Free desktop schedulers compared
ProjectLibre vs GanttProject vs Onplana Schedule
Three free desktop apps for project schedules, each good at something different. Here is how they compare on price, platforms, Microsoft Project files, saving and sharing, and which to choose for what. We make Onplana Schedule, so we have kept to facts we could check on each vendor's own site.
Which one to choose
Choose ProjectLibre if
You want the closest free look and feel to Microsoft Project desktop, including features such as a network diagram, resource levelling and earned value, and you want open source or Linux.
Choose GanttProject if
You want a light, open-source Gantt tool on Windows, Mac or Linux, and your plans work in whole days. It imports Microsoft Project files and exports Project XML.
Choose Onplana Schedule if
You receive Microsoft Project or Primavera files from others and need to open, check, edit and send them back as Project XML, or move a ProjectLibre or GanttProject plan to a team. Windows and Mac only.
Side by side
| ProjectLibre | GanttProject | Onplana Schedule | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Paid cloud edition from $9.99 per user a month, billed annually | Free. Optional pay-as-you-go cloud | Free. Optional Onplana workspace, free plan available |
| Open source | Yes (CPAL) | Yes | No |
| Runs on | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Opens Microsoft Project files | .mpp | .mpp, .mpx, Project XML | .mpp, .mpt, .mpx, Project XML |
| Opens Primavera P6 .xer | Yes | Not listed | Yes |
| Opens the other two apps’ files | Not listed | Not listed | ProjectLibre .pod and GanttProject .gan |
| Where an .mpp file is read | On your computer | On your computer | Converted on Onplana’s servers, deleted within 24 hours. Project XML is read on your computer. |
| Saves as | Its own .pod format | Its own .gan format; exports Project XML | Project XML, which Microsoft Project opens |
| Dependency types | Dependencies and constraints | All four (FS, SS, FF, SF) with lag | All four with lag, and all eight Microsoft Project constraint types |
| Share with a team | Paid cloud edition | Optional cloud | Publish a copy to a free Onplana workspace, or a read-only link |
Checked on 29 September 2026 against projectlibre.com, ProjectLibre Desktop, ganttproject.biz, GanttProject scheduler docs, GanttProject: Microsoft Project import. "Not listed" means the vendor's site does not say, not that the feature is missing. Features change, so check each site before you decide.
Try Onplana Schedule
Free for Windows and Mac. Open an .mpp, .xer, ProjectLibre or GanttProject file, see the critical path and float, edit it, and save it as Project XML.
- Free
- Opens .pod and .gan
- Saves Project XML
Questions
ProjectLibre, GanttProject and Onplana Schedule
What is the difference between ProjectLibre and GanttProject?
Both are free, open-source desktop schedulers for Windows, Mac and Linux. ProjectLibre is modelled closely on Microsoft Project and lists features such as a network diagram, resource levelling, baselines and earned value. GanttProject is lighter, its shortest task is one day, and it supports all four dependency types with lag. Both open Microsoft Project .mpp files.
Is ProjectLibre a good Microsoft Project alternative?
For one person working on a Microsoft Project-style plan, often yes: it is free, opens .mpp files and follows Project’s concepts closely. Sharing a live plan with a team is where it asks for its paid cloud edition.
What is a good ProjectLibre alternative?
GanttProject if you want another free open-source desktop tool, including on Linux. Onplana Schedule if you work with Microsoft Project files from other people on Windows or Mac: it opens .mpp, .xer and ProjectLibre .pod files, and saves Project XML that Microsoft Project opens. For a team plan in the browser, Onplana itself imports all of these.
Can I open a ProjectLibre or GanttProject file in Onplana Schedule?
Yes. Onplana Schedule opens ProjectLibre .pod and GanttProject .gan files. A .pod that is Project XML inside, as most are, is read on your computer; a .gan file is converted on Onplana’s servers and the copy is deleted within 24 hours. Either way you can then edit the plan and save it as Project XML.
Which one opens Microsoft Project files without uploading them?
ProjectLibre and GanttProject both read .mpp files on your computer. Onplana Schedule reads Project XML on your computer but converts binary .mpp files on Onplana’s servers, deleting the uploaded copy within 24 hours, and tells you before it does.
What about OpenProject?
OpenProject is an open-source project management tool that runs in a browser, self-hosted or as a paid service, rather than a desktop scheduler. If you are comparing it with these three, the closer comparison is Onplana in the browser, which is also web-based and imports Microsoft Project files.
On a Mac? See Microsoft Project for Mac. Comparing hosted tools? See Onplana as a Microsoft Project alternative.