ProjectLibre

ProjectLibre pairs a local project-planning app with a cloud platform for coordinated work. The desktop edition is a fit for an individual managing one project; teams that need shared resources or portfolio oversight should consider Cloud. The key trade-off is a free, single-user desktop option against paid cloud plans.

Overview

ProjectLibre grew from an open-source desktop product into a cloud platform. The two editions serve different jobs: Desktop keeps an individual project local, while Cloud brings team collaboration and management across projects. That makes the choice less about upgrading one app than deciding whether the work is individual or shared.

Key features

Cloud combines scheduling, resources, risk, cost, performance, collaboration, and AI in one project model. Its Gantt and WBS planning includes dependencies, constraints, calendars, baselines, float, critical path, and recurring, split, and effort-driven tasks. This is a substantial toolkit for projects with interdependent work, but unnecessary complexity for someone planning a single uncomplicated project.

Resource leveling, enterprise resource pools, capacity and availability, teams, and resource analysis address coordination across people and projects. Monte Carlo risk analysis, DCMA schedule quality audits, and Earned Value Management add oversight for organizations that need to monitor schedule risk and cost performance. The AI Copilot can create a project from a prompt and help edit tasks and WBS, adjust resources, and refine schedules.

Desktop supports Microsoft Project files and lists Primavera P6 and other project files for import. Its stated scope is narrower: one individual managing a single project locally. Normal Desktop project files ordinarily stay on the user's computer, and normal connectivity does not upload plans to ProjectLibre Cloud. Cloud data is hosted in secure, compliant data centers in appropriate regions; European users' data is hosted in Europe.

Pricing

ProjectLibre Desktop costs nothing, with no subscription, for a single user managing individual projects on Windows, macOS, or Linux. It is the clearest fit for someone who wants local planning without a recurring charge. Its single-user, single-project scope does not provide Cloud's team collaboration, shared resources, or portfolio management.

ProjectLibre Core costs $9.99 a month (billed billed annually). It includes Core and Pro User Modes, Microsoft Project import, Gantt and WBS, AI Copilot, and Enterprise Resource Management* and Portfolio Management*. It is the lower-priced Cloud choice for users who need those cloud capabilities; the asterisks on resource and portfolio management mean readers should confirm their scope before choosing it.

Enterprise/PMO Cloud costs $29.99 a month (billed billed annually). It includes Basic and Expert UX Modes, Microsoft Project import, Gantt and WBS, Enterprise Resource Management, Portfolio Management, and AI Copilot. The higher tier is the more direct fit for organizations that need the named enterprise resource and portfolio functions without the asterisks shown on Core.

Cloud plans are billed annually, so the monthly figures do not describe a month-to-month commitment. A 7-day trial is available. Users unable to activate it are directed to [email protected]; trial-start issues go to [email protected].

Platforms

ProjectLibre supports Linux, macOS, Windows, and web. Desktop is explicitly offered for Windows, macOS, and Linux; Cloud is the collaborative option for team and organization work.

Who it's for

Choose Desktop if you are an individual project manager handling one local project and want a free, no-subscription option with Microsoft Project file support. Choose Cloud if your team needs to coordinate resources, collaborate, or manage multiple projects and portfolios. If you only need a simple individual plan, Cloud's broader scheduling and control features may be more than the work requires.

Pros and cons

Pros: Desktop is free, single-user, and local, with no subscription; its file support includes Microsoft Project and Primavera P6 imports.

Pros: Cloud combines detailed scheduling, resource management, risk and performance controls, and AI, making it suited to complex, shared work.

Cons: Desktop is limited to an individual managing a single project, so collaboration and portfolio work point to paid Cloud.

Cons: Cloud pricing is billed annually, and Core's asterisked resource and portfolio features make the lower tier less straightforward to assess.

Alternatives

Gantt Chart Software is a broader category to compare if you are weighing Gantt-focused tools rather than choosing between ProjectLibre's desktop and cloud editions. For an AI-centered category comparison, see AI Project Management Software; for a wider set of project tools, see Project Management Software.

Agantty is worth comparing if you want a web-and-mobile freemium option: its free plan is capped at one project, with no teams or support, and its stated Premium price is 4.90 EUR p.

Rillsoft Project is another freemium project-planning option, with Linux, Windows, web, and self-hosted platforms; its Light single-user license is priced at €357 a month.

Ganttic may suit readers prioritizing a free resource-planning tier: it allows up to 10 resources, unlimited users and projects, and includes Gantt charts, reports, and Kanban boards.

GanttPRO is a paid option with a Core plan at $7 a year (billed per user per month / billed annually); consider it if you prefer a per-user subscription without a free plan.

Ingantt offers a 7-day full-feature trial with AI project generation and MS Project import/export, so it is an alternative to compare if those trial capabilities matter.

Instagantt has a free web plan for up to three projects and one user, making it a possible fit for a small, limited project setup.

Online Gantt offers a free tool with no signup or download required and saves charts as.gantt files, a simpler choice for readers who want a standalone Gantt chart tool.

Open Planner Studio is free and open source, with Gantt charts, critical-path analysis, and resource planning; compare it if avoiding subscription and per-seat license fees is the priority.

Verdict

ProjectLibre is a strong choice for an individual who wants a free local project planner, or for a team whose work merits Cloud's scheduling, resource, risk, and portfolio tools. Its decisive limitation is the divide between a single-user Desktop app and annually billed Cloud plans: look elsewhere if you need collaboration without that commitment or only need lightweight planning.