gantt-chart.io vs Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project is the enterprise standard for scheduling, with deep resource leveling, baselines, and portfolio tools. That depth comes with per-user licensing, a heavy interface, and training time. gantt-chart.io is built for teams that need a clear, shareable project timeline without a scheduling-specialist learning curve: describe your project, get a Gantt chart.
| Feature | Microsoft Project | gantt-chart.io |
|---|---|---|
| AI generation | Microsoft 365 Copilot features are separate from the Project licence. Building a schedule still starts with entering tasks, durations, and links by hand. | Describe your project in plain text. AI generates a full Gantt chart with tasks, durations, dependencies, and milestones — ready to edit immediately. |
| Gantt views | Full desktop-grade scheduling: baselines, resource leveling, and critical path. Powerful, but the interface assumes you already think like a scheduler. | Gantt-first by design. Bar chart, critical-path highlight, dependency arrows, and milestone markers are native — with no scheduling jargon to learn first. |
| Export formats | Native .mpp files plus export to Excel, PDF, and XML. Viewing a plan usually means the recipient needs a Project, Planner, or Microsoft 365 licence or a PDF. | CSV and PDF export (Solo+). Read-only or editable share links — recipients need no account and no licence. |
| Pricing | Per-user subscriptions: Project Plan 1 starts at $10/user/month, Plan 3 at $30/user/month, Plan 5 at $55/user/month (billed annually). Desktop Project Standard and Professional are separate one-time licences. | Free: 3 projects. Solo: $9.60/mo (billed annually). Pro: $15/mo. Team: $31/mo. Flat rate — no per-user licences. |
| Learning curve | Built for trained project managers. Resource pools, task types, and calendars take real training before a schedule behaves the way you expect. | Single-purpose Gantt editor. Most users publish their first project in under 10 minutes. |
gantt-chart.io pricing
One free plan and one paid plan for one person. Cancel from your billing page.
Free
$0
- 1 saved project
- 50 AI credits/month
- Read-only share links
- No downloads (exports need Solo)
Solo
$12/mo
For one person
- Unlimited projects
- 300 AI credits/month
- Read-only share links
- CSV and PDF export
Frequently asked questions
- Is gantt-chart.io a good Microsoft Project alternative?
- For teams that mainly need a clear project timeline with dependencies and a critical path, yes. gantt-chart.io is lighter and faster to learn. If you rely on resource leveling, baselines against multiple scenarios, or portfolio rollups, Microsoft Project is the deeper scheduling tool.
- How does gantt-chart.io pricing compare to Microsoft Project?
- Microsoft Project is licensed per user: Plan 3 is $30/user/month and Plan 5 is $55/user/month, billed annually. gantt-chart.io charges a flat rate — Solo is $9.60/month billed annually, and Team is $31/month for the whole team.
- Can I import a Microsoft Project plan into gantt-chart.io?
- Yes. Export your plan from Microsoft Project as CSV and import it into gantt-chart.io, or paste a plain-text project description into the AI prompt to generate a fresh Gantt chart.
- Does gantt-chart.io have a critical path like Microsoft Project?
- Yes. Critical-path highlighting and dependency arrows are native, so you can see which tasks drive your finish date and what slips if one of them moves.
- Do my stakeholders need a licence to see the plan?
- No. Share a read-only or editable link and the recipient opens the Gantt chart in the browser without an account. Microsoft Project plans typically need a licensed user or an exported PDF.
- When should I stay on Microsoft Project?
- Stay if your schedules depend on resource leveling, detailed baselines, or integration with other Microsoft 365 and Dynamics tooling. Switch if you mostly need readable timelines for planning and status updates without per-user licences.
Next step
Paste a task list. Get a live Gantt. Share a link when you're ready — no account required to try.