Best Project Management Apps for Mac, Online, PC, iOS, Tables, and Mobile Platforms
This Year’s Top Project Management Apps for Your Project, Including Online, Apple, PC and Microsoft PM Apps
Project planning tools are one of the most valuable and vital applications that any project management manager or PMO office can have.
Who’s supposed to complete the next project task? Has that last step been approved by a key stakeholder? What is the status on the business process flows? Answers to these questions can easily be found if you’re using a top online project management software or app.
See Also: Free Project Management Planning Template
Whether the project involves designing a website for a client, implementing a new enterprise-wide ERP or HR system, changing business or IT processes, implementing new policies, remediating compliance gaps, or planning a quarterly sales and marketing campaign, each of these projects includes several steps done by different people, which the best project management app can help you keep up with.
But, how do you know which project management dashboard is going to work best for the type of computer you use?
You might find a great Microsoft project management software, only to realize that the Mac or iOS version is lacking the features you wanted.
Best Task Management Software
Some businesses, program managers and project leads benefit from paid or free online project management tools, while others want to find the best project management software for Mac or Windows, specifically designed for those operating systems.
Many project tools are designed to be as versatile as possible on multiple platforms, including offering both web-based project management and the ability to use the tool offline.
But depending upon how the manufacturer designed their online project planning tool, it may work better on a Windows or Mac, and the other platform might be lacking all the same features.
In this review of the best project management apps, we’re going to zero in on compatibility when looking at the top 6 paid and free project management software for Mac and Windows.
We’ll tell you how compatible each is with the different operating systems, including Android and iOS, and answer these questions (and more):
- What are the best Microsoft project management tools?
- What is the best free project management software for Mac?
- Are there any open source project management tools I should consider?
- Is there a Google project management software?
- What are the best free project management apps?
- Where do I find a project management app iOS and Android compatible?
If you’ve been looking for the top offline or web-based project management software for your devices, read on to find which project tracking app is right for your office.
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Top 6 Best Online Project Management Software
Click on any of the links below for a review of these top ranked online project management software options.
In addition to this year’s Top Rated Best Project Management Apps for Mac, PCs, Online and iOS, see also AGS’ Free Project Management Planning Template.
What Should I Look for in Good Project Planning Tools?
When choosing a way to coordinate your team and project plan online, there are a few considerations that you want to keep in mind upfront.
If you just choose the first Agile project management software you see, you may end up with a tool that your team can’t adapt to easily or that falls short of your expectations.
The best project management apps will have similar features, such as the ability to create tasks, support popular project planning methodologies (Agile, Kanban, etc.), track project progress, and make it easy for your team to collaborate in real-time.
Some industry statistics from Harvard Business Review and PMI.org on potential project issues illustrate the importance of using good project management collaboration tools:
- Projects go over budget by 27% on average
- 1 in 6 projects see budget overruns of at least 200 percent
- Organizations completing 80% of their projects on time waste significantly less money due to ineffective projects
- Companies using team project management apps to stay on top of project initiatives save 28 times more because the output is more reliable
Here are some of the things you should look for when choosing the best online project management tools for your business.
Operating System You Use
When simple project management apps are designed, they’re generally created first for Windows or Mac environments, then ported to the other system. This means that a project management Mac enabled application that was designed for Windows first, might be lacking some features on in a Mac environment.
Likewise, the best online project management software for Mac might be buggy in the Windows version. So, you want to consider the operating system (OS) you use and find a project management web app that has good reviews for your particular OS.
Methodology You Use
In the world of project management, there are certain methodologies that companies can use, these can include the use of Gantt charts, Kanban, Agile, Scrum, Six Sigma, and more.
You want to make sure you’re using the best Gantt chart software, top Agile project management software, best free project management app for Scrum, or whichever methodology you prefer, so you’re not suddenly faced with a decision to change the method or ditch your new project planning tools.
Integration with Other Applications
Cloud-based project management software is not designed to be a stand-alone tool. It’s meant to integrate with other applications so you can share data fluidly and automate certain processes.
So, if you’re a G Suite user, then you might be looking for a Google project management app that integrates fully with their Sheets, and other online tools since Google does not have its own project planning tool.
If you use Office 365, then you’ll most likely be happiest with Microsoft project management software that integrates well with all Office 365 applications.
Mobile Capabilities
Any online project management system that’s worth using these days, will have mobile apps that allow your team the flexibility to work from anywhere. But are those the best project tracking apps for the type of mobile devices your employees use?
A project management app iOS designed, might not work as great on an Android phone, and vice versa. But the best web-based project management software ensures that their iOS version and Android version are both as identical as possible.
Your Budget
You might find the perfect project management web application, but when you look at the per user, per month price, it’s beyond what you can reasonably afford. Many web-based project management tools offer tiered plans, including a free version that comes with certain limitations.
When looking for a free web-based project management software, be sure to check things like user count allowed on the free version (which range from 2 to unlimited), and the features each provides you with.
You may find that an online project planning tool free version that’s offered by one company gives you many more possibilities than a free project management web app from another company.
See Also: Best Team and Tasks Management Software
Review of the Best Project Management Mac, Windows, Online & iOS/Android
In our review of the best project management app, we’ve taken a look at multiple factors, such as compatible operating systems and project tools for iOS and Android phone users.
We’ve also chosen the best free open source project management tools and paid versions that are lauded in top companies as the best task management software to use.
Whether you’re looking for Microsoft project management tools, the best Gantt chart software, or Google project management software, you’ll find a good match among these top 6 project tools.
Jira Review
If you want a powerful Agile project management software, Jira, by Atlassian, happens to be #1 in that area. It’s a project management dashboard that was originally designed for IT project management but now has been adopted by multiple industries.
This tool to project plan online is part of a larger platform called Jira Software Cloud, which includes enterprise business management and helpdesk solutions like Jira Core and Jira Service Desk.
Companies looking for the best project management apps for enterprise needs that allow you the full capability to tailor your project tracking app to your needs will appreciate this robust project planning tool.
See Also: Free Project Management Plan
Key Features of this Online Project Planning Tool
- Create user stories and issues
- Project plan online with real-time, visual reporting
- Use a built-in workflow or create your own
- Integrations with multiple other web-based project management apps
- Enterprise-grade security
- Project management web app is expandable with plugins (like Tempo Time Sheets, Zephyr, and more)
- Project management app iOS and Android support
Compatibilities for this Best Online Project Management Software
- Windows
- Mac (full support coming soon)
- iOS
- Android
While Jira FAQ information for their project management collaboration tools does say that this pure Java-based application “should” run on any supported operating system, as long as the JDK/JRE requirements are satisfied, Mac OS is not officially supported…yet.
The good news for those looking for the power of Jira and also for the best project management software for Mac is that Jira is bringing full Mac support to its platform soon. You can sign up for updates here.
Jira | Cloud-based Project Management Software Pricing
If you’re in the market for free project management apps, then you’ll want to search further down our top list, because Jira doesn’t have a free version. There is, however, an offer for a free 7-day trial.
Online Project Management System Pricing:
- Standard: $7/user/month (starting price)
- Premium: $14/user/month (starting price)
- Flat rate options also available
Microsoft Project Review
If you’re a fan of the number one office software company, then you may want to use Microsoft Project management software for fluid integration with all your Office programs and a project management dashboard that’s going to have a familiar look.
Many companies find this is one of the best online project management tools, free or paid, that gives them support for all the popular methodologies, such as Agile, Scrum, Kanban, waterfall, and more.
Additionally, a study from Forrester found that Microsoft project management tools helped customers achieve a 387% return on investment and an 83% reduction in overtime costs.
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Key Features of Microsoft Project Management Software
- Best task management software for customizable template options
- One of the best Gantt chart software choices
- Time-saving pre-populated pulldown menus
- Microsoft Project management tools for dynamic visual reports
- Multiple-timeline team project management apps
- Simple project management apps for sharing projects inside/outside your company
- On-premise and project management web application
Compatibilities for Microsoft Project Management Software
- Windows
- Android
If you work exclusively with Windows, then you’ll find Microsoft Project management tools very compatible with all your devices. However, if you want project management Mac support, this most likely isn’t the best on-premise or best web-based project management software for you.
If you absolutely wanted to use Microsoft Project on a Mac, you could use Bootcamp to install Windows OS on your Mac or use one of the web-based project management tools that support Mac to import Microsoft Project files.
Pricing for Microsoft Project Management Software
(Cloud-based)
- Project Online Essentials: $7/user/month
- Project Online Professional: $30/user/month
- Project Online Premium: $55/user/month
(On-premise)
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Project Planning Pro Review
If you’re Apple fan that felt left out of that last project tool, you’re going to perk up when you hear about Project Planning Pro. It’s perhaps the best project management app for Mac and is also designed to be one of the simpler and easier project management apps for users to learn.
This best project tracking app is designed to be used on mobile or a Mac desktop and beyond creating your own projects you can also import Microsoft Project files. This paid or free web-based project management software is designed for simplicity, so it may be lacking some of the more robust project tools.
See Also: Free Project Management Excel Plan
Key Features of this Best Project Management App
- Easy to understand project management dashboard
- Project management Mac users can call their own
- Intuitive UI for easy project planning on the go
- Paid and free online project management tools
- Online project planning tool with multiple view options (Gantt, Calendar, Critical Path)
- AI-enabled chatbot integration
- Easy to import and export project plans
Compatibilities for this Best Free Project Management Software for Mac
- Mac
- iOS
- Android
While you won’t find Windows OS support for Project Planning Pro, it does support Android devices. This app is designed specifically to be one of the best project management software for Mac users, and it’s one of the few that caters so specifically to that group.
Project Planning Pro | Project Management Dashboard
Project Planning Pro | Best Free Project Management App Pricing
You’ll notice that we’ve used the term “free” with Project Planning Pro, and that’s because they offer a free and paid option. This is one of the free online project management tools that doesn’t have any user limits.
Project management app iOS or Android enabled offers a completely free download or you can purchase it for more features.
Web-based Project Management Tools Pricing:
Trello Review
Trello is also by Atlassian but is designed to be easier to use than their enterprise-centric program Jira. This is a simple online project planning tool free of all the complications of larger platforms.
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This is the best free project management app to use if you’re on a tight budget because it gives you a lot of capabilities even before you get to the paid plans. Project management collaboration tools are also very intuitive and easy for new users to learn.
Key Features of this Top Project Tracking App
- Card-based, drag/drop project management
- Online project planning tool free of obstacles – add multiple details to each card
- Best online project management system for calendar views
- Easy to add custom fields
- Project management web app with checklists
- Notifications across all devices
- Search and filtering tools that help you find what you need fast
Compatibilities for this Cloud-based Project Management Software
- Windows
- Mac
- iOS
- Android
You get the best of all worlds with Trello. It’s one of the best online project management tools for offices that use both Windows and Mac devices, as both are supported.
Trello | Best Project Tracking Apps Pricing
- Free: No time limit, no user limit, unlimited cards, 10 team boards, 10mb per file attachment
- Business Class: $9.99/user/month
- Enterprise (100 users): $20.83/user/month
- Enterprise (5000 users): $5.92/user/month
Related: Trello Review | What You Need to Know About Trello Project Management
Workzone Review
Workzone is a project management web application that is designed to be the “just right” fit in between the more complicated team project management apps and those that are too simple with too few features.
This is the best web-based project management software if you like having automated tasks do part of your work for you, like to-do lists being created and emailed to each user. You won’t find this among open source project management tools, the only free option with Workzone is a free demo.
Don’t Miss: Excel Template – Free Project Management Dashboard
Key Features of this Top Google Project Management App
- Custom forms for project requests
- Google project management software with workload reports
- Real-time team collaboration and commenting
- Best online project management software for custom reporting
- Markup, comment on, approve PDFs and images quickly
- Project tracking app that’s scalable from small business to enterprise
- Multiple integrations, including Google apps
Best Project Management Apps Compatibilities
- Windows
- Mac
- iOS
- Android
Workzone is an online project planning tool that’s accessed via a browser, so it’s compatible for use on all Windows and Mac devices.
Workzone | Google Project Management Software Pricing
Unfortunately, Workzone isn’t transparent about the pricing for their tool to project plan online, so you’ll have to contact them to find out what their pricing looks like. Capterra’s review on Workzone states that pricing is around $20.00/user/month (5 users).
This compatible Google project management app has three different plans:
Wrike Review
This last best task management software is popular with a lot of large enterprise companies. Wrike was designed to look simple on the user side, but with the powerful backend functionality.
This is among the free online project management tools that make it easy to get started. With lots of templates to use but also giving you the freedom to roam and set up your own project workflows. It’s also a free project management software for Mac and Windows for up to 5 users.
Key Features of this Web-based Project Management Software
- User-generated project request forms
- Best Gantt chart software
- Cloud-based project management software with multiple app integrations
- Support teams with real-time feedback and approvals
- Free web-based project management software with multiple project views
- Built for streamlining workflows
- Project planning tools with tracking, reporting, monitoring
Wrike | Best Online Project Management Software
Compatibilities for this Online Project Management Software
- Windows
- Mac
- iOS
- Android
Wrike is another of the Agile project management software options you can choose no matter whether you use Windows or Mac products.
Wrike | Best Project Management Apps Pricing
- Free: Up to 5 users, does not include features such as Gantt chart, calendars, and advanced integrations.
- Professional (5, 10, 25 users): $9.80/user/month
- Business (5-200 users): $24.80/user/month
- Wrike for Marketers (5-unlimited users): Contact the company
- Enterprise (5-unlimited users): Contact the company
Read More: Slack Review – What You Need to Know About the Slack App
Conclusion – Top 6 Best Project Management Apps
When choosing the best project management app for your team, you have a wide range of options that include free web-based project management software and paid options that offer multiple robust capabilities for all types of companies.
It’s important to understand the operating system support before you jump into a new project management web app, otherwise, you could end up paying for a platform that doesn’t support Mac or Windows devices.
We trust we’ve provided some great options for you to choose from, whether you’re looking for the best project management software for Mac, Windows, or both. We recommend going through a free trial before purchase, so you know exactly what you’re going to get.
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