Project management software is an important tool for organising and streamlining tasks, resources, and timelines to enable business change through successful projects. This software comes in various forms, each tailored to different needs, from large-scale enterprise solutions to agile project management software tools.

Three of the best project management solutions you can get, let’s take a look at Microsoft planner vs Project vs Fluid to see which one would be right for your business.

At a glance

Microsoft Planner: Microsoft Planner is a lightweight project management tool within the Microsoft 365 suite. It's better suited for smaller teams and simpler projects, focusing on task lists, assignments, and basic collaboration.

G2 Score: 4.2

Microsoft Project: Microsoft Project is a comprehensive project management software designed for larger enterprises and organisations. It offers a wide range of features for planning, scheduling, and resource management, making it ideal for complex and long-term projects.

G2 Score: 4.0

Fluid: Fluid is an agile project management software suitable for businesses of all sizes. It's known for its user-friendly interface, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, making it an excellent choice for teams looking to streamline their projects without overwhelming complexity.

G2 Score: 4.8

What’s the difference: Microsoft Planner vs Project vs Fluid

When it comes to project management, your choice of software can make or break your team's productivity and project outcomes. Microsoft Planner, Microsoft Project, and Fluid each have their own unique powers and abilities. Let's dive in and uncover the key differences between them based on their epic features and capabilities. 

Microsoft Planner key features

Task Lists:

Microsoft Planner organises tasks into lists, making it easy to create, assign, and track individual tasks. 

Visual Boards:

It uses visual boards with customisable columns to provide a clear overview of project progress.

Basic Collaboration:

While it encourages collaboration, the collaboration features are more limited compared to Microsoft Project.

Microsoft Project key features

Advanced Planning: Microsoft Project excels in detailed project planning, allowing you to create Gantt charts, set dependencies, and manage resources meticulously.

Resource Management:

It offers robust resource management tools, helping you allocate and track resources effectively 

Budget Tracking:

Microsoft Project provides features for budget management and cost tracking.

Customisation:

The software allows for high-level customisation, making it suitable for tailored project management needs.

Fluid key features

Workflow Automation:

Fluid offers powerful workflow automation, allowing users to create intricate workflows to streamline their processes.

Reporting & Analytics:

It provides a comprehensive reporting and analytics tools, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions easily.

Resource Management:

It provides advanced resource management tools, allowing users to allocate resources, track workloads, and optimise resource allocation.

Financial Management:

Fluid provides comprehensive financial management including budget tracking, expense management, and revenue forecasting. 

Integrations

Integrations are the lifeblood of project management software, supercharging work processes, fostering collaboration, and boosting productivity. By enabling different software systems to communicate effortlessly, integrations take away the manual data entry and transfer. They automate mundane tasks, freeing up time for more strategic work.

We’ve outlined some of the key integrations offered by Microsoft Planner, Project and Fluid to see how they can slot into your existing business programmes.

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How does customer support work: Microsoft Planner vs Project vs Fluid

Customer support plays a vital role in every project management software, guaranteeing users have the help they need at their fingertips. Now, let's dive into a comparison of the customer support options offered.

Microsoft Planner:

• Customer support: Microsoft Planner offers customer support primarily through the Microsoft 365 support centre. Users can find answers to common questions and issues related to Planner. 

• Community forums: Microsoft Planner users can also engage with the Microsoft community through forums, where they can seek advice, share experiences, and troubleshoot problems together.

Microsoft Project:

• Customer support: Microsoft Project offers a robust support system, including online documentation, FAQs, community forums, and user guides. Users can access a vast knowledge base to find answers to common queries.

• Paid support plans: Microsoft provides premium support plans for Microsoft Project users, which offer direct access to Microsoft experts for technical assistance. These plans come at an additional cost.

Fluid:

• Customer support: Fluid places a strong emphasis on customer support, offering various channels for users to seek assistance. This includes email support and a dedicated customer support team.

• Personalised help: Fluid stands out by providing personalised customer support. Users can access real customer service support with human agents who can address specific queries and issues promptly. 

• Online resources: In addition to direct support, Fluid offers an extensive knowledge base and user guides to help users navigate the software effectively.

Comparison:

• Availability of human support: Fluid takes the lead in customer support by offering direct access to human agents, ensuring that users receive personalised assistance. Microsoft Project offers premium support, but it comes at an extra cost. 

• Online resources: All three solutions provide quality online documentation and a wealth of resources. 

• Community engagement: Microsoft Planner relies on community forums for user-to-user support, which can be helpful for collaborative problem-solving, but also time-consuming. The direct support channels from Fluid may provide quicker resolutions.

Pricing plans: Microsoft Planner vs Project vs Fluid

When it comes to running a business, price is definitely a factor that needs to be considered. Pricing for project management software tends to be in tiers, but it’s worth remembering that tiers are not the same across different providers. For example, a basic plan for one solution may seem expensive compared to another, however it could provide many more features than the other too. It’s important to take into consideration everything that you get for your money and make sure it’s suitable for the business.

Microsoft Planner

Microsoft Planner is for simple, task-based work so the pricing model is for a general MS suite of products.  

There is only one type of MS Planner so there are no adaptations to what is included in each tier. The only difference is the other apps that are included.

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project comes with two sets of pricing, one for a cloud-based solution and another for on-premises solutions. We’ve outlined the pricing for a cloud-based model below.

Fluid

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Ease of use: Microsoft Planner vs Project vs Fluid

When choosing project management software, user-friendliness is a key consideration. Let's look into the ease of use for three popular options: Microsoft Project, Microsoft Planner, and Fluid.

Microsoft Planner

G2 Ease of Use rating: 8.8

Pros:

• Simplicity: Microsoft Planner is designed to be straightforward and user-friendly, making it easy for beginners to get started.‍
• Visual interface: It uses visual boards and cards, resembling a digital kanban board, which many find intuitive.‍
• Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft 365 apps, creating a cohesive ecosystem.

Cons: 

• Limited features: Microsoft Planner isn’t really a project management tool but more a task management tool, lacking the features needed for projects.
• Scalability: It may not be the best choice for larger organisations or projects with numerous tasks. 

Microsoft Project

G2 Ease of Use rating: 7.3

Pros:

• Familiar interface: Microsoft Project follows the classic Microsoft Office interface, making it comfortable for users familiar with Office applications.
• Robust features: It offers comprehensive project management capabilities but allows users to customise their experience by choosing which features to use.
• Rich templates: Microsoft Project provides various templates for project types, simplifying project setup.

Cons:

• Learning curve: Due to its extensive feature set, Microsoft Project can have a steep learning curve for new users.
• Complexity: For smaller projects or teams, the wealth of features may feel overwhelming and unnecessary.
• Very pricey: Compared to other solutions, Microsoft Project gives the same bang but for more bucks!

Fluid

G2 Ease of Use rating: 9.5

Pros:

• Intuitive design: Fluid is known for its clean and intuitive user interface, which is easy for users of all levels.
• Customisable: It allows users to tailor their workspace to their specific needs, enhancing ease of use.
• Quick learning curve: Fluid's simplicity and focus on essential project management features result in a short learning curve.

Cons:

• Try Fluid for yourself with a free trial or book a demo. If you find a con, let us know and I’m sure there will be a great solution!

Alternatives to Microsoft Planner, Project and Fluid

If you're looking for alternatives to Microsoft Planner, Project, and Fluid, you can consider these options:

Asana: Asana is a versatile project management tool suitable for a wide range of businesses. It offers features for task management, team collaboration, and project tracking.

monday.com: monday.com is a work operating system that covers project and team management. It's known for its flexibility and adaptability to different workflows.

Smartsheet: Smartsheet combines the familiarity of spreadsheets with project management capabilities. It's suitable for businesses that require detailed planning and data management. 

ClickUp: ClickUp is an all-in-one project management platform with features for task management, time tracking, goal setting, and more. It's highly customisable to suit various business needs.

What to choose: Microsoft Planner vs Project vs Fluid

While Microsoft Planner and Project have their merits, Fluid offers the flexibility, affordability, and ease of use that many organisations crave.

Microsoft Planner is a task management tool, so it doesn’t fit into the category or a project management solution. Although Microsoft Project is a good project management software, it’s steep learning curve and wallet-lightening ability doesn’t make it the best catch. Fluid has adaptability and the ability to cater to a variety of industries and project types make it the preferred choice for streamlining project management processes and driving successful project outcomes.

To make an informed decision, consider your organisation's specific needs and explore a free trial of each solution so you have first-hand experience.

Check out a recorded demo to take a look at Fluid first-hand.