The Best Project Planning Software in 2026
We researched project planning software using vendors’ official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings focus on the category’s core job, value for money, and verified features, so buyers can compare options for planning project work, coordinating responsibilities, and tracking schedules.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
Teamwork.com#1 of 269.4/10A broad planning and finance workspace for teams managing billable client projects.
Free plan · 14-day trial
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Runner-up
Zoho Projects#2 of 269.3/10Broad planning and tracking features, with a free plan and annual-billed paid tiers from $5 per user monthly.
Free plan · 15-day trial
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Top-ranked free plan
OpenProject#3 of 269.2/10A broad planning toolkit with a free self-managed edition and paid enterprise support tiers.
Free plan · 14-day trial
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 26 tools, best first
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Best forClient-service teams planning work and project finances
A broad planning and finance workspace for teams managing billable client projects.
Free plan · 14-day trial Our Teamwork.com verdict → Visit Teamwork.comFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #1 · $149/mo →9.4/10★★★★★Visit Teamwork.com -
Best forTeams wanting broad features at a low entry price
Broad planning and tracking features, with a free plan and annual-billed paid tiers from $5 per user monthly.
Free plan · 15-day trial Our Zoho Projects verdict → Visit Zoho ProjectsFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #2 · $99/mo →9.3/10★★★★★Visit Zoho Projects -
Best forTeams wanting open-source planning and self-hosting
A broad planning toolkit with a free self-managed edition and paid enterprise support tiers.
Free plan · 14-day trial Our OpenProject verdict → Visit OpenProjectFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #3 · $79/mo →9.2/10★★★★★Visit OpenProject -
Best forOrganizations invested in Microsoft planning tools
A broad Microsoft-centered planning suite spanning team tasks to portfolios.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Project -
Best forEnterprise teams combining agile and schedule planning
A mature choice for complex enterprise planning, with broad views and extensibility.
Free plan · pricing on request Our P4 Plan (formerly Hansoft) verdict → Visit P4 PlanFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #5 · $59/mo →9.0/10★★★★☆Visit P4 Plan -
Best forLarge organizations managing capital and contract schedules
Connects contract and field schedules with resource, risk, and portfolio planning.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Oracle -
Best forTeams seeking a free, self-hosted issue-planning system
A broad, configurable planning hub for teams willing to run their own infrastructure.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Redmine -
Best forAgile teams prioritizing Scrum and Kanban workflows
A free, open-source choice for teams focused on Scrum and Kanban execution.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Taiga -
Best forTeams wanting simple collaboration with a free option
Basecamp brings tasks, communication, calendars, and time tracking together, with limited planning controls.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Basecamp -
Best forProject schedulers needing risk and portfolio analysis
Detailed scheduling and portfolio tools, with a single-user free core and paid cloud plans.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit ProjectLibre -
Best forTeams needing planning, automation, and cost control
An all-round project planner with strong views, automation, budgeting, and integrations.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit ProjectManager -
Best forTeams centered on visual Gantt and workload planning
Focused Gantt planning with workload and time tools for teams that schedule projects visually.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit GanttPRO -
Best forAgencies managing client work, time, and billing
A services-focused project hub with client access, time tracking, and billing tools.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit ActiveCollab -
Best forOrganizations needing portfolio and resource controls
A broad planning suite for organizations coordinating portfolios, capacity, and project delivery.
- Gantt chart view
- Resource management
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Celoxis -
Best forTeams that plan visually around Gantt schedules
A Gantt-centered planner that pairs scheduling with team coordination and time tracking.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit TeamGantt -
Best forSmall teams wanting free boards and time tracking
Redbooth pairs shared task planning with collaboration tools and time tracking.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Redbooth -
Best forTeams needing proofing and approvals alongside projects
A broad project workspace for teams that need proofing and approvals built into delivery.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit ProofHub -
Best forTeams that need proofing, intake, and capacity planning
Workzone combines project intake, proofing, approvals, and capacity planning.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Workzone -
Best forBudget-conscious teams needing core project views
A low-cost planner with broad task views, time tracking, and paid feature tiers.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Freedcamp -
Best forConstruction schedulers needing critical-path controls
A construction-focused scheduler with critical-path, resource, cost and risk controls.
- Task dependencies
- Baseline tracking
- Resource management
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Elecosoft -
Best forDesktop users needing traditional schedule control
A mature desktop scheduler with deep controls for dependencies, resources, baselines, and budgets.
- Task dependencies
- Baseline tracking
- Resource management
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forSchedulers managing shared resources across projects
Plan schedules, resources, budgets and dependencies across projects.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit RationalPlan -
Best forMicrosoft Project users wanting cross-platform MPP editing
A cross-platform planner for editing Microsoft Project files, with paid scheduling and collaboration tiers.
7.3/10★★★★☆Try Project Plan 365 -
Best forMac and iPad users managing detailed project plans
A detailed project planner for Apple devices, with linked views and resource planning.
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Merlin Project -
Best forTeams wanting self-hosted planning with time approvals
A self-hosted planning suite with approvals and budgets, but calendar-led integrations.
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Twproject -
Best forSmall teams managing projects, budgets, and billing
Project planning with boards, Gantt views, time tracking, budgets, expenses, and invoicing.
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Nutcache
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teamwork.com | Yes | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Zoho Projects | Yes | $5/user/mo | 9.3 |
| 3 | OpenProject | Yes | €5.95/user/mo | 9.2 |
| 4 | Microsoft Project | No | 9.1 | |
| 5 | P4 Plan (formerly Hansoft) | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 6 | Oracle Primavera Cloud | 9.0 | ||
| 7 | Redmine | Free | 8.9 | |
| 8 | Taiga | Yes | €50/yr | 8.8 |
| 9 | Basecamp | Yes | $25/mo | 8.7 |
| 10 | ProjectLibre | Yes | $9.99/user/mo | 8.6 |
| 11 | ProjectManager | No | $15/user/mo | 8.5 |
| 12 | GanttPRO | No | $7/user/mo | 8.4 |
| 13 | ActiveCollab | No | $10/user/mo | 8.3 |
| 14 | Celoxis | No | $10/user/mo | 8.2 |
| 15 | TeamGantt | Yes | 8.1 | |
| 16 | Redbooth | Yes | $9/user/mo | 8.0 |
| 17 | ProofHub | No | $45/mo | 7.9 |
| 18 | Workzone | No | 7.8 | |
| 19 | Freedcamp | Yes | $1.49/user/mo | 7.7 |
| 20 | Asta Powerproject | £695/user/yr | 7.6 | |
| 21 | FastTrack Schedule | No | 7.5 | |
| 22 | RationalPlan | 7.4 | ||
| 23 | Project Plan 365 | Yes | $9.99/user/mo | 7.3 |
| 24 | Merlin Project | No | $99.99/user/yr | 7.1 |
| 25 | Twproject | Yes | €80/mo | 7.0 |
| 26 | Nutcache | 6.9 |
Head-to-head All 21 comparisons →
- Teamwork.com vs Microsoft Project
- Teamwork.com vs P4 Plan (formerly Hansoft)
- Teamwork.com vs Oracle Primavera Cloud
- Teamwork.com vs Redmine
- Teamwork.com vs Taiga
- Zoho Projects vs Microsoft Project
- Zoho Projects vs P4 Plan (formerly Hansoft)
- Zoho Projects vs Oracle Primavera Cloud
- Zoho Projects vs Redmine
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How we rank project planning software
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update