Calendar & Time Management · head to head
Float vs Microsoft Project
Float
Calendar & Time Management
Resource management for agencies and teams
- From
- $6/month
- Rated
- -
Microsoft Project
Construction
Keep projects organized and on track
- From
- $10/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Float web-only platform without native desktop applications; Microsoft Project performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable
- They diverge on capability: Float covers Resource scheduling, Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Float and Microsoft Project actually diverge.
| Attribute | Float | Microsoft Project |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $6/month | $10/month |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Web, Windows, macOS |
| Category | Calendar & Time Management | Construction |
| Founded | 2011 | 1975 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Float
- Resource scheduling
- Capacity planning
- Time tracking
- Project planning
- Reports
- Asana
- Jira
- Teamwork
Only in Microsoft Project
- Gantt charts
- Resource management
- Budget tracking
- Timeline views
- Task dependencies
- Critical path
- Earned value analysis
- Portfolio management
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Float
- Schedulingnot Microsoft Project
- Appointment bookingnot Microsoft Project
- Time trackingnot Microsoft Project
- Resource managementnot Microsoft Project
- Team coordinationnot Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project
- Project schedulingnot Float
- Resource allocationnot Float
- Portfolio managementnot Float
- Budget trackingnot Float
- Enterprise project managementnot Float
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Float
- Web-only platform without native desktop applications
- No offline mode for resource planning
- Limited reporting customization on lower-tier plans
- No built-in payroll or invoicing features
Microsoft Project
- Performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable
- Limited Agile methodology support, primarily designed for waterfall project management
- Proprietary .mpp file format creates compatibility issues on non-Windows systems
- No offline mode, limiting users without reliable internet connectivity
Pricing, plan by plan
Float
$6/month- Starter$6/month
- Resource scheduling
- Time off
- Basic reports
- Pro$10/month
- Time tracking
- Budget tracking
- Advanced reports
Microsoft Project
$10/month- Plan 1$10/month
- Task and project management
- Grid views
- Timeline features
- Plan 3$30/month
- Desktop client
- Resource management
- Advanced scheduling
- Plan 5$55/month
- Portfolio management
- Demand management
- Enterprise capabilities
Which should you pick?
Choose Float if
- You need resource scheduling.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want capacity planning.
Choose Microsoft Project if
- You need gantt charts.
- You work on Web, Windows, macOS.
- You also want resource management.
Questions people ask
- Is Float or Microsoft Project better?
- Neither clearly leads. Float starts at $6/month and Microsoft Project at $10/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Float or Microsoft Project?
- Float starts at $6/month and Microsoft Project at $10/month.
- Does Float or Microsoft Project run on more platforms?
- Float runs on Web, Ios, Android. Microsoft Project runs on Web, Windows, macOS.
- What is Float best used for?
- Float is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Microsoft Project is typically brought in for.
- What can Float do that Microsoft Project cannot?
- Float covers Resource scheduling, Capacity planning, Time tracking, Project planning. Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Resource management, Budget tracking, Timeline views.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Float: What does Float pricing start at?
Float's Starter plan begins at $7 per user per month for basic resource scheduling and capacity management. The Pro plan costs $12 per user per month with advanced features like estimates and actuals tracking.
SourceMicrosoft Project: What are the different Microsoft Project plans and pricing?
Microsoft Project offers Plan 1 at $10/user/month for basic project management, Plan 3 at $30/user/month with desktop client and resource management, and Plan 5 at $55/user/month for enterprise portfolio management. Desktop licenses (2024) start at $679.99 for Standard and $1,129.99 for Professional.
SourceFloat: Is Float independent or backed by investors?
Float is independent and self-funded. The company is a B Corp certified since 2024 and is profitable. It has never raised venture funding and operates with a fully remote team.
SourceMicrosoft Project: Does Microsoft Project support Agile methodology?
Microsoft Project was primarily designed for traditional waterfall project management. While it has some Agile features, it is not optimized for Agile workflows compared to dedicated Agile tools like Jira or Monday.com.
SourceFloat: What platforms does Float support?
Float is a web-based platform accessible through modern browsers. It provides visual resource management, scheduling, capacity planning, time tracking, and forecasting tools.
SourceMicrosoft Project: Can multiple teams collaborate in real-time on Microsoft Project?
Yes, Microsoft Project for the Web provides real-time collaboration through cloud-based access. However, collaboration is noted as harder compared to modern cloud-native tools due to its file-based architecture.
Source