Find the best Gantt chart tools to manage projects effectively. This guide will walk you through the leading options, including Microsoft Project, GanttPRO, and Paymo, with their unique features, pros, and cons. From large-scale project management to a simple, user-friendly tool for small teams, pick the right tool to visualize timelines, track progress, and manage resources efficiently.
Gantt charts have long been the backbone of visual project timelines, dependencies, and progress within project management. As technology has evolved, so too have the tools at hand to create and manage these quintessential charts. In this article, explore some of the best Gantt chart tools available. Each will be unique in various ways for project management tasks.
1. Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project has been the cornerstone of project management software for decades, and a big reason why is its Gantt chart capabilities.
Key features:
Robust scheduling
Integration with resource management
In-depth reporting
Smooth integrations with other Microsoft Office products
Pros:
Fully featured and powerful
Perfect for complex, large-scale projects
Very familiar interface for those used to Microsoft Office applications
Cons:
Difficult learning curve
Can get quite expensive, especially with larger teams
Sometimes overly complicated for a simple project
Microsoft Project targets large organizations and complex projects that require detailed planning and resource allocation. From handling intricate dependencies to in-depth analysis, this tool has become a key companion for professional project managers. But if that tool is too overwhelming for you, then you can consider some alternatives to Microsoft Project mentioned in this article.
2. GanttPRO
GanttPRO is an online Gantt chart maker that recently gained its popularity for a friendly interface and collaborative functionality.
Key features:
Drag-and-drop interface
Real-time collaboration
Dependencies and milestones
Resource workload management
Pros:
Easy to learn and use
Affordable pricing options
Excellent for team collaboration
Cons:
May be without some advanced features in more complex tools
Not as many integrations as enterprise solutions
GanttPRO is perfect for small to medium-sized teams who need a simple but beautiful-looking Gantt chart tool. The collaboration feature is pretty nice for distributed or remote teams.
3. Paymo
Paymo is an all-in-one project management tool featuring advanced Gantt charting combined with time tracking and invoicing functionality.
Outstanding features:
Fully integrated time tracking and invoicing
Kanban boards to manage tasks
Resource scheduling
Client portal for clients and other external stakeholders
Pros:
All-in-one project management and billing solution, with
Customizable workflow
Scalable towards growing teams
Cons:
Gantt chart functionality can’t hold a candle to dedicated tools
May overwhelm with functionality for users needing only simple Gantt functionality
Paymo is ideal for freelancers and small businesses that need to combine project planning with time tracking and invoicing. Its Gantt chart feature, although not the most advanced, is more than enough for most project-planning needs.
4. Instagantt
Instagantt is a professional Gantt chart tool that boasts an uncluttered user interface and integrates seamlessly with Asana for better project management functionality.
Key features:
Customizable Gantt charts
Workload management
Risk and dependency highlighting
Public sharing options
Pros:
Visually impressive and easy to use
Great integration with Asana
Affordable pricing for small teams
Cons:
Lacks functionality compared to full project management suites
May require additional tools to fully manage projects
Instagantt is perfect for teams using Asana who want to extend the functionality of their platform with Gantt charts. It’s also a good option for those who need ease of use and aesthetics from their Gantt chart tool.
5. Jira
Although primarily an issue tracking and agile project management tool, Jira offers Gantt chart functionality through various add-ons and integrations.
Lively features:
Agile project management features: Scrum and Kanban boards
Custom workflows
Third-party integrations galore Advanced reporting and analytics Pros Highly flexible and customizable Great for software development teams Scalable to enterprises Cons Gantt chart functionality requires additional plugins Potential complexity in setup and configuration Pricing can get pricey with bigger teams Best for agile software development teams or organizations who need access to Gantt charting features for some areas of a project. It’s incredibly flexible and thus able to work into almost any form of project management style.
6. GanttProject
GanttProject is a free, open-source Gantt chart tool that also offers basic project management functionality.
Outstanding features:
Free, open-source
Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
Basic resource management
Export: PDF, HTML, PNG
Pros:
Free
Lightweight to download and setup
Ideal for simple projects
Cons:
Not as fully featured as its paid brethren
A less polished UI
No cloud-based collaboration capabilities
GanttProject is perfect for freelancers, small teams, and simple projects on a shoestring budget. It is also a great choice for open-source lovers and looking for desktop solutions.
7. TeamHood
TeamHood is a multi-feature project management solution that integrates Gantt charts with Kanban boards and other ways to view your projects.
Outstanding features:
Several ways to view your project: Gantt, Kanban, Calendar
Time tracking and reports
Resource management
Customizable dashboards
Pros:
It provides a number of flexible ways to view projects.
The interface is friendly and easy to use.
Affordable pricing for small teams
Cons:
May lack some of the advanced features of the enterprise-level tool
A few integrations compared to more established platforms
TeamHood is well-suited for small to medium-sized teams that need a balance of Gantt chart functionality and other project management features. The flexibility in project visualization means that it can be made to fit different project management styles.
8. TeamWork
TeamWork is an all-in-one project management platform featuring Gantt chart functionality but also a host of other features.
Key Features
Task Management and Time Tracking
File Sharing and document management
Client Management functionality
In-app chat messaging
Pros
All in one project management
Scalable for growing teams
Heavy integrations
Cons
Overkill for users just looking for basic Gantt chart functionality
Higher onboarding curve compared to simplistic tools
Pricing very expensive for larger teams
TeamWork is a great solution for any business that wants a full-cycle project management tool, which also includes Gantt chart capabilities. It is excellent for agencies and client-facing businesses because of the client management functionalities.
Conclusion
Which one of these Gantt chart tools will work best for you, is actually going to depend on a number of factors including team size, project complexity, and budget. So here is a quick summary to help you decide:
Large enterprise complex projects: Microsoft Project
For ease of use and collaborative charting: GanttPRO
For an all-in-one project management solution with invoicing: Paymo
For Asana users who need Gantt functionality: Instagantt
For agile teams needing Gantt capabilities: Jira
For the solo workers or small teams on a budget: GanttProject
For flexible project visualization: TeamHood
For comprehensive project and client management: TeamWork
The tool that will be the best fit for you will be the one that easily fits your workflow and best fits your project management needs. Most of these offer free trials, so feel free to take a few of them out for a test run before choosing the one you stick with. In the constantly evolving world of project management, these Gantt chart tools will also change over time to provide even greater features and capabilities.