{"id":54750,"date":"2026-08-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/?p=54750"},"modified":"2026-08-11T16:33:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T21:33:46","slug":"what-is-microsoft-planner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/what-is-microsoft-planner","title":{"rendered":"What Is Microsoft Planner? Uses, Features and Pricing"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the world of planning, there’s no shortage of software offerings that allow you to plan and execute your project. Microsoft Planner, in particular, which is included in the Microsoft 365 platform, is a major player in the project planning and task management software space.<\/p>\n

Microsoft Planner is a tool that helps you gather the elements of your project and create a project plan with a beginning, middle and end. MS Planner is part of a suite of tools that Microsoft offers to project managers and their teams.<\/p>\n

However, choosing a project management solution can be challenging, and Microsoft Planner is no exception. Like most project management software, it has drawbacks such as limited functionality, confusing pricing tiers, an evolving feature set, and notably no support for the Microsoft Project file format (MPP files<\/a>), which means you can’t view or edit them in Planner.<\/p>\n

So, is Microsoft Planner the right software for your needs compared to Microsoft Project, another Microsoft project management tool, or should you perhaps look elsewhere, like a Microsoft Project alternative<\/a>? Before making any decisions on what tool to use when managing your next project, let’s take a closer look at what works and what doesn’t with Microsoft Planner.<\/p>\n

What Is Microsoft Planner?<\/h2>\n

Microsoft Planner is task management software equipped with kanban boards and to-do lists. Microsoft Planner is part of the Microsoft 365 platform and serves as a to-do list app rather than a legitimate project planning software<\/a> due to its lack of project management features. The Microsoft Planner interface makes use of task cards in a kanban board interface. It’s a lightweight app that can be used on both mobile devices and desktop computers.<\/p>\n

For a truly complete project management experience, you need software that offers multiple task management tools such as Gantt charts, kanban boards, task lists and calendars that are easy to use and don’t cost an arm and a leg. ProjectManager<\/a> has these and other features to help you plan, schedule and track your projects.<\/p>\n

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Import MPP and Planner files easily into ProjectManager. Learn more<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n

Microsoft Planner Pricing Plans<\/h2>\n

Microsoft recently restructured its Planner offerings, and the changes took effect in early 2025. What used to be a single lightweight task management tool bundled with Microsoft 365<\/a> has now been expanded into multiple tiers, including Planner Basic, Planner Premium (also called Planner Plan 1) and the combined Planner + Project Plans.<\/p>\n

These updates add powerful features such as Gantt charts<\/a>, dependencies and portfolio views, but they’ve also made pricing and feature access more complex. Because the new naming overlaps with older Microsoft Project licenses, customers can find the transition confusing when comparing plans and costs.<\/p>\n

Before diving into the pricing plans available for Microsoft Planner, it\u2019s important to understand that there are two main versions of this software: Microsoft Planner Basic and Microsoft Planner Premium.<\/p>\n

Microsoft Planner Basic Pricing Plans<\/h3>\n

The version is included in most Microsoft 365 subscriptions. Good for lightweight task management. Starts from $6 to $22 per user per month, billed annually. Price varies depending on the Microsoft 365 subscription.<\/p>\n