PMO scheduling depth comparison
Onplana vs Asana
Both ship Gantt views. Only one runs a real scheduling engine.
Asana is the right call for cross-functional task tracking, marketing campaigns, HR onboarding, ops checklists. Onplana is the right call for projects with a real schedule: critical path, baselines, four dependency types, native .mpp import. Most readers landing here have a real schedule to move, often out of Microsoft Project, and on that criterion the scheduling-depth gap matters.
Feature-by-feature comparison
15 dimensions calibrated to PMO buying criteria.
| Feature | Asana Cross-functional work | Onplana PMO + portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| Gantt / Timeline view | ✓ Timeline and Gantt (Starter and up) | ✓ Native Gantt with critical path on every plan |
| Dependency types | Task dependencies; Asana documents its dependency types in its help centre | FS, SS, FF, SF + lag/lead |
| Critical path | Listed in the plan comparison on its pricing page | Auto-computed + highlighted on Gantt, every plan |
| Saved baselines | Not listed on its pricing page | Multiple baselines, Gantt shadow overlay |
| Tasks shorter than a day | Not compared here; Asana documents its task dates in its help centre | Onplana Schedule plans to the minute (type 2h or 90m); the web app schedules in whole working days |
| Native .mpp / MSPDI import | Not supported | Direct .mpp + .mpx + MSPDI XML + XER + Excel/CSV |
| Desktop app that opens .mpp files | Not offered | Onplana Schedule: free Windows and Mac app, opens, edits and reschedules, saves back to Project XML |
| Stage-gate governance | Configurable via approvals | 12-stage proposal pipeline, multi-reviewer gates and an audit trail, on the Enterprise plan and up |
| Resource capacity | Resource management (Advanced and up) | Weekly capacity against allocation for each person across projects, with a forecast of the weeks ahead, on the Professional plan and up |
| Phone and tablet apps | iOS and Android apps | Onplana Tasks on iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets; Onplana Schedule from the Microsoft Store, the Mac App Store, the App Store and Google Play. All free. |
| AI on the plan | Monthly AI credits on paid plans, none on Personal; more credits bought | On every plan: a monthly allowance on paid plans, a one-time allowance on Free |
| How seats are bought | In steps past 5 users: 5, 10, 25 or 50 seats at a time | Per seat from one, no seat bundles, AI in the seat price |
| Forms / intake | ✓ Native | ✓ Native + AI-driven intake → project conversion |
| Real-time collaboration | Strong | Strong |
| Pricing at PMO scale (50) | ~$11-25/seat for Starter/Advanced (annual) | $20/seat/mo Business, $29/seat/mo Enterprise |
| Result | Strong cross-functional tool | Wins 7/15 on PMO criteria |
The part Timeline does not do
Four dependency types, float, and a computed critical path
This is a schedule with all four dependency types and lag, float bands, and the critical path computed and highlighted, on every plan including Free.
When Asana fits
- •Cross-functional work without a strict schedule, marketing campaigns, HR onboarding, ops checklists.
- •You don't need critical path or baselines.
- •Your migration source is Trello / spreadsheets / smaller tools, not Microsoft Project.
When Onplana fits
- •You have
.mppfiles to import. - •Your work has a real schedule, critical path, baselines, multiple dependency types matter.
- •You need formal stage-gate governance.
- •You want AI bundled into the seat price.
Frequently asked questions
Does Asana have a Gantt chart?▾
Yes, Asana's Timeline and Gantt views come with the Starter plan and up, with dependencies, milestones and visual scheduling, and its plan comparison lists critical path. What its pricing page does not list is saved baselines, and Asana does not import .mpp files. Onplana ships a Gantt with critical path, all four dependency types with lag and lead, saved baselines and .mpp import on every plan, including Free.
Why does .mpp import matter when comparing to Asana?▾
Asana doesn't import .mpp at all. If your team is migrating from Microsoft Project (Project Desktop, Project for the Web), choosing Asana means rebuilding every schedule by hand, no preserved dependencies, no preserved custom fields, no preserved costs. Onplana imports .mpp natively via its MPXJ-based parser, preserving all four dependency types, ECFs and costs in a single upload.
How does the AI comparison shake out?▾
Both now include AI in the plan. Asana's paid plans carry a monthly allowance of AI requests and credits, with more credits for purchase; the Personal plan has none. Onplana includes AI on every plan, including Free (a one-time allowance there, a monthly one on paid plans), with AI credit you can add when you need more. Functionally similar: plan generation, status summaries, natural-language parsing, with risk detection from Professional up. The practical difference is where you can start: Onplana's Free plan has AI and a Gantt with critical path.
Where does Asana clearly win?▾
Cross-functional task tracking with light scheduling, marketing teams running campaigns, HR running onboarding workflows, ops running recurring checklists. Asana's UX is built around "what does each person have to do this week" rather than "what's the critical path of this 18-month program." If your work is the former, Asana fits better.
Can Onplana replace Asana for non-PMO teams?▾
It can, but it's not the lightest option for that use case. Onplana ships heavier scheduling primitives (Gantt, dependencies, baselines) that non-PMO teams don't always want to see. The Kanban + List views work fine for ops-style work, but if scheduling depth is overhead for your team rather than capability, lighter tools may fit better.
How long does it take to get a first working plan?▾
Under two minutes in our own timing. On 29 October 2026 we timed a new Free workspace on a development copy of Onplana, from the sign-up page to a project whose tasks all have dates, three runs each, typing at a normal pace: a plan drafted by AI from a one-sentence description took about a minute (54 to 62 seconds), and importing an Asana CSV export took about 13 seconds (13 to 14). The time you spend reading each screen comes on top.