The Meisterplan Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Meisterplan in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Meisterplan
The Insider’s Guide
Portfolio and resource capacity planning for PMOs
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from Meisterplan’s own pages.
Made by itdesign GmbH · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Meisterplan’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Meisterplan’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 6 of the 111 other project management tools we grade
Meisterplan is a project portfolio management tool centered on resource capacity. Teams plan projects against the people available, run what-if scenarios, set goals and track portfolios on dashboards. It is licensed by the number of resources planned, and users are unlimited on every edition.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Meisterplan, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It is a PMO tool, so a small team after a task list should look elsewhere.
- 1
Best for capacity planning across a project portfolio
Meisterplan plans a portfolio of projects against the people you have to staff them, with unlimited users on every edition.
- 2
Paid plans start at $700 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $700 per month for 50 resources, billed annually ($840 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
30-day free trial with Pro Edition functionality, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Resource capacity planning
Plan projects against the capacity of the people or roles available, with load balancing per team.
- 6
What-if scenarios
Pro and Premium let a PMO try different portfolio scenarios before committing to a plan.
- 7
Goals and prioritization
Goals and a portfolio kanban help rank which projects to fund and start.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 6 of 111
That is against the other project management tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Meisterplan you could make: reports and kanban boards. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Meisterplan at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $700 per month for 50 resources, billed annually ($840 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial with Pro Edition functionality, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- itdesign GmbH, since 2012
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for capacity planning across a project portfolio
Meisterplan plans a portfolio of projects against the people you have to staff them, with unlimited users on every edition. But it is sold by the number of resources, from $700 a month for 50, and the what-if scenarios that make it worth buying sit on Pro at $900. It is a PMO tool, so a small team after a task list should look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Basic is $700 a month for 50 resources billed yearly, Pro $900, against a category middle of $9 a seat. The listed prices are for 50 resources, so that is the floor, and one person cannot buy it for less. Scenarios and goals need Pro. |
| Free plan and trial | C | 30-day trial of Pro functionality, no credit card needed. There is no free plan. |
| Features | C | Capacity planning, load balancing, goals, a portfolio kanban and dashboards. Scenarios, goals and integrations are not on Basic, and the vendor positions it for portfolio planning, not day-to-day task tracking. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. It is a web app where a PMO has to set up resources, projects and goals before it shows anything useful. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with Jira, Asana and Smartsheet integrations, a REST API and MCP access for AI tools. No phone or desktop app on record. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Meisterplan is for
- Fits if a PMO has to decide which projects to fund based on the people available
- Makes sense if you are replacing portfolio spreadsheets and have 50 or more resources to plan
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you are a small team: the listed price starts at 50 resources, $700 a month on Basic
- Watch out: what-if scenarios, goals and the Jira and Smartsheet integrations are not on Basic, only Pro at $900
- Watch out: Premium is annual only and starts at 150 resources, at $3,490 a month
- Too light for day-to-day task tracking by individual teams, which the vendor does not aim it at
Good to know
Good for
- PMOs that decide which projects to run based on available capacity
- Companies replacing spreadsheets or Microsoft Project Online for portfolio planning
- Organizations with many stakeholders who only need to view plans
Worth knowing
- The listed prices are for 50 resources; the page offers packages up to 1,000 resources and a custom quote above that.
- What-if scenarios, goals and integrations are not on the Basic edition.
- Premium is billed annually only and starts at 150 resources.
- The vendor positions it for portfolio planning, not for day-to-day task tracking by individual teams.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$700
A month to start
Meisterplan is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $700 per month for 50 resources, billed annually ($840 billed monthly).
Basic
$700
per month for 50 resources, billed annually ($840 billed monthly)
Unlimited users, basic portfolio management, resource planning, load balancing per team and copy-and-paste import. The price rises with the resource count, up to 1,000.
Pro
$900
per month for 50 resources, billed annually ($1,080 billed monthly)
Adds what-if scenarios, goals, portfolio kanban, more ways to analyze data and integrations such as Jira and Smartsheet. The price rises with the resource count.
Premium
$3,490
per month for 150 resources, billed annually
Annual payment only, starting at 150 resources. Adds a dedicated Customer Success Manager, user auto-provisioning, a self-service sandbox and a custom SMTP server.
Trying it first
30-day free trial with Pro Edition functionality, no credit card required
Read from meisterplan.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Portfolio and resource capacity planning for PMOs. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, kanban boards, reports, dashboards.
Capacity planning, load balancing, goals, a portfolio kanban and dashboards.
- Resource capacity planning
- Plan projects against the capacity of the people or roles available, with load balancing per team.
- What-if scenarios
- Pro and Premium let a PMO try different portfolio scenarios before committing to a plan.
- Goals and prioritization
- Goals and a portfolio kanban help rank which projects to fund and start.
- Reporting dashboards
- Several ways to view and analyze portfolio data are included on Pro and above.
- Jira and Smartsheet integrations
- Pro lists integrations such as Jira and Smartsheet, and the site also covers Asana, Microsoft products, a REST API and MCP access for AI tools.
- Unlimited users
- Only resources count toward the license, so everyone who needs access to the portfolio can be given a login.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Jira
- Asana
- Smartsheet
- Microsoft products
Meisterplan is made by itdesign GmbH, and has been around since 2012.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/111
Other project management tools it is graded above
Meisterplan's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 6 of the 111 other project management tools we grade, and level with 15.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 16 of 111) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $700 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 97 of the 97 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 58 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 112 project management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Meisterplan’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 111
- CFree plan and trialAbove 12 of 111
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 111
- CEase of useAbove 7 of 111
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 16 of 111
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 104 project management tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Meisterplan is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Meisterplan you could make: reports and kanban boards. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 90 of the 111 other project management tools grade higher. It costs $8,400 a year.
What you could make
- Reports and kanban boards: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Connections that pull numbers from dozens of other services.
- It plugs into other products, Jira, Asana and Smartsheet among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Meisterplan’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Planview, Runn, Microsoft Project, Kantata and Smartsheet
The 5 tools Meisterplan is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
Planview
Paid
Enterprise portfolio management and connected work platform.
- Meisterplan also covers kanban boards.
- 2.0GPA
Runn
Free trial · from $7/mo
Resource planning and capacity forecasting for project teams.
- Meisterplan also covers kanban boards.
- Runn also covers time tracking.
- 1.6GPA
Microsoft Project
Free trial · from $30.00/mo
Desktop project scheduling for Windows with Gantt charts.
- Only Meisterplan lists a web app.
- Only Microsoft Project lists a Windows app.
- Microsoft Project can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.0GPA
Kantata
Paid
Professional services automation for resourcing, projects and billing.
- Meisterplan also covers kanban boards.
- Kantata also covers time tracking.
- 3.0GPA
Smartsheet
Free trial · from $9/mo
Spreadsheet-style project and work management for teams.
- Only Smartsheet lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Meisterplan also covers reports and dashboards.
- Smartsheet also covers tasks, calendar, Gantt & timelines and workflow automation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Meisterplan free?
No, Meisterplan is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial with Pro Edition functionality, no credit card required.
How much does Meisterplan cost?
Meisterplan lists 3 plans. Basic: $700 per month for 50 resources, billed annually ($840 billed monthly).
What platforms does Meisterplan work on?
Meisterplan is available on Web.
Does Meisterplan have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Meisterplan is listed for Web.
Does Meisterplan have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Meisterplan is listed for Web.
Is Meisterplan open source?
Meisterplan is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does Meisterplan have an API?
Yes. Meisterplan offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Meisterplan integrate with?
Meisterplan's listing names Jira, Asana, Smartsheet and Microsoft products.
Who makes Meisterplan?
Meisterplan is made by itdesign GmbH. It dates from 2012.
What are the alternatives to Meisterplan?
The closest alternatives to Meisterplan in our directory are Planview, Runn, Microsoft Project, Kantata and Smartsheet.
How does Meisterplan compare with other project management tools?
Meisterplan's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 6 of the 111 other project management tools we grade, and level with 15.
Is Meisterplan good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Meisterplan D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $700 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 97 of the 97 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Meisterplan?
The plain part of Meisterplan you could make: reports and kanban boards.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Meisterplan’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Meisterplan's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by itdesign GmbH. Prices change, so check meisterplan.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Meisterplan, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/meisterplan
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Meisterplan: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/meisterplan
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/meisterplan/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after Meisterplan, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Project Management Insider's GuideEvery one of the 112 project management tools we grade, compared
- GitHub Issues Insider's GuideIssue tracking and project planning built into GitHub3.4 GPA
- Freedcamp Insider's GuideProject management suite with a free plan for unlimited users3.2 GPA
- Huly Insider's GuideOpen-source project management with chat, docs and video calls3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Meisterplan’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Meisterplan is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by itdesign GmbH. Prices and plans change: check meisterplan.com before you buy.