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Best Project Management Software for Mac & iOS

Best Project Management Software for Mac & iOS in 2024: What’s The Best Project Management Tool for Apple?

If you’re a project manager who uses Apple devices and wants versatility when it comes to project management software, you’re in luck. Fortunately, some of the best project management tools can be used via native apps for macOS and iOS. Here, we’ll look at the best options for project management software for Apple devices.

Brett DayAleksander HougenVildana Bratic

Written by Brett Day (Editor)

Reviewed by Aleksander Hougen (Managing Editor)

Facts checked by Vildana Bratic (Video Editor, Fact-Checking Editor)

Last Updated: 2024-02-03T11:00:07+00:00

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.

While project management apps run well via web browsers (see our list of the best web project management software), our project management gurus always recommend using native apps for operating systems. Native apps can bring stability and performance boosts. However, not all apps are created equally. In this guide, we’ve rounded up the best project management software for macOS and iOS.

Key Takeaways: iOS & Mac Project Management

  • monday.com is the best overall project management software for Mac users. However, all the options listed here offer apps for macOS and iOS that get the job done.
  • The iOS mobile apps for each platform are barebones but are fine to use for basic task management.
  • Before signing up for the paid plans, be sure to take advantage of the free trials on offer. Key features vary from platform to platform, and it’s worth taking the time to find the best solution for you.

After running a series of hands-on tests, we concluded that monday.com is the best overall software for Apple users, thanks to its powerful feature set and solid desktop and mobile applications. However, there are many others here that made our list of best project management software (click the link to read it). Below, we will break down our picks for the best project management software for Mac and iOS.

  • 04/20/2022

    Rewrote the article: changed the order of the list and swapped out a few entries to better reflect the current market.

  • 02/09/2023 Facts checked

    Rewrote this article; updated to feature a new layout and to add more software options.

  • 09/25/2023 Facts checked

    Removed reference to discontinued ClickUp Business Plus plan.

Top Project Management Apps for macOS & iOS

  1. 1
      $9 / month(save 25%)(All Plans)
    • 2
        $10.99 / month(save 18%)(All Plans)
      • 3
          $9.80 / month(All Plans)
        • 4
            $5 / month(save 16%)(All Plans)
          • 5
              $7 / month(save 30%)(All Plans)
            • 6
                $3 / month(save 25%)(All Plans)

              What Makes The Best Project Management Software for Mac & iOS?

              What makes a piece of software a viable option varies from person to person. However, we look for project management tools that work well in web browsers and native apps.

              With this in mind, we’ve tested those below to make sure they’re stable, smooth and to see if they play nicely with touchscreens. Below are six task and resource management apps that stand out, including monday.com, Asana, Wrike, Trello and ClickUp.

              1. monday.com — Powerful, beautiful and feature-packed, monday.com takes the top spot
              2. Asana — A beautiful task management platform with a solid free tier and friendly UI
              3. Wrike — One of the best apps thanks to solid features and a clean interface
              4. Trello — The master of kanban boards performs well on iOS and Mac devices
              5. ClickUp — A fully featured project management solution that’s great for complex tasks
              6. nTask — Easy-to-use task management software that’s also wallet-friendly

              The project management solutions above represent the top performers in our tests for iPhone, iPad and Mac users. The programs excel at managing multiple projects, and they offer compelling free and paid tiers. In addition, the apps are well-designed, fluid and easy to use. It should be no surprise that monday.com takes the project management crown, but all of the programs here are solid.

              The 6 Best Project Management Software for Mac & iOS

              Below, we’ll break down the six Mac project management suites listed above. Have a look at the list to see which platform is the right task management software for you. 

              1. monday.com

              monday ipad app
              The monday.com application is just as user-friendly as the browser version and offers full touch support.

              More details about monday.com:

              • Pricing: Free, $9 per month (one-year plan) per user
              • Provider website: monday.com

              Pros:

              • A robust feature set
              • Easy on the eyes
              • Great desktop & mobile apps

              Cons:

              • The free plan could be better
              • The Basic plan is too basic
              • iOS app is light on features

              monday.com is the best iOS and Mac project management software thanks to its comprehensive feature set that offers all the charts, reports, integrations and communication tools you could need. The software looks beautiful, is easy to manipulate and provides enough security to put end users at ease. 

              Whether you’re managing simple tasks or complex projects, monday.com will have your back. You’ll find Gantt charts, kanban boards, timelines, calendars and robust tools that will help your team. While integrations with many popular apps and automations are present in the desktop app, they’ve been removed from the iOS app, which is unfortunate but understandable.

              A plus is monday.com’s touchscreen UI. During our testing, we found that dragging cards to assign tasks and moving lists with the swipe of a finger is effortless. It’s also easy to connect an account to the iOS app. To connect your account, you scan a web-based QR code with your device’s camera. In seconds, you’re logged in. Our experts believe monday’s strength lies in its seamless operation across its different versions.

              Multiple Views Make monday.com Shine

              monday.com shines thanks to its views. One of the best tools is the dashboard, which is available in the browser and desktop app. The dashboard puts tools, like Gantt charts, kanban boards, workloads and calendars, in one place for easy management. Unfortunately, dashboards cannot be created on mobile devices, but can be viewed.

              Depending on the plan you choose, you’ll get access to multiple views within the software, and they all operate just as smoothly on the desktop and mobile versions as they do in the browser. The views and how information is presented make monday.com a leader in task management software. You can read more about the tools and features in our monday.com review.

              monday views app
              monday.com offers businesses many advanced features and views that help manage projects.

              monday.com is a powerful project management application. The feature set is robust and the design is easy on the eyes; the only downside is the pricing. The free and Basic tier (costing $9 per month per user annually) are not competitive. However, the Standard tier — $12 per user per month annually — offers great value. There’s also an advanced $19 Pro tier and an Enterprise plan if needed.

              Overall, monday.com is an attractive, feature-packed project management solution. You’ll find that the multiple views; slick web, desktop and mobile apps; and automation and integrations make monday.com easy to use. If you’re still not convinced, monday offers a generous free trial of the software that allows you to see what it can do. 

              Free
              • Maximum users: 2
              More plans
              Enterprise
              • Enterprise-level features.

              2. Asana

              asana desktop app
              Asana is one of the best software solutions for workload management and project planning. 

              More details about Asana:

              • Pricing: Free, $10.99 per month (one-year plan) per user
              • Provider website: asana.com

              Pros:

              • Excellent free plan
              • Easy to use
              • Full-featured desktop app

              Cons:

              • Comparatively expensive
              • iOS app lacks features

              When it comes to project management software for Mac and iOS users, Asana is a close second to monday. Asana is a powerful project management app that helps managers oversee multiple projects and teams. The free tier offers space for up to 15 team members, unlimited tasks, and provides enough views and Asana integrations to get you started.

              As with other platforms, Asana offers paid tiers that add more robust project management features and admin tools. When we tested Asana, our biggest gripe was just how expensive the paid tiers are compared to its competitors, while not offering anything radically different. You can learn more about the feature sets on offer in our full Asana review.

              The native desktop app for Mac computers is identical to the web tool. You’ll find the same features and views, like a kanban board, timelines and calendars, as well as integrations and automations. The mobile app, while pleasant to use with touch, is OK, but its views are limited, and you cannot set up integrations from within it. It’s still handy to use while on the go, though.

              Apps Take Asana to Another Level

              All good project management software offers integrations, and Asana grants you access to over one hundred apps from the get-go, which is a sizable collection. You’ll find integrations — or apps as Asana calls them — for Slack, Gmail, Zoom, OneDrive, Microsoft Teams and more. If you choose the Business tier, you’ll get access to Adobe Creative Cloud and a few more apps.

              You can easily set up integrations and automations from the desktop and web-based versions of Asana, and if you use the iOS app on an iPad or an iPhone, you’ll still trigger the automations you have in place. This level of continuity across multiple platforms makes Asana one of the best tools for Apple iOS and Mac users.

              asana desktop integrations
              Asana’s desktop app for Mac users allows you to select and implement integrations, just like the web version.

              The biggest downside of Asana is its price structure. For small businesses, it’s hard to go wrong with the Asana free plan. The Premium plan — $10.99 per user per month annually — offers more tools and views, but the pricing is steep. The Business tier — $24.99 per user per month annually — is ideal for large companies thanks to its resource planning tools, but it has an even bigger leap in price.

              If you’re a business owner looking for a comprehensive suite of tools to track projects, Asana is a solid choice. Our experts found that the colorful user interface is a joy to use, and the integrations, views and team collaboration features are plentiful. We just wish it was a little more affordable. Still, when it comes to Mac project management software, Asana is a gem.

              Personal
              • Up to 10 users
              Starter
              • Price is per user. unlimited users, expanded features
              Advanced
              • Price is per user. unlimited users, even more features
              Enterprise
              • Custom pricing, advanced security features

              3. Wrike

              wrike desktop app
              The macOS desktop app of Wrike has the same interface as the web tool.

              More details about Wrike:

              • Pricing: Free, $9.80 per month (one-year plan) per user
              • Provider website: wrike.com

              Pros:

              • A good free version
              • Plenty of tools & views
              • Feature rich macOS app

              Cons:

              • Uninspiring user interface
              • The iOS app is barebones
              • Dramatic price jumps

              Wrike might not be the most visually appealing project management software ever designed, but it’s still one of the best pieces of project management software for Mac. Wrike is easy to use, feature-packed and relatively affordable. iOS and Mac users who favor function over form will love this project management tool’s desktop and mobile applications.

              The free version of Wrike offers a kanban board, task lists, 2GB of storage, several integrations and effective task management tools. However, Wrike shines when you step into the paid tiers, thanks to more integrations, subtasks, Gantt charts, reports and better security options, like two-factor authentication. You can find out more in our complete Wrike review.

              After extensive trials with Wrike, we concluded that its Mac app looks and functions the same as the browser version, which makes working in both effortless. The bad news is that the iOS version of Wrike leaves a lot to be desired, due to its limited feature set. You can still manage projects, but don’t expect to dive deep into them while on an iPad or iPhone.

              Versatility Is the Name of the Game

              Wrike makes task management easy with superb versatility. Thanks to its views, Wrike is equally comfortable dealing with simple tasks as it is dealing with complex projects with many moving components and multiple team members. Wrike has a good kanban tool, and the Gantt chart, subtasks and project blueprint tool options in paid tiers are also top quality.

              The views are easy to read and use across multiple devices, especially on an iPad, thanks to the responsive drag-and-drop and pinch-to-zoom actions on the touchscreen. No matter where you use Wrike — a web browser, desktop client or the mobile app — you’ll find that Wrike’s outstanding functionality translates well into each version of the software.

              wrike gantt chart ios
              Wrike offers project managers multiple views, but the Gantt chart truly shines.

              Wrike is a robust piece of project management software for Mac and iOS devices. You’ll enjoy using it if you can get past the bland but functional user interface. The Wrike free tier is fine for individuals or very small businesses. However, if you want to manage bigger teams and projects, you’ll need to step up to one of the paid tiers, which dramatically increase in price.

              The Team tier — $9.80 per user per month annually — offers Gantt charts, unlimited projects, tasks and subtasks, 50 automations, multiple views and support for up to 25 team members. 

              The Business plan — $24.80 per user per month — adds cloud-based software, more automations and advanced features. There are also Enterprise and Pinnacle plans. Overall, Wrike is a project management tool worth trying.

              Free
              • Unlimited users. Basic features.
              Team
              • Price is per user. Plans for 5, 10 and 15 users.
              Business
              • Price is per user. No monthly option. Plans for 5 to 200 users.
              Enterprise
              • Plans for 5 to an unlimited number of users.

              4. Trello

              trello desktop app
              If you like using a kanban board, Trello is the way to go.

              More details about Trello:

              • Pricing: Free, $5 per month (one-year plan) per user
              • Provider website: trello.com

              Pros:

              • Clean user interface
              • Feature stocked desktop app
              • Great free plan

              Cons:

              • iOS app is basic
              • Questionable privacy policy

              Trello is, by far, the best kanban board application available. The only reason why our expert testers placed Trello in the fourth spot is because it only offers a kanban board, whereas the other options listed provide a full suite of project management tools; but wow, what a kanban board it is! Trello is clean, slick, easy to use, offers tons of integrations for free. You can find out more in our Trello review.

              The free plan of Trello lets you add as many team members, integrations, automations, projects and lists as you need. Trello also comes packed with well-designed project templates. Trello does offer a few paid plans that add unlimited boards, a mediocre calendar, and advanced security and admin features, but after testing them, we found they do not offer good value for money.

              The macOS app makes Trello a great project management tool for Apple users. The app offers everything that the browser version does, including integrations and automation support. It’s also as smooth as butter when in use. However, the iOS application is very basic. While it’s nice to interact with your kanban board via touch, the application offers hardly any features or tools.

              Unlimited Power-Ups and Automations

              Out of the box, Trello is already a powerful task management tool; however, when you factor in unlimited integrations — known as power-ups in Trello — the usability dial gets cranked to the max. You’ll find integrations with apps that help with time tracking, portfolio management, document management, collaboration features, file sharing, reports and more. 

              We have to mention task automation here because automations can easily make Trello work for you. For example, Trello can notify a team member on Slack that their project needs attention, and you can automatically share files, perform bulk actions and send emails without lifting a finger. The free plan offers unlimited automations, so you can make the most of them.

              trello power ups
              Integrations, or Power-Ups as they’re known in Trello, help make resource management easy.

              Trello is one of the best pieces of Mac project management software and should be considered by teams and businesses of all sizes. The project management app is easy to use, automations are powerful and it has the best representation of the much-beloved kanban board we’ve ever seen. Above all, almost every feature you could possibly need is available on the free plan.

              If you need more from Trello, there are premium plans. The Standard plan — $5 per user per month annually — adds unlimited boards and larger file size uploads. 

              The Premium plan — $10 per user per month annually — adds views, priority support, and admin and security features. Meanwhile, the Enterprise plan — $17.50 per user per month annually — adds security options. The free plan is still best for most, though.

              Free
              • Unlimited users, 10 boards, Unlimited power-ups, Unlimited storage
              Standard
              • Price is per user, Unlimited boards, Custom fields, Invite guests
              Premium
              • Price is per user, Several new views
              Enterprise
              • Price is per user, Advanced admin & security settings

              5. ClickUp

              click up list desktop
              ClickUp provides end users with a clean workspace and plenty of views.

              More details about ClickUp:

              • Pricing: Free, $7 per month (one-year plan) per user
              • Provider website: clickup.com

              Pros:

              • A competitive free plan
              • Lots of features
              • Polished macOS application

              Cons:

              • Not very intuitive software
              • Poor touch support on iOS

              Fifth on our list of best project management software for Mac is ClickUp. It offers a huge repertoire of features and is a favorite of software developers (and our in-house experts) thanks to its sprints. The software has a clean interface, time tracking and ClickApps (integrations). You can find out more about the features in our ClickUp review.

              However, the price model is what makes ClickUp stand out.

              You’ll find that ClickUp offers lots of tools and key features in its free tier; however, many tools have use limitations. For example, you’ll be able to use the Gantt chart tool so many times per month. As you progress through the paid plans, limitations are removed and new features are added. The pricing is very competitive, which makes ClickUp quite appealing.

              The macOS application is stellar. You’ll find all the tools and features you need (depending on your plan), including Gantt Charts, kanban boards, mind maps, tables, workloads and more. You can even implement ClickApps.

              However, the iOS app isn’t the best. From our hands-on testing, we noticed that while you can touch items to select them, you cannot move them by dragging, and you only get list and calendar views.

              Views Galore Make ClickUp Incredibly Versatile

              ClickUp is a project management platform that does many things well. If you like kanban boards, you’ll like the one ClickUp offers. If you prefer lists and tables, ClickUp has you covered. If Gantt charts, timelines, whiteboards, activity and workload views are your thing, you’re in business. However, the stand-out view is the mind map.

              If you like to brainstorm or prefer exploded views and subtasks, the mind map view in ClickUp will be right up your alley. The mind map gives you a complete overview of your project and allows you to track every component of it on one screen. The mind map can be as big as you need it, and navigating it is easy thanks to the large work area you’re given. It’s a fantastic tool.

              click up mind map desktop
              One of the best features of ClickUp is the Mind Map view, which allows you to visualize tasks in a unique way.

              When it comes to pricing, ClickUp is competitive. The Unlimited plan — $7 per user per month annually — adds unlimited storage, integrations, dashboards, Gantt charts and more. For $12 per member per month annually, the Business tier adds the mind map, advanced time tracking and advanced automations.

              Compared to other software solutions, you’ll need to spend more time with ClickUp to learn how its many tools work. However, your persistence and time will be rewarded with a versatile app that will serve you well. Pick the plan that suits you and your team, and you’re sure to be satisfied.

              Free Forever
              • Basic functionality with some limitations

              6. nTask

              ntask browser list
              nTask is not the prettiest tool, but it’s very functional.

              More details about nTask:

              • Pricing: Free, $3 per month (one-year plan) per user
              • Provider website: ntaskmanager.com

              Pros:

              • Low cost of entry
              • A good set of features
              • Fairly easy to operate

              Cons:

              • The very limited free tier
              • macOS & iOS apps need improvement

              nTask is not the prettiest platform, but its versatility makes it a prime choice for project scheduling. The free Basic plan is limited to five team members but offers unlimited workspaces and tasks. You can use integrations, powerful timesheets and time-tracking tools, but you’re limited to list, grid and calendar views. Your money goes far in the paid plans, though.

              The project management tool boasts list views, calendars and kanban boards, as well as time, risk and issue tracking. There are collaboration tools, document storage and sharing, milestones, subtasks and advanced reports. 

              However, like other project management apps, nTask unlocks features and tools at various price points. For a more comprehensive look at nTask’s plan features, check out our nTask review

              nTask’s apps for Macs and iOS devices are adequate, but our firsthand experience with them reveled that they lack some key features, like timesheets, time management and being able to implement integrations. Still, if you’re traveling and need to manage the basics from the road, you can do so quickly, especially on an iPad, where you can swipe, push and pull items in lists and boards efficiently.  

              Timesheets Are nTask’s Ace in the hole

              Many resource management apps offer time management and time tracking via integrations, which is fine. Still, it’s always better when a key feature is found baked into the software. That’s exactly what nTask has done, and they have done it very well. The timesheet tool, which is accessible via the web version of nTask, is powerful yet easy to use.

              Each task can be added to a timesheet, and the manager or team member responsible for the job can input how much time has been spent on the activity. This tool makes it easy to see if a task is being neglected or is taking too long. We wish this resource management tool, which is available in every plan, was available on the desktop and mobile apps.

              ntask timesheets desktop
              The timesheets and time management tools in nTask are fantastic.

              Regarding pricing, nTask is competitive. The Premium plan — $3 per month per user annually — gets you everything in the Basic tier plus unlimited projects, Gantt charts, a kanban board, advanced filters, 5GB of file storage, sub-tasks, milestones and more. Step up to the Business plan — $8 per user per month annually — and they add in risk tracking, advanced reports and admin tools, priority support and many other tools.

              Overall, nTask is a fine task management platform that provides easy-to-use task lists and other project tools that will help teams plan. nTask is not what we would call good-looking, but our experts determined that the interface is easy to navigate on web, desktop and mobile platforms, and the paid plans offer exceptional value for money.

              Free
              • Maximum 5 team members.
              Premium
              • No minimum or maximum team members.
              Business
              • No minimum or maximum team members.
              Enterprise
              • Self-hosted option. 50 team members minimum.

              Final Thoughts: Project Management Software for Mac & iOS

              Mac and iOS users are spoiled for choice when it comes to project management software. The six pieces of software we’ve covered will help individuals and businesses alike, thanks to their features and strong web, desktop and mobile applications. It’s hard to go wrong with any of the options, but if you want to be a productivity monster, we recommend monday.com, hands down.

              What do you think about this roundup of Mac product management software? Which one do you think is the best project management software? Do you use any of the software listed? Do you plan to try any of the platforms? Which option piques your interest the most? Let us know in the comment section, and thank you for reading.

              FAQ

              • No, Apple does not have any project management software of its own.

              • No, Microsoft Project was not designed with macOS in mind, so there’s no Mac option available.

              • The best free project management software for Mac will depend on what you need, but for us, it’s a toss-up between Asana and Trello. Both offer robust features in their free plans.

              • The best project management platform overall is monday.com. The slick user interface makes monday.com enjoyable to use, while its robust feature set and project tools can help any project manager tackle tasks of all sizes.

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