PPM Express, an integrated portfolio and project management solution is now available for a flat rate of $500 per month. The vendor has four pricing tiers.
Projects: $5/user/month is a traditional low-cost entry-level pricing with limited features. It includes project management and an integration to Microsoft Project. There is also a trial period of 30 days for companies to evaluate the software.
Above the starting tier, there are three further tiers with a fixed price starting at $500/month with Projects Unlimited, which has the same features as the Projects Tier at a fixed price. Above that is an Enterprise Tier for $600 per month, which offers more features, including program management, portfolio management, resource planning, and multiple integrations to solutions such as Azure DevOps, Jira, New Microsoft Planner, Microsoft Project Online, Monday.com, and Smartsheet.
The top tier is Enterprise Ultra at $2,000 per month and has additional features, including security, archived and private projects and advanced time tracking.
It means that firms with more than 100 users can opt for Projects Unlimited and have a fixed cost in the future. However, it seems more likely that they would opt for the Enterprise Tier with its additional functionality at a delta that makes sense.
What is the change
The flat rate pricing is simple, but is not aimed at smaller firms, and there appears to be no pricing structure should those SMEs want the additional features. A year ago, PPM Express offered Portfolio management for $30 pupm, Product Management for $40 pupm and Enterprise plans started at $1000 per month for unlimited users.
Why the change?
Why have they made the change? The release states, “PPM Express continues to empower stakeholders with a ‘big picture’ view, ensuring complete portfolio visibility, increased transparency, and clarity.”
Based in Seattle, the PPM vendor has a growing roster of 400+ clients which includes DHL, FMG Fortescue, Sonesta, Coventry University and Bob Evans Farms.
The pricing change intends to simplify administration around pricing, with companies able to budget without worrying about whether they have the right number of licenses or need additional functionality. Assuming the customer needs more than 100 licenses, they do not need to worry about adjustments when staff leave or join.
Customers seem to agree; Paola Pabio, Senior Project Manager at Ivatron, commented, “PPM Express gives our portfolio and resource managers visibility and control of projects from all departments. With this new unlimited user pricing, we can add project teams without adding cost.”
PPM Express views this change as a way to build better partnerships with customers where the focus is less on the licensing and more on the product. They note that “it’s a commitment to the future of project management, where collaboration and flexibility are key to success.”
Enterprise Times: What does this mean?
The pricing is a brave move by PPM Express and one that seems to target certain sizes of customers. More importantly, it might put off others with less than 20 users who want a higher level of functionality but do not want to pay a premium for getting it.
Companies with larger numbers of people working on projects are more likely to move straight to the Enterprise pricing level. It offers far better features, which probably equates to at least the $30 per month rate which is comparable with other vendors. At which point it starts to make sense for companies requiring 20 or more licenses. PPM Express might have been better to fix two pricing levels for its lower tiered pricing. One for less than fifty users, say, and projects unlimited at $500 with at least some additional features, perhaps the resource planning and utilisation. It will be interesting to see what take up the company has over the next few months.
