Microsoft Planner is a popular task management tool. All project managers out there know how important a task manager is. Having the right one can help boost the team’s productivity and efficiency.
Microsoft Planner is an excellent task management tool, but it only works the best when you have the entire suite of Microsoft apps. Relying on Microsoft apps for your entire workflow can increase dependability, which is never good.
The tool also has other limitations. You get a card-view interface, which is not well-suited for everyone. There are no project timelines or Gantt chart features built into the app.
To decrease dependability and have more features, you can check out the best Microsoft Planner alternatives mentioned below. These tools offer seamless integration with other business tools and help you elevate your team’s performance. Some of the tools on the list are free, while some come with paid plans. Make sure to check out and select the best one.
1. Trello
Trello is a perfect Microsoft Planner alternative as it offers a seamless user interface. This tool also has better card and Kanban board functionality than Microsoft Planner.
The tool’s free version is suitable for a small team. You can assign cards to individuals and track their progress in real time. Overall, it is a solid tool.
2. Google Sheets
If you are a bit old school and like to keep track of things on your own, Google Sheets can be an excellent Microsoft Planner alternative. It comes with spreadsheets where you can do things the old way.
However, this tool’s collaboration is next-level. You can simply share the link to the sheet with your teammates. The only problem is that it is much more manual than you think, and you will have to take care of everything. If you are comfortable with doing it, it’s free and cloud-based with one of the best collaboration features.
3. Basecamp
Basecamp is a very decent choice for people looking for a decent Microsoft Planner alternative. If you work with a team, the tool can help you enhance overall team performance. The best thing is that it is suitable for both remote and in-house teams.
This tool views projects as hills. One key advantage of that is your team can easily identify any bottlenecks using the hill charts feature. There is only one major downside to the tool, though. It has a flat-rate pricing plan. So it doesn’t matter what size of team you work with; the pricing is always the same.
4. Asana
Asana is one of the market’s most famous collaboration and task management apps. From its UI to task management features, the app is pretty well-rounded. Even in terms of integration, it’s superior to Microsoft Planner.
The tool integrates with other popular tools like Dropbox, Slack, Salesforce, etc. The only downside is that the app cannot assign tasks to multiple teammates. But overall, it is a popular and reliable app.
5. ClickUp
If you are looking for a great project management tool, ClickUp is among the elite. It is an excellent Microsoft Planner alternative because it offers more features than Microsoft.
Its free version is more than good for small teams and SMBs. With the paid version, you can get many exclusive features such as multiple views, make task priorities, get Gantt chart functionality, etc.
6. Flow
Next up is Flow. This tool is popular among users for its intuitive UI. Its project management features are also some of the best in town. The tool allows users to seamlessly update their status. Even the notifications are pushed in a subtle way and don’t disturb the workflow at all.
The tool allows users to stay organized and updated efficiently. It comes with a similar board structure to Microsoft Planner. Their mobile app is also one of the best; you can manage everything from your mobile devices efficiently. Apart from the absence of built-in reminders, the tool is phenomenal.
7. Nutcache
In terms of usability, Nutcache sits perfectly between Microsoft Planner and Microsoft Project. The tool is agile, so the boards and time tracking are more robust. Its resource management is also superior to Microsoft Planner.
This tool will serve small teams better, which can’t afford the enterprise pricing offered by Microsoft. The invoice tracking feature of the app is really helpful for SMBs. However, the tool falls short in terms of integration as it doesn’t offer integration with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc. So you can check out this tool and see how it works for your business.
8. Smartsheet
Next up on the list is Smartsheet. While it mostly looks like Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel in terms of UI, it offers many nifty features that make it a little better than them. The tool comes with many good project management features.
It primarily handles project management tasks in the form of spreadsheets. But the good thing is that you can create main tasks and subtasks right below them. You can also add due dates, assignees, etc., got every task. One important thing to know is that to get the best out of the tool, your team must know how to work with spreadsheets.
