Softwr

Construction · head to head

Microsoft Project vs Houdini

Microsoft Project logo

Microsoft Project

Construction

Keep projects organized and on track

From
$10/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Houdini logo

Houdini

CAD

Procedural 3D animation and VFX

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Houdini 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; Houdini houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Houdini covers Procedural modeling.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Project and Houdini differ
AttributeMicrosoft ProjectHoudini
Starting price$10/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOSWindows, MacOS, Linux
CategoryConstructionCAD
Founded19751987

Identical on both: 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 Microsoft Project

  • Gantt charts
  • Resource management
  • Budget tracking
  • Timeline views
  • Task dependencies
  • Critical path
  • Earned value analysis
  • Portfolio management

Only in Houdini

  • Procedural modeling
  • VFX
  • Simulations
  • Particle systems
  • Pyro FX
  • Ocean tools
  • Rigging
  • Rendering

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Project

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

Houdini

  • Procedural 3D modelling and environment generationnot Microsoft Project
  • Visual effects simulation for pyro, fluids, cloth and rigid bodiesnot Microsoft Project
  • Building reusable procedural assets for a studio pipelinenot 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

Houdini

  • Houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • Houdini Indie cannot be used in the same pipeline as commercial versions of Houdini
  • Houdini Indie and Apprentice save to their own .hipnc file format, which commercial Houdini pipelines do not share
  • The free Apprentice edition is non commercial, caps render resolution at 1920x1080 and watermarks output images
  • Houdini Indie ships with only 2 render tokens
  • Full DOP level simulation node access requires Houdini FX at $4,495 per workstation; Core at $1,995 exposes only SOP level pre built simulation assets
  • Extra render tokens cost $195

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

Houdini

Free
  • ApprenticeFree
    • Learning version
    • Non-commercial
  • Indie$269/month
    • Revenue limit $100K
  • Core$1995/month
    • Full commercial
  • FX$4495/month
    • Full + simulations

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 Houdini if

  • You need procedural modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want vfx.
Houdini review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Project or Houdini better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Project starts at $10/month and Houdini at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Project or Houdini?
Houdini has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10/month for Microsoft Project and Free for Houdini.
Does Microsoft Project or Houdini run on more platforms?
Microsoft Project runs on Web, Windows, macOS. Houdini runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
Can I use Houdini for free?
Yes. Houdini 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 Houdini is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Project do that Houdini cannot?
Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Resource management, Budget tracking, Timeline views. Houdini covers Procedural modeling, VFX, Simulations, Particle systems.

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
Houdini: How much does SideFX Houdini cost?

SideFX Houdini pricing is not published on their website. Specific prices for commercial, educational, and non-commercial licenses must be obtained by adding items to your cart or contacting SideFX sales directly.

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
Houdini: What license types does Houdini offer?

Houdini offers Commercial licenses (Houdini Indie for under $100K USD annual revenue, Houdini Core, Houdini FX, Houdini Engine), Non-Commercial licenses (Houdini Apprentice free, Houdini Education for Students and Schools), Rental options, and Annual Upgrade Plans. Volume-based discounts are available for Houdini Engine.

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
Houdini: Is Houdini available for free?

Yes. Houdini Apprentice is available free for non-commercial use. Houdini Education licenses are also available for students and schools at no cost.

Source
Houdini: Are volume discounts available for Houdini?

Yes. Volume-based discounts are available for Houdini Engine licenses. Rental and Annual Upgrade Plan pricing have been adjusted as of Houdini 21.

Source
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