Softwr

Construction · head to head

Microsoft Project vs PlanSwift

Microsoft Project logo

Microsoft Project

Construction

Keep projects organized and on track

From
$10/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanSwift logo

PlanSwift

Construction

Digital takeoff and estimating software

From
$1499/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Project performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable; PlanSwift only one published plan tier (Professional at $2,000 annually)
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, PlanSwift covers Digital takeoff.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Project and PlanSwift differ
AttributeMicrosoft ProjectPlanSwift
Starting price$10/month$1499/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOSWindows
Founded19752000

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

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 PlanSwift

  • Digital takeoff
  • Estimating
  • Assemblies
  • Reporting
  • Plan viewing
  • QuickBooks
  • Sage
  • ConstructConnect

Both cover

  • Excel

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Microsoft Project

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

PlanSwift

  • Taking off quantities from construction drawings on screennot Microsoft Project
  • Producing material and labour estimates from digital plansnot 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

PlanSwift

  • Only one published plan tier (Professional at $2,000 annually)
  • Annual renewal required; no monthly subscription option stated
  • No multi-user or team-based pricing options published

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

PlanSwift

$1499/year
  • PlanSwift Pro$1499/year
    • Digital takeoff
    • Estimating
    • Assemblies
  • PlanSwift Pro+$2099/year
    • Everything in Pro
    • Advanced reports
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Project if

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

Choose PlanSwift if

  • You need digital takeoff.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want estimating.
PlanSwift review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Project or PlanSwift better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Project starts at $10/month and PlanSwift at $1499/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Project or PlanSwift?
Microsoft Project starts at $10/month and PlanSwift at $1499/year.
Does Microsoft Project or PlanSwift run on more platforms?
Microsoft Project runs on Web, Windows, macOS. PlanSwift runs on Windows.
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 PlanSwift is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Project do that PlanSwift cannot?
Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Resource management, Budget tracking, Timeline views. PlanSwift covers Digital takeoff, Estimating, Assemblies, Reporting. Both handle Excel.

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.

Source
PlanSwift: How much does PlanSwift cost?

PlanSwift Professional costs $2,000 USD per year as an annual subscription. The price includes software access, updates, support for 12 months, and 2 hours of training.

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
PlanSwift: Does PlanSwift offer a free trial?

Yes, PlanSwift offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. This allows users to evaluate the software and its Takeoff Boost AI tools before committing to the annual subscription.

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
PlanSwift: What is included in PlanSwift Professional?

PlanSwift Professional includes full software access, 1 year of updates and support, 2 hours of training, and Takeoff Boost, a suite of AI tools that automates measuring, counting, and scaling tasks.

Source
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