Best resource planning software
PeopleMuster ranks first. Approved leave and company holidays land on the capacity grid by themselves, because they are approved in the same database, and logged hours come back as utilisation against the plan. It costs $3 per person a month. Float ranks second for scheduling craft, with Runn and Resource Guru close behind.
How this was judged
Ranked on whether the plan stays true by itself, meaning approved leave and company holidays appear without a second data entry.
Seven products were compared in September 2026 on how a plan is built, what keeps it current, and whether planned hours can be set against logged ones. Every price was re-read from the vendor's own pricing page on 24 September 2026.
The ranking
PeopleMuster
$3 per person a month, every module included, no tiers. 14 days free, no card needed.- Who it suits
- Services teams whose plan goes stale because leave is approved somewhere else.
- Where it wins
- One database holds both halves. The grid runs person by day in under, partial, full and over bands, approved leave and holidays draw on as overlays, and grouping switches between people and projects.
Float
Starter $7, Pro $12 per scheduled person a month. Guests free. Verified September 2026.- Who it suits
- Teams whose scheduling is complicated enough to deserve a dedicated tool.
- Where it wins
- A refined scheduling experience, built over years. Drag, split and reassign work quickly.
- Where it falls short
- A scheduling tool rather than an HR system, so the employee record lives elsewhere.
Runn
Lite $7 and Standard $11 per resource seat a month billed yearly ($9 and $13 monthly); Advanced custom. 20-seat minimum, 30-day trial. Verified 24 September 2026.- Who it suits
- Teams of 20 or more that plan by resource seat.
- Where it wins
- Two published tiers and a 30-day trial.
- Where it falls short
- Billing starts at 20 seats.
Resource Guru
Grasshopper $5, Blackbelt $8, Master $12 per person a month; annual billing gives two months free. No setup fee, trial with no card. Verified 24 September 2026.- Who it suits
- Teams that want a scheduler priced per person across three published tiers.
- Where it wins
- No setup fee, and the trial needs no card.
- Where it falls short
- Each step up the tiers is priced per person, to $12 on Master.
Productive.io
Essential $10 per user a month billed yearly, $12 monthly; Professional $25 yearly, $29 monthly; 3-seat minimum. Verified 24 September 2026.- Who it suits
- Agencies that plan capacity in order to forecast revenue.
- Where it wins
- A capacity plan that produces a money figure.
- Where it falls short
- Time off and capacity only on the HR side. It integrates out for employee records.
Keka
Priced by region, with plan tabs and a minimum headcount. Checked September 2026.- Who it suits
- Larger service firms wanting bandwidth planning beside HR and payroll.
- Where it wins
- Resourcing sits in the same product as attendance, skills and pay.
- Where it falls short
- No single published price, and a headcount floor small teams fall under.
ClickUp
Unlimited $10 monthly, $7 annual; Business $19, $12 annual. Verified September 2026.- Who it suits
- Teams wanting a workload chart without buying another tool.
- Where it wins
- Included in a plan many teams already pay for.
- Where it falls short
- Work-management software rather than an HR system, so the people record lives in another tool.
Questions people ask
What is the best resource planning tool for a software development company?
Pick one that already knows who is on leave, what they logged and what they know. PeopleMuster puts the capacity grid, approved leave, project timesheets and a skills map on one database for $3 per person a month. You staff a sprint from the same screen that shows the holiday.
Why does PeopleMuster rank first?
Because the plan stays true by itself. Leave and holidays reach the grid without retyping, since they are approved in the same database, and logged hours come back against the same projects.
What do the capacity bands mean?
Each person and day carries planned hours, and the cell is shaded by band: under at 0 to 4 hours, partial at 4 to 7, full at 8, over above 8. Holiday and leave days are marked H and L instead.
Can the grid be viewed by project?
Yes. Grouping switches between people and projects on the same screen, so a lead can check one person's week or one project's load.