Any business organization that works on multiple projects simultaneously must need proper project management software. While doing multiple projects, a single erroneous step can ruin the work you’ve been doing for the past couple of months.
Looking for Project Management Software? Check out SoftwareSuggest’s list of the best online project management tools.
But, the cost of project management software might not fit the budget of every industry. To ease the process, businesses have an easy way- open source project management software.
The open source services market is significantly rising owing to its numerous benefits. It is projected to reach USD 71.05 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 24.94%.
Using open source project management software is cost-effective. Open source solutions promote flexibility and customization, allowing users to adapt the software to their needs. Additionally, open source software encourages collaboration and community support, as developers worldwide contribute to its improvement. It also ensures transparency and security, as the source code is accessible for review. Open source project management software enables scalability, empowering teams to easily handle projects of any size.
Small and large enterprises can access free, open source project management software without paying a single penny.
This article lists the top 15 free and open source project management software to help companies gain a competitive edge in the market. We’ll also help you better understand open source project management software in general.
What is Open Source Project Management Software?
Open source project management software is a software type that creates and provides under an open source license, allowing users to openly use, edit, and share the software. It is specifically made to simplify project management activities like planning, scheduling, teamwork, and resource allocation.
A free open source project management software offers a variety of features and capabilities, like task tracking, Gantt charts, issue management, and document sharing, to assist teams in managing projects successfully.
As it is open source, it promotes community involvement and allows programmers to customize and improve it to suit their project management needs. It encourages teamwork, creativity, and affordable project management systems.
Why Do You Need Open Source Project Management Software?
In today’s fast-paced, collaborative work environments, open source project management tools are becoming increasingly important. Its many benefits can significantly increase the effectiveness and productivity of any project team.
Here are some strong arguments favoring the open source project management software requirement.
First off, open source project management tools offer affordable options. Because open source software is freely available, it can be used by businesses of all sizes without requiring pricey licenses or subscriptions. This cost reduction can be used to fund other urgent project requirements.
Second, open source free project management software allows for customization and flexibility. Due to its open nature, users can customize and change the software to meet their needs. Teams can alter the software’s interface, add or remove features, combine it with other tools, and integrate it with their particular project management procedures to provide an agile workflow.
Thirdly, open source software encourages community-driven development and cooperation. Due to its open source nature, it invites developers worldwide to contribute to its improvement, resulting in a wide variety of viewpoints, quick problem fixes, and regular updates. Open source project management software is supported by a robust community that provides ongoing development, security upgrades, and access to copious documentation and support.
Open source project management software also encourages data ownership and accessibility. Open source software enables users to examine the source code, unlike proprietary software, which conceals its inner workings. This transparency promotes trust and gives businesses total control over their data and tools.
What are the Benefits of Using Open Source Project Management Software?
There are several advantages to using open source project management software. Some of them are as follows:
1. Minimizes Expenses
Open source solutions are readily transferable and compressed; it takes less hardware power to carry out the tasks, which means less to no costs in equipment.
2. Better Communication With Clients
A well designed yet straightforward dashboard will help communicate project progress to your clients, thus making it more efficient for you and making you look professionally clean.
3. Management Integration
Project management software uses technologies like a standard information model and web-based enterprise management. These high-end technologies enable companies to integrate and manage the work.
4. Outstanding Scheduling
Monitoring milestones will improve, especially when tasks assigned to different team members can be updated in real-time. That way, whenever one of the members gets free, you’ll know what the next job they need to be assigned without overburdening them with work.
5. Allows Easy Remote Working
An open source project management software can help boost remote work policy in your organization as all it requires to work through the software is a reliable internet connection.
What are the Crucial Features of Open Source Project Management Software?
Numerous aspects of open source project management software enable businesses and people to effectively plan, monitor, and collaborate on projects. Here are a few essential project management features you can expect project management tools open source to frequently have:
1. Reporting and Analytics
Open source project management tools provide reporting and analytics features that deliver insightful data on the status and performance of projects. Users can create individualized reports, monitor important indicators, and visualize data to improve project outcomes and make well-informed decisions.
2. Project Planning
For a project to be executed successfully, effective project planning is essential. To help users create thorough project plans, set deadlines, and allocate resources, open source software provides capabilities like Gantt charts, milestone tracking, and project scheduling.
3. Time Tracking
Open source programs frequently include time-tracking functionality to track and evaluate the time spent on various jobs and projects. This function helps with precise project timetable estimation, spotting potential bottlenecks, and boosting total output.
4. Extension and Integration
Open source project management software frequently supports integrations with additional services and tools, including version control platforms, issue-tracking devices, and customer relationship management (CRM) software. Due to this flexibility, users may optimize workflows and utilize pre-existing technologies in managing project ecosystems.
5. Document Management
For a project to be successful, centralized document management is necessary. Users of open source project management software can safely store, organize, and exchange project-related documents with the inclusion of document repositories or connections with well-known file-sharing services.
Top Open Source Project Management Software
Although many project management software options are available, many have high prices that may be prohibitive for startups, small businesses, or community-driven projects.
Free and open source project management software has become an attractive alternative, giving businesses affordable tools to improve collaboration, streamline workflows, and complete projects successfully. Let’s look at some of the top options.
Software Name | Free Trial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 14 days | Unlimited projects and tasks for up to 15 users | |
| 30 days | Unlimited users and projects | |
| 14 days | Unlimited projects and tasks for up to 3 users | |
| 30 days | Unlimited projects and tasks | |
| 14 days | Unlimited boards and lists for up to 10 users | |
| 14 days | Unlimited projects and tasks for up to 5 users | |
| 14 days | Unlimited projects and users | |
| 30 days | Unlimited projects and users | |
| 14 days | Unlimited projects and tasks for up to 10 users | |
| 14 days | Unlimited projects and tasks | |
| 30 days | Unlimited projects and tasks | |
| 14 days | Unlimited projects and tasks | |
| 14 days | Unlimited projects and tasks for up to 5 users | |
| 14 days | Unlimited projects and tasks for up to 10 users | |
| 14 days | Unlimited projects and tasks for up to 5 users |
1. Asana
Asana
Asana is a free and open source project management application that enables companies and ad agencies of any size, including freelancers, to manage tasks and projects. It is helpful for teams and companies that handle multiple projects simultaneously. It organizes everything from routine tasks to company goals all in one place. With Asana, companies can track their real-time progress.
Key features
- Automatic updates to emails and inbox
- Email bridge
- Notifications and reminders
- Custom calendar and views
- Set company goals and priorities
Pricing
For teams of up to 15 users, Asana is free. A free plan includes basic dashboards, unlimited tasks, projects, and conversations. The premium plan starts at $10.99/user, which is billed monthly.
Pros and Cons
- Teams can break down projects into milestones and tasks
- Ideal tool for both formal and informal communication
- Companies can delegate follow-up tasks to the members of the team
- It may seem unfriendly to new users because of its intimidating graphics and interface
- Too many features are not useful for small groups or single projects
- Comes with limited exporting functionality like JSON and CSV formats
2. Bitrix24
Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is one of those project management tools free open source that allows users to choose from its cloud-hosting or self-hosting options. It provides a platform for large and small businesses, even startups, to organize and track interactions with potential or existing clients and partners.
Video : Free Project Management – Copy workgroups and projects | Bitrix24 Workgroups
Key features
- Time management
- CRM report
- Recurring task management
- Sales funnel
- Calendar Sharing
Pricing
Bitrix24 comes with a free version and a free trial period. The paid version of Bitrix24 starts at $24.00 per month.
Pros and Cons
- Comes with stable, secure modules that allow manageable and secure connections
- Speeds up organizing and improving the entire business process
- Bitrix24’s library comes with WebDAV versions and other flexible features
- Beginners may find it challenging to understand the functionality of Bitrix24
- The support team sometimes lags in providing the necessary support to their clients
- Its mobile app functionality is limited
3. Freedcamp
Freedcamp
Freedcamp is ideal for companies that come in the category of small to medium-sized businesses. It has a fantastic user interface that displays a breathtaking design. Also, it offers unlimited project accounts to unlimited users with countless features. With all the help from Freedcamp in project management, it will be impossible not to find cracks that delay the operations.
Key features
- Time and expense tracking
- Kanban board
- Gantt charts
- Team collaboration tools
- Customizable templates
Pricing
Freedcamp comes with a free version and a free trial period. The paid version of Freedcamp starts at $1.49 per year per user.
Pros and Cons
- It has an impeccable bug tracker feature
- It is easy to set up and use
- It can help create custom fields and add a filtered view
- Not the right choice for large enterprises looking for more advanced functionalities
- Although it is an excellent choice for startups and freelancers, already-set-up companies may find it too basic
- The UI is not easy to follow
4. GanttProject
GanttProject
GanttProject is a top-rated free open source project management software that is well-known for its scheduling tool. Often compared with MS Project, GanttProject has many features and complexities that allow quick structured scheduling for all the team members and enable multi-project management.
Key features
- Resource load chart
- Task and resource management
- Milestone tracking
- Baseline and critical path analysis
- Export and import capabilities
Pricing
GanttProject comes with a free version and a free trial period. The paid version of the GanttProject starts at $5.00 as a one-time payment.
Pros and Cons
- Its charting designs are excellent
- It can be used on multiple platforms
- Gantt chart helps in different grouping tasks
- GanttProject is too complicated for larger projects
- It is not regularly updated
- Users may face minor bugs and some other issues
5. Trello
Trello
Trello is an open source free project management software that works on the principles of a Kanban system. The Kanban system is about lean scheduling, popularly followed in Japan’s manufacturing plants. In Trello, users can get to move representative task cards, which will eventually help them manage to make a graphic representation of the development stages of the project.
Key features
- In-line editing
- Labels and color coding
- Due dates and reminders
- Card records archive
- Drag-and-drop editing
Pricing
If you want to check out its premium plan, Trello has a free version and a free trial. The paid version costs around $12.50/month per user.
Pros and Cons
- Trello can be used on any screen size
- Its real-time updates are accurate and fast
- Adding a new member to the team is straightforward
- Trello does not support documents or Wiki
- Trello does not have a Gantt chart
- Has limited keyboard shortcuts, and keyboard productivity usage is restricted
6. 2-Plan
2-plan
2-Plan is a popular and easy-to-use open source project management software for project managers. 2-Plan is an enterprise-type management solution that offers three different programs with a web-based tool and several hosting options.
Key features
- Idea management
- Agile methodologies
- Time and expense tracking
- Milestone tracking
- Gantt charts
Pricing
2-Plan comes with a free version and a free trial period. The desktop version of the 2-plan starts at $12.00 as a one-time payment per user.
Pros and Cons
- It hits all the essential areas and provides excellent functionality
- Its Gantt view and time-tracking features are out of the ordinary
- It has a visible similarity to Microsoft Projects
- Companies need to pay extra to buy extra functionalities
- It does not come up with a cloud version
- Though it has an iPhone application, the Android app is unavailable to users
7. GitLab
GitLab
GitLab is a free and open source project management platform. It is free. It helps the software developers create and maintain codes collaboratively. The developers can deploy the application in the cloud or on-premise. GitLab provides a repository mirroring function that allows users to access a repository stored on another server.
Key features
- Version control
- Source control
- Code refactoring
- Git repository management
- Approval workflow
Pricing
GitLab comes with a free version and a free trial period. The paid version of GitLab starts at $4.00 per month per user.
Pros and Cons
- GitLab provides a secure environment for its users
- It comes with a great file management system
- GitLab builds better code and branches powerfully with Create
- The user interface is hard to use and master
- GitLab lacks some enterprise-level features
- It uses the same Markdown engine everywhere
8. OpenProject
OpenProject
OpenProject is an open source project management tool that supports the team throughout the project’s life cycle. The solution lets users collect ideas and define the scope and deliverables for the project. Users may use the list view to break down job packets and deliverables into projects and activities. Users can view multiple projects in a bar chart and point out project schedule changes.
Video : OpenProject – open source project management software
Key features
- Supports classic and agile project management
- Bug reporting
- Meeting management
- Cost reporting
- Time tracking
Pricing
OpenProject is free for the community. Its cloud-based software charges $5.55 per member/month, and its enterprise version charges $6.65 per member/month.
Pros and Cons
- It can be used from any operating system
- It provides all the necessary tools to have control over the task
- It follows up until the end of the project
- It comes with limited tools and functionalities
- Less flexible and hard to configure
- Technical knowledge required to install
9. OrangeScrum
OrangeScrum
OrangeScrum is easy, free, open source project management software for enterprises of all sizes. OrangeScrum allows companies to organize multi-functional ventures, teams, and activities, such as Gantt charts, time logs, Kanban view, daily catch-up, recurring tasks, project & task templates, invoicing, and more. It is an ideal choice for startups and medium-sized enterprises.
Video : Understanding Orangescrum Capabilities | Orangescrum Project Management Tool
Key features
- Agile methodologies
- Resource management
- Recurring task management
- Multiple billing rates
- Time tracking
Pricing
OrangeScrum comes with a free version and a free trial period. The paid version of OrangeScrum starts at $9.00 per month.
Pros and Cons
- Provides impressive features and add-ons to its users
- It has an easy-to-use interface in the initial period with a comfortable layout
- Gives a quick overview of task status and hours spent on a task
- Companies can see bugs in an old version of OrangeScrum
- Time tracking and user management features are not added to the base pack
- Limited functionality and features are available in the free version
10. ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre is an open source project management solution that offers Microsoft Project desktop alternatives. It helps teams to work with multi-projecting and global resource pools and handle projects. It provides products comprising ProjectLibre Cloud and ProjectLibre enterprise, mainly to sectors such as businesses, non-profits, and small agencies.
Key features
- Milestone tracking
- Agile methodologies
- Gantt chart
- PERT charts
- Earned value costing
Pricing
ProjectLibre offers a free version, while its paid version costs $1.00 monthly. It does not provide a free trial.
Pros and Cons
- It is an easy-to-use and cost-effective project management tool
- Helps its customers with videos and articles available online
- Handles task assignments and task scheduling with the utmost ease
- It is not made for newcomers
- The free version comes with minor glitches
- The user interface is outdated
11. Tuleap
Tuleap
Tuleap is an open source project management software with great features and a fantastic user interface. With Tuleap, teams plan releases and track tasks and issues. Moreover, Tuleap helps in workflow automation, building quality code, and managing integration.
Key features
- Built-in risk management system
- Test management
- Road map and release management
- Version control
- Agile planning
Pricing
Tuleap offers a free version while its paid version starts at $10.00 per month per user. It does also offer a free trial.
Pros and Cons
- The test module of Tuleap is straightforward to use
- Offers an excellent filter feature
- It is highly customizable and fits well with the team’s needs
- Seamless integration with third-party applications
- Does not offer many options for limiting its usage for teammates
- Tuleap does not provide easy integration
- Tuleap has weak cross-links between different projects
12. Phabricator
Phabricator
Phabricator is another open source project management software that helps manage tasks and sprints, review code, and much more. It is available in the cloud version and also has options to help with self-hosting.
Key features
- Reporting analysis
- Bug tracking management
- Testing management
- Prioritization
Pricing
Phabricator comes with a free version. The paid version of Phabricator starts at $20.00 per month per user.
Pros and Cons
- Publicly open about its coding for companies to study
- Fully-integrated set of tools for project development
- Helpful features for scheduling, graphics, and tasks
- Easy to navigate through the software
- Phabricator community is not as active as other software communities
- Product names are confusing and difficult to understand
- Beginners find it challenging to start with Phabricator, as the interface is not initiative
13. ClickUp
ClickUp
ClickUp is a free project management platform that creates one place for all your work. Visualize your projects with over 10 task views and additional features such as Goals, Docs, Reminders, and Task relationships. With 1,000+ integrations and a robust feature set, ClickUp is customizable for teams of any size.
Key features
- Task management
- Time tracking
- Reporting and analytics
- Document collaboration
- Goal tracking
Pricing
ClickUp’s Free Forever plan offers unlimited users and tasks with 100MB of storage space. The Unlimited Plan starts at $5 a month per user and gives you unlimited storage, views, integrations, dashboards, and the ability to invite other users and guests with permission.
Pros and Cons
- Customizable for teams of all sizes
- Offers an intuitive, user-friendly interface
- Seamless integration capabilities
- Efficient goal tracking and progress monitoring
- Can be intimidating when first getting started
- Not all features are available on Mobile
- Cannot export dashboards
14. Taiga
Taiga
Taiga is an effective project management solution to speed up teamwork and improve collaboration. Taiga enables teams and project managers to efficiently plan, monitor, and complete projects of any size. It combines an intuitive user interface with strong features to promote productivity, foster effective project delivery, and foster cooperation.
Key Features
- Project management
- Roadmap planning
- Sprint planning
- Burndown charts
- Issue tracking
Pricing
Taiga offers free plans for teams with basic capabilities through Taiga’s cloud basic and self-hosted tier. The Taiga cloud with a premium support plan starts at $70 monthly.
Pros and Cons
- An intuitive interface to minimize the learning curve
- Offers seamless integration with various tools
- It is sustainable and flexible for multiple industries
- Provides valuable insight for data-driven decisions
- The mobile app has limited features
- The app is not for beginners
- It offers limited third-party integrations
15. Leantime
Leantime
Lean teams and startups can use Leantime, an all-in-one project management solution. It offers a simple yet effective framework for managing projects, tasks, and resources effectively. Leantime assists teams in streamlining their workflows, cutting waste, and completing projects on schedule with its focus on lean principles and user-friendly features.
Key Features
- Kankan board
- Project budgeting
- Customer relationship management
- Document management
- Gantt charts
Pricing
Leantime provides choices hosted in the cloud. While the cloud-hosted growth plan begins at $4 per user, the cloud-hosted starter plan is free. The enterprise pricing tier offers a personalized pricing structure and more extensive features.
Pros and Cons
- Offers seamless integration with tools
- Allows customizable workflows
- Helps gain valuable insights
- Provides an intuitive interface
- Not a good option for beginners
- Limited advanced features
- Limited mobile app functionality
Summing Up
Finding the right management software to help cover all your requirements might seem like rocket science. Moreover, no perfect open source project management software will suffice all your needs within your budget. However, you can buy software close to your expectations by investing time and researching properly.
Go through all the projects mentioned above management software and analyze what they offer. If you have used any of this software, let us know your experience in the comment section below.
Also, see a helpful Project management guide for beginners.
Frequently Asked Questions
The principles of transparency and collaboration among communities guide using open source project management software. It permits unrestricted access to, using, modifying, and distributing the software's source code. A community of contributors works together to create and maintain the program, promoting innovation, customization, and ongoing development.
Yes, most open source project management software can be used without cost. Being open source, it enables users to view and alter the source code as necessary. This makes it possible for people and organizations to use the program without paying any licensing costs or having any usage limitations.
Follow these steps to begin using open source project management software:
- Determine your needs for project management.
- Select an appropriate open source program.
- Set up and configure the application.
- Examine its features and adjust as necessary.
- Start effectively managing your projects.
To ensure project success and community participation, managing an open source software project entails coordinating contributions, creating clear communication channels, allocating work, reviewing code, and cultivating a collaborative environment.
Focusing on accurate documentation, creating a warm and inclusive community, upholding a transparent development process, and ensuring efficient contributor engagement are essential in open source projects.
Priya is a seasoned writer with expertise in the SaaS industry. With over five years of experience in the field, she deeply understands the requirement of this specific industry, its techniques, and tools. Her articles, whitepapers, and blog posts are known for their clarity, practicality, and actionable insights. Priya also possesses in-depth knowledge of SEO and content marketing, which enables her to develop effective strategies to increase website traffic and improve brand visibility.
