What Is the Best Free MS Project Alternative You Can Self-Host in 2026?
The best free MS Project alternative for teams that want to avoid a subscription is a self-hosted tool you install on your own Windows machine under a perpetual licence, so there is no monthly per-user fee and no cloud account. Kendo Manager runs this way: a free tier covers 1 active project and 10 team members with every module included, and it installs in about five minutes on a Windows PC or server you already own.
Microsoft Project is sold as a per-user subscription, and its on-premise and hosted editions are being retired — Project Server 2019 reached end of support on 14 July 2026 and Project Online is scheduled to retire on 30 September 2026 — which is pushing teams to look for a replacement that they own outright rather than rent. This page explains what “free” actually means across the alternatives, what the Kendo Manager free tier includes, how it compares with Microsoft Project on cost, and how to move off Project Server or Project Online.
What does “free” actually mean across MS Project alternatives?
“Free” splits into three different models across MS Project alternatives, and they are not equally free once a team grows. A free trial expires; an open-source tool is free to license but needs a server and technical setup; a free tier is permanently free within set limits. Knowing which one you are looking at matters more than the word itself.
| “Free” model | What it really means | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | Full features for a limited time | Payment starts when the trial ends |
| Open-source | Free licence, self-hosted | Needs a server, often Linux/Docker setup |
| Free tier | Permanently free within limits | Capped users or projects |
Kendo Manager is the third kind — a permanently free tier, self-hosted, with the difference that it installs on a Windows machine without Docker or Linux, so the usual open-source setup barrier does not apply.
What does the Kendo Manager free tier include?
The Kendo Manager free tier is permanently free under a perpetual licence and includes 1 active project and 10 team members with every application feature switched on — not a trial, and not a stripped-down preview. Everything the paid tiers do, the free tier does, within those two limits.
| Free tier | Included |
|---|---|
| Active projects | 1 active project |
| Team members | Up to 10 |
| Application options | All features included |
| Technical support | Included |
| Control | Full control of the install |
| Access | Mobile-ready, browser-based |
| Licence | Perpetual, zero cost |
What happens when a team outgrows the free tier?
When a team outgrows the free tier, the move to a paid version is a one-click upgrade that keeps every existing project file — nothing is exported, migrated, or rebuilt. A team that passes 10 users or needs a second active project simply unlocks a higher tier and continues in the same install, which removes the usual fear that a free tool becomes a dead end once the team grows.
Paid tiers scale from Startup $749 to Professional $6,299 (unlimited users); see the full Kendo Manager prices.
How does a free MS Project alternative compare with Microsoft Project on cost?
A free self-hosted alternative avoids Microsoft Project’s per-user monthly billing entirely, which is where the long-term cost difference comes from. Microsoft Project Plan 3 is billed per user every month, so a growing team pays more each time it hires; a perpetual-licence tool is paid once, and the free tier costs nothing until the team passes its limits.
| Kendo Manager | Microsoft Project | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | Free (1 project, 10 users) | Paid subscription only |
| Billing | One-time perpetual licence | Per user, per month |
| Hosting | Your Windows machine | Microsoft cloud |
| Data location | Your server | Vendor cloud |
| Install | One-click, ~5 minutes | Desktop client or cloud setup |
How do you replace MS Project Server or Project Online for free?
Replacing MS Project Server or Project Online means moving to a tool that keeps your project data in-house without the Microsoft server stack, and a free self-hosted tier lets you do that at no software cost. Project Server 2019 reached end of extended support in July 2026, and Project Server Subscription Edition now installs only inside SharePoint Server Subscription Edition Enterprise and requires SQL Server — a three-server stack. Project Online retires on 30 September 2026. Kendo Manager replaces both on a single Windows machine using IIS and the free MariaDB database, so a team leaving Microsoft keeps its work in-house without rebuilding a SharePoint farm or paying a subscription. Existing Microsoft Project files are not read natively, but a .mpp import can be arranged on request — worth raising with support before you move.
The migration path is detailed on our on-premise project management software page and in how to start a company project server without MS Project Server.
How quickly can you install a free MS Project alternative?
Kendo Manager installs in about five minutes with a one-click installer on a Windows machine you already own, with no Docker, no Linux, and no database administrator — unlike open-source alternatives such as OpenProject, which expect a Linux server and PostgreSQL. It runs on Windows 10 and 11 or Windows Server 2019, 2022, and 2025, using IIS and MariaDB, and it is reached through a browser from any device once installed.
Setup steps are in the Kendo Manager installation guide for Windows. For the wider category, see self-hosted project management.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a genuinely free alternative to Microsoft Project?
Yes — Kendo Manager offers a permanently free tier under a perpetual licence, covering 1 active project and 10 team members with all features included, self-hosted on your own Windows machine. It is free within those limits rather than a time-limited trial.
Can a free MS Project alternative open .mpp files?
Kendo Manager does not read Microsoft Project .mpp files natively at this time, but a .mpp import can be arranged on request, so a team with existing Microsoft Project files can ask about migrating them rather than rebuilding plans by hand. If carrying over .mpp files matters for your switch, raise it with support before you start so the import can be set up.
Do I need a server to run a free self-hosted alternative?
You need a Windows machine, but not a dedicated server — Kendo Manager runs on a standard Windows 10 or 11 workstation for a small team, or on a Windows Server, VPS, or Azure VM for wider access. It uses IIS and MariaDB, both of which the machine can host without extra infrastructure.
Is the free tier really free, or a trial?
The free tier is permanently free, not a trial — it runs under a perpetual licence with no expiry, capped at 1 active project and 10 team members. Upgrading later is a one-click move that keeps all existing project files.
What is the best free MS Project alternative for a small team?
For a small team that wants to avoid subscriptions, a self-hosted free tier on Windows is usually the best fit because it costs nothing, keeps data in-house, and installs in minutes. Kendo Manager’s free tier suits teams up to 10 users running a single active project.
