| Redmine | OpenProject | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Project Management | Project Management |
| Best for | Technical teams comfortable extending and maintaining their own tooling | Teams that want open-source control and the option to host their own data |
| Free plan | Yes (free, self-hosted (GPL v2)) | Yes (free, self-hosted, no minimum users) |
| Paid plans from | Custom pricing | €5.95 per user / month (Basic) |
| Platform | ||
| Deployment | Self-hosted | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Team size | Small team, Mid-size | Small team, Mid-size, Large, Enterprise |
| Approach | Issues, wikis, forums, and Gantt views, extended by plugins | Classic and agile project management with Gantt and boards |
| Learning curve | Medium | Medium |
| AI features | No | Yes |
| Integrations | Slack, Microsoft 365 | Slack, GitHub, GitLab, Microsoft 365 |
| Strengths |
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Redmine vs OpenProject pricing
Redmine
- Open source$0Free, self-hosted (GPL v2)
Prices in USD, checked October 2026. Prices exclude VAT and local taxes unless stated. See current Redmine pricing →
OpenProject
- Community€0Free, self-hosted, no minimum users
- Basic€5.95 per user / monthMinimum 25 users
- Professional€10.95 per user / monthMinimum 25 users
- Premium€15.95 per user / monthMinimum 100 users
Prices in EUR, checked October 2026. Prices exclude VAT and local taxes unless stated. See current OpenProject pricing →
Strengths and trade-offs
Redmine
Where it stands out
Being free and open source, with deep extensibility, makes it attractive for teams that want full control at no license cost.
Trade-off to know
The interface feels dated out of the box compared to modern SaaS tools.
OpenProject
Where it stands out
Its open-source flexibility and self-hosting option make it attractive for organizations with data sovereignty or budget concerns.
Trade-off to know
Self-hosting requires real IT effort to set up and maintain properly.
Which one fits your team?
Choose Redmine if…
- You want a completely free tool and are comfortable extending it yourself through a large plugin ecosystem
- Your team is technical enough to work around a dated default interface in exchange for zero license cost
Choose OpenProject if…
- You want Gantt, Agile, and time tracking built in from the start rather than assembled through plugins
- You're scaling from a small team toward a larger or enterprise org and want an open-source tool that grows with you, with IT resources available to manage self-hosting
FAQ
What is the main difference between Redmine and OpenProject?
Both are open-source project management tools that give technical teams control over hosting and data, but they diverge on how much comes built in. Redmine is completely free and extended primarily through plugins, with a dated default interface, while OpenProject bundles Gantt charts, Agile boards, and time tracking out of the box and scales to larger team sizes, at the cost of needing real IT effort to self-host.
Do Redmine and OpenProject have a free plan?
Yes, both offer a free plan. Redmine: free, self-hosted (GPL v2). OpenProject: free, self-hosted, no minimum users.
How much do Redmine and OpenProject cost?
Redmine uses custom pricing, while OpenProject's start at €5.95 per user / month (Basic). Billing period, team size, and taxes affect the final price, so check each vendor's pricing page before deciding.
Who is each tool best suited for?
Redmine fits technical teams comfortable extending and maintaining their own tooling. OpenProject fits teams that want open-source control and the option to host their own data.
Can Redmine or OpenProject be self-hosted?
Redmine is self-hosted; OpenProject offers both cloud and self-hosted options.