Microsoft Project 2021: Features, Pricing and Which Version to Buy

Quick answer: Microsoft Project 2021 Professional is a powerful project management tool for planning timelines, managing resources and tracking budgets. At Licendi, you can get Project 2021 Professional from €39.99. However, if you are buying new in 2026, Project 2024 Professional (€39.66) is the better choice — newer features and longer support at the same price.

What Is Microsoft Project?

Microsoft Project is a professional project management application for planning, scheduling, resource allocation and budget tracking. It is the industry standard for complex project management in construction, IT, engineering and enterprise environments.

Unlike simple task managers (Trello, Asana), Project handles:

• Gantt charts with task dependencies and critical path analysis
• Resource management — assign people, equipment and materials to tasks
• Budget tracking — compare planned vs actual costs in real time
• What-if scenarios — model different timelines and resource allocations
• Earned value analysis — measure project performance against the plan
• Reporting — generate professional project status reports

What Is New in Project 2021?

Project 2021 brought several improvements over the 2019 version:

1. Task Inspector Enhancements

The Task Inspector now provides more detailed information about what is driving task scheduling — dependencies, constraints, calendars and manual scheduling choices. This helps you quickly identify and resolve scheduling conflicts.

2. Timeline View Improvements

Multiple timeline bars let you create layered views showing different phases, milestones or workstreams simultaneously. This is invaluable for executive reporting and stakeholder presentations.

3. Accessibility Improvements

Screen reader support, keyboard navigation and high-contrast mode have been improved across the interface. Projects created in 2021 are more accessible to diverse teams.

4. Performance and Stability

Faster load times for large project files (1,000+ tasks), improved undo/redo performance and better handling of complex Gantt chart rendering.

5. Automatic Start and End Dates

Version 2021 can automatically fill in start and end dates based on task dependencies. When you set up dependency chains, Project intelligently schedules tasks without manual date entry — a significant time-saver for large projects.

Project 2019 vs 2021 vs 2024: Which Version?

Our recommendation: Project 2024 Professional is the best buy in 2026. At €39.66, it costs the same as Project 2021 but has 3 more years of support (until October 2029). If you already own Project 2021, it works fine until October 2026.

Pricing at Licendi

All licences include instant digital delivery, lifetime activation warranty and are 100% EU-legal. Licendi is a Microsoft Partner with a Trustpilot 4.8☆ rating.

Who Needs Microsoft Project?

You need Project if:

• You manage complex projects with 50+ tasks and dependencies
• You need resource levelling — balancing workloads across team members
• You track budgets and costs at the task level
• You need critical path analysis to identify schedule risks
• You create formal project plans for clients or stakeholders
• You work in construction, engineering, IT or consulting

You probably do not need Project if:

• You manage simple to-do lists or Kanban boards — use Planner or Trello
• Your projects have fewer than 20 tasks with simple timelines
• You do not need Gantt charts, resource management or earned value analysis

Project vs Microsoft 365 Planner

→ Get Project 2024 Professional — €39.66 at Licendi