in-house testing, and market research to assess its performance, reliability, and user experience. Learn how we review products and our evaluation process.
Who should consider Microsoft Project
- Use cases
- Construction, Engineering, IT Services
- Team types
- Project Managers, Program Managers
- Company size
- 50 to 500 employees
Why teams choose Microsoft Project
Customizable and flexible, allowing adaptation to various projects and needs, particularly complex ones.
Seamless integration with other Microsoft tools like Excel, Word, and PowerBI, improving workflow and reporting.
Excellent for task tracking and timeline management, with features like Gantt charts and automated dependency setups.
Is Microsoft Project right for you?
What buyers should know before shortlisting Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project & Portfolio Management is a robust and highly adaptable tool that has earned its place as a staple in the project management landscape. It shines in its versatility, offering seamless integration with Microsoft Office applications like Excel and Word, allowing users to generate detailed reports and synchronize data effortlessly.
The software excels in handling complex project structures, with features such as Gantt charts, task dependencies, and resource allocation ensuring projects remain on time and within budget. Users have lauded its ability to break projects into granular tasks and provide a centralized platform for tracking progress, making it invaluable for both planning and execution across industries and project scales.
Its collaborative features and support for real-time dashboards also enhance team communication and transparency. However, some users note that Microsoft Project can feel daunting for beginners, with a steep learning curve and occasional complexity in deployment.
The cost of licensing is another consideration, potentially limiting accessibility for smaller teams or organizations with simpler needs. That said, for enterprises and seasoned project managers, its advanced capabilities and reliability make it a top-tier choice for traditional project management.
Microsoft Project pros and cons
- Microsoft Project pros
Customizable and flexible, allowing adaptation to various projects and needs, particularly complex ones.
Seamless integration with other Microsoft tools like Excel, Word, and PowerBI, improving workflow and reporting.
Excellent for task tracking and timeline management, with features like Gantt charts and automated dependency setups.
- Microsoft Project cons
High subscription/license cost, with purchasing restrictions as it is no longer available outright.
Steep learning curve for beginners, with a need for extensive training or tutorials to master its features.
Ready to try it?
Get started with Microsoft Project
Start your free trial — no credit card required.
Still comparing?
See how it stacks up
Compare Microsoft Project side-by-side with top Project Management Software alternatives.
What is the pricing of Microsoft Project?
Microsoft Project Pricing Plans
Project Plan 1 (Cloud-based solution)
$10
/User/Month
Project Home
Grid view
Board view
Timeline (Gantt) view
Collaboration and communication
Show more +
Project Plan 3 (Cloud-based solution)
$30
/User/Month
Includes features of Project Plan 1, plus
Roadmap
Resource management
Desktop client
Desktop client - On up to 5PCs
Show more +
Project Plan 5 (Cloud-based solution)
$55
/User/Month
Includes features of Project Plan 3, plus
Portfolio selection and optimization
Demand management
Enterprise resource planning and management
Apps included - Project for the web, Project Online, Project Online desktop client
Project Standard 2021 (On-premises solution)
Fully installed, up-to-date Project desktop app.
One license covers one PC per person. Manage project schedules and costs.
Manage tasks, reports, and business intelligence.
Microsoft Project reviews and ratings
Buyer sentiment
Buyer sentiment is positive across 1526 reviews, with strong overall satisfaction.
What buyers like
- Customizable and flexible for various project types, including complex ones.
- Integrates with Excel, Word, and PowerBI for improved reporting and workflow.
- Gantt charts and automated dependency setups support task tracking and timeline management.
Common complaints
- 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.
What users are saying
MK
Mike K
09/21/23
"Reliable and flexible project management software"
What do you like best about Microsoft Project & Portfolio Management? You can tailor Microsoft Project to your needs. Unlike other 'free' software the ...
Read more
AJ
Ashutosh J
06/30/23
"Microsoft PPM reviews"
What do you like best about Microsoft Project & Portfolio Management? Centralized home screen Multiple project views Time tracking Resource ...
Read more
AU
Anonymous User
05/12/23
"I will enhance every aspect"
What do you like best about Microsoft Project & Portfolio Management? I mostly liked the tracking ability for some specific projets in my role as an ...
Read more
PB
Pahim B
05/12/23
"Very good tool for management."
What do you like best about Microsoft Project & Portfolio Management? Built for collaboration. It allows coauthoring. All project teams can work ...
Read more
AR
Aaditya R
05/10/23
"Excellent for thise who are seeking to develop their career"
What do you like best about Microsoft Project & Portfolio Management? Very systematic and simple that anybody who is a beginner can understand the ...
Read more
JC
Jesus C
12/20/22
"The best planning software"
What do you like best about Microsoft Project & Portfolio Management? The huge break down follow up on each task to keep any schedule activities under ...
Read more
- See if Microsoft Project fits your business
- Real pricing — no sales pressure
- A demo or quick answers, your call
Step 1 of 4
How big is your team?
We tailor recommendations to companies your size.
What are the features of Microsoft Project?
The process of analyzing, organizing, and monitoring a company's or organization's costs and expenditures is known as Budget management. Man…
Idea management is a structured method of producing, capturing, discussing, enhancing, organizing, analyzing, and prioritizing valuable insi…
Issue Management in Microsoft Project helps teams identify, document, and resolve problems that could impede project success. While not a na…
The Kanban Board functionality in Microsoft Project—available through integrations with Microsoft Planner or Project for the web—offers a vi…
The most effective technique to manage the timeline factor is to track milestones. Effective project planning concentrates on the most criti…
Percent-Complete Tracking in Microsoft Project lets project managers quantify the progress of tasks and overall projects by assigning a comp…
Portfolio Management in Microsoft Project allows organizations to manage and analyze multiple projects within a centralized platform. This f…
Project Planning in Microsoft Project is a complete process that includes task breakdown, scheduling, resource allocation, dependency mappin…
A project template is a project that contains work packages and activities that you know you'll use again and again on other projects. Proje…
A requirement is a need or expectation from a stakeholder that a product, service, or solution must satisfy to be useful. Requirements are o…
The process of pre-planning, scheduling, and distributing your resources to maximum efficiency is known as resource management. A resource i…
Status Tracking in Microsoft Project offers visibility into the real-time condition of tasks, deliverables, and overall project health. Thro…
The technique of managing a task throughout its life cycle is known as task management. Planning, testing, tracking, and reporting are all p…
The process of recording and tracking hours spent and expenses related to projects is known as time and expense. Multiple timesheet and expe…
A project timeline is a list of tasks or activities organized by the date that allows project managers to see the entire project in one plac…
Microsoft Project security and data handling
Key compliance certifications and security features for IT and security teams evaluating Microsoft Project.
Certifications
Security features
Developer & data
Alternatives to Microsoft Project
Recommended
Streamline Projects, Boost Productivity
9.8
Very Good
Recommended
Streamline your projects with ...
9.8
Excellent
Recommended
Effortlessly streamline your ...
9.8
Very Good
Elevate your team's performance ...
8.2
Very Good
Why buyers keep looking beyond Microsoft Project
Teams seeking intuitive and user-friendly interfaces might opt for tools like Trello or Asana, which offer straightforward task management and collaboration features without the complexity of advanced project management functionalities.
Organizations practicing Agile methodologies may find tools like Jira or Monday.com more aligned with their workflow, as these platforms offer robust support for sprints, backlogs, and iterative development processes.
Teams emphasizing real-time collaboration and communication might prefer platforms like Slack or ClickUp, which integrate messaging, file sharing, and task management in a single interface.
Small to medium-sized businesses or startups might consider more affordable project management tools that provide essential features without the higher costs associated with Microsoft Project's licensing.
Organizations seeking fully cloud-based solutions with minimal setup and maintenance might opt for platforms like Smartsheet or Wrike, which offer cloud-native project management capabilities.
Teams in specialized industries, such as construction or software development, might choose tools tailored to their specific needs, offering features like resource leveling, issue tracking, and version control.
Microsoft Project Support Options
Frequently Asked Questions About Microsoft Project
Common questions buyers ask before choosing Microsoft Project.
Microsoft Project is a Project Management Software. Microsoft Project offers Timeline View, Project Templates, Idea Management, Kanban Board, Time & Expense Tracking and many more functionalities.
Buyers commonly note the following limitations of Microsoft Project: High subscription/license cost, with purchasing restrictions as it is no longer available outright.; Steep learning curve for beginners, with a need for extensive training or tutorials to master its features.; Complex for small or simple projects, making it more relevant for larger organizations..
Some top alternatives to Microsoft Project includes Quickbase , Smartsheet, ClickUp, Freshbooks and Resource Management by Smartsheet.
Microsoft Project offers Free Trial, One-time license, Subscription, Quotation Based pricing models
The starting price of Microsoft Project is $10/User/Month
Free buyer scorecard
Evaluate Microsoft Project with the project management software buyer scorecard
A weighted project management software scorecard to assess Microsoft Project objectively and compare it against the alternatives.
- Weighted criteria you can edit
- Score vendors side-by-side
- Shareable with your buying committee
No file downloads on screen — we email it to you. One-click unsubscribe anytime.
Ready to try it?
Get started with Microsoft Project
Start your free trial — no credit card required.
About the reviewer
Rajat Gupta is the founder of Spotsaas. Over the past two years, he has reviewed 2,000+ tools across CRM, HR, AI, and finance — applying hands-on product research and a background in commerce and the CFA program to evaluate software through a business and ROI lens. His goal: help teams make software decisions they won't regret.
Project Management Software by Country
Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].
