Microsoft Project review & overview
Microsoft's classic project scheduling and portfolio tool with powerful Gantt, critical path, resource management and Power Platform/Teams integration.
Microsoft Project sits in the traditional pm / scheduling space and is most often picked for traditional/waterfall project managers, detailed scheduling and critical path, microsoft 365 organizations. Below is a quick, no-fluff overview to help you decide if it fits.
Key facts
| Category | traditional PM / scheduling |
| Pricing | Project Plan 1 from ~$10/user/mo; Plan 3 ~$30/user/mo; Plan 5 ~$55/user/mo (cloud, billed monthly/annually; on-premise editions separate). |
| Best for | Traditional/waterfall project managers, Detailed scheduling and critical path, Microsoft 365 organizations |
| Affiliate program | Not confirmed |
Who it's for
Microsoft Project makes most sense for traditional/waterfall project managers.
- Traditional/waterfall project managers
- Detailed scheduling and critical path
- Microsoft 365 organizations
Key features
What you actually get with Microsoft Project, drawn from independent reviews and the vendor's own documentation:
- Detailed Gantt scheduling with task dependencies (lead/lag)
- Critical path management and baselines
- Resource management and workload tracking
- Project financials, budgeting and costing (Plan 3+)
- Enterprise portfolio and demand management (Plan 5)
- Integration with Teams, Power BI, Excel and Power Platform
Integrations
Microsoft Project connects with Microsoft Teams, Power BI, Excel, Outlook, Power Automate, SharePoint, Microsoft Planner and Azure DevOps.
What makes it stand out
Microsoft's classic powerhouse for detailed Gantt scheduling, critical path and enterprise portfolios.
Who it's best for
Traditional/waterfall project managers in Microsoft 365 orgs needing detailed scheduling and PPM.
Strengths & trade-offs
The honest balance for Microsoft Project, from independent reviews rather than its sales page. We go deeper in the full Microsoft Project review.
Strengths
- + Best-in-class for detailed scheduling and critical path
- + Deep Microsoft 365 / Power Platform integration
- + Mature resource and portfolio management
Trade-offs
- - Expensive (Plan 3 ~$30, Plan 5 ~$55/user/mo)
- - Steep learning curve; overkill for simple/agile teams
- - Project Online retires 30 September 2026 (transition to Planner Premium)
Notable facts
Concrete, checkable details rather than marketing claims:
- Microsoft Project Online retires on 30 September 2026; Microsoft is transitioning users to Planner-based Project for the Web / Planner Premium
- Critical path, baselines and the desktop client require Plan 3 or higher
- Enterprise portfolio management is exclusive to Plan 5
- No public affiliate program; distribution via Microsoft Cloud Partner Program (CSP)
No public affiliate program at the time of writing; this page links to vendor and comparison resources instead.
See Microsoft Project alternatives →
Sources
The features and facts above on Microsoft Project are drawn from these independent reviews and vendor pages: