Basecamp vs Microsoft Project
Basecamp
basecamp.comMicrosoft Project
microsoft.comSide by side
| Figure | Basecamp | Microsoft Project |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $25/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 10 |
| Spec score · Project Planning Software | 9.0 (#1) | 8.5 (#11) |
| Spec score · Project Management Software | 9.0 (#17) | 8.4 (#74) |
| Spec score · Project management tools | 9.0 (#19) | 8.7 (#47) |
| Spec score · Work Management Software | 9.0 (#7) | 8.4 (#22) |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Guest access | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | The integrations directory lists third-party services including Zapier, Clockify, Harvest, and Unito. | The page lists Microsoft Loop, Outlook, Teams, Copilot, and Power Automate integrations. |
| Purpose | Basecamp describes itself as project management software for organizing work, discussions, decisions, files, deadlines, and project delivery. | Planner brings tasks, to-do lists, plans, and projects together in one online work management experience. |
| Support | Basecamp says its team reads and responds to every support message, though response times may be longer than usual; paid plans list 24/7/365 support. | The included Planner offering lists Microsoft 365 customer support, and Microsoft provides Planner help and learning articles. |
| Time tracking | Yes | Yes |
Plans
Basecamp
- FreeFree
- Freelancer$25 a month
- Studio$59 a month
- Pro$99 a month
- Unlimited$299 a month
Microsoft Project
- Microsoft PlannerPriced on request
- Planner Plan 1Priced on request
- Planner and Project Plan 3Priced on request
- Planner Plan 1Priced on request
- Planner and Project Plan 3Priced on request
- Planner and Project Plan 5Priced on request
- Planner and Project Plan 5Price not published
- Planner in Microsoft 365Free
- Planner Plan 1$10 a year
- Planner and Project Plan 3$30 a year
In their own words
Basecamp
Basecamp is project management software for organizing work, discussions, decisions, files, deadlines and project delivery. Each project has a page where teams can add to-do lists, message boards, chat, calendars and card tables. To-dos support assignments, due dates, attachments and subtasks; Hill Charts show progress, while Card Tables move work through stages. Calendars track deadlines, milestones, events and meetings, and can be subscribed to in Outlook, Google Calendar and HEY Calendar. Client mode lets a team choose what clients can see on each project. Basecamp offers apps for Android, iOS, Mac and Windows, plus web access, an API and a CLI. Its integrations directory lists services including Zapier, Clockify, Harvest and Unito. Time tracking and guest access are also listed. The free plan includes one project, 1 GB of storage and up to five users. Paid plans include Freelancer at $25 per month, Studio at $59 per month and Pro at $99 per month. Unlimited costs $299 per month, billed annually, and includes unlimited projects and users.
Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project is presented through Planner, an online work management experience that combines tasks, to-do lists, plans, and projects. Core views include Grid, Board, Schedule, and Charts; Planner Plan 1 adds Timeline, People, and Goals. That plan also includes premium templates, backlogs and sprints, task dependencies, milestones, and project goals. Planner and Project Plan 3 adds portfolios, baselines, critical path, advanced dependencies, resource requests, and the Project desktop app. Plan 5 adds advanced portfolio management and enterprise resource management and allocation. The included Planner in Microsoft 365 is listed at free and includes basic templates, core views, task management, and Teams integration. Named integrations include Loop, Outlook, Teams, Copilot, and Power Automate. The comparison lists workflow automation, APIs, Microsoft 365 Groups access control, and compliance tools. Time tracking and guest access are listed. A one-month trial requires a credit card and converts to paid service unless canceled.