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Trello vs Focalboard
Trello vs Focalboard
A side-by-side look at Trello (the paid SaaS) and Focalboard (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.
| Trello | Focalboard | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Simple kanban boards. | Open source Trello/Notion hybrid by Mattermost. |
| License | Proprietary SaaS | MIT / AGPL-3.0 |
| Pricing | Free tier; Standard from $5/user/month. | Free to self-host · optional paid hosted plan |
| Self-host option | No | Yes — difficulty 2/5 |
| Hosted cloud available | Yes (only option) | Yes |
| Desktop apps | Varies by product | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Mobile apps | Official apps typically available | None official |
Ad slot — between tables
Best for
When you want a Trello/Notion hybrid and maybe Mattermost later.
Focalboard strengths
- Integrates tightly with Mattermost.
- Personal desktop mode (no server required).
- Multiple views — board, table, gallery.
Focalboard weaknesses
- Development pace has slowed after Mattermost integration.
- Smaller community.
- Feature set is narrower than Notion.
What's the catch with Trello?
- Power-ups add up fast once you need automation.
- Large boards get slow.
- No self-hosted option.
Still unsure?
Check the full list of alternatives to Trello: see Trello alternatives, or learn more about Focalboard on its project page.
Recommended reading
When self-hosting goes wrong: seven failure modes and how to avoid them
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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.