Best Open Source Alternatives to Trello in 2026
Trello's Pricing Has Crept Up
Trello's free tier is limited to 10 boards per workspace, one power-up per board, and 250 automation runs per month. To get anything useful -- unlimited boards, custom fields, advanced checklists, timeline views -- you need a paid plan.
Here's what Trello costs in 2026:
| Plan | Monthly (per user) | Annual (per user) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 |
| Standard | $6 | $5 |
| Premium | $12.50 | $10 |
| Enterprise | -- | $17.50 (50-user minimum) |
For a 25-person team on Premium, that's $3,000/year billed annually. Enterprise has a hard 50-user minimum -- $10,500/year to start, no exceptions.
Open source kanban tools give you unlimited boards, full automation, and self-hosting with no per-seat fees.
TL;DR
WeKan is the most feature-complete open source Trello replacement with 21K+ GitHub stars, swimlanes, WIP limits, and active development. For teams that want the cleanest Trello-like experience with minimal setup, Planka is the best choice -- beautiful UI, real-time sync, and a simple Docker deploy. If you need more than kanban (Gantt charts, CalDAV, recurring tasks), go with Vikunja.
Key Takeaways
- WeKan (21K+ stars) is the most mature open source kanban board -- swimlanes, WIP limits, board import from Trello, 105+ language translations, and proven at 30K+ user deployments.
- Focalboard (13K+ stars) offers kanban, calendar, table, and gallery views, but standalone development has stalled. Only recommended if you already use Mattermost.
- Planka (11K+ stars) delivers the closest visual match to Trello with real-time updates, clean UI, and easy Docker deployment. Version 2.0 just shipped.
- Kanboard (9.5K+ stars) is a minimalist kanban tool with built-in time tracking, analytics (burn charts, cumulative flow), and a plugin ecosystem. In maintenance mode but stable.
- Vikunja (3.5K+ stars) is the most versatile option -- kanban boards, Gantt charts, CalDAV sync, recurring tasks, and API-first design. Version 2.0 released February 2026.
- All five tools are free, self-hosted, and have no per-user pricing. Your only costs are server infrastructure and admin time.
Quick Comparison
| Tool | GitHub Stars | Views | Self-Hosting | Mobile Apps | API | License |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WeKan | 21K+ | Kanban, Swimlanes | Docker + MongoDB | Web-only | REST | MIT |
| Focalboard | 13K+ | Kanban, Calendar, Table, Gallery | Docker / Mattermost | Via Mattermost | REST | MIT (standalone) |
| Planka | 11K+ | Kanban | Docker + PostgreSQL | Web-only | REST | AGPL-3.0 |
| Kanboard | 9.5K+ | Kanban | PHP + SQLite/MySQL/PostgreSQL | Web-only | JSON-RPC | MIT |
| Vikunja | 3.5K+ | Kanban, List, Table, Gantt | Docker (single binary) | Android, iOS (F-Droid) | REST, CalDAV | AGPL-3.0 |
Trello comparison: Trello offers kanban, timeline (Premium+), calendar (Premium+), table, dashboard, and map views. Automations are limited to 250/month on Free, 1,000/month on Standard, and unlimited on Premium/Enterprise. Power-ups are limited to 1 per board on Free.
WeKan -- Most Feature-Complete Trello Alternative
WeKan is the longest-running open source kanban project and the most direct Trello replacement available. Built with Meteor and backed by MongoDB, it has been actively developed since 2016 and is used in production by organizations with 30,000+ users.
What It Does Well
WeKan covers nearly every kanban feature Trello offers, plus several it doesn't. Swimlanes let you add horizontal categorization to your boards -- something Trello still lacks natively. WIP (Work In Progress) limits on lists help enforce process discipline by restricting how many cards can sit in a column. You can import boards directly from Trello with text, labels, images, comments, and checklists preserved.
The feature set runs deep: custom fields, card colors, board templates, subtasks, voting, due dates, assignees, and over 105 language translations. LDAP, OAuth2, SAML, and passwordless email authentication are all supported. For organizations with compliance requirements, the self-hosted model means your data never leaves your infrastructure.
Self-Hosting Requirements
- WeKan app -- the Meteor application
- MongoDB -- the database backend
Two services. Docker Compose handles the deployment. WeKan also runs on Snap, Sandstorm, and as a standalone binary on various platforms. Resource requirements are modest -- a 2GB RAM VPS handles small to mid-size teams comfortably.
Limitations
The UI is functional but not polished. If you're coming from Trello's clean, modern interface, WeKan will feel dated. The Meteor framework shows its age in performance -- page loads and board rendering are noticeably slower than newer alternatives, especially on boards with hundreds of cards. Mobile experience is web-only with no native apps, and the responsive design is adequate but not great.
Documentation is scattered across GitHub wikis, community forums, and the official site. Finding the right configuration option can require digging.
Best for: Teams that need the most complete open source kanban feature set and can tolerate a less polished UI.
Focalboard -- Best If You Already Use Mattermost
Focalboard started as a standalone open source project management tool by Mattermost, offering kanban, table, calendar, and gallery views in one interface. It was promising -- a real multi-view alternative to Trello and Notion.
What It Does Well
The multi-view approach is Focalboard's standout feature. A single board can be viewed as kanban cards, a spreadsheet-style table, a calendar (cards placed by due date), or a gallery (card images front and center). This flexibility is something Trello only offers on Premium plans and above.
Templates let you spin up common board types quickly -- meeting notes, project tasks, content calendar, roadmap. The property system supports text, numbers, dates, selects, multi-selects, checkboxes, and URLs, giving cards more structure than Trello's default fields.
Within Mattermost, Focalboard integrates tightly -- boards can be linked to channels, and card updates flow into team conversations. For Mattermost shops, it's a natural fit.
Self-Hosting Requirements
Standalone: Single Docker container or binary. Uses SQLite by default (PostgreSQL optional). This is the simplest deployment of any tool on this list.
Mattermost plugin: Installed as a plugin within your existing Mattermost instance. No additional infrastructure needed.
Limitations
This is the critical caveat: the standalone Focalboard project is no longer actively maintained. Mattermost moved the plugin version to a separate repository (mattermost-plugin-boards), and the standalone codebase is looking for community maintainers. There have been no major feature releases since mid-2024.
If you don't use Mattermost, adopting Focalboard in 2026 is a risk. The existing standalone version works, but you're betting on a project without active development. Bug fixes and security patches are community-dependent.
Best for: Teams already using Mattermost who want kanban boards integrated into their messaging platform. Not recommended for new standalone deployments.
Planka -- Cleanest Trello-Like Experience
Planka is the tool that looks and feels most like Trello. The UI is clean, modern, and immediately familiar to anyone who has used Trello. Version 2.0 shipped recently with improved stability, security fixes, and a refined interface.
What It Does Well
The real-time sync is excellent. Move a card, add a comment, update a label -- other users see the change instantly without refreshing. This is table stakes for Trello but surprisingly rare in open source alternatives. The drag-and-drop experience is smooth, and the board layout closely mirrors Trello's column-based design.
Projects organize multiple boards. Cards support descriptions (with Markdown), checklists, labels, due dates, attachments, and member assignments. The notification system supports 100+ providers through integration, and OpenID Connect handles authentication. Multilingual support covers internationalization needs.
For small to mid-size teams that primarily need kanban boards without the complexity of swimlanes or WIP limits, Planka delivers the core experience with minimal friction.
Self-Hosting Requirements
- Planka app -- Node.js (React + Redux frontend)
- PostgreSQL -- database
Two services, clean Docker Compose setup. The deployment is straightforward and well-documented. Planka runs comfortably on a small VPS -- 1GB RAM is sufficient for small teams.
Limitations
Planka is purely kanban. No calendar view, no table view, no Gantt charts, no timeline. If you rely on Trello's Premium views (timeline, calendar, dashboard), Planka won't cover those use cases.
The feature set is intentionally focused. There are no power-ups or plugin system, no built-in automations, no time tracking, and no analytics. What you see is what you get -- a clean kanban board. For teams that just need cards on boards, that's a feature, not a limitation. For teams that need more, it may be too simple.
Best for: Teams that want the closest visual and UX match to Trello with a fast, lightweight, self-hosted deployment.
Kanboard -- Minimalist Kanban with Built-In Analytics
Kanboard takes the opposite approach from feature-heavy tools. It's a minimalist kanban application that does a few things well: boards, time tracking, and analytics. No swimlanes, no gallery views, no bells and whistles. Just cards, columns, and data.
What It Does Well
The built-in time tracking is Kanboard's strongest differentiator. Track time at both the task and subtask level, mark entries as billable or non-billable, and add manual time entries with comments. For freelancers and agencies that bill by the hour, this eliminates the need for a separate time tracking tool.
Analytics are built in, not bolted on. Cumulative flow diagrams show how work moves through your pipeline over time. Burndown charts track completion rates. Lead time and cycle time reports help identify bottlenecks. These are metrics that Trello only offers through third-party power-ups.
The plugin ecosystem extends Kanboard's capabilities -- calendar views, Gantt charts, Slack notifications, custom themes, and integrations with external services. Authentication supports LDAP, Active Directory, and OAuth2 providers (Google, GitHub, GitLab).
Self-Hosting Requirements
Kanboard is a traditional PHP application:
- PHP (7.4+)
- SQLite (default, zero-config) or MySQL/PostgreSQL
No Docker required (though Docker images exist). Drop the files on any PHP-capable web host and it runs. SQLite means zero database setup for small teams. This is the lightest deployment footprint of any tool on this list -- it runs on shared hosting.
Limitations
Kanboard is in maintenance mode. The original author is no longer developing major features, and updates are limited to small fixes and community contributions. The application is stable and functional, but don't expect new features.
The UI is utilitarian. Functional, fast, but visually spartan. The drag-and-drop experience is less polished than Planka or Trello. Mobile responsiveness is minimal.
The JSON-RPC API works but is an older pattern -- most modern tools use REST. Integrations exist but the ecosystem is smaller than WeKan's or Trello's.
Best for: Freelancers, small agencies, and teams that need kanban with built-in time tracking and analytics -- especially those running on basic PHP hosting.
Vikunja -- Best for Teams That Need More Than Kanban
Vikunja is the most versatile tool on this list. While the others focus on kanban boards, Vikunja combines to-do lists, kanban boards, Gantt charts, and table views into a single self-hosted application. Version 2.0 shipped in February 2026.
What It Does Well
The multi-view system covers the most ground. The same set of tasks can be viewed as a flat list, a kanban board with swim lanes, a table with sortable columns, or a Gantt chart with dependencies and timelines. This matches (and in some cases exceeds) what Trello Premium offers with its timeline and table views.
CalDAV support is a standout feature. Sync your tasks with any CalDAV-compatible calendar app -- Apple Calendar, Thunderbird, DAVx5 on Android. Your tasks appear alongside your calendar events without any custom integration work. This is something no other tool on this list offers.
The API is clean and well-documented (OpenAPI spec). Recurring tasks, subtasks, priorities, labels, attachments, task relationships, reminders, and assignees are all supported. Mobile apps exist for both Android (including F-Droid) and iOS.
Self-Hosting Requirements
Vikunja ships as a single Go binary with an embedded web frontend:
- Vikunja -- single binary or Docker container
- SQLite (default) or MySQL/PostgreSQL
One service. The single-binary architecture means you can run it on minimal infrastructure. Docker Compose is available for those who prefer containers, but you can also just download the binary and run it directly.
Limitations
Vikunja is younger and less battle-tested than WeKan or Kanboard. The community is smaller (3.5K GitHub stars vs 21K for WeKan), which means fewer integrations, less community support, and a smaller plugin ecosystem.
The kanban board specifically is functional but less refined than Planka's or Trello's. Vikunja tries to be a general-purpose task manager that includes kanban, rather than a kanban-first tool. If kanban boards are your primary workflow, Planka or WeKan will feel more focused.
Best for: Teams that need kanban plus Gantt charts, recurring tasks, CalDAV sync, and mobile apps -- essentially a self-hosted project management suite, not just a board tool.
How to Choose
"I want the closest thing to Trello" -- Planka. The UI, the workflow, the drag-and-drop feel -- it's the most Trello-like experience. Fast to deploy, simple to use.
"I need the most features" -- WeKan. Swimlanes, WIP limits, Trello import, extensive authentication options. The most complete kanban feature set available in open source.
"I need more than kanban boards" -- Vikunja. Gantt charts, CalDAV, recurring tasks, mobile apps. It's a task management platform, not just a board tool.
"I need time tracking and analytics" -- Kanboard. Built-in time tracking, burndown charts, cumulative flow diagrams. Lightweight PHP deployment.
"I already use Mattermost" -- Focalboard. Tight integration with Mattermost channels, multi-view boards, no extra infrastructure.
"I'm a solo user or tiny team" -- Kanboard on SQLite. Zero-config database, runs on any PHP host, minimal resource usage.
Migrating from Trello
Trello lets you export boards as JSON files (Board Menu > More > Print and Export > Export as JSON). Here's how each tool handles imports:
| Tool | Trello Import | Method |
|---|---|---|
| WeKan | Yes (native) | Built-in import from Trello JSON, preserves labels, comments, checklists, and images |
| Focalboard | Yes (native) | Import from Trello JSON through the UI |
| Planka | No | Manual migration required |
| Kanboard | Yes (plugin) | Community plugin for Trello JSON import |
| Vikunja | Yes (native) | Built-in Trello migration through the API |
Migration tips: Export all boards individually before canceling your subscription -- attachment URLs point to Trello's servers, so download files separately. Test with one board first to verify data integrity. Automations (Butler rules), power-up data, and activity history typically don't transfer -- document your automation rules manually before switching.
Cost Comparison: Trello vs Self-Hosting
For a 25-person team, here's the annual cost breakdown.
Trello (25 Users)
| Plan | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard ($5/user/month) | $1,500 |
| Premium ($10/user/month) | $3,000 |
| Enterprise ($17.50/user/month) | $5,250 |
Self-Hosting (25 Users)
| Cost | Annual Estimate |
|---|---|
| VPS (2GB RAM, 2 vCPU) | $120-$240 |
| Admin time (1-2 hrs/month at $75/hr) | $900-$1,800 |
| Backups | $60-$120 |
| Domain + SSL | $12-$20 |
| Total | $1,092-$2,180 |
Kanban tools are simpler to self-host than full productivity suites. Most of these tools need just 1-2 services (app + database) and run on minimal hardware. Admin time is lower because there's less to break -- kanban boards are stateless views over a task database, not complex distributed systems.
Break-even point: Self-hosting saves money starting at about 10 users compared to Trello Standard, and 5 users compared to Trello Premium. If your team already manages any self-hosted infrastructure, the marginal cost of adding a kanban tool is minimal.
Methodology
We evaluated these tools based on:
- Feature parity with Trello -- Boards, lists, cards, labels, checklists, due dates, automations, and views (calendar, timeline, table).
- Self-hosting viability -- Docker availability, number of required services, documentation quality, and real-world deployment complexity.
- Community health -- GitHub stars, commit frequency, release cadence, issue responsiveness, and active maintainership as of March 2026.
- Production readiness -- Stability at scale, authentication options, API quality, and migration path from Trello.
- Active development -- Whether the project is actively maintained with recent releases, or in maintenance/stalled mode.
We did not accept payment or sponsorship from any project listed. Tools were tested via self-hosted Docker deployments where available.
Find Your Alternative
The right Trello alternative depends on whether you need pure kanban simplicity, advanced project management features, or tight integration with your existing communication tools.
Browse all Trello alternatives on OSSAlt to see detailed feature comparisons, deployment guides, and community reviews -- and find the right fit for your team.