monday.com alternatives: 8 open-source picks
monday.com costs $12/mo — $144 a year. These 8 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Budibase, Teable and Leantime. All 8 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Configurable data, forms, views, approvals, and automations in one box; you supply the box
Airtable-shaped tables, forms, kanban, and automation; AI is where the upsell begins
Goal-oriented project management suite designed for non-PM and ADHD-friendly workflows
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Open-source project management with issues, cycles, and product roadmaps
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Kanban and project boards, a Trello/Notion-boards alternative from Mattermost
licenseMIT/AGPL dual
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Full-featured classic and agile project management with gantt and cost tracking
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Realtime kanban board that feels exactly like Trello, on your own server.
licenseFair Use (source available)
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Self-hosted to-do and task management with lists, gantt, and kanban views
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Budibase · Teable · Leantime · Plane · Focalboard · OpenProject
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
the usual suspects · recommended everywhere, rejected here
BaserowThe free edition stops at grid, gallery, and form views; kanban and timeline are paid
how to choose a monday.com alternative
Easiest to get running
Focalboard — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Plane, with 55,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 8, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Needs real ops to self-host
OpenProject is capable but expects someone to run a server, updates and backups. Budget for that before choosing it.
what you give up by leaving monday.com
- flexible data model, integrations, templates, dashboards, and enterprise governance
- deep integrations
- enterprise permissions
- large-scale reporting
- battle-tested notifications and mobile apps
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
monday.com alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budibase | open source | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 28,000 | 2026-08 |
| Teable | open source | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 21,300 | 2026-08 |
| Leantime | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 11,000 | 2026-08 |
| Plane | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 55,000 | 2026-08 |
| Focalboard | MIT/AGPL dual | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 26,000 | 2026-08 |
| OpenProject | GPL-3.0 | self-host, real ops | self-hosted, web | 11,000 | 2026-08 |
| Planka | Fair Use (source available) | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 10,000 | 2026-08 |
| Vikunja | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 5,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for monday.com
People still pay for monday.com because teams pay because project state has to remain authoritative through staff changes, outages, and years of accumulated workflow exceptions. The recurring cost buys auth, permissions, notifications, search, migrations, audit history, integrations, backups, and uptime, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $144 a year.
questions about switching from monday.com
Is there an open-source alternative to monday.com?
Yes: Budibase, Teable, Leantime and 5 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace monday.com?
Our verdict is YES. Plane (55k stars), Budibase (28k stars), Focalboard (26k stars) are mature open-source replacements for monday.com — self-host with docker and stop paying $12/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/monday-com.
What is the easiest open-source monday.com alternative to set up?
Focalboard — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source monday.com alternative?
By GitHub stars, Plane (55,000). Budibase is next with 28,000.
