15 Best Mac Project Management Software for 2018

Do
you need project management for your Mac? Finding the best project management
for your needs can be difficult. Although the most popular project management
software, Microsoft Project, is currently Windows-dependent, there are other
project management tools available that'll work with your Mac.

In
this article you'll learn what to look for in Mac project management software.
We'll also provide a brief overview of some of best project planning software
for Macs as well as some of the best cloud-based project planning software
that'll run on a Mac. So, whether you need simple project management software
for the Mac or something more complex, you're bound to find it on this list.

What
to Look for in Mac Project Management Software

There
are lots of options, so choosing the right project management software can be
challenging. It's important to make sure that it meets your needs. But project
management needs can vary depending on the size of your organization and your
budget as well as your project management methodology.

Below,
I've listed ten features many project managers look for. As you decide which
project management tool to use, you may find you need several (or all) of these
features:

1. Gantt Chart. A Gantt chart is a bar chart traditionally
   used in project management to illustrate and track a project schedule. Some of
   the less traditional project management tools (Trello, for example) don't offer
   Gantt charts.
2. Work Break Down Structure. A work breakdown structure
   allows your project into smaller, more manageable tasks. Those tasks can then
   be scheduled and tracked separately.
3. Task Scheduling. Task scheduling lets you schedule the
   smaller tasks that make up the project as a whole. Scheduling should include
   start and finish dates as well as which resource the task is assigned to.
4. Task Tracking. Once a task has been assigned, it need to
   be tracked. Tracking lets you know whether a task is progressing as planned.
5. Milestone Reporting. This high-level report shows managers and executives whether milestones are being met. .
6. Collaboration Tools. Collaboration tools allow a team to
   share efforts or thoughts on all or part of a project. Collaboration should
   also foster good communication within the team.
7. Accounting tie-in. Budget plays an important role in project management, so
   having project management software that integrates with your accounting
   software can be a huge timesaver.
8. Notifications. Many project management tools
   automatically send notifications to team members and project managers when a
   project falls behind planned deadlines. This means the busy project manager
   doesn't have to send out individual reminders.
9. Ease of Use. By its very nature, project management software can be quite
   complex. But if a software is easy to learn to use or if there are plenty of
   training resources available, that can be a huge timesaver.
10. Help and Support. You depend on your project management software to manage your
    projects. Project delays can be costly. So, if something goes wrong with your
    software, you need to make sure that it'll be corrected quickly and
    efficiently. That's why software support is especially important when choosing
    a project management software tool.
    

Note: Different project
management tools handle these functions differently. If you're not sure whether
a tool has one of these functions or how it handles a function, ask a
representative for that software program.

Buying
project management software is usually a significant investment, so it's a good
idea to try it before you buy it. Many of the software project management tools
listed in this article offer a free trial version so that you can test the tool
to see whether it'll work for your needs.

Best Project Management Software for Macs

The
project management software packages below meet one or more of the criteria for
a good project management software tool. Each of these tools also has a download designed specifically for the Mac. Here's the list:

1. Merlin
Project 5

Merlin Project from ProjectWizards is professional project
management software. With it you can build a work breakdown, net plan, reports,
and more. Project Wizards also offer other project management tools such as
Merlin Project Go (an iPhone or iPad app that lets you use Merlin Project on
your iPad or iPhone) and Merlin Express (project management software for the
semi-professional user). Because you can access Merlin Project from the cloud,
collaboration is easy. It integrates with a lot of other popular tools,
including Apple Mail, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Outlook, Dropbox, and more.

2.

Basecamp
keeps all project information in a centralized location, but it goes beyond
that. You can also use it to manage your business. If you've got a large team,
this is a good option to make sure everyone's up to date. I've personally worked
on a project using Basecamp, so I've seen how well this can work. One of the
strengths of Basecamp is the ease of communication from within the tool—no
separate communication apps are needed. It also provides a secure way to
exchange project files.

3. OminiPlan
3

OmniPlan works on the Mac, iPad or iPhone. It includes many
features that you'd expect from a good project management software package.
Features include:

• Gantt chart view
• Real-time
  collaborative features
• Network
  diagrams
• Change
  tracking
• And
  more
  

You
can also easily export files from and import files to Microsoft Project, which
can be a great timesaver if you're migrating from that environment or if some
of your team works on it. Plus, OmniPlan was designed specifically for the Mac,
so it takes full advantage of Mac features.

4. iTaskX3

iTaskX
3 is compatible with a large number of other project management tools including
the ever-popular Microsoft Project as well as Excel, Word, Numbers, and more.
This software includes many of the same advanced tools as MS Project and other project
management software—tools
such as:

• Gantt
  chart
• Network
  diagram
• Task
  sheet and task usage
• Resource sheet and resource usage
• And More
  

iTaskX
3 support includes a help database including FAQ questions.

5. FastTrack Schedule 10.2

This
project management software for Macs lets you create a master schedule that
contains all of your projects, which is very helpful if your resources work on
more than one project. Here's just some of what you can do:

• See
  a graph of how each resource is being used.
• Filter
  for specific reports or change the timeline view.
• Collaborate
  with other team members (even those who work on a Windows platform).
• Use how-to
  videos to help you learn quickly.

FastTrack
Schedule also offers a wide variety of free and paid support services.

6. Project
Planning Pro

This
project management app is available for the Mac, iOS, and Android platforms. It
lets you focus on managing your resources so your project runs smoothly. You
can also take advantage of the different project views such as the calendar
view, the Gantt view, the critical path view, and more, to see the information
you need quickly. The Project Planning
Pro website includes some instructional videos as well as a PDF version of the
user manual that you can download.

7. QuickPlan for Mac

QuickPlan
project management software for the Mac lets you use many keyboard shortcuts
(gestures for iOS devices) to save you time. The Outline panel shows task
properties in grid format. There's also a Gantt chart to help you see and
maintain your project. The Today widget lets you quickly view what needs to be
done right away. You can also produce reports in several formats, including PDF
format and Microsoft Excel-compatible CSV format. QuickPlan also integrates with
a many other software tools such as MS Project, WBS, Excel, and more.

8. Daylite

Daylite
was made for the Mac, iPad, and iPhone--but also synchs to the cloud. Use it on
a wide variety of project types. It's especially good at keeping a history of
project-related communications and tasks. Link resources to your project and
define roles. Not only does it include many project management features, the
additional features mean you can also use it as a CRM and lead management tool.
Daylite offers a large number of
tutorials as well has help through live chat or by email.

Best
Cloud-Based Mac Project Management Software

The
project management tools listed below are cloud-based. While they don't
necessarily have a Mac version, they can be used on multiple platforms. Here's
our list of cloud-based project management software for Macs:

1. Wrike

Like
most cloud-based project management tools, Wrike has great collaborative
features. You'll also find the Gantt charts, workflows, status updates, and many
other project management features you need. Real-time reports let you to build
and instantly share reports. It also includes time-saving features like Dynamic
Request, which automatically assigns a request to the right team. Plus, your data is secure with enterprise
class security. Wrike offers different levels of project management solutions
based on your needs and the type of projects you manage.

2. Jira

This popular project management software tool is ideal for
Agile software development project management projects that require Scrum,
Kanban, and other Agile methods. Quickly get a project overview by viewing the
Scrum or Kanban boards. You can also easily create over a dozen Agile reports,
such as a Burnup chart, a Cumulative flow diagram, a Version report, and more. You
can also add compatible apps that increase Jira's capabilities—choose
from over 3,000.

3. Trello

Trello is a cloud-based software management tool that lets you
organize your projects on boards. You can see at a glance what tasks are
completed and which remain to be done. You can use Trello to communicate with
team members and share files. I've personally used this tool, so I can
confidently say it's easy to use. Because Trello is always synched no matter
what platform you're working from, the information you see is always current.

4. Mavenlink

This
cloud-based project management tool lets you build project plans, create
assignments, and schedule resources quickly and efficiently. Its focus is on
the needs of service-based businesses and on meeting project needs at every
phase of a service project's life cycle—build
a Gantt chart, schedule tasks, and track each project's critical path. With the
Global Project List that shows all your projects you can even use Mavenlink
your business. Also, Mavenlink integrates with a huge number of other programs
such as SalesForce, Atlassian Jira, Google Drive, Intuit Quickbooks, and more.

5. ProWorkflow

With
ProWorkflow, you'll find many helpful project management features such as:

• Workflows
  with custom categories, views, and grouping
• Resource
  management so you can assign tasks and change deadlines quickly
• Color-coded
  Gantt style timeline
• Collaboration
  tools such as messaging and notifications
• And
  more
  

With the dashboard, you can quickly see a summary of your
current status as well as view completed or upcoming work. ProWorkflow also has
built-in messaging and resource management features.

6. Clarizen

Clarizen
is designed for collaboration. The cloud-based tool lets you control import
aspects of your project such as risk and request management, task management,
time tracking, and expense management. Create a schedule that lets you easily
track and update your project's progress. Because Clarizen is cloud-based, you
benefit from having a centralized document repository where you can store your
files, presentations, and more. Learn how to use the tool quickly with Clarizen
Foundation Training On Demand videos.

7. NutCache

This
project management tool, designed specifically for agile teams, makes the most
of the cloud by providing you with centralized data. It's great for:

• Project
  management
• Scrum
  project management
• Agile project management
• Time
  tracking
• Expense
  management
• And
  more
  

Nutcache uses best-in-class security such as 256-bit SSL
encryption and physical security measures as well to prevent account theft and
keep your data secure. Plus, your data is backed up several times each day.

Choose
the Best Mac Project Management Software for Your Needs

Project
management needs vary. What's right for your business might not be right for
another business. The key to choosing the right Mac project management software
is carefully taking your own needs into consideration.