Microsoft is Retiring Project Online – Best Alternatives?

Microsoft explains that Project Online’s legacy design hinders innovation. The online service was built on an older SharePoint workflow engine, which makes it hard to integrate AI, improve collaboration, or add new features rapidly.

In a November 2025 update, Microsoft reiterated that Project Online’s architecture “limits our ability to deliver modern, AI-powered experiences.” They are instead investing in Planner, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and the new Project Manager agent to create a “more intuitive, scalable, and collaborative” project tool. In short, Microsoft is steering customers toward its newer cloud-native tools (Project for the web, Planner, etc.), so Project Online is being phased out.

Microsoft set two key dates. First, October 1, 2025 marks the end of sale for Project Online – after that point no new licenses will be sold. Then September 30, 2026 is the official retirement date: Project Online will no longer be available or supported after that day. In practice, this means after Sept 30, 2026, users cannot access their projects or data in Project Online.

The Project Group (a Microsoft partner) warns that “your projects and data will be inaccessible,” so organizations must plan to export or migrate everything by then. Until the retirement date, current customers can use Project Online normally, but it’s advisable to start migrating early – backing up data and testing a replacement solution well before September 2026.

Microsoft’s side of the transition

Microsoft made the official announcement on September 5, 2025, confirming the September 30, 2026 retirement date. Since then, three developments matter for anyone still planning a move.

First, Project for the web is gone as a separate product. It was retired in August 2025, with users moved to Planner for the web and Planner in Teams. The current plan names are Planner Plan 1, Planner and Project Plan 3, and Planner and Project Plan 5.

Second, pricing for Microsoft’s native path has settled. At US list prices, Planner Plan 1 costs $10 per user per month and Planner and Project Plan 3 costs $30, both paid annually. Plan 3 is the tier that adds baselines, critical path, lead and lag, and Project desktop. Copilot in Planner requires the separate Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on at $30 per user per month. Plan 5, which some customers bought for Project Online portfolio management, no longer appears on Microsoft’s public Planner pricing page.

Third, the ecosystem around Project Online is shutting down with it. AvePoint, for example, will stop running Project Online backup jobs and restores from October 1, 2026. Any Power BI reports that read from the Project Online OData endpoint will break on September 30 unless they are pointed at exported data or a replacement source.

Project Online (and its successor, Project for the web) has several drawbacks that make alternatives appealing. First, the user interface and sharing model are complex and Windows-centric, requiring training and lacking real-time collaboration. Second, Microsoft’s new online offerings have removed or simplified classic features: for example, Microsoft limits Project for the web to 3,000 tasks and has dropped advanced functionality like multiple baselines, critical path constraints, and extensive custom fields.

This frustrates long-time MS Project users who relied on those capabilities. Third, with Microsoft’s focus shifting away, Project Online no longer receives significant updates, effectively placing it in maintenance-only mode. In sum, many teams find it outdated or overly rigid, prompting searches for free PMO software or more flexible planning tools. (Users have noted that Microsoft’s promised AI tools, like the Project Manager agent, do not yet fill all gaps in everyday project work.)

Preparation is key. Microsoft recommends notifying stakeholders and updating documentation immediately. From a practical standpoint, start evaluating alternatives today. The five products below – including Celoxis, ClickUp, Trello, Teamwork, and ProofHub – are strong candidates. Each provides the core functions of Microsoft Project (Gantt charts, resource tracking, reporting) in more modern, collaborative platforms. Many offer free tiers or trial periods so you can test without delay. As Microsoft’s own blog suggests, “plan the transition immediately” and back up data. Switching now ensures continuity: by the retirement date, you will already be trained on your new tool, rather than scrambling for a last-minute fix.

List of Top Microsoft Project Online Alternatives

Celoxis — Enterprise-grade project & portfolio management (PPM) platform.

ClickUp — All-in-one work and project management tool with customizable workflows.

Trello — Easy visual project and task management with boards and Power-Ups.

Teamwork — Project management with time tracking, client portals, and collaboration tools.

ProofHub — All-in-one project planning and collaboration platform with Gantt charts.

#1 Recommended Choice

Enterprise Project & Portfolio Management Platform

Score / 10

Key Advantages

✔ Comprehensive portfolio level project control

✔ Powerful dashboards and analytics

✔ Microsoft Project file compatibility

✔ Resource and cost tracking together

Considerations

✖ Initial learning curve for new teams

Read the Full Review

Celoxis is a robust enterprise project and portfolio management (PPM) solution with an online interface. It offers powerful planning tools (Gantt charts, resource allocation, etc.) plus portfolio dashboards, time and expense tracking, and advanced reporting. Designed for large teams, Celoxis combines scalability with usability: it can handle thousands of tasks across multiple projects while remaining user-friendly. It supports custom workflows and integrates with hundreds of apps (Jira, Azure DevOps, Slack, Google project management tools etc.), so teams can centralize work in one place. Importantly, Celoxis fully supports importing Microsoft Project files (MPP/XML), including tasks, dependencies, baselines and assignments, easing migration from MS Project.

Celoxis dashboard showing real-time portfolio performance and resource utilization

How does Celoxis address large-scale projects?

Celoxis is built for enterprise portfolios. It lets PMO leads see real-time portfolio health via customizable dashboards, and it can allocate resources across projects to optimize usage. Features like risk management, time/budget tracking, and integrated accounting ensure financials are managed alongside schedules. Users report that Celoxis brings clarity by aggregating project data – effectively giving “complete clarity on workload, timelines, and progress” for teams.

Is switching from MS Project easy?

Yes – Celoxis was explicitly designed as a “great alternative to Microsoft Project”. It offers two-way sync with MS Project and can import .mpp files seamlessly. The interface is web-based (no need for Windows), but many familiar concepts carry over. In practice, PMs often find they can continue using Gantt charts and task structures from their MPP files with minimal rework. Celoxis’s strong focus on Microsoft integration means you get the best of both worlds if you want to adopt a modern platform.

Why better than MS Project

Celoxis is widely regarded as superior for PPM needs in modern organizations. Unlike Project Online’s rigid, process-centric setup, Celoxis offers more flexibility and collaboration – it’s web-native and designed for real-time teamwork. For example, Celoxis’s dashboards and interactive reports provide instant portfolio visibility that MS Project Online lacked. Its two-way sync with MS Project also means you don’t lose existing data. Users praise Celoxis’s powerful tracking and customizable dashboards as key strengths.

Portfolio overview in Celoxis showing project health, risks and budget tracking

Pricing: Celoxis’s cloud plan starts at $10 per user/month (billed annually) for the Core edition. Higher tiers (Essentials, Professional, Business) add features like advanced security, project intake, and billing, ranging up to ~$45/user. There is also an on-premise version with custom pricing. In all tiers, “team member” seats cost less, and read-only viewers are free.

Reviews: Users consistently praise Celoxis for its strong project-tracking and rich dashboards. Common positives: Celoxis handles real-world project issues with superior collaboration features and mirrors MS Project capabilities without complexity.

Watch how Celoxis works in a real project environment

#2 Alternative Option

All-in-One Work Management Platform

Score / 10

Key Advantages

✔ Multiple project views including List, Board, Gantt and Calendar

✔ Built-in collaboration with chat and comments

✔ Integrated docs, dashboards and time tracking

✔ AI assistant for task creation and planning

Considerations

✖ Feature-rich interface may require initial learning time

#3 Alternative Option

Visual Kanban Project Management Tool

Score / 10

Key Advantages

✔ Extremely easy drag and drop interface

✔ Visual Kanban workflow for agile teams

✔ Quick onboarding without training

✔ Flexible Power-Ups for automation and reporting

Considerations

✖ Limited advanced project and portfolio management features

#4 Alternative Option

Client-Focused Project Management Platform

Score / 10

Key Advantages

✔ Built-in time tracking and billing

✔ Client portal and collaboration tools

✔ Clear dashboards for workload visibility

✔ Portfolio and milestone tracking

Considerations

✖ Many features may require onboarding time

#5 Alternative Option

All-in-One Project Planning & Collaboration Platform

Score / 10

Key Advantages

✔ Flat pricing for unlimited users

✔ Built-in proofing and collaboration tools

✔ Gantt charts and Kanban boards included

✔ Centralized communication and task updates

Considerations

✖ Fewer advanced enterprise PM features

When does Microsoft Project Online shut down?

Microsoft Project Online shuts down on September 30, 2026. After that day, you cannot open your projects, schedules or timesheets in the service, so export anything you need before then.

Can I still buy Project Online?

No. Microsoft stopped selling Project Online-only plans to new customers on October 1, 2025. Existing customers have not been able to create new tenants since April 1, 2026.

What’s the best replacement for Project Online?

It depends on what you used it for. PMOs that relied on portfolio dashboards, resource pools and financial tracking usually need a full PPM platform such as Celoxis. Teams that only tracked tasks can often move to a lighter tool like Trello or ClickUp.

What happens if I miss the Project Online deadline?

Your Project Online data becomes inaccessible, and Microsoft has not announced any grace period. Third-party backup tools that depend on Project Online also stop working, so treat September 30 as the last day to get your data out.

Which Project Online alternative can import my MPP files?

Celoxis imports Microsoft Project files in MPP and XML formats, including tasks, dependencies, baselines and resource assignments. That lets you move schedules without rebuilding them by hand.

Project Online Migration Checklist: Six Phases From Assessment to Go-Live

Use this checklist whether you are starting months ahead or in the final weeks. Phases 1 and 4 are the non-negotiable ones if time is short.

Phase 1: Assessment

Goal: Know exactly what you have before anything moves.

• List every PWA site in your tenant. An admin can identify PWA-enabled sites with the SharePoint Online PowerShell module. windowsforum
• Inventory active, completed and template projects, and flag regulated or audited projects that need long-term retention.
• Record enterprise custom fields, lookup tables, calendars, the enterprise resource pool and timesheet periods.
• Map every downstream dependency: Power BI reports, OData feeds, Power Automate flows and integrations.
• Inventory linked SharePoint project sites separately (documents, issues, risks, deliverables, permissions).

Output: A migration inventory with an owner and a priority for each item.

Phase 2: Vendor evaluation

Goal: Pick the platform that fits how your PMO actually works.

• Write down the Project Online features your teams used every week, not the full feature list.
• Score candidates on schedule depth, resource allocation, portfolio reporting, financials, MPP import, integrations, security and deployment options.
• Compare total cost for your real user mix: full users, team members and read-only viewers.
• Ask each vendor to import one of your real MPP files during the demo.

Output: A shortlist of one or two tools and a signed-off selection. Our PPM software guide walks through evaluation criteria in more detail.

Phase 3: Pilot testing

Goal: Prove the new tool with real data before committing everyone.

• Import three to five representative projects: one simple, one complex, one cross-project.
• Check that dependencies, baselines and resource assignments survived the import.
• Rebuild the two or three reports executives rely on most.
• Collect feedback from a project manager, a team member and a portfolio lead.

Output: A pilot sign-off and a list of fixes before full migration.

Phase 4: Data migration

Goal: Preserve everything, then move what you need.

• Run Microsoft’s ExportProjectUserContent script for each PWA site. It requires a Project Online Premium or Professional license and the Project Online desktop client connected to the instance, and by default returns 27 feature-related JSON files. microsoft
• Save each active project as MPP and XML from Project desktop.
• Export OData reporting tables (projects, tasks, assignments, timephased data, timesheets) to CSV or a database.
• Archive SharePoint project-site content separately.
• Store the full archive in a controlled location and validate record counts against your Phase 1 inventory.
• Import active projects into the new platform and repoint Power BI reports to the new source.

Output: A validated archive plus live projects running in the new tool.

Phase 5: User training

Goal: Make the new tool the default way of working on day one.

• Train by role: PMO admins, project managers, team members, executives.
• Create short guides for the five most common tasks, such as updating progress or submitting timesheets.
• Nominate a champion in each department.
• Use vendor training and remote services where available.

Output: Every active user trained and able to complete core tasks.

Phase 6: Go-live

Goal: Switch over cleanly and stop double entry.

• Choose a cutover date, ideally at a reporting-period or phase-gate boundary.
• Freeze updates in Project Online and complete a final export.
• Announce the switch and where to get help.
• Monitor adoption and data quality for the first 30 days.
• Decommission old integrations and confirm the archive is complete before September 30.

Output: One source of truth for projects, resources and portfolio reporting.

If you have less than 30 days

Reverse the priority: archive first, migrate second. Complete Phase 1 in a day, then go straight to the Phase 4 export steps for every PWA site and SharePoint project site. Once your data is safe outside Project Online, you can run vendor evaluation and pilots after the deadline without losing history. Talk to our team about importing your exported MPP files.

Key Terms and Technologies in a Project Online Migration

Project Online: Microsoft’s cloud project portfolio management service, built on SharePoint Online and accessed through Project Web App.

Project Web App (PWA): The browser interface for Project Online, used for project centers, resource centers, timesheets and portfolio views.

Microsoft Planner: Microsoft’s current work management app. Premium plans now include the capabilities that were formerly in Project for the web.

Project for the web: A Dataverse-based Microsoft project tool, retired in August 2025 and folded into Planner.

Project Server Subscription Edition (SE): Microsoft’s on-premise project server, which remains supported and is the closest Microsoft match to Project Online.

Project desktop: The Windows client (Project Standard or Professional 2024, or included with Planner and Project Plan 3). It is not retiring.

Dynamics 365 Project Operations: Microsoft’s project-based services application combining project management, resourcing and financials.

OData feed: The reporting API Project Online exposes to tools like Power BI and Excel.

CSOM (Client-Side Object Model): The programming interface used for bulk project exports through PowerShell.

ExportProjectUserContent: Microsoft’s PowerShell script for exporting user and project data from PWA sites.

MPP and XML files: Microsoft Project’s native file format and its XML interchange format, used to move schedules between tools.

Enterprise resource pool: The shared list of people and resources assigned across projects.

Enterprise custom fields: Organization-wide fields for status, priority, cost center and similar attributes. These often take the longest to remap.

Baseline: A saved snapshot of a schedule used to measure variance. More on project baselines.

Critical path: The longest chain of dependent tasks, which sets the project’s finish date.

PPM, SPM and APMR: Project portfolio management, strategic portfolio management, and Gartner’s adaptive project management and reporting category. All three describe the software class that replaces Project Online at enterprise level.

Microsoft 365 Copilot and Project Manager agent: Microsoft’s AI assistants for Planner, sold as a separate add-on.

Microsoft Entra ID and SSO: Identity and single sign-on services to check when connecting a new tool to your Microsoft 365 environment.

The retirement of Microsoft Project Online presents both a challenge and an opportunity. While Microsoft points to Planner and Project Server as in-house replacements, these new tools have trade-offs. Independent alternatives like Celoxis often deliver more comprehensive PPM capabilities with modern UX. By evaluating options now – such as Celoxis, ClickUp, Trello, Teamwork or ProofHub – organizations can avoid disruptions and pick a solution that fits their workflow and budget. Each of the above alternatives covers the essentials of project planning (including Gantt charts, resource planning, and reporting) and, in many cases, provides freer or more collaborative models than Project Online did. Plan your migration early, compare these tools with your needs, and ensure your team is trained well before the 2026 cutoff. With the right alternative in place, you’ll gain a modern, flexible project management experience that avoids the pitfalls of the old Project Online platform.