Microsoft Project alternative
A Microsoft Project alternative that runs in the browser
Microsoft Project is a capable desktop scheduler, and the plan usually stays on one person's laptop. Critova gives the whole team the schedule, the costs and the risks in one web app, and imports your Project XML files.
The difference in one paragraph
Microsoft Project is a file. Someone owns it, edits it and sends pictures of it to everyone else. Critova is a shared workspace: the planner edits the schedule, the team updates progress on their own tasks, cost entries feed earned value, and the sponsor opens a dashboard instead of waiting for a report. Nothing is installed, and it works on Mac, Windows and a phone.
Critova and Microsoft Project side by side
| Capability | Critova | Microsoft Project (desktop) |
|---|---|---|
| Gantt chart and critical path | Yes | Yes |
| Runs in a browser, on Mac and on a phone | Yes | No |
| Several people editing and updating at once | Yes | No |
| Baselines per project | Unlimited | Up to 11 |
| Earned schedule (SPI(t)) | Yes | No |
| Monte Carlo schedule risk | Yes | No |
| Risk register, issues and change requests | Yes | No |
| Portfolio dashboards across projects | Yes | No |
| Boards and lists for simple projects | Yes | Partial |
| Resource leveling | Planned | Yes |
| Works offline | No | Yes |
| Opens .mpp files directly | No | Yes |
Moving a plan from Microsoft Project
In Project, choose File, Save As and pick XML Format. Drop that file into Critova. Tasks, the outline (as WBS), links with lags, calendars and saved baselines are read, and you see a preview before the project is created. Binary .mpp files are not read directly.
| MS Project XML | Activities, WBS, links, lags, calendars and baselines |
|---|---|
| Primavera XER | Activities, WBS, relationships and calendars |
| Primavera P6 XML | Activities, WBS, relationships and calendars |
| Excel / CSV | Name, duration, predecessors and phase, from a sample sheet |
Who should switch, and who should not
Switch if more than one person needs the plan, if you report to a sponsor or a client every month, or if you manage several projects and want one view of them. Start with one live project and compare the dates.
Stay with Project if you work alone and offline, if you level resources automatically, or if your client insists on receiving .mpp files. Critova exports to Excel and CSV, not to Project formats.
Microsoft, Project Online, Microsoft Project, Planner, Oracle, Primavera and P6 are trademarks of their owners. Critova is an independent product and is not affiliated with them.
Common questions
Is Critova free?
Every plan is free until 31 March 2027, with no card. Published prices apply after that, and viewers stay free.
Do I need to know project controls to use it?
No. A Simple project is a task board, and a Standard project adds a timeline. The critical path and earned value appear only on projects you set to Advanced.
Does it work on a Mac?
Yes. It runs in any modern browser, so Mac, Windows, Linux, tablets and phones all work.
Bring one schedule. See your critical path in an hour.
Free during our launch until 31 March 2027.
