OSI-licensed only · self-hostable

Open-Source Trello Alternatives (2026)

Trello made kanban boards the default way to track small projects: lists, cards, labels and a simple drag-and-drop view. The open-source alternatives below keep that board experience, and some go further with sprints, Gantt charts and time tracking.

Every project is under an OSI-approved licence (MIT, AGPL-3.0 or MPL-2.0), checked in its repository. Two popular names are left out of the main list: PLANKA describes itself as source available under its own fair-code licence, and Focalboard's repository carries a not-maintained notice.

Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.

What you're replacing

  • •Kanban boards with lists and cards
  • •Labels, due dates, checklists and attachments
  • •Real-time collaboration for small teams
  • •Importing existing Trello boards

At a glance

ToolBest forLicenceRuns as
WeKanThe closest Trello-style board with a permissive licenceMITDocker
KanboardMinimal, stable kanban for small teamsMITDocker
VikunjaTask manager with list, board and Gantt-style planningAGPL-3.0-or-laterDocker
TaigaAgile teams that want Scrum and kanbanMPL-2.0Docker
KanA modern Trello clone with importAGPL-3.0Docker
PlaneBoards, cycles and roadmaps for product teamsAGPL-3.0Docker
LeantimeKanban plus goals and strategyAGPL-3.0Docker

1. WeKan

MIT

Best for: The closest Trello-style board with a permissive licence

Describes itself as a FLOSS collaborative kanban board application with MIT licence, built with Meteor. Offers swimlane, list, table, calendar, timeline and Gantt views, import from Trello, Jira and Asana, automation rules, and LDAP, SAML and OAuth2 login.

Strengths

  • + Imports from Trello, Jira and Asana
  • + Many views including Gantt and calendar
  • + Docker, Snap, bundle and Kubernetes installs

Trade-offs

  • − Broad feature set can feel busier than Trello
  • − Commercial support is paid
RepositoryWebsite

2. Kanboard

MIT

Best for: Minimal, stable kanban for small teams

Project management software that focuses on the Kanban methodology. The repository includes Docker Compose files for SQLite, MySQL and PostgreSQL.

Strengths

  • + Simple and focused on kanban
  • + Docker Compose files for three databases
  • + MIT licence

Trade-offs

  • − README says it is in maintenance mode, with no major new features planned
RepositoryWebsite

3. Vikunja

AGPL-3.0-or-later

Best for: Task manager with list, board and Gantt-style planning

Describes itself as the task manager you actually own. Ships a Docker image and install docs, with a hosted option at vikunja.cloud. The desktop directory is GPL-3.0-or-later.

Strengths

  • + Self-hosted with Docker or systemd
  • + OpenAPI-style API docs
  • + Hosted version available

Trade-offs

  • − Pro adds an admin panel, audit logs and time tracking
  • − Task-centric rather than board-only
RepositoryWebsite

4. Taiga

MPL-2.0

Best for: Agile teams that want Scrum and kanban

The backend of Taiga, with docs for installing on your own server and a docker directory in the repo. Every accepted patch is licensed under MPL-2.0.

Strengths

  • + Self-hosting guides
  • + Includes a Docker directory
  • + MPL-2.0 licence

Trade-offs

  • − Backend and frontend live in separate repositories
  • − README gives little feature detail
RepositoryWebsite

5. Kan

AGPL-3.0

Best for: A modern Trello clone with import

Describes itself as the open-source project management alternative to Trello. Includes Trello board import, labels, comments, templates and an activity log, and deploys with Docker Compose or a Railway template.

Strengths

  • + Trello import built in
  • + Docker Compose and one-click Railway deploy
  • + Optional OIDC and S3 storage

Trade-offs

  • − Integrations section is listed as coming soon
  • − Self-hosting needs PostgreSQL and environment configuration
RepositoryWebsite

6. Plane

AGPL-3.0

Best for: Boards, cycles and roadmaps for product teams

Describes itself as an open-source project management tool to track issues, run sprint cycles and manage product roadmaps. Installs with Docker Compose or Kubernetes.

Strengths

  • + Cycles with burn-down charts
  • + Modules, views and analytics
  • + Docker Compose and Kubernetes guides

Trade-offs

  • − More than a simple board
  • − A hosted Plane Cloud is also offered
RepositoryWebsite

7. Leantime

AGPL-3.0

Best for: Kanban plus goals and strategy

Describes itself as an open-source project management system for people who aren't project managers. Offers kanban, Gantt, table, list and calendar views, sprints, timesheets and goal tracking. Official Docker image available.

Strengths

  • + Many views in the open-source version
  • + LDAP and OIDC integration
  • + Official Docker image

Trade-offs

  • − Plugins in /app/Plugins may carry other licences
  • − Marketplace plugins and managed hosting are paid
RepositoryWebsite

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How to choose

If you need…Start with
The most Trello-like boards, with Trello importWeKan or Kan
A tiny, no-frills kanbanKanboard
Personal and team tasks with several viewsVikunja
Scrum and kanban for agile teamsTaiga
Sprints and roadmaps like a product teamPlane
Strategy and goals alongside tasksLeantime

Often called open source, but aren't

Public source code, but under licences the Open Source Initiative doesn't approve. Fine to use; read the terms first.

  • PLANKA (Fair Use License and PLANKA Pro/Enterprise License)

    Its README calls it fair-code and source available. Community and Pro editions are separate, and features such as SSO, calendar and timeline views are Pro-only. Not OSI-approved.

Open-source Trello alternatives: FAQ

Quick answers to common questions

What is the best open-source alternative to Trello?

WeKan is the most direct Trello-style board and can import Trello boards. Kan also offers Trello import with a more modern look. For simpler needs, Kanboard is minimal and MIT-licensed.

Is PLANKA open source?

Not by OSI standards. Its README describes it as fair-code and source available, distributed under a Fair Use License and a separate Pro/Enterprise License.

Can I import my Trello boards?

WeKan lists import from Trello, Jira and Asana, and Kan lists Trello board import. Check each project's import docs for what carries over.

Is Focalboard still an option?

Its repository now carries a notice that it is not currently maintained, so we did not list it.

Which Trello alternative is easiest to run?

Kanboard and WeKan both ship Docker setups. WeKan defaults to FerretDB with SQLite, so no separate database server is needed.

Maintain an open-source Trello alternative?

List it on TechLogHub and we'll review it for this page.

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