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Microsoft Planner is a familiar tool to many. Itโs simple task boards and low barrier to entry make it an ideal solution for teams everywhere. But as project needs expand and workflows require heavier sophistication, many find themselves outgrowing it.
These days there are an abundance of Microsoft Planner alternatives, offering powerful features, better visibility, improved collaboration, and a smarter, scalable way of working.
Whether you need workflow automation, resource planning, idea management, or deeper reporting, this guide explores 10 of the most prominent Microsoft Planner alternatives currently available to you.
Top tip: If you donโt have time to read our guide, scroll down to our Microsoft Planner alternatives table below โ we know youโre busy and will save you time!
Microsoft Planner Alternatives Summary Table
| Tool | Best for | Key Strengths | Free Trial or Plan | G2 Average Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trello | Simple visual task management. | Task power-ups, Kanban simplicity, Easy adoption. | โ | 4.4 Average Score |
| edison365 | Microsoft powered project management lifecycle. | Built on Microsoft, end-to-end workflows, Power BI reporting. | โ | 4.7 Average Score |
| ClickUp | All-in-one customizable workspace. | AI-powered tools, configurable workflows, sophisticated integrations. | โ | 4.7 Average Score |
| Asana | Collaborative workflow automation. | Team-based workflows, integrations, strong integrations. | โ | 4.4 Average Score |
| Monday.com | Visual project visibility and automation. | Colour-coded interface, custom integrations, various project views. | โ | 4.7 Average Score |
| Smartsheet | Excel-style project management. | Excel-style interface, strong logic functionality, advance reporting. | โ | 4.4 Average Score |
| Jira | Agile and DevOps teams. | DevOps integrations, granular tracking. | โ | 4.3 Average Score |
| MeisterTask | Simple, mind-mapping integrations. | Great user experience, MindMeister integration, simple automations. | โ | 4.6 Average Score |
Why Look for a Microsoft Planner Alternative?
Although Microsoft Planner is free and offers basic task tracking, it can fall short for growing teams dealing with more project management complexity.
In fact, Microsoft Planner lacks the flexibility to creating custom workflows, cannot support time-tracking or in-depth reporting, and automation tools are minimal.
Thereโs generally no support for managing cross-functional projects and aligning work with wider organizational goals.
Itโs safe to say that many teams turn to Microsoft Planner alternatives once it becomes more of a bottleneck than a productivity boost.
Thatโs why organizations are seeking out solutions that offer the ease of use of Microsoft Planner but with greater control, innovation management, and scalability.
But thatโs not to say that Microsoft Planner isnโt enough. For some teams, itโs all thatโs needed to manage tasks and juggle light project management demands.
- Limited functionality can hold teams back from success.
- Microsoft Planner isnโt very scalable.
- Workflow customization is minimal.
#1 Trello: Best for Simple Project Visibility
Trello is essentially an intuitive Kanban board that makes project and task management simple, visual, and effective. For teams looking for a Microsoft Planner alternative, Trelloโs drag-and-drop features offer a familiar, but slightly more configurable experience.
Trelloโs โPower-Upsโ allow users to extend its functionality further, leveraging time-tracking, calendars, and integrations with applications such as Slack and Google Drive โ making it a more sophisticated upgrade from Microsoft Planner.
Itโs ideal for teams who rely on straightforward workflows, minimal complexity, and want something adoptable, affordable, and easy. Pricing starts from as little as $6 per user, per month, however its basic tier is free.
Why switch from Microsoft Planner to Trello?
Plannerโs messy lists and limited visuals can feel a little restrictive. Trelloโs Kanban style system brings simplicity, clarity, and an enhanced visual project management setup for teams of all sizes.
| Best For | Pricing | Key Strengths | G2 Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple project visibility | Trello offers a free version, with paid versions starting from $6 per user. | Visual project boards, drag-and-drop, lightweight user-interface. | Trello currently has a 4.4 out of 5 on G2. |
โก๏ธ Read Trelloโs G2 reviews
#2 edison365: Best for Microsoft 365 Teams
If your team is already using Microsoft 365, but Planner simply isnโt cutting it, edison365 has been named a โnatural upgradeโ by many organizations. It offers everything and more, without leaving the Microsoft ecosystem.
How? Because edison365 is built on Microsoft, providing integrated Power BI reporting, single sign-on (SSO), and an array of tools and features that just feel familiar to the everyday Microsoft 365 user.
It allows teams to go beyond task tracking and adopt a full end-to-end lifecycle approach to the way they work. From capturing new ideas, building custom workflows to delivering complex projects.
edison365 is valuable across industries and teams where governance, ROI, and collaboration are a necessity. It integrates seamlessly with Teams, SharePoint, and other tools making a natural extension, with improved flexibility and capability.
Why switch from Microsoft Planner to Edison365?
Because it brings the exact ease of use Microsoft Planner users love, but in an environment that actually grows with your team. Itโs scalable and empowers users to work smarter across the entire idea to execution journey.
| Best For | Pricing | Key Strengths | G2 Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises seeking full lifecycle project management, from idea to delivery. | Custom pricing based on modules and organizational goals. | Deep Microsoft 365 integration, unique pre-project lifecycle features and full customization within a user-friendly UI. | edison365 currently has a 4.7 out of 5 on G2. |
โก๏ธ See edison365โs G2 reviews
#3 ClickUp: Best for Full-Scale Customization
ClickUp offers a very versatile project management platform, packed with everything from task-tracking and goal management to documents, and time-tracking.
For teams considering Microsoft Planner alternatives, ClickUp offers a fully customizable solution, replacing multiple tools with one smart workspace.
Whatโs more, the solution offers hundreds of integrations, automation, and a robust free plan which appeals to startups and small enterprise teams alike.
Some of ClickUpโs most prominent features include real-time chat, insightful project dashboards, and AI-powered features. Many key areas PMOs are now actively looking for, and things Microsoft Planner just doesnโt support.
Why switch from Microsoft Planner to ClickUp?
ClickUp delivers everything Planner doesnโt. From automation to real-time collaboration and endless customization, itโs all together, and all in one place for small teams to enterprise organizations.
| Best For | Pricing | Key Strengths | G2 Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-in-one customizable and smart workspace for project teams. | ClickUp offers a free version with paid versions beginning from $7 per user. | ClickUp thrives on Goals, document management, automation, time-tracking, and AI tools. | ClickUp currently has a 4.7 out of 5 on G2. |
โก๏ธ Read ClickUpโs G2 Reviews
#4 Asana: Best for Workflow Automation
Asana helps mid-sized teams build and manage structured workflows. Unlike Planner, which is a static task-board, Asan provides Kanbans, lists, and timeline views backed by customization and automation.
As a Microsoft Planner alternative, itโs popular amongst marketing, operation, and cross-functional teams that need to track everything from goals to tasks.
Itโs rich collaborative environment and features ensures work moves forward without constantly monitoring and watching every task. Itโs a platform capable of managing projects in a seamless way.
Why switch from Microsoft Planner to Asana?
Planner has no automation or goal tracking, of course. Asanaโs rich features help align with objectives, saving time, increasing collaboration, and ultimately ROI. Thatโs what makes Asana a nice Microsoft Planner alternative.
| Best For | Pricing | Key Strengths | G2 Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workflow automation | Asana offers a basic free version, with paid versions starting around $13 per user. | Aligning goals, building custom workflows, and deep integrations. | Asana currently has a 4.4 out of 5 on G2. |
โก๏ธ Explore Asanaโs G2 reviews
#5 Monday.com: Best for Visual Workflows
Monday.com offers a highly visual interface. This lets users build custom workflows with drag-and-drop components. Itโs the perfect blend of spreadsheet flexibility with color-coded UI that makes it an appealing Microsoft Planner alternative.
Teams using Microsoft Planner may be overwhelmed by its lack of visual clarity, but Monday.com provides instant visibility across all projects and departments.
Itโs especially useful in marketing departments, design, and product teams that want to move rapidly while seeing everything in one environment!
Why switch from Microsoft Planner to Monday.com
Itโs simple. Planner lacks color, customization, and deep reporting. Monday offers teams the flexibility, automation, and visual clarity from task to task, and project to project. Making it a great Microsoft Planner alternative.
| Best For | Pricing | Key Strengths | G2 Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow management. | Monday.com provides a free version, with paid options starting from $12 per user. | Deep UI customization, templates, time-tracking, and more. | Monday.com currently has a 4.7 out of 5 on G2. |
โก๏ธ Explore Monday.comโs G2 reviews
#6 Smartsheet: Best for Spreadsheet-Style Projects
If your team thrives on spreadsheets, but require a little more structure and collaborative functionality, Smartsheet is the answer. It brings grid-based style with powerful automation and reporting.
For teams used to tools like Excel, Microsoft Project, and Planner, it can feel like a natural step up to a new, modern tool.
Compared to Planner, however, Smartsheet offers advanced features like conditional logic, dashboards and real-time collaboration.
As far as Microsoft Planner alternatives go, Smartsheet provides the necessary tools for operations, finance, and PMO teams who rely on detail-oriented work.
Why switch from Microsoft Planner to Smartsheet?
Itโs obvious Microsoft Planner lacks structured views and reporting. Thatโs where Smartsheet thrives, turning Excel-style working into collaborative, trackable, and automated projects.
โก๏ธ See how Smartsheet compares to Microsoft Project
| Best For | Pricing | Key Strengths | G2 Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheet-style project management. | Smartsheet offers a free version alongside paid versions starting from $12 per user. | Grid views, forms, automation, detailed dashboards. | Smartsheet currently has a 4.4 out of 5 on G2. |
#7 Jira: Best for Agile Development
Originally built for software teams, Jira has grown into a robust project management suite. It enables detailed project tracking through the use of epics, user stories, sprints, and issue types.
At itโs core, Jira offers teams total control over how they define, track, and deliver their work, leveraging features like sprint planning boards, burndown charts, real-time status updates, and more.
Users receive a level of granularity and performance insights that Planner simply cannot match, making it a great option in this list of Microsoft Planner alternatives.
One of its most powerful functionalities is the native integration it provides with other development tools in the Atlassian ecosystem, alongside CI/CD tools like Jenkins and GitHub.
This all makes for a strong case for Jira, particularly for DevOps pipelines and cross-functional engineering teams. Ultimately, itโs highlight configurable, customizable, providing a central space for planning, communication, and delivery.
Why switch from Microsoft Planner to Jira?
Microsoft Planner is designed for lightweight task management. Jira offers sprint management, bug tracking, and release planning, giving engineering teams everything they could ever need to improve at scale.
| Best For | Pricing | Key Strengths | G2 Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agile development and sprints | Jira provides a free version, with paid options beginning from $8 per user. | Powerful Scrum/Kanban boards, backlog, sprint insights, and DevOps integrations. | Jira currently has a 4.3 out of 5 on G2. |
โก๏ธ Explore Jiraโs G2 Reviews
#8: MeisterTask: Best for Clean, Visual Projects
MeisterTask is a visually sophisticated Microsoft Planner alternative that offers a seamless user-interface and simplicity.
Where Planner offers a basic board for managing to-dos, MeisterTask provides stunning visuals, easy-to-implement automations, and features like time-tracking and workflow automation.
Itโs an ideal solution for creative teams, freelancers, and small to mid-sized organizations who donโt require heavyweight project management software. One of the biggest standout features is its integration with MindMeister.
This empowers users to brainstorm ideas visually and convert them into actionable opportunities within a project board. Simplicity meets a smarter way to work with MeisterTask, and it really shows!
Why switch from Microsoft Planner to MeisterTask?
Microsoft Planner is limited to static boards and lacks the built-in time tracking and advanced elegant UX that makes MeisterTask such an appealing option from this list of Microsoft Planner alternatives. Itโs automation features and integration with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and MindMeister make it a great fit for agile teams.
| Best For | Pricing | Key Strengths | G2 Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual simplicity and light automation. | MeisterTask offers a free version, with paid beginning from $9 per user. | Stunning UI, workflow automation, integration with MindMeister. | MeisterTask currently has a 4.6 out of 5 on G2. |
โก๏ธ Explore MeisterTaskโs G2 Reviews
Final Thoughts on Microsoft Planner Alternatives
In a nutshell, Microsoft Planner serves as a basic entry point for simple task tracking. Whilst it lacks the sophistication, flexibility, and customization many of the platforms and tools in this guide offer, it is very much a solid tool.
That said, todayโs world of working moves rapidly, and Microsoft Plannerโs ability to stay ahead of the curve is in dangerous territory. Most of the platforms listed, from edison365 to ClickUp, Monday to Asana all offer exciting roadmaps and regular upgrades.
And if youโre considering moving away from Microsoft Planner, thereโs good news! The abundance of tools out there means you can find the right one for your team and the way you work. From agile sprints to complex project portfolios, tools like Jira, Smartsheet, and Trello all offer robust capabilities.
Of course, if youโre looking for a solution that bridges the gap between innovation and execution, and provides you with an end-to-end environment where projects and ideas can scale, edison365 stands out. As a unified solution, edison365 gives you everything you need to:
- Manage ideas
- Build business cases
- Plan and deliver project portfolios
- Optimize resources
- Track risks, tasks, dependencies, and more
- Manage benefits and deliver ROI
The list really does go on! But at the end of the day, the best Microsoft Project alternative is the one that aligns with your processes, empowers your team, and helps you see the bigger picture ahead. Take the time to test new tools, get a feel for how things work, and find the right solution for you.
If youโd like to speak with our expert team, head over to our trial page and see how edison365 truly works in a real-life scenarios within your organization. For walkthrough of the tools, tricks, and more, head over to our demo page and book your free demo!
FAQs on Microsoft Planner Alternatives
Below are some of the most common questions and answers for organizations exploring alternative competitors to Microsoft Planner.
What is the best alternative to Microsoft Planner overall?
The best Microsoft Planner competitor depends on your needs. The alternatives outlined in this list all have key strengths. Trello is great for visual task management, ClickUp offers deep customization, and edison365 supports teams within the Microsoft ecosystem looking for end-to-end transformation.
Is there a free tool like Microsoft Planner?
Most alternatives to Planner offer some form of free trial or free plan. Trello, ClickUp, Asana, edison365, and MeisterTask are worth exploring if thatโs what youโre looking for. This gives your organization a chance to understand how these tools work before investing in them.
Why are teams moving away from Microsoft Planner?
Although powerful, Microsoft Planner lacks the automation, advanced reporting, and integration flexibilities that a lot of alternatives offer. With growing projects, shorter deadlines, and stronger results, modern PMOs need more scalable and configurable tools.
Are Microsoft Planner alternatives secure for enterprise use?
Yes! Many of the competitors such as edison365, Asana, and Smartsheet meet enterprise-level security and compliance, such as SSO and GDPR/ISO certifications.
Which Planner competitors integrate well with Microsoft Teams?
edison365, Trello, Asana, and ClickUp are all capable of integrating natively with Microsoft Teams, allowing you to manage tasks directly within your familiar workspace!
Note: This guide was last updated on the 3rd March, 2026. We regularly update our comparison guides to ensure they are reliable sources for project managers, transformation teams, and enterprises to make accurate judgment on the tools and alternatives available to them.
