Trello is a popular project management tool that uses Kanban boards to organize tasks. While it's great, Trello can be expensive for larger teams and limits how much you can customize it. This is where an open-source Trello alternative comes in.
Open-source alternatives are free and often more customizable. They give you more control over your data and how you use the tool. If you're looking for free apps like Trello with more flexibility, this article will explore 10 of the best open-source options.
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Top 10 Open-Source Alternatives to Trello
With its intuitive Kanban boards, Trello has become a popular choice for project management. But what if you're looking for an open-source, self-hosted alternative with another feature set? Here are the best open-source alternatives to Trello for free:
Taiga: Best Free Trello Alternative for Agile Project Management
If you're looking for Trello-free alternatives, Taiga is an open-source project management system built for agile teams. It is free, user-friendly, and visually appealing for developers and designers. Manage tasks, user stories, and wikis, all within a visually appealing platform. Plus, Taiga empowers teams with Scrum or Kanban methodologies for flexible project management.
Key Features
While Trello focuses on visual task management, Taiga offers a more comprehensive project management experience:
- Track and manage bugs or issues that arise during development. Assign severity levels, track progress, and collaborate with team members to resolve them.
- Stay informed with real-time notifications about task updates, comments, and mentions. Foster team communication and collaboration through in-app messaging.
- Gain insights into project progress with customizable dashboards displaying key metrics. Generate reports to track team performance and project health.
User Rating
Kanboard: Best for Simple and Minimalist Kanban Boards
Kanboard is a free alternative to Trello, and it keeps things simple. Forget fancy features – Kanboard focuses on what matters: seeing your tasks and workflow immediately. Just like Trello, it uses Kanban boards. But Kanboard is all about clean lines and easy-to-use tools. Move tasks between stages, track progress, and get things done. It's self-hosted and good if you want a straightforward way to handle your projects.
Key Features
Kanboard is a lightweight Kanban project management tool that prioritizes a user-friendly experience. Here are its key features:
- Classic Kanban board view with columns representing workflow stages. You can drag and drop tasks between stages for easy visualization of progress.
- Set WIP limits for each stage, preventing teams from doing too much work at once.
- Easily find specific tasks using a search bar and filter by various criteria like assignee, due date, or category.
User Rating
- Capterra: 4.0 (4 user reviews)
WeKan: Best Private Open-Source Kanban for Teams
WeKan offers an open-source alternative to Trello, letting you self-host your data for ultimate security. Also, it provides commercial support for peace of mind, ensuring you always have help when needed. And with extensive customization options, WeKan adapts to your workflow, not the other way around. Last, granular access controls ensure only authorized users see sensitive information on your boards.
Key Features
WeKan equips users with features set to simplify visual task management:
- Make Kanban boards, which provide a visual workflow.
- Create cards representing tasks and lists and customize them with comments, files, and custom fields.
User Rating
- G2: 4.2 (16 user reviews)
Restyaboard: Best for Offline App Like Trello for Free
Restyaboard is an open-source alternative to Trello for project management and task organization. It uses Kanban boards, just like Trello, to give you a visual representation of your workflow. You can create boards with different stages and move tasks between them as they progress. You can try Restyaboard for free by installing it on your server. There's also a plugin available for RestyaPlatform.
Key Features
Restyaboard offers some advantages over Trello, including:
- Work on your boards, even without an internet connection, syncing data later.
- Switch between different board layouts like Kanban, list, and calendar.
- It offers a sorting list and restrictions on creating boards and changing member permissions.
User Rating
- Google Workspace Marketplace: 4.3 (33 user reviews)
TasksBoard: Best Alternative to Trello for Small Teams
Free alternatives to Trello exist, and TasksBoard is one of the best options. Inspired by Kanban boards, it offers a visual way to manage tasks. The board layout allows for easy status checks and keeps you motivated as you move tasks from "To Do" to "Done." Free and open-source (MIT License), TasksBoard is self-hosted, so you control your data. It works on most web servers with just PHP and SQLite PDO, creating a database on first use.
Key Features
Here are some of the key features of TasksBoard:
- Manage anything with its unlimited, customizable boards.
- Color-code, categorize, and assign tasks. Add markdown descriptions, files, and discussions – all in one place.
- Track every task's history for complete project transparency.
User Rating
No available data
Focalboard: Best for Real-time Collaboration on Kanban Boards
Focalboard offers free options similar to project management apps like Trello. There are three ways to use Focalboard. If you already use Mattermost, you can install the Focalboard plugin to add project management features to your team communication. If you want a personal to-do list app, you can download the Focalboard desktop app for your computer. Or you can set up your server to run Focalboard for development.
Key Features
Here's a breakdown of Focalboard's top features:
- You and your team can comment on tasks and mention specific people to get their attention.
- Create as many boards as you need and see your tasks in different views, like list, calendar, or gallery.
- Use pre-made templates to start faster and mark important tasks as priorities.
User Rating
No available data
OpenProject: Best for Project Management Beyond Kanban
OpenProject provides a secure project management platform for conventional, agile, and hybrid methodologies. Install it on your servers to have complete control of your data and security. OpenProject, an open-source alternative to Trello, has superior security features such as data encryption and two-factor authentication. Try its agile boards for Scrum, Kanban, and Agile project management.
Key Features
Here are its key features in a nutshell:
- Organize your project from the start with clear planning and scheduling tools.
- Visually track product development and plan releases with ease.
- Stay on top of project finances with time tracking and budget management.
User Rating
Planka: Best Sleek Real-time and Open-Source Trello Alternative
Planka is a Trello alternative open-source project tracking platform that gives you complete control over your data. This self-hosted solution allows for easy management of projects, boards, cards, lists, tasks, and labels. Like Trello, you can assign members to cards, track time, set due dates, attach files, and collaborate through comments. The platform also supports using markdown in card descriptions and comments.
Key Features
Listed below are the top features of Planka:
- Planka keeps everyone on the same page with built-in notifications.
- It supports multiple interface languages, making it easier for international teams to work together.
- Simplify access with single sign-on functionality through OpenID Connect.
User Rating
No available data
Nextcloud Deck: Best for Trello Free Alternative With Integrations
Deck is an open-source Trello alternative for self-hosted cloud storage like Nextcloud. Organize tasks using digital boards and cards. Assign labels, attach files, and collaborate with others. It integrates with other Nextcloud apps for a smooth workflow. Give Deck a try for a powerful Kanban-style project and personal management tool.
Key Features
Check these top features of Nextcloud Deck:
- Let your team discuss tasks directly on the cards themselves using comments.
- Never miss an update with the activity stream. It keeps track of all changes made to your boards and cards.
- Embed files within your markdown content
User Rating
Lavagna: Best Lightweight Kanban Tool Trello Alternative
If you're looking for an open-source Trello alternative, Lavagna is one of the top options for small teams. This lightweight project management tool is easy to set up and use, requiring only Java 8 and, optionally, a database. Lavagna offers various login options, including Google, social media platforms, Gitlab, and LDAP, for easy team access.
Key Features
Lavagna offers several features that make it attractive:
- Find anything in the metadata and the full text of your projects.
- Control who can access what by setting different permissions for each project and the people working on them.
- Automate tasks by adding scripts that respond to specific events within the system.
User Rating
No available data
Bonus: EdrawMind, a Free Alternative to Trello
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Wondershare EdrawMind can also be the best free Trello alternative for project management. It is easy to use, no matter your experience level. It works on desktops, smartphones, and web browsers to access it anywhere. Are you stuck for ideas? No problem! EdrawMind has pre-designed templates for many industries and tasks. Its AI features can also create mind maps, outlines, or presentations based on just a few words you type.
EdrawMind can be a useful tool for project managers, especially in the early stages of planning and brainstorming. Here's how you can use it for project management:
- Brainstorming and Defining Project Scope: Mind maps are great for visually capturing ideas and seeing the big picture. You can use EdrawMind to brainstorm project goals, deliverables, and potential challenges.
- Task Organization and Breakdown: Within each branch of your mind map, add details to each task. EdrawMind can also convert mind maps into Gantt Charts in one click. Specify deadlines, show priority levels, and track progress to ensure project success.
- Collaboration Online: Share your mind maps with your team and work together in real-time. Set permissions to control who can edit or view the information.
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Conclusion
Software for project management goes beyond Trello. So, if you're looking for an open-source alternative to Trello, this list has provided a solid starting point. Consider the features most important to you, like features, ease of use, and support, then take some time to test-drive a few options. Then, take some time to test-drive a few options. You're sure to find the perfect fit to boost your team's productivity.
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