Microsoft Planner vs Trello is Microsoft 365 against a stand-alone board app. Planner lives inside the Microsoft world, including a Planner app in Teams, with fixed limits such as 9,000 tasks and 200 buckets per plan. Trello is a card-and-board tool from Atlassian with a free plan for up to 10 collaborators per Workspace and paid plans from US$5 per user a month billed annually. If your team works in Teams and Outlook, Planner fits; if you work with outside people or other tools, Trello's easier.
Planner and Trello compared
| Microsoft Planner | Trello | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | Planner web and mobile, and the Planner app in Teams | Trello on the web, plus iOS and Android mobile apps |
| Free option | Basic plans in the Planner app in Teams, depending on your Microsoft 365 plan | Free plan: up to 10 collaborators and 10 boards per Workspace |
| Paid plans | Premium plans in the Planner app in Teams | Standard US$5, Premium US$10, Enterprise US$17.50 per user a month, billed annually |
| Size limits | 3,000 active tasks and 9,000 tasks per plan; 200 buckets | Unlimited cards on every plan; unlimited boards from Standard |
| Per task | Up to 20 assignees and 20 checklist items | Advanced checklists and custom fields from Standard |
| Extra views | Real-time sync for up to 100 users per plan | Calendar, Timeline, Table, Dashboard and Map views on Premium |
Trello prices are as its pricing page stated them, in US dollars, as of October 2026; monthly billing is higher (US$6 for Standard, US$12.50 for Premium). Microsoft's Planner limits come from Microsoft Learn, which notes they can be raised or lowered without prior notice.
The catch with Planner: hard caps per plan
Planner's limits don't matter until they do. A basic plan can hold up to 9,000 tasks, but only 3,000 active ones (an active task is one that isn't completed), and up to 200 buckets. Each task can have up to 20 assignees, 20 checklist items and 15 references. A group or user can own up to 400 plans. For a long-running content calendar or support board, archive or split plans before you hit 3,000 open tasks.
There's a sync limit too: only up to 100 users can get real-time updates on a plan. People beyond that won't see changes live while the app is open.
The catch with Trello's free plan
Trello Free covers up to 10 collaborators per Workspace and up to 10 boards per Workspace, with unlimited cards and unlimited Power-Ups per board. Files are capped at 10MB each, and you get 250 Workspace command runs (automation) a month. A small team that adds a few freelancers will meet the 10-collaborator limit sooner than the 10-board one.
What Planner does well
- No extra login. It sits inside Microsoft 365, including a Planner app in Teams.
- Group plans. Microsoft says most Planner plans are owned by a group, so a plan belongs to the team rather than one person.
- Plans in context. A plan can be attached to up to 10 places, such as Teams tabs.
What Trello does well
- Captures work from anywhere. Quick capture brings to-dos in from email, Slack and Microsoft Teams into a Trello Inbox.
- Power-Ups and integrations for the tools your team already uses, plus an MCP server to connect AI tools.
- Automation that scales. 1,000 Workspace command runs a month on Standard and unlimited on Premium.
- Guests. Single board guests on Standard and multi-board guests on Enterprise.
If you're managing many projects at once rather than one board, see project portfolio management software.
Four questions to settle it
- Does everyone on the board already have a Microsoft 365 account?
- Will freelancers, clients or contractors need access?
- How many open tasks will one plan or board hold at its busiest?
- Do you want calendar and timeline views without add-ons?
Already leaning one way? Here's what Trello's free plan includes in more detail, and if neither fits, our list of Microsoft Planner alternatives compares other task tools.
Do you make project or task management software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
My advice on Planner or Trello
If your whole team's on Microsoft 365 and the work stays inside the business, try Planner first: it lives in Teams, where your team already talks. If you work with people outside your organisation, or you want automation and views without fuss, start on Trello Free and move to Standard once you pass 10 boards or 10 collaborators.
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Planner comes with a Microsoft subscription, so see the Microsoft plans guide for the plans.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trello free?
Yes. As of October 2026, Trello's free plan is for up to 10 collaborators per Workspace and includes unlimited cards, up to 10 boards per Workspace and 250 Workspace command runs a month.
How much does Trello cost?
Trello lists Standard at US$5, Premium at US$10 and Enterprise at US$17.50 per user a month, billed annually, as of October 2026.
What are Microsoft Planner's limits?
Microsoft Learn lists up to 9,000 tasks and 3,000 active tasks per plan, 200 buckets per plan, and up to 20 assignees and 20 checklist items per task.
Does Microsoft Planner work in Teams?
Yes. There's a Planner app in Teams, with basic and premium plans, alongside Planner on the web and mobile.
Is Planner or Trello better for working with clients?
Trello is easier for outside people, with single board guests on Standard and multi-board guests on Enterprise. Planner suits teams who all use Microsoft 365.
