What Are the Best Free Self-Hosted Project Management Tools in 2026?
The best free self-hosted project management tools in 2026 are the ones you can install on your own server at no licence cost — a mix of open-source options like Redmine, OpenProject, Taiga, and Leantime, plus commercial tools with a permanently free tier such as Kendo Manager. All of them keep your project data on hardware you control; where they differ is the setup effort and what “free” actually covers.
This matters because “free” and “self-hosted” hide a lot of variation. An open-source tool is free to license but usually needs Linux, a database engine, and sometimes Docker; a free tier is free within user or project limits but installs in minutes. This guide compares the leading free self-hosted tools, shows what each one needs to run, and explains where Kendo Manager’s free tier fits.
What makes a project management tool “free” and “self-hosted”?
A tool is free and self-hosted when you can install it on your own server without paying a licence fee, keeping all project data inside your network. But two tools that are both “free self-hosted” can demand very different effort: an open-source tool is free to license yet needs technical setup, while a commercial free tier is limited in users or projects but installs quickly and comes with support.
Which free self-hosted project management tools are worth comparing?
Six tools cover most of the free self-hosted market, and the deciding factor between them is almost always the setup stack rather than the feature list. The table below shows what each one needs to run — the single biggest difference for a team without a dedicated server administrator.
| Tool | Free model | Stack to run it | Docker? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kendo Manager | Free tier (1 project, 10 users) | Windows + IIS + MariaDB | No |
| OpenProject | Open-source (Community) | Linux + PostgreSQL | Optional |
| Redmine | Open-source | Ruby + database | No |
| Taiga | Open-source | Linux + Docker | Yes |
| Leantime | Open-source | LAMP (Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP) | Optional |
| Plane | Open-source | Docker | Yes |
The pattern is clear: most free self-hosted tools assume a Linux server and, often, Docker. Kendo Manager is the outlier that runs on Windows with components the machine already has.
What is the difference between open-source and free-tier self-hosted tools?
Open-source tools are free to license with no user cap but require you to build and maintain the server stack, while free-tier tools cap users or projects but install quickly and include vendor support. Which is “more free” depends on what your team has more of — technical time, or the need for a simple install.
| Open-source | Free tier (Kendo) | |
|---|---|---|
| User limit | Unlimited | 10 users, 1 active project |
| Setup | Manual, often Linux/Docker | One-click on Windows, ~5 min |
| Support | Community forums | Vendor technical support |
| Upgrade | Stay on community edition | One-click, keeps all files |
For the wider category and how self-hosting works, see our guide to self-hosted project management.
What does the Kendo Manager free tier include?
The Kendo Manager free tier is permanently free under a perpetual licence and covers 1 active project and 10 team members with every application feature included — not a trial, and not a limited preview. It installs on a Windows machine you already own, so the usual open-source setup barrier does not apply.
| Free tier | Included |
|---|---|
| Active projects | 1 active project |
| Team members | Up to 10 |
| Features | Gantt, Kanban, tasks, resources, cost tracking — all included |
| Technical support | Included |
| Access | Browser-based, mobile-ready |
| Licence | Perpetual, zero cost |
Which free self-hosted tool is easiest to install?
Kendo Manager is the easiest of the free self-hosted tools to install because it runs on Windows with a one-click installer and needs no Docker, Linux, or database administrator — where OpenProject, Taiga, and Plane expect a Linux server and, in several cases, Docker. It uses IIS and the free MariaDB database, both hosted on Windows 10, 11, or Server, and is reached through a browser once installed.
Setup steps are in the Kendo Manager installation guide for Windows.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free self-hosted project management tool?
The best free self-hosted tool depends on your team’s technical capacity: open-source options like OpenProject or Redmine suit teams comfortable with Linux, while Kendo Manager’s free tier suits teams that want a quick Windows install with support. All keep data on your own server.
Is there a free self-hosted tool that doesn’t need Linux or Docker?
Yes — Kendo Manager runs on Windows using IIS and MariaDB, with no Linux or Docker required, which sets it apart from most open-source self-hosted tools. It installs in about five minutes on a Windows PC or server.
How many users does the free self-hosted tier support?
Kendo Manager’s free tier supports up to 10 team members and 1 active project, with all features included. Passing those limits is a one-click upgrade that keeps every existing project file.
Are open-source self-hosted tools really free?
Open-source self-hosted tools are free to license with no user cap, but running one has real costs in server setup and maintenance time, especially where Linux or Docker is required. The licence is free; the operational effort is not.
Can free self-hosted tools be accessed remotely?
Yes — a free self-hosted tool hosted on a VPS or cloud VM with a public address and SSL is reachable through a browser from anywhere, while the data stays on infrastructure you control. Kendo Manager works this way on a Windows VPS or Azure VM.
