Mekko Graphics vs Lucen Timeline (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Mekko Graphics if

• Fits if you make market-share and consulting charts in PowerPoint every week
• Works for teams of 4 or more, as volume prices start at $249 a user

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you are one person: $399 in the first year and $299 to renew
• Skip it if you use Google Slides or Keynote, as it needs PowerPoint
• Too light for a general slide tool, as it only makes charts
• Watch out: the Excel integration is Windows only
• Watch out: the system requirements page names older Windows and macOS versions, so check before buying

Pick Lucen Timeline if

• Fits if you report project schedules in PowerPoint on Windows
• Works for plans kept in Project, Smartsheet or Jira that a slide must follow, on the Expert plan

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you're on a Mac or in a browser: the add-in is Windows only, and Timeline Online is a separate license at under $13 a month
• Tight if you stay free, with 10 milestones and tasks a slide, 1 timescale and a license to renew every year
• Pricey if you need imports from Project, Jira, Smartsheet or Wrike, which take Expert at under $21 a user a month
• Watch out: licenses are per user and sold only by the year, with a 30-day money-back guarantee and no monthly option
• Skip it if you want to build whole decks, since it only makes timeline slides

Mekko Graphics

• Licenses are annual: a single user pays $399 the first year and the page lists a $299 renewal.
• Excel integration is described as Windows only.
• The system requirements page lists Windows 10 and macOS Monterey-era versions, so check the current Office and OS support before buying.
• Volume and Enterprise rates are starting prices; the Enterprise plan is bought by contacting sales.

Lucen Timeline

• The add-in needs Windows and PowerPoint. Timeline Online, for Mac and browser users, is a separate license at less than $13 a month billed annually.
• The free version stops at 10 milestones and tasks per slide, and its license has to be renewed each year.
• Microsoft Project, Jira, Smartsheet and Wrike import and planned vs. actual tracking need the Expert plan.
• Licenses are per user and sold only as yearly subscriptions, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Mekko Graphics

Marimekko and bar Mekko charts

Variable-width charts that show two dimensions at once, alongside cascade, bubble, scatter, bar, line, area and Gantt types.

PowerPoint integration

Charts are created and edited inside PowerPoint, so they stay editable on the slide.

Excel integration

Charts can draw on Excel data, though the vendor says this integration is on the Windows version only.

Chart automation

The documentation menu lists chart automation, and the site says preferences can be set once for consistent charts.

Free training and support

Every plan includes free online training, upgrades and support, and the Enterprise plan adds custom corporate training.

Lucen Timeline

Timelines built inside PowerPoint

The add-in sits on the PowerPoint ribbon and creates timelines and Gantt charts as native, editable slides, so there is nothing to export.

Swimlanes and timescales

Group tasks into swimlanes and nested sub-swimlanes and show up to 3 timescales on one chart. Lite allows 2 swimlanes; Plus and Expert are unlimited.

Dependencies and critical path

Link tasks and highlight the critical path from Plus. Importing dependencies from a source plan needs Expert.

Import and refresh

Plus imports from Excel. Expert imports and refreshes from Microsoft Project, Smartsheet and Jira, including several Jira projects or boards, and imports from Wrike.

Planned vs. actual

Expert shows progress bars, baselines and variance against the original plan, so a slide can show where a project has slipped.

Templates and themes

Pre-designed themes on every plan, timeline, Gantt and swimlane templates from Lite, and custom themes that can be shared and imported on Expert.

Mekko Graphics

• Single$399

  per user / year, renews at $299

  One user. All chart types, PowerPoint integration, free online training, upgrades and support.

• Volume$249

  per user / year, for 4 to 100 users

  Starting price for 4 to 100 users, with easy multiple-user administration. Pricing details are linked on the page.

• Enterprise$149

  per user / year, for 101 or more users

  Adds custom branding and custom corporate training. Sold through the contact form or by phone.

Lucen Timeline

• Free$0

  Up to 10 milestones and tasks per slide, limited swimlanes and dependencies, 1 timescale and pre-designed themes.

• Lite$9

  per user / month, billed annually as a 1-year license

  More than 10 items per timeline, 2 swimlanes, timeline, Gantt and swimlane templates. Shown as less than $9 a month; the yearly total is not shown.

• Plus$17

  per user / month, billed annually as a 1-year license

  Unlimited swimlanes and sub-swimlanes, dependencies and critical path, 3 timescales and import from Excel. Shown as less than $17 a month.

• Expert$21

  per user / month, billed annually as a 1-year license

  Import and refresh from Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira and Wrike, Excel refresh, planned vs. actual, baselines and custom themes. Less than $21 a month.