Microsoft Project vs. RationalPlan

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Microsoft Project
Score 7.7 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
RationalPlan
Score 7.7 out of 10
Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
RationalPlan is project management software that has been designed to help project managers keep their projects on time and within budget. The main goal of this software is to make the process of planning projects as short and as straightforward as possible and to guide novice project managers through each step but offer enough tools to those who are more experienced.
$0
per month per user
Pricing
Microsoft ProjectRationalPlan
Editions & Modules
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
Free
$0
Beginner
$4
per user
Master
$12
per user
Production
$19
per user
Stakeholder
$64 USD
Lifetime License per Seat
Single
$145 USD
Lifetime License per Seat
Multi
$288 USD
Lifetime License per Seat
Server
$668 USD
Lifetime License per Seat
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Microsoft ProjectRationalPlan
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoYes
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
Additional DetailsPlans are billed annually.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Microsoft ProjectRationalPlan
Considered Both Products
Microsoft Project

No answer on this topic

RationalPlan
Chose RationalPlan
RationalPlan has what we need license Costs, runs on Linux, and Windows fits precisely what we need.
Chose RationalPlan

I use Multi which is the standalone platform. While there is no team collaboration it does have an email feature built in. Rational Plan does have the Server option but it all comes at a price the same as Wrike.

I have used many free and commercial platforms and rationalplan …

Features
Microsoft ProjectRationalPlan
Project Management
Comparison of Project Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Project
8.0
110 Ratings
5% above category average
RationalPlan
6.6
4 Ratings
14% below category average
Task Management7.7109 Ratings7.34 Ratings
Resource Management7.0106 Ratings6.84 Ratings
Gantt Charts8.7106 Ratings7.34 Ratings
Scheduling8.0108 Ratings6.44 Ratings
Workflow Automation9.983 Ratings00 Ratings
Team Collaboration7.398 Ratings7.31 Ratings
Support for Agile Methodology6.482 Ratings00 Ratings
Support for Waterfall Methodology7.082 Ratings7.32 Ratings
Document Management8.977 Ratings3.63 Ratings
Email integration5.182 Ratings6.43 Ratings
Mobile Access9.967 Ratings9.11 Ratings
Timesheet Tracking9.973 Ratings4.51 Ratings
Change request and Case Management8.064 Ratings00 Ratings
Budget and Expense Management8.085 Ratings6.43 Ratings
Professional Services Automation
Comparison of Professional Services Automation features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Project
8.9
78 Ratings
16% above category average
RationalPlan
4.5
1 Ratings
51% below category average
Quotes/estimates8.055 Ratings00 Ratings
Invoicing10.045 Ratings4.51 Ratings
Project & financial reporting7.975 Ratings00 Ratings
Integration with accounting software9.950 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Microsoft ProjectRationalPlan
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Score 9.1 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
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Score 9.5 out of 10
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Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
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User Ratings
Microsoft ProjectRationalPlan
Likelihood to Recommend
7.2
(110 ratings)
7.7
(4 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.3
(8 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.2
(34 ratings)
7.7
(2 ratings)
Implementation Rating
5.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Microsoft ProjectRationalPlan
Likelihood to Recommend
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
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Stand By Soft
Appropriate as a great alternative to MS Project. RationalPlan provides most of the features needed to develop and maintain mid-level complex schedules. Less Appropriate for large complex schedules of long duration. These can be a challenge due to Duration at top-level. It is also a challenge to generate reports for management - reporting feature is limited.
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Pros
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
Stand By Soft
  • Portfolio view is great to get a feel for how your programme is running at a glance and which areas possibly might require attention. The fact that you can customise your view by adding your own columns is another plus.
  • All project information in one tool is a big plus for me considering the amount of projects we run with. This really improves efficiency and saves me time. You have the ability to add documents to tasks, manage risks, email resources tasks due for projects they are assigned to(might need some refinement depending on your requirements), material db with costing etc.
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Cons
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
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Stand By Soft
  • Milestones should be a primary option instead of 0h to create one.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Microsoft
I like using Microsoft Project. It simplifies building a schedule
Read full review
Stand By Soft
No answers on this topic
Usability
Microsoft
It is great for simple project management and is critical for out success. It is pretty user friendly and easy to manipulate for all users. The drag and drop feature makes it easy to move things around. It lacks some features espically with document management, time tracking and generating reports
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Stand By Soft
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
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.
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Stand By Soft
I had to ask for support once and got a response immediately.
Read full review
Implementation Rating
Microsoft
I wasn't part of it so I don't know
Read full review
Stand By Soft
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
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.
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Stand By Soft
RationalPlan is cost-effective and allows most users to prepare and manage their schedule. The software lacks comprehensive reporting and duration changes at the top level of a project.
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Return on Investment
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
Stand By Soft
  • Helps explain the target schedule and resource estimates for cost of the project
Read full review
ScreenShots

RationalPlan Screenshots

Screenshot of Project infoScreenshot of Notes and linksScreenshot of Working calendarsScreenshot of Gantt chartsScreenshot of Resource levelingScreenshot of Baseline management