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Microsoft Project vs Planview PPM Pro comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
7.4
Microsoft Project boosts ROI through better resource use, quicker timelines, and centralized management, streamlining workflow and reducing costs.
Sentiment score
7.3
Organizations report significant financial gains and improved project management efficiency with Planview PPM Pro, despite ongoing optimization efforts.
Microsoft Project does help save time and money due to its completeness as a project management solution.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.5
Users experience mixed tech support, balancing onsite/offshore models, community forums, and improved language availability; average rating is 7/10.
Sentiment score
7.3
Planview PPM Pro's customer service is generally helpful, but experiences vary with responsiveness, offshore support, and complex issue resolution.
Currently, there are more support personnel who speak English, and Microsoft has increased its Spanish language support compared to previous years.
I would give somewhere around 10 for my overall experience with support.
There is a website and a connection to AI for support.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Microsoft Project supports large-scale users and complex tasks, with noted challenges in version differences and cloud integration.
Sentiment score
7.0
Planview PPM Pro offers scalability, effective mostly for SMEs, but faces challenges with large organizations and real-time global usage.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Project is stable and reliable, with users reporting minimal issues, consistent performance, and positive usability experiences.
Sentiment score
7.7
Planview PPM Pro is stable but faces occasional update disruptions, with most users praising its reliability and customer support.
Microsoft Project is a stable tool, and when using it in different projects, it works perfectly.
I would rate the stability of Microsoft Project as an eight out of ten.
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Project needs enhanced UI, better integration, collaboration features, streamlined reporting, improved training resources, and more affordable pricing.
Planview PPM Pro requires improvements in reporting, integration, interface, resource management, and lacks efficient "What If" planning capabilities.
It would be beneficial to see enhanced reporting functionalities in future versions.
The worst part is handling too many items, like 1,000 items, which Microsoft Project struggles with, especially when printing.
Microsoft Project tends to become very unstable on large project plans with more than 400 lines.
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Project offers cost-effective pricing, but expenses rise with plugins and users, bundled within Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
Planview PPM Pro's flexible licensing offers value for large organizations, though costs can be high for smaller entities.
The issue with Microsoft is that the license is per personnel, making it expensive.
I believe it's usually included in the Microsoft 365 package.
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Project is praised for its detailed scheduling, integration, and user-friendly interface, supporting complex plans with robust features.
Planview PPM Pro excels in reporting, customization, integration, and resource management, enhancing visibility, planning, and decision-making capabilities.
The collaboration features are valuable for controlling the project and transmitting information to other team members when working in a team.
This tool is the most accurate project management tool, allowing me to run a full set of project activities without having to switch between different tools for scheduling and other tasks.
The scheduling part of Microsoft Project is easy; if you change one of the dates, the rest of the dates automatically get changed based on the dependency.
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Project
Ranking in Project Management Software
3rd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
84
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Planview PPM Pro
Ranking in Project Management Software
15th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
32
Ranking in other categories
Project Portfolio Management (8th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Project Management Software category, the mindshare of Microsoft Project is 5.6%, down from 9.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Planview PPM Pro is 2.1%, down from 3.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Project Management Software Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Project5.6%
Planview PPM Pro2.1%
Other92.3%
Project Management Software
 

Featured Reviews

Nurul Asyikin Wahab - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient project management with robust data tracking and an easy setup
When I have too many elements or items in a project, it becomes cumbersome, especially during printing. Non-technical users do not need all the data, so it's primarily for technical personnel. Without guidance, it's challenging to use the app. With guidance and expert knowledge, it becomes manageable, however, it's not for non-technical teams. The worst part is handling too many items, like 1,000 items, which Microsoft Project struggles with, especially when printing. Printing on A3 size is quite burdensome, so I prefer viewing it on a tablet or computer. On a tablet or phone, I can see the full project elements depending on the screen size.
MartinQuiroga - PeerSpot reviewer
Needs to improve roadmap, scalability and communication
The product feels like a toy. The tool needs to improve its roadmap. It needs to improve things on a project management level which includes communication as well.  I am working with the product for two to three years.  The product is not scalable. We have around 15-20 users for the product.  My…
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
9%
Aerospace/Defense Firm
9%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Healthcare Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business31
Midsize Enterprise14
Large Enterprise41
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise24
 

Questions from the Community

Has anyone moved from Microsoft Project to Smartsheet? How has your experience been with Smartsheet?
Hi @Eire Zimmermann, I helped an organization evaluate both MS-Project and Smartsheet when they were conducting their PM tool RFP. The short of it is this, MS Project is not caught up with the mo...
What do you like most about Microsoft Project?
The product's initial setup phase is easy.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Project?
The company typically pays for the Microsoft Project licensing. I'm not certain about the exact cost of the licenses, but I believe it's usually included in the Microsoft 365 package.
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Also Known As

Project Pro, MS Project
Innotas
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Aston Martin, ABANCA, Airbus Group, Capita, Cardiff University, City of Saskatoon, Intel, Pegasus Airlines, South Australia Power Network (SAPN), Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing
The Weather Channel, corcs, Crayola, Scan Health Plan, Vermont, Bank of the West, North West Company, University of Southern Mississippi, Jeffries, Purdue University, Chesterfield County Virginia, City of Memphis
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Project vs. Planview PPM Pro and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.