#1★ TOP PICK
OpenProject
GPL-3.0 self-hosted project management with Gantt, agile boards, and portfolio features in the free Community Edition.
95
OPEN SOURCEGPL-3.0 (Community Edition); Enterprise add-ons under a separate commercial subscriptionSELF-HOSTLOCAL-FIRST★ 16k·updated today
OpenProject is a mature, GPL-3.0 open-source project management platform developed by OpenProject GmbH in Germany. Its free, self-hosted Community Edition covers a broad feature set — work packages, Scrum and Kanban boards, Gantt-based scheduling, time tracking and cost reporting, wikis, and portfolio management — with unlimited users and projects. A separate Enterprise edition (cloud or on-premises) adds premium and security add-ons such as SSO and certain admin features under a paid subscription. It is a strong fit for teams that want a comprehensive, Jira-style tool they run and own themselves, particularly where EU data residency and GDPR alignment matter.
Strengths
- +GPL-3.0 Community Edition is genuinely open-source and free for unlimited users and projects
- +Broad, mature feature set including Gantt scheduling, agile boards, time tracking, cost reporting, and portfolio management
- +Fully self-hosted via Docker or native packages, so your project data stays on infrastructure you control
- +EU-based vendor with GDPR-aligned self-hosting; the GPL-3.0 license reduces the risk of a restrictive relicense
- +REST API and active, regular release cadence from a dedicated core team
Trade-offs
- −SSO/2FA and some advanced admin and security features are reserved for the paid Enterprise edition
- −Runs on a Ruby on Rails + PostgreSQL stack that needs a real server and ongoing maintenance, not a one-click app
- −You are responsible for backups, updates, database migrations, and SSL when self-hosting
- −Heavier to deploy and operate than lightweight tools, which can be more than a small team needs
Free to self-host (Community Edition, GPL-3.0); paid Enterprise cloud/on-premises tiers from about €5.95/user/month for premium and security add-ons #2
Plane
AGPL-3.0, modern open-source project management for issues, cycles, and roadmaps — a lighter, contemporary Jira alternative.
92
OPEN SOURCEAGPL-3.0 (Community Edition); Enterprise edition under a separate commercial licenseSELF-HOSTLOCAL-FIRST★ 54k·updated today
Plane is a modern, AGPL-3.0 open-source project management platform built by Plane Software Inc. Its free Community Edition offers work items, cycles (sprints), modules (epics), roadmaps, and a built-in wiki with a clean, contemporary UI, plus a REST API and webhooks. It is self-hostable via Docker or Kubernetes and includes importers from Jira, Linear, and Asana. A separate Commercial/Enterprise edition adds features such as SSO/SAML, air-gapped deployment, and advanced admin under a commercial license. Plane suits product and engineering teams who want a fast, current alternative to Jira without the heavier configuration surface.
Strengths
- +AGPL-3.0 Community Edition is OSI-approved open-source and free to self-host with unlimited users and projects
- +Modern, polished UI with cycles, modules, roadmaps, and a built-in wiki
- +Self-hostable via Docker or Kubernetes; your data stays on infrastructure you control
- +Built-in importers from Jira, Linear, and Asana ease migration
- +Very active project with frequent releases and a large, fast-growing community
Trade-offs
- −SSO/SAML, air-gapped deployment, and some advanced features require the paid Enterprise edition
- −A production self-hosted stack runs several services (Postgres, Redis/Valkey, object storage, message broker, proxy), so it is operationally substantial
- −Younger than Redmine or OpenProject, so some enterprise areas are still maturing
- −AGPL-3.0 network-copyleft terms may need legal review if you modify it and offer it as a service to others
Free to self-host (Community Edition, AGPL-3.0); paid cloud and Enterprise tiers available #3
Redmine
GPL-2.0 veteran project management and issue tracker — lightweight, extensible, and runs on modest hardware.
90
OPEN SOURCEGPL-2.0-or-laterSELF-HOSTLOCAL-FIRST★ 6.0k·updated today
Redmine is a long-established, GPL-2.0-or-later open-source project management and issue-tracking web application built on Ruby on Rails. It provides flexible issue tracking, role-based access control, Gantt charts and calendars, per-project wikis and forums, time tracking, custom fields, and integration with source-control systems, extended by a broad plugin ecosystem. It is fully self-hosted, database-agnostic, and light enough to run on modest hardware. Redmine is a solid choice for technical teams that want a stable, no-subscription tracker they fully control, and that don't mind a more utilitarian interface and some configuration to reach modern conveniences.
Strengths
- +Fully GPL-2.0-or-later open-source with no paid tier gating core features
- +Lightweight and cross-database; runs comfortably on modest hardware, including small VPS or homelab setups
- +Long track record, very stable, with a large plugin ecosystem and REST API
- +Self-hosted with your data in a standard SQL database you control
Trade-offs
- −Interface is more utilitarian and dated than Jira or the newer alternatives here
- −Advanced planning (e.g. richer agile boards, portfolio views) often depends on third-party plugins of varying quality
- −Release cadence is steady but slower than fast-moving projects like Plane
- −You handle installation, upgrades, backups, and plugin compatibility yourself
Free / self-host (GPL-2.0-or-later); costs are hosting, maintenance, and optional third-party support only #4
Taiga
Open-source agile project management with clean Scrum and Kanban boards, self-hostable and free.
88
OPEN SOURCEAGPL-3.0 (frontend, relicensed 2024); MPL-2.0 (backend) — both OSI-approvedSELF-HOSTLOCAL-FIRST★ 838·updated 6 days ago
Taiga is an open-source project management platform focused on agile teams, with Scrum and Kanban boards, backlogs, sprints, epics, issue tracking, and a per-project wiki behind a clean, approachable interface. It is built as a Django/PostgreSQL backend with a separate frontend and is fully self-hostable via Docker, with importers from Jira, Trello, Asana, and others. Note the licensing split: the frontend was relicensed to AGPL-3.0 in 2024 while the backend remains MPL-2.0 — both OSI-approved open-source licenses. Taiga fits teams that want a visually pleasant, agile-first tool they can run themselves without per-seat cost.
Strengths
- +Fully open-source (AGPL-3.0 frontend, MPL-2.0 backend) and free to self-host with unlimited users and projects
- +Clean, agile-first UI with Scrum and Kanban boards, backlogs, sprints, epics, and issue tracking
- +Self-hosted with your data in a PostgreSQL database you control; REST API for integration
- +Importers from Jira, Trello, Asana, and others help with migration
Trade-offs
- −Multi-service stack (Django, PostgreSQL, Redis, RabbitMQ, Celery) makes self-hosting operationally involved
- −Native SSO options are limited and some setups need plugins or extra configuration
- −Development cadence is steady rather than fast-moving
- −The split frontend/backend licensing is worth understanding if you plan to modify and redistribute it
Free / self-host (open-source); optional paid hosted cloud plans available from Taiga