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Software · head to head

Wrike vs Microsoft Project

Wrike logo

Wrike

Software

Versatile & robust project management software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Project logo

Microsoft Project

Software

Keep projects organized and on track

From
$10/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Wrike has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; Microsoft Project performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable
  • They diverge on capability: Wrike covers Interactive Gantt charts, Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Wrike and Microsoft Project differ
AttributeWrikeMicrosoft Project
Starting priceFree$10/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, LinuxWeb, Windows, macOS
Founded20061975

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 Wrike

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

Only in Microsoft Project

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

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.

Wrike

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

Microsoft Project

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Wrike

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

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 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

Choose Microsoft Project if

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

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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: 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: 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: 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
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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