Microsoft Project Professional vs Standard: Complete Comparison Guide 2024
Quick Summary
- Standard: Best for individuals managing basic projects independently
- Professional: Best for teams needing collaboration and resource management
- Professional includes Project Server/Online connectivity for team sharing
- Both editions offer perpetual licensing (one-time purchase)
- Price difference: Professional costs approximately 50-60% more than Standard
Table of Contents
Microsoft Project Professional vs Standard: Which Edition is Right for You?
Choosing between Microsoft Project Professional and Standard can significantly impact your project management capabilities and budget. Both editions offer powerful tools for planning, scheduling, and tracking projects, but they serve different needs and audiences.
This comprehensive comparison breaks down every feature difference, pricing consideration, and use case to help you make an informed decision. Whether you're an individual project manager, a small team leader, or an enterprise planning to deploy Project across your organization, this guide will clarify which edition delivers the best value for your specific requirements.
Overview: Understanding the Two Editions
Microsoft Project is available in two main perpetual license editions:
Project Standard
For Individual Project Managers
Project Standard is designed for individual users who need professional project management tools but don't require team collaboration features or server connectivity. It's a standalone desktop application perfect for creating schedules, tracking tasks, and generating reports for personal or small-scale projects.
- Full desktop application with all core features
- Gantt charts, timelines, and calendar views
- Task scheduling and dependency management
- Basic resource assignment and tracking
- Standard reporting capabilities
- Works offline without server requirements
Project Professional
For Teams & Collaborative Work
Project Professional includes everything in Standard plus advanced collaboration, resource management, and connectivity features. It's designed for project managers who work with teams, need to share project data with stakeholders, or require integration with Project Server or Project Online.
- Everything in Project Standard, plus:
- Project Server and Project Online connectivity
- Team collaboration and task assignment
- Advanced resource management and leveling
- Resource pool sharing across projects
- SharePoint task list synchronization
- Timesheet and status reporting integration
Complete Feature Comparison Table
Detailed breakdown of features available in each edition:
Core Project Management
| Feature | Standard | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Gantt Chart Views | ||
| Timeline View | ||
| Calendar View | ||
| Task Scheduling | ||
| Task Dependencies (FS, SS, FF, SF) | ||
| Milestones & Deadlines | ||
| Critical Path Analysis | ||
| Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) | ||
| Multiple Baselines | ||
| Sprint Planning |
Resource Management
| Feature | Standard | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Resource Assignment | ||
| Resource Calendars | ||
| Cost Resources | ||
| Resource Leveling | ||
| Team Planner View | ||
| Resource Pool Sharing | ||
| Resource Engagement Requests | ||
| Capacity Heat Maps |
Collaboration & Connectivity
| Feature | Standard | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Export to PDF/Excel | ||
| Import from Excel | ||
| SharePoint Task List Sync | ||
| Project Server Connectivity | ||
| Project Online Connectivity | ||
| Team Member Task Updates | ||
| Timesheet Integration | ||
| Lync/Skype Presence Indicators |
Reporting & Analytics
| Feature | Standard | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in Reports | ||
| Visual Reports (Excel/Visio) | ||
| Custom Report Designer | ||
| Dashboard Views | ||
| Burndown Charts | ||
| Portfolio Analytics | ||
| Enterprise Custom Fields | ||
| OLAP Cube Reporting |
Collaboration & Sharing Features Explained
The biggest differentiator between editions is collaboration capability:
Standard: Limited Sharing Options
Project Standard works as a standalone application. While you can share project files via email or cloud storage, there's no built-in collaboration system.
- Email project files (.mpp) to team members
- Export to PDF for stakeholder review
- Export to Excel for data sharing
- Save to OneDrive/SharePoint as files (no sync)
- Print reports for distribution
Team members need their own Project license to open .mpp files, or you must export to other formats.
Professional: Full Team Collaboration
Project Professional transforms project management into a team activity with real-time connectivity and updates.
- Connect to Project Server for centralized management
- Sync with Project Online (cloud-based collaboration)
- Share resource pools across multiple projects
- Team members update task status via web browser
- Automatic schedule updates from team input
- SharePoint task list synchronization
- Real-time presence indicators show who's online
Team members without Project licenses can view and update their tasks through Project Web App or SharePoint.
Resource Management Capabilities
Resource management differs significantly between editions:
Standard: Basic Resource Features
Resource Assignment
Assign people, equipment, or materials to tasks with effort-driven or fixed-duration calculations.
Resource Calendars
Define working hours, holidays, and availability for each resource.
Resource Leveling
Automatically resolve overallocation by adjusting task schedules.
Cost Tracking
Track resource costs including standard rates, overtime rates, and cost-per-use.
Resources exist only within individual project files. No way to share or manage resources across projects.
Professional: Advanced Resource Management
Team Planner View
Visual drag-and-drop interface to see and reassign work across team members. Instantly spot overallocations.
Resource Pool Sharing
Create a central resource pool that multiple projects share. Changes in one project reflect everywhere.
Resource Engagement
Request resources from a central pool managed by resource managers. Track commitments vs. actuals.
Capacity Planning
Heat maps and capacity views show resource availability across the portfolio.
Enterprise Resource Management
When connected to Project Server/Online, access organization-wide resource management with skills matching.
Reporting & Analytics
Both editions offer strong reporting, but Professional adds enterprise analytics:
Shared Reporting Features (Both Editions)
- Pre-built reports (Overview, Costs, Work, Progress)
- Visual Report templates using Excel and Visio
- Custom report designer with drag-and-drop
- Dashboard-style summary views
- Burndown charts for agile projects
- Export reports to PDF, Excel, or images
Professional-Only Reporting
Portfolio Analytics
When connected to Project Server/Online, analyze multiple projects together for portfolio-level insights.
Enterprise Custom Fields
Create organization-wide custom fields that standardize reporting across all projects.
OLAP Cube Reporting
Connect to analysis cubes for advanced business intelligence and multidimensional analysis.
Power BI Integration
Enhanced connectivity to Power BI for sophisticated dashboards and analytics.
Pricing Comparison
Both editions are available as perpetual licenses (one-time purchase):
Note: Prices shown are Microsoft retail prices. Authorized resellers like Prise Keys often offer significant discounts on genuine licenses.
Project Standard 2024
Project Professional 2024
Professional costs approximately 66% more at retail, but delivers significantly more value for teams. Through authorized resellers, the price difference is often minimal.
Who Should Choose Project Standard?
Project Standard is the right choice if you:
Individual Project Managers
You manage projects independently and don't need to coordinate with team members within Project itself. You share updates via email, meetings, or other tools.
Small Business Owners
You're the primary person tracking projects and timelines. Team members don't need direct access to project schedules.
Students & Educators
You're learning project management or teaching it. Standard provides all core concepts without enterprise complexity.
Consultants & Freelancers
You manage client projects independently and deliver reports/exports rather than shared access to project files.
Best for: Single users who need professional project management tools without team collaboration features.
Who Should Choose Project Professional?
Project Professional is the right choice if you:
Team Leaders & Managers
You manage teams and need members to update their own task status. Team Planner view helps balance workloads.
Enterprise Organizations
Your company uses Project Server or Project Online. Professional is required to connect to these platforms.
Multi-Project Managers
You manage multiple projects sharing the same resources. Resource pool sharing prevents overbooking.
PMO & Portfolio Managers
You need portfolio-level visibility across projects and enterprise reporting capabilities.
Best for: Teams, enterprises, and anyone needing collaboration, resource sharing, or Project Server/Online connectivity.
Upgrade Path: Standard to Professional
If you start with Standard and later need Professional features:
Purchase Professional License
Buy a Project Professional license separately. Your existing project files (.mpp) work seamlessly—no conversion needed.
This is the most common approach and gives you full Professional features immediately.
Project Plan Subscription
Subscribe to Project Plan 3 or Plan 5 which includes Project Professional plus Project Online access.
Good if you want cloud collaboration without managing servers.
Trade-In Programs
Some resellers offer trade-in credit for your Standard license when upgrading to Professional.
Check with your reseller for current trade-in offers.
Important: There's no direct 'upgrade' button from Standard to Professional. You'll need to purchase a Professional license and install it separately.
Our Recommendation
For most individual users managing their own projects, Project Standard offers excellent value with all core project management capabilities. However, if you work with teams, need to share resource pools, or your organization uses Project Server/Online, the additional investment in Professional pays for itself through improved collaboration and resource management.
Frequently Asked Questions
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