ProjectLibre vs Smartsheet

ProjectLibre

• Teams moving schedules off Microsoft Project or Project Online
• Individual project managers who want a free desktop scheduler
• Plans that need earned value, resource leveling and risk analysis

Smartsheet

• Teams that are comfortable working in spreadsheets
• Project offices that need Gantt charts, reports and dashboards
• Enterprises standardizing portfolio reporting across many projects

ProjectLibre

• The free Desktop app is for one user and individual projects; collaboration, portfolios, resource leveling, risk analysis and AI are in the paid Cloud.
• ProjectLibre Core is priced only with annual billing; the pricing section shows no month-to-month rate.
• A second, higher cloud tier is marked Coming Soon, and Core lists enterprise resource and portfolio management with an asterisk the page does not explain.
• The Cloud trial lasts 7 days and covers up to 15 users.

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.

ProjectLibre

CPM scheduling and Gantt charts

Schedules use dependencies, constraints, calendars, baselines and critical path with float, shown as a Gantt chart, a WBS chart or a network diagram.

Microsoft Project and Primavera import

Opens Microsoft Project .mpp files and Primavera .xer files directly, keeping tasks, dependencies, resources and the project structure.

Resource leveling and shared pools

ProjectLibre Cloud finds over-allocated resources and levels them at the project or portfolio level, drawing on enterprise resource pools shared across projects.

Risk analysis and schedule audits

Cloud runs Monte Carlo risk analysis and DCMA schedule-quality audits on the schedule, alongside earned value reporting with SPI, CPI and TCPI.

AI Co-Pilot

In Cloud, the Co-Pilot builds a CPM schedule from a prompt and can then edit tasks, the WBS and resources as the project changes.

Free desktop app

ProjectLibre Desktop is installed on Windows, macOS or Linux, keeps project files on the user's computer and is offered in 54 languages.

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.

ProjectLibre

• ProjectLibre Desktop$0

  Free, open-source desktop app for one person: Gantt chart, WBS, critical path, baselines, single-project resources, costs and earned value.

• ProjectLibre Core$9.99

  per user / month, billed annually

  The cloud plan on sale today: Microsoft Project import, Gantt and WBS scheduling, Core and Pro user modes and the AI Copilot.

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.

ProjectLibre

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).