The Microsoft Planner Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Microsoft Planner 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.
Microsoft Planner
The Insider’s Guide
Task and project planning app built into Microsoft 365
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from Microsoft Planner’s own pages.
Made by Microsoft Corporation · checked Oct 5, 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 Microsoft Planner’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Microsoft Planner’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 20 of the 79 other project management tools we grade
Microsoft Planner is the task and project planning app in Microsoft 365, used on the web, inside Microsoft Teams and on iOS and Android. Basic plans with grid, board, schedule and chart views come with Microsoft 365 subscriptions at no extra charge. Paid Planner Plan 1 and Planner and Project Plan 3 licenses add premium plans with Gantt timelines, sprints, dependencies, baselines and portfolios. Project for the web was retired in August 2025 and its plans now live in Planner.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Microsoft Planner, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It runs inside Microsoft Teams, so a plan sits beside the files and chats your team already has open.
- 1
Best for teams already living in Microsoft 365
But it isn't sold on its own, there's no free plan, and the trial needs a card.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5.40 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $5.40 per user / month, paid yearly (Microsoft 365 Business Basic, no Teams).
- 3
You can try it first
One-month free trial of Planner Plan 1 or Planner and Project Plan 3; a credit card is required and it converts to a paid plan
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Grid, Board, Schedule and Charts views
Basic plans, included with Microsoft 365, show tasks as a grid, a kanban board, a schedule or charts, with labels, checklists and file attachments on each task.
- 6
My Day, My Tasks and My Plans
Personal views gather the tasks assigned to you across plans, along with assignments from meeting notes, Microsoft Loop and flagged Outlook email.
- 7
Timeline, sprints and dependencies
Planner Plan 1 adds premium plans with a Timeline (Gantt) view, backlogs and sprints, task dependencies, milestones, project goals and a People view for workload.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 20 of 79
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 Microsoft Planner you could make: tasks, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Microsoft Planner at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $5.40 per user / month, paid yearly (Microsoft 365 Business Basic, no Teams)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- One-month free trial of Planner Plan 1 or Planner and Project Plan 3; a credit card is required and it converts to a paid plan
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Microsoft Corporation
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.6 on the App Store, 13,196 ratings
The report card
Best for teams already living in Microsoft 365
Planner is the task and project app inside Microsoft 365, so basic boards and schedules come with a subscription from $5.40 a user a month. But it isn't sold on its own, there's no free plan, and the trial needs a card. Gantt timelines, sprints and dependencies need Plan 1 at $10, baselines and critical path need Plan 3 at $30, and Copilot is another $30 license.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Basic Planner rides along with Microsoft 365 from $5.40 a user a month paid yearly, which also buys you the rest of the suite. But as a project tool it's middling: the timeline, sprints and dependencies need Planner Plan 1 at $10.00 on top, and baselines and critical path need Plan 3 at $30.00. |
| Free plan and trial | D | Nothing free. The one-month trial of Planner Plan 1 or Plan 3 asks for a credit card and turns into a paid subscription, and basic Planner isn't sold on its own, so there's no way in without a Microsoft 365 licence. |
| Features | B | Grid, board, schedule and chart views to start with, then Gantt timelines, backlogs and sprints, dependencies and goals on Plan 1, and portfolios, baselines, critical path and task history on Plan 3. My Tasks even pulls in flagged Outlook mail. All there, at a price per layer. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.6 on the App Store from 13,196 ratings, short of the 4.7 the top mark needs. It runs inside Microsoft Teams, so a plan sits beside the files and chats your team already has open. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone, Android and an app inside Teams, with ties to Outlook, Loop, To Do, SharePoint, Power Automate and Power BI. There's no desktop Planner: the only desktop software is the Project app bundled with Plan 3. |
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 Microsoft Planner is for
- Fits if your company already pays for Microsoft 365, because basic Planner is part of it
- Works for teams that plan and track their work inside Microsoft Teams
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you don't use Microsoft 365, since basic Planner isn't sold on its own
- Not for you if you want to try it without a card, as the one-month trial needs one and converts to paid
- Pricey if you want Gantt timelines, sprints and dependencies ($10 Plan 1) or baselines and critical path ($30 Plan 3)
- Pricey if you want Copilot to write your plans, which needs a separate license at $30.00 a user a month
- Watch out: there's no desktop Planner, only the Project desktop app that comes with Plan 3
Good to know
Good for
- Organizations already paying for Microsoft 365
- Teams that plan and track work inside Microsoft Teams
- Project managers who want Gantt timelines, sprints and baselines on a Microsoft stack
Worth knowing
- Basic Planner is not sold on its own: it comes with Microsoft 365 business, enterprise, education and frontline subscriptions.
- Timeline (Gantt), sprints, dependencies and goals need Planner Plan 1; baselines, critical path and task history need Planner and Project Plan 3.
- Copilot and Planner Agent features need a separate Microsoft 365 Copilot license, listed at $30.00 per user / month, paid yearly.
- Microsoft lists a web app, a Teams app and iOS and Android apps. The only desktop software is the Project desktop app that comes with Plan 3.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5.40
A month to start, for each person
Microsoft Planner is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $5.40 per user / month, paid yearly (Microsoft 365 Business Basic, no Teams).
Microsoft 365 Business Basic (no Teams)
$5.40
per user / month, paid yearly
Microsoft 365 suite plan that includes basic Planner: Grid, Board, Schedule and Charts views and basic templates. Microsoft Teams is not included.
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
$7.00
per user / month, paid yearly
The same suite plan with Microsoft Teams, where Planner also runs as a Teams app. Business plans cover up to 300 users.
Planner Plan 1
$10.00
per user / month, paid yearly
Premium plans with Timeline (Gantt), Calendar and People views, backlogs and sprints, task dependencies, project goals, milestones and custom fields.
Planner and Project Plan 3
$30.00
per user / month, paid yearly
Everything in Plan 1 plus portfolios, baselines, critical path, task history, lead and lag dependencies and the Project desktop app.
Trying it first
One-month free trial of Planner Plan 1 or Planner and Project Plan 3; a credit card is required and it converts to a paid plan
Read from microsoft.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Nonprofit
Business Basic free for eligible nonprofits
Microsoft's nonprofit page lists Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which includes Planner, as a grant that is free for up to 300 users, with discounted staff pricing on Business Standard and Premium.
Stated on microsoft.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Task and project planning app built into Microsoft 365. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, real-time collaboration, templates, tasks, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines.
My Tasks even pulls in flagged Outlook mail.
- Grid, Board, Schedule and Charts views
- Basic plans, included with Microsoft 365, show tasks as a grid, a kanban board, a schedule or charts, with labels, checklists and file attachments on each task.
- My Day, My Tasks and My Plans
- Personal views gather the tasks assigned to you across plans, along with assignments from meeting notes, Microsoft Loop and flagged Outlook email.
- Timeline, sprints and dependencies
- Planner Plan 1 adds premium plans with a Timeline (Gantt) view, backlogs and sprints, task dependencies, milestones, project goals and a People view for workload.
- Portfolios, baselines and critical path
- Planner and Project Plan 3 adds portfolios across plans, baselines, critical path, task history and dependencies with lead and lag. Plan 1 users can view portfolios but not create them.
- Planner in Microsoft Teams
- Planner runs as an app inside Microsoft Teams, where a plan sits next to its files and chats. Teams is sold separately from Planner Plan 1 and Plan 3.
- Copilot and Planner Agent
- With a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, Copilot generates plans, task lists and status reports, and simple routine tasks can be assigned to Planner Agent to carry out.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Microsoft Teams
- Outlook
- Microsoft Loop
- Microsoft To Do
- Power Automate
- SharePoint
- Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Power BI
Microsoft Planner is made by Microsoft Corporation.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/79
Other project management tools it is graded above
Microsoft Planner's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 21.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 65 of 79) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 2).
Its paid plans start at $5.40 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 18 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 80 project management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Microsoft Planner’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 16 of 79
- DFree plan and trialAbove 2 of 79
- BFeaturesAbove 27 of 79
- BEase of useAbove 65 of 79
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 6 of 79
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 78 project management tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Microsoft Planner 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 Microsoft Planner you could make: tasks, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 38 of the 79 other project management tools grade higher. It costs $64.80 a year.
What you could make
- Tasks, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, Microsoft Teams, Outlook and Microsoft Loop among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Microsoft Planner’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
Asana, Trello, monday.com, ClickUp and Smartsheet
The 5 tools Microsoft Planner is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Asana
Free plan · from $10.99/mo
Work management for projects, goals and cross-team workflows.
- Asana has a free plan. Microsoft Planner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Asana lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Microsoft Planner also covers templates.
- 2.8GPA
Trello
Free plan · from $5/mo
Kanban boards with an inbox, planner and built-in automation.
- Trello has a free plan. Microsoft Planner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Trello lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Microsoft Planner also covers templates.
- 2.8GPA
monday.com
Free plan · from $9/mo
Board-based work management with automations and dashboards.
- monday.com has a free plan. Microsoft Planner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only monday.com lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Microsoft Planner also covers templates.
- 3.0GPA
ClickUp
Free plan · from $7/mo
Work platform combining tasks, docs, chat and dashboards.
- ClickUp has a free plan. Microsoft Planner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only ClickUp lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only ClickUp lists a browser extension.
- 3.0GPA
Smartsheet
Free trial · from $9/mo
Spreadsheet-style project and work management for teams.
- Only Smartsheet lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Microsoft Planner also covers templates.
- Smartsheet also covers calendar and workflow automation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 Microsoft Planner free?
No, Microsoft Planner is a paid product, but you can try it first. One-month free trial of Planner Plan 1 or Planner and Project Plan 3; a credit card is required and it converts to a paid plan.
How much does Microsoft Planner cost?
Microsoft Planner lists 4 plans. Microsoft 365 Business Basic (no Teams): $5.40 per user / month, paid yearly.
What platforms does Microsoft Planner work on?
Microsoft Planner is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Microsoft Planner offer any discounts?
Microsoft Planner publicly lists the following: Business Basic free for eligible nonprofits.
How is Microsoft Planner rated?
Microsoft Planner's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 13,196 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Microsoft Planner have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Microsoft Planner is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Microsoft Planner have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Microsoft Planner is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Microsoft Planner open source?
Microsoft Planner is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Microsoft Planner have an API?
Yes. Microsoft Planner offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Microsoft Planner integrate with?
Microsoft Planner's listing names Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Microsoft Loop, Microsoft To Do, Power Automate, SharePoint, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Power BI.
Who makes Microsoft Planner?
Microsoft Planner is made by Microsoft Corporation.
What are the alternatives to Microsoft Planner?
The closest alternatives to Microsoft Planner in our directory are Asana, Trello, monday.com, ClickUp and Smartsheet.
How does Microsoft Planner compare with other project management tools?
Microsoft Planner's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 21.
Is Microsoft Planner good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Microsoft Planner C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5.40 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 18 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Microsoft Planner?
The plain part of Microsoft Planner you could make: tasks, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and templates.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Microsoft Planner’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Microsoft's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Its pricing page would not load when we went back to check it. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-04.
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 Microsoft Corporation. Prices change, so check microsoft.com before you buy.
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/planner/microsoft-planner-business-plans-and-pricing
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/planner/microsoft-planner
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/planner/project-plan-1
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/planner/project-plan-3
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-plans-and-pricing
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/microsoft-365-plans-and-pricing
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/frontline-plans-and-pricing
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/nonprofit-plans-and-pricing
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/servicedescriptions/project-online-service-description/microsoft-planner-service-description
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/planner/frequently-asked-questions-about-microsoft-planner
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 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.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Microsoft Planner, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-planner
- 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, "Microsoft Planner: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-planner
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-planner/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after Microsoft Planner, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Project Management Insider's GuideEvery one of the 80 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 Microsoft Planner’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. Microsoft Planner is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Microsoft Corporation. Prices and plans change: check microsoft.com before you buy.