Each Asana and Microsoft Planner are pretty simple process administration and undertaking administration instruments. Asana is a web based suite for managing duties and tasks that homes a lot of the options customers count on from a process administration instrument. Asana permits customers to create subtasks, set deadlines and assign duties to different folks. They will additionally create a number of workspaces for his or her tasks and even connect with a number of Asana deployments.
Microsoft Planner, then again, is a web based software that’s a part of the Microsoft Workplace 365 built-in ecosystem that allows customers to trace duties and tasks. Its options embody process teams, swimlanes, deadlines, process assignments and notes.
- Asana: Greatest for complete undertaking administration, because it excels in managing advanced tasks with detailed duties, timelines and group collaborations
- Microsoft Planner: Greatest for undertaking administration that requires Microsoft 365 integrations, because it integrates seamlessly with different Microsoft functions like Groups and Outlook
Asana vs. Microsoft Planner: Comparability
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Asana vs. Microsoft Planner: Pricing
Asana has a free Fundamental plan and several other paid premium plans. In comparison with Planner, it’s cheaper and a more sensible choice for people and groups who want the platform’s core options.
Compared, Microsoft Planner is a part of Workplace 365, which has numerous subscription plans. The most affordable Workplace 365 plan that features Microsoft Planner is the Microsoft 365 Enterprise Fundamental, which prices $6 per consumer per 30 days. In case your group is already utilizing Workplace 365, the price of Microsoft Planner is pretty negligible.
For extra on Asana and Microsoft Planner, take a look at our full Asana assessment and full Microsoft Planner assessment.
Asana pricing
Asana has 5 pricing plans that cater to completely different sorts of customers. The primary three are for people and small groups whereas the final two are for companies and enterprises.
- Private: Free for people or groups.
- Starter: $10.99 per consumer per 30 days, billed yearly, or $13.49 billed month-to-month.
- Superior: $24.99 per consumer per 30 days, billed yearly, or $30.49 billed month-to-month.
- Enterprise: Customized pricing.
- Enterprise+: Customized pricing, for groups with strict compliance necessities.
Microsoft Planner pricing
Included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions, Microsoft Planner doesn’t have a standalone worth however is a part of the broader Microsoft ecosystem.
- Microsoft 365 Enterprise Fundamental: $6 per consumer per 30 days, billed yearly, and contains Planner as a part of a set of productiveness instruments.
- Microsoft 365 Enterprise Commonplace: $12.50 per consumer per 30 days, billed yearly, and contains extra Microsoft instruments than the earlier plan.
- Microsoft 365 Enterprise Premium: Priced at $22 per consumer per 30 days, billed yearly, and presents superior cybersecurity and gadget administration options.
Asana vs. Microsoft Planner: Function comparability
Time monitoring
Winner: Asana
Asana delivers a local time-tracking characteristic that allows its customers to trace the time they should full duties and report the time they spend on every process. This may be completed each manually and mechanically, and time-tracking options can report on information in dashboards.
Microsoft Planner, nonetheless, doesn’t supply a local time-tracking characteristic, with third-party integrations being your greatest wager for correct time monitoring.
Workflow automation
Winner: Asana
Asana presents workflow automation options that can help you automate routine actions and duties, making undertaking administration extra environment friendly. You may construct customized workflows and automations with out having to write down a single line of code. Asana handles automation by means of a number of options, some of the notable being Guidelines, which units up guidelines, immediately assigns duties and automates throughout instruments.
In Microsoft Planner, there are not any built-in workflow automation options. Nevertheless, customers can leverage Microsoft Energy Automate to construct automated workflows. With Energy Automate, you may arrange triggers and actions throughout a number of Microsoft 365 apps, together with Planner. But it surely’s nonetheless not as built-in as Asana and will require extra setup.
Integrations
Asana integrates with many third-party options together with Salesforce, Dropbox, Gmail and Energy BI, whereas Microsoft Planner integrates with different Microsoft merchandise equivalent to Outlook and OneDrive. For organizations that want integration with third-party options that Microsoft doesn’t personal, Asana has a considerable edge. Nevertheless, Asana has stricter safety necessities for integrations, which might scale back the convenience of integration with third-party functions.
Collaboration
Winner: Microsoft Planner
Asana supplies many avenues for group collaboration, together with process feedback, undertaking conversations and group pages, which all make it simpler for group members to speak inside the platform.
However, Planner’s collaboration options could be seen in its Planner boards, the place groups can arrange and monitor duties. Microsoft Planner additionally permits for seamless integration with Microsoft Groups, a instrument identified for serving to groups keep organized. Whereas it could not have as many built-in collaboration options as Asana, its Groups integration makes Planner an awesome selection for group tasks.
Ease of use
Winner: Tie
Asana and Microsoft Planner are each easy undertaking administration instruments, although Microsoft Planner could also be much less intuitive for customers who are usually not aware of the Microsoft ecosystem. Each instruments supply kanban boards which might be straightforward to make use of and handle.
Customers who’re aware of Microsoft merchandise ought to be capable of start utilizing Microsoft Planner instantly and with none hassle. And whereas Asana isn’t tough to navigate, it’s nonetheless comparatively a sophisticated instrument and this will trigger a studying curve to groups which have by no means used a undertaking administration and planning instrument.
Gantt charts
Winner: Asana
Along with Gantt templates, Asana comes with a Gantt chart view, which is obtainable in Asana Superior. This view offers groups a technique to plan and visualize their tasks extra clearly by permitting them to create and handle advanced dependencies and make comparisons between precise progress and unique plans.
Microsoft Planner doesn’t have the standard Gantt chart, however it presents a type of Gantt chart performance by means of its Schedule characteristic and not too long ago enhanced Charts views. These present a fundamental visible overview of process statuses and deadlines, that are simplest for smaller tasks and groups.
Synthetic intelligence
Winner: Tie
Asana has not too long ago enhanced its undertaking administration instruments by means of Asana Intelligence, including AI options designed to streamline reporting and threat administration. Asana Intelligence is able to producing standing updates, targets, summaries, experiences and extra. It additionally guarantees to introduce a characteristic that builds workflows from easy directions.
As for Microsoft Planner, it has a brand new model that’s being rolled out, which introduces Copilot integration. This AI assists in numerous duties, together with breaking down massive duties into subtasks, suggesting deadlines based mostly on undertaking information and integrating with Microsoft Groups to replace group members about undertaking modifications or upcoming deadlines.
Asana professionals and cons
Professionals
- Thorough automation and delegation capabilities.
- Has an awesome number of customization choices.
- Greater than 350 third-party integrations.
Cons
- Has numerous options that may overwhelm new customers.
- Small groups might discover the premium tiers to be costly.
- The free model is proscribed for groups.
Microsoft Planner professionals and cons
Professionals
- Nice group collaboration options.
- Seamless integration with the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Simple to arrange and use.
Cons
- Restricted third-party integrations in comparison with Asana.
- Wants an eligible Workplace 365 work or college subscription and doesn’t help Workplace 365 private accounts.
- Fewer customization choices in comparison with different undertaking administration instruments.
Methodology
We examined every product’s web site to get a fundamental understanding of whom every instrument is for, what they provide and the way they’re priced. This was adopted by studying by means of consumer critiques to know how real-world customers reply to every undertaking administration software program. Then we examined every instrument to get firsthand expertise with it. Our testing was completed on Home windows and iPadOS to gauge the texture of every instrument on a couple of platform.
Ought to your group use Asana or Microsoft Planner?
Asana and Microsoft Planner are completely different sufficient that the reply to which undertaking administration instrument is best for you ought to instantly turn out to be obvious.
Do you want third-party integrations? Are you on the lookout for a easy process and undertaking administration system that provides efficient useful resource administration in your group? If sure, then Asana is the higher match.
Are you already utilizing Microsoft merchandise and on the lookout for a process and undertaking administration system that can combine effectively together with your current tech stack? In case your reply is sure, then Microsoft Planner is a good selection.
The advantages of Microsoft Planner considerably wane in the event you aren’t already utilizing Workplace 365. In the identical vein, in case you are already utilizing Workplace 365, it solely is sensible to make use of a product that’s already included and built-in into your present workplace suite. Nevertheless, it’s price noting that Microsoft is revamping Planner by consolidating its undertaking administration instruments beneath the brand new Microsoft Planner, which replaces the earlier Duties by Planner and To Do app in Microsoft Groups. It additionally incorporates Microsoft Challenge for the Net into this new unified platform.
That is designed to streamline the work administration expertise throughout Microsoft 365. Microsoft has already begun rolling out the brand new Planner in Microsoft Groups and is regularly turning into accessible to extra organizations. Present functionalities of Challenge for the Net at the moment are accessible inside the new Planner framework with out requiring extra licenses. If these modifications enchantment to you, Microsoft Planner could also be price contemplating.
