Open source Jira alternatives for issue tracking and agile planning
Plane, Taiga, OpenProject and Redmine compared by team type, with what each one asks of you when you self-host it.
Teams usually look for a Jira alternative for one of three reasons: the price per seat, the complexity, or wanting their project data on their own servers. The four open source projects below address those in different ways. One is new and fast, one is built around Scrum, one covers classic project management, and one has been quietly running issue trackers since 2006.
We checked each project’s license and recent releases on October 5, 2026.
Quick comparison
| Project | Feels like | License | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plane | Linear or modern Jira | AGPL-3.0 | Product and engineering teams |
| Taiga | A visual Scrum board | MPL-2.0 | Agile teams that run sprints |
| OpenProject | Jira plus Gantt and wiki | GPL-3.0 | Mixed agile and classic planning |
| Redmine | A classic issue tracker | GPL-2.0 | Stability and plugins |
Plane: the modern option
Plane is the closest to what software teams expect from a tool started in the 2020s: a quick interface, keyboard shortcuts, issues grouped into cycles and modules, and built-in pages for documentation. It is the fastest-growing project on this list.
The self-hosted Community Edition is AGPL-3.0. Some features are reserved for paid plans, so compare editions against the Jira features you actually use.
Taiga: Scrum and Kanban done visually
Taiga is built for agile teams. Backlogs, user stories, epics, sprints, and burndown charts are first-class, and the interface is pleasant to use in planning meetings. It is licensed under MPL-2.0.
A full installation runs separate backend, frontend, and events services, so use the project’s Docker setup rather than assembling it by hand.
OpenProject: when you also need Gantt charts
OpenProject combines agile boards with classic project management: work packages, Gantt charts, time and cost tracking, meetings, and wikis. That makes it a good fit for organizations where software teams and non-software teams plan together. Version 17.9.1 was released on October 1, 2026.
The Community edition is GPL-3.0; some features are in the paid Enterprise edition.
Redmine: proven and extensible
Redmine is a Ruby on Rails issue tracker with multiple projects, roles, custom fields, time logging, a wiki, and repository integration. Its interface looks dated, but it is stable, well understood, and has a large plugin ecosystem. The official source is in Subversion, with a mirror on GitHub.
Check that each plugin you need supports your Redmine version before upgrading.
How to choose
- Your engineering team wants something fast and modern: Plane.
- Your team runs Scrum with sprints and story points: Taiga.
- Software and non-software teams plan together, with timelines: OpenProject.
- You want something stable that will look the same in five years: Redmine.
Before migrating, export one real Jira project and import it into your top two choices. Check how issue history, attachments, custom fields, and users come across. If you only need simple boards, our open source Trello alternatives are lighter to run. You can also browse the directory.
In the directory
AGPL-3.0Plane on GitHub (opens in a new tab)
Plan work in issues, cycles, and modules with a fast, modern interface for software teams.
Good to know +
Good for: Product and engineering teams moving off Jira or Linear.
The self-hosted Community Edition has fewer features than paid plans.
MPL-2.0Taiga on GitHub (opens in a new tab)
Run Scrum or Kanban projects with backlogs, sprints, epics, and user stories.
Good to know +
Good for: Agile teams that want a clear, visual workflow.
A full install has separate backend, frontend, and event services.
GPL-3.0OpenProject on GitHub (opens in a new tab)
Manage projects with work packages, Gantt charts, agile boards, time tracking, and wikis.
Good to know +
Good for: Organizations that need classic and agile planning in one place.
Some features are in the paid Enterprise edition.
GPL-2.0Redmine on GitHub (opens in a new tab)
Track issues across projects with custom fields, roles, a wiki, and time logging on a long-running Rails app.
Good to know +
Good for: Teams that value stability and a large plugin ecosystem.
Its interface is dated; check plugins against your Redmine version.