Microsoft Planner Alternatives (2026): 8 Additional Options for Teams Who Outgrew Basic Boards

What it does better than Microsoft Planner

Project is Microsoft's serious scheduling engine, adding true Gantt charts, task dependencies, critical path, resource management, and portfolio views that Planner only gestures at. It shares the same identity and 365 integration, so the upgrade path is natural. For anything resembling a formal project plan, it is far more capable.

Where Microsoft Planner still wins

Planner is simpler, cheaper for casual use, and comes free with most 365 plans, whereas Project is a heavier tool with a steeper learning curve you may not need for a to-do board.

What it does better than Microsoft Planner

ClickUp offers list, board, Gantt, calendar, workload, and mind-map views plus custom fields, dashboards, docs, and a deep automation builder — a different universe from Planner's buckets. Its free plan is generous, and reporting is genuinely usable. Cross-project rollups actually work.

Where Microsoft Planner still wins

That breadth brings clutter and a learning curve; Planner is instantly understandable and stays out of your way for simple task lists.

What it does better than Microsoft Planner

Asana pairs an approachable interface with strong structure: dependencies, rules-based automation, custom fields, portfolios, and workload views. Reporting dashboards answer the who-does-what-by-when questions Planner forces into Excel. It scales cleanly as processes mature.

Where Microsoft Planner still wins

Asana is a paid standalone tool, so it is an added cost for teams that already get Planner free with Microsoft 365, and its best features sit behind mid-tier plans.

What it does better than Microsoft Planner

monday.com turns boards into a configurable Work OS with color-coded statuses, custom columns, dashboards, and an easy automation builder. It handles multiple views and cross-team reporting that Planner cannot, and non-technical teams pick it up fast.

Where Microsoft Planner still wins

Planner is free inside 365 and simpler; monday.com's per-seat pricing with a three-seat minimum can feel steep for very small or occasional-use teams.

What it does better than Microsoft Planner

If Planner's Kanban is the part you like, Trello does it better and cheaper, with a slicker interface, Power-Ups, Butler automation, and a strong free tier. It is faster to set up and not tied to a Microsoft license.

Where Microsoft Planner still wins

Trello is card-first and shallow on reporting, timelines, and multi-project management, so it is a sideways move rather than an upgrade if you need more structure.

What it does better than Microsoft Planner

Smartsheet gives spreadsheet users a familiar grid layered with Gantt charts, dependencies, automations, and portfolio reporting. It scales to large, structured programs and integrates with Microsoft 365, offering far more analytical horsepower than Planner.

Where Microsoft Planner still wins

It is pricier and more complex, and its grid-first feel is less friendly for teams that just want quick visual task boards.

What it does better than Microsoft Planner

Height is a modern, fast tracker with built-in AI that can auto-triage tasks, summarize threads, and keep boards tidy — a level of automation Planner does not offer. Its list, Kanban, Gantt, and calendar views suit product teams shipping continuously.

Where Microsoft Planner still wins

It lacks Planner's native Microsoft 365 and Teams integration, and it is a standalone paid product rather than something bundled with a license you already own.

What it does better than Microsoft Planner

Freedcamp packs tasks, boards, Gantt, time tracking, and even invoicing into a very cheap package with an unlimited free tier. Teams not tied to Microsoft get more project features per dollar than Planner effectively costs inside 365.

Where Microsoft Planner still wins

Its interface feels dated next to Planner's Fluent design, and it has no native Teams or Outlook integration, so Microsoft-centric workflows lose their seamlessness.