Microsoft Project Alternative Free Mac
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Microsoft Project is by far the most popular project management software on the market, at least among Windows users. You are a proud Mac or iPad user? No problem. You are in the right place to find all the information you need about MS Project compatibility and project management software alternatives for macOS and iOS.

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Is there a version of Microsoft Project for Mac or iPad?

  • Microsoft project alternative free download - Microsoft Office Project Standard 2007, Microsoft Office Project Professional 2010, Microsoft Project Professional 2016 (64-Bit), and many more programs.
  • Microsoft Project is not available for Mac but there are plenty of alternatives that runs on macOS with similar functionality. The most popular Mac alternative is ProjectLibre, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Microsoft Project and loads of them are available for.

No, Microsoft Project is not produced for macOS. Microsoft sells versions of their Office applications but no project management equivalent. However, there are alternatives which are just as powerful as MS Project.

Our Support recommends:
Although there is no official successor to Microsoft, Merlin Project is considered the best MS Project replacement - on both Mac and iPad.
Give it a try!

How to find the best Microsoft Project alternative for macOS and iOS

There is a wide range of project management applications available. To decide which solution is the best fit for you, you should first get very clear about your requirements. We have put together several questions to get you started on your reflection process:

Basic questions

  • Online/offline functionalities: Do you want to work online only or do you prefer to be able to access and edit your project data online as well as offline?
  • Compatibility: Should project documents be readable on operating systems other than macOS?
  • Mobility: How important is mobile access to your project data?
  • Customization: Which level of customization do you want your software to offer?
  • Collaboration: Do you want several users to read and edit documents at the same time? Do you need to depict different levels of authorization?
  • Import/export: Which formats do you need to import and export?
  • Budget: What is your budget?
  • Support: What kind of support is available? How many ressources are offered for free online?
  • Testing: Is it possible to download a free trial version?

Of course, you should define your own priorities and add your individual questions, i.e. Do you need milestones? Do you want a budgeting tool as part of your project management software suite? Which functions do you expect from resource planning?

As it has many new features and improvements to its older version. Completely free 2016 microsoft office for mac. Which is available for free download from Microsoft. MS Office 2016 Pro has changed many things. Office 2016 Professional uses new designs and tools to help you edit, create, and enhance word documents more efficiently and quickly.

A project mangement software fulfilling all aspects mentioned above is Merlin Project. It combines professional functionalities with intuitive usability and may well be considered the most powerful MS Project alternative for macOS currently available.

Merlin Project: Microsoft Project Professional for Mac and iPad users

Merlin Project can be customized to meet your individual needs. In addition to the full version for Mac and iPad, there is also a Mac version for beginners available with reduced functionality: Merlin Project Express (see feature comparison). Mobile use is supported as well as teamwork via Merlin Server, a secure, locally installed server.

  • Online/offline functionalities: You can edit all your project data offline and online.
  • Compatibility: You can open and edit Microsoft Project documents with Merlin Project.The application supports import as well as export of MS Project data.
  • Mobility: You can plan your project with the additional iOS app for Merlin Project.
  • Customization: You have a variety of options to customize the user interface of Merlin Project according to your preferences.
  • Collaboration: You can view and edit Merlin Project documents with multiple users at the same time. You can define individual levels of authorization for each user and project document. Also, it is possible to make changes in a private work area and synch those changes later to share them with other team members.
  • Import/export: Besides MS Project data all major file formats are supported.
  • Budget: Merlin Project and Merlin Project Express are available as annual or monthly subscriptions. For Merlin Server you buy a license according to the number of users / connections in steps of 5. Price overview.
  • Support: A free E-Mail support is available to you, which answers inquiries within a few hours on weekdays. In addition, users can find extensive and free learning material on the website: manuals, quick guides, frequently asked questions, videos tutorials.

Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Project?

SaaS applications for project management have attracted more and more attention in the last years. Managing teams without being restricted by limits of operating systems, without worrying about IT infrastructure and file exchange – SaaS applications promised the perfect solution. Lots of producers offer their tools on a subscription basis and almost as many offer free versions for beginners. We strongly advise against using those free project management tools as alternatives for MS Project.

Some of the SaaS applications may be a good fit for private use. They are nice task management tools but they do not allow a comprehensive project planning as they lack important elements like budget planning, resource management or a variety of different views i.e. gantt charts, mind maps or organization charts. Professional project management for free? Too good to be true. Better invest in a slick project management solution and be sure to benefit from all necessary features and an intuitive usability.

Why you do not need Microsoft Project Viewer for Mac and iPad

You are already working with lots of different tools. Keep your set of tools small to not loose time and nerves searching for information. If you are using Merlin Project or Merlin Project Express, you don't need additional project management tools. Therefore, you also do not need Microsoft Project viewer. As mentioned, MS Project documents can be opened and edited with Merlin Project just fine.

Free demo version of Microsoft Project alternatives for Mac and iPad

Every professional project management application should allow full version testing before buying. If you are looking for an alternative to MS Project your practical experience with other tools is an important part of your decision making.

You can test Merlin Project 30 days free of charge.

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You’re probably here because you’re looking for Microsoft Project for Mac. Unfortunately Microsoft Project, also known as MS Project, wasn’t designed for Mac computers, so it won’t work on any version of Mac OS. But there is a workaround that can solve your problem.

It’s not complicated, and in fact, it’s easier to use than the MSP interface. Best of all, it’s free (well, for 30 days, but after that you’ll be convinced of its value).

If you’re forced to use MS Project, and you don’t want to stop using your Mac, there are workarounds that make ProjectManager.com the perfect solution. With ProjectManager.com, you can import Microsoft Project Plan (MPP) files and work on them in a more user-friendly platform.

How to Get Your Mac Working with MS Project Files

ProjectManager.com is free for 30 days, so you can test out the software and determine for yourself if it’s a good fit for you. Viewing and editing MPP files online is simple. Just follow these steps.

Sign Up for a Free Trial

In order to use ProjectManager.com and edit MS Project files on your Mac, you must first sign up for a free trial. Visit the pricing page and choose your plan. All plans provide compatibility with Microsoft Project. Once you choose a plan, ProjectManager.com is free for 30 days, no strings attached!

Import MPP Files

Once you’ve created your account and started your first project, switch to the Gantt view. In the Gantt view, click the “Import” button in the ribbon menu. Next, choose which Microsoft Project file you want to import. Your entire MPP file will then be imported into ProjectManager.com. That’s it!

View & Edit MPP Files

After you import the MPP file, it opens in the online Gantt chart feature. All of your columns, tasks, resource data, etc., will remain intact and appear how it did in MS Project. Plus, the MPP file in ProjectManager.com is not view-only. You can update the tasks, deadlines and resources online, and you can invite team members to collaborate on the MPP file as well.

Real-Time Dashboard

The data from your imported MPP file is instantly populated across the charts and graphs of the ProjectManager.com real-time dashboard, where you can see the project’s progress, team productivity, task status, budget, etc., in real time.

1-Click Project Reports

Now that your plan has been imported into ProjectManager.com, you can take advantage of our easy-to-use, yet detailed, project reports. We provide 10 different types of project reports, including expense reports, task reports, workload reports and more. Use our powerful tools to really examine the progress of your project.

Export & Share

Once you’re done viewing, editing and analyzing your Microsoft Project Plan, seamlessly export your data with one click. All of your updates will be reflected on the file you export. You can then share this file with your colleagues who are using MS Project, and they’ll be able to see all the changes that you made.

Why MS Project Is a Problem

MS Project is the standard project management tool for many project managers, but the expense of the software makes it an unrealistic solution for many industry professionals. The desktop license for one user is often over $1,000, and that cost only grows exponentially as you add more people.

While there is MS Project Online that gives the software more flexibility than the desktop version, it adds another steep subscription fee for access. That hit is compounded by the fact that you’re not managing your projects fully online.

Beyond the financial impact, there are hurdles to clear in terms of just learning how to use the program, which is complex and not at all intuitive. It’s also hard to share files online, even when using Microsoft’s expensive and required Sharepoint software. What’s more, there isn’t even a real-time dashboard to help you see the progress of your project.

Of course, all this is moot when you’re working on a Mac, which doesn’t work with MS Project at all. Apple products are more commonplace in some industries, such as publishing and design firms, so there’s not even an option of using a PC. With ProjectManager.com, clearing the hurdles of MS Project is easy, even more so for Mac users.

Too Many Versions of MSP

Another problem you might encounter is finding compatibility for the numerous different versions of Microsoft Project. Fortunately, ProjectManager.com is compatible with every version of Microsoft Project, including:

  • Microsoft Project 2016 (with Office 365 subscription)
  • Microsoft Project 2013
  • Microsoft Project 2010
  • Microsoft Project 2007

And, since ProjectManager.com is an online software, it’s always up to date. You never have to worry about buying the latest version because our software team is regularly releasing updates and improvements.

What Can ProjectManager.com Do that MS Project Can’t?

If you’re not wedded to an antiquated software like Microsoft Project, there are many reasons to change to ProjectManager.com. First and possibly foremost, at least to your chief financial officer, is the price tag. Because ProjectManager.com is online and subscription-based, it’s a much less expensive solution to project management.

Real-Time Data

ProjectManager.com, being cloud-based, provides real-time data. You’re not looking at project progress from yesterday or even an hour ago, but as it happens. You can monitor and track any metric through the real-time dashboard, which translates the live data into easy-to-read charts and graphs, which can be filtered to reflect just the information you want, and then shared or printed with a keystroke.

Timesheets

Microsoft font arial nova for mac. Timesheets are also online, which means that team members can update their timesheets anywhere and at any time. Managers receive alerts when the timesheets are ready for approval, so that process is swift and efficient. Given the range of ProjectManager.com’s features, you’ll be able to ditch other resource management tools and keep all your project management under one roof.

Free Project Management Software

Collaborative Environment

As noted, one of the biggest benefits of using ProjectManager.com over MS Project is that it fosters collaboration among team members. They can add files and comment at the task level on the online Gantt chart. Discussions are facilitated either one-on-one or at the group level, created by the team, and used either on the desktop or mobile devices.

Again, whether they’re using a PC or a Mac, ProjectManager.com allows your team to seamlessly import and export both MS Project and Excel files without losing any data.

Why Doesn’t Microsoft Project Run on Mac Computers?

As we’ve explained here, Microsoft Project doesn’t run on Mac computers by default. But why would Microsoft want to keep Apple users from running their project management software? It boils down to the fact that Microsoft wants more people using Microsoft computers and Microsoft operating systems. By keeping their software exclusively on the PC platform, Microsoft is betting that Apple users will come to the PC platform in order to use MSP.

This leaves many Mac users to seek new software options, since most “Mac people” would never switch to PC.

Tools like ProjectManager.com give teams flexibility to work on project plans, regardless of computer preference.

Microsoft Project Alternative Mac

MS Project becomes so much more when it’s used in collaboration with ProjectManager.com, the cloud-based project management software for PC and Mac. But once you’ve tried out our software with this free 30-day trial, you’ll ditch MS Project if you can and use ProjectManager.com full-time. It’s less expensive, more user-friendly and keeps all your project management needs in one place for greater efficiency and productivity. Try it today!

Microsoft Project Alternative Free Mac Download

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