7 Asta Powerproject Alternatives for Construction Projects

The top Asta Powerproject alternatives for construction projects are Primavera P6, ProjectManager, Oracle Primavera Cloud, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Procore and Trimble Tilos. Primavera P6 is the closest like-for-like swap for planners who need deep CPM analysis and native XER files. ProjectManager is the better pick for general contractors, subcontractors and builders who want critical path scheduling that superintendents and crews can actually open and update from the jobsite.

Powerproject has earned its place in construction planning. It builds detailed programs with multiple calendars, resource loading, 4D BIM and formal progress reporting, and many clients in the UK expect a native Powerproject file. But a lot of construction teams don’t need a dedicated planner’s workstation. They need a schedule the project manager, the super and the foreman can all work from on the same day.

That gap is why teams start shopping. Some are paying for desktop licenses that only one trained planner uses. Others are tired of emailing PDFs to the field and waiting for progress to come back by phone. This guide covers what to look for in a Powerproject replacement, then compares seven options on scheduling depth, file compatibility, field access and price, including where each one falls short.

ProjectManager is online project management software built for scheduling construction work. Plan jobs on Gantt charts with all four dependency types and lag, filter for the critical path, save baselines and see every crew’s workload across all your projects, whether you’re in the trailer or on site. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

What Is Asta Powerproject?

Asta Powerproject is construction planning and scheduling software from Eleco (formerly Elecosoft). It uses the critical path method to build detailed programs and is popular with UK contractors and planning consultants. The core product is a Windows desktop application, with a SaaS option for Mac users. Add-ons extend it: Asta Siteprogress for field updates, Asta Enterprise for shared multi-user plans and Powerproject BIM for 4D planning. Powerproject imports and exports Primavera XER and XML files and Microsoft Project files.

Why Construction Teams Look for Asta Powerproject Alternatives

Powerproject does a lot, but it’s built around one specialist doing the planning. These are the reasons teams most often give for moving on:

• The planner becomes a bottleneck. Programs are usually built and updated by one trained person. Everyone else waits for the next issue, so the schedule in the field is often a week or more out of date.
• Desktop first. The main product runs on 64-bit Windows Pro or Enterprise. Supers and foremen working from phones and tablets can’t edit it directly.
• Field updates cost extra. Getting progress from the jobsite into the program means adding Asta Siteprogress, a separately licensed app, and then syncing that data back.
• Price per seat. Subscriptions run roughly $1,300 to $1,700 per user per year, and concurrent licenses cost more. That’s hard to justify for people who only need to view or update tasks.
• A real learning curve. Reviewers consistently praise Powerproject’s depth but describe a steep learning curve, which keeps project managers and site staff out of the schedule.
• Clients outside the UK expect other formats. In North America, owners more often ask for P6 or a readable PDF schedule than a native Powerproject file.

If your contract names Powerproject or requires native .pp files, you may need to keep a license. If it doesn’t, you have more room to choose.

What to Look for in an Asta Powerproject Alternative

The right replacement keeps the scheduling logic you rely on and puts the schedule in front of more of the team. Check for these before you switch:

• True CPM scheduling. The tool should calculate the critical path from durations and links. If the steel delivery slips, you should see right away whether erection, decking and the roof dry-in move too.
• Full dependency and lag support. Finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish links, plus lag for cure times, inspections and lead times on long-lead materials.
• Baselines and variance. Save the approved plan, track actuals against it and show the owner where the job slipped and why.
• Resources across jobs. Crews and equipment move between projects. You need one view of who’s booked where, not a separate resource pool in every file.
• A clean import path. Powerproject exports to Microsoft Project XML, MPP, XER and XML. Find out which of those the new tool reads, and test it with one of your live programs.
• Field access. Superintendents and foremen should be able to open the schedule and post progress from a phone or tablet without a separate app license.
• Predictable pricing. Count every person who needs to view or update the schedule, not just the planner, and compare per-user, concurrent and volume-based pricing on that number.

Asta Powerproject Alternatives Compared

Prices are list prices as of November 2026 and change often. Check each vendor’s site before you buy.

7 Best Asta Powerproject Alternatives for Construction Projects

1. Primavera P6

Primavera P6 is Oracle’s enterprise scheduling software and the most direct swap for Powerproject. It handles very large CPM schedules with detailed resource loading, multiple baselines, activity codes and float analysis, and its XER file is the format many public owners and large clients require. Powerproject can export XER and XML, so planners can move programs across without starting over.

P6 doesn’t fix Powerproject’s biggest limits, though. P6 Professional is also a Windows desktop tool, the learning curve is steeper still and field staff rarely work in it directly.

Best for: Professional planners and large contractors whose contracts call for P6 or XER submittals.

Key features

• Full CPM scheduling with total float and multiple float paths
• Native XER and P6 XML files
• Multiple baselines and earned value for delay and claims work
• P6 Professional (Windows desktop) and P6 EPPM (web-based) versions

Pros

• The standard for owner submittals and claims on large projects
• Handles schedules with tens of thousands of activities
• Direct file exchange with Powerproject through XER and XML

Cons

• Harder to learn than Powerproject, usually with formal training
• Little practical field access for supers and foremen
• Some data, like baselines in XER files and hammock tasks, is simplified when moving from Powerproject
• No published price list

Pricing: By quote from Oracle or a reseller. Perpetual P6 Professional licenses typically run about $2,500 per user, plus about 22% a year for support.

2. ProjectManager

ProjectManager gives construction teams critical path scheduling that the whole job team can use, not just the planner. Build the schedule on a Gantt chart with all four dependency types and lag, then turn on the critical path filter to see which tasks will push the finish date. Because it runs in any browser and on iOS and Android, superintendents and foremen update progress from the jobsite and the office sees it right away.

ProjectManager also covers the work Powerproject leaves to add-ons. The workload page shows every crew member’s hours across all your projects, with overbooked days flagged in red, and timesheets track actual hours against the plan. Baselines and variance reports document slippage for the owner.

Best for: General contractors, subcontractors and builders who need CPM scheduling, resource management and field updates in one tool at a per-user price.

Key features

• Gantt charts with finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish dependencies, plus lag
• Critical path filter, baselines and variance reports
• Workload page showing resource hours across every project
• Equipment and subcontractors added as resources at no license cost
• Import from Microsoft Project (MPP and XML), Excel and CSV
• Mobile apps, timesheets and real-time dashboards included

Pros

• Short learning curve, so project managers and supers can work in the schedule
• No separate app or license needed for field updates
• Scheduling, resources, time tracking and reporting in one tool

Cons

• No native Powerproject (.pp) or XER import, so programs move through Microsoft Project XML or MPP
• No 4D BIM
• Resource management and the workload page need the Business plan or above

Pricing: Team $15/user/month, Business $28/user/month, Enterprise by quote. 30-day free trial.

Related: ProjectManager vs. Asta Powerproject for Construction

3. Oracle Primavera Cloud

Oracle Primavera Cloud is Oracle’s browser-based project and portfolio tool, built to bring P6-style scheduling to the cloud. It combines CPM scheduling with lean planning tools, baselines, resource histograms, risk analysis and portfolio views, and it runs on any connected device, including phones and tablets.

It’s a better fit for owners and large contractors managing many projects than for a single job team. Reviewers rate its scheduling power highly but give it lower marks for ease of use.

Best for: Owners, program managers and large contractors who want P6-level scheduling with portfolio and risk tools in the browser.

Key features

• CPM scheduling with lean planning and baseline comparison
• Resource planning with spreadsheets and histograms
• Risk register with Monte Carlo analysis
• Portfolio, budget and capital planning views

Pros

• Browser and mobile access with P6-style scheduling depth
• Strong portfolio and risk management for multi-project programs
• Fits teams already using Oracle Aconex or Primavera Unifier

Cons

• Steep learning curve, with low ease-of-use scores in reviews
• More platform than most single-job teams need
• Moving from Powerproject usually goes through a P6 file first
• Pricing isn’t published

Pricing: By quote. Third-party estimates put most deployments around $100 per user per month, with minimum seat counts.

4. Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is a familiar CPM tool for teams that already work in Microsoft 365. It supports dependencies, critical path, baselines and resource assignments, and Powerproject exports straight to its XML and MPP formats, which makes it one of the easiest landing spots for an existing program. Microsoft is folding its project tools into Planner, so check which plan you’re buying.

Best for: Teams on Microsoft 365 that want a mainstream scheduling tool with a simple path from Powerproject.

Key features

• Gantt scheduling with dependencies and critical path
• Baselines and resource management in Planner and Project Plan 3
• Desktop client included with Plan 3
• Direct import of Powerproject XML and MPP exports

Pros

• Widely known, so subs and partners can often open the file
• MPP is a common exchange format in construction
• Works with Teams, Excel and other Microsoft 365 apps

Cons

• No 4D BIM and lighter construction-specific tools than Powerproject
• Licensing has changed several times and can be confusing to compare
• Field crews usually need another tool to view and update the schedule

Pricing: Planner Plan 1 $10/user/month and Planner and Project Plan 3 $30/user/month, both paid yearly.

5. Smartsheet

Smartsheet pairs a spreadsheet-style grid with Gantt, card and calendar views. It supports dependencies and highlights the critical path, and it’s flexible enough to run punch lists, submittal logs and RFI trackers next to the schedule. Teams that have outgrown Excel tend to pick it up quickly.

Best for: Teams moving up from spreadsheets who want light scheduling plus flexible trackers in one place.

Key features

• Grid, Gantt, card and calendar views
• Dependencies with critical path highlighting
• Forms, automations and dashboards

Pros

• Easy to learn for anyone who knows spreadsheets
• Handles many kinds of construction logs, not just the schedule
• Free trial and per-member pricing

Cons

• Much lighter scheduling than Powerproject, with less control over complex logic and calendars
• No direct Powerproject or XER import, so programs move through Excel
• Large schedules get hard to manage as sheets grow

Pricing: Pro $12/member/month ($9 billed annually), Business $24/member/month ($19 billed annually), Enterprise by quote. 30-day free trial.

6. Procore

Procore is a construction management platform covering documents, drawings, RFIs, submittals, budgets, quality and safety. Procore Scheduling lets teams build and edit schedules, track the critical path and pull lookaheads. Procore can also import XER and MPP files, but those imported schedules are read-only.

Best for: General contractors who want the schedule to live inside the same platform as the rest of the project record.

Key features

• Procore Scheduling with critical path tracking and lookaheads
• Read-only import of XER and Microsoft Project MPP schedules
• Documents, RFIs, submittals, budgets, quality and safety tools

Pros

• Connects the schedule to drawings, RFIs and financials
• Unlimited users on the contract
• Widely used by GCs and owners, so partners are often already on it

Cons

• Imported schedules are view-only, so replacing Powerproject means rebuilding in Procore Scheduling
• Pricing based on annual construction volume can be high for smaller firms
• More than you need if scheduling is the only problem

Pricing: By quote, based on the products you choose and your annual construction volume.

7. Trimble Tilos

Trimble Tilos is linear scheduling software for infrastructure work. Instead of a long Gantt chart, it plots activities on time-distance diagrams, so a rail, road, pipeline or tunnel job fits on a single page showing where each crew is along the route. It combines that view with CPM logic and has a built-in XML data exchange with Powerproject, so planners can keep both tools in use.

Best for: Heavy civil and infrastructure planners on long, linear jobs.

Key features

• Time-distance (linear) diagrams with CPM logic
• Data exchange with Powerproject, Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project
• Speed-based activity calculations and distance-based views

Pros

• Shows a long linear job on one page instead of dozens of Gantt pages
• Works alongside Powerproject rather than replacing it outright
• Planners find it fairly quick to learn

Cons

• Built for linear projects, not buildings or multi-trade vertical work
• Interface feels dated, according to reviewers
• Still a specialist planning tool with little field access

Pricing: About $4,290 one-time for the Basic license, per Capterra. Free trial available.

How to Move an Asta Powerproject Schedule Into ProjectManager

To move a Powerproject program into ProjectManager, export it to Microsoft Project format, import that file into a new project and check the logic. ProjectManager reads Microsoft Project files (MPP and XML), Excel and CSV, but not native Powerproject (.pp) files.

1. Export from Powerproject. Use Powerproject’s Microsoft Project export to save an XML file. MPP also works, but Powerproject needs Microsoft Project installed on the same computer to create one. Hammock tasks are dropped, and calendars that don’t fit Microsoft Project’s model revert to the default, so note any you’ll need to rebuild.
2. Set working days first. In ProjectManager, click the + button, choose Project and set your working days and holidays to match your Powerproject calendar before you import. They’re hard to change later.
3. Import the file. Choose Import File when creating the project, or click the import icon on the Gantt ribbon in an existing project. Upload the XML or MPP file. In an existing project, pick Keep and append to add the tasks, or Replace to overwrite everything already there.
4. Choose what comes across. For XML or MPP, import the task list only or all data. For Excel or CSV, map your columns to the Gantt columns.
5. Check the logic. Compare durations, dependencies and lag with the original program. Re-link tasks that lost predecessors, and replace any hammocks or buffer tasks that were converted.
6. Confirm the critical path and baseline it. Turn on the critical path filter and compare it with Powerproject. Fix missing links or constraints, then set a baseline in Gantt settings.

Keep the original .pp file on record in case a client later asks for the native program.

Want to see your program in ProjectManager? Start a 30-day free trial, import a Microsoft Project XML file from Powerproject and turn on the critical path filter to compare. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Asta Powerproject Alternatives FAQ

What is the closest alternative to Asta Powerproject?

Primavera P6 is the closest match in scheduling depth, and Powerproject can export programs to P6 as XER or XML files. For general contractors and subcontractors who don’t need that depth, ProjectManager offers critical path scheduling, baselines and resource management that the whole job team can use.

Is there a free alternative to Asta Powerproject?

Not one that matches its scheduling depth. Most alternatives are paid, but several offer free trials, including ProjectManager and Smartsheet at 30 days each. Free tools rarely include critical path scheduling and baselines.

Can I open a Powerproject file without Powerproject?

Not as a native .pp file in most other tools. Eleco offers a free Powerproject viewer for reading programs. To work in another tool, export from Powerproject to Microsoft Project XML or MPP, XER or Excel first.

Is there an Asta Powerproject alternative for Mac?

Yes. ProjectManager, Smartsheet, Procore and Oracle Primavera Cloud all run in a browser on any Mac. Powerproject’s desktop version needs Windows, though Eleco’s SaaS subscription works on a Mac.

Is Microsoft Project a good replacement for Powerproject?

For small and mid-size jobs, it can be. Powerproject exports cleanly to Microsoft Project XML and MPP, and Project supports CPM and baselines. It lacks 4D BIM and Powerproject’s construction-specific views, and field crews usually need another tool to see the schedule.

Do clients require Asta Powerproject programs?

Some do, especially larger UK and Commonwealth clients with in-house planning teams. Check your contract before switching. If a native program is required, keep one Powerproject license for submittals and run the day-to-day job in a tool your field team can use.

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