Project management tools · Comparison
ClickUp vs Microsoft Planner (2026): Which Is Better?
ClickUp is best value for feature-rich teams; Microsoft Planner is best for microsoft 365 organisations. We compare pricing, features, ease of use and G2 and Capterra ratings to help you choose.
Key takeaways
- Overall winner: ClickUp (8.9/10 vs 8.1/10), winning 5 of 7 categories.
- Choose ClickUp for budget-conscious teams that want tasks, docs, goals, sprints and dashboards in one tool.
- Choose Microsoft Planner for organisations standardised on Microsoft 365 and Teams.
- Price: ClickUp Free; paid from $7/user/month; Microsoft Planner Basic Planner included in Microsoft 365; Plan 1 from $10/user/month.
Quick verdict
ClickUp offers the most features for the money. Wrike remains the stronger choice for structured resource, portfolio and approval management at scale.
Planner is the convenient default for Microsoft 365 shops. For richer collaboration, resource and portfolio management, Wrike integrates with Microsoft tools while offering far more depth.
ClickUp vs Microsoft Planner at a glance
| ClickUp | Microsoft Planner | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.9/10 | 8.1/10 |
| Best for | Budget-conscious teams that want tasks, docs, goals, sprints and dashboards in one tool | Organisations standardised on Microsoft 365 and Teams |
| Starting price | Free; paid from $7/user/month | Basic Planner included in Microsoft 365; Plan 1 from $10/user/month |
| Free plan | Yes | Basic Planner included with Microsoft 365 |
| Free trial | Free plan available | One-month trial of Plan 1 and Plan 3 (credit card required) |
| Vendor | ClickUp | Microsoft |
Pricing compared
| ClickUp | Microsoft Planner | |
|---|---|---|
| Plans | Free Forever: $0 Unlimited: $7/user/month annual ($10 monthly) Business: $12/user/month annual ($19 monthly) Enterprise: Contact sales AI add-ons: $9 or $28/user/month | Planner (basic): Included in Microsoft 365 Planner Plan 1: $10/user/month (annual) Planner and Project Plan 3: $30/user/month (annual) Microsoft 365 Copilot: $30/user/month add-on (annual) |
Checked on vendors' pricing pages on 5 October 2026. Read the full ClickUp pricing and Microsoft Planner pricing breakdowns.
Features compared
| Feature | ClickUp | Microsoft Planner |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Gantt / timeline | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Kanban boards | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Time tracking | ✓ Yes | ◐ Partial |
| Resource & workload management | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Portfolio management | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Docs & wiki | ✓ Yes | ◐ Partial |
| Automations | ✓ Yes | ◐ Partial |
| Agile / sprint tools | ✓ Yes | ◐ Partial |
| Proofing & approvals | ✓ Yes | ✕ No |
| Built-in AI | + Add-on | + Add-on |
| Guest / client access | ✓ Yes | ◐ Partial |
| Flat (non per-user) pricing | ✕ No | ✕ No |
Category winners
| Category | ClickUp | Microsoft Planner | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | 7/10 | 8/10 | Microsoft Planner |
| Feature depth | 10/10 | 6/10 | ClickUp |
| Planning & resource management | 8/10 | 7/10 | ClickUp |
| Collaboration | 8/10 | 7/10 | ClickUp |
| Agile & software teams | 9/10 | 6/10 | ClickUp |
| Value for money | 9/10 | 8/10 | ClickUp |
| Scalability & enterprise readiness | 8/10 | 8/10 | Tie |
User ratings
| ClickUp | Microsoft Planner | |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | 4.6/5 (14,714 reviews) | 4.2/5 (237 reviews) |
| Capterra | 4.6/5 (4,634 reviews) | 4.3/5 (298 reviews) |
| Top praise (G2) | Easy and simple to use once set up | Ease of use |
| Top complaint (G2) | Some missing features | Limited features for complex projects |
ClickUp has the higher G2 rating. ClickUp has the higher Capterra rating. See reviews on G2 for ClickUp, G2 for Microsoft Planner, Capterra for ClickUp and Capterra for Microsoft Planner.
Which should you choose?
Choose ClickUp if…
- Start-ups and SMBs wanting maximum features per dollar
- Software and product teams wanting sprints and docs together
- Teams consolidating several tools
- Very strong value for money matters to you
Choose Microsoft Planner if…
- Organisations already on Microsoft 365 and Teams
- Teams needing simple, integrated task management
- Included or low-cost for Microsoft 365 customers matters to you
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, ClickUp or Microsoft Planner?
In our review, ClickUp scores 8.9/10 and Microsoft Planner 8.1/10. ClickUp wins on feature depth, planning & resource management, collaboration, agile & software teams, value for money; Microsoft Planner is better for ease of use.
Is ClickUp cheaper than Microsoft Planner?
ClickUp: Free; paid from $7/user/month. Microsoft Planner: Basic Planner included in Microsoft 365; Plan 1 from $10/user/month. Compare total cost at your team size, including seat minimums and add-ons.
Do ClickUp and Microsoft Planner have free plans?
ClickUp: Yes. Microsoft Planner: Basic Planner included with Microsoft 365.
Which is easier to use, ClickUp or Microsoft Planner?
Microsoft Planner scores higher for ease of use in our review (ClickUp 7/10, Microsoft Planner 8/10).
Which is better for Agile teams, ClickUp or Microsoft Planner?
ClickUp is stronger for Agile and software teams in our scoring.
ClickUp vs Microsoft Planner: which has better resource and portfolio management?
ClickUp scores higher for planning and resource management (ClickUp 8/10, Microsoft Planner 7/10).
ClickUp vs Microsoft Planner: which is better for large enterprises?
Neither (tie) scores higher for scalability and enterprise readiness.
How do ClickUp and Microsoft Planner compare on G2 and Capterra?
ClickUp: 4.6/5 on G2 (14,714 reviews) and 4.6/5 on Capterra (4,634). Microsoft Planner: 4.2/5 on G2 (237) and 4.3/5 on Capterra (298). Checked 5 October 2026.
Do ClickUp and Microsoft Planner have Gantt charts?
ClickUp: yes. Microsoft Planner: yes (plan-dependent).
Can I switch from Microsoft Planner to ClickUp (or the reverse)?
Yes. Both support importing data, typically via CSV or built-in importers. Pilot with one project before migrating everything.
What are alternatives to ClickUp and Microsoft Planner?
See our lists of ClickUp alternatives and Microsoft Planner alternatives, or the top 10 project management tools.