Microsoft Project is a competent general-purpose task manager that's been used to run everything from weddings to office moves to small construction jobs. KeraPlan is a focused construction-scheduling tool built around CPM, risk analysis, and P6 interoperability. The interesting question isn't which is "better" — it's which fits the work you're actually doing.
Sectioned by the categories that matter for construction project controls. Where MS Project wins, we say so.
Comparison is primarily against Microsoft Project desktop (Project Standard / Project Plan 3). Project for the Web differs in capabilities and pricing.
| KeraPlan | Microsoft Project | |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduling Engine | ||
| CPM forward / backward pass | Full implementation | Implementation differs from construction-standard CPM |
| Multiple calendars per project (resource, activity, project) | Yes | Limited; calendar handling differs from P6/construction norms |
| Logic loop detection | Yes — flagged on save | Detected but handling varies by version |
| PERT three-point estimates | Native | Removed from recent versions of MS Project |
| Retained logic / progress override modes | Both supported | Limited — uses different model |
| Risk & Analysis | ||
| Monte Carlo simulation | Built in | Third-party add-on (e.g., Risky Project) |
| Triangular / uniform / normal / beta distributions | All four built in | Add-on only |
| P50 / P80 / P90 outputs | Built in | Add-on only |
| Criticality index per activity | Yes | Add-on only |
| WBS & Structure | ||
| True hierarchical WBS with rollup | Yes | Outline structure (different model) |
| Code-driven WBS (1.2.3 numbering) | Yes | Manual or via custom fields |
| Multi-dimensional activity codes | Native | Custom fields, less integrated |
| Earned Value | ||
| PV / EV / AC / CPI / SPI / EAC / ETC | All standard metrics | Basic EV (BCWS/BCWP/ACWP); advanced metrics limited |
| Multiple EV methods (0/100, 50/50, milestone-weighted) | Per-activity | Limited per-activity control |
| S-curves and progress reporting for owner submittals | Native, exportable | Possible but requires manual configuration |
| Interoperability | ||
| Primavera P6 XER import | Native | No |
| Primavera P6 XER export | Native | No |
| MS Project MPP import | On the roadmap | Native (it's the home format) |
| CSV / Excel import & export | Yes | Yes (extensive) |
| Ecosystem | ||
| Microsoft 365 / Teams integration | No | Deep integration |
| SharePoint integration | No | Yes |
| Power BI integration | CSV export only | Native |
| Third-party plugin ecosystem | None at v1.0 | Extensive |
| Tutorials, books, training | Limited (new product) | Massive ecosystem |
| Cost & Licensing | ||
| Pricing model | Free, perpetual license | Subscription (Microsoft 365) or one-time (Project Standard) |
| Single-user cost | Free (donations welcome) | ~CA$40/month (Plan 3, desktop) or CA$869 perpetual (Project Standard) |
| Free, fully functional version | Yes | No (free trial only) |
| Software keeps working if you stop paying | Always — no payments required | Subscription stops; perpetual stays |
| Architecture | ||
| Runs on a single Windows machine | Yes | Yes |
| Project files stay on your machine | Always | Default; OneDrive sync optional |
| Cloud-collaborative version | Not available | Project for the Web (separate SKU) |
| macOS / Linux native | Windows only at v1.0 | Windows only (Project for the Web is web-based) |
KeraPlan is distributed free of charge — no purchase, no subscription. Voluntary contributions from those it serves help support continued development.
If any of these describe your work, Microsoft Project is probably a better fit than KeraPlan:
If you do construction scheduling for a living — or even meaningfully part of your work — these are the situations where KeraPlan shines:
Get the free KeraPlan license. Open the same project you've been managing in MS Project. See whether the construction-specific features make a difference for your day-to-day.