Best Gantt Chart Software for Project Management in 2022: Features, Pricing, Security & More – Cloudwards
A Gantt chart gives you a bird’s-eye view of your entire project lineup, which for many folks makes project planning much easier. To get the most out of this approach to project management, you need to invest in the best Gantt chart software available, and this article has six great options.
For over 100 years, Gantt charts have been helping people manage their projects. Early edition Gantt charts were created on paper, but today’s iterations exist in the digital world, serving as a core part of the best project management tools. For those of you hunting for the best Gantt chart software, keep reading — you’ll surely find it here.
Compared to kanban boards and basic to-do lists, Gantt charts provide a more complex overview of where your project is heading, and how on track you are with your goals. Because of that, Gantt chart tools tend to cost more money, and you’ll seldom see them in the best free project management software.
With that in mind, we’re constantly searching for the perfect quality-to-cost ratio. While we can’t be sure of your budget, one thing we can say for certain is that all the Gantt chart software options below offer quality. Some more than others, but all of them are valid options for those looking for the top Gantt chart tools.
If you’re looking for Gantt chart software, the best option right now is TeamGantt. It offers in-depth views and its functionality is top second to none.
Yes. Those with a Microsoft Project account can access a Gantt chart to manage projects.
Naturally, our core focus in the selection is how good each provider’s Gantt chart is. We’ll zero in on the design, see how easy it is to add data and test whether it runs smoothly even during intense usage. We’ll also focus on all the bits and bobs like value for the money and what other features are on offer.
TeamGantt takes the top spot because of its beautiful Gantt chart that functions extremely well and offers clear symbols, so you can easily digest the information of your project. It’s also one of the few providers to offer a Gantt chart for free.
GanttProject is here for the open source supporters and those without a budget. monday.com, Wrike and Airtable are featured because they’re fantastic project management tools with very good Gantt charts included.
We’re going to break down each of the six options below. We’ll mainly highlight their strengths, but also point out the areas in which they can improve. Let’s dive in.
More details about TeamGantt:
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TeamGantt isn’t trying to be anything other than the best Gantt chart software on the market. It knows what its strengths are, and it plays to them extremely well. That’s why we rate it the number one choice for anyone looking to invest in a Gantt chart tool.
Gantt charts tend to be slightly more complex views of projects, yet TeamGantt has developed a user interface that’s simple to grasp and will appeal to project managers of all levels of experience. With its simplistic user interface, users can clearly identify tasks and milestones, as well as manage dependencies by linking tasks together.
For those new to online Gantt chart software, TeamGantt offers some of the best educational tools in all the project management software space. It provides clear and concise tutorials, and there’s a deep knowledgebase too. On top of that, if you feel you need to speak to a member of the support team, you can do so easily and receive fast and informative responses.
We’ll note that while predominantly a Gantt chart tool, TeamGantt does have other project management features. Users can access a kanban board, a list view access to tools for time-tracking portfolio management, though some features are limited to paid plans.
Most project management software services reserve Gantt chart views for their paid plans. Not only is TeamGantt the best option on the market, but users can also access the Gantt chart software for free. Granted, the Gantt chart view is only accessible to project managers on the free account; however, if you’re a small team, this is a great way to save money.
Although TeamGantt offers several tools, none of them rival the quality of its Gantt chart. If you’re looking for a good all-rounder, TeamGantt may not provide you with the versatility you’re looking for (see monday.com for that). However, if you’re only interested in beautiful Gantt charts that are easy to use, TeamGantt is likely for you.
If you’re unsure how to create Gantt charts, TeamGantt also provides Gantt chart templates to help you get started. To learn more about the software, read our full TeamGantt review.
More details about GanttProject:
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For those who prefer to support not-for-profit companies, GanttProject is an excellent option. It’s arguably the best free project management software with Gantt chart views, as it doesn’t limit functionality and user access. However, before you’re lured in by the flashing lights of “free,” let’s take a look at what it offers and how it performs.
Of course, there’s the Gantt chart, which allows you to see which tasks you need to do, identify any potential obstacles and set dependencies. There’s also a “resource” tab that allows project managers to add new users to tasks and define each user’s role within the project and its tasks.
For those working on complex projects, GanttProject offers what is known as critical path analysis. It’s used to identify the quickest possible route in order to complete your task. This is an excellent feature for those working with tight deadlines.
For free open-source Gantt chart software, GanttProject comes with pretty impressive reporting features. You can export your reports in PDF and HTML, with the latter allowing you to embed your reports on external pages.
If you have previously been using Microsoft Project and want to save money by migrating to GanttProject, there’s good news. You don’t need to worry about losing all your current projects that are active on Microsoft Project, as GanttProject makes it possible to seamlessly import them into the software.
One drawback to choosing GanttProject is that you don’t have access to a web-based version of the platform, nor does it offer mobile apps. Instead, you have to go old school and download the software locally. This isn’t the end of the world, but if you prefer to keep space free on your computer’s hard drive, it’s likely going to be somewhat of a nuisance.
We also can’t ignore the extremely dated design of the user interface. It’s going to take you back 20 years. Despite its poor design, though, the software functions well, and for those who only care about that and saving money, GanttProject is a solid choice. Learn more about the software via our GanttProject review.
More details about monday.com:
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Although monday.com isn’t quite the top Gantt chart software, it’s certainly the best project management solution currently available. It’s packed to the brim with features that make project and task management far more manageable. Also, as far as quality Gantt charts are concerned, it’s not that far behind the best of them.
What’s commonly known as Gantt chart view, monday.com refers to as its “timeline” view. They’re essentially the same thing. Like TeamGantt, monday.com provides a very clean and easily digestible timeline of tasks within your project. Users can color code tasks, providing a more vibrant approach to sometimes mundane task management.
What we especially like about monday.com is its performance. It’s the best project management software for multiple projects so it runs smoothly, even when managing multiple projects or complex projects filled with a range of tasks. It’s also easy to navigate, as each feature is clearly labeled, meaning you’ll spend little time figuring out where everything is and how it works.
monday.com’s native features are excellent; however, the company realizes it can’t do everything. To counter that, monday.com opens the door to over 200 third-party software integrations. Not all of them pertain to project management, as many of the integrations can help with customer relationship management, marketing and software development.
monday.com is the perfect example of a service that considers Gantt charts a premium feature. You won’t find a Gantt chart on its free plan nor on its most budget-friendly paid plan, so to get one you’ll need to move up to the Standard plan. At a cost of $10 per month with a three user minimum, it’s more expensive than our top choice, while not being as good in terms of its Gantt chart.
Remember, though, you’re paying for the best all-rounder here, so if Gantt charts are just a subsection of how you manage projects, monday.com would be a fantastic choice if you want the best of everything. To learn more, read our monday.com review.
More details about Wrike:
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Wrike is another option that’s not necessarily a piece of stand-alone Gantt chart software. Instead, it’s a well-rounded player that’s just as comfortable with kanban boards as it is scrum boards (check out the best scrum tools), making it one of the best project management software with Gantt charts.
Regarding the Gantt chart, its design makes it easy to track progress, get a clear picture of your project timeline and share tasks with other team members. Like with GanttProject, you can also import important projects from Microsoft Project which will enable you to shift seamlessly into Wrike’s software.
Weirdly, Wrike’s Gantt chart isn’t as diverse as its other project views. It’s not possible to zoom in on task dependencies, or hide them when you want a more streamlined view. Other features, such as Wrike’s native calendar, set the bar high in the world of project management tools, and Wrike only needs to make minor improvements to its Gantt chart functionality for that to do the same.
What sets Wrike apart from the competition is its excellent range of project templates. The templates include multiple options for project management (including Gantt charts) as well as templates for marketing purposes. For those managing multiple projects, Wrike’s templates will no doubt help get you going quickly and more efficiently.
Although it’s not anywhere near as bad as GanttProject for modern standards, Wrike has one of the worst designed user interfaces. However, that doesn’t impact functionality and for the most part the Gantt chart and other features performed well.
Another thing worth mentioning is that while Wrike has some of the best security around, its privacy policy falls short. The company openly states it will share your data with third-party companies, and it will snoop around your information to send targeted ads to your eyeballs. We’re certainly not fans of this.
If you don’t care about any of that and want a decent Gantt chart that also helps with basic task management and more complex approaches to project management such as Agile methodology, Wrike will make you proud. It also has a free version you can try out. Learn more by reading our full Wrike review.
More details about Airtable:
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We were of two minds as to whether to include Airtable in this roundup of the leading Gantt chart software. Objectively speaking, as far as Gantt chart software goes, Airtable is up there with the best of them, and in our review we wrote that it rivaled TeamGantt. To some, it would seem like a no-brainer to include it.
We’ll start with the good. You can use the Gantt chart to set milestones, implement resource management and easily assign tasks to the available and appropriate team members. The project view looks delicious inside Airtable’s Gantt chart, and you can even view it in full-screen mode to gain a larger and wider perspective of your entire project.
The bad news is that the Gantt chart is only available on Airtable’s Pro and Enterprise plans. The Pro plan costs $20 per user per month, making it by far the most expensive option in this selection. Some may also argue that the other features in the Pro plan aren’t as extensive as the more affordable options above.
The thing is, Airtable has an exceptionally good web application. It’s no nonsense and really (and we mean really) enjoyable to use. Remove the price and it could easily be our number one Gantt chart software solution. With that in mind, it was impossible for us not to include it.
Airtable’s stock user interface will be enough for most people, as it’s beautiful and easy to navigate. However, for those who love full control, you can create a personalized interface that suits your needs and is accessible both for internal and external users. No coding skills are required either — you can build the interface yourself with simple drag-and-drop blocks.
Pricing concerns aside, Airtable does have plenty to offer. Its customer support is excellent and its tutorials make it easy to learn about all the sections of the software. Airtable offers decent reporting tools and other features such as a kanban board and native calendar are also available, although they’re very basic in regards to what they do.
If money is of no concern, going with Airtable simply for its Gantt chart features isn’t a bad decision. It’s just hard for us to place it higher up this article because it’s not accessible for those on a tight budget. To learn more about Airtable and to see if it’s worth the money, check out our Airtable review.
More details about ClickUp:
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ClickUp is a very likable project management tool. That’s mainly because of its basic (but functional) design, which will appeal to a wider, commercial audience. In short, it’s fun to use, something that shouldn’t be overlooked when doing mundane tasks like workload management and time tracking, as examples.
As far as the Gantt chart goes, it’s pretty good. It lets you see a bird’s-eye view of all your work stations, lists and tasks and also gives you a clear view of your project schedule, helping you to identify if everything is on track.
As far as interactive Gantt charts go, ClickUp uses its intuitive software to help you identify potential bottlenecks, allowing you to see the project’s critical path and clean things up if needed.
If you’re curious about what else is on offer, ClickUp comes with white boards, allowing you to be visually creative when planning a complex project. There’s also some collaboration tools which lets authorized users comment, edit and share documents created in the native document app.
Foremost ClickUp is another great option for those looking for a free Gantt chart. The only downside is it’s limited to 100 entries. The good news is that for $5 per user per month, you unlock ClickUp Unlimited, which allows you to use the Gantt chart as much as you wish, without limitations. You also get access to unlimited storage, dashboards and integrations.
In closing, while ClickUp is a good option for new and novice users, experienced users may find the software’s performance a little too sluggish for their standards. It’s not overly slow, but for more intense tasks it does begin to slow down. To gain a deeper understanding of the product, check out our ClickUp review.
We hope you enjoyed that little journey into the world of Gantt charts and by now you should have a clear idea of which service is for you. Again, TeamGantt is the best Gantt chart creator and not only will you enjoy using it, you will also see the benefits it gives you in overall project workflow.
A reminder, if you want an all inclusive solution for help with workload management, team collaboration, resource management and, of course, project management, monday.com will be the hero you’re looking for. As for the rest, they’re all viable options and will mainly suit you based on your design tastes and feature preferences.
What’s your favorite Gantt chart? Is there a software provider you would like us to review in the future? What’s your favorite project management tool? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading.
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