ProjectLibre vs. Smartsheet

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
ProjectLibre
Score 7.5 out of 10
N/A
ProjectLibre is an open source project management software built as a software as a service (SaaS) deployment.N/A
Smartsheet
Score 8.4 out of 10
N/A
Smartsheet is an online project management and collaboration tool. It includes automated alerts, instantaneous updating and sharing across team members, resource management, nested tasks organized in a hierarchy, a Gantt chart view, exportable and automated reports, and integration with email.
$12
per month per user (up to 10 users)
Pricing
ProjectLibreSmartsheet
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Pro
$12
per month per user (up to 10 users)
Business
$24
per month per user (3 user minimum)
Enterprise
Contact Sales
Advanced Work Management
Contact Sales
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
ProjectLibreSmartsheet
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsA discount is offered for annual billing.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
ProjectLibreSmartsheet
Considered Both Products
ProjectLibre
Chose ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre is more customizeable and has greater functionality than Google sheets. Though not as intuitive or visually appealing in design, they have the tools you need once you learn them
Chose ProjectLibre
We decided to go with ProjectLibre because it is a free tool and there is a great community that supports us in case there are any questions or concerns about the software. This has allowed us to be able to invest time without having to worry about licensing costs or anything …
Chose ProjectLibre
Project Libre being free and open-source, makes it accessible to users regardless of their budget. It has a large and active user community, providing support and resources for those who are new to the software or need help with a specific task. Overall, LibreOffice is a good …
Chose ProjectLibre
As already mentioned, ProjectLibre doesn't hold up well against a professional project management tool.
It is quite suited for simple projects and if you don't need to advanced features of other tools and if you don't need simple scripting extensibility. My main driver on using …
Chose ProjectLibre
Both of those other options are paid options and do not mimic MS Project. While those tools are great in their own right, ProjectLibre is truly unique in that it basically emulates MS Project and does it really well for free.
Chose ProjectLibre
1) Ability to access project plans created using MS Projects - MS Projects license is expensive and we cannot have all users assigned one. This is where ProjectLibre comes in. We can get the team to access project plans rather than sharing them as PDFs

2) User interface is …
Chose ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre offer many of the same functionalities as MS Project , but at no cost! While the user interface might not be as aesthetically pleasing or intuitive as MS Project, ProjectLibre still gets the job done while enabling substantial cost savings. Both products are …
Chose ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre is open-sourced, so constantly on the verge of getting better. I think this one is more suited against other workflow programs because it is built for function and (like referenced in another section) not meant to be something you can distract your boss with to …
Chose ProjectLibre
The significant reason for choosing Project Libre is that it's free and my business is very small. In fact, we have less than 10 employees. It's easy to learn, especially since its interface is very similar to the leading project management software. It wasn't a hard choice at …
Chose ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre is a free tool with no limit for users using the tool and mainly works on all Windows, Linux and MAC OS operating systems. It is a very interesting alternative for those who are starting in the project management area. And you don't want to spend on paid software …
Chose ProjectLibre
Microsoft project has a great interface and features. However, the cost of ProjectLibre overshadows anything that Microsoft can provide. The cost to benefits that ProjectLibre provides along with their similar features to Microsoft makes ProjectLibre a leader in the project …
Chose ProjectLibre
I was looking for something free, and ProjectLibre met my needs. I had used another Gantt program, but it was discontinued. TeamGantt has also been introduced, and I tried it but came back to ProjectLibre because of familiarity.
Smartsheet
Chose Smartsheet
I use both. Excel for more data/spreadsheet focused tasks and Smartsheet for our event planning and project management. Smartsheet allows for collaboration, has project management features like task tracking and the Gantt chart, and even has some handy automation features …
Chose Smartsheet
I tried Miro for a while and it just didn't have the features Smartsheet does. If I'm going to pay for a "supercharged Excel," I expect to really do a ton more than Excel!
Chose Smartsheet
It allows team collaboration.
Project monitoring is very easy.
Dashboards are very good for the project reporting.
Chose Smartsheet
Asana and monday.com are typical project management tools where resources can be tracked based on the tasks, etc. Smartsheet does exactly the same but additionally allows people outside of PM to automate their data collaboration with other employees. The solutions that …
Chose Smartsheet
Smartsheet is user friendly with easy to use templates as compared to Microsoft project. Other thing is collaboration which cannot be achieved in Microsoft project. Smartsheet has different types of pricing for different types of users but Microsoft project only offers …
Chose Smartsheet
Jira is better on user interface and task tracking. However the dashboard isn't as versatile as on Smartsheet. That being said, it takes maintenance to keep the Smartsheet dashboard updated regularly (not automated).
Chose Smartsheet
Definitely a lot more intuitive and a lot less clunky and confusing. When I have to introduce Smartsheet to other team members who have experience with MS project they are overwhelmed with how easy it is and feel a lot more engaged when developing their own workbooks
Chose Smartsheet
Smartsheet enable users to build the more custom solutions that can include workflows, reports, dashboards, sheet data, reminders, etc. It allows to create the most complete reports and have available thousand of already built solutions on the Solution Center. Also, has the …
Chose Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a dedicated project management tool that is built on spread sheet principles. When compared to Microsoft's own offering, Smartsheet came out on top in some areas like dedicated project management features vs having to build custom features to Microsoft 365. …
Chose Smartsheet
Jira and Redmine are much more robust and technologically advanced project management solutions. I enjoy using either when managing a very large project. However, I prefer to use Smartsheet for my smaller to medium sized projects. As for Google Drive - I would say that Google …
Chose Smartsheet
It has been my favorite alternative; I can control Smartsheet from my mobile device since, as a manager, it allows me to visualize the files made through it, with the convenience of any time and space.
Chose Smartsheet
Price and ease of collaboration was the deciding factor and since we made this decision quite awhile ago, Microsoft Project's collaboration features were not there yet, making Smartsheet the clear winner. Many of our Project Manager were comfortable working with Microsoft …
Chose Smartsheet
Smartsheet makes it simple to plan and budget on projects, streamline business workflows and improve overall customer service. The pricing plans are affordable and businesses that implement Smartsheet enjoy tremendous long-term value. Employee work performance is boosted and …
Chose Smartsheet
I believe Smartsheet is much easier to use than Asana. There is a better way to collaborate with colleagues and track your progress on projects. There is a better structure on how to set up your system. It has better filters to see what you have accomplished vs what is open and …
Chose Smartsheet
Functionality is far superior and very easy to use.
Chose Smartsheet
Smartsheet is an exceptionally robust and ,offer unique hybrid solution to manage projects and automate workflows that is based on accurate data. It offers better time-saving functions that speeds up delivery of projects on schedule and using the allocated resources.
Chose Smartsheet
Smartsheet has been a positive success; it has been easy to use and quite intuitive. It allowed us to foster collaboration between colleagues.
Chose Smartsheet
Works more efficiently than MPP as updates can happen in real time in the cloud and be collaborated on with other team members.
Chose Smartsheet
Before utilizing Smartsheet we utilized a combination of Quip and an in-house developed task management tool. Even though we did not utilize Smartsheet for all of our project management needs it did provide a useful structure for planning a schedule for routine tasks and …
Chose Smartsheet
Other software's are more geared towards the construction process while Smartsheet is more geared to generic Project Management, no specific to the construction industry. We are using Smartsheet to communicate with our client and not to manage construction so from that …
Chose Smartsheet
I prefer the more traditional usability of Smartsheet. It's like Microsoft Project or Excel, but far easier for my organization to access. We don't currently have it set up as our resource manager or integrate it with our timesheets (our problem, not Smartsheet), and I think …
Chose Smartsheet
Smartsheet is much easier to collaborate on than Microsoft or Primavera in terms of scheduling software, but lacks the customizability of its competitors. You can also much easier link projects together when master scheduling which is a huge advantage compared to Microsoft …
Chose Smartsheet
We use Basecamp for our day-to-day in-house operations, but need a more "rigid" structure (spreadsheet) for managing projects with clients. Everything is in one place in Smartsheet and clients are able to find and use it easily.
Chose Smartsheet
All the products seemed to perform the project and task management function adequately. The following factors were the keys to our selection:
  1. Ease of use - so similar to Excel everyone can figure it out.
  2. Flexible architecture lends itself to many different use cases beyond …
Chose Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a must to companies that are in need of automating key business processes that will save them time and eliminate productivity killers. This software enables teams identify bottlenecks early on tasks and projects that are due so that they are able plan on a course …
Features
ProjectLibreSmartsheet
Project Management
Comparison of Project Management features of Product A and Product B
ProjectLibre
6.8
Ratings
12% below category average
Smartsheet
9.0
Ratings
16% above category average
Task Management7.40 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Resource Management7.90 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Gantt Charts8.20 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Scheduling7.30 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Workflow Automation5.80 Ratings8.10 Ratings
Team Collaboration6.50 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Support for Agile Methodology5.90 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Support for Waterfall Methodology6.50 Ratings8.90 Ratings
Document Management6.50 Ratings8.90 Ratings
Email integration6.40 Ratings9.90 Ratings
Mobile Access9.50 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Timesheet Tracking5.70 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Change request and Case Management5.90 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Budget and Expense Management6.20 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Professional Services Automation
Comparison of Professional Services Automation features of Product A and Product B
ProjectLibre
6.7
Ratings
12% below category average
Smartsheet
9.1
Ratings
19% above category average
Quotes/estimates6.10 Ratings8.80 Ratings
Invoicing5.80 Ratings9.70 Ratings
Project & financial reporting6.20 Ratings8.90 Ratings
Integration with accounting software8.50 Ratings8.90 Ratings
Best Alternatives
ProjectLibreSmartsheet
Small Businesses
Stackby
Stackby
Score 9.0 out of 10
Stackby
Stackby
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
InEight
InEight
Score 8.3 out of 10
InEight
InEight
Score 8.3 out of 10
Enterprises
InEight
InEight
Score 8.3 out of 10
InEight
InEight
Score 8.3 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
ProjectLibreSmartsheet
Likelihood to Recommend
7.5
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
9.8
(0 ratings)
8.1
(0 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
7.0
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
ProjectLibreSmartsheet
Likelihood to Recommend
ProjectLibre is very similar to Microsoft Project, but it is free. It has a user-friendly interface that is simple to understand and use. Best of all is its compatibility to import and export data to Project and PDF without any restriction. ProjectLibre is very important to execute medium and large scale projects that we develop. There is a possibility to create many diagrams, with Gantt and PERT being the most used by me. I feel like you don't lose anything to any paid competitor software
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The Smartsheet platform is extremely similar to Microsoft Excel, so if you are familiar with Excel, you will pick Smartsheet up quickly. Even if you aren't Smartsheet has a relatively simple user interface, meaning just about anyone can learn it. One thing to note is that the interface is that some may consider the interface so simple that they feel the need to look for more robust platforms. If you have a small to medium project that needs to be manages in a central hub, Smartsheet would be a great fit. If you have a very large project, I might consider looking into more advanced platforms.
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Pros
  • ProjectLibre is great for project management. It allows us to establish milestones and timeline planning for projects.
  • It allows us to stay organized among multiple projects.
  • It is extremely simple to use with a simple interface. It takes little time to plan out a project with key dates and provides a nice graphic.
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  • The easy to use dashboard has enabled us get comprehensive view of projects across the entire business.
  • It has streamlined internal communication with ease of sharing information across different teams.
  • Smartsheet automates our workflows, enhances collaboration and ensures there are no data silos.
  • I like that it saves time for us and ensures we spend less time switching between apps.
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Cons
  • Customer service is not there - I understand that the product is open source but some kind of forum with FAQs, etc. can come in handy
  • App crashes at time for no reason. There have been instances where you try to create a new task and all the diagrams and other items get messed up
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  • Smartsheet set up is similar to Excel, yet when you upload an Excel file, things like conditional formatting are lost. Smartsheet has its own conditional formatting, and you have to reinstate the rules. It would be great if those would apply automatically once a file is uploaded
  • Some Smartsheet management and access rules can take some tweaking to work properly. This may be a case of offering more info to admins so they can apply these better and with more efficiency
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Likelihood to Renew
No answers on this topic
Smartsheet has made my work life easier. Reduced my email significantly. Smartsheet and SaneBox have got me leaving the office with 0... Yes 0 emails in my inbox. My inbox would reach 150-250 email per day. Smartsheet brought that number down significantly and SaneBox took it the rest of the way. Do yourself a favor and check out SaneBox, too.
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Usability
No answers on this topic
Smartsheet is very easy to learn. However, while I have been able to pick it easily, Microsoft Excel and Project super users that I have trained on Smartsheet get bogged down in the differences and can find it frustrating. Explaining the differences ahead of time and why Smartsheet is being chosen instead of a different software seems to counteract those reactions
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Support Rating
There are a lot of discussions online about it, and a customer addition based manual. While that can lead to some confusion, I am not the kind of person who likes talking on the phone. So it is easier to go online with ProjectLibre!
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They're a smaller company but they've always given great service when we rarely need to reach out. Pretty good online content but a bigger user base would help to produce more content in a self-sufficient community much as we see with Salesforce. To be fair we haven't needed their direct customer support very often. The sales guys are nice and not too pushy!
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Implementation Rating
No answers on this topic
Work with the Smartsheet support team to get the best overall. If no one in your organization has used Smartsheet before, the support team will get things started. We had a couple of people who had used this product before and it was a great help in getting our framework together how we wanted to use it.
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Alternatives Considered
ProjectLibre offer many of the same functionalities as MS Project , but at no cost! While the user interface might not be as aesthetically pleasing or intuitive as MS Project, ProjectLibre still gets the job done while enabling substantial cost savings. Both products are excellent, but open source software that performs as well as ProjectLibre is hard to beat!
Read full review
Smartsheet is a dedicated project management tool that is built on spread sheet principles. When compared to Microsoft's own offering, Smartsheet came out on top in some areas like dedicated project management features vs having to build custom features to Microsoft 365. However when you compare them on price, Microsoft 365 definitely has more value than Smartsheet.
Read full review
Return on Investment
  • ProjectLibre is free so it has allowed us to collaborate on MS Project files for users that run a Mac or Linux machine
  • Learning curve is minimal since it so closely resembles MS Project
  • Not all MS Project features (especially the newer editions) are present but it's best for users that are not the primary PM to user ProjectLibre.
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  • Our positive ROI has decreased the overall cost in project management as it reduced the amount of MS project licenses we needed.
  • We have also seen a positive ROI on using the cloud storage and it automatically supports proper version control.
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ScreenShots