Microsoft Project vs. Visio: Which Is Right for My Business?

Many tools let you manage your projects but Microsoft Project and Visio have maintained their status as industry standards in the world of project management software. With features that serve businesses of all sizes, it’s difficult to choose which one is right for your company.

If you’re wondering which of these two solutions is right for your business, we’ll help you differentiate between the two by providing pricing, features, user reviews, and integration options for both Microsoft Project and Visio so you can find the best fit.

Microsoft Project offers three subscription-based plans namely Project Plan 1, Project Plan 3, and Project Plan 5 which are billed monthly and can be billed annually too.

• Project Plan 1 costs $10 per user per month.

• Project Plan 3 is priced at $30 per user per month.

• Project Plan 5 costs $55 per user per month. 

There are also two one-time license fee plans-

• Project Standard 2021 costs $679.99.

• Project Professional 2021 is valued at $1,129.99.

Comparatively, Microsoft Visio offers four versions of the software out of which two are subscription-based and the other two are offered as a one-time license fee. The subscription-based plans are:

• Visio Plan 1 is priced at $5 per user per month.

• Visio Plan 2 costs $15 per user per month.

For one-time license fee versions, there are two plans available: 

• Visio Standard 2021 is priced at $309.99.

• Visio Professional 2021 costs $579.99.

Upon comparing the pricing plans of Microsoft Project and Visio, Visio plans are more affordable. Both the tools offer subscription-based and one-time license fee plans so you can choose whichever suits your business’s budget and needs.

In Microsoft Project, the number of features increases with the hike in the pricing plan. Project Plan 1 offers tasks management features such as a centralized view, access to open projects, a Grid view, Timeline view, and Board view. You can also collaborate and communicate with your team members using Microsoft Teams.

Evaluate and optimize the project portfolio to prioritize initiatives in Microsoft Project (Source)

In Project Plan 3, you can build roadmaps, define project teams, and request resources for the project. Project Plan 5 is more focused on enterprises with features such as portfolio selection to determine the best path to follow, demand selection to capture and evaluate project ideas, enterprise resource planning, and management.

Microsoft Visio is similar to Microsoft Project in that the more expensive version unlocks more features. With Visio Plan 1, users have access to all the basics: They can build and save diagrams to OneDrive, co-author and edit diagrams, leverage layout features, and create flowcharts and timelines.

Flowchart creation in Visio (Source)

But with Visio Plan 2, you get support for rulers, layers, and grids on canvas, leverage ShapeSheet to describe visual relationships between elements, use the drawing explorer to alter objects, visualize the organizational structure, use mind maps, and create high-fidelity mockups.

When it comes to user ratings regarding Microsoft Project and Visio, the two products rank similarly. Based on the average score from user reviews on GetApp.com as of January 10, 2022: 

• Microsoft Project has an overall rating of 4.4 with 89% positive reviews.

• Microsoft Visio has an overall rating of 4.5 with 94% positive reviews.

After considering user reviews for both products in different categories, Visio scores higher in some categories, and in others, Microsoft Project takes over. Users of these products have specified that the average customer support of Microsoft Project is slightly better than Visio. As for recommendations, customers are more likely to recommend Visio than Projects (you can find our methodology at the bottom of this page).

As far as integrations go, Microsoft Project supports more applications than Visio does. Project integrates with more than 60 apps, including estimating software, quality management software (QMS), and business intelligence tools.

While Visio works well with some of Microsoft tools, diagram modeling software, and collaboration tools, it’s significantly less integration-friendly than Microsoft Project. There are fewer than 10 systems listed on GetApp with which Visio integrates.

Project management software is crucial for your business and above all, it should meet your business needs. Microsoft Project and Visio are created with different goals in mind and it’s up to you as to which goal better suits your business.

• If you’re looking for a tool that will allow you to plan your projects, manage tasks, and keep track of your deadlines, then Microsoft Project should be the preferred choice.

• On the other hand, if you’re searching for a tool that helps you create design models and business workflows, then you are better off with Visio.