For most readers, Asana Starter is the default pick, because it includes timeline and Gantt views at $10.99 per user a month on annual billing, with no seat limit. The cheapest entry prices in this list are $7 per user a month, from ClickUp Unlimited and GanttPRO Core, both on annual billing. TeamGantt is the only tool here that charges a flat monthly amount by project count, not by seat, with Base at $59 a month for 5 projects.
A project timeline tool should show start dates, end dates, dependencies and owners in one view, and it should make a slipped date easy to spot. The eight tools below cover that job in different ways. Prices are from official vendor pricing pages opened on 2026-11-12.
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What is the best project timeline software: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monday.com | Visual teams that need boards and timelines | $9 per user/month | Yes | Visit |
| 2 | Asana | Small teams that need timeline views at entry level | $10.99 per user/month | Yes | Visit |
| 3 | Smartsheet | Spreadsheet-style teams that track many sheets | $9 per member/month | Free trial (30 days) | Visit |
| 4 | TeamGantt | Small teams that want one flat monthly bill | $59 per month | Yes | Visit |
| 5 | ClickUp | Teams that want many views at a low entry price | $7 per user/month | Yes | Visit |
| 6 | Wrike | Small teams that need Gantt charts and dashboards | $10 per user/month | Yes | Visit |
| 7 | Microsoft Project | Microsoft 365 teams that need formal scheduling | $10 per user/month | Free trial (1 month) | Visit |
| 8 | GanttPRO | Managers who want a focused Gantt scheduling tool | $7 per user/month | Free trial (14 days) | Visit |
The 8 best what is the best project timeline software tools, in detail
Monday.com
Best for: Visual teams that need boards and timelines
Monday.com organises work on boards, and the timeline view sits on Standard, not on Basic. Basic at $9 per seat a month on annual billing gives unlimited items and 1,000 AI credits a month, but no automation actions. Standard at $12 adds timeline, Gantt and calendar views, guest access and 250 automation and 250 integration actions a month.
- Pro at $19 adds private boards.
- The free plan is limited to 2 seats, 3 boards, 3 Docs, 200 items and 500 MB of storage, so it works as a trial for a pair, not as a team plan.
- The trade-off is the seat bucket rule, because a team of 4 buys 5 seats and a team of 6 buys 10 seats.
- Choose Monday.com for visual boards.
Pros
- Free plan covers up to 2 users with 3 boards
- Standard at $12 adds timeline and Gantt views with 250 automation actions a month
Cons
- One limit: Entry Basic plan at $9 has no timeline or Gantt view
- Subscription plans start at 3 seats and move in seat buckets, so a 6-person team buys 10 seats
Asana
Best for: Small teams that need timeline views at entry level
Asana Starter at $10.99 per user a month on annual billing, or $13.49 monthly, is the most direct route to a timeline here, because the view is included at entry level. Starter also includes dashboards, forms, custom fields and templates, plus AI Teammates with 5 requests per user a month up to 50 per account, and AI Studio with 50,000 credits per account a month. The Personal plan is free for up to 2 users, but has no timeline view.
- Advanced at $24.99 on annual billing, or $30.49 monthly, adds portfolios, goals, resource management, approvals and critical path.
- Choose Asana for timeline views without moving to a higher plan, and for free guests.
- Choose another tool if you need resource management at entry level, because it sits on Advanced.
Pros
- Starter includes timeline and Gantt views with no seat limit
- Unlimited free guests and unlimited automations on Starter
Cons
- One limit: Advanced at $24.99 is needed for portfolios, goals, resource management and time tracking
- Personal plan is limited to 2 users and has no timeline view
Smartsheet
Best for: Spreadsheet-style teams that track many sheets
Smartsheet Pro at $9 per member a month on annual billing, or $12 monthly, covers 1 to 10 members with unlimited contributors, unlimited sheets, forms and reports, 250 automation runs a month and 20 GB of storage. It includes a Gantt view, which suits teams that plan in a spreadsheet-style grid. Business at $19 on annual billing, or $24 monthly, needs at least 3 members and adds the timeline view, workload tracking and 1 TB of storage.
- There is no free plan for new signups, only a 30-day trial with no credit card needed.
- The unique fact most buyers miss is the split between Gantt and timeline views, because Pro buyers who expect a timeline view will find it only after
- Choose Smartsheet if your team works in sheets.
- Choose another tool for a timeline view at $9.
Pros
- Pro includes Gantt, board, table and calendar views with unlimited sheets
- Business adds timeline view, unlimited automations and 1 TB storage
Cons
- One limit: Timeline view is held for Business at $19, not Pro
- Pro is capped at 10 members, so an 11-member team must move to Business
TeamGantt
Best for: Small teams that want one flat monthly bill
TeamGantt charges by project count, not by seat, which changes the maths for larger groups. Base at $59 a month, or $589 a year, includes 5 projects, 1 manager and 10 collaborators, with critical path scheduling and 150 tasks per project. Business starts at $120 a month, or $1,140 a year, with 5 projects up to 20, unlimited managers and collaborators, and 500 tasks per project.
- Builder Edition starts at $199 a month, or $1,908 a year, with 10 projects and unlimited tasks.
- The free Personal plan covers 1 user, 1 project and 40 tasks, so it suits a solo test.
- Annual billing saves 20 percent.
- Choose TeamGantt if you want a bill that does not rise when you add collaborators.
Pros
- Flat monthly charge covers 1 manager and 10 collaborators on Base, with no per-seat charge
- Business at $120 a month adds unlimited managers and collaborators and 500 tasks per project
Cons
- One limit: Base is capped at 5 projects and 150 tasks per project
- Trial for subscription plans lasts 14 days and needs a credit card
ClickUp
Best for: Teams that want many views at a low entry price
ClickUp Unlimited at $7 per user a month on annual billing, or $10 monthly, adds Gantt charts, unlimited storage and guest access. Business at $12 on annual billing, or $19 monthly, adds unlimited dashboards, webhooks, private views and workload management, and lifts automation actions to 5,000 a month. Free Forever includes unlimited members and tasks, 5 Spaces, 60 MB of storage and 100 automation actions a month.
- One detail to check before you budget is the AI add-on, because Brain AI at $9 per user a month is not included in the seat price, and it applies to e
- Some workspaces also see a newer Core plan at $9, so read the plan names on your own billing page before you commit.
- Choose ClickUp for a low entry price with many views.
- Choose another tool if you want AI included in the seat price.
Pros
- Free Forever includes unlimited members and unlimited tasks with 60 MB storage
- Unlimited adds Gantt charts, unlimited storage and 1,000 automation actions a month
Cons
- One limit: Brain AI costs $9 per user a month as an add-on and applies to the whole workspace
- Business at $12 is needed for 5,000 automation actions a month and Google SSO
Wrike
Best for: Small teams that need Gantt charts and dashboards
Wrike Team at $10 per user a month on annual billing covers 2 to 15 users and includes interactive Gantt charts, shareable dashboards, custom fields and 200 automation actions a month. Business at $25 on annual billing covers 5 to 200 users and adds request forms, proofing and approvals, time tracking and resource management. Pinnacle and Apex have no set price and need a quote from sales.
- Wrike also sells seats in blocks, with blocks of 5 up to 30 seats, blocks of 10 from 30 to 100, and blocks of 25 above 100, so a team of 6 on Team buy
- The Whiteboard add-on costs $15 per user a month, as a separate charge.
- Choose Wrike if you need Gantt charts and dashboards at $10.
- Choose another tool if you need time tracking at entry level.
Pros
- Team includes interactive Gantt charts and shareable dashboards for 2 to 15 users
- Free plan covers unlimited users with 200 active tasks
Cons
- One limit: Business at $25 is needed for time tracking, resource management, proofing and approvals
- Business and higher plans are sold only as annual subscriptions
Microsoft Project
Best for: Microsoft 365 teams that need formal scheduling
Microsoft now sells Project as Planner plans. Planner Plan 1, formerly Project Plan 1, costs $10 per user a month on an annual subscription, and includes timeline view, dependencies, backlogs and sprints, milestones, goals and up to 10 custom fields. Planner and Project Plan 3 costs $30 on an annual subscription, and adds portfolios, baselines, critical path and the desktop app on up to 5 PCs per user.
- The basic Planner app is included in Microsoft 365, but it does not include the premium timeline views.
- Project Online retired on 30 September 2026, and Plan 5 is no longer sold to new customers, so new buyers choose between Plan 1 and Plan 3.
- Copilot in Planner is a separate add-on at $30 per user a month.
- Choose Microsoft Project if your organisation already runs on Microsoft 365 and needs formal baselines and critical path control.
Pros
- Planner Plan 1 at $10 includes timeline view, dependencies, sprints, goals and up to 10 custom fields
- Plan 3 at $30 adds baselines, critical path and the Project desktop app on up to 5 PCs
Cons
- One limit: Plan 1 has no baselines, critical path or desktop app, so serious scheduling needs Plan 3 at three times the price
- One-month trial needs a credit card and converts unless cancelled
GanttPRO
Best for: Managers who want a focused Gantt scheduling tool
GanttPRO Core at $7 per user a month on annual billing includes Gantt charts, board and list views, critical path, baselines, dependencies, milestones, auto-scheduling and virtual resources, with unlimited projects. Advanced at $10 adds calendar view, custom fields, overdue-task tracking, bulk changes and custom templates. Business at $17 adds portfolios, reports, workload management, budget planning and time tracking.
- Enterprise is shown at $25 as a limited offer, reduced from $35, for 5 or more users.
- The AI Gantt chart maker is included in all four plans, and nonprofits can ask for a 50 percent discount on annual plans.
- The trade-off is scope, because GanttPRO is built around scheduling, so teams that also need docs and chat will need a second tool.
- Choose GanttPRO if scheduling is the main job, with critical path and baselines at $7.
Pros
- Core includes critical path, baselines, auto-scheduling and unlimited projects at $7
- Advanced at $10 adds calendar view, custom fields and custom project templates
Cons
- One limit: There is no permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial with no credit card needed
- Business at $17 is needed for workload management, portfolios, budgets and time tracking
How we chose
We did not test any tool hands-on. We compared official vendor pricing pages opened 2026-11-12, and we checked which plan includes a timeline or Gantt view, what the entry price covers, and which limits force a move to a higher plan. We noted seat minimums, project caps, automation caps and trial terms. Prices come from official vendor pricing pages opened 2026-11-12, and they exclude tax unless the vendor states otherwise.
What to check before you buy
- Check which plan holds the timeline view. Monday.com Standard at $12 and Smartsheet Business at $19 hold it above the entry plan, while Asana Starter at $10.99, ClickUp Unlimited at $7 and GanttPRO Core at $7 include it at entry level.
- Check the seat or project floor. Monday.com starts subscription plans at 3 seats, Wrike Team covers 2 to 15 users, Smartsheet Pro stops at 10 members, and TeamGantt Base stops at 5 projects.
- Check the automation and storage caps. ClickUp Free Forever allows 100 automation actions a month, Unlimited allows 1,000 and Business allows 5,000, while Smartsheet Pro allows 250 runs a month and 20 GB of storage.
- Check the trial terms. GanttPRO gives 14 days with no credit card needed, Smartsheet gives 30 days with no credit card needed, and TeamGantt and Microsoft Project trials need a credit card.
| Tool | Cost for 5 users for 1 year on annual billing | Main limit to check |
|---|---|---|
| Asana Starter | $659.40 | Advanced at $24.99 for resource management |
| ClickUp Unlimited | $420.00 | Brain AI at $9 per user a month is an add-on |
| GanttPRO Core | $420.00 | No permanent free plan, trial only |
| Smartsheet Pro | $540.00 | Timeline view needs Business at $19 |
| Wrike Team | $600.00 | Business at $25 for time tracking |
| Microsoft Project Plan 1 | $600.00 | Plan 3 at $30 for baselines and desktop app |
| Monday.com Standard | $720.00 | Seat buckets, 5 seats for a 5-person team |
| TeamGantt Base | $589.00 | Flat charge, 5 projects and 150 tasks per project |
Frequently asked questions
How much does project timeline software cost?
Entry prices here run from $7 to $10.99 per user a month on annual billing, except TeamGantt, which charges $59 a month flat for Base. Microsoft Project Plan 1 is $10, Plan 3 is $30, and Smartsheet Business is $19. A 5-user team for one year costs $420 on ClickUp Unlimited or GanttPRO Core, and $659.40 on Asana Starter, before tax and add-ons.
Which is best for small teams?
Asana Starter is the best fit for most small teams, because it includes timeline and Gantt views at $10.99 per user a month, with no seat limit and unlimited free guests. ClickUp Unlimited at $7 is cheaper and includes Gantt charts, while Wrike Team at $10 suits teams that want dashboards.
Which is best for Gantt-only scheduling?
GanttPRO Core is the best fit for Gantt-only scheduling, because it includes critical path, baselines, auto-scheduling and unlimited projects at $7 per user a month on annual billing. TeamGantt is the other focused choice, with a flat charge by project count and a Builder Edition at $199 a month for construction teams.
Do any of these tools offer a free plan?
Yes, Monday.com, Asana, TeamGantt, ClickUp and Wrike offer a free plan, with limits on seats, projects, tasks or storage. Asana Personal is limited to 2 users, Monday.com free is limited to 2 users and 3 boards, and TeamGantt Personal is limited to 1 user, 1 project and 40 tasks. Smartsheet, Microsoft Project and GanttPRO offer a trial only.
What is the difference between a timeline view and a Gantt chart?
A timeline view shows tasks on a calendar line with start and end dates, so a team can see what runs in parallel and what is due next. A Gantt chart adds dependencies, milestones, critical path and baselines, so a slipped task shows its effect on later tasks. Many tools use the two terms for the same view, so check for dependencies before you buy.
Can I move to a higher plan later without losing work?
Yes, all eight tools allow a move to a higher plan inside the same account, and your projects, tasks and dates stay in place. The cost change depends on the vendor, because Monday.com and Wrike use seat buckets or blocks, and Smartsheet Pro users who pass 10 members must move to Business.
Sources
- https://monday.com/
- https://monday.com/pricing
- https://asana.com/
- https://asana.com/pricing
- https://www.smartsheet.com/
- https://www.smartsheet.com/pricing
- https://www.teamgantt.com/
- https://www.teamgantt.com/pricing
- https://clickup.com/
- https://clickup.com/pricing
- https://www.wrike.com/
- https://www.wrike.com/pricing
- https://www.microsoft.com/
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-my/microsoft-365/planner/microsoft-planner-business-plans-and-pricing
- https://ganttpro.com/
- https://ganttpro.com/pricing/
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.