OpenProject

What is OpenProject?

OpenProject is an open source project management tool for planning, tracking, and shipping work. Teams organize everything as work packages — tasks, bugs, milestones, features — and view them as Gantt charts, agile boards, or tables, with time tracking, wikis, and roadmaps built in. It’s web-based and you self-host it.

What is OpenProject best for?

Teams that want full control of their project data on their own servers — especially in the EU, regulated industries, or anywhere data residency and GDPR matter. It suits organizations running classic, agile, or hybrid projects that want one tool for tasks, planning, and collaboration without per-user cloud fees.

What can OpenProject do?

• Track work as work packages with custom types, statuses, and workflows
• Plan with interactive Gantt charts and dependencies for timelines and milestones
• Run agile sprints with Scrum and Kanban boards and a product backlog
• Manage product roadmaps, releases, and version planning
• Log time, track costs, and report on budgets
• Document with built-in wikis, meetings, forums, and a member directory
• Integrate with GitHub and GitLab to link pull requests and commits to work packages

Is OpenProject free?

Yes — the Community edition is free, open source, and fully self-hostable with no user limit. It covers work packages, Gantt charts, agile boards, time tracking, and wikis. The paid Enterprise editions (cloud or on-premises) start at €5.95/user/month with a 25-user minimum and unlock add-ons like single sign-on, LDAP sync, custom workflow automation, SharePoint integration, and priority support.

Where does OpenProject fall short?

• The interface is functional but utilitarian — it feels like older enterprise software next to modern tools like Linear or Notion, which can slow team adoption.
• Workflow automation is limited compared to Jira’s rule engine, and there’s no built-in AI.
• It lacks deep developer features: no native CI/CD integration, and the mobile experience is minimal.
• Many enterprise features (SSO, LDAP sync, advanced security) are gated behind paid tiers with a 25-user minimum.

What does OpenProject replace?

OpenProject is a self-hosted Jira alternative, covering the same issue tracking, agile boards, and backlog management. With Atlassian winding down Jira Data Center (new sales ended in March 2026; end of life in March 2029), it’s a practical option for teams that want to keep project management on their own infrastructure rather than move to Jira Cloud.

FAQ

Is OpenProject open source? Yes — it’s licensed under GPL-3.0, a true OSI-approved open source license. The full Community edition source code is public, and you’re free to run, modify, and self-host it.

Can I self-host OpenProject for free? Yes. The Community edition is free with no user limit; you only pay for the server it runs on. Official Docker images and a packaged installer are available, and paid Enterprise add-ons are optional.

Is OpenProject a good Jira alternative? For teams that value data ownership, GDPR compliance, and on-premises hosting, yes — it matches Jira on core project management. If you need heavy workflow automation, AI, or tight code integration, Jira still leads there.

What do I need to run OpenProject? A Linux server with a PostgreSQL database. The official Docker image or DEB/RPM packages handle most of the setup, and OpenProject also offers managed cloud hosting if you’d rather not self-host.