The Mac operating system (macOS) runs on Apple’s award-winning laptops and desktop computers and devices. Because Apple controls both the operating system and the hardware, Mac advocates argue, the overall user experience is superior to PC or Linux machines. Given the prevalence of macOS in product design, marketing, advertising, graphic design, audio, and video, multiple project management software platforms have invested the development time needed to support macOS-native versions of their project management software.
We’ve gathered the best project management software and tools for Mac for 2023.
Table of Contents
What Is Project Management Software for Mac?
Project management software for Mac allows a user or team to manage projects more efficiently when using Apple devices. Mac users such as web designers, creatives, and developers with preferences for the macOS and iOS choose these applications to gain the benefits of creating detailed project plans and schedules. In most cases, the macOS version of project management software also integrates seamlessly with other Mac applications like Adobe Creative Cloud, 3D design software, video rendering applications and even Microsoft’s venerated Office suite.
Top Mac Project Management Software
Project professionals should check out our list of the top Mac project management software. These solutions provide core project management features such as project planning and task management, as well as team collaboration functionality.
Wrike
Wrike is versatile, cloud-based project management software for teams. It works with web browsers and is also available as a desktop app for Mac and Windows. Users can try the free plan that includes web, desktop, and mobile apps. Several paid plans with advanced features like interactive Gantt charts, time tracking, and enterprise security are also offered.
Wrike’s desktop app for Mac provides users an alternative to using multiple browser tabs when managing projects. It has the same features as the web app, and users can automatically open the app at startup. Users can also fine-tune the PM software notifications through OS settings.
Pros
- Desktop app provides increased focus and less distraction
- Flexible task management
- Offline mode
Cons
- Requires time for familiarization
- Users would like more simple navigation
monday.com
monday.com is a flexible work management platform for a variety of teams and use cases. It helps organizations centralize planning, tracking, and delivering work with eight highly visual work views to choose from. A free plan for up to two users is available, which includes unlimited boards, unlimited docs, and native Android and iOS apps. Users can also download a desktop app for Macs running macOS version 10.11 or later.
monday.com is online software that supports major web browsers such as Safari. It has templates for a variety of use cases to help teams get started quickly. Users can customize their tables with different types of columns using drag and drop. Other features include dynamic documents, automation, and integrations.
Pros
- Task scheduling and prioritization
- Timeline view with dependencies
- Ease of setup and use
Cons
- Users wish for additional how-to articles and videos
- Customizing automated functions can be challenging
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is web-based work collaboration software accessible from browsers, as well as iOS and Android mobile apps. iPhone and iPad users running iOS 13 or higher can download the software from the App Store. At the moment, there is no desktop app available, but the platform is easy to use, with a familiar spreadsheet-like interface.
Smartsheet enables teams to manage projects, automate workflows, and build new solutions with a dynamic workspace, no-code tools, and secure environment. It has a rich set of capabilities. Users can build automated workflows, manage users, and project settings, and edit dashboards when using the web app. But users who need to access forms, barcode or QR code scanning, photos, or GPS can take advantage of the iOS app..
Pros
- Multiple work views like Gantt chart, calendar, and card views
- Automated alerts and email reminders
- Project planning, scheduling, and work breakdown
Cons
- Resource management is a separate product
- Users wish for easier navigation, due to the rich set of features
Teamwork
Teamwork is project and team management software ideal for agencies, professional services, and other teams managing client work. It is an all-in-one solution with features for project planning, budgeting, and time tracking that enable businesses to grow. Up to five users can download and use the mobile and desktop apps on the free version of the software.
The Teamwork Desktop App for Mac enables users to collaborate with clients and teammates via messages, team chat, and integration with other tools. Whether using the web app or the desktop app, users can interact with their projects and stakeholders. Features include task management, multiple work views, capacity planning, scheduling, reports, automation, templates, and forms, among others.
Pros
- Task management and prioritization with recurring tasks
- Project planning with baselining feature
- Ease of setup and use
Cons
- Users wish for more colors in the UI
- Occasional interruption of service during software updates
ClickUp
ClickUp is an all-in-one project management tool featuring task management, collaboration, file sharing, and more. You can access it through your web browser or download it on macOS. It also has a mobile app for both iOS and Android.
You can oversee multiple projects in your ClickUp workspace and have your tasks reflected on numerous lists. You can set deadlines, track time spent, assign tasks and subtasks, and even exchange comments on relevant files.
ClickUp is free for its essential features and up to 10 users.
Pros
- Highly versatile
- Templates and automation
Cons
- Flexible but not intuitively
- Mobile app is not user-friendly
Zenhub
Zenhub is a project management tool that powerfully integrates with Github. It complements its project management features with an intuitive interface, productivity insights, automated sprints, asynchronous voting for scrum poker, and other agile features. It’s excellent for backlog grooming, sprint estimation, and planning.
You can use Zenhub through your web browser or by downloading a browser extension. You may also download it on your macOS, but it doesn’t have its mobile apps for easy access.
ZenHub is free for unlimited team workspaces, with community-based support and full access to all its features and functionalities. If you want it to be cloud-hosted, it’s best to avail of its Growth package at $8.33 or the Enterprise package for even more features and priority support.
Pros:
- Optimized for agile
- Integrates seamlessly with GitHub
- Easy to use
- Has free option
Cons:
- No mobile app
What Are The Best Project Management Software Features for Mac?
The best project management software features for Mac are generally the solutions that fit the needs of the business, project requirements, team, and stakeholders. Consider these following top features when deciding what Mac project management software you are interested in.
Intuitive User Interface
Users depend on Mac computers and systems for being intuitive and reliable. In the same way, project management software that is easy to work with and functions as expected will be easily adopted by Mac users.
High Performance
Mac computers are well-optimized machines. Users will expect nothing less from PM software running on their Mac workstations, providing fast response time and a pleasing UI with seamless switching between work views.
Project Planning
Project teams need core PM functionality, such as work breakdown, task management, project scheduling, resource allocation, automated tracking of progress, and calculation of critical project dates. Users also need customizable dashboards and reports.
Easy Integration
Most teams are using other apps and services to automate their workflow or to simplify collaboration. The project management app for Mac that they choose needs to have easy integration with other tools, so teams can build business solutions without having to start from scratch.
Types of Project Management Software for Mac
Mac users have several deployment options to take advantage of project management apps available today.
On-Premises Software
Individuals and teams can use desktop project management solutions that are installed on their Mac desktops. Vendors of these software solutions have optimized their software to run on workstations and servers running macOS. Users can easily integrate the software to other Apple apps installed on the OS by default.
Browser-Based Software
Another type of project management software Mac users can explore is solutions that run on any platform, and are accessible by web browsers like Safari. Note that Safari support is crucial, because Safari is the default web browser in Mac computers, iPads, and iPhones.
Cloud-Based Project Management Platform
A cloud-based project management platform is a software solution offered by a SaaS vendor to users regardless of their computer OS. These solutions are accessible via the web like a browser-based software, but may also be available via a native desktop app that runs on a specific OS like Mac. Whether opened via a web browser, on a mobile app, or a desktop app, users will have a seamless experience of the software as it syncs information and data in real time across devices.
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