Microsoft Project vs Smartsheet (2024): Which Tool is Better?

Microsoft Project and Smartsheet are two popular project management software platforms that have a more traditional user interface design. While they may seem similar at first glance, once I started reviewing both programs, the differences became apparent:

• Microsoft Project It is a better option for advanced users who are comfortable with very advanced features. It primarily integrates with other Microsoft products and depends on some of them for key functions, so it is best used by teams that are already committed to the Microsoft ecosystem.
• smart sheet It's a good option for teams that manage their projects in spreadsheets and need an upgrade to dedicated project management software. It also offers over 100 integrations with third-party software, making it a better choice for teams with a more diverse software stack.

Microsoft Project vs. Smartsheet: comparison table

Microsoft Project vs. Smartsheet Pricing

Microsoft offers many more pricing plans to choose from than Smartsheet, as well as on-premise options. However, Smartsheet is more affordable than Microsoft Project overall. Both software offer a 30-day free trial for select plans.

Microsoft Project Pricing

Cloud-based subscriptions:

• Microsoft Planner: Part of Microsoft 365, which starts at $8 per user per month.
• Planning Plan 1 (formerly Project Plan 1): $10 per user per month.
• Project plan 3: $30 per user per month.
• Project plan 5: $55 per user per month.

Local solutions:

• Project Standard 2021: $679.99 for a single PC license.
• Project Professional 2021: $1,129.99.
• Project server plan: Get in touch for a personalized price quote.

To learn more, read the full Microsoft Project review and see our list of Microsoft Project alternatives.

Smartsheet Pricing

• Free: $0 for one user and up to two editors.
• Pro: $7 per user per month, billed annually, or $9 per user per month, billed monthly.
• Business: $25 per user per month, billed annually, or $32 per user per month, billed monthly.
• Company: Quotes are available upon request.

To learn more, read the full Smartsheet review and see our list of Smartsheet alternatives.

Feature Comparison: Microsoft Project vs Smartsheet

Project management

Winner: Smartsheet

Microsoft Project scored 3.9/5 for overall features in our scoring rubric. It offers three main views of the project: grid, board and timeline (Gantt) view. The layout is similar to other Microsoft products, but I didn't find the interface particularly intuitive to use and the sheer number of features can be overwhelming and make it difficult to find what you need. The tool gives you the option to get very detailed resource management, such as tracking material costs throughout a project or seeing how much time a person has spent on a task.

Smartsheet ranked slightly better, with a score of 4.6/5 for overall features. It offers four project views: grid, card (kanban), calendar and Gantt. It's not the most colorful or attractive interface, but in my opinion it's easier to navigate than Microsoft Project. You can start with a blank sheet of paper or use a template to help guide the process. Conditional formatting rules speed up the process even further, and you can also create automation rules to reduce manual work. Smartsheet offers a paid add-on for resource management, but it's not as robust as Microsoft Project.

Document management

Winner: Tie

You can upload documents to a site in Microsoft Project, but editing and updating capabilities are limited because it assumes you're already using SharePoint or OneDrive for document storage and management. Microsoft Project also doesn't really integrate with other apps, so you can't use an external platform like Google Docs either. This is one of the reasons why Microsoft Project is best used by teams that are already committed to the Microsoft ecosystem.

Smartsheet also allows you to upload files to a project and links to multiple popular document management solutions, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. Business and Enterprise plans also offer a review feature that allows teams to visually mark up content, including videos, within the Smartsheet tool to keep everything centralized in one place. If you're not already using SharePoint or OneDrive, I would recommend Smartsheet as the best option for document management.

Communication tools

Winner: Tie

Like document management, Microsoft Project does not contain native features for communication or collaboration. Instead, users will be asked to connect with colleagues using one of Microsoft's many other communication tools, including Teams, Outlook, and Skype. If you are not already part of the Microsoft ecosystem, you will need to invest in other software that can take on this role and will not integrate with Microsoft Project.

On the other hand, Smartsheet allows teams to have conversations through comments on sheets and rows: people can tag each other in comments to send a notification. Comments can also be accessed through the mobile app so you can read and respond on the go. While it doesn't offer a more robust native chat feature, it integrates with some messaging platforms, such as Slack, to complement the built-in comments feature.

Easy to use

Winner: Smartsheet

Smartsheet ranked significantly better than Microsoft Project for ease of use. Smartsheet got a rating of 3.5/5, while Microsoft only got 1.8/5, which is really low! Smartsheet isn't the most intuitive project management software I've tried, but it was much easier to figure out compared to Microsoft Project since the layout is more logical. It was also much faster to create and upload new projects in Smartsheet, and the increased number of template options helped speed up that process even more.

Customer Support

Winner: Microsoft Project

On the other hand, Microsoft Project scored a little better than Smartsheet on the customer service front: Microsoft Project scored 4.2/5 and Smartsheet scored 3.8/5. The reason for this is that Smartsheet pays for certain support features (like 24/7 phone support and a chat bot app) for the more expensive plans or for a paid support add-on that costs an additional fee. Microsoft Project doesn't charge extra for support, although some users say customer service could be improved.

Integrations

Winner: Smartsheet

When it comes to integrations, Smartsheet far surpasses Microsoft Project. Not only does Smartsheet offer over 100 native integrations, it also connects to thousands more platforms through Zapier. In contrast, Microsoft Project's native integrations are mostly limited to other Microsoft products and it doesn't connect to Zapier (unlike other Microsoft products), so there isn't even a workaround.

Pros and cons of Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project Professionals

• Very detailed project planning tools.
• Integrates well with other Microsoft products.
• Many resource management tools are built into the software.

Cons of Microsoft Project

• Very long learning curve due to all the complex features.
• Lack of integrations for non-Microsoft tools.
• No native communication tools.

Pros and cons of Smartsheet

Smartsheet Advantages

• Familiar user interface due to spreadsheet base.
• High level of customization available.
• Lots of documentation and training resources.

Disadvantages of Smartsheet

• It is not as easy to use or as intuitive as other project management applications.
• You cannot automatically save changes or load project updates in real time.
• You must upgrade to the Business plan for time tracking and research management.

Should your company use Microsoft Project or Smartsheet?

Choose Microsoft Project if…

• You need very advanced project management software.
• Their team is made up of advanced users who are not intimidated by the higher learning curve.
• Your company is already committed to the Microsoft ecosystem.
• No need for integrations with third-party software.
• You want or need an on-premises deployment option.

Choose Smartsheet if…

• You want a more cost-effective software platform.
• You're looking for an upgrade from spreadsheets and want an interface that's familiar.
• You want a lower learning curve than Microsoft Project.
• Needs integrations with third-party software.
• No local implementation required.

If neither Microsoft Project nor Smartsheet seem right for you, don't worry. There are many other project management solutions out there, including some with free forever plans. Check out our picks for the best project management software of 2024 to see what your options are.

Review methodology

To compare these project management tools, I signed up for free trials in addition to watching demo videos, consulting project documentation, and reading user reviews. I considered features like task management, portfolio management, document management, and communication tools. I also weighed other factors such as ease of use, customer support, integrations, and pricing.