--- title: "RationalPlan Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about RationalPlan Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Project Management products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/74048/RationalPlan/" page_type: "product" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-19" --- # RationalPlan Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on October 19, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) RationalPlan ## What is RationalPlan? RationalPlan is a powerful project management software designed to help both teams and project managers to create consistent project plans, allocate resources and analyze workload, track work progress, estimate project costs and manage budgets. ## What is RationalPlan used for? [Project Management](https://www.capterra.com/project-management-software/)[Collaboration](https://www.capterra.com/collaboration-software/)[Scheduling](https://www.capterra.com/scheduling-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 99 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 92% Neutral 8% Negative 0% Starting price $4 Per User, Per Month Free trial available Includes Free Version Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for RationalPlan?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/rationalplan/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### RationalPlan 4.4 (99) VS. [4.4 (3,046)](https://www.capterra.com/p/76113/Wrike/reviews/) Starting Price $4 Other Starting Price $10 Per User, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.4 (99) Ease Of Use 4.2 (2,694) Value For Money 4.7 (72) Value For Money 4.2 (1,980) Customer Service 4.5 (90) Customer Service 4.3 (2,134) ## RationalPlan alternatives [4.2 (1,009)](https://www.capterra.com/p/113540/Bitrix24/reviews/) Starting price $69.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 82% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.5 (128)](https://www.capterra.com/p/176283/Visual-Planning/reviews/) Starting price $55.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 93% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.5 (3,579)](https://www.capterra.com/p/79104/Smartsheet/reviews/) Starting price $9.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 92% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars Highest Rated [4.6 (6,134)](https://www.capterra.com/p/147657/monday-com/reviews/) Starting price $9.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars ## FAQs about RationalPlan Overview ### What problems does RationalPlan solve? RationalPlan solves time-consuming project scheduling, unclear dependencies, shifting milestone dates, and fragmented visibility across multiple plans. It helps project managers, operations planners, construction teams, manufacturers, consultants, and event coordinators create WBSs and Gantt charts, assign resources, track costs and changes, coordinate timelines, and share compatible Microsoft Project files with clients. Answer based on 62 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from RationalPlan? RationalPlan is most used by project and program managers who plan schedules, assign tasks, and track delivery dependencies. Architects and project engineers use it to coordinate technical work and milestones. Directors, managing directors, general managers, and CEOs rely on project timelines and progress views to oversee priorities, resources, and execution across teams. Answer based on 59 reviews Overview ### What company size and specific industries is RationalPlan built for? RationalPlan is designed for small businesses, teams, and individual users that need to organize work and manage tasks or projects. It also suits collaborative environments with multiple users through its cloud option, making it a fit for general project management across a wide range of industries. Features and Usability ### What are the key features of RationalPlan? RationalPlan includes core project management features such as task scheduling, work breakdown structure management, Gantt charts, milestone tracking, and dependency-based timelines. It also supports multiple projects, resource allocation, budget and cost tracking, and Microsoft Project file import/export for planning, monitoring, and sharing project schedules. Answer based on 48 reviews Pricing ### How much does it cost and what fees or limitations are included? RationalPlan offers a free version and starts at $4 per user/month for the Beginner Cloud plan, billed annually, with 20 projects, 7 GB storage, and 700 tasks. Master Cloud costs 12 per user/month; Single and Multi On-Premise cost 145 and 288 one-time per user. Reviewers consider pricing affordable, though manual entry can be substantial. Answer based on 18 reviews Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does RationalPlan integrate with? RationalPlan integrates with 3 third-party tools: Dropbox, Google Drive, and Google Calendar. These built-in connections cover file storage and scheduling, giving users direct access to common cloud and calendar platforms from within the project planning workflow. Answer based on 2 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does RationalPlan offer? RationalPlan provides in-person training, live online sessions, webinars, documentation, and videos to help teams get started. In-person and live online sessions support guided instruction, webinars cover scheduled group learning, documentation offers written reference material, and videos provide on-demand visual guidance. Answer based on 9 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does RationalPlan offer, and how do users rate the experience? RationalPlan offers email/help desk, FAQ/forum, phone support, and chat. Users generally describe support as responsive, friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful, with issues resolved promptly. Several reviewers highlight quick replies and staff willingness to troubleshoot unusual installation or compatibility problems, while some users report needing little or no assistance because the software is easy to learn. Answer based on 15 reviews Features ### What features does RationalPlan include for project management? RationalPlan provides core project management features such as Gantt charts, work breakdown structures, resource assignments, budgeting, task tracking, portfolio views, and desktop-cloud synchronization. Small business teams and project planners value its practical Microsoft Project-like tools and simple setup, although some users want stronger reporting, drag-and-drop controls, recurring milestones, and risk management options. Answer based on 26 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 29,194 Project Management reviews According to Capterra reviewers, these are the features buyers prioritize most when evaluating project management software: - **Deadline Management** (**59%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Project Time Tracking** (**62%**) - **Project Time Tracking** (**62%**) RationalPlan includes other capabilities that Capterra reviewers also consider important, such as **Time Tracking** (**57%**) and **Time Tracking** (**57%**). These features help teams record work hours more accurately, monitor effort across tasks and projects, and make better decisions around scheduling, workload planning, and project delivery. Access Controls/Permissions Define levels of authorization for access to specific files or systems Activity Tracking Track and document all activities across devices, networks, and other systems Agile Methodologies Iterative project Management approach that involves technologies such as Kanban, Scrum, XP, APF, XPM and more Alerts/Notifications Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges Automated Scheduling Automatically create schedules based on business needs or employee availability and qualifications Budgeting/Forecasting Create budgets based on historical data and future projections RationalPlan 51 features ### All Features - Access Controls/Permissions: Define levels of authorization for access to specific files or systems - Activity Tracking: Track and document all activities across devices, networks, and other systems - Agile Methodologies: Iterative project Management approach that involves technologies such as Kanban, Scrum, XP, APF, XPM and more - Alerts/Notifications: Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges - Automated Scheduling: Automatically create schedules based on business needs or employee availability and qualifications - Budget Management: Forecast, allocate funds, organize financial resources and report & analyze project's income and expenditure - Budgeting/Forecasting: Create budgets based on historical data and future projections - Calendar Management: Track and manage schedules and meetings via an integrated calendar - Client Portal: Private online space that lets businesses securely share documents and provide information access to clients - Collaboration Tools: Provides a channel for team members to share AI models, media files, communicate, and work together - Commenting/Notes: Leave comments and notes on documents for others to view - Communication Management: Manage and track all internal and external communication conducted via calls, email, text, or chat - Contact Management: Manage, organize, and store contact information - Dashboard: Assembly of graphs and charts for visualizing and tracking statistics/metrics - Document Management: Store, manage, and track all electronic documents in a centralized location - File Sharing: Public or private sharing of digital files such as documents, audio/video, images, and more - Gantt/Timeline View: Visual representation of project's schedule, sequence and duration of tasks, benchmarks and dependencies - Issue Management: Identify and respond to unexpected problems or failures (ie. "negative events") - Kanban Board: Visualization tool to organize and optimize tasks and track their status at every stage of workflow - Milestone Tracking: Monitor task progress and planned accomplishments to better manage project status - Multiple Projects: Ability to handle several projects simultaneously - Percent-Complete Tracking: Level of completion within a task - Portfolio Management: Overview of all programs that help compare initiatives, align projects with strategic goals and identify risk - Project Management: Plan and coordinate all the resources, costs and time needed to execute assignments - Project Planning: Organize and schedule projects - Project Planning/Scheduling: Defining the project's scope, deliverables, schedules, resources, budget, critical path, dependencies and constraints - Project Tracking: Monitor the progress of projects from start to finish - Project Workflow: Create, manage, or update project workflows. - Projections: Estimate or forecast of a future scenario based on the study of present trends - Real Time Editing: Preview and make real-time changes in the web content - Recurring Tasks: Set the frequency of a task's occurrence - Reporting & Statistics: Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns - Reporting/Analytics: View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data - Reporting/Project Tracking: Track task progress, milestones, delays, or other key information and generate reports on them for evaluation - Resource Allocation & Planning: Assign available resources (human and/or non-human) to various projects and tasks - Resource Management: Process of planning, scheduling and executing the optimal and effective use of human capital across projects - Risk Management: Process of identifying, evaluating, mitigating, addressing and reporting on potential risks or uncertainties - Spreadsheet View: UI looks like a spreadsheet - Sub-Task Management: Split and manage tasks into individual components - Task Board View: UI looks like task board - Task Editing: Edit task information and all related elements - Task Management: Create, manage and track all task activities and progression - Task Progress Tracking: Track the status and progress of tasks - Task Scheduling: Track and manage the scheduling of tasks - Time & Expense Tracking: Log and record hours worked and costs spent to assist in billing and invoicing - Time Tracking: Measure and track time including hours worked and paid time off (PTO) - Timesheet Management: Track the amount of time spent on a job or task - To-Do List: A digital list of items that need to be completed - Traditional Methodologies: Sequential approach (i.e. Waterfall) in which users break down and plan an entire project before the launch - Version Control: Track revisions and updates made to files and navigate between different versions - Workflow Management: Create, design and manage workflows for repetitive tasks --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.3 (73) 4.3 Based on 73 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.7 (72) Free Trial Free Version [View pricing plan details](https://www.capterra.com/p/74048/RationalPlan/pricing/) Free $0.00 It includes: - 2 projects - 100 tasks - 5 MB storage - 2 users Beginner - Cloud $4.00 Per User,Per Month It includes: - 20 projects - 700 tasks - 7 GB storage Master - Cloud $12.00 Per User,Per Month It includes: - 50 projects - 2000 tasks - 15 GB storage Single - On Premise $145.00 Per User,One Time It includes: - Assumptions and Constraints - Availability - Etc - Fixed Costs - Google Drive Integration - Leveling - Onedrive Integration - Recurring Tasks - Risks - Task Types - Working Calendars - Milestones - Baselines - Human resources - Standard/Overtime rates Multi - On Premise $288.00 Per User,One Time It includes: - Budgets - Contacts - Inter-Projects Dependencies - Main Contact - Project's Client - Milestones - Baselines - Human resources - Standard/Overtime rates - Inter-projects dependencies Server - On Premise Contact Vendor for Pricing It includes: - Assignments - % Complete - Concurrent Changes - Deadlines - Late Tasks - Multiple Users - Project Repository - Restore Points - Rights Per User - Web-Based Access - Milestones - Baselines - Human resources - Standard/Overtime rates - Inter-projects dependencies Value for money 4.7 (72) 4.7 Based on 72 reviews ## Integrations [ Dropbox](https://www.capterra.com/p/143068/Dropbox-Business/)[ Google Calendar](https://www.capterra.com/p/213340/Google-Calendar/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.5 (90) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.5 (90) 4.5 Based on 90 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.4 Based on 99 reviews Filter by rating Counts reflect reviews available in this feed. 5(50) 4(41) 3(8) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Recent reviews first, then most helpful RE Reviewer Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "RationalPlan Project Planning" 4.0 July 19, 2016 I have been using MS Project in the office PC for many years now and have been looking for a similar app to use on my mac at home. RationalPlan is just the perfect app I'm looking for - simple intuitive interface with a decent presentation style and at an amazingly affordable price! I must add that the support team has been ultra responsive when help is needed. SA Senior Architect Senior Architect Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Very Effective Project Management Tool" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 May 17, 2017 I work with a lot of different customers and am constantly importing and exporting project plans (converting from MS Project). RationalPlan allows me to effectively and efficiently work with the plans in this mixed environment. I find it an essential tool for my business. Pros It is a native Mac program that imports and exports MS Project files efficiently. Cons I have had some issues over the years with specific bugs. But to their credit, RationalPlan has always been quick to respond with a resolution to the issues. I still seem to have some issues with the printing format and how it handles logos. CE CEO CEO Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Good but can be better" 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 February 19, 2017 First of all I'm not a gantt expert. I just share my thoughts. I have a big problem: On Linux last version is troublesome: in the gantt visualization, the mouse arrow blocks itself when passing on the gantt chart, while it goes smooth on other parts of the window. Another thing I find bad is when I change tasks duration/resources/manhours. I would kike it to be in "full manual" control if I want. Beacuse sometimes automatic adjustments simply don work. For the rest It is a GREAT product. Pros It works under linux, it manages multiple projects. Cons See main review RE Reviewer ### "The Best Planning Software for Linux" 5.0 May 17, 2017 I have trialled several planning software applications and have find that RationalPlan is the best I have come across. I am using the Single version, which is free for Linux users, for other OS there is a charge. There is MultiProject version which is not free. Gantt Chart Too many of the software I have looked at is too much like MS Project 2003 which looks very 1980's. Presentation is always an important issue for clients and indeed colleagues, and RationalPlan certainly ticks the right boxes as the colour of the bars can be changed in the Settings/Options. Trying to fit a gantt chart and data columns onto an A4 or A3 can always be a frustrating exercise, which ever software package you are using. In RationalPlan, however, the best way is through Reports/More/Gantt, where there are the options to help you to manipulate the image to fit on the size of paper. There is one item that does puzzle me, is that the Gantt report option is hidden under "More" and not displayed in the drop-down menu. Data Data import is easy and anyone familiar with this type of project planning applications should not find it a problem. For beginners resource input will always present some problems, but trial and error should sort these out. Data can by exported to xls either the whole data or through reports, for manipulation. One of the annoying aspects of some planning software and versions of MS Project was the default setting for resource hours on the task duration which was Effort Driven resulting in the duration changing when the hours changed. In RationalPlan I am pleased to say that the default is Fixed Units, the changes which do not have an impact on the duration. Customer support I have found is excellent having used it several times. I would not hesitate in recommending RationalPlan as a planning software to Linux users. AR Assistant Revenue and Reservation Manager Assistant Revenue and Reservation Manager Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Project management done absolutely in right way" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 December 1, 2022 Pros RationalPlan makes it possible for us to manage the projects that we run inside the company in the most optimal way. Cons RationalPlan is so successful so far and I do not have anything negative that worth to write here. RE Reviewer ### "Not at all bad for small projects but I am still searching for "the one"!" 4.0 February 27, 2017 As a sole-trader consultant I have been searching for an app that enables me to plan and manage projects that sometimes involve other consultants but sometimes just involve me and a whole load of people who are research subjects. After being led close to suicide by some other PM software (too complex, too "techie", only suitable for people who have nothing else in their lives!) I tried the add-on version of Rational Plan for Google docs and was impressed. So I bought the standalone Multi-Plan version. It worked very well for those projects where there was a good expectation of the steps laid out at the outset actually being the ones that were followed when the project started! The support from the team was excellent and my overall experience was good and I would recommend it to people who are actually running "manageable" projects. Having used it I realised that much of my work does not really fall into this category and, in much of what I am doing , the steps only emerge from the previous steps. In this case, the program is not very useful but I think that would be the case with any PM software I used. My dream is to have a single screen dashboard for all the components of Outlook so that I can see at a glance for a single project who is involved in it and in what capacity, that tasks that they have to do and the timescale, the e-mails associated with the project and the calendar entries for upcoming actions. It is really a cross between PM and CRM. Rational Plan comes close to the PM side of it. SA Senior Architect Senior Architect Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Very good project management software for the Mac OS" 4.0 March 1, 2018 Pros It is easy to work with. I can import MS Project files easily and work with them. Easy to setup project. It is also easy to integrate and manage multiple projects. Scheduling and tracking of tasks is also a plus with this product. Cons The inability to save straight out to MS Project format is an issue. I also have had issues with report and email templates. Updates frequently are not "flushed out" before they are released which sometimes breaks basic features temporarily. GM General Manager General Manager Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Everyday essential tool" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 17, 2017 Rational plan has helped to transform the way that we run our manufacturing operation. Our facility has a real mix of make to order and long term forecast demands being placed on equipment. There are several additional and variable constraints that make capacity planning software consistently fail. To overcome any lack of visibility from failing to plan we have found no greater tool than the simple flexibility, and ease of use that comes with Rational Plan. Pros Ease of use Cons The ability to lose information when closing down DI Director Director Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "My Digital Right Hand" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 17, 2017 I publish a lot of digital projects. They require detailed planning and ensuring that all the steps are followed. I would be lost without my RationalPlan software, which allows me to first plan the work, and then work the plan time and again successfully. Pros Ease of use, and ability to have more than one project plan. DA Dave A. Project Manager Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Functional, Complete, In Depth, Project Management Software. Very Nice" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 December 6, 2017 This is a full featured easy to use Project Management software that helps create a WBS and assign/track resources. Pros Rational Plan software is Great! It has Portfolio Management, Dashboard, WBS, Gantt View, and much much more. It has a downloadable Desktop view that syncs with the cloud version. It is very easy to set up and get started. The resource section is is very helpful for assigning tasks and managing projects. I also like the budget/cost features. I also love the controlling feature and work tracking features. I think this software is excellent Cons One think I would like to see is the option to use a graphic (Mind Map) view of the WBS. The other item I would like to see is a section for Risk Management. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/74048/RationalPlan/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.