Microsoft Project vs Smartsheet
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Microsoft Project
Desktop project scheduling for Windows with Gantt charts
Smartsheet
Spreadsheet-style project and work management for teams
Where they differ
- Microsoft Project starts at $30.00 per user / month, paid yearly (Plan 3), or $679.99 one-time (Standard 2024). Smartsheet starts at $9 per Member / month, billed yearly ($12 billed monthly).
- Only Smartsheet lists a web app.
- Only Smartsheet lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Microsoft Project can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Microsoft Project also covers templates and reports.
- Smartsheet also covers calendar, kanban boards and workflow automation.
At a glance
| Microsoft Project | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $30.00 per user / month, paid yearly (Plan 3), or $679.99 one-time (Standard 2024) | $9 per Member / month, billed yearly ($12 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | One-month free trial of Planner and Project Plan 3, credit card required. No trial is listed for the one-time licenses | 30-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Microsoft Corporation | Smartsheet Inc. |
| Price read from | microsoft.com | smartsheet.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Microsoft Project
- Project managers who build detailed schedules with dependencies and baselines
- Organizations that prefer a perpetual license to a subscription
- Teams that keep project and portfolio data on their own servers
Smartsheet
- Teams that are comfortable working in spreadsheets
- Project offices that need Gantt charts, reports and dashboards
- Enterprises standardizing portfolio reporting across many projects
Worth knowing
Microsoft Project
- Project desktop's requirements list only Windows 11, Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019, and no Mac or mobile version appears on the pricing page.
- Project for the web was retired in August 2025 and Project Online's retirement date was September 30, 2026; browser-based plans now live in Microsoft Planner.
- Project Standard 2024 and Project Professional 2024 are each licensed for one user on one PC.
- Project Server Subscription Edition has no list price and needs SharePoint Server Subscription Edition, which is not included.
Smartsheet
- There is no free plan; a paid plan is needed once the 30-day trial ends.
- Pro is limited to 10 Members and is only available to new customers; Business requires at least 3 Members.
- Pro is capped at 250 automations a month and 20 GB of storage.
- The API is offered from the Business plan, and SAML single sign-on needs Enterprise.
Key features
Microsoft Project
- Automated scheduling
- Tasks are scheduled from start and end dates, effort, lead and lag times and dependencies, and dates fill in automatically as those dependencies change.
- Gantt, calendar and network views
- Project Standard 2024 includes Gantt Chart, Calendar, Network Diagram and Task Sheet views, plus multiple timelines for presenting a complex schedule.
- Baselines and critical path
- Baselines compare actual progress with the original plan, and the critical path shows the tasks that form the longest path through a project.
- Resource management
- Resource leveling resolves conflicts and overallocations automatically. Project Professional 2024 adds fuller resource management and timesheets for payroll and invoicing.
- Built-in reports
- Prebuilt reports such as Burndown and Resource Overview summarize project and resource data, and a project file can be saved as a PDF.
- Project Server connection
- Project Professional 2024 can connect to Project Server Subscription Edition, an on-premises portfolio management server that runs on SharePoint Server.
Smartsheet
- Sheets with multiple views
- Work is stored in spreadsheet-like sheets that can be switched between grid, Gantt, card and calendar views. Timeline view starts on the Business plan.
- Reports and dashboards
- Reports pull together and filter rows from sheets, and dashboards summarize the results for stakeholders.
- Forms
- Forms gather structured input such as requests, field reports and feedback. Forms are unlimited on the Pro plan and above.
- Automated workflows
- Workflows can be built from templates or from scratch for tasks such as reminders. Pro allows 250 automations a month; Business and above are unlimited.
- Resource management
- Shows who is assigned to what, so managers can even out workloads and plan for upcoming demand. Workload tracking is listed from the Business plan.
- AI tools
- Smart Assist and Smart Columns help with formulas and data analysis, and Business adds connections to external AI tools through MCP.
Plans
Microsoft Project
Planner and Project Plan 3$30.00
per user / month, paid yearly
Subscription that includes the Project desktop client on up to five PCs, plus premium plans in Microsoft Planner on the web and in Teams.
Project Standard 2024$679.99
one-time purchase, licensed for 1 PC
Perpetual desktop license with schedule, task and cost management, Gantt Chart, Calendar and Network Diagram views, baselines, critical path and resource leveling.
Project Professional 2024$1,129.99
one-time purchase, licensed for 1 PC
Everything in Standard plus fuller resource management, timesheets and the ability to connect to Project Server Subscription Edition.
Project Server Subscription EditionCustom
On-premises project and portfolio management server built on SharePoint Server Subscription Edition, bought through a Microsoft partner.
Smartsheet
Pro$9
per Member / month, billed yearly ($12 billed monthly)
1 to 10 Members with unlimited free Contributors. Gantt, table, board and calendar views, 250 automations a month and 20 GB of storage.
Business$19
per Member / month, billed yearly ($24 billed monthly)
3 or more Members. Adds timeline view, workload tracking, unlimited automations, proofing, admin controls and 1 TB of storage.
EnterpriseCustom
10 or more Members. Adds SAML single sign-on, portfolios, scenario planning, directory integrations and unlimited attachment storage.
Advanced Work ManagementCustom
Everything in Enterprise, plus Control Center, Dynamic View, Data Shuttle, DataMesh, connectors and premium support.
Ways to pay less
Microsoft Project
No public discounts listed.
Smartsheet
- Annual discount
Lower per-Member price with yearly billing
Pro is $9 per Member / month billed yearly against $12 monthly (25% less), and Business is $19 against $24 (about 21% less).
