Best Open Source Project Management Software for Small Teams

Taiga suits a small team that works in sprints and wants a clean agile tool. The free self-hosted edition includes backlogs, sprints, user stories, Kanban boards, and a wiki, so a team can plan a sprint, track stories, and write docs in one place. The interface is modern and light, which makes it easy for a new team to learn, and the agile views match how most small software teams already work.

Taiga has fewer native integrations than larger tools, so a team that needs many third party links may need community plugins or webhooks. The vendor also sells a hosted cloud plan, which suits teams that do not want to run a server, but the self-hosted edition costs nothing beyond hosting. A small team that runs Scrum will find Taiga a strong fit, while a team that needs Gantt charts should look at OpenProject instead.

Price: $0 per user/month (self-hosted, open source)

Free plan: Yes

Website: taiga.io

Redmine is the most proven open source tracker in this guide, used by teams for well over a decade. The free edition includes issue tracking, Gantt charts, calendars, time tracking, and wikis, so a small team can track bugs, tasks, and hours from one install. A large plugin library adds features such as agile boards, help desk views, and extra reports, which means a team can shape Redmine to fit its workflow.

The interface looks dated next to modern tools, with plain tables and simple forms, and a new team may find it less inviting than Taiga or Plane. Setup needs Ruby and server admin skills, and upgrades need care when plugins are in use. A small team that values stability and a huge plugin library over a modern look will find Redmine a fair fit, while a team that wants a clean interface should look elsewhere.

Price: $0 per user/month (self-hosted, open source)

Free plan: Yes

Website: redmine.org

Leantime suits a small team that works with lean methods and wants ideas linked to delivery. The free self-hosted edition includes idea boards, goals, milestones, tasks, and timesheets, so a team can capture an idea, turn it into a goal, and track the work that delivers it. The interface is simple and focused, which suits a team that does not want a dense project tool.

Leantime has a smaller community than Redmine or OpenProject, so a team may find fewer plugins and fewer forum answers when it hits a problem. Integrations are fewer than on larger tools, and some advanced reporting sits on the vendor hosted plans. A small team that likes lean methods and wants a simple tool will find Leantime a good fit, while a team that needs many integrations should check OpenProject first.

Price: $0 per user/month (self-hosted, open source)

Free plan: Yes

Website: leantime.io

Wekan suits a small team that wants Trello style boards without a per person fee. The free self-hosted edition includes boards, lists, cards, checklists, labels, and due dates, so a team can track tasks on a board that anyone learns in minutes. The install is light and runs on a small server or in Docker, which keeps hosting costs low for a team that runs its own stack.

Wekan covers Kanban boards only, with no Gantt view and no native time tracking, so a team that needs timelines or billable hours should look at OpenProject or Redmine. Reporting is limited, and the tool has no built-in docs or wiki. A small team that only needs boards will find Wekan a clean and cheap fit, while a team that needs more views should pick a fuller tool.

Price: $0 per user/month (self-hosted, open source)

Free plan: Yes

Website: wekan.github.io

Plane suits a small software team that wants a modern open source tracker. The free self-hosted edition includes issues, cycles, modules, and views for Kanban, list, and calendar, so a team can plan a cycle, track issues, and see progress in a clean interface. The design feels current, with keyboard shortcuts and a fast search, which suits developers who live in the tool all day.

Plane is a newer project than Redmine or OpenProject, so its plugin library is smaller and its community is still growing. Some advanced features, such as more automation and analytics, sit on the vendor hosted plans, so a self-hosted team should check which features are free before it commits. A small software team that wants a modern agile tracker will find Plane a strong fit, while a team that needs Gantt charts should look at OpenProject.

Price: $0 per user/month (self-hosted, open source)

Free plan: Yes

Website: plane.so

Kanboard suits a small team that wants the lightest possible project tool. The free edition includes boards, tasks, subtasks, swimlanes, and a calendar view, and it runs on almost any server with PHP, which means setup takes minutes for a team with basic server skills. The interface is plain and fast, with no clutter, so a team can start tracking work on day one.

Kanboard is very basic, with no Gantt view, no native time tracking, and minimal reporting, so a team that needs timelines or billable hours should look elsewhere. The plugin library adds some features, but the core stays simple by design. A small team that only needs a board and a task list will find Kanboard a clean fit, while a team that needs more structure should pick OpenProject or Taiga.

Price: $0 per user/month (self-hosted, open source)

Free plan: Yes

Website: kanboard.org

Restyaboard suits a small team that likes Trello style boards and wants to host the tool itself. The free self-hosted edition includes boards, lists, cards, checklists, labels, and due dates, so a team can track tasks on a familiar board layout without a licence fee. The tool also includes a calendar view and basic reporting, which covers the needs of a small team that works on a few projects at once.

Restyaboard has a smaller community than OpenProject or Redmine, so a team may find fewer plugins and fewer forum answers when it needs help. Development moves at a slower pace than its rivals, so new features arrive less often. A small team that wants a Trello style board it can host itself will find Restyaboard a fair fit, while a team that wants active development should look at Wekan or Plane.

Price: $0 per user/month (self-hosted, open source)

Free plan: Yes

Website: restya.com