Best Microsoft Planner alternatives for team project management (2026)

Microsoft Planner is a popular tool for simple task planning inside Microsoft 365. Microsoft Planner alternatives are project management tools that replace Microsoft Planner's simple task planning inside Microsoft 365. Teams usually start looking for alternatives when they need simpler workflows, better pricing, or collaboration features that match the way they work.

The best Microsoft Planner alternatives include Breeze, Microsoft Project, Trello, Asana, ClickUp, Wrike, Basecamp, Monday.com, Smartsheet, ProjectManager, Jira, and Todoist. These tools offer similar task management and team collaboration features, but they vary in complexity, structure, and focus.

Contents

• Why teams look for Microsoft Planner alternatives
• What to look for in an Microsoft Planner replacement
• Best Microsoft Planner alternatives
• Comparison table
• Which alternative should you choose
• FAQ

Why teams look for Microsoft Planner alternatives

Teams often start looking for alternatives to Microsoft Planner when:

• the tool becomes too complex for daily updates
• pricing grows as teams add more people or projects
• project visibility becomes harder to maintain across work
• the interface slows down simple task management
• teams need simpler ownership, deadlines, and collaboration

Different teams prioritize different things, so the right replacement depends on workflow, team size, and how much structure the team actually needs.

What to look for in an Microsoft Planner replacement

When evaluating alternatives to Microsoft Planner, look for:

• simple task and project management
• clear ownership and deadlines
• collaboration features for teams
• reporting and project visibility
• pricing that scales with your team

Some tools prioritize flexibility and customization, while others focus on simplicity and clarity. The best fit depends on whether your team values control, speed, or ease of adoption most.

Best Microsoft Planner alternatives

The tools below cover a range of team project management needs, from simple task boards to more structured workflows, reporting, and planning.

• Breeze
• Microsoft Project
• Trello
• Asana
• ClickUp
• Wrike
• Basecamp
• Monday.com
• Smartsheet
• ProjectManager
• Jira
• Todoist

Breeze

Best for: teams that want simple project management.

Breeze is a straightforward project management platform built around clear ownership, simple workflows, and fast team collaboration. If Microsoft Planner no longer fits the way your team works, Breeze gives you a cleaner way to manage tasks, deadlines, comments, time, and reporting in one place.

Key features

• Visual project boards that keep work easy to scan.
• Task ownership, deadlines, and comments in one view.
• Built-in time tracking and workload visibility.
• Reporting that helps teams stay on top of delivery.
• Simple setup that is easy for non-technical teams to adopt.

Best for: small teams, agencies, marketing teams, and organizations that want simple project management.

Pricing: Simple pricing at $10 per user per month, with all features included. You can save 10% with a yearly plan

Rating: 4.4/5 on Capterra

If you want a closer side-by-side view, compare Breeze with Breeze vs Trello, Breeze vs Asana, Breeze vs ClickUp, and Breeze vs Wrike.

What users say about Breeze

The free onboarding and training helped us get started quickly. Breeze feels like it was made for small teams intuitive, helpful and powerful. We especially love the answer reuse feature and the automated suggestions that save time and reduce errors

Source: G2

Microsoft Project

Best for: teams that need traditional project planning.

Microsoft Project is the classic project management solution for organizations that need advanced scheduling, resource management, and reporting. It is more powerful than Microsoft Planner, supporting Gantt charts, dependencies, and portfolio management. However, it comes with a steeper learning curve and is best for teams that need detailed planning and reporting rather than simple task tracking.

Pricing: Starts at $10 per user per month for Project Plan 1; advanced plans cost more

Rating: 4.4/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Advanced scheduling features (Gantt, dependencies, critical path) for complex projects.
• Robust resource management and workload balancing.
• Comprehensive reporting and portfolio management.
• Integrates with Microsoft 365 and Power BI for analytics.

Cons

• Feels heavier than modern day-to-day task boards.
• Best results usually need experienced project managers.

Teams considering Microsoft Project alternatives often also want a direct side-by-side view, and Asana vs Microsoft Project covers that comparison.

What users say about Microsoft Project

One of the standout features of Microsoft PPM is its intuitive and user-friendly interface. Navigating through the software and accessing various functionalities is a breeze, even for users with limited technical expertise. The ability to customize dashboards and reports according to my specific needs has greatly enhanced my productivity and decision-making capabilities.

Source: G2

Trello

Best for: teams that prefer visual kanban boards.

Trello is a popular Kanban-based project management tool known for its simplicity and visual boards. It is easy to get started and is ideal for individuals or small teams who want a lightweight way to track tasks. Compared to Microsoft Planner, Trello offers more flexibility in how boards are set up, but advanced features like reporting and time tracking require Power-Ups (add-ons).

Pricing: Free for basic use; paid plans start at $5 per user per month

Rating: 4.5/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Intuitive drag-and-drop Kanban boards for visual task management.
• Easy for new users and teams to adopt quickly.
• Customizable with Power-Ups for automation, reporting, and integrations.
• Flexible for personal, team, or client projects.

Cons

• Advanced reporting often needs add-ons or integrations.
• Larger portfolios can outgrow simple boards.

Teams considering Trello alternatives often also want a direct side-by-side view, and Breeze vs Trello covers that comparison.

What users say about Trello

User friendly. By using board, cards and lists we can get clear picture of our work. We can see the pending, overdue and the completed tasks. Collaborate with others for assigning tasks, tag team members. We can add labels, personal to do list, Calanders, add labels to each activity, can create checklist for each activity. Trello helps turns chaos into clarity. Using Trello on a daily basis. Ease of integration-Trello is very easy to integrate with Gmail and other tools. Ease of implementation-easy to implement. We can create an account and start using it without any other technical skills. No technical proficiency is needed to use Trello.

Source: G2

Asana

Best for: teams that need structured workflows.

Asana is a flexible project management platform with multiple views (list, board, timeline), automation, and deep integrations. It is more structured than Microsoft Planner and supports complex workflows, making it suitable for teams that need to organize work across multiple projects and departments.

Pricing: Basic plan is free; Premium starts at $10.99 per user per month

Rating: 4.5/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Multiple project views: Kanban, list, calendar, timeline.
• Powerful automation and workflow customization.
• Strong task dependencies and reporting.
• Integrates with a wide range of tools (Slack, Google Drive, etc.).

Cons

• Advanced features are locked behind higher plans.
• Simple teams can still find the interface busy.

Teams considering Asana alternatives often also want a direct side-by-side view, and Breeze vs Asana covers that comparison.

What users say about Asana

Clarity and transparency across teams: Everyone knows what they’re responsible for and when it’s due. Long-term information retention: Even after years, we can go back and reference old tasks, decisions, or projects. Customizable workflows: We’ve tailored Asana to suit different teams and departments without needing separate tools. Remote-friendly collaboration: Asana keeps our globally distributed team aligned, regardless of time zones. Consistent improvements: New features are thoughtfully introduced without disrupting existing workflows.

Source: G2

ClickUp

Best for: teams that want a customizable all-in-one workspace.

ClickUp is a highly flexible project management tool with a broad set of features, including time tracking, docs, mind maps, and automation. It offers more customization than Microsoft Planner and is designed to replace multiple productivity tools with one platform, though it can feel overwhelming at first.

Pricing: Free for personal use; paid plans start at $7 per user per month

Rating: 4.7/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Highly customizable with many project views and features.
• Built-in time tracking, docs, and goal tracking.
• Powerful automation and integrations.
• All-in-one workspace for teams of any size.

Cons

• The interface can feel heavy for simple workflows.
• Customization takes time to manage well.

Teams considering ClickUp alternatives often also want a direct side-by-side view, and Breeze vs ClickUp covers that comparison.

What users say about ClickUp

Clickup has multiple features related to organising different types of tasks, it also helps in assigning work and creating deadlines so that all the day to day work can be completed on time. The software helps us in checking the current status of different on going projects of our company and it also keep track record of our teams overall performance so that we can decide their final KPI.

Source: G2

Wrike

Best for: teams that need reporting and cross-project visibility.

Wrike is a project management and collaboration platform with dashboards, workload views, and advanced reporting. It is suited for teams that need visibility across multiple projects and want to automate workflows. Compared to Microsoft Planner, Wrike offers more depth and customization, but requires thoughtful setup to keep things simple.

Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $9.80 per user per month

Rating: 4.3/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Advanced dashboards and workload management for teams.
• Custom workflows and automation rules.
• Robust reporting and analytics.
• Integrates with a wide range of business tools.

Cons

• The learning curve is higher for smaller teams.
• Configuration can slow down quick adoption.

Teams considering Wrike alternatives often also want a direct side-by-side view, and Breeze vs Wrike covers that comparison.

What users say about Wrike

I love the new table view aggregation and the customizable calculations for sub-items. Ask AI is another timely and relevant feature that makes for more productive workflows. The field level access rights for databases improves security vulnerability. They also added new and useful filters to be used.

Source: G2

Basecamp

Best for: teams that prioritize communication and simplicity.

Basecamp is a simple project management and team collaboration tool that focuses on communication, file sharing, and client access. It is less focused on granular project tracking than Microsoft Planner, but is great for agencies and teams that value simplicity and client collaboration.

Pricing: $15 per user per month or $299/month for unlimited users

Rating: 4.3/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Simple, intuitive interface for fast onboarding.
• Centralizes communication, files, and tasks.
• Easy client and external collaboration.
• Flat pricing for large teams.

Cons

• Reporting is lighter than more project-focused tools.
• Customization stays intentionally limited.

Teams considering Basecamp alternatives often also want a direct side-by-side view, and Breeze vs Basecamp covers that comparison.

What users say about Basecamp

Basecamp is by far the best project management tool I have used. I wish I could have my own Basecamp to just organize my personal life. It is so intuitive to use, the team is so responsive in rolling out better features, and it is not overwhelming for clients to join me on. I use Basecamp on a daily basis, it is so nice that our work platform does not cause friction in my daily work life.

Source: G2

Monday.com

Best for: teams that want visual project tracking.

Monday.com is a flexible work operating system with customizable boards, automations, and integrations. It is more powerful than Microsoft Planner, supporting a wide range of workflows and reporting, but can get complex as workspaces grow.

Pricing: Starts at $8 per user per month (billed annually)

Rating: 4.6/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Highly customizable boards and workflows.
• Automations and integrations with dozens of apps.
• Portfolio and workload views for managers.
• Good for fast-growing teams and organizations.

Cons

• Costs can climb as teams add seats and features.
• Some workflows need setup before they feel clear.

Teams considering Monday.com alternatives often also want a direct side-by-side view, and Breeze vs Monday.com covers that comparison.

What users say about Monday.com

The best part about Monday.com is the flexibility to set up your boards and dashboards how you want. It's truly served me so well in my role with project management in tracking, updating, and more! I also have loved using the automations to move items once they're completed, notify teammates on changes, and send emails with status updates. Oh, it also helps that the colors are fun AND there are LLAMAS!

Source: G2

Smartsheet

Best for: teams that prefer spreadsheet-style project planning.

Smartsheet combines the familiarity of spreadsheets with advanced project management features like Gantt charts, automation, and reporting. It is a good alternative for teams that want more control and customization than Microsoft Planner provides.

Pricing: Starts at $7 per user per month (billed annually)

Rating: 4.5/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Spreadsheet-style interface with project management capabilities.
• Advanced reporting, automation, and dashboards.
• Supports resource management and time tracking.
• Highly customizable for different workflows.

Cons

• Some workflows take setup before they feel polished.
• Pricing and feature complexity usually rise as teams grow.

What users say about Smartsheet

Being able to plan, collaborate and track all of our content across all of our channels with a variety of ways to filter and view that content.

Source: G2

ProjectManager

Best for: teams that want classic project dashboards.

ProjectManager is a project management platform with Gantt charts, resource management, and built-in time tracking. It offers a more traditional project management experience compared to the lightweight task tracking of Microsoft Planner.

Pricing: Starts at $13 per user per month

Rating: 4.1/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Built-in Gantt charts, kanban, and resource views.
• Time tracking and reporting included.
• Portfolio management for multiple projects.
• Integrations with Microsoft and Google tools.

Cons

• Some workflows take setup before they feel polished.
• Pricing and feature complexity usually rise as teams grow.

What users say about ProjectManager

The user interface is simple to use and easy to communicate to others. It has a great team environment to get adherance to the usual project management activities. It has a dashboard and report that can be easily used so can be powerful for managing projects.

Source: G2

Jira

Best for: software and technical teams managing complex workflows.

Jira is a project management tool built for software and engineering teams, known for its powerful workflows, issue tracking, and agile boards. It is more complex than Microsoft Planner, but enables detailed tracking and automation for technical projects.

Pricing: Free for up to 10 users; Standard plan starts at $7.75 per user per month

Rating: 4.4/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Agile boards, sprints, and backlog management.
• Extensive workflow customization and automation.
• Integrations with development and collaboration tools.
• Advanced reporting and tracking for technical teams.

Cons

• Can feel overbuilt for non-technical teams.
• Setup and maintenance usually need more admin time.

Teams considering Jira alternatives often also want a direct side-by-side view, and Breeze vs Jira covers that comparison.

What users say about Jira

I like how Jira keeps everything organized in one place from tasks and deadlines also SLA (Service Level Agreement) to team discussions. Its customizable boards, sprint tracking, and real-time updates make collaboration smoother, especially for agile projects. The ability to integrate with other tools like Confluence and GitHub is a huge plus for productivity.

Source: G2

Todoist

Best for: individuals and small teams focused on task lists.

Todoist is a simple, fast task manager for individuals and small teams. It is less feature-rich than Microsoft Planner but is praised for its speed and simplicity. Great for personal productivity or small team task tracking.

Pricing: Free for individuals; Pro starts at $4 per month

Rating: 4.6/5 on Capterra

Pros

• Fast, intuitive interface for quick task entry.
• Works on all devices, with offline support.
• Collaborative lists for small teams.
• Integrates with calendars and productivity tools.

Cons

• Project visibility is lighter than full PM suites.
• Collaboration depth is limited for larger teams.

Teams considering Todoist alternatives often also want a direct side-by-side view, and Asana vs Todoist covers that comparison.

What users say about Todoist

I'm using Todoist since 2016. I completed 57.500 tasks for now. In the recent years I saw a lot of progression in the life of this program. I think it is an easy to use program with a lot of handy tools and options. I can't imagine my life without a tool like Todoist. Both my professional life, and my private life. If someone want to organize the hundreds of daily tasks, Todoist is the best choice! I use it every day.

Source: G2

Microsoft Planner alternatives comparison

Which Microsoft Planner alternative should you choose?

• Choose Breeze if you want simple project management.
• Choose Microsoft Project if your team needs traditional project planning.
• Choose Trello if teams that prefer visual kanban boards.
• Choose Asana if your team needs structured workflows.
• Choose ClickUp if you want a customizable all-in-one workspace.
• Choose Wrike if your team needs reporting and cross-project visibility.
• Choose Basecamp if teams that prioritize communication and simplicity.
• Choose Monday.com if you want visual project tracking.
• Choose Smartsheet if teams that prefer spreadsheet-style project planning.
• Choose ProjectManager if you want classic project dashboards.
• Choose Jira if software and technical teams managing complex workflows.
• Choose Todoist if individuals and small teams focused on task lists.

FAQ

What is the best alternative to Microsoft Planner?

The best alternative depends on your team workflow. Tools like Breeze, Microsoft Project, Trello, and Asana provide similar project management features with different levels of complexity.

Why are teams switching from Microsoft Planner?

Teams usually look for alternatives when they want simpler project management, better pricing, clearer project visibility, or tools that fit their workflow better.

What tool is most similar to Microsoft Planner?

The closest match depends on what your team values most, but tools like Breeze and Microsoft Project often cover similar task management and collaboration needs.

Conclusion

There is no single best alternative to Microsoft Planner for every team. Some teams need flexibility and customization, while others want a simpler tool with clearer day-to-day workflows.

If your team wants a straightforward project management platform focused on tasks, ownership, collaboration, and visibility, Breeze is a strong option to consider.