Softwr

CAD · head to head

Lumion vs Microsoft Project

Lumion logo

Lumion

CAD

Architectural visualization made easy

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Project logo

Microsoft Project

Construction

Keep projects organized and on track

From
$10/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lumion enterprise tier is priced by quote only, labelled Let's talk in the vendor's own pricing data, alongside otherwise self-serve tiers with published dollar and pound figures; Microsoft Project performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable
  • They diverge on capability: Lumion covers Real-time rendering, Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lumion and Microsoft Project actually diverge.

Attributes where Lumion and Microsoft Project differ
AttributeLumionMicrosoft Project
Starting price$29/month$10/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWindowsWeb, Windows, macOS
CategoryCADConstruction
Founded19981975

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 Lumion

  • Real-time rendering
  • Content library
  • Effects
  • Video animation
  • VR export
  • LiveSync
  • Revit
  • SketchUp

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.

Lumion

  • Architectural visualizationnot Microsoft Project
  • Client presentationsnot Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project

  • Project schedulingnot Lumion
  • Resource allocationnot Lumion
  • Portfolio managementnot Lumion
  • Budget trackingnot Lumion
  • Enterprise project managementnot Lumion

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Lumion

  • Enterprise tier is priced by quote only, labelled Let's talk in the vendor's own pricing data, alongside otherwise self-serve tiers with published dollar and pound figures

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

Lumion

$29/month
  • Standard$1499/month
    • Core features
  • Pro$2999/month
    • Full features
    • More content

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 Lumion if

  • You need real-time rendering.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want content library.
Lumion review

Choose Microsoft Project if

  • You need gantt charts.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want resource management.
Microsoft Project review

Questions people ask

Is Lumion or Microsoft Project better?
Neither clearly leads. Lumion starts at $29/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, Lumion or Microsoft Project?
Lumion starts at $29/month and Microsoft Project at $10/month.
Does Lumion or Microsoft Project run on more platforms?
Lumion runs on Windows. Microsoft Project runs on Web, Windows, macOS.
What is Lumion best used for?
Lumion is most often used for architectural visualization, client presentations. Of those, architectural visualization and client presentations are not what Microsoft Project is typically brought in for.
What can Lumion do that Microsoft Project cannot?
Lumion covers Real-time rendering, Content library, Effects, Video animation. Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Resource management, Budget tracking, Timeline views.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lumion: Where can I find Lumion pricing information?

Specific pricing details are not published on Lumion's public website. Interested customers need to visit the full Lumion website or contact the sales team directly for quotes.

Source
Microsoft 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.

Source
Lumion: Does Lumion offer a free trial?

A free trial is available for Lumion, though the specific trial duration and included features are not detailed on the main website.

Source
Microsoft 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.

Source
Lumion: What is Lumion's licensing model?

Lumion is a commercial software product for architects and 3D rendering professionals. Licensing details and purchase options require contacting the sales team directly.

Source
Microsoft 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
Share

Related pages

More on Lumion

More on Microsoft Project

Keep looking

Other head to heads