Basecamp vs Microsoft Project Server comparison

37signals and Microsoft are both solutions in the Project Portfolio Management category. Additionally, 66% of 37signals users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 87% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Basecamp

Read 3 Basecamp reviews

339 Views
251 Comparison Views

66% willing to recommend

Microsoft Project Server

Read 62 Microsoft Project Server reviews

1,409 Views
719 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

Basecamp

Microsoft Project Server

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Basecamp and Microsoft Project Server based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Project Portfolio Management solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Basecamp vs. Microsoft Project Server Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Basecamp vs. Microsoft Project Server

July 2025

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Helped 865,384 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Basecamp

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Project Management Software (32nd)

Microsoft Project Server

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Project Portfolio Management (5th)

Featured Reviews

Abenazzer Tadesse

Chief Operations Officer at BeOnline ICT

An easy-to-use project management solution with good stability and scalability

The recent update on the solution has made it a little bit complex. For example, to create a team and a project, there is a separate button that you need to click. Recently they updated it with only one button making it difficult for us to create teams or supply teams other than a project. Hence the solution could be more user-friendly. Additionally, some additional features need to be integrated so it'll be easy for other companies or project managers to manage software projects.

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Mouloud Fourali

Project Manager at Digital Research Alliance of Canada

Visual project planning enhances collaboration and proactive management

The dependency management in Microsoft Project is highly valuable, as it visually maps dependencies and impacts within a project plan. The online version facilitates easy collaboration without having to share multiple versions of the file. The Gantt chart is also a very powerful tool for a visual presentation of sequences, critical paths, and execution processes, which simplifies comprehension for users.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The ease of use is valuable."

"The ability to network informally is great for communicating with colleagues."

"The ability to look at the resource loading is most valuable."

"Technical support is very responsive - particularly on critical tickets."

"I like the way you can build the schedule by the Don't Start Before or Don't Start After values. You can use it to build your schedule based on how you change your dates. This is how it actually builds the schedule."

"The most valuable feature of the Microsoft Project Server is the level of detail with which I can break down a task and check the dependencies."

"The key things are managing interactions, resource allocation, resource-leveling (enterprise) and as a collaborative tool, because we use it across multiple projects at a time."

"The dependency management in Microsoft Project is highly valuable, as it visually maps dependencies and impacts within a project plan."

"Project schedule management is very good. Basically, it sits on SharePoint. So, every time we create a project, a new project site is created within that SharePoint environment, which is a very good document repository. It allows us to create issues and risks lists and additional functionality to keep track of what's going on with projects."

"Microsoft Project Server helps organizations in collaboration."

More Microsoft Project Server pros

Cons

"The solution could be more user-friendly."

"The product isn't easy to use. It's not very intuitive."

"Resource management has room for improvement because it uses a lot of resources."

"The product's UI is not very user-friendly."

"It would be better if the solution had some more training or resources available for a person who is new to Microsoft Project Server."

"It needs to be more collaborative from inside the application. It only does project scheduling for me. It would be good if it could do other things and be more collaborative, such as sharing tasks for users. It is not really incorporated into MS Office, so you can't copy-paste stuff. It is on its own, doing its own thing. It is only used for scheduling, and it doesn't work well with anything else."

"The solution's desktop version is not compatible with the MacBook."

"The solution could have more compact dashboards, such as one finds with Planview."

"Microsoft is going to integrate the Co-Pilot features into Microsoft Project. The AI feature is an additional feature. It can look at the plan and identify risks early on from any part of your project."

"It has to be more user-friendly. For instance, there should be some assistance, like when you go to certain sites, people pop up and say, "Can we help you? What are you looking for?" It's not interactive enough."

More Microsoft Project Server cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"There are some payments related to the licensing cost of Microsoft Project Server."

"We have an enterprise agreement with Microsoft, and our licensing is based on the agreement."

"The product is expensive."

"It's not subscription-based, we purchased the on-premises version."

"It is on the expensive side."

"The price of the Microsoft Project Server could improve, it is expensive here in Africa. When comparing Microsoft Project Server to Oracle Primavera for us, Microsoft Project Server is quite cost-effective."

"I'm not quite sure about the licensing costs. We're probably paying somewhere in the neighborhood of about 80,000 to 90,000 a year for our current on-prem because we handle our own licensing. As far as Project Online is concerned, we're still trying to get a good handle on that. It looks like it is going to be in a neighborhood of about 120,000 to 150,000 a year, but we're getting a lot more capability out of it."

"It is an inexpensive product."

More Microsoft Project Server pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Government

Energy/Utilities Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

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What do you like most about Microsoft Project Server?

The ability to track a project's progress using Microsoft Project Server is the most valuable aspect. It depends, especially when managing multiple projects.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Project Server?

The pricing for Microsoft Project Server is standard, around $200-$250, but I think it's actually $80 to $100 per year. The pricing for Microsoft Project Server is relative; I would say it is cheap.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Project Server?

In order to improve Microsoft Project Server, collaborative features could be enhanced, as it is possible to improve it in a collaborative way similar to other office products, for example, using c...

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Comparisons

Smartsheet vs Basecamp

Compared 52% of the time

Jira vs Basecamp

Compared 48% of the time

More Basecamp Competitors

Microsoft Project vs Microsoft Project Server

Compared 20% of the time

ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management vs Microsoft Project Server

Compared 10% of the time

Oracle Primavera Portfolio Management vs Microsoft Project Server

Compared 10% of the time

Planisware vs Microsoft Project Server

Compared 9% of the time

Planview Portfolios vs Microsoft Project Server

Compared 7% of the time

More Microsoft Project Server Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Project Management Software

August 2025

Download Basecamp product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Project Server

August 2025

Download Microsoft Project Server product report

Also Known As

No data available

MS Project Server

Overview

Basecamp is a web-based project-management tool developed by Basecamp and launched in 2004, with a new version being launched in 2012. Basecamp offers to-do lists, wiki-style web-based text documents, milestone management, file sharing, time tracking, and a messaging system. Basecamp Classic also offers integration with Basecamp's own Campfire product, and features APIs that are used by a host of web and mobile apps. Basecamp Classic's interface is available in different languages (e.g. Spanish, French, Italian, German, Finnish and Japanese). The newer version of Basecamp currently only supports English as the interface language.

37signals

Microsoft Project Server facilitates project portfolio management and everyday collaboration, enhancing decision-making processes. Its integration with SharePoint offers a flexible solution for enterprise project management, catering to complex project needs seamlessly.

Microsoft Project Server empowers project teams and managers with enhanced communication and comprehensive project visibility. It supports dynamic resource allocation, financial tracking, and risk assessment. A cloud-ready platform, it simplifies deployment and scalability, suitable for diverse project environments and needs robust integration with leading productivity tools and services.

What are the key features of Microsoft Project Server?

Resource Management: Allocate and track resources efficiently to optimize productivity.
Portfolio Analysis: Assess and prioritize projects based on strategic alignment and constraints.
Time Reporting: Streamline time tracking and reporting for accurate project insights.
Integration with Office: Seamlessly connects with Microsoft Office applications for enhanced productivity.
Security and Compliance: Ensures data security with customizable permissions and compliance standards.

What benefits can users expect from Microsoft Project Server?

Enhanced Collaboration: Facilitates communication and collaboration among project teams.
Improved Decision Making: Offers comprehensive data analytics for strategic planning.
Efficiency Gains: Streamlines project management workflows for increased productivity.
Cost Management: Enables effective budget tracking and financial control.

Industries such as construction, IT services, and pharmaceuticals leverage Microsoft Project Server for managing large-scale projects with precision. Its adaptability to different industry standards ensures specific project requirements are met while maintaining operational control and regulatory compliance.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Ashland Addison Florist Co., Victory Auto Wreckers, Ideal Box Co., Hollymatic Corp.

Magnachip, Gwinnett County Schools, CLEAResult, Medbit Oy, Intelbras S.A., ETS, CORE Construction, Keller Foundations

Buyer's Guide

Basecamp vs. Microsoft Project Server

July 2025

Free Report: Basecamp vs. Microsoft Project Server

Find out what your peers are saying about Basecamp vs. Microsoft Project Server and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.

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