Best Gantt Chart Software 2026: What Each Tier Includes

Most Gantt chart software looks the same in a screenshot and differs completely once you ask three questions: does it support all four dependency types, does it compute a critical path, and can it hold a baseline. The tools below are ranked on exactly that, by how much of it you get before you pay. Plan gating was read from each vendor's pricing page in September 2026, and vendors change tiers often, so confirm before you buy.

Summary. For scheduling depth at the lowest tier, Onplana is first on the criteria declared here because its Free plan includes the Gantt timeline, critical path, baselines and all four dependency types. Onplana is our product, so read that ranking against the table and its stated weaknesses. Smartsheet and TeamGantt follow for schedule-led teams; Asana, monday.com and ClickUp are work-management tools whose Gantt views sit behind paid plans or usage caps.

How were these Gantt tools ranked?

Three criteria, in this order: dependency types supported, critical path availability, and baselines, each judged at the cheapest plan that offers it. Free-tier reality counts because it decides whether you can test on a real schedule. Price is left out of the score because vendors price per seat, per project, or per month in ways that do not compare cleanly.

The diagram below shows the same idea: how many of the three scheduling features each tool gives you at its entry Gantt tier.

Read the graphic with one caveat: "Not listed" means the vendor's pricing page does not list the feature, not that it is absent from the product. Basic on TeamGantt refers to its permanent free personal plan, which its pricing page describes as having basic features.

Which Gantt chart software is best in 2026?

The ranking, with what each tool gates and where it falls short.

1. Onplana. The Free plan includes the Gantt timeline with critical path, baselines and schedule variance, all four dependency types (FS, SS, FF, SF) with lag, milestones, and import of .mpp, MSPDI XML, .xer and Excel files. Free is capped at 5 members and 2 projects; Starter is $7 per seat per month for 25 members and 25 projects. Weaknesses: sprints, epics and custom fields start on Pro, third-party integrations start on Business, and it is a newer product with a smaller ecosystem than the incumbents. It ranks first here because the criteria reward scheduling depth at the free tier, which is what it was built for. Try it on a real file with the free Gantt chart tool or read the Gantt and critical path feature page.

2. Smartsheet. Its pricing page lists Gantt view on all four plans and dependencies from Pro upward, with baselines starting at Business. Strong for spreadsheet-native teams; there is no free plan, and baselines cost a tier up.

3. TeamGantt. A dedicated Gantt product. Its pricing page describes critical path scheduling on the Base plan and a permanent free personal plan with basic features. It prices by project count and caps tasks per project, so it fits small numbers of large schedules rather than many small ones.

4. Asana. Per its pricing page, Timeline and Gantt views start on Starter, critical path is listed on Advanced, and the free Personal plan has neither. A good work-management tool that treats scheduling as an upper-tier add-on.

5. monday.com. Its pricing page puts Gantt view on the Standard plan and excludes it from Free (2 seats, 3 boards). Critical path and baselines are not listed on the page.

6. ClickUp. Per its pricing page, the Free Forever plan gives limited Gantt access, unlimited Gantt charts start on the Unlimited plan, and critical path is trial-level until Business. Cheap and flexible, but the schedule engine is the thinnest of the six.

What does each tool require, side by side?

Tool	First plan with Gantt	Critical path	Baselines	Free plan
Onplana	Free	Free	Free	Yes, 5 members, 2 projects
Smartsheet	Pro	Not listed	Business	No
TeamGantt	Basic (free personal)	Base plan	Not listed	Yes, basic features
Asana	Starter	Advanced	Not listed	No Gantt
monday.com	Standard	Not listed	Not listed	No Gantt
ClickUp	Free (limited)	Business (trial level)	Not listed	Yes, capped Gantt

Which dependency types should a Gantt tool support?

All four: finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish, each with lag. A tool that supports only finish-to-start forces you to fake overlaps with date constraints, and those break the critical path the first time a task moves. The deep dive on dependency types explains when each goes wrong, and what a Gantt chart is covers the basics if your team is new to them.

How do you test a Gantt tool before committing?

Use a schedule you already have.

Export your current plan as .mpp or MSPDI XML.
Import it and check that task count, hierarchy and dependency types survive.
Confirm the critical path matches the one you trust.
Capture a baseline, move a task, and check that variance appears.
Note which of those steps needed a paid plan.

Before you import anywhere, the free Schedule Health Check flags broken links and constraint conflicts in the file, so you can tell tool errors from source errors. For a first-time build, see how to build a Gantt chart free.

Run the free Schedule Health Check Upload an .mpp or MSPDI file and see dangling tasks, constraint conflicts and the real critical path before you move a schedule into any tool. No signup required. → Run the Schedule Health Check

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Gantt chart software in 2026?

It depends on how much scheduling depth you need before paying. For dependencies, critical path and baselines on a free plan, Onplana leads on the criteria in this post; for a dedicated Gantt tool, TeamGantt; for spreadsheet-style work, Smartsheet.

Is there a free Gantt chart tool with critical path?

Yes. Onplana's Free plan includes the Gantt timeline, critical path, baselines and all four dependency types. Most other tools compared here put critical path or baselines behind a paid tier.

Which Gantt tools include baselines?

Onplana includes baselines on every plan, and Smartsheet starts them at its Business plan according to its pricing page. Check each vendor's plan table before buying, because baselines are the feature most often gated.

Do I need a Gantt chart if I use Kanban?

Only if tasks depend on each other and a slip in one changes a date. A Gantt answers whether a delay moves the finish; a Kanban board shows status, not consequence.

Can a Gantt tool open Microsoft Project files?

Some can. Onplana imports .mpp, MSPDI XML, .xer and Excel on every plan, including Free. Confirm import support for any other tool before committing a real schedule to it.