Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Basecamp
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
Basecamp is a web-based project-management tool. Basecamp offers features standard to project management platforms, as well as mobile accessibility, unlimited users, and 3rd party integrations. Basecamp is priced by space requirements and concurrent projects.
$15
per month per user
Microsoft Project
Score 7.9 out of 10
N/A
Microsoft Project is a project management software. It provides core PM functionality, including agile workflow support and resource management. Project can be deployed in the cloud or on-premise.
$120
per year per user
ProjectLibre
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
ProjectLibre is an open source project management software built as a software as a service (SaaS) deployment.N/A
Pricing
BasecampMicrosoft ProjectProjectLibre
Editions & Modules
Basecamp Plus
$15
per month per user
Basecamp Pro Unlimited
$299
per month (billed annually)
Basecamp Free
Free
Limited Capabilities
Project Server
$0
Planner Plan 1
$10
per month per user
Planner and Project Plan 3
$30
per month per user
Planner and Project Plan 5
$55
per month per user
Project Standard 2024
$679.99
one-time fee per installation
Project Professional 2024
$1,129.99
one-time fee per installation
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
BasecampMicrosoft ProjectProjectLibre
Free Trial
YesYesNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesNoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsPlans are billed annually.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
BasecampMicrosoft ProjectProjectLibre
Considered Multiple Products
Basecamp
Chose Basecamp
The overall monthly fee/subscription is cheaper than a Microsoft Project (or Project Server). It has a better user experience and online ability to collaborate is what customers expect now.
Chose Basecamp
Samepage and Slack are just a few steps ahead with its messenger and communication platforms and is leagues behind when it comes to integration with other systems. However, most systems can be redundant when attempting to accomplish something that caters to a non-technical …
Chose Basecamp
Basecamp is a feature-rich and user-friendly platform that outpaces other solutions we've explored. The vast number of integrations available, as well as the years of dedicated developers as well as the natively available mobile apps, really make Basecamp a leader in this …
Chose Basecamp
[Basecamp is] simpler to use less ramp-up. It's cheaper per user and allows for a better mobile experience.
Chose Basecamp
Basecamp is more entry level and has a much easier set up than most of the competitors. I greatly prefer Trello, but when I am working with new marketers they always suggest Basecamp. Basecamp is good, but it is just so easy to get the multiple pieces of a project jumbled …
Chose Basecamp
I have found Basecamp to be a much easier to use project management software. The setup is much easier too, you can have a project up and running quicker with Basecamp. It seems more intuitive to uses when they receive a Basecamp invite, on logging in and figuring out what …
Chose Basecamp
Looked at
  • Microsoft Project - too cumbersome for our agile projects.
  • Liquid Planner - too costly.
  • Tom's Planner - just a scheduling program and difficult to update.
Microsoft Project
Chose Microsoft Project
ProjectLibre is a free or open source version of MS Project. It’s supported by a community of programmers that maintain its versions. It’s definitely not MS Project but definitely gives you a good idea what to expect from MS Project. I would recommend trying it first to see if …
Chose Microsoft Project
I can't remember because it was many years ago. But Microsoft Project was very affordable and had a much larger set of features. Also the stability of its technology, as well as the number of existing users, the abundant documentation and the possibility of having well-defined …
Chose Microsoft Project
We picked Microsoft Project instead of ProofHub due to us already using Office 365. Microsoft Project was the cheaper of the two options and seemed to fit our needs better than ProofHub. It seemed to be easier to use on the front end since some of our less technology-savvy …
Chose Microsoft Project
Sharing information is easy, and more support is available online.
Chose Microsoft Project
We chose Microsoft Projects as we have an ongoing relationship with Microsoft and we use their other tools. Most people in our office are familiar with Microsoft Projects and our customers are use Microsoft Projects too. It integrates well with other tools we use in our office. …
Chose Microsoft Project
Smartsheet came from behind covering some of the gaps in Microsoft Project and started to become more and more popular. And for good reason, it combines the main features of project management from both Project and Project Server. It provides good user experience and it is …
Chose Microsoft Project
While many of the above tools are extremely well-versed, Microsoft Project's largest advantage comes from it being related to the largest business productivity company in the world. Project does have its sharing limitations - but regardless, offers one of the most robust tools …
Chose Microsoft Project
Project is much more robust compared to other products on the market. I haven't evaluated them all, but I'm pretty happy with what project has been able to do for me and a Project manager. There is a lot of functionality if you don't many paying for it. Overall, I think Project …
Chose Microsoft Project
The strength it has is that it's the best complete solution for project planning. I would choose Microsoft Project over cloud solutions only if the requirements specify self-hosted solutions or that it allows integration with the AD and other corporate tools. But be prepared to …
ProjectLibre
Chose ProjectLibre
Microsoft Project has a great interface and features. However, the cost of ProjectLibre overshadows anything that Microsoft can provide. The cost to benefits that ProjectLibre provides along with their similar features to Microsoft makes ProjectLibre a leader in the project …
Chose ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre offer many of the same functionalities as MS Project , but at no cost! While the user interface might not be as aesthetically pleasing or intuitive as MS Project, ProjectLibre still gets the job done while enabling substantial cost savings. Both products are …
Chose ProjectLibre
We decided to go with ProjectLibre because it is a free tool and there is a great community that supports us in case there are any questions or concerns about the software. This has allowed us to be able to invest time without having to worry about licensing costs or anything …
Chose ProjectLibre
As already mentioned, ProjectLibre doesn't hold up well against a professional project management tool.
It is quite suited for simple projects and if you don't need to advanced features of other tools and if you don't need simple scripting extensibility. My main driver on using …
Chose ProjectLibre
1) Ability to access project plans created using MS Projects - MS Projects license is expensive and we cannot have all users assigned one. This is where ProjectLibre comes in. We can get the team to access project plans rather than sharing them as PDFs

2) User interface is …
Chose ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre is open-sourced, so constantly on the verge of getting better. I think this one is more suited against other workflow programs because it is built for function and (like referenced in another section) not meant to be something you can distract your boss with to …
Chose ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre is a free tool with no limit for users using the tool and mainly works on all Windows, Linux and MAC OS operating systems. It is a very interesting alternative for those who are starting in the project management area. And you don't want to spend on paid software …
Features
BasecampMicrosoft ProjectProjectLibre
Project Management
Comparison of Project Management features of Product A and Product B
Basecamp
8.8
124 Ratings
13% above category average
Microsoft Project
8.0
111 Ratings
3% above category average
ProjectLibre
6.8
14 Ratings
13% below category average
Task Management9.3123 Ratings8.2110 Ratings7.414 Ratings
Resource Management9.1103 Ratings7.7107 Ratings7.914 Ratings
Gantt Charts6.743 Ratings9.0107 Ratings8.213 Ratings
Scheduling8.599 Ratings8.5109 Ratings7.314 Ratings
Workflow Automation8.572 Ratings10.083 Ratings5.812 Ratings
Team Collaboration9.7123 Ratings7.398 Ratings6.511 Ratings
Support for Agile Methodology9.351 Ratings4.983 Ratings5.99 Ratings
Support for Waterfall Methodology8.748 Ratings7.783 Ratings6.59 Ratings
Document Management9.6115 Ratings9.077 Ratings6.512 Ratings
Email integration8.4101 Ratings5.082 Ratings6.46 Ratings
Mobile Access8.9100 Ratings10.067 Ratings9.53 Ratings
Timesheet Tracking9.248 Ratings10.073 Ratings5.79 Ratings
Change request and Case Management9.458 Ratings7.864 Ratings5.97 Ratings
Budget and Expense Management8.342 Ratings7.686 Ratings6.214 Ratings
Professional Services Automation
Comparison of Professional Services Automation features of Product A and Product B
Basecamp
8.0
42 Ratings
3% above category average
Microsoft Project
8.8
79 Ratings
13% above category average
ProjectLibre
6.7
11 Ratings
14% below category average
Quotes/estimates10.030 Ratings7.855 Ratings6.16 Ratings
Invoicing10.026 Ratings10.045 Ratings5.87 Ratings
Project & financial reporting8.034 Ratings7.576 Ratings6.27 Ratings
Integration with accounting software4.028 Ratings10.050 Ratings8.53 Ratings
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BasecampMicrosoft ProjectProjectLibre
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Score 8.5 out of 10
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User Ratings
BasecampMicrosoft ProjectProjectLibre
Likelihood to Recommend
9.8
(150 ratings)
8.1
(111 ratings)
7.5
(14 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(26 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.3
(20 ratings)
8.7
(9 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Availability
10.0
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
7.3
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.8
(28 ratings)
8.2
(34 ratings)
9.8
(3 ratings)
Online Training
5.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
7.7
(4 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Configurability
8.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
BasecampMicrosoft ProjectProjectLibre
Likelihood to Recommend
37 Signals
Basecamp is a wonderful tool for teams of varying degrees of technical knowledge, teams managing lots of different types of "agifall" and waterfall projects, and teams that are remotely distributed. It's probably less useful for more strictly agile-focused development teams, compared to other more flexible software applications like Jira and Asana.
Read full review
Microsoft
Microsoft Project Online is suited to Turnkey Projects where more Collaboration is required in Project Progress monitoring, risk assessment and conveying, issue recording and tracking. It is less appropriate when ERP Suites other than MS Dynamics are used, i.e when Enterprises need to integrate Finance / Accounting with It and having straight project management workflow
Read full review
ProjectLibre
As a project management tool, especially with more straightforward timelines and components, ProjectLibre is a great alternative to some of the costly PM software tools. I have managed many projects with both MS Project and ProjectLibre, and I think ProjectLibre is a great alternative, especially when I've worked in regions of the world where users cannot afford other PM tools.
Read full review
Pros
37 Signals
  • Task management - It is very easy to add, organize and discuss tasks within Basecamp's interface.
  • The "Campfire" function is great for communicating when you just have a quick question for someone on the team.
  • Notifications - Basecamp lets you decide how often and about what you'd like to be notified. The ability to respond to messages in Basecamp directly via email saves a lot of time.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • I love the Gantt Chart that Microsoft Project offers me, because it provides me with a view from various aspects, it provides me with exact details about the fulfillment of tasks over a period of time, it also allows me to make comparisons with the necessary data and the fulfilled data. by the employees, in order to know exactly if the project's expectations have been met.
  • I love the Gantt Chart that Microsoft Project offers me, because it provides me with a view from various aspects, it provides me with exact details about the fulfillment of tasks over a period of time, it also allows me to make comparisons with the necessary data and the fulfilled data by the employees, in order to know exactly if the project's expectations have been met.
  • The alert system for the fulfillment and delay of assignments is perfect. Microsoft Project allows me to configure the task system, I can assign the necessary tasks to fulfill the project, and the software alerts me immediately if the managers are fulfilling the assignments.
Read full review
ProjectLibre
  • ProjectLibre is great for project management. It allows us to establish milestones and timeline planning for projects.
  • It allows us to stay organized among multiple projects.
  • It is extremely simple to use with a simple interface. It takes little time to plan out a project with key dates and provides a nice graphic.
Read full review
Cons
37 Signals
  • High Learning Curve. It's true that it can be easy to use, but to use well and effectively takes some time to learn. It's recommended to have an agreed-upon system in your team of what tools to use and when.
  • Notification Overload. If people aren't careful they could send a notification to everyone when only a couple people were meant to be prompted. And since emails are sent by default, you could have your mailbox overloaded with unnecessary updates. This is where it takes a bit of training in your team to have an agreed-upon system.
  • Lack of organization with Archived Projects. I will often need to reference an archived project to make a new one, but there is only a list of archived projects in alphabetical order, with no way to organize by archive date, or even search.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • Seems overly complicated for users sometimes in using Project and its functionalities
  • Hard to share files for those folks who do not have MS Project, and then have to print out for them
  • Can be confusing since it looks and feels like MS Excel
Read full review
ProjectLibre
  • Customer service is not there - I understand that the product is open source but some kind of forum with FAQs, etc. can come in handy
  • App crashes at time for no reason. There have been instances where you try to create a new task and all the diagrams and other items get messed up
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
37 Signals
When I bring new people onto a project, it's immediately obvious how to use Basecamp. I don't have to worry about teaching them the features or walking them through it, it's just incredibly user-friendly. For this reason, I'll continue to renew my subscription even as new people are brought onto production jobs or the client changes.
Read full review
Microsoft
I like using Microsoft Project. It simplifies building a schedule
Read full review
ProjectLibre
No answers on this topic
Usability
37 Signals
It is easy to use, even for clients who have no experience with the platform. It can only get a little cumbersome to ensure that a client can't see certain documents you might want to keep in the Docs & Files folders. And sometimes, getting a client to actually use an unfamiliar platform can be a challenge.
Read full review
Microsoft
Microsoft
Project is easy to operate because data could be inserted, changed and
deleted like you are in an Excel timesheet. Besides, it provides a great
level of automation beween his fields allowing few data changes. Also, its
funcionalities are well defined and grouped in upper menus, so you can find a
funcionality quickly
Read full review
ProjectLibre
No answers on this topic
Reliability and Availability
37 Signals
I've never experienced downtime while using Basecamp, or been unable to access it when I needed it. That's not to say they've never had downtime, but I've been lucky enough not to encounter any, and I work odd hours, including late nights when maintenance is often undertaken.
Read full review
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
ProjectLibre
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
37 Signals
For the many reasons I've given, Basecamp is a very strong program. There are a few features I can imagine that might make it even better, but I don't have a basis for comparison to be able to say that there is definitely a better one out there. I've noticed that Basecamp has evolved a bit from the time I started using it until now, so that makes me think that the producer of this program values it and believes in continuous improvement. If you could use the features offered by Basecamp, I would think you could use it with confidence.
Read full review
Microsoft
Microsoft in recent years has transformed itself and gives a positive feeling when one interacts with the company. The company is focusing on its customers and willing to go extra mile to make customers happy.The company continues to invest in its products and bringing new features from time to time. Overall it is a positive feeling to be associated with such an iconic company.
Read full review
ProjectLibre
There are a lot of discussions online about it, and a customer addition based manual. While that can lead to some confusion, I am not the kind of person who likes talking on the phone. So it is easier to go online with ProjectLibre!
Read full review
Implementation Rating
37 Signals
Decide the process before implementation - i.e. when it's due 8/9 does that mean 8am, noon, 5pm, 11:59pm? Check your to-do list frequently Set-up templates - just not with the dates (they can be funky)
Read full review
Microsoft
I wasn't part of it so I don't know
Read full review
ProjectLibre
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
37 Signals
Pretty good, but [Basecamp] has its drawbacks. Honestly I find the interface non-intuitive and sometimes have trouble figuring out how to change the status of a task. Perhaps it has something to do with the way it was originally set up by the admin, but I'm not sure. I liked Jira's drag and drop obvious functionality, but the project management side of the software was lacking. Smartsheet has excellent project management functionality, but the task management isn't as good.
Read full review
Microsoft
While many of the above tools are extremely well-versed, Microsoft Project's largest advantage comes from it being related to the largest business productivity company in the world. Project does have its sharing limitations - but regardless, offers one of the most robust tools in the market today. Microsoft Project is built with large-scale projects in mind but is more than up to the task for smaller projects as well. However, there are options available (especially cloud-based options) that may be more fitting for higher-level projects that do not require going into the weeds.
Read full review
ProjectLibre
We decided to go with ProjectLibre because it is a free tool and there is a great community that supports us in case there are any questions or concerns about the software. This has allowed us to be able to invest time without having to worry about licensing costs or anything else.
Read full review
Return on Investment
37 Signals
  • It has saved me time when having to get the same message out to multiple restaurants
  • It has helped us make smarter operational decisions because we can all collaborate on an answer in a shorter amount of time (instead of calling a meeting!!!)
  • The calendar function allows us to plot out our marketing agenda for the month and add/change it together as needed. The chef will post his recipe, the managers will cost it out, the social media manager will post pictures on it, and ultimately we will get that information out on an info sheet to the staff by printing the page.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • Project saved me, as the project manager, countless hours of digging through tickets and schedules to plan everything out. It also saved me time in adjusting the project triangle as needed, since it does so much automatically.
  • It is costly, and since it requires extensive training to master, it's not just the high licensing cost that you need to take into account.
  • The reporting features - even just printing out Gantt charts - makes it far easier to communicate with stakeholders. That means less time for PMs doing all of this manually, and it means less follow-up questions and delays moving forward.
Read full review
ProjectLibre
  • ProjectLibre is free so it has allowed us to collaborate on MS Project files for users that run a Mac or Linux machine
  • Learning curve is minimal since it so closely resembles MS Project
  • Not all MS Project features (especially the newer editions) are present but it's best for users that are not the primary PM to user ProjectLibre.
Read full review
ScreenShots