Microsoft Project isn’t available for Mac so we’ve looked at the best free project planning tools out there for Mac users.
Firstly though, 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 for Mac.
Many of them have free versions for those on a budget, and pretty much all of them allow you to at least try a free trial.
If you’re on a really tight budget though and want something 100% free to create Gantt charts and Kanban boards on your Mac, read on.
All of the free project management tools reviewed here work on the latest versions of macOS including Ventura, Apple Silicon Macs.
Those that have desktop clients work on Apple Silicon Macs either natively or via Rosetta which translates Intel apps to work on Apple Silicon Macs.
Before we start, it’s important to be aware of the following:
- The majority of the top project management software nowadays is Cloud based. There are very few desktop options for Mac users and those that do exist require Java. We don’t recommend installing Java on Mac for a number of reasons, mainly due to poor performance and security but if this doesn’t worry you, you’ll find a selection of native desktop apps for Mac here too.
- Beware of project planning software in the Mac App Store that claims to be “free” but in actual fact require subscriptions to use them. A good example is Merlin Project Express which allows you to download it for free but then requires you to purchase a subscription to do any actual project planning.
1. Monday.com
Monday.com is a straightforward yet highly effective tool for staying on top of projects, and it’s available for free to individuals and freelancers.
One of the best aspects is that after the free trial, you still have access to all the essential features without needing to pay.
Rather than aiming to be the most comprehensive project management tool, Monday.com keeps things simple, making it easy for anyone to pick up and use.
A standout feature of Monday.com is its ability to clearly outline the sequence in which tasks need to be completed, ensuring a smooth workflow.
The interface feels like a simplified spreadsheet but is much easier to manage, track, and adjust without dealing with complex formulas or numerous cells.
You can view projects in different formats such as spreadsheets, lists, maps, Kanban boards, and more.
Uploading attachments, leaving comments, and collaborating with colleagues is straightforward. The platform also offers Gantt chart-like views called timelines for tracking project progress.
Additionally, you can create polished summary charts and export them for sharing with others who don’t use Monday.com.
While you can’t import or export Microsoft Project files, Monday.com offers integrations with various third-party tools like Jira, Google Drive, Slack, Excel, and others.
The free version allows up to 2 users (referred to as “Seats” by Monday.com) with unlimited boards, documents, and access to over 200 templates.
You can sign up and use Monday.com for free with up to 2 users, and if you need to add more, pricing starts at $8 per month for 5 users, with increasing complexity as more seats are added.
You can also check out our Monday.com review for more.
Pros:
- Free version supports unlimited boards and docs
- Easy to use
- Timeline views
- Excellent summary charts
- Lots of third party integrations
Cons:
- Complex pricing structure for paid version
2. ClickUp
ClickUp is a project management software and productivity tool that offers a very generous free version.
Many of the free features in ClickUp are only available in paid plans of other project management software so it’s one of the best free alternatives to Microsoft Project on a Mac we’ve seen.
ClickUp also offers a great free alternative to Microsoft OneNote on Mac for managing notes, clippings, and various tasks.
It offers a free forever version that supports unlimited users, tasks, and access to most features. Some of the highlights of ClickUp for project management include:
- Customized views like Gantt charts and Scrum boards
- Resource management tools to monitor your team’s workload
- Numerous dashboards for tracking sprints, projects, and tasks
- Easy drag-and-drop functionality for managing resources, tasks, and team members
You can use the free version of ClickUp for as long as you want.
You can also check-out our ClickUp review for more.
3. Microsoft Planner
If you already have an eligible Office 365 subscription, then did you know that you can use Microsoft Planner for free on Mac?
In June 2016, Microsoft launched Microsoft Planner (sometimes referred to as Office 365 Planner) – a free online basic project management tool for Office 365 users that works on both Mac and PC.
The slight catch is that Microsoft Planner is only available to Office 365 users on specific plans such as Enterprise E1–E5, Business Essentials, Premium and Education.
The standard Office 365 Business Plan & Pro Plus plans are not included for example so you must check your Office 365 dashboard to see if it is available to you.
Planner isn’t exactly a replacement for Microsoft Project but it is similar to web-based, easy to use Kanban oriented Project Management tools such as Trello.
Planner can be launched from the Office 365 app launcher and allows you to create new plans, organize and assign tasks, set due dates, share files, send email updates and use a whiteboard.
For Project Managers, Planner gives a simple overview of the status of tasks assigned, unassigned, not started, in progress, completed and late along with the person working on them.
Microsoft claims that one regional authority in Cascais, Portugal with over 1000 employees has moved all of it’s work planning to Planner already and claims significant improvements in collaboration between employees.
At the moment, Planner is quite basic but Microsoft plans to build on it with the ability to assign tasks to multiple users, external user access and more customizable boards among others.
4. ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre (formerly OpenProj) is a free open source desktop project management tool that you can download on Mac and other platforms.
ProjectLibre can import MS Project 2003, 2007 and 2010 files and is based on the same user experience that you get in Project.
For example, you can create resources and dependencies in ProjectLibre similar to the way you can in Project and it uses the same Gantt chart view to display your projects.
The reporting features are basic but reports are easy to generate and you can export all of them to PDF format.
The downside is that ProjectLibre uses Java which is notoriously buggy, slow and insecure on Mac. This means the the interface can be slow and unresponsive at times even when performing the most basic of functions.
If you just need something that can handle WBS, resource association and exporting to PDF, ProjectLibre does the job.
For long term use with more complex activities, it will probably end up driving you mad especially because there’s very little Help documentation when you get stuck (although there’s a very active online community).
5. Gantt Project
Like ProjectLibre, Gantt Project is another Java based desktop free projects management app for Mac which can also import and export Microsoft Project files.
As the name suggests, Gantt Project uses Gantt charts to display project details and there are more ways to customize the Gantt views than in LibreOffice.
Gantt Project does all the basics like creating tasks and milestones, breaking down tasks and it draws dependency constraints.
It has better reporting features than ProjectLibre although there are virtually no costing tools or ability to add holiday or level resources.
Gantt Project is however completely free to use for as long as you want including for commercial use with no license fees.
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