Staying productive as an organization can feel like an uphill battle. According to the 2024 Executive Productivity Report, 42% of respondents said administrative tasks and busy work are their biggest productivity blockers, up from 38% in 2022. Given that 65% of executives now use task management tools to stay on top of their workload, the right software can make or break your team’s efficiency.
Two leading task management platforms, Microsoft Loop and Monday.com, offer robust solutions for businesses seeking to increase productivity. Both are powerful tools, but each caters to different needs. Understanding their strengths and how they might fit into your workflow can help you make the best choice for your business.
Table of contents
- What is Microsoft Loop?
- What is Monday.com?
- Top 5 Features to Consider
- Collaboration
- Task Management
- Ease of Use
- Data Management
- Integrations
- Monday.com vs Microsoft Loop: Which Should You Choose?
- Final Note
What is Microsoft Loop?
Introduced in 2023, Microsoft Loop is a shared digital workspace that seamlessly integrates with the Microsoft 365 suite, where users can manage tasks, create documents and track progress. It's like having a magical whiteboard that can transform into a document, a task list, or a project plan at will – all while staying perfectly in sync across your team's favorite Microsoft tools, like Teams, Outlook, and Excel. Loop recently added significant functionality with the launch of its version 2.0 and would expect more features to get added in the near future given that this is still a new product from Microsoft.
Included in all Microsoft 365 Enterprise plans and most Microsoft 365 Business subscriptions, Loop is a cost-effective, smart option for companies already using Microsoft’s suite of tools.
What is Monday.com?
Monday.com, on the other hand, was launched in 2014 and has since evolved into a comprehensive work operating system (OS). Known for its visually dynamic interface, Monday.com empowers teams to build customizable workflows tailored to their specific needs. The platform supports everything from task management to CRM, making it versatile for businesses of all sizes. While Monday.com serves well for basic project management, superusers are passionate about the ability to customize workflows without the need for coding skills.
Monday.com operates on a subscription model, with pricing starting at $9 per seat per month. Its ease of use, combined with extensive customization options, has made it a go-to for companies seeking a tool that grows with their business.
Top 5 Features to Consider
When comparing Microsoft Loop and Monday.com, here are the top five features to consider:
- Collaboration: How well the platform supports team communication and joint work on projects.
- Task Management: The ability to create, assign, track, and complete tasks efficiently.
- Ease of Use: The platform's user-friendliness and learning curve for new team members.
- Data Management: How users can organize, analyze, and visualize project data.
- Integrations: How well the platform connects with other tools in your tech stack.
Let's dive into each of these features and see how Microsoft Loop and Monday.com stack up against each other.
Features |
Microsoft Loop |
Monday.com |
Collaboration |
4.5/5 |
4.5/5 |
Task Management |
3.5/5 |
5/5 |
Ease of Use |
4/5 |
4.5/5 |
Data Management |
4/5 |
4/5 |
Integrations |
3.5/5 (5/5 for Microsoft users) |
5/5 |
Collaboration
Microsoft Loop
Microsoft Loop is essentially a digital brainstorming room, built for collaboration. Your team can brainstorm, plan, and execute together in real time, with:
- Real-time co-authoring to make ideas come alive instantly
- @mentions that cut through the noise to grab team members’ attention
- Version history to track your work’s evolution
- Seamless embedding of Loop components (i.e. notes, lists, and tasks) across Microsoft 365 apps.
Loop creates a unified, cohesive workspace for document sharing and group collaboration, minimizing the need to switch between apps.
Rating: 4.5/5
Monday.com
If Loop is a digital room, Monday.com is an entire office building with:
- Interactive boards that turn complex projects into visual masterpieces
- Real-time updates, @mentions and threaded comments that keep everyone in the loop
- Collaborative docs for when you need to dive deep into details
- Multiple views (Kanban, Gantt, etc.) that cater to every work style
Both platforms excel at bringing teams together, but Loop's integration with Microsoft 365 gives it a slight edge for teams already in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Rating: 4.5/5
Task Management
Microsoft Loop
Although Loop handles task management, its approach is rudimentary. Would expect upcoming enhancements of this relatively new tool to focus on the task management functionality to catch up to alternative solutions. You can create to-do lists and organize tasks in tables with custom fields and statuses, as well as assign task owners. While functional, Loop's task management feels more like a sidekick to its main hero, collaborative document editing.
Integration with Microsoft To Do and Planner helps fill the gap, but users may find it lacking compared to dedicated project management tools.
Rating: 3.5/5
Monday.com
In contrast, Monday.com is a task management powerhouse, with:
- Customizable boards that turn chaos into order
- Automation that makes repetitive tasks disappear like magic
- Time tracking to keep projects on schedule and budgets in check
- Workload view that ensures no team member becomes a bottleneck
The platform’s flexibility lets teams break down projects into manageable chunks, structuring tasks in ways that best suit their workflows — from simple to-do lists to complex project plans. Monday.com has advanced project management features like time tracking, workload capacity management, and task dependencies.
Rating: 5/5
Ease of Use
Microsoft Loop
Loop’s interface is modern and familiar, especially for those used to Microsoft 365 products. It has a drag-and-drop interface with a flexible canvas. By typing / or @, users can create most Loop components.
There is also a template gallery to help new users get started with pre-designed templates for common use cases, like project briefs, Kanban boards, and Scrum boards.
However, for those new to the Microsoft ecosystem, there might be a bit of a learning curve as they navigate the interconnected nature of Microsoft's tools.
Rating: 4/5
Monday.com
Ease of use is a hallmark of Monday.com. Its colorful, drag-and-drop interface makes Monday.com approachable even for first-time users.
With Monday.com’s extensive template library, teams can get up and running with minimal onboarding, making it an attractive option for businesses looking to implement a tool quickly.
Rating: 4.5/5
Data Management
Microsoft Loop
Loop's data management shines brightest when you're fully invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. Users can store, sync, and manage data across multiple applications, all while maintaining version control and ensuring seamless updates. In Loop, users can easily attach and preview files from OneDrive and SharePoint.
Rating: 4/5
Monday.com
Monday.com offers extensive data management options, including customizable fields, formulas, and dashboards. Teams can generate detailed reports and dashboards that aggregate data from multiple projects and provide actionable insights.
Integration with tools like Google Drive and Dropbox makes it easy to store and share files in context. With Monday.com’s advanced search, users can find information across all their boards easily.
Rating: 4/5
Integrations
Microsoft Loop
Loop's integration strategy is like a close-knit family – it works beautifully within the Microsoft clan but is a bit hesitant to mingle outside. It offers:
- Seamless connectivity with the entire Microsoft 365 suite, including Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, OneDrive, and more.
- SharePoint integration for easy content management
- Power Platform integration for when you need to automate or analyze
While it may not boast an extensive list of third-party integrations, its interoperability within the Microsoft suite is unparalleled. For Microsoft-centric teams, Loop's integrations are a dream come true. For others, the options might feel limited.
Rating: 3.5/5 (*5/5 for Microsoft users)
Monday.com
Monday.com, in contrast, is the social butterfly of productivity tools. It boasts:
- Over 200 app integrations covering everything from communication to design tools
- Zapier integration that opens up a world of automation possibilities
- An open API for creating custom connections
This wide range of options makes Monday.com highly versatile and adaptable to almost any tech stack.
Rating: 5/5
Monday.com vs Microsoft Loop: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Loop if:
- Your organization is heavily invested in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
- Real-time collaboration within Microsoft apps is a priority.
- Your team focuses heavily on document creation and content collaboration.
- Data security and storage in OneDrive are essential for your business.
Choose Monday.com if:
- Your team needs a highly visual and customizable work management platform.
- Your team prefers a visually dynamic, user-friendly interface that’s easy to adopt.
- You require extensive integrations with multiple third-party tools.
- You're looking for a standalone solution that doesn't depend on a specific ecosystem
Final Note
In the end, the best tool is the one that disappears into the background, enhancing your team's productivity without adding to the noise. Whether you choose the collaborative prowess of Microsoft Loop or the versatile customization of Monday.com, remember that the goal is to spend less time managing tasks and more time accomplishing them.
Why not take both for a spin? Many teams find that a trial run reveals unexpected benefits or challenges that no comparison article can capture. After all, productivity is personal – what works for one team might not work for another.
As you embark on your productivity tool journey, keep in mind that the right choice today might evolve as your team grows and changes. The key is to remain flexible and open to new possibilities. Who knows? The perfect productivity solution might be just a loop or a monday away.
Or, it might be closer to home, as we discovered recently. Faced with a bloated tech stack and mounting subscription costs, we took a step back and rediscovered the power of tools we already had – the Microsoft suite.
Curious about how we did it? Dive into the full story here: I fell back in love with Microsoft: Fixing Prialto's bloated subscription tech. There may be more potential than you know in your current tech investments.