The lightweight OpenProject alternative
OpenProject is a serious, mature platform, and it asks for a serious install. Kaneo is one container and a database, MIT licensed, with single sign-on in the free build.
Short answer: is Kaneo a good OpenProject alternative?
Kaneo is a lighter alternative to OpenProject. Both are open source and self-hostable, but OpenProject's Community edition is GPL and keeps single sign-on, custom branding, and several other features for its Enterprise add-on, whose cloud plans start at a 25-user minimum. Kaneo is MIT licensed with no paid edition and no feature gates.
- License
- MIT, versus GPLv3 for the OpenProject Community edition
- Hosting
- Both self-host. Kaneo is a single container plus PostgreSQL
- Single sign-on
- Free on every Kaneo build, Enterprise add-on for OpenProject
- Pricing
- $0 self-hosted, cloud from $4 / month with no seat minimum
| Feature | Kaneo | OpenProject |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT | GPLv3 (Community) |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| SSO / OIDC in free build | Yes | No |
| Paid edition gates features | No | Yes |
| Gantt charts | Yes | Yes |
| Time & cost reporting | Time tracking | Yes |
| Setup | Minutes | Involved |
| Cloud minimum users | 1 | 25 |
OpenProject details checked on 19 August 2026. OpenProject pricing, Kaneo pricing.
Why teams choose Kaneo
Nothing is held back for Enterprise
OpenProject reserves single sign-on, custom themes, and other capabilities for its Enterprise add-on. Kaneo has one edition, and single sign-on is part of it.
Small enough to run yourself
Kaneo is one container plus PostgreSQL, deployable with Docker Compose or Helm. OpenProject is a substantially larger Rails application with more moving parts to keep healthy.
MIT, not copyleft
If you plan to fork Kaneo or build something on top of it commercially, MIT keeps that simple. GPLv3 imposes conditions that some companies would rather avoid.
When OpenProject is the better choice
Both tools offer Gantt views. OpenProject goes further with baseline comparisons, budgets, cost reporting, work-package hierarchies, and BIM support. Those are reasons to choose it when project controls go beyond scheduling tasks. Kaneo combines Gantt and calendar planning with boards, custom fields, and time tracking in a smaller setup.
Kaneo vs OpenProject, answered
Is OpenProject completely free?
The Community edition is free and open source under GPLv3, but single sign-on, custom themes, and several other features belong to the Enterprise add-on. Enterprise cloud plans start at 25 users.
What is a simpler alternative to OpenProject?
Kaneo, Vikunja, and Taiga are all lighter to run. Kaneo is MIT licensed, includes SSO for free, and is a single container plus a PostgreSQL database.
Does Kaneo have Gantt charts?
Yes. Kaneo has a Gantt view for tasks with start and due dates, alongside calendar, board, and list views. It does not have baseline comparisons, budgets, or cost reporting. If those are central to your work, consider OpenProject.
Can I migrate from OpenProject to Kaneo?
There is no dedicated importer yet. OpenProject has a full REST API and Kaneo has a documented public API and per-project JSON import, so a scripted migration is realistic. Open an issue on GitHub if you want a supported path.