Free picks · Mac
Best free project management apps for Mac (2026)
Every pick is listed under Project Management in our directory, runs on a Mac and is completely free or has a free plan. We rank them by our rating and popularity, then favour tools made mainly for project management and apps built for Mac.
Short answer
The best free project management apps for Mac are Linear, Trello and Asana, the top three of 5 matches in our directory. All 5 have a free plan with paid upgrades.
Updated
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
At a glance
Counted from the top 5 picks, except the total.
- Matching tools
- 5
- Completely free
- 0
- Open source
- 0
- Work offline
- 0
- Native apps
- 0
Comparison table
“Free plan” means a free tier with paid upgrades. A dash in Licence means our directory does not list the tool as open source.
| # | Name | Pricing | Platforms | Licence | Why pick it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linear | Free plan | Web, macOS, Windows | — | Issue tracking built for speed and focus. |
| 2 | Trello | Free plan | Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows | — | The simplest possible kanban board for visual work tracking. |
| 3 | Asana | Free plan | Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows | — | Structured project and workload management for growing teams. |
| 4 | ClickUp | Free plan | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android | — | One dense workspace for tasks, docs, goals and reporting. |
| 5 | Taskade | Free plan | Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux | — | Where ideas meet action: AI powered team productivity. |
Why each pick made the list
Every reason is taken from the tool's own listing: its categories, platforms, features, rating and pricing.
Our top Mac pick, rated 4.8/5, the highest here. Project Management is its main purpose in our directory. Runs on a Mac, and also on Web and Windows. Its listing says it has AI features. It is not in the iPhone top 5 (not listed for iPhone).
Watch out for: Less flexible than generic PM tools
Number 2 of 5 for Mac, rated 4.4/5. Project Management is its main purpose in our directory. Runs on a Mac, and also on Web, iOS, Android and Windows. Its listing says it syncs through the cloud and is easy to pick up. On our iPhone list it is number 1.
Watch out for: Weak for dependencies and timelines
Number 3 of 5 for Mac, rated 4.4/5. Project Management is its main purpose in our directory. Runs on a Mac, and also on Web, iOS, Android and Windows. On our iPhone list it is number 2.
Watch out for: Costs rise quickly per seat
Number 4 of 5 for Mac, rated 4.4/5. Project Management is its main purpose in our directory. Runs on a Mac, and also on Web, Windows, Linux, iOS and 1 more platform. Its listing says it has AI features. On our iPhone list it is number 3.
Watch out for: Interface is busy at first
Number 5 of 5 for Mac, rated 4.4/5. Listed mainly under Task Management, it also covers project management. Runs on a Mac, and also on Web, iOS, Android, Windows and 1 more platform. Its listing says it has AI features. On our iPhone list it is number 4.
Watch out for: Can be overwhelming for new users due to feature richness
Running these on Mac
Counted from each pick's listing type and platforms.
- By listing type, the 5 Mac picks are 5 web apps (Linear, Trello, Asana, ClickUp and 1 other).
- None of the 5 is listed as a native Mac app; they are web or cloud tools that are listed to run on a Mac.
- Every Mac pick here also runs somewhere else. ClickUp reaches furthest, on 5 other platforms besides Mac.
- 4 of 5 also run on iPhone and iPad, so the same tool can follow you between Mac and iPhone; Linear does not.
How this list compares
The same search on other platforms. Only the differences are named.
- Free project management apps for iPhone
4 of these 5 Mac picks also make the iPhone top 5. One is on this list only: Linear (not listed for iPhone). In their place the iPhone list has Airtable; it is not listed for Mac.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best free project management app for Mac?
- Linear is our first pick. Issue tracking built for speed and focus. Linear has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features or usage.
- Are these project management apps really free?
- Yes, every pick is free to start. Linear, Trello, Asana, ClickUp and 1 other have free plans with paid upgrades.
- Which of these project management apps are open source?
- None of the picks on this page is tagged open source in our directory.
- Which ones work offline on a Mac?
- None of the picks here is listed as working offline, so expect to need an internet connection.
- Which are easiest for beginners?
- Trello is rated beginner-friendly. 4 picks take more time to learn.
- How many free project management apps for Mac are in the directory?
- 5 match right now, and all of them are on this page. New tools are added as they are checked.
Keep exploring
Wider lists
- All Project Management tools
- Every free list for Mac
- Best free project management tools
- Best free Mac apps
Related free lists
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