Microsoft Project alternative · 2026
Is there a free Microsoft Project alternative for a small team?
Yes. For a small team that plans together in the browser, GanttFather is free for one project with 2 editors and unlimited viewers, and keeps the scheduling core of Microsoft Project: four dependency types with lag, auto-scheduling, working calendars and a critical path. If you need .mpp files, baselines or offline work on one computer, the free desktop apps GanttProject and ProjectLibre stay closer to Microsoft Project.
What Microsoft Project costs now
Microsoft sells Project as a desktop app for one PC, or includes the desktop app in its Planner and Project Plan 3 subscription. Its cloud products changed: Project for the web retired on 1 August 2025 and its features moved into Planner, and Project Online retired on 30 September 2026.
Microsoft's figures, with sources
Microsoft Project
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Project Standard 2024 | $679.99 one-time, for one PC | Microsoft Project plans and pricing |
| Project Professional 2024 | $1,129.99 one-time, for one PC | Microsoft Project plans and pricing |
| Desktop app by subscription | Comes with Planner and Project Plan 3, $30 per user per month paid yearly | Microsoft Planner plans and pricing |
| Project Online | Retired on 30 September 2026 | Microsoft lifecycle: Project Online |
Microsoft Planner
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Planner | Included in Microsoft 365, without the Timeline (Gantt) view | Microsoft service description |
| Planner Plan 1 (Timeline, finish-to-start links) | $10 per user per month, paid yearly | Microsoft Planner plans and pricing |
| Critical path and baselines | Planner and Project Plan 3, $30 per user per month, paid yearly | Microsoft Planner plans and pricing |
| Rating | 4.3 out of 5 from 298 reviews | Capterra UK |
Checked on .
What a small team keeps in GanttFather
- Finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish links, with lag or lead in whole days.
- Auto-scheduling, a critical path, milestones, and parent tasks that roll up dates and progress.
- Project working days, team days off and each person's days off.
- Gantt, list and board views of the same tasks, updated live for everyone.
- PDF and PNG reports, including the Gantt schedule, and Excel import and export.
- Owner, admin, editor and viewer roles; viewers are free and unlimited.
- An MCP server, so AI assistants such as Claude or ChatGPT can read and edit the plan.
What you give up
- Baselines: GanttFather has none.
- .mpp and XML files: only an Excel export from Microsoft Project comes in.
- Resource leveling, which Project Standard includes, and the timesheets of Project Professional.
- Offline work: GanttFather runs only in the browser.
If any of these is essential, GanttProject or ProjectLibre will suit you better.
How to move a plan from Microsoft Project
- In Microsoft Project, export the plan to an Excel workbook.
- In GanttFather, create a project and import the Excel file. Task names, dates, % complete and resources come across.
- Link the tasks again: dependencies do not travel through Excel.
- Set the project's working days and the team's days off.
- Invite your editors, and as many viewers as you need.
Other free alternatives
| Tool | Best for | Microsoft Project files | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| GanttProject | One person, offline, with baselines; free and open source | Imports MPX, MPP and XML; exports XML | ganttproject.biz |
| ProjectLibre | One person, offline, with critical path, baselines and earned value | Opens Microsoft Project files | projectlibre.com |
| OpenProject Community | Teams that run their own server; no critical path yet | Not stated | openproject.org |
| Planner (with Microsoft 365) | Comes with Microsoft 365, with no standalone free plan; the Timeline (Gantt) view needs Plan 1 at US$10 | Not stated | Microsoft |
More detail: GanttFather vs Microsoft Project, vs Microsoft Planner and the best free Gantt chart tools.
Facts on this page checked on .
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free version of Microsoft Project?
Microsoft lists no free edition. Project Standard 2024 is a US$679.99 one-time purchase for one PC, and the desktop app also comes with Planner and Project Plan 3 at US$30 per user a month, paid yearly, which has a 30-day trial. Free alternatives include GanttFather in the browser and GanttProject or ProjectLibre on the desktop.
Can GanttFather open .mpp files?
No. GanttFather imports an Excel file exported from Microsoft Project, bringing task names, dates, % complete and resources. Dependencies do not come through Excel, so you link the tasks again in GanttFather. GanttProject and ProjectLibre can open Microsoft Project files.
What happened to Project Online and Project for the web?
Microsoft retired Project for the web on 1 August 2025 and moved its features into Planner premium plans. Project Online retired on 30 September 2026. Microsoft points former Project Online users to Planner Plan 3 or 5, or to Project Server Subscription Edition. The Project desktop app is not affected.
Does GanttFather have a critical path and dependencies like Microsoft Project?
Yes: finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish links with lag or lead in days, auto-scheduling, working calendars and a critical path. It does not have baselines, resource leveling or timesheets.
How many people can use GanttFather for free?
One project you own is free with 2 editors and unlimited viewers. Each extra project is US$5 a month (US$2.50 billed yearly), and each extra editor seat is US$2 a month.
Try GanttFather free
One project you own is free, with 2 editors and unlimited free viewers. Each extra project is US$5 a month.
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