OpenProject vs Redmine (2026)
A side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, licensing, and self-hosting.
Bottom line: choose OpenProject if you want real interactive Gantt charts and a more modern (if still dense) UI; choose Redmine if you want the longest production track record and the deepest third-party plugin ecosystem.
OpenProject, forked from ChiliProject in 2012, is the most enterprise-oriented open-source PM tool available — drag-and-drop Gantt editing, agile boards, budgeting, and LDAP/SAML support for formal governance, all under GPL-3.0. Some governance and reporting features are reserved for the paid Enterprise on-premises add-on, and its Ruby on Rails stack is noticeably heavier to run than newer Go/Node tools in this category.
Redmine has been in continuous production use since 2006, making it the most battle-tested tool in this entire category, with an enormous plugin ecosystem covering agile boards, time-and-billing, and helpdesk workflows built up over nearly two decades. Its core has no built-in kanban board at all — you need a plugin for that — and the interface is more dated and configuration-heavy than OpenProject's. Its own bug tracker lives on a self-hosted Subversion server, not GitHub, reflecting how long the project predates modern Git-based workflows.
For teams that specifically need real Gantt-chart planning and don't mind the Rails footprint, OpenProject is the more capable modern option. For IT departments that prioritize long-term stability and plugin depth above all else, Redmine's track record is unmatched.
OpenProject
Open-source project management with Gantt charts, agile boards, and enterprise governance.
Pros
- Genuinely strong Gantt/roadmap view — rare in open-source PM tools
- Mature permissions model suited to regulated or public-sector teams
- Free Community edition has no user limit when self-hosted
Cons
- Ruby on Rails stack feels heavier and slower than newer Node/Go tools
- UI is dense and has a steeper learning curve than Plane or Asana
Redmine
Long-running open-source project management and issue tracker built on Ruby on Rails.
Pros
- Extremely mature and stable — running in production since 2006
- Enormous third-party plugin and theme ecosystem
- Free GPL-2.0 license with no paid tier or feature gate whatsoever
Cons
- UI is dated and configuration-heavy compared to modern tools
- No native kanban board in core — requires a plugin (e.g., Backlogs or Agile plugin)
OpenProject vs Redmine: spec comparison
| Spec | OpenProject | Redmine |
|---|---|---|
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | Free / self-host | Free / self-host |
| Pricing model | open-core | free |
| Language | Ruby | Ruby |
| Platforms | web, self-hosted, docker | web, self-hosted, docker |
| Founded | 2012 | 2006 |
| GitHub stars | 15,455 | 5,965 |
FAQ
OpenProject vs Redmine: which is better?
Neither is universally better. OpenProject (Free / self-host) suits Larger or public-sector teams that need real Gantt charts and formal governance controls.; Redmine (Free / self-host) suits IT departments and long-lived enterprise teams that value stability and plugin depth over modern UI.. The spec table above breaks down the differences.
Is OpenProject or Redmine cheaper?
Both start at the same price (Free / self-host).