Free Alternative Comparison · 2026
GanttFather vs Microsoft Planner
Choose Microsoft Planner if your organization already works in Microsoft 365 and Teams, because basic Planner comes with Microsoft 365 and the paid plans add a Timeline (Gantt) view from $10 per user a month, with critical path and baselines on Plan 3 at $30. Choose GanttFather if you want a Gantt plan with all four dependency types and critical path without a Microsoft 365 subscription or a per-user fee, because they are free for 1 project you own with 2 editors and unlimited free viewers.
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What's the difference between GanttFather and Microsoft Planner?
Side-by-side feature comparison of the two tools across pricing, dependencies, real-time collaboration, AI integration, and platform support. Bold rows highlight the dimension where one tool clearly leads.
| Feature | GanttFather | Microsoft Planner |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Free for 1 project you own, with 2 editors and unlimited free viewers; no other subscription needed | No standalone free plan; basic Planner comes with Microsoft 365 subscriptions |
| Gantt (Timeline) view | Yes, on the free plan | From Planner Plan 1, $10 per user a month paid yearly; not in basic Planner |
| Task dependencies | Finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish, with lag and lead in days, on the free plan | Basic Planner: view only. Plan 1: finish-to-start. Plan 3 ($30 per user a month): all four types with lead and lag |
| Critical path | Yes, a toggle in the Gantt and List views, on the free plan | Planner and Project Plan 3 and above, $30 per user a month paid yearly |
| Baselines | No | Plan 3 and above |
| Resources | People on tasks; workload is a count of active tasks per person | People view from Plan 1; Assignments view and resource requests from Plan 3 |
| Microsoft Teams | No Teams integration | Web and Teams apps |
| Sign-in | Google, GitHub, or email and password; not Microsoft accounts | Needs an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription |
| Size of a project | No cap on tasks per project | Premium plans: 3,000 tasks and 150 resources per project, 20 links per task |
| How you pay | US$5 a month per extra project (US$2.50 billed yearly) and US$2 a month per extra editor seat (US$1 billed yearly); viewers stay free | Per user, as an annual subscription that renews automatically |
Sources: Microsoft Planner · GanttFather. Checked on 18 October 2026.
Figures and their sources
| 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 .
When is Microsoft Planner the better choice?
Microsoft Planner is the better choice when your organization already lives in Microsoft 365.
- Your team works in Microsoft Teams; Planner has web and Teams apps, and GanttFather has no Teams integration.
- You already pay for Microsoft 365, so basic Planner is included, and your people sign in with Microsoft accounts, which GanttFather does not support.
- You need baselines, which come with Plan 3; GanttFather has none.
- You manage resources with the People and Assignments views, or build portfolios (created on Plan 3).
- You came from Project for the web: Planner now has the same premium plans.
When is GanttFather the better choice?
GanttFather is the better choice when you want a Gantt plan without buying into Microsoft 365.
- You do not have, or do not want, a Microsoft 365 subscription.
- You need the Gantt view, all four dependency types with lag and lead, and critical path without paying $30 per user a month for Plan 3.
- Viewers and AI agents are free and unlimited; you pay US$5 a month per extra project and US$2 a month per extra editor seat.
- Your plans are large: GanttFather has no cap on tasks per project, while Planner premium plans allow 3,000.
- AI assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor can read and edit the plan through the GanttFather MCP server.
- If you work in Azure DevOps, you can pull work items into a plan and push selected fields back after you review them.
Frequently asked questions: GanttFather vs Microsoft Planner
Does Microsoft Planner have a Gantt chart?
Yes, as the Timeline (Gantt) view from Planner Plan 1, at $10 per user a month paid yearly. Basic Planner, which comes with Microsoft 365, does not have it. Plan 1 links tasks finish-to-start only; Planner and Project Plan 3, at $30 per user a month, adds the other dependency types with lead and lag, plus critical path and baselines. GanttFather includes the Gantt view, all four dependency types and critical path on its free plan.
Is Microsoft Planner free?
There is no standalone free plan. Basic Planner comes with Microsoft 365 subscriptions, including E3 and E5, but has no Timeline view and only shows dependencies. Microsoft offers a one-month trial of Plan 1 and a 30-day trial of Plan 3. GanttFather is free for 1 project you own, with 2 editors and unlimited free viewers, and needs no other subscription.
What happened to Project for the web and Project Online?
Microsoft retired Project for the web on 1 August 2025 and moved its features into Planner: its users are sent to Planner for the web and Planner in Teams, which have the same premium plans. Roadmaps did not move over; Microsoft suggests re-creating them as Planner portfolios. Project Online retired on 30 September 2026, and its users can no longer access their projects there.
I was on Project for the web or Project Online. What can I do now?
If you were on Project for the web, you keep working in Planner, which has the same premium plans; re-create any roadmaps as portfolios. If you were on Project Online, the service is gone. Microsoft points you to Planner Plan 3 or Plan 5, or to Project Server Subscription Edition through a partner, and the Project desktop app is not affected. If you have your plans as Excel files exported from Microsoft Project, GanttFather imports them with task names, dates, % complete and resources; dependencies do not come across, so you link tasks again in the Gantt.
How does the price compare?
Planner Plan 1 costs $10 per user a month, paid yearly, so a team of 10 pays $100 a month; critical path and baselines need Plan 3 at $30 per user a month. GanttFather is free for 1 project you own, with 2 editors and unlimited free viewers. Each extra project is US$5 a month (US$2.50 billed yearly) and each extra editor seat is US$2 a month (US$1 billed yearly).
Does GanttFather work with Microsoft Teams?
No. GanttFather has no Teams integration, and you sign in with Google, GitHub, or email and password, not a Microsoft account. Its only integration is Azure DevOps, where you pull work items into a plan and push selected fields back after review, plus its MCP server for AI agents. Planner has web and Teams apps.
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