3 open source alternatives to Trello
Simple kanban boards. Here are the open source projects real teams use instead — ranked by fit, with honest pros and cons for each.
What people don't love about Trello
- Power-ups add up fast once you need automation.
- Large boards get slow.
- No self-hosted option.
Current Trello pricing (for reference): Free tier; Standard from $5/user/month.
Quick comparison
| Alternative | Best for | License | Self-host | Hosted cloud? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Planka Trello-style kanban you can self-host in minutes. |
The cleanest, lightest Trello replacement you can self-host. | AGPL-3.0 | ★★☆☆☆ | Self-host only |
|
Focalboard Open source Trello/Notion hybrid by Mattermost. |
When you want a Trello/Notion hybrid and maybe Mattermost later. | MIT / AGPL-3.0 | ★★☆☆☆ | Yes |
|
Wekan Open source kanban with long self-hosted history. |
Enterprises that want a long-proven kanban with SSO. | MIT | ★★★☆☆ | Yes |
1. Planka — The cleanest, lightest Trello replacement you can self-host.
Trello-style kanban you can self-host in minutes.
Strengths
- One-command Docker deploy.
- Clean Trello-like UX.
- Lightweight and fast.
Weaknesses
- Fewer power-ups than Trello.
- No official mobile app.
- Small team — features land at moderate pace.
2. Focalboard — When you want a Trello/Notion hybrid and maybe Mattermost later.
Open source Trello/Notion hybrid by Mattermost.
Strengths
- Integrates tightly with Mattermost.
- Personal desktop mode (no server required).
- Multiple views — board, table, gallery.
Weaknesses
- Development pace has slowed after Mattermost integration.
- Smaller community.
- Feature set is narrower than Notion.
Focalboard homepage · Source on GitHub · Trello vs Focalboard →
3. Wekan — Enterprises that want a long-proven kanban with SSO.
Open source kanban with long self-hosted history.
Strengths
- Mature project used by governments and enterprises.
- Sandstorm/snap/docker packages available.
- Supports import from Trello.
Weaknesses
- UI is functional but dated.
- Performance can be sluggish on large boards.
- Meteor stack is heavier than modern alternatives.
Not what you're looking for?
Browse other tools in Project Management & Kanban, or check out open source projects by category on the full category index.
Recommended reading
When self-hosting goes wrong: seven failure modes and how to avoid them
An honest retrospective on the ways self-hosted setups break — not in theory, but in practice — and the small habits that prevent most of them.
Will the open source project you depend on still exist in three years?
Bus factor, maintainer burnout, funding models, and the signals that separate OSS projects that survive from those that quietly decay.
From SaaS to self-hosted: a 30-day migration playbook
A week-by-week plan to move one service off SaaS and onto your own server without breaking your team's workflow.