Guide
What is the best open-source project management software?
Short answer
There is no single best one, but there is a short list. Kaneo is the best pick if you want a modern, MIT-licensed tracker that runs as one container with single sign-on included. OpenProject is best for classical project management with Gantt charts, Plane for a Linear-style interface, Redmine for a mature plugin ecosystem, and Vikunja for personal task management. The licence and the paid-tier line matter more than the feature list, because that is what changes after you have committed.
Last updated 19 August 2026. Written by the Kaneo team, who also build one of the tools mentioned.
The short list
Kaneo
MITA focused tracker with boards, backlog, workflow rules, roles, time tracking, and an API. One container plus PostgreSQL, with a Helm chart. Single sign-on through Google, GitHub, Discord, or any OIDC provider is in the free build, and there is no paid edition holding features back. Best for teams that want something small they can own.
OpenProject
GPLv3 Community, Enterprise add-onThe most complete open-source project management platform: work packages, Gantt charts, baselines, budgets, and cost reporting, with real commercial support. The catch is that single sign-on, custom themes, and several other features belong to the Enterprise add-on, and Enterprise cloud plans start at 25 users.
Plane
AGPL-3.0 Community editionThe closest open-source product to Linear, with cycles, modules, and a polished interface, shipping quickly. The Community edition is free to self-host with no user limits, while single sign-on and advanced controls belong to the paid cloud tiers and the Commercial edition. The self-hosted stack is larger than most here.
Redmine
GPLv2Twenty years old, still maintained, and endlessly extensible through plugins. If a workflow exists, someone has written a Redmine plugin for it. The interface shows its age, and modern conveniences such as kanban boards and OIDC login usually come from third-party plugins pinned to specific Redmine versions.
Taiga
MPL-2.0Agile done properly: sprints, story points, burndown charts, and an epics model, free to self-host with no user limits. Best for teams genuinely running Scrum. The deployment is several coordinated services rather than a single container.
Vikunja
AGPLv3, with a paid Pro add-onA fast, pleasant self-hosted to-do app with list, table, gantt, and calendar views, and a kind cloud price. Vikunja Pro is a paid add-on for self-hosters that includes an admin panel, audit logs, and time tracking, so check whether what you need is in the free build.
PLANKA
Fair Use, source-availableA well-made Trello-style board with an active team. Since version 2.2, OIDC single sign-on belongs to the paid Pro tier, and the licence is source-available rather than open source in the OSI sense. Worth knowing before you standardise on it.
WeKan
MITThe long-running open-source kanban board, on Meteor and MongoDB, with swimlanes and a wide range of install methods including Snap and Sandstorm. Pure board, no backlog layer.
Kanboard
MITThe minimal option: PHP, optionally SQLite, and it will run for years on the cheapest VPS you own. Plain to look at, extended through plugins, and remarkably light on resources.
Huly
EPL-2.0An all-in-one workspace with tracking, chat, documents, HR, and CRM, free to self-host. Ambitious and genuinely appealing if you want to replace several tools at once, with the operational weight that implies.
How to choose without regretting it later
Start with the licence, because it decides what can be taken away. MIT and GPL are open-source licences with settled meanings. Source-available licences such as PLANKA's Fair Use licence, and open-core products with an Enterprise add-on, reserve the right to move a feature you rely on into a paid tier. That is a legitimate way to fund development, and it is also a risk you should price in.
Then check where single sign-on lives. It is the most commonly gated feature in this category, and it is the one that turns a free self-hosted tool into a paid one the moment your company adopts an identity provider. Kaneo, Vikunja, and WeKan include OIDC in the free build. OpenProject, Plane, and PLANKA do not.
Then look at what you have to operate. A single container plus PostgreSQL is a Sunday-afternoon install and a boring backup story. A multi-service platform needs someone who will keep it patched. Be honest about which of those you have.
Finally, check that data can leave. A JSON export, a documented API, or both. If you cannot get your tasks out, none of the other freedoms matter much.
What each one is genuinely best at
For a small software team that wants a board, a backlog, and no administration: Kaneo or Plane. For classical project management with schedules and budgets: OpenProject. For Scrum with real sprint mechanics: Taiga. For a mature tracker with a plugin for everything: Redmine. For personal task management with a good mobile experience: Vikunja. For the lightest possible install: Kanboard.
We build Kaneo, so treat the recommendation accordingly. The honest version is that if you need Gantt charts, budgets, or sprint burndowns, Kaneo will not give them to you, and two of the tools above will.
Frequently asked
What is the best free open-source alternative to Jira?
Kaneo, Plane, OpenProject, Redmine, and Taiga are the five most commonly recommended. Kaneo is the lightest to run and MIT licensed with SSO included. OpenProject is the closest to Jira in scope. Redmine has the largest plugin ecosystem.
Is open-source project management software really free?
The software is, but check two things: whether the licence is an OSI-approved open-source licence or a source-available one, and whether features such as single sign-on, audit logs, or time tracking sit behind a paid edition. Kaneo, Redmine, Taiga, WeKan, and Kanboard have no paid edition. OpenProject, Plane, PLANKA, and Vikunja Pro do.
Which open-source project management tool is easiest to self-host?
Kanboard is the smallest, PHP with an optional SQLite file. Kaneo and Vikunja are close behind: one container plus a database, with Kaneo also shipping an official Helm chart. OpenProject, Plane, Taiga, and Huly all run several services.
Do any of them include single sign-on for free?
Kaneo, Vikunja, and WeKan support OIDC on the free self-hosted build. Redmine and Kanboard can do it through plugins. OpenProject, Plane, and PLANKA reserve it for a paid edition or tier.