Best OpenProject alternatives: free, open source and hosted Gantt tools

How do the alternatives compare?

The table lines the tools up on the two things OpenProject users ask first, whether it is open source and where it runs, then the scheduling depth and the price. Subscription prices use annual billing unless stated otherwise. OmniPlan Pro features and the GanttPRO team-size rate are qualified in the price column.

What should an alternative keep, and what can it drop?

Decide first whether open source is a requirement or a preference. If a licence or a procurement rule says the code must be open and the data must stay on your hardware, the field is GanttProject, ProjectLibre and Redmine, and the question becomes desktop or server. If open source was simply how you ended up with a free tool, the hosted options are back in play and most of the maintenance disappears.

Then check the things that separate these tools in daily use:

• Hosting: a desktop file, a server you run, or a service someone else runs.
• Gantt depth: dependencies that move later tasks automatically, critical path, and baselines if you report against a plan.
• Work breakdown: whether tasks nest into phases and summary rows, which OpenProject users tend to rely on.
• Collaboration: whether several people edit one live plan, or one person owns a file.
• Export and handoff: PDF and image for sharing, Microsoft Project XML or Excel for moving the plan again later.
• Price model: free, a one-time licence, per user, or a flat fee per account, and whether there is a seat minimum.

Which tools can replace OpenProject?

The entries are grouped by where the work lives: desktop open source, a self-hosted web app, hosted schedulers and a native Mac app.

Desktop open source: Keep files locally without running a server.

1. GanttProject - free open-source desktop Gantt chart

GanttProject is a focused open-source alternative to OpenProject: a free desktop application for Windows, macOS and Linux that does Gantt scheduling and very little else. Tasks nest into a work breakdown, dependencies link them, milestones mark the dates that matter, and a resource chart shows who is loaded when. It has been in active development since 2003, runs entirely offline with the plan stored on your own disk, and there is no account, no server and no subscription anywhere in it.

It exchanges files with Microsoft Project, reading MPX, MPP and XML and writing XML, which is more than OpenProject offers in the free edition. What it does not do is collaborate: one file, one editor at a time, unless you add GanttProject Cloud, an optional pay-as-you-go service that the developers describe as adding team collaboration without a monthly subscription. The interface is plain and the feature list is deliberately short, which may suit a team that needs scheduling without a wider work-management system.

• Best for: individuals and small teams that want an open-source Gantt chart they own, with nothing to host.
• Pricing: Free, open source, no subscription. GanttProject Cloud is optional and pay-as-you-go, with no credit card to sign up and no published per-seat figure.
• Lives in: a file on your computer; exports Microsoft Project XML, PDF and images.
• Rating: 4.2/5 on Capterra (175 reviews), 4.3/5 on G2 (69 reviews)

Pros

• Free and open source with no server to run.
• Reads MPX, MPP and XML; writes Microsoft Project XML.
• Focused on Gantt scheduling rather than a wider work platform.

Cons

• One editor per file unless you pay for the cloud add-on.
• No boards, time tracking or budgets.
• The interface looks its age.

What users say about GanttProject

2. ProjectLibre - free open-source scheduler with the full classic toolkit

ProjectLibre is the other free, open-source desktop scheduler, and it goes deeper than GanttProject. It is built as a direct Microsoft Project replacement, so alongside the Gantt chart and work breakdown structure you get critical path and float, project calendars, baselines and constraints, resources and costs, and earned value, all on Windows, macOS and Linux. For an OpenProject user who leaned on baselines and budgets, this is the free tool that keeps them.

It is single-user by design. ProjectLibre's own description is one person managing individual project files locally, and that is how to think of it: a local planning tool rather than a shared web workspace. There is a separate ProjectLibre Cloud for teams, with a 7-day trial, but no published price. The interface is the Project interface of a decade ago, which is comfortable for people who know Project and a learning curve for people who do not.

• Best for: a planner who wants Project-grade scheduling, baselines and costs for free and does not need live collaboration.
• Pricing: Desktop app free and open source, no subscription. ProjectLibre Cloud is a separate hosted product with a 7-day free trial and no published price.
• Lives in: a file on your computer; opens Microsoft Project files and saves its own project format; check export formats before planning a return to Project.
• Rating: 4.4/5 on Capterra (43 reviews), 4.2/5 on G2 (36 reviews)

Pros

• Critical path, baselines, constraints and earned value, free.
• Opens Microsoft Project files directly.
• Runs on all three desktop platforms.

Cons

• Single user, file based; no shared live plan.
• Steeper to learn than a lightweight tool.
• The cloud edition has no published price.

What users say about ProjectLibre

Self-hosted collaboration: Keep a shared web app and responsibility for its hosting.

3. Redmine - the lighter open-source web app OpenProject grew out of

Redmine is the open-source, self-hosted web application that OpenProject started from, and it is an option for a team that must self-host an open-source tool but wants something smaller to run. It tracks issues per project with trackers, statuses and workflows, has a Gantt chart and a calendar built in, supports multiple projects and sub-projects, and adds wikis, forums, time tracking and a large plugin ecosystem. It runs on Ruby on Rails, so it needs a server and someone who can look after one, but you should compare its setup and plugin requirements with your existing installation.

Redmine shows issues and their relations on a Gantt chart. Linked dates can affect following issues, but the core product has no critical-path view or baseline comparison, and you do not drag bars to schedule work there. Compare Redmine and OpenProject if issue workflows matter more than interactive scheduling.

• Best for: technical teams that must self-host open source and want issue tracking first, with a basic Gantt view second.
• Pricing: Free and open source; you supply and run the server. Third-party hosting is available from several providers at their own prices.
• Lives in: your own server; exports issue lists to CSV and PDF, and the Gantt chart to PDF and PNG.
• Rating: 4.1/5 on Capterra (177 reviews), 4.0/5 on G2 (258 reviews)

Pros

• Open source and self-hosted, with a smaller footprint than OpenProject.
• Mature issue tracking, wikis, time tracking and plugins.
• Multi-project and sub-project structure built in.

Cons

• No critical-path view, built-in baseline comparison or drag-to-schedule Gantt bars.
• Still a server to install, secure and upgrade.
• Looks dated next to OpenProject's interface.

What users say about Redmine

Hosted scheduling: Use a browser service without maintaining the server.

4. Ganttile - free hosted Gantt chart, nothing to install

Ganttile is our free online Gantt chart, and its angle against OpenProject is the opposite of the two tools above: instead of a file you own, it is a service you open. There is nothing to install, no server to patch and no seat minimum. Tasks nest into phases, dependencies move later work when earlier work slips, milestones mark the dates that matter, and the critical path is calculated for you. There is no task cap and no per-user licence, and several projects can share one chart.

It is not open source and it does not self-host, so if either of those is a requirement, stop here and look at GanttProject, ProjectLibre or Redmine. It also has no baselines, no resource leveling, no budgets and no time tracking, so check whether any of those are part of your current workflow. Exports cover PDF, PNG, Excel and Microsoft Project XML, so a plan can move on to Project or to any tool on this page that reads XML; there is no import, so a plan comes in by being typed. When a team needs boards, comments and reporting around the timeline, the same chart is built into Breeze.

• Best for: small teams that wanted OpenProject's Gantt chart without the server, and do not need open source.
• Pricing: Free, every feature included, unlimited projects and tasks.
• Lives in: the browser, hosted; exports PDF, PNG, Excel and Microsoft Project XML; no import.

Pros

• Free with no task limit, no seat minimum and nothing to install or maintain.
• Dependencies, automatic scheduling and critical path in the browser.
• Microsoft Project XML export for moving the plan on later.

Cons

• Not open source and not self-hosted.
• No baselines, budgets, time tracking or resource leveling.
• No import; an OpenProject plan is rebuilt rather than loaded.

Why teams pick Ganttile

5. TeamGantt - hosted Gantt chart that is easy for everyone

TeamGantt is the hosted Gantt tool for a team that found OpenProject too much and wants the opposite experience: drag tasks onto a timeline, link them, mark progress, and share the live schedule with anyone through a link. It has baselines and critical path for the people who report drift, it imports Microsoft Project files with task names, dependencies, dates and percent complete, with a drag-and-drop interface. Our TeamGantt alternatives page covers where it runs out.

TeamGantt charges per account and project allowance rather than per user. Base includes five projects, one manager and 150 tasks per project. Business starts with five projects, unlimited managers and collaborators, and 500 tasks per project; additional projects cost extra.

• Best for: teams that want a friendly shared Gantt chart stakeholders can open as a live link.
• Pricing: Flat fees per account. Base $59 a month ($590 a year) for 5 projects, 1 manager, 10 collaborators and 150 tasks per project; Business from $120 a month ($1,140 a year) for 5 projects with unlimited managers and collaborators and 500 tasks per project, plus a charge per extra project; Builder Edition from $199 a month for construction teams. 14-day free trial on every plan, card required.
• Lives in: the browser, hosted; exports PDF, with a live share link for viewers.
• Rating: 4.6/5 on Capterra (204 reviews), 4.8/5 on G2 (895 reviews)

Pros

• Drag-and-drop task and dependency editing.
• Live share link for people without an account.
• No per-seat pricing and no seat minimum.

Cons

• Project and task caps on every plan.
• Not open source and not self-hostable.
• Reporting stays basic as programs grow.

What users say about TeamGantt

6. GanttPRO - hosted scheduler with baselines on every plan

GanttPRO is the hosted tool that keeps most of OpenProject's scheduling depth while dropping the hosting. Even its cheapest plan has auto scheduling, dependencies, critical path, milestones and baselines, so the planned-versus-actual view that OpenProject puts behind Enterprise is included from the start. Workload management, portfolios, reports, budgets and time tracking arrive on the Business plan, which is roughly where OpenProject's Premium tier sits in scope. It imports Microsoft Project files and exports PDF, PNG and Excel. Our GanttPRO alternatives page goes into its limits.

It is priced per user and billed annually, with the list prices quoted for a 20-member team and small teams paying a little more per seat, and there is no free plan. Unlike OpenProject there is no seat minimum on the standard plans, so a team of three pays for three. It is proprietary and hosted, so it is for the OpenProject user who has decided the licence does not matter and the planning depth does.

• Best for: teams that want OpenProject-level scheduling, baselines included, as a hosted service with no seat minimum.
• Pricing: No free plan, 14-day free trial. Core $7, Advanced $10 and Business $17 per user per month billed annually at the default 20-member team size; Enterprise listed at $30 with a $20 offer, per user per month billed annually. Baselines, critical path, dependencies and auto scheduling are on every plan.
• Lives in: the browser, hosted; imports Microsoft Project files, exports PDF, PNG and Excel.
• Rating: 4.8/5 on Capterra (560 reviews), 4.8/5 on G2 (590 reviews)

Pros

• Baselines, critical path and auto scheduling on the cheapest plan.
• No seat minimum; a small team pays for its own size.
• Interactive scheduling with baselines on every plan.

Cons

• Per-user pricing and no free plan.
• Not open source and not self-hostable.
• Exports are functional rather than presentation-styled.

What users say about GanttPRO

Native Mac scheduling: Use a desktop app when local files and Mac workflows matter.

7. OmniPlan - native Mac scheduler you buy once

OmniPlan is The Omni Group's project scheduler for Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Vision Pro, and it belongs on an OpenProject list for one kind of user: the Mac-based planner who wants the depth of OpenProject's scheduling in an app that is theirs, with no server and no subscription if they prefer not to have one. It handles dependencies and critical path, holds multiple baselines, pulls in team calendars to avoid double booking, flags scheduling violations and suggests fixes, and on the Pro side adds multi-project dashboards, Monte Carlo simulation of completion dates and earned value analysis.

It is not open source and it is not a web app. The plan is a file on your Mac, shared through Omni's sync and publishing rather than a browser page, and people without OmniPlan see an export. Microsoft Project import and export of .mpp and .xml files is a Pro feature, which matters if your plans need to move again later. Compare its one-time licence or subscription with the features you need; a desktop licence and a team subscription cover different arrangements.

• Best for: Mac project managers who want baselines, critical path and earned value in a native app they own.
• Pricing: OmniPlan 4 Standard $199.99 one-time and Pro $399.99 one-time, both universal purchases covering Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Vision Pro with all 4.x updates; or $199.99 a year for a subscription to the Pro version. 14-day free trial, 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Lives in: a file on your Mac; Pro imports and exports Microsoft Project .mpp and .xml.
• Rating: 4.3/5 on Capterra (19 reviews), 4.5/5 on G2 (15 reviews)

Pros

• Native Mac, iPad and iPhone apps with offline files.
• Baselines, critical path and violation checks, plus Monte Carlo and earned value on Pro.
• A one-time licence instead of a subscription, if you prefer.

Cons

• Mac and iOS only; not open source.
• Microsoft Project files need the Pro licence.
• Single-user desktop; no browser view for stakeholders.

What users say about OmniPlan

When is staying with OpenProject the better choice?

Keep OpenProject on the shortlist if you need self-hosting, open-source code, budgets, issue tracking and project workflows together. A lighter scheduler can reduce setup while also removing features you rely on.

Community has no licence fee or user limit, but someone must manage installation, backups and upgrades. Without an owner for that work, compare a desktop tool or hosted service. A small team with those skills and requirements can still be a good fit for OpenProject.

What does OpenProject cost today?

OpenProject Community is free and self-hosted with no user minimum. Paid Enterprise plans offer cloud hosting or an on-premises licence. Basic starts at five users in the cloud and 25 on-premises; higher support levels have larger minimums.

Prices are per user per month on a yearly subscription, in euros or US dollars. Month-to-month billing costs an extra €1.00 per user, the BIM add-on is another €1.00 per user, and longer terms earn free months: five months free on a two-year term, rising to fifteen free months on five years. There is a 14-day cloud trial and a 14-day trial licence key for upgrading a self-hosted Community install, and discounts for educational institutions and NGOs on request.

Community baseline comparison is limited to yesterday, while Gantt PDF export, the team planner and several administration features require Enterprise. Ten cloud Basic users cost €59.50 or $72.50 a month on annual billing. The same team buying Basic for its own server pays the 25-seat minimum. Compare the feature need and hosting cost, not just the advertised per-user rate.

Estimate the migration with one plan

Export the OpenProject work-package list and rebuild one representative plan in two suitable tools. Check the hierarchy, dependencies, dates and the way colleagues will update it. None of the tools here directly restores an OpenProject export as a complete plan, so use that exercise to estimate migration work.

Compare free Gantt tools if price is the main constraint. Mac users can also compare the file and scheduling routes in Project for Mac.