The Merlin Project Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Merlin Project in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Merlin Project
The Insider’s Guide
Offline Mac and iPad project planner with Gantt, Kanban and mind maps
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from Merlin Project’s own pages.
Made by ProjectWizards GmbH · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Merlin Project’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Merlin Project’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 1 of the 79 other project management tools we grade
Merlin Project is a project management app for Mac, iPad and iPhone from the German company ProjectWizards. A single project file can be shown as a Gantt chart, a Kanban board, a mind map or a workload view, and the app works offline with files kept on the user's own devices. It is sold by subscription only, and the Mac app and the iPad and iPhone app are subscribed to separately.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Merlin Project, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The AI assistant drafting a starting plan softens the first hour.
- 1
Best for detailed project planning on a Mac
Merlin Project is a planning app for Mac, iPad and iPhone, with Gantt charts, a critical path, Kanban, mind maps, baselines and earned value in one file that works offline.
- 2
Paid plans start at $6.99 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $6.99 per user / month for the Express edition; full Mac app $22.99, iPad $9.99.
- 3
You can try it first
30-day free trial with every feature (14 days for Express); afterwards the app becomes a free read-only viewer.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
macOS and iOS.
- 5
Gantt chart and scheduling
Link tasks with dependencies, set milestones and read slack times. The critical path recalculates as progress is entered.
- 6
Kanban board and mind map
The same project data can be shown as a Kanban board or a mind map, and moving a card or adding a branch updates the Gantt chart.
- 7
Resources, baselines and earned value
Assign people, materials, companies and equipment to tasks and see who is overbooked. The full app also has dynamic baselines and earned value analysis.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 1 of 79
That is against the other project management tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Merlin Project you could make: Gantt & timelines, kanban boards and mind mapping. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Merlin Project at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $6.99 per user / month for the Express edition; full Mac app $22.99, iPad $9.99
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial with every feature (14 days for Express); afterwards the app becomes a free read-only viewer.
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- ProjectWizards GmbH, since 2004
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for detailed project planning on a Mac
Merlin Project is a planning app for Mac, iPad and iPhone, with Gantt charts, a critical path, Kanban, mind maps, baselines and earned value in one file that works offline. It's Apple only and subscription only. The full Mac app is $22.99 a month, the iPad and iPhone app is a separate $9.99, and the $6.99 Express edition drops Kanban, mind maps, baselines and team features.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | The full Mac app is $22.99 a user a month, or $229.99 a year, which is in the dearest tenth of this whole category and nearly three times its middle price. The iPad and iPhone app is a separate $9.99 subscription with no bundle, and Express at $6.99 drops Kanban, mind maps and baselines. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. You get 30 days with every feature, 14 for Express, and after that the app turns into a free read-only viewer, so at least your files never lock you out. Editing means subscribing. |
| Features | B | Gantt scheduling with dependencies, milestones, slack times and a recalculating critical path, the same project as a Kanban board, mind map or workload view, resources, dynamic baselines and earned value, plus Microsoft Project XML in and out. There's no team server of its own. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. It installs like any Mac app and your files sit on your own devices, but baselines, slack times and earned value are not things you pick up in an afternoon. The AI assistant drafting a starting plan softens the first hour. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Vision Pro, and nothing else: no Windows, no Android, no browser. Teams sync through iCloud Drive or Dropbox rather than a vendor server, and it swaps files with Microsoft Project, MindManager and FreeMind. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Merlin Project is for
- Fits if you manage projects on a Mac and want Gantt scheduling with baselines and earned value
- Works for planning offline, with project data kept on your own devices rather than a vendor's servers
Who it is not for
- Skip it if anyone on your team uses Windows or Android, as it's Apple devices only with no browser version
- Pricey if you want it on both Mac and iPad, because that's two subscriptions, $22.99 and $9.99 a month
- Not for you if you'd rather buy once, since it's subscription only with no perpetual license
- Watch out: Express at $6.99 leaves out Kanban, mind maps, baselines, earned value and team features
- Watch out: teams share files through iCloud Drive or Dropbox, as there's no vendor server
Good to know
Good for
- Project managers on Mac who want Gantt scheduling with baselines and earned value
- Planning in places without a reliable internet connection
- Organizations that need project data kept off a vendor's cloud servers
- Exchanging plans with people who use Microsoft Project
Worth knowing
- Runs only on Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Vision Pro; the vendor lists no Windows, Android or browser version.
- The Mac app and the iPad and iPhone app need separate subscriptions; the vendor offers no bundle.
- Subscription only: the vendor no longer sells a one-time or perpetual license.
- Merlin Project Express, the $6.99 edition, leaves out Kanban, mind maps, baselines, earned value and team features.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$6.99
A month to start, for each person
Merlin Project is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $6.99 per user / month for the Express edition; full Mac app $22.99, iPad $9.99.
Merlin Project Express
$6.99
per user / month, or $69.99 per year
A separate, smaller Mac app with Gantt planning and resources. No Kanban, mind map, baselines or team features. App Store or Setapp only.
Merlin Project for iPad
$9.99
per user / month, or $99.99 per year
The full app on iPad, iPhone and Apple Vision Pro. A separate subscription from the Mac app.
Merlin Project for Mac
$22.99
per user / month, or $229.99 per year
The full Mac app with Gantt, Kanban, mind map, workload, baselines and earned value. Sold in the vendor's store and on the Mac App Store at the same price.
Trying it first
30-day free trial with every feature (14 days for Express); afterwards the app becomes a free read-only viewer.
Read from projectwizards.net on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Two months free with yearly billing
The price list labels yearly billing as 2 months free: the Mac app is $229.99 a year against $22.99 a month, which comes to $275.88 over 12 months.
Stated on projectwizards.netEducation
50% education discount on the Mac app
The purchasing FAQ gives students and educators 50% off Merlin Project for Mac in the vendor's own store on proof of status. It is not offered through the App Store.
Stated on projectwizards.netNonprofit
50% off for nonprofits and charities
Nonprofits and charities that send proof of status get 50% off the Mac list price in the vendor's store. Churches and clerical organizations are excluded.
Stated on projectwizards.netOther savings
Volume discount from 10 licenses
Mac subscriptions bought in the vendor's store get 5% off from 10 licenses, rising in steps to 30% from 100 licenses. It cannot be combined with other discounts.
Stated on projectwizards.netOther savings
Family Sharing on App Store subscriptions
A subscription bought through the App Store can be shared with up to five other family members through Apple's Family Sharing.
Stated on projectwizards.net
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Monthly Subscription”, against $9.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺399,99 | $8.13 | 19% less |
| Canada | $12.99 | $9.13 | 9% less |
| Indonesia | Rp 169ribu | $9.45 | 5% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 599.00 | $9.54 | about the same |
| Germany | 9,99 € | $11.19 | 12% more |
| United Kingdom | £8.99 | $11.89 | 19% more |
| Brazil | R$ 59,90 | $11.97 | 20% more |
| South Africa | R199.99 | $12.10 | 21% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
Offline Mac and iPad project planner with Gantt, Kanban and mind maps. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, local-first, AI features, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines, mind mapping.
Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Vision Pro, and nothing else: no Windows, no Android, no browser.
- Gantt chart and scheduling
- Link tasks with dependencies, set milestones and read slack times. The critical path recalculates as progress is entered.
- Kanban board and mind map
- The same project data can be shown as a Kanban board or a mind map, and moving a card or adding a branch updates the Gantt chart.
- Resources, baselines and earned value
- Assign people, materials, companies and equipment to tasks and see who is overbooked. The full app also has dynamic baselines and earned value analysis.
- Offline files with sync
- Projects are stored on the user's devices and work without a connection. Teams sync through iCloud Drive, Dropbox or other cloud storage, not a vendor server.
- AI project assistant
- Since version 9, an assistant generates a starting project structure with tasks, dependencies and resources from a short text description.
- Import and export
- Reads and writes Microsoft Project XML, MindManager, FreeMind, OPML, CSV and iCalendar files, imports OmniPlan files, and exports PDF, image and HTML reports.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- Microsoft Project
- iCloud Drive
- Dropbox
- MindManager
- FreeMind
- OmniPlan
Merlin Project is made by ProjectWizards GmbH, and has been around since 2004.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
1/79
Other project management tools it is graded above
Merlin Project's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 1 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on features (B, above 27 of 79) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $6.99 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 28 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 18 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 80 project management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Merlin Project’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 79
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 79
- BFeaturesAbove 27 of 79
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 79
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 79
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 78 project management tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Merlin Project is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Merlin Project you could make: Gantt & timelines, kanban boards and mind mapping. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 77 of the 79 other project management tools grade higher. It costs $83.88 a year.
What you could make
- Gantt & timelines, kanban boards and mind mapping: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- It plugs into other products, Microsoft Project, iCloud Drive and Dropbox among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Merlin Project’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
OmniPlan, Microsoft Project, GanttProject, ProjectLibre and GanttPRO
The 5 tools Merlin Project is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
OmniPlan
Free trial · from $199.99 one-time
Gantt-chart project scheduling for Mac, iPad and iPhone.
- OmniPlan can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Merlin Project also covers kanban boards and mind mapping.
- OmniPlan also covers reports.
- 1.6GPA
Microsoft Project
Free trial · from $30.00/mo
Desktop project scheduling for Windows with Gantt charts.
- Only Merlin Project lists macOS and iOS apps.
- Only Microsoft Project lists a Windows app.
- Microsoft Project can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
GanttProject
Free plan · from €1/mo
Free, open-source desktop Gantt chart app for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- GanttProject has a free plan. Merlin Project does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Merlin Project lists an iOS app.
- Only GanttProject lists Windows and Linux apps.
- 3.2GPA
ProjectLibre
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Microsoft Project-compatible scheduling: free desktop app, paid cloud.
- ProjectLibre has a free plan. Merlin Project does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Merlin Project lists an iOS app.
- Only ProjectLibre lists a web app.
- 2.2GPA
GanttPRO
Free trial · from $8/mo
Online Gantt chart maker for planning and tracking projects.
- Only Merlin Project lists a macOS app.
- Only GanttPRO lists a web app.
- Only GanttPRO lists an Android app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Merlin Project free?
No, Merlin Project is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial with every feature (14 days for Express); afterwards the app becomes a free read-only viewer.
How much does Merlin Project cost?
Merlin Project lists 3 plans. Merlin Project Express: $6.99 per user / month, or $69.99 per year.
What platforms does Merlin Project work on?
Merlin Project is available on macOS and iOS.
Does Merlin Project offer any discounts?
Merlin Project publicly lists the following: Two months free with yearly billing; 50% education discount on the Mac app; 50% off for nonprofits and charities; Volume discount from 10 licenses; Family Sharing on App Store subscriptions.
Does Merlin Project have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Merlin Project is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does Merlin Project have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Merlin Project is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is Merlin Project open source?
Merlin Project is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Merlin Project work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does Merlin Project integrate with?
Merlin Project's listing names Microsoft Project, iCloud Drive, Dropbox, MindManager, FreeMind and OmniPlan.
Does Merlin Project have a student discount?
50% education discount on the Mac app. The purchasing FAQ gives students and educators 50% off Merlin Project for Mac in the vendor's own store on proof of status.
Who makes Merlin Project?
Merlin Project is made by ProjectWizards GmbH. It dates from 2004.
What are the alternatives to Merlin Project?
The closest alternatives to Merlin Project in our directory are OmniPlan, Microsoft Project, GanttProject, ProjectLibre and GanttPRO.
How does Merlin Project compare with other project management tools?
Merlin Project's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 1 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 1.
Is Merlin Project good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Merlin Project D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $6.99 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 28 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Merlin Project?
The plain part of Merlin Project you could make: Gantt & timelines, kanban boards and mind mapping.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Merlin Project’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ProjectWizards' own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-01-19.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by ProjectWizards GmbH. Prices change, so check projectwizards.net before you buy.
- projectwizards.net/en/merlin-project/download
- projectwizards.net/en
- projectwizards.net/en/merlin-project
- projectwizards.net/en/about
- projectwizards.net/en/support/faq/general/system-requirements
- projectwizards.net/en/learn/first-steps/intelligent-assistant
- projectwizards.net/en/support/faq/purchasing/two-abos
- projectwizards.net/en/support/faq/purchasing/multiple-usage-ios
- projectwizards.net/en/support/faq/purchasing/perpetual-license
- projectwizards.net/en/support/faq/purchasing/buy-express
- projectwizards.net/en/support/faq/purchasing/pwstore-vs-appstore-version
- projectwizards.net/en/support/faq/purchasing/edu-discount
- projectwizards.net/en/support/faq/purchasing/non-profit-discount
- projectwizards.net/en/support/faq/purchasing/volume-discounts
- projectwizards.net/en/support/faq/purchasing/family-sharing
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Merlin Project, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/merlin-project
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Merlin Project: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/merlin-project
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/merlin-project/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after Merlin Project, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Project Management Insider's GuideEvery one of the 80 project management tools we grade, compared
- GitHub Issues Insider's GuideIssue tracking and project planning built into GitHub3.4 GPA
- Freedcamp Insider's GuideProject management suite with a free plan for unlimited users3.2 GPA
- Huly Insider's GuideOpen-source project management with chat, docs and video calls3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Merlin Project’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Merlin Project is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by ProjectWizards GmbH. Prices and plans change: check projectwizards.net before you buy.