Layer 5 · self-hosting reality check
What it actually takes to self-host Kanboard
The docs say Not stated by the vendor. Cloudron's package runs the app container within its default 256 MB limit and runs the database separately. In practice you want 1 GB for Kanboard plus PostgreSQL on one box. It is a PHP app, and no source I found says a small team needs more. Here is the honest version — real requirements, real monthly cost, what you will be maintaining, and the one thing that catches people out.
Usually reached from Trello alternatives, where Kanboard is one of the picks.
Wondering whether you need to at all? Is Trello free? — what the free tier actually allows, and where the wall is.
| RAM — documented minimum | Not stated by the vendor. Cloudron's package runs the app container within its default 256 MB limit and runs the database separately |
|---|---|
| RAM — what it really needs | 1 GB for Kanboard plus PostgreSQL on one box. It is a PHP app, and no source I found says a small team needs more |
| CPU | 1 vCPU; not stated by the vendor |
| Disk | The data/ directory holds uploads and thumbnails, plus the database if you use SQLite. It grows only with attachments. |
| Monthly cost | $5–6/mo for a 5–20 user instance on a 1 GB VPS |
| Setup time | 15 minutes with Docker, 30 on an existing PHP host |
| How you install it | The official image kanboard/kanboard (nginx and PHP in one container) with the repo's PostgreSQL or MariaDB compose example, or unzip it into any PHP 8.1+ web root. The first login is admin/admin. |
| Ongoing maintenance | Low. The author calls it maintenance mode: small fixes and no major features. The community still ships releases: six between January and August 2026. Pin a version tag and read the ChangeLog before each upgrade, as the docs advise. |
| Where it stops scaling | The docs recommend SQLite for a single user or small team, and MySQL or PostgreSQL for larger teams or high-availability setups. On PostgreSQL, one small box handles a team. |
The thing that catches people out
Kanboard's own requirements page says 'Do not use SQLite with NFS or Docker' and recommends PostgreSQL. Yet the Docker image keeps a SQLite database in /var/www/app/data unless you pass DATABASE_URL, and the basic docker run uses it. The symptom is 'database is locked' errors, with dragged cards snapping back and 'Access Forbidden' pop-ups (#4913, #5248). The SQLite docs give no way to migrate off it. Start with the repo's PostgreSQL compose example.
When not to self-host Kanboard
You want new features, since the author says it is in maintenance mode. Or your team works mainly on phones: the docs say the board may not be practical on small screens. Vikunja and Plane are the actively developed options.
Every guide here carries this section. A site that only ever tells you to self-host is selling something — the useful answer is sometimes no.
Other Layer 5 self-hosting guides
- Self-hosting LibreOffice2 GB with a large spreadsheet open
- Self-hosting ONLYOFFICE6 GB for the Document Server with a handful of concurrent editors
- Self-hosting Collabora Online4 GB, and roughly 1 GB per 20 concurrent documents
- Self-hosting CryptPad2 GB for a small instance
- Self-hosting Mattermost4 GB for a team of 50 with PostgreSQL on the same box
- Self-hosting Rocket.Chat6 GB with MongoDB on the same machine
Common questions
- How much RAM does Kanboard actually need?
- 1 GB for Kanboard plus PostgreSQL on one box. It is a PHP app, and no source I found says a small team needs more in practice. The documented minimum is Not stated by the vendor. Cloudron's package runs the app container within its default 256 MB limit and runs the database separately, which is the figure at which the process starts rather than the figure at which it works under real use. 1 vCPU; not stated by the vendor alongside it.
- What does self-hosting Kanboard cost per month?
- $5–6/mo for a 5–20 user instance on a 1 GB VPS This is commodity VPS pricing and excludes your time, which is the larger cost for most people — budget for low. The author calls it maintenance mode: small fixes and no major features. The community still ships releases: six between January and August 2026. Pin a version tag and read the ChangeLog before each upgrade, as the docs advise.
- How long does it take to set up Kanboard?
- 15 minutes with Docker, 30 on an existing PHP host, via The official image kanboard/kanboard (nginx and PHP in one container) with the repo's PostgreSQL or MariaDB compose example, or unzip it into any PHP 8.1+ web root. The first login is admin/admin..
- When should I NOT self-host Kanboard?
- You want new features, since the author says it is in maintenance mode. Or your team works mainly on phones: the docs say the board may not be practical on small screens. Vikunja and Plane are the actively developed options.
- What is the most common mistake when self-hosting Kanboard?
- Kanboard's own requirements page says 'Do not use SQLite with NFS or Docker' and recommends PostgreSQL. Yet the Docker image keeps a SQLite database in /var/www/app/data unless you pass DATABASE_URL, and the basic docker run uses it. The symptom is 'database is locked' errors, with dragged cards snapping back and 'Access Forbidden' pop-ups (#4913, #5248). The SQLite docs give no way to migrate off it. Start with the repo's PostgreSQL compose example.