Software · head to head
Microsoft Project vs Okta
The short version
- Only Okta has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft Project performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable; Okta requires $1,500 annual minimum contract
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO).
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Project and Okta actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Project | Okta |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10/month | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS | Web, SaaS |
| Founded | 1975 | 2009 |
Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Microsoft Project
- Gantt charts
- Resource management
- Budget tracking
- Timeline views
- Task dependencies
- Critical path
- Earned value analysis
- Portfolio management
Only in Okta
- Single sign-on (SSO)
- Multi-factor authentication
- Lifecycle management
- Universal directory
- API access management
- B2B integration
- Passwordless authentication
- Adaptive MFA
Both cover
- SOC2
- ISO27001
- HIPAA
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Project
- Project schedulingnot Okta
- Resource allocationnot Okta
- Portfolio managementnot Okta
- Budget trackingnot Okta
- Enterprise project managementnot Okta
Okta
- Employee SSOnot Microsoft Project
- Customer identitynot Microsoft Project
- B2B integrationnot Microsoft Project
- Zero Trust securitynot Microsoft Project
- Compliancenot Microsoft Project
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Okta
- Requires $1,500 annual minimum contract
- Admin-only MFA can be vulnerable to push notification fatigue attacks
- Implementation requires significant services and integration fees in year one
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Okta
Free- Starter Suite$6/user/month
- SSO
- MFA
- Universal Directory
- Core Essentials Suite$14/user/month
- Adaptive MFA
- Privileged Access
- Lifecycle Management
- Essentials Suite$17/user/month
- Same as Core Essentials
- Most popular
- Professional Suite$null/custom
- Device Access
- Identity Security Posture
- Threat Protection
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Project if
- You need gantt charts.
- You work on Web, Windows, macOS.
- You also want resource management.
Choose Okta if
- You need single sign-on (sso).
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, SaaS.
- You also want multi-factor authentication.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Project or Okta better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Project starts at $10/month and Okta at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Project or Okta?
- Okta has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10/month for Microsoft Project and Free for Okta.
- Does Microsoft Project or Okta run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Project runs on Web, Windows, macOS. Okta runs on Web, SaaS.
- Can I use Okta for free?
- Yes. Okta has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft Project starts at $10/month.
- What is Microsoft Project best used for?
- Microsoft Project is most often used for project scheduling, resource allocation, portfolio management, budget tracking. Of those, project scheduling and resource allocation are not what Okta is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Project do that Okta cannot?
- Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Resource management, Budget tracking, Timeline views. Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Multi-factor authentication, Lifecycle management, Universal directory. Both handle SOC2, ISO27001, HIPAA.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceOkta: What is the minimum contract for Okta Workforce Identity?
Okta requires a $1,500 annual minimum contract for Workforce Identity plans. Pricing starts at $6 per user per month (Starter) and ranges to $17 per user per month (Essentials), billed annually.
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.
SourceOkta: Does Okta offer a free trial?
Yes, Okta provides a 30-day free trial so customers can explore all product capabilities before committing to a paid plan.
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.
SourceOkta: How many pre-built integrations does Okta support?
Okta offers over 7,000 pre-built integrations with popular enterprise applications including Salesforce, Slack, Workday, Box, Confluence, and Zendesk.
SourceOkta: What security features does Okta provide for admins?
Okta provides multi-factor authentication, adaptive MFA, single logout, and identity threat detection and response. However, only 94% of Okta customers have MFA enabled for administrators.
SourceOkta: Can Okta integrate with on-premises directories?
Yes, Okta's Universal Directory and lifecycle management support cloud and on-premises identity sources, including Active Directory and LDAP.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Project
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