Looking for alternatives to Microsoft Project? Many users crave user-friendly and feature-rich solutions for tasks like Task Management, Team Collaboration, and Dashboards and Reporting. Leveraging crowdsourced data from over 1,000 real Project Management Software selection projects based on 400+ capabilities, we present a comparison of Microsoft Project to leading industry alternatives like OpenAir, Asana, Podio, and Hive.
Analyst Rating
User Sentiment
Key benefits include improved project visibility, enhanced collaboration, streamlined task management, and efficient resource allocation. Its user-friendly interface and customizable templates make it accessible to users of all skill levels. Compared to similar products, Microsoft Project stands out with its advanced features, integration with other Microsoft applications, and extensive support resources.
Pricing varies depending on the specific version and licensing options. Microsoft Project offers flexible pricing plans, including subscription-based models and perpetual licenses, to cater to different business needs.
OpenAir by NetSuite, Inc. is a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline project management tasks. It is particularly well-suited for businesses looking for an all-in-one platform to manage projects, resources, and expenses efficiently. One of the key benefits of OpenAir is its ability to enhance project delivery through improved planning and resource allocation, making it a valuable tool for organizations aiming to optimize their project management processes. The software boasts popular features such as time tracking, expense management, and invoicing, which collectively contribute to its robust project management capabilities. When compared to similar products, users often highlight OpenAir's seamless integration with other business systems and its scalability as significant advantages. Pricing considerations for OpenAir typically involve a subscription model, where costs are based on the number of users and the specific features required, allowing for flexibility to suit various business sizes and needs.
Asana is a cloud-based project management platform designed to help teams of all sizes manage and organize projects with customization, automation, AI and collaboration. Users can build custom workflows, templates and tasks, and visualize projects in multiple ways, including list, timeline, calendar, Kanban and Gantt views.
You can also build and trigger automation rules when tasks are moved or status or priority is changed. Stay aligned with goals, locate risks and hit project deadlines with reports and collaboration tools. Connect with other solutions using its open API and native integration with dozens of apps.
Our Research Process for Asana
Taking software at face value for a product page review is so passe. Luckily, with a little help from my company’s email address, I got a free trial of Asana’s Advanced plan for 30 days.
I set up a dummy project for content creation, complete with the stages and automations we currently use, so I’d have a more apples-to-apples comparison of a real-world project.
Additionally, I tested some “standout” features our researchers suggested and investigated the pros and cons users mentioned on review sites.
To learn the ropes, I visited the help center, watched demo videos and scoured Reddit for shortcuts. This webpage is the result of a week of dedicating all my working hours to living and breathing Asana.
among all Project Management Software
Microsoft Project has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 3873 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.
OpenAir has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 75% when considering 295 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.
Asana has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 89% when considering 27379 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.
Podio has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 799 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.
Hive has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 91% when considering 800 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.
Microsoft Project remains a robust project management software, praised for its intuitive interface and comprehensive feature set. Users appreciate its Gantt charts, resource management capabilities, and integration with other Microsoft products. However, some find its advanced features overwhelming and its reporting capabilities limited compared to specialized project management tools. Project differentiates itself with its ease of use and integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. Its intuitive interface makes it accessible to users of all skill levels, while its integration with tools like Microsoft Teams and SharePoint streamlines collaboration. These strengths make it an excellent choice for teams heavily reliant on Microsoft products. Microsoft Project is best suited for small to medium-sized businesses and teams that prioritize ease of use and Microsoft integration. Its intuitive interface and comprehensive feature set make it a valuable tool for managing projects effectively, while its integration with other Microsoft products enhances collaboration and productivity.
OpenAir, a project management software solution, has received positive feedback from users for its ability to streamline project management processes. Users appreciate its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and comprehensive features that enhance efficiency and organization. The software's task management, resource management, collaboration tools, and reporting capabilities have significantly improved project outcomes for many businesses. Compared to similar products, OpenAir stands out due to its ease of use and adaptability to various project types and sizes. Users have highlighted its intuitive design, which allows for quick adoption and minimal training time. Additionally, OpenAir's flexibility enables businesses to customize workflows, dashboards, and reports to align with their specific needs. This adaptability is crucial for organizations with diverse project requirements and evolving processes. OpenAir is well-suited for businesses of all sizes seeking to enhance their project management practices. Its scalability and comprehensive features make it an ideal choice for small teams, large enterprises, and everything in between. The software's ability to centralize project information, facilitate collaboration, and provide real-time insights empowers teams to make informed decisions, optimize resource allocation, and deliver projects on time and within budget.
Asana is a work management platform designed to help users organize and streamline operations with a user-friendly, customizable interface, automation and AI. Key features include the ability to create custom fields, deadlines, and subtasks, utilize various project views like Kanban boards and timelines, and leverage AI for summarizing tasks and drafting workflows. During my test of the software, I liked how easy it was to create a task by email and create project and task summaries using their AI tool.Customization was also a win. I built a task template for my Content Creation project with custom fields, relative due dates, assignees and a bulleted checklist. However, head’s up, adding task templates to existing tasks requires creating a new task with the template and merging it. Hands down, workflow management was one of my favorite parts of testing Asana. Adding in new sections (without having to go to the list view) and creating custom rules for transitions with a little help from their version of prompts was a breeze.Collaboration is another plus, with in-card comments and mentions, an inbox, group and individual messaging in platform and guest accounts with custom permissions for external users.On the downside, if you don’t have access to a free trial of the paid version (like I did), the free version may not be as effective. You won’t be able to access AI features, certain project views and resource management. The setup also isn’t exactly intuitive, and you may need training plus multiple visits to the help center to conceptualize your project and pick the right template.Overall, Asana is a fantastic all-in-one project management solution for users looking for a flexible tool with AI assistance and don’t mind springing for one of the paid plans.
Podio, the project management and collaboration platform, has garnered a mixed bag of user reviews over the past year. While it's praised for its customizability and flexibility, allowing teams to tailor the platform to their specific needs, some users find the interface clunky and overwhelming, especially for those new to project management software. Podio's strength lies in its ability to centralize communication, tasks, and files, creating a single source of truth for projects. The platform's automation features are also a hit, streamlining repetitive tasks and boosting efficiency. However, users point out that the learning curve can be steep, and the mobile app experience falls short compared to competitors like Asana and Monday.com. Additionally, the pricing structure can be confusing, with various tiers and add-ons, making it difficult to determine the true cost for a team's needs. Podio shines for teams seeking a highly customizable solution that can adapt to their unique workflows. Its ability to integrate with numerous other applications further enhances its versatility. However, for smaller teams or those looking for a more intuitive and user-friendly experience, alternative platforms might be a better fit.
Hive is a user-friendly solution that offers a multitude of features like project planning, file sharing, task management automation, project views, reporting, scheduling and more. Time and project tracking help manage team utilization and resource allocation. Users can converse with individuals or groups and collaborate with clients using integrated tools. Users can organize and prioritize tasks based on color, tags, projects and schedules. Many reviewers noted that its mobile application is a downside and could benefit from an upgrade to its functions. Finding training is difficult; however support teams are responsive with queries and help, especially during initial set-up.
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