--- title: "GanttFather vs ProjectLibre: Gantt Chart Software Compared (2026)" description: "GanttFather vs ProjectLibre: a free web Gantt chart that a team edits together, against a free open-source desktop app with baselines and earned value." canonical: "https://ganttfather.com/vs/projectlibre/" locale: "en" category: "compare" --- # GanttFather vs ProjectLibre: Gantt Chart Software Compared (2026) Free Alternative Comparison · 2026 # GanttFather vs ProjectLibre Choose ProjectLibre if you plan alone on your own computer and need baselines, earned value or Microsoft Project files, because its desktop app is free, open source and works offline. Choose GanttFather if you plan with other people in a browser, because one project with 2 editors and unlimited viewers is free and everyone sees changes as they happen. Want to skip the comparison? GanttFather is free forever — start in 30 seconds. [Try free](https://app.ganttfather.com/login) ## What's the difference between GanttFather and ProjectLibre? 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 ProjectLibre Price Free for one project you own, with 2 editors and unlimited free viewers; US$5 a month per extra project (US$2.50 a month billed yearly) Desktop app free, no subscription; cloud plans $9.99 per user per month (Core) or $29.99 (Enterprise/PMO), billed annually Use in a browser Yes, on the free plan; nothing to install Web version on the paid cloud plans; the free app is a desktop download Desktop app and offline work No; web app only, with no offline mode Runs locally on Windows, macOS and Linux; project files stay on your computer Several editors for free 2 editors and unlimited free viewers; changes from others appear live The free desktop app is for one person managing project files locally Dependencies Finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish, with lag and lead in days, between tasks under the same parent Finish-to-start (default), start-to-start and finish-to-finish, with lag in days Critical path Yes, a toggle in the Gantt and List views Yes, with float; critical bars are shown in red Baselines No Yes; a baseline line shows under the live bars Costs and earned value No budgets or cost totals Costs, workloads and earned value in the desktop app Working calendars Project non-working weekdays, team days off and per-person days off Calendars and constraints Milestones Yes Yes Microsoft Project files Imports an Excel file exported from Microsoft Project; no .mpp or XML Opens Microsoft Project files so you can keep working Open source No Yes, under the CPAL 1.0 license Sources: [ProjectLibre](https://www.projectlibre.com/) · [GanttFather](https://ganttfather.com/pricing/). Checked on 18 October 2026. ## Figures and their sources Figure Value Source Desktop app Free and open source, no subscription [ProjectLibre Desktop](https://projectlibre.com/projectlibre-desktop/) Cloud plan (ProjectLibre Core) $9.99 per user per month, billed annually [ProjectLibre home page](https://www.projectlibre.com/) Downloads 7.8M+ on SourceForge [SourceForge](https://sourceforge.net/projects/projectlibre/) Latest desktop release 1.9.8, updated 13 July 2026 [SourceForge](https://sourceforge.net/projects/projectlibre/) Checked on 18 October 2026 . ## When is ProjectLibre the better choice? ProjectLibre is the better choice for one person who wants classic scheduling tools on their own computer, at no cost. - You need baselines to compare the live plan with the one you saved. - You track costs, workloads and earned value inside the project. - You receive Microsoft Project files and want to open them and keep working. - You work offline, with project files that stay on your Windows, macOS or Linux computer. - You want open-source software, licensed under CPAL 1.0. - You plan alone and nobody else needs to edit the plan. ## When is GanttFather the better choice? GanttFather is the better choice when several people need to see and edit the same plan in a browser. - Two editors and unlimited viewers share one project for free, and changes from others appear live. - Nothing to install: it runs in any modern browser, and you sign in with Google, GitHub or email. - The same tasks show as Gantt, List, Board (Kanban) and Reports views. - 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. - You can start from one of 100 project templates in 20 categories. ## Frequently asked questions: GanttFather vs ProjectLibre Is ProjectLibre free? The ProjectLibre desktop app is free and open source, with no subscription. Its cloud plans cost $9.99 per user per month (ProjectLibre Core) or $29.99 per user per month (Enterprise/PMO), billed annually. Does ProjectLibre have baselines and critical path? Yes. The desktop app includes baselines, critical path and float, along with calendars, constraints and earned value. GanttFather has critical path but no baselines. Can ProjectLibre open Microsoft Project files? Yes. ProjectLibre says its desktop app opens Microsoft Project files so you can continue working. GanttFather does not open .mpp files; it imports an Excel file exported from Microsoft Project, with task names, dates, % complete and resources. Can a team share a ProjectLibre plan? The free desktop app is meant for one person managing project files locally. For a web version, ProjectLibre sells cloud plans from $9.99 per user per month, billed annually. In GanttFather, 2 editors and unlimited viewers share one project for free. Does ProjectLibre run on Mac and Linux? Yes. The desktop app runs locally on Windows, macOS and Linux. GanttFather runs in any modern browser and has no desktop app. How much does GanttFather cost? GanttFather is free for one project you own, with 2 editors and unlimited free viewers. Each extra project costs US$5 a month, or US$2.50 a month billed yearly. No feature is locked to a paid plan. ### Still have questions? Drop us a line — we usually reply in under a business day. support@ganttfather.com ## Try GanttFather free Every feature is free. No credit card. 1 project you own with 2 editor seats and unlimited free viewers — extra projects from $5/month. [Get started free](https://app.ganttfather.com/login)