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Microsoft Project vs Trello 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 optimizes resource use and efficiency, enhancing project management, reducing costs, and improving transparency and completion timelines.
Sentiment score
4.2
Trello's free version saves time, enhances workflows, and organizes tasks, providing value despite users' challenges in quantifying ROI.
If I can eliminate delays, I achieve good ROI because resources can be utilized to their maximum capacity.
Domain Consultant at a consultancy with 501-1,000 employees
Microsoft Project does help save time and money due to its completeness as a project management solution.
Principal: Cyber Security, Information Security Management, Data Privacy at Astrum
Sometimes we can have a back-and-forth conversation in the comments, which helps minimize some meetings.
VP Product at PeerSpot
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.4
Microsoft Project support receives mixed reviews, with responsiveness varying by location, support type, and specific customer needs.
Sentiment score
2.1
Trello is intuitive with mixed technical support satisfaction; users appreciate online resources but note occasional support delays from time zones.
Currently, there are more support personnel who speak English, and Microsoft has increased its Spanish language support compared to previous years.
Desarrollo de negocios at SEGEN GROUP SAS
There is a website and a connection to AI for support.
Management Design Civil Structure at Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd
I would give somewhere around 10 for my overall experience with support.
Associate Director at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
I tried to reach out to get answers before or even look on the web community support for things, such as the out-of-office notifications, without finding answers.
Senior Content Strategist at PeerSpot
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.9
Microsoft Project is scalable and adaptable, integrating well with Microsoft tools but needing better external system integration.
Sentiment score
6.1
Trello is effective for small teams but faces scalability limitations for larger organizations, needing better management and integration features.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Project is generally stable and reliable, with occasional issues in complex projects, rated 8-9 for stability.
Sentiment score
6.8
Trello is stable and reliable, highly rated by users, with minor issues in flexibility and performance under extensive data.
Microsoft Project is a stable tool, and when using it in different projects, it works perfectly.
Desarrollo de negocios at SEGEN GROUP SAS
Microsoft Project is a stable product.
Domain Consultant at a consultancy with 501-1,000 employees
I would rate the stability of Microsoft Project as an eight out of ten.
Project Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Project users seek improved usability, integration, real-time data, reporting, automation, collaboration features, and better pricing with Office apps.
Trello users seek enhanced time tracking, integration, customization, notifications, and improved mobile experience for better task and team management.
The worst part is handling too many items, like 1,000 items, which Microsoft Project struggles with, especially when printing.
Management Design Civil Structure at Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd
It would be beneficial to see enhanced reporting functionalities in future versions.
Project Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Microsoft Project tends to become very unstable on large project plans with more than 400 lines.
Principal: Cyber Security, Information Security Management, Data Privacy at Astrum
More control over email notifications would also be helpful.
VP Product at PeerSpot
Currently, notifications flood my inbox, making it hard to differentiate what I actually need to open.
CSM at PeerSpot
It would be beneficial to have a search system that can pull up topics using keywords or AI-driven capabilities, making it easier to find relevant cards.
Customer Success Manager at PeerSpot
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Project offers varied pricing; value in bundles but standalone licenses may be costly, seen as competitive overall.
Trello's pricing is versatile, with a free version and scalable paid options, though some feel costs are high.
The issue with Microsoft is that the license is per personnel, making it expensive.
Management Design Civil Structure at Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd
I believe it's usually included in the Microsoft 365 package.
Desarrollo de negocios at SEGEN GROUP SAS
Microsoft Project is affordable, but the standalone Project license should be included in the Office price to increase adoption.
Domain Consultant at a consultancy with 501-1,000 employees
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Project offers intuitive scheduling, resource management, and integration with Office Suite for streamlined and efficient project planning.
Trello offers intuitive drag-and-drop functionality, Kanban-style visualization, easy collaboration, and flexibility across devices with customizable organization options.
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.
Principal: Cyber Security, Information Security Management, Data Privacy at Astrum
The collaboration features are valuable for controlling the project and transmitting information to other team members when working in a team.
Desarrollo de negocios at SEGEN GROUP SAS
The most valuable features are in the successor and predecessor determination and the tracking tools, such as obtaining data on the S curve financial curve.
Management Design Civil Structure at Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd
It replaces ping-ponging emails back and forth with a board where people can follow a task from start to finish and see when it's done.
CSM at PeerSpot
Trello's interface is aesthetically pleasing for project management, and it enhances collaboration with other team members.
Customer Success Manager at PeerSpot
The ability to tag different team members in both the description and the comments, and the due dates feature are handy.
VP Product at PeerSpot
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Project
Ranking in Project Management Software
3rd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
85
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Trello
Ranking in Project Management Software
6th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
46
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Project Management Software category, the mindshare of Microsoft Project is 2.9%, down from 8.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Trello is 2.1%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Project Management Software Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Project2.9%
Trello2.1%
Other95.0%
Project Management Software
 

Featured Reviews

Jacob-George - PeerSpot reviewer
Domain Consultant at a consultancy with 501-1,000 employees
Improved project scheduling has maximized resource utilization and has reduced delays
I think the licensing structure presents a significant area for improvement. The full features are not offered on the standard E4 license. This becomes problematic when distributing the project plan. I can export the plan as Excel and CSV files, but then I lose all the rich features, including dependency mapping. To recreate all that functionality without proper licensing is challenging. Microsoft Project offers a light version available for free, but when I try to distribute a project plan, it requires separate licensing. Microsoft Project Central used to be more of an enterprise product. Microsoft Project currently focuses on very low-level task management, and it could do much more. I do not see significant advancement happening because there is confusion about where Microsoft Project is heading. I believe Microsoft should bundle the license with Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This approach would result in more people using Microsoft Project. That is my opinion on how to improve adoption and the product offering.
Davina Becker - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Content Strategist at PeerSpot
Keeps requests better organized
The best feature Trello offers is that it keeps things better organized, so it makes things easier to collaborate with people. I can say that I really enjoyed using Trello for a lot of things, and it has some really good features, such as helping people write out descriptions and the comment section being absolutely one of the best parts of it.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Aerospace/Defense Firm
9%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Educational Organization
9%
Marketing Services Firm
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Performing Arts
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business31
Midsize Enterprise15
Large Enterprise41
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business35
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise11
 

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?
I would say Microsoft Project is affordable, but the standalone Project license should be included in the Office price to increase adoption.
What do you like most about Trello?
The solution is very user-friendly, where you have everything you need.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Trello?
I do not know about the pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Trello because this part was handled by another coworker, and I never worked with that part.
What needs improvement with Trello?
It is hard to track completed requests and show performance based on closed cards.
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

Project Pro, MS Project
No data available
 

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
Pixar, Google, PayPal, Kickstarter, National Geographic, Viewbox Holdings
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Project vs. Trello and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.
881,707 professionals have used our research since 2012.