Shortcut alternatives: 8 open-source picks
Shortcut costs $10/mo — $120 a year. These 8 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Plane, OpenProject and Redmine. All 8 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Linear-and-Jira-shaped work tracking without the subscription; the stack behind it is not small
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup, or the official Docker/Kubernetes self-hosting stack
dataSelf-hosted Plane keeps workspaces, projects, work items, users, comments, and settings in PostgreSQL; attachments, images, and exports live in MinIO or another S3-compatible object store, with RabbitMQ and optional OpenSearch alongside them. Plane Cloud stores the equivalent data in Plane's infrastructure.
the catch vs ShortcutPlane covers stories, cycles, modules, and roadmaps, but its self-hosted stack is heavier and its engineering integrations and iteration workflow are less proven than Shortcut's.
setupSelf-hosting is a multi-service deployment: Docker or Kubernetes plus PostgreSQL, RabbitMQ, object storage, a domain, TLS, and usually email configuration.
facts verified 2026-08-10
The enterprise project suite; free in money, expensive in menus
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted Enterprise Cloud signup, or Community Edition via Docker Compose/all-in-one Docker or supported Linux packages
dataSelf-hosted application data lives in PostgreSQL; uploaded attachments live on a persistent filesystem volume or configured S3-compatible object storage, while configuration and any linked repositories must be backed up separately. Cloud data lives in OpenProject's hosted infrastructure.
the catch vs ShortcutOpenProject's enterprise project machinery is slower and less engineering-focused than Shortcut's lightweight stories, iterations, roadmaps, and developer integrations.
setupThe free Community Edition needs a Linux server; the recommended Docker setup still requires persistent database/file volumes, a hostname, TLS, and mail configuration.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Project tracking, time sheets, Gantt, and wikis from the era when software admitted it needed configuration
licenseGPL-2.0+
runsyour server
installInstall the Ruby on Rails application against PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, or SQLite; packaged containers/appliances are third-party conveniences
dataIssues, users, projects, time entries, and configuration live in the configured SQL database; uploaded attachments live as files in Redmine's `files` directory.
the catch vs ShortcutRedmine can track issues but does not reproduce Shortcut's modern iteration planning, roadmap visualization, Git workflow, analytics, or keyboard-speed UX.
setupThe official install is a real Rails deployment, Ruby and gem versions, database creation, migrations, a production web server, email, backups, and upgrades are all the operator's job.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Proper Scrum and kanban, with a cleaner UI and a stack that still wants a real admin
licenseMPL-2.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted Taiga signup, or the official multi-container Docker Compose production stack
dataA self-hosted deployment stores application data in PostgreSQL, messages/events in RabbitMQ, and uploaded media in persistent volumes or configured storage; hosted workspaces live in Taiga's cloud.
the catch vs ShortcutTaiga handles Scrum well but has weaker roadmaps, cross-project reporting, Git integrations, automation, and product-planning depth than Shortcut.
setupProduction self-hosting is not one container: it needs Docker/Compose familiarity, several Taiga services, PostgreSQL, RabbitMQ, environment files, a reverse proxy, TLS, and email settings.
facts verified 2026-08-10
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
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
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: Plane · OpenProject · Focalboard · Leantime
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
how to choose a Shortcut alternative
Easiest to get running
Focalboard — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Plane, with 55,600 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 8, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Needs real ops to self-host
Plane, Redmine and Taiga are capable but expect someone to run a server, updates and backups. Budget for that before choosing one.
what you give up by leaving Shortcut
- Git integrations, reporting, collaboration, and mature agile project semantics
- 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.
Shortcut alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plane | AGPL-3.0 | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 55,600 | 2026-08 |
| OpenProject | GPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 15,200 | 2026-08 |
| Redmine | GPL-2.0+ | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 6,000 | 2026-08 |
| Taiga | MPL-2.0 | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 844 | 2026-08 |
| Focalboard | MIT/AGPL dual | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 26,000 | 2026-08 |
| Leantime | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | 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 Shortcut
People still pay for Shortcut 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 $120 a year.
questions about switching from Shortcut
Is there an open-source alternative to Shortcut?
Yes: Plane, OpenProject, Redmine and 5 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Shortcut?
Our verdict is YES. Plane (56k stars), Focalboard (26k stars), OpenProject (15k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Shortcut — self-host with real ops work and stop paying $10/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/shortcut.
What is the easiest open-source Shortcut alternative to set up?
Focalboard — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Shortcut alternative?
By GitHub stars, Plane (55,600). Focalboard is next with 26,000.
