Instagantt vs Microsoft Project: Planner, Project 2024 and Pricing (2026)
Microsoft's project lineup has changed: Project for the web is now Planner, and Project Online retires on September 30, 2026. Here is how today's options compare.
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Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Instagantt | Microsoft Project |
|---|---|---|
| Gantt chart view | Yes | Planner Plan 1 and Project desktop |
| Task dependencies | Yes | Finish-to-start on Plan 1, all four types on Plan 3 |
| Critical path | Yes | Plan 3 and Project desktop |
| Baselines | Yes | Plan 3 and Project desktop |
| Milestones | Yes | Yes |
| Workload view | Teams plan | Plan 1 (People view) |
| Auto-scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| AI that drafts the schedule | Tasks, dates and dependencies, included | Copilot in Planner, needs Plan 3/5 or a Copilot licence |
| Read-only share link | Yes | Not documented |
| Native Asana sync | Two-way, all plans | Not documented |
Pricing Compared
| Plan | Instagantt | Microsoft Project |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Individual (1 user) or Teams (flat, 3 users included) | Per user, billed yearly; desktop apps are one-time purchases |
| Free plan | For Asana users: 3 projects, 1 user | Basic Planner comes with Microsoft 365 |
| Entry plan with a Gantt timeline | Individual: $12/mo, or $10/mo billed yearly | Planner Plan 1: $10/user/mo, billed yearly |
| Critical path and baselines | Every plan, free one included | Planner and Project Plan 3: $30/user/mo, billed yearly |
| Desktop app | Browser-based | Project Standard 2024: $679.99 one-time; Professional 2024: $1,129.99 |
| Free trial | 7 days, no card | 1 month, card required |
Prices in US dollars excluding tax, from instagantt.com/pricing and microsoft.com, checked on September 19, 2026. Microsoft does not list monthly billing for Planner plans.
Pros & Cons at a Glance
Instagantt
Pros
- Runs in any browser, phones included, with nothing to install
- AI drafts the first version of the plan
- Critical path and baselines on every plan
Cons
- Fewer advanced scheduling options than Project desktop
- Two dependency types, not all four
- No offline desktop app
Microsoft Project
Pros
- Part of Microsoft 365 and Teams
- Full scheduling engine in the Project desktop apps
- All four dependency types with lead and lag on Plan 3
Cons
- Project for the web retired and Project Online retiring
- Critical path and baselines need Plan 3 at $30 per user
- Planner plans are billed yearly only
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Microsoft Project if…
- Your organization standardizes on Microsoft 365 and Teams
- You need a desktop scheduling engine
- Your schedules need all four dependency types with lead and lag
Choose Instagantt if…
- You are moving off Project Online or Project for the web and want a simpler web tool
- You need critical path and baselines without a $30 per-user plan
- You want the plan to open in any browser, phones included
What Microsoft Project Means in 2026
Microsoft retired Project for the web in August 2025 and folded it into Planner, and Project Online retires on September 30, 2026. Today Microsoft sells Planner Plan 1, Planner and Project Plan 3 — which includes the Project desktop app — and the Project Standard 2024 and Project Professional 2024 desktop apps as one-time purchases.
If you are moving off Project Online or Project for the web, the choice is between staying in Microsoft's Planner and desktop lineup or moving to a web Gantt tool such as Instagantt.
Features
Planner Plan 1 includes a timeline with finish-to-start dependencies and a People view for workload. Plan 3 adds critical path, baselines, and all four dependency types with lead and lag. The Project desktop apps add the full scheduling engine and, in Professional, resource management and timesheets.
Instagantt covers the essentials in the browser — finish-to-start and start-to-start dependencies, milestones, auto-scheduling, and critical path and baselines on every plan — and adds two-way Asana sync and public snapshots for stakeholders.
Pricing
Planner Plan 1 costs $10 per user per month and Plan 3 costs $30, both billed yearly. Project Standard 2024 is a one-time purchase of $679.99 per user and PC, and Professional 2024 costs $1,129.99.
For a team of three that needs critical path and baselines, Plan 3 costs $90 per month billed yearly; Instagantt Teams costs $24 per month, or $20 billed yearly.
Our Verdict
Microsoft remains the natural choice for organizations standardized on Microsoft 365 or that need a desktop scheduling engine. For teams leaving Project Online or Project for the web that want a simpler browser-based Gantt tool, Instagantt covers critical path and baselines at a fraction of Plan 3's price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Parts of it. Project for the web was retired in August 2025 and replaced by Planner, and Project Online retires on September 30, 2026. The Project Standard 2024 and Project Professional 2024 desktop apps are still sold.
Planner Plan 1 costs $10 per user per month and Planner and Project Plan 3 costs $30, both billed yearly. Project Standard 2024 costs $679.99 and Project Professional 2024 $1,129.99 as one-time purchases.
Inside Microsoft 365, Planner and Project Plan 3 is Microsoft's successor. If you want a browser-based Gantt tool with critical path and baselines from $12 per month and two-way Asana sync, Instagantt is an option.
For three people who need critical path and baselines, Instagantt Teams costs $24 per month, or $20 billed yearly. Microsoft's Planner and Project Plan 3 costs $90 per month for three users, billed yearly.
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Instagantt is online Gantt chart software for planning projects with timelines, dependencies, and team workload.