9 best Microsoft Project alternatives for Mac (macOS) in 2026

Managing projects is at the core of any work we do nowadays. We have to delegate tasks, track progress, communicate, collaborate, keep track of the deadlines, estimate scope, and much more.

Doing so via traditional ways of communication, like email or even chat, is unfeasible. That's why a whole industry of project management tools exists. They help keep teams on spec, on time, and on budget.

The most popular project management tool in the world is Microsoft Project. It's scalable, powerful, and integrates natively with the rest of the Office suite. Is Microsoft Project available for Mac? Sadly, it's not, and every Mac-based team has to find a suitable alternative. Luckily, there are lots of MS Project alternatives for Mac to try.

Best alternatives by scenario (Quick picks)

Here’s the comparison table of the best Microsoft project alternatives for Mac:

Tool	Best for	Why it's a good fit	Pricing
Merlin Project Express	Best Mac-native experience	One of the closest tools to Microsoft Project on macOS, with advanced Gantt charts, baselines, and resource planning.	Available through Setapp Membership $9.99/month + tax
Pagico	Best visual project manager	Keeps tasks, notes, contacts, and files connected in one visual timeline, which works well for small teams and personal project planning.	Available through Setapp Membership $9.99/month + tax
SheetPlanner	Best spreadsheet-style planning	Feels like working in a powerful spreadsheet but with added features like priorities, deadlines, and progress tracking.	Available through Setapp Membership $9.99/month + tax
GanttPRO	Best for Gantt charts	Great if you plan projects around timelines. Build Gantt charts quickly, manage dependencies, and collaborate online.	Paid plans start at ~$7–$10+/user/month
TeamWork	Best for agencies	Built with client work in mind. Includes time tracking, budgeting, and resource planning.	Free plan available; paid from ~$13.99/user/month
ClickUp	Best all-in-one platform	Combines tasks, docs, dashboards, and automation in one place.	Free plan available; paid from ~$10/user/month
Toggl Plan	Best for simple team planning	Combines timeline planning with Kanban-style boards for clear workload views.	Free plan available; paid from ~$10/user/month
monday.com	Best for customizable workflows	A flexible platform for dashboards, automation, and cross-department tracking.	Free plan available; paid from ~$12/user/month
Wrike	Best for large teams	Strong project tracking, resource planning, and reporting for multiple teams.	Free plan available; paid from ~$10/user/month

Not sure which tool from this list matches your specific workflow — Gantt-heavy scheduling, agency time tracking, or all-in-one work management? This Productivity Tools GPT assistant can help you narrow it down quickly. Describe your team size, must-have features, and budget, and it'll point you to the right tool without the back-and-forth of testing each one.

Best MS Project alternatives for Mac: compared by use case (Gantt, teams, agencies)

I'll break down the best Microsoft Project for macOS alternatives that approach project management from a variety of angles, which will help any team pick the one they need.

Merlin Project Express — Best MS Project-like app for Mac (dependencies + scheduling)

If you want something on Mac that feels close to Microsoft Project, Merlin Project Express is one of the closest matches. It focuses on structured planning with timelines, task dependencies, and milestones.

Merlin Project Express is made to manage large team projects. You get a Gantt-like overview of all the tasks, assign tasks to every team member, store all the required reference materials as attachments, plan out budgets, and more. You build projects using a Gantt-style timeline and link tasks together — when one task moves, the schedule updates automatically. That makes it much easier to manage projects where timing and sequence really matter.

You don't even have to set up every project from scratch. Using customizable templates, get new projects up and running in no time.

It can also import Microsoft Project files (.MPP) along with formats like XML and MPX. That helps if you're moving an existing project over from Microsoft Project. Just note that some advanced fields may not transfer perfectly.

While working on a project, you'll likely have several apps open at once. Mosaic helps keep your workspace organized by saving window layouts, so your timeline, documents, and chat tools always open in the same setup.

Pagico — Best flexible project manager for personal & mid-sized projects on Mac

A more flexible MS Project alternative for Mac for mid-sized and even personal projects is Pagico.

Pagico is a very visual project manager that helps you keep track of everything from tasks to contacts to documents in one place. You can add notes to any part of the timeline and focus on making progress one day at a time. The built-in dashboard visualizes everything that's on your plate at the moment, and you can even group data by tags, so you can, for example, just batch and do all the phone calls at once.

When tasks, notes, and files live in separate tools, nothing connects. Pagico keeps your whole project in one visual place. Available on Setapp — Cancel before Day 7, $0 charged. Start My 7-Day Trial.

SheetPlanner — Best spreadsheet-style alternative to Microsoft Project on Mac

Those who are used to planning their work in Excel spreadsheets would love SheetPlanner. This Microsoft Project download for Mac alternative feels like a supercharged spreadsheet, with deadlines, charts, and outlines available at a glance.

Compared to Excel, SheetPlanner allows for many more cell types, such as priority, difficulty, flags, progress, status, and more. It's also easy to switch between different projects and search for the exact task you need.

GanttPRO — Best online Gantt chart alternative for Mac teams

Some teams can't live without Gantt charts, and for those, GanttPRO might be a near-perfect solution.

GanttPRO is a simple but powerful Gantt chart online app that works on any operating system, including macOS. This means your projects are easy to share between team members and external parties (e.g., clients or contractors). Your team can also collaborate on the same document at the same time and see the history of document changes, should anyone overwrite something important.

Read also:

• Project Management Software for Mac
• How to Create an Effective Project Plan
• 4K Video Downloader and Its Alternatives

Toggl Plan — Best lightweight planning tool for agencies (timeline + Kanban)

If your team already uses a time-tracking tool like Toggl Track, you might be interested in Toggl Plan as well — a simple project planning solution, mostly targeted at agencies and consultancies.

Toggl Plan has both Gantt charts and Kanban boards, which let you plan everything at a task level but also ensure that the workload stays manageable across the whole team, where no one is over- or underworking.

Changing plans is easy with a drag-and-drop interface, and you can also clearly see any scheduling conflicts at a glance right on the Gantt chart.

ClickUp — Best all-in-one work hub alternative (docs + tasks + dashboards)

There are some apps that not only help your team with project planning but do so much more, from chat to CRM to documentation. And ClickUp is one of those.

ClickUp is a great option and an MS Project alternative for larger teams that want to replace a few tools at once. It features task management, whiteboards, docs, chat, reporting dashboards, and much more. Plus, you have a variety of templates, lots of integrations, and easy automation.

So if your team needs a complete overhaul in its project management approach, ClickUp might be a good solution.

Teamwork — Best for client services & agency project delivery (time + budgeting)

Large consultancies and creative teams often get tired of trying to retrofit project management solutions for their specific needs. That's where TeamWork really shines.

TeamWork is a do-everything project management app designed specifically with consultancies and large agencies in mind. It has features for time tracking, budgeting, resource allocation, and more, so anyone from a developer to an account director would have everything they need to get the job done.

The key value of TeamWork is integrating tools at the macro level, so that managers and owners can see the health of every project at any time without running complicated reports.

If your workflow includes visual deliverables, TouchRetouch and PhotoBulk can help prepare images for reports or client documentation. TouchRetouch lets you quickly remove unwanted objects from photos, while PhotoBulk helps resize, rename, or watermark large batches of images before sharing them with clients or adding them to project updates. You can access both through a Setapp membership or subscribe to each app separately on Setapp Marketplace.

Wrike — Best enterprise-grade alternative for cross-department work (Gantt + resource planning)

You're probably never going to ask, "Does Microsoft Project work on Mac?" if you have a tool like Wrike at your disposal.

Wrike is an agile project management tool that's mostly used by medium- and large-sized teams. It integrates features for strategic planning, resource planning, event management, billing, Gantt charts, Kanban boards, task management, and more.

If you're looking for a tool to keep all departments across the company organized in one place, Wrike might be a good choice for you.

Teams that document progress with photos can use GlueMotion and MetaImage to organize and present visual updates. GlueMotion turns large photo sets into time-lapse videos for stakeholder reports, while MetaImage lets you edit metadata like timestamps or GPS data so project photos stay traceable and well documented. You can access both through a Setapp Membership or subscribe to each app separately on Setapp Marketplace.

monday.com — Best customizable work OS for non-technical teams

A similar tool to Wrike that got really popular in the past few years is monday.com.

monday.com is a management platform for software teams, project management, HR, operations, marketing — you name it. All teams can have their own custom-configured dashboards and planning tools within monday.com.

From monthly planning to campaign results to task progress, monday.com combines everything you need to increase productivity across the board.

What's not so great? It's quite a complicated system that would take a long time to set up and manage, thus a better fit for larger teams that can benefit from proper organization.

Before sharing visuals in a project update, you might want to clean them up a bit. Luminar Neo makes it easy to improve screenshots, product images, or marketing visuals so presentations look more polished. Note that Luminar Neo uses AI features that require Setapp AI credits or your own OpenAI API key. If you only need this app, you can subscribe to it on Setapp Marketplace.

Free and open-source Microsoft Project alternatives (What to expect)

Some of the best free and open-source Microsoft Project alternatives are ProjectLibre, GanttProject, and OpenProject.

These free tools can work well, but it helps to know what to expect. Many free project management apps include basic features only — advanced tools may be locked behind a paid plan. Open-source tools are often fully free, but they may take more time to set up and require hosting the software yourself or managing updates manually.

Free tools are great if you're managing small projects. But if you're coordinating a larger team, you'll probably want something with stronger collaboration and integrations.

Microsoft's own replacement: Planner (And what it can't do yet)

Microsoft pushes Microsoft Planner as a simpler project tool inside Microsoft 365. It works well for assigning work and keeping track of your progress with Kanban-style boards. Planner fits in nicely for teams that use Microsoft Teams.

But it's not a full replacement for Microsoft Project. It doesn't come with features like Gantt charts, resource leveling, or detailed cost tracking. So Planner works fine for basic team task management, but for more complex planning, most teams still turn to dedicated project management tools.

How to choose a Microsoft Project alternative (Feature checklist)

One mistake people make when looking for a Microsoft Project alternative is trying to find a tool with every single feature that Microsoft Project has. Don't make that mistake. Get the features you actually need to run your projects smoothly.

Check for these features before you choose a tool:

• Gantt charts: A timeline view shows you how tasks connect and how the project progresses.
• Task dependencies: You should be able to link tasks so that one starts only after another finishes.
• Critical path tracking: This shows which tasks directly affect the final deadline.
• Resource management: You can see who's working on what so as not to overload people.
• Baselines: Useful if you want to compare your original plan with the current progress.
• Cost tracking: Helpful for keeping an eye on budgets and project expenses.
• Reporting: Good reports make it easier to show progress to clients or your team.
• Integrations: The tool should work with apps you already use.

You probably won't need every feature. Narrow down the ones that matter most for your workflow and test a few tools.

Is Microsoft Project available for Mac? (What works in 2026)

Microsoft Project isn't available on Mac. The desktop app only works on Windows, and you can't install it on your Mac.

But if you really love the software, there are a few ways you can work with it in 2026:

• Use Project for the web in a browser: This works on macOS but has fewer features than the desktop version.
• Run Windows on your Mac using a virtual machine and install the Windows version of Microsoft Project there.
• Switch to a Mac-friendly alternative with Gantt charts and team collaboration options.

Most Mac teams choose an alternative tool rather than dealing with Windows workarounds. I've tested quite a few of them, and many project management apps come with the same core features without the compatibility headache.

What to use instead of Microsoft Project on Mac (Key features to match)

It's hard to find a perfect MS Project for macOS alternative that would copy all of its functionality one by one.  You should aim to find a tool that essentially provides the features you most need and expect from MS Project.

For some teams, that could be Gantt charts, for others, seamless task delegation. Make sure to test a few tools before you commit your whole team to a specific one, since it would be much more difficult to migrate to a different tool later on.

Can these alternatives open Microsoft Project (.MPP) files?

If you use Microsoft Project, you might have a lot of .MPP files sitting around. The good news is that some alternatives can import them, though support varies by tool.

Here's how the tools mentioned above handle Microsoft Project files:

• Merlin Project Express: Can open and import Microsoft Project files directly — one of the easiest transitions for Mac users.
• Pagico: Limited support. You generally import project data in formats like CSV rather than opening .MPP files directly.
• SheetPlanner: Limited support. You typically move project data through spreadsheet-style imports like CSV.
• GanttPRO: Supports importing .MPP files so you can move existing project timelines into the platform.
• Teamwork: Partial support. You usually import project data using CSV instead of opening .MPP files directly.
• ClickUp: Partial support. You can import project data through CSV imports or integrations, but .MPP files aren't opened directly.

Basic data usually transfers well. Tasks, dates, and dependencies tend to import fine. More advanced settings may need a bit of manual cleanup.

Import/export formats to look for (.MPP, .XML, .CSV, Excel)

If you plan to move projects between tools, always check what you can import and export:

• .MPP: The native Microsoft Project format. If a tool supports this, you can import projects directly.
• .XML: A common workaround for Microsoft Project exports. Many tools let you import XML files even if they don't support .MPP.
• .CSV: A simple spreadsheet format that works well for transferring task lists and assignments.
• Excel (.XLSX): Often preserves a bit more structure than CSV when importing project data.

XML and CSV support are the most common, even when .MPP isn't available. If a tool doesn't open Microsoft Project files directly, export your project as XML or CSV.

How do I open a MS Project file on a Mac?

Lots of MS Project alternatives for Mac mentioned above can import MS Project files. For smaller projects, you can simply copy-paste MS Project information right into the app of your choice. 

As you can see, there are many options when it comes to finding an MS Project for macOS alternative. Merlin Project Express, Pagico, and SheetPlanner are all good places to start. 

Merlin Project Express, Pagico, and SheetPlanner — the Mac-native MS Project toolkit. All in Setapp. Gantt charts, visual timelines, spreadsheet-style planning — plus 250+ more Mac apps in one subscription. Get 250+ Mac Apps Free.

FAQ: Microsoft Project for Mac, .MPP files, and the best alternatives

Does Apple have a project management tool? 

Apple itself doesn't ship any project management solutions, although small teams can probably get by with email threads and a spreadsheet app like Numbers, which is available for free.

What is the Mac equivalent of Microsoft Project? 

There are lots of Microsoft Project for Mac equivalents, depending on which features you want replicated. Our top pick is Merlin Project Express.

How do I open a MS Project file on a Mac? 

Lots of MS Project alternatives for Mac mentioned above can import MS Project files. For smaller projects, you can simply copy-paste MS Project information right into the app of your choice if you need full .MPP support, Merlin Project Express, and GanttPRO are the strongest options.

What is the best project management software for Mac? 

The best option depends on whether you need MS Project-style scheduling (Gantt + dependencies + resources) or lightweight task tracking. For classic scheduling, prioritize tools that support dependencies, timeline views, and import/export. Merlin Project Express is the strongest Mac-native match.

What is the Apple equivalent of MS Project? 

Apple doesn't offer a direct equivalent to Microsoft Project. Most Mac teams use third-party project planning apps or web-based platforms, depending on whether they need Gantt scheduling or simple task boards.

What has replaced MS Project? 

MS Project hasn't been fully replaced, but Microsoft has been shifting parts of its web-based planning toward Microsoft Planner (including premium functionality). Many teams also move to third-party platforms for easier collaboration and automation.

Can I use Microsoft Project on Mac in a browser? 

Some Microsoft project-planning functionality is available via Microsoft 365 web apps, but capabilities differ from the classic desktop MS Project experience and may depend on your plan.

What's the best Microsoft Project alternative for Mac that supports Gantt charts? 

Look for tools that offer timeline/Gantt views and task dependencies. GanttPRO is the most focused Gantt tool on the list; Merlin Project Express is the strongest Mac-native option with full scheduling logic.

What file formats should an MS Project alternative support? 

Ideally .MPP import (if required), plus XML/CSV/Excel export for portability. Format support reduces migration risk if you change tools later.

As you can see, there are lots of options when it comes to finding an MS Project for Mac OS alternative. Merlin Project Express, Pagico, and SheetPlanner are all good places to start.