VETTED SAAS
Project Management · Free and Open Source

The best free and open source project management software

Free can mean a no cost hosted plan or fully open source software you run yourself. We ranked six tools on what they truly cost, how much control you keep, and whether the features hold up once you stop paying.

Reviewed by M. HALLORAN·Updated JUNE 2026·How we vet
Tools compared 6
Criteria weighted 5
Last reviewed June 2026
Paid placements 0
How we ranked the field

Each tool is scored on what you actually pay, whether you can host it yourself and own the data, and how complete the features stay on the free path. See the full rubric →

Cost 30%
Control and self hosting 25%
Features 20%
Ease of use 15%
Community and support 10%
01
RANK
★ Editor’s Choice

OpenProject

Best open source overall

OpenProject is the most complete open source option, with Gantt charts, boards and time tracking in a Community edition you host for free. The cloud plans start cheap but need five seats, and setup asks for some technical comfort.

  • Free Community edition
  • Gantt and boards built in
  • Own your data
Verdict pending Free self hosted · cloud from $5.95
88
OUT OF 100
02
RANK

Plane

Best modern open source

Plane is the freshest open source tool here, with a clean interface, cycles and modules, and a free cloud tier for up to twelve members. It moves fast, which is exciting, though some features are still maturing.

Verdict pending Free self hosted · cloud free to 12
86
OUT OF 100
03
RANK

ClickUp

Best hosted free plan

ClickUp is not open source, but its free hosted plan is unusually generous, covering tasks, docs and time tracking with no server to run. The catch is depth: there is a lot to learn before it feels simple.

Read the ClickUp verdict → Free · paid from $7/member/mo
84
OUT OF 100
04
RANK

Taiga

Best free for agile

Taiga is a focused, free open source choice for agile teams, with tidy Scrum and Kanban boards and a gentle learning curve. It stays narrow on purpose, so reporting and wider project planning are thin.

Verdict pending Free self hosted · paid cloud option
82
OUT OF 100
05
RANK

Trello

Best free kanban

Trello is the easiest free board to start, hosted and ready in minutes with no setup at all. It is closed source and stays deliberately simple, so timelines and dependencies are out of reach without paid power ups.

Read the Trello verdict → Free · paid from $5/user/mo
80
OUT OF 100
06
RANK

Redmine

Best free for developers

Redmine is a free, battle tested open source tracker that pairs well with source control and a mature plugin library. The interface looks its age and you maintain the server, so it rewards technical teams most.

Verdict pending Free self hosted · open source
76
OUT OF 100

Pricing verified as of June 2026. Vendors change plans often · check the vendor for current pricing.

At a glance

✓ full  ·  ∼ partial  ·  — none
Capability OpenProjectPlaneClickUpTaigaTrelloRedmine
Free forever ✓✓✓✓✓✓
Self hosting option ✓✓—✓—✓
Gantt or timeline ✓∼✓—∼∼
Agile boards ✓✓✓✓✓✓
Active development ✓✓✓∼✓∼

Feature support verified as of June 2026 · check the vendor for current details.

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