Softwr

Construction · head to head

Microsoft Project vs Wrike

Microsoft Project logo

Microsoft Project

Construction

Keep projects organized and on track

From
$10/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wrike logo

Wrike

Marketing

Versatile & robust project management software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Wrike 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; Wrike seats are sold in blocks rather than singly: groups of 5 up to 30 seats, groups of 10 up to 100, and groups of 25 above that, so adding one person can mean paying for five
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Wrike covers Interactive Gantt charts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Project and Wrike differ
AttributeMicrosoft ProjectWrike
Starting price$10/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOSWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux
CategoryConstructionMarketing
Founded19752006

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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
  • Budget tracking
  • Timeline views
  • Task dependencies
  • Critical path
  • Earned value analysis
  • Portfolio management
  • SharePoint

Only in Wrike

  • Interactive Gantt charts
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Custom workflows
  • Time tracking
  • Proofing tools
  • Performance reports
  • Mobile apps
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Resource management
  • Microsoft Teams
  • SOC2
  • ISO27001
  • GDPR
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Project

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

Wrike

  • Marketing campaignsnot Microsoft Project
  • Creative projectsnot Microsoft Project
  • Product developmentnot Microsoft Project
  • Professional servicesnot Microsoft Project
  • Event managementnot 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

Wrike

  • Seats are sold in blocks rather than singly: groups of 5 up to 30 seats, groups of 10 up to 100, and groups of 25 above that, so adding one person can mean paying for five
  • The Team plan is limited to 2 to 15 users and Business to 5 to 200
  • Business and above are annual subscriptions only
  • Pinnacle and Apex pricing is not published
  • AI actions are rationed by tier rather than unlimited

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

Wrike

Free
  • FreeFree
  • Team$10/month
    • Per user
    • Gantt charts
    • AI included
  • Business$25/month
    • Per user
  • Pinnacle$undefined/month

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Project if

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

Choose Wrike if

  • You need interactive gantt charts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
Wrike review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Project or Wrike better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Project starts at $10/month and Wrike at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Project or Wrike?
Wrike has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10/month for Microsoft Project and Free for Wrike.
Does Microsoft Project or Wrike run on more platforms?
Microsoft Project runs on Web, Windows, macOS. Wrike runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Wrike for free?
Yes. Wrike 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 Wrike is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Project do that Wrike cannot?
Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Budget tracking, Timeline views, Task dependencies. Wrike covers Interactive Gantt charts, Real-time collaboration, Custom workflows, Time tracking. Both handle Resource management, Microsoft Teams, SOC2, ISO27001.

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
Wrike: Are Gantt charts included in all plans?

Gantt charts are available in the Team plan ($10/user/month) and higher. The free plan has limited project visualization.

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
Wrike: Is AI included in the pricing?

Yes. As of January 2026, Wrike includes AI Agents and AI Priority Inbox in all plans at no extra cost, a major differentiator from competitors charging $20-40/user/month for AI.

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
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