Nowadays, project management is everywhere. Whether you have a team of one or 1,000 — you need to make sure everyone knows what to do, when to do it, and how much time to spend on it. Most companies employ a full-time project manager to oversee the work process, and the most essential tool they use in their work is some form of project management software.

1. Software Alternative
2. Best Alternative To Microsoft Project For Mac Free Download

Mar 12, 2020 Trello is Microsoft project alternatives for mac that allows the user to organize all the work more collaboratively, and get done easily and quickly. It keeps all the things on the track using the idea of the keyboard for projects and cards. The developer API section has the coding ability to develop apps and plugins. The Best Microsoft Project Alternative. ProjectManager.com is the leading solution for those looking for an inexpensive, easy-to-use alternative to Microsoft Project that works on PC and Mac. Our 100% online project management software has the same powerful management features you need, plus collaboration tools your team will actually use. 2020-3-23  Best Microsoft Project Alternative For Mac (Including Paid & Free) In Project Management, it was best to look into the software before using it. Previously we’ve published a list of 25 best task management app for Mac users. You must check out them these apps will boost your workflow. 2020-4-4  5 of the Best Microsoft Project Alternatives By Robert Zak – Posted on Jun 23, 2018 Jun 23, 2018 in Windows Microsoft Project is a powerful tool for project management, whether you’re a business or a sole trader looking to keep all the plates spinning. Dec 03, 2019 Unfortunately Microsoft Project, also known as MS Project, wasn’t designed for Mac computers, so it won’t work on any version of Mac OS. But there is a workaround that can solve your problem. It’s not complicated, and in fact, it’s easier to use than the MSP interface.

Project management software helps teams plan, organize, and manage their work. There are lots of alternatives on the market: some are as simple as to-do lists and others include all the bells and whistles, like budget estimations, forecasting, and cost control. The most popular and widely used option by far is Microsoft Project.

Microsoft Project was first developed in 1984 as an MS-DOS application, even before there were graphical interfaces. Over the years, it has gained a loyal global following and has become the go-to tool for the majority of project managers.

Sadly, if you predominantly work on Macs, Microsoft hasn’t released a Mac-compatible version just yet, although the rest of the Microsoft Office 365 suite is available on Macs (short of Microsoft Access). So what’s the best Microsoft Project alternative for Mac?

What Is Microsoft Project On Mac Alternative?

Naturally, since Microsoft hasn’t been in a hurry developing an MS Project for Mac build, lots of Mac-specific players have entered the game, occupying all possible niches based on cost, features, tech support, and more. But to understand what makes a perfect competitor to Microsoft Project management software, we need to know what exactly Microsoft Project is revered for.

Microsoft Project supports all project management activities with:

• Built-in customizable templates to quickly get up and running when new projects come in

• Gantt charts to clearly see the timeline and the capacity for execution

• Visual reports to evaluate progress on the go

Besides, Microsoft Project is a great tool for your business portfolio optimization and project evaluation to see where your organization is going and how it is doing. Finally, the software also does a continuous resource analysis, predicting bottlenecks and showing where resources are currently being underused.

So the ideal alternative to replace Microsoft Project for Mac needs to cover most if not all of these features and do it well. And maybe even have a few cards up its sleeve too. For example, Microsoft Project’s cost of $500–1500 per install or $30–60 per user a month is a likely target for other up-and-coming apps.

Microsoft Office is also designed for the Apple MAC operating system. Microsoft excel 64 bit for mac. PowerPoint is the best tool to create slides and add graphics from the text title logo, design your presentation using different types of effects, and choose individual screen change times. MS Access is a database and management software. Microsoft Word is the best application for creating text documents, and for publishers, Excel provides a spreadsheet that manages multiple account data.

When we consider all available Microsoft Project alternatives, one stands out right away. In many ways similar to what Microsoft Project on Mac would be, it offers a more intuitive interface, easier onboarding process, and simpler cost structure. Meet Merlin Project Express.

Use Merlin Project Express as MS Project for Mac

Merlin Project Express is an all-in-one planning software that doesn’t constrain you into any project management paradigm. Control multiple projects, resources, and budgets with ease in the way that streamlines your own workflow.

Some notable features of Merlin Project Express include:

• Outstanding planning tools. The app lets you create tasks, sort out dependencies, track progress, and schedule for the future — all on one screen.

• By-the-minute tracking. See how much costs your project generates in real time. Check how busy and productive your team is, and how many hours a day get clocked in.

• Custom templates. Create intuitive templates for all repetitive processes and have your colleagues fire up new projects in no time.

• Precise resource management. Handle all information about your team, tools, and equipment in one secure place. Adding people is just as easy as dragging them from your Contacts, and the calendar view makes it effortless to see everything at once.

• Accurate project timelines. When you have a large project on your hands, how do you predict its success? The best way to do it is to break everything down to smaller tasks, which don’t seem daunting and are much easier to keep track of.

• Unlimited version-based attachments. Storing task-related information separately is a sure way to mismanagement on large projects. With Merlin Project Express, you just drop the required files right onto the task and it will keep it safe, including all the updated versions.

How to start with Merlin Project Express

The most special thing about Merlin Project Express is how intuitive it is. Everything you need to know is displayed on the main Gantt-like screen called Work Breakdown: the list of tasks goes top to bottom, and your timeline from left to right.

Additionally, you can add any extra information (e.g. activities, goals) by pressing the plus icon in the top left. And the activity panel on the right provides specific details about your plan and finances.

Clicking on the Work Breakdown, you can switch the screen to show Resources, which includes all the people in your team, their availability, rate, and accrued costs.

To add a task in Merlin Project Express:

1. Click on the dropdown beside the plus icon and choose Activity

2. Name the new activity

3. Drag it to the right line within the Gantt chart

4. Use the indentation icons beside the dropdown to properly place the task within the hierarchy

Once you have all the tasks arranged, your project will begin to take shape. Next you just need to add timelines and people responsible. Finish up with a few milestones, so you know when it’s time to check in on the progress. And just like that your project will be on its way to completion, with no Microsoft Project management software involved.

Best of all, Merlin Project Express is available to you on a free trial via Setapp, a platform of more than 150 Mac productivity tools and apps. And now when you know Microsoft Project for Mac is not needed, you can start substituting all the other Windows-only apps too!

Explore popular project management software that makes tracking project statuses, collaboration, and task management easier.

Microsoft Projects is a popular project management platform. In Capterra’s 2018 Top 20 Most Popular Project Management Software list, it scored 75 out of 100, placing it at the top of the list.

But a high score doesn’t necessarily mean Microsoft Projects is the right choice for every user. Reviewers on Capterra mention that it can have a steep learning curve. You may want to look at simpler alternatives if getting started quickly is a priority.

Here we discuss five other popular project management tools that are highly recommended by reviewers on Capterra.

Selection criteria

We’ve analyzed data on more than 600 project management tools on Capterra and used the below criteria to identify the Microsoft Project alternatives we’re featuring here.

• Core project management features: The product must offer the core project management features: task management, collaboration, and project tracking.
• At least 20 user reviews published on Capterra in the past two years: This helps ensure there are enough reviews to analyze the pros and cons.
• Likelihood to recommend: Theproduct should have a minimum average recommendation rating of 8 out of 10 on Capterra.
• Features and functionality rating: The product should have an average functionality rating of at least 4 out of 5 on Capterra.

5 Best Microsoft Project Alternatives for Project Management

1. Asana: Work management platform for teams of all sizes

Asana allows you to create multiple tasks and subtasks within different projects and monitor their progress. Users can comment on the tasks, share documents, assign tasks to team members, and track deadlines.

The tool’s dashboard provides an overview of different project statuses and lets you create project plans that can be viewed as flowcharts, timelines, and graphs. Asana offers integrations with more than 100 other tools, such as Dropbox, Zapier, and Microsoft Office 365.

Product development roadmap in Asana (Source)

2. Basecamp: Project management tool with to-do lists to manage tasks

Basecamp offers features such as message boards, to-do lists, chat tools, and shared calendars. It allows you to embed files or images into your messages and track project conversations on a single page.

Basecamp also integrates with third-party apps such as G-Suite, iCal, and Outlook.

“Hill chart” feature in Basecamp helps track project progress (Source)

Software Alternative

3. Monday.com: Team management software that helps improve collaboration

Formerly dapulse, monday.com is a tool that helps manage teams and tasks. It provides visual charts to track project statuses, sales pipelines, HR tasks, etc. Monday.com also offers predefined project dashboards and workflow templates. You can invite new members, tag them, and track all your project conversations.

The tool integrates with other systems such as MS Excel, Trello, Asana, and Basecamp, which facilitates importing project data onto it.

Task management in monday.com (Source)

4. Trello: Project management tool with Kanban-style boards

Best Alternative To Microsoft Project For Mac Free Download

Trello is known for its Kanban-style message boards that let you organize and group tasks, add people, and manage project or task statuses. You can tag team members to assign them tasks or to draw their attention to specific comments on a project.

Trello captures each task as a card. You create cards directly on the app or convert email requests to cards using Trello’s email integration capabilities. Trello’s “Power-Up” feature helps it connect with a number of other applications including Slack, Todoist, and Evernote.

Kanban boards in Trello (Source)

5. Wrike: Online project management software with Gantt charts

Wrike allows you to set project goals, assign resources, and track project progress. It offers interactive Gantt charts to track and optimize project planning.

Wrike’s drag-and-drop interface lets you quickly reprioritize projects and manage resources. You can create customized templates for different workflows and build iteration processes to plan sprints and manage backlogs. Wrike also integrates with third-party tools such as Tableau, Box, and Salesforce.

Gantt charts in Wrike (Source)

How to choose the right Microsoft Project alternative

How do you go about choosing the right project management software for your business? Here’re some tips:

• Shortlist products based on their features and pricing: Eliminate solutions that fall outside your budget range and don’t offer features that your business needs.
• Demo the products: Explore the free versions or check out free trials to get firsthand experience with how the software works and its limitations.
• Read Capterra reviews: Capterra lists software reviews written by real users. Read the reviews to understand what your peers have to say about using the software.

To expand your search scope beyond these five alternatives, visit our comprehensive project management software directory.

In the comments section below, let us and other readers know which project management tools you’re using (if any), what’s working well for you, and what’s not.

Looking for Project Management software?Purchase office 365 for mac. Check out Capterra's list of the best Project Management software solutions.