Month: April 2024

Microsoft Project has been a staple in the project management world for many years. But, as times have changed, Microsoft Project has started to show its age. The program is no longer the only game in town, and there are now some great alternatives that offer more features and lower costs. In this blog post, we will explore five of those alternatives and see how they stack up against Microsoft Project.

Microsoft Project is the original project Management tool that essentially started them all. Developed in the early 1980s, Microsoft Project was built as a desktop application solely to track projects internally. Back in a time when projects were tracked by pen and paper (gasp!), MP burst through the door with its digital tracking.

As the years have gone by, MP has continued to develop, evolve and scale. But, while it is still widely used today, its days may be numbered. This OG project management system tried to develop and grow to combat its competitors, but it still has competitors closing in from behind. Today, new alternatives offer additional flexibility, features, and lower costs.

Let’s look at some of the top Microsoft Project alternatives looking to take the crown.

1. Hive

Built for users by users, Hive is a Microsoft Project alternative that can create simple workflows for complex processes. A cloud-based project management tool that offers users a variety of features, Hive is the only project management platform your large or small team needs. Built to handle resource management, time tasking, and team collaboration, this platform is beloved by project managers everywhere. 

Hive offers automated workflows, task management, file sharing, storage, and team calendars. With its simple drag-and-drop interface, you can easily add or remove team members from a project, assign tasks & deadlines, and upload files for easy access by all. 

Hive is an excellent alternative for companies that value teamwork and collaboration. It can integrate with several popular applications, such as Google Drive and Dropbox, offering more team connectivity and cohesiveness. These additional features and focus on team and collaboration set Hive apart from Microsoft Project. With Hive, teams can easily communicate and work on projects in real time. 

Key Features:

• 7+ project views
• Built by users and has incredible customers service and help desk
• Time tracking and resourcing
• Native email integrations

Pricing: You can try Hive free for 14 days. Hive also offers a free plan with limited functionality, with it’s most popular paid plans starting at $12 per user, per month.

2. Wrike

Wrike is a favorite cloud-based project management tool that offers task collaboration, Gantt charts, and real-time activity updates. One thing that sets Wrike apart from Microsoft Project is its focus on team collaboration. With Wrike, teams can work simultaneously on tasks, share files, and leave comments for each other. 

This comment tool makes Wrike an excellent choice for teams that need to work together closely on projects. Wrike also has a built-in activity stream that helps organizations stay organized and keep mentions and comments in one streamlined location. 

Key Features:

• Gantt charts for projects
• Shareable dashboards
• Integrations
• Customizable work stations

Pricing: Wrike’s paid plans start from $9.80 per user/month.

Comparison: Read about these top alternatives to Wrike for more information.

3. Trello

Trello couldn’t be more different than Microsoft Project, but it gives you a better idea of what is out there and how MP influenced these newer platforms. With Trello, you have a cloud-based project management tool, but it takes a different approach than Microsoft Project. For example, Trello uses a Kanban board approach to project management, which is an excellent way to visualize progress on a project.

While Microsoft Projects is still relatively rigid and challenging to learn, Trello is intuitive and easy to understand. It also offers tasks assignment, file sharing, and team collaboration. In addition, it is an affordable option for smaller teams with its flexible pricing structure. It is beloved by individual users and small businesses looking for a low-cost and easy to use project management platform.

Key Features:

• Kanban board approach
• Flexible pricing
• Integrations
• Resource Allocation
• Built-in budgeting and financial summaries

Pricing: Trello offers a free plan and paid standard plans starting at $5 per user/month.

Comparison: To learn more, check out these great Trello alternatives with similar features.

4. nTask

nTask is an online collaboration platform with a similar look, feel and cadence to Microsoft Project. Using nTask, users can task and track projects and meetings and easily manage resources, risks, and more. nTask offers Gantt chart formatting to visualize your projects, and uses a simple drag-and-drop functionality to move and set tasks. 

One of the best aspects of nTask is that it can be used for almost any business or industry. Built with a robust bug-tracking tool that can track, assign, prioritize, and fix bugs & issues faster, nTask is suitable for agile project management and software-building companies. nTask can also be the perfect fit for creative agencies with built-in time tracking and collaboration tools. 

Key Features:

• Gantt charts
• Resource management
• Built-in time tracking tool
• Bug tracking tool
• Simple drag-n-drop functionality

Pricing: Free for unlimited tasks, projects, and team members. Paid plans start at $8 per user/month.

5. Zoho Projects

This Microsoft Project alternative is a cloud-based tool for small or medium-sized companies. With Zoho Projects, you can break each project down into bite-size pieces better suited for your team members. In addition, Zoho can task and subtask projects and keep track of who is working on what within the activity pipeline.

It works to connect teams to foster productivity and efficiency. It has built-in timesheet functionality with a reporting feature so you can see how long each task takes team members. Unfortunately, Zoho is still missing functionality to manage multiple projects at a time, so it isn’t as robust as some of the other options on this list – but for the price, it’s pretty darn great.

Key Features:

• Resource management tools
• Page-specific project boards for communication 
• A robust offering of charts and reports
• Timesheets and time tracking on individual tasks
• Gantt charts & Kaban boards for visualizing

Pricing: Zoho projects facilitate free and multiple paid plans. The paid plans begin at $5.

6. ClickUp

ClickUp is another great project management alternative to Microsoft Teams, offering users streamlined project and task management, track progress, and easily communicate within teams. It provides a user-friendly interface with intuitive navigation. In comparison to Microsoft Teams, ClickUp is superior for offering the flexibility of customer service via phone, as well as video tutorials — two important services when it comes to employee onboarding and adaptation.

Whether you’re managing projects, tracking tasks, or collaborating on documents, ClickUp’s robust feature set makes it suitable for various industries and business types.With flexible pricing options, including a free plan for unlimited tasks, projects, and team members, ClickUp offers a cost-effective solution for teams of all sizes. To see how ClickUp stacks up against other tools on the market, check out our complete guide to ClickUp alternatives.

Key Features:

• Task and project management
• Team collaboration and communication tools
• File sharing and document management
• Time tracking and reporting capabilities
• Integration with popular tools and apps

Pricing: Free plan available for unlimited tasks, projects, and team members. Paid plans start at $5 per user/month.

7. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a strong alternative to Microsoft Project by offering similar project management capabilities in a more intuitive, user-friendly interface. The tool uses a spreadsheet format, making it approachable to users who are already familiar with Excel. However, Smartsheet’s functionality extends beyond spreadsheets and offers effective project management capabilities. It enables easy collaboration, real-time updates, and automations that can streamline your project workflows.

Smartsheet is flexible and can adapt to a wide variety of project types and industries. It gives you the ability to quickly view your project data in multiple ways – from grid to Gantt chart to card view – providing versatility that Microsoft Project may lack. However, some users may find that the large set of options and flexibility can also make it a bit overwhelming to set up and manage. And while it certainly offers plenty of functionality for most users, Smartsheet may not be as robust when it comes to complex project scheduling and management, an area where Microsoft Project is known for having in-depth capabilities.

Key Features:

• Real-time collaboration
• Automation options
• Comprehensive reporting
• Integration with dozens of tools
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android devices

Pricing: Smartsheet offers a free plan for one user and up to two editors. There’s a Pro plan available for up to 10 users for $7/user/month and a Business plan that gives access to unlimited users for $25/user/month.

8. Asana

If your needs for a project management software are of a small or medium company, Asana can be a great alternative to Microsoft Project. The tool has a flexible and user friendly interface with all the customization you would like. It features a “My Tasks” list, which auto-promotes tasks based on due dates, helping you prioritize and focus on what needs to be done now, and the sections and columns layout support Kanban, list, or matrix-style workflows. Asana also has a “Focus Mode” that encourages deep work by minimizing distractions, enabling you to work faster and more efficiently. 

The ability to automate and integrate with different apps is one of the reasons why Asana stands out in comparison to Microsoft Project, along with its Basic free package plan. For more functionality, Asana also offers Premium, Business, and Enterprise plans. Microsoft Project does not have a free-forever plan, instead only offering a free trial. When the free trial period ends you’ll then need to choose one of their 8 various paid plans.

Key Features:

• Project timelines and calendars
• Pre-built templates
• Task dependencies
• Automation rules
• Integrations with over 100 other apps
• Workload view to monitor and manage the workload of team members

Pricing: Free basic plan with limited features, Premium plan starts at $10.99 per user/month and Business plan starts at $24.99 per user/month billed annually. 

Comparison: Not sure if Asana is the right tool for your company’s needs? See our list on “Best Asana Alternatives For Project Management” to see how the tool compares with others.

9. Monday

Monday.com is a great alternative to Microsoft Projects if you are looking for a functional yet clear way to manage your projects. Monday has robust collaboration features, including chat, file sharing, real-time comments and feedback while Microsoft Projects is more basic, offering only task assignment and commenting features. Monday is also more user-friendly and customizable than Microsoft Projects, which might be something to consider when switching project management software: you definitely want to have a small learning curve.

Monday also offers task management, dependency tracking and several app integrations, such as Slack, Jira, Dropbox and HubSpot CRM. Monday.com has native social media management and free educational webinars for all subscribers. The project management software has a feature called “panic button”, which allows users to lock down the entire account to protect data in case the account gets compromised. Plus, Monday has a free plan while Microsoft Project doesn’t. 

Key features: 

• Boards & Columns
• Tasks automation
• Checklists
• Apps Integration
• File views, kanban views, form views, chart views

Pricing: Monday.com has a free plan for up to 2 users with some feature limitations. Basic plans start at $8/user/month. Get a 14-day free trial. 

Comparison: Not sure yet if Monday is the best alternative for your company? Check out how Monday.com compares to other project management tools on the market.

10. GanttPRO

GanttPRO is a project management software is an enticing alternative to Microsoft Project due to its flexibility, navigability and affordability. Differently from Microsoft Project which is desktop-based, GanttPRO is cloud-based offering a better solution for remote teams. The platform offers a good solution when making scheduling, and tracking complex projects. GanttPRO’s interface illustrates the timeline of a project, dependencies between tasks, and the allocation of resources in a clear way. GanttPRO is way easier to onboard new team members than Microsoft Projects, known for its steep learning curve. Small and medium-size businesses might be just fine with GanttPRO features and capabilities, but if you are choosing a project management solution for a large company, you might want to consider one of the other alternatives in this list.

Key features:

• Cloud-based platform 
• Beautifully designed and affected Gantt chart Gantt views 
• Time and resource tracking 
• Integrations with third-party applications

Pricing: GanttPRO paid plan starts at $7.99 per users/per month, and accommodates up to 5 users with limited features.

11. Scoro

Scoro is an alternative Microsoft Projects especially if you are looking to simplify your process and onboard your entire team at ease. While Microsoft Projects is great, there’s a moderate learning curve and the tool can become quite complex if you are not familiar with project management capabilities. On the other hand, Scoro is easy to use while offering powerful features to speed performance.

Key features: 

• KPI real-time dashboard 
• CRM 
• Time tracking
• Gantt view and Kanban board view
• Issue management

Pricing: Scoro’s pricing begins at $26 per user/month for a minimum of 5 users. The Essential plan includes projects, calendars, task list & task board, contacts & customers, quotes, invoices & receipts, bills, dashboards and summary of financial reports.

12. LiquidPlanner

If you are looking for a Microsoft Project alternative for a small or mid-sized company, LiquidPlanner might be a good solution. It offers flexible and easy-to-use features for project management, although its scheduling capabilities and reporting capabilities are not as powerful as Microsoft Project. However, LiquidPlanner offers the flexibility of being a cloud-based project management system, which makes it appealing for hybrid and remote teams. While LiquidPlanner is a good choice for companies in industries such as IT, software development and marketing, Microsoft Project is a popular choice for construction managers, engineering and manufacturing. 

Key  features: 

• Time-tracking
• Task management
• Gantt chart view
• Budgeting
• Risk management
• Portfolio management
• Integration with other project management tools

Pricing: LiquidPlanner is a subscription-based tool with a free trial option. LiquidPlanner essentials plan costs $15 per user/month. Its professional plan has more powerful planning tools and costs $28. In comparison, Microsoft Project offers a perpetual license option, which means you pay an upfront fee for Microsoft Project and will need to purchase a software maintenance subscription to receive updates and support.

13. Basecamp

While Microsoft Project was founded in the early 80s’, Basecamp started off in the early 2000’s. These two decades gave this project management platform an opportunity to deliver better user-experience in comparison to MP. Although Basecamp is a no-code platform, there’s a lot of controversy about its flexibility, customization, integration and overall user experience. On the bright side, Basecamp offers templates, group chat, inbox notification, built-in time tracking, the ability to assign priority levels to tasks, and generates data reports.

Key features:

• Templates
• Group chat
• Inbox notification
• Time tracking
• Reporting

Pricing: Basecamp used to have a free plan with limited features and a flat fee of $99, but those years are over. Now, the tool offers a $15 plan, per user billed monthly with limited storage and a month-to-month contract, which might be appealing for freelancers, starters and smaller teams. Growing business, however, would need to pocket $349 a month to use its Pro Unlimited plan. If your company wants to save some bucks, the option is to get billed annually and pay $299 a month. 

Comparison: If you are unsure if this is the best free project management software for your team, check out our guide for Basecamp alternatives.

Imagine sending emails to your list that offer value, increase engagement, and strengthen brand awareness at regular intervals without creating new content for each email — for an unlimited amount of time. Oh! And it’s all done automatically.

Sounds pretty amazing, right? Right.

Lucky for you, it’s not a fairytale or some sort of email wizardry. It’s called a “forever funnel” and is sure to become a valuable tool in your email marketing toolkit.

What is a forever funnel?

A forever funnel is an email marketing concept that refers to a long-term, multi-entry, automated sales or marketing funnel designed to continuously engage, inform, and convert subscribers over an extended period.

The term forever means the funnel is intended to operate indefinitely, and depending on your email service provider (ESP), the number of entries of these funnels is only limited by your time and creativity.

Top 4 benefits of a forever funnel.

There are multiple benefits to having a forever funnel in place. While many are tailored to your individual goals and email strategy, the top 4 benefits of a forever funnel are often the same for all email marketers.

1. Consistent communication.

   A forever funnel automatically delivers regularly scheduled email content to your subscribers. This creates and cultivates closer relationships with your subscribers and ensures they’ll still hear from you, even during content breaks, vacations, or writing blocks.

   That means once your forever funnel is up and running, you consistently deliver value, build community, and drive conversions to boost revenue!

2. Lead nurturing.

   For business owners, entrepreneurs, and content marketers, lead nurturing is a central focus of a forever funnel.

   You’re building relationships with your audience and increasing trust while providing value-driven content. Especially if a subscriber has previously purchased from you (as in they’re already a customer or client), continued nurturing through a forever funnel increases their value by further encouraging engagement and interest.

3. Traffic driving.

   When you’re consistently sending content to your audience, you’re creating opportunities to drive traffic to your website, podcast, social channels, referral partners, and more. The consistent stream of traffic brings the opportunity to boost visibility, revenue, engagement, and authority levels.

4. Targeting Insights.

   A forever funnel provides a goldmine of targeting insights and subscriber data! If you’re putting in the effort to build a forever funnel, take the time to add tag automation and create segments. This gives you everything you’ll need to send targeted, personalized email campaigns in the future.

Depending on your goals for creating a forever funnel, additional benefits can include boosting revenue, gathering subscriber feedback, and increasing brand awareness and authority.

Content ideas for your forever funnel.

While it initially takes effort to create and build the structure of a forever funnel, the bulk of your email content probably already exists on your site, email archives, or vault. Forever funnels are prime for evergreen content and are excellent spaces to add content from other avenues.

Here are some content ideas to start adding to your forever funnel:

• Blog Posts: Gather your favorite blog posts from years past and add them as individual entries to your forever funnel. This is not only an excellent way to recycle old content on your site, but also a great way to introduce this content to new subscribers.
• Old Lead Magnets: You work hard on creating lead magnets and opt-in incentives, and there’s no reason you can’t add these to your forever funnel. Again, the theme is recycling and repurposing old content to build your funnel and provide valuable content. Think back to any ebooks, checklists, templates, or whitepapers you created in the past and add each to an individual entry in your funnel.
• Webinars and Workshops: Have you hosted or appeared as a guest on any webinars or workshops? If the topics are relevant to your audience, these recordings are great resources to add to your forever funnel. Webinars and workshops help diversify the content you send while showcasing your expertise to build trust.
• Podcasts, Videos, and Live Streams: And speaking of diversifying content, this goes the same for any podcasts, videos, and live streams you’ve been on or created in the past. Educational and entertaining, this type of content boosts engagement and reminds your subscribers of content they can easily share on social channels.
• Subscriber-generated Content: Use your forever funnel as an opportunity to automatically encourage your customers, clients, and subscribers to share their experiences and testimonials. Ask for open reviews or testimonials or provide a form with questions to compile their responses. Another way to incorporate user-generated content is by sending reviews, testimonials, and use cases to boost your authenticity and credibility.
• Surveys and Polls: Engage your subscribers and gather valuable feedback by sending surveys or polls in your forever funnel. You can then use this data to improve your offerings and tailor future content, collaborations, or affiliate partnerships.
• Resource Libraries: Develop resource libraries or content hubs where users can access a collection of your evergreen content organized by category or topic.
• Product Recommendations: Forever funnels are designed to nurture, including sales nurturing. When consistently contacting your audience and providing valuable and engaging content, these sales emails integrate seamlessly into the mix. Use this opportunity to recommend products, highlight services, or remind subscribers of affiliate partnerships and referral codes.

The beauty of forever funnels (and really all funnels) is once you have everything in place, they run like a well-oiled machine in the background.

The majority of your work takes place in the beginning with creating the structure of your funnel, gathering the content, and creating the first round of emails, but then things shift into maintenance mode. You can add new entries as you’d like, edit individual emails, and more. All the while, your subscribers are being delivered value, community, and engagement straight to their inbox.

And that is what we’d call a win-win in the world of email marketing.

Ready to set up your forever funnel with FeedBlitz? Head to this page to start your free trial. Questions? Feel free to reach out with any questions through our Support Page. While live support is available Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern, you can always find helpful information 24-7 at the resources linked here.