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.
There are now several very good alternatives to Microsoft Project on Mac both cloud and desktop based. Teamwork for example is an excellent alternative to Project on Mac and looks and feels like it was made for Mac desktops. Then there’s Wrike which is very popular as it’s so easy to use and integrated with a huge number of third party software. Microsoft Project isn’t available for Mac so we’ve looked at the best free project planning tools out there for Mac users. If you need something that can genuinely compare with a professional tool like MS Project, then first we strongly recommend checking out our look at the best alternatives to Microsoft Project on Mac. Discover 5 top-rated Microsoft Visio alternatives to help with creating flowcharts, diagramming, and process mapping. Alternatives include Cacoo, Draw.io, and Mindmanager. MindManager 2020 for Windows: $350 per user license; includes everything in the Mindmanager for Mac version plus full project planning and task management functionality.
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.
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:
Click on the dropdown beside the plus icon and choose Activity
Name the new activity
Drag it to the right line within the Gantt chart
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!
Microsoft Project is the best project, portfolio, and resource management solution—but it’s not available on macOS®. However, with Parallels Desktop® for Mac, Apple® users can use a Windows virtual machine (VM) to run Microsoft Project on Mac®.
Getting started with running MS Project on macOS is easy:
- Download a trial of Parallels Desktop.
- Set up a Windows 10 VM. It’s very easy to buy a new Windows 10 license inside Parallels Desktop. (You can also use an existing Windows 10 license key.)
- Purchase Microsoft Project and download the .exe file in your Windows 10 VM.
- Start using Microsoft Project to get your job done!
Parallels Desktop is the #1 virtualization solution to run Windows, Linux, and other popular operating systems on Mac. Virtualization of a Windows OS on Mac has endless benefits, including:
- Low cost in comparison to buying a second computer
- Minimized or eliminated downtime
- Increased productivity
- Faster backups
- Easy to recover or migrate to additional Mac devices
- Economic use of energy
- Eco-friendly choice to minimize the amount of electronic waste a single user produces.
If you’re still deciding if Parallels Desktop is right for you, continue reading to understand how a program manager utilizes virtualization to run Microsoft Project.
As a self-employed program manager, Tim specializes in large-scale data migrations and the development of sustainable business intelligence (BI) and analytic solutions. He has a wealth of experience in both IT and capital asset delivery, as well as general management, operational, and strategic roles in asset-intensive industries and regulation.
Like most consultants, Tim needs slick and stable IT to allow him to focus on the real issues. He doesn’t want IT issues to constantly be distracting him. Parallels Desktop offers a reliable platform that allows him to deliver.
As an avid personal user of Apple products, Tim also wished to migrate his work life to Mac. However, for most clients he needed to use Microsoft Project as a Gantt chart management tool. Being able to manage multi-project plans is an essential element for any program manager. Unfortunately, Microsoft Project is one of the few pieces of Microsoft software that has not been developed to run on macOS.
Microsoft Project Alternative For Mac Software
After online research, Tim concluded that the only successful way to use Microsoft Project on a Mac was through a Windows virtual machine. He discussed the issue directly with Apple, and they recommended Parallels Desktop as a solution.
Following a very simple installation of Parallels, Tim can now use Microsoft Project natively within a Windows environment on his MacBook Pro®. This means there’s no translation between products claiming to act as a Microsoft Project editor—quite simply, he’s running a Windows version of Microsoft Project on his Mac. It has proved to be an excellent solution for Tim.
Tim wholeheartedly recommends Parallels Desktop, which he has now been using successfully for several months. Installation was simple, and there are many configuration options that can be changed. (For example, the amount of memory dedicated to the Apple or Windows operating system.) This gives greater flexibility to the user. Tim hasn’t had any issues with Parallels Desktop at all, and the product is extremely stable in every way. Tim also added that Parallels® Toolbox (which comes included with Parallels Desktop) has been useful. He particularly likes the disk cleaning tool, which ensures his laptop is always operating efficiently.
Microsoft Project Alternative For Mac 2017
If you’d like to use Parallels Desktop to run popular Windows programs on Mac (without rebooting!), download a free 14-day trial.