10 best project management software for Linux

Robot wizard organizing tasks for a Linux project management software comparison.

Linux users can choose from desktop applications, self-hosted web platforms, and hosted services that run in a browser. The right fit depends less on Linux itself than on how you work: do you need a detailed project schedule, a shared team workspace, an agile board, or a simple way to keep tasks moving?

Project management software helps turn a goal into organized work. It can break a project into tasks, assign owners, set dates and milestones, show dependencies, and keep notes and files alongside the work. Some tools also track time, budgets, workloads, or project risks.

People use these tools to plan software releases, coordinate events, manage client work, organize research, schedule construction, or keep a household move on track. A shared task list makes it easier to see who is doing what and what is late. A timeline can reveal dependencies and bottlenecks before they become missed deadlines. Keeping discussions and project details in one place can also reduce the time spent searching through email and chat.

These tools don't manage a project by themselves. They give people a shared picture of the work, so it's easier to plan, coordinate, and adjust when things change.

First, what does "for Linux" mean?

Not every tool here installs on your Linux desktop. Some do, like ProjectLibre Desktop and GanttProject. Others run on a server you manage, such as OpenProject, Redmine, Taiga, Plane, Vikunja, and WeKan. Jira and Trello run in a browser, so you can use them on Linux without installing anything.

We've included all three kinds. The picks are based on what each tool can do, how teams can work with it, and which kinds of projects it suits.

Software	Linux access	Best fit
OpenProject	Browser app; self-hostable	Full project planning and collaboration
ProjectLibre Desktop	Linux desktop app	Detailed schedules and resource planning
Redmine	Self-hosted web app	Issue tracking and configurable workflows
Plane	Web app; self-hosting available	Modern team and product work
GanttProject	Linux desktop app	Offline Gantt-based planning
Taiga	Web app; self-hosting available	Scrum and Kanban teams
Jira	Hosted browser app	Software teams and custom workflows
Vikunja	Web app; self-hosting or hosted service	Personal projects and smaller teams
Trello	Hosted browser app	Simple visual boards
WeKan	Self-hosted web app	Open-source Kanban boards

1. OpenProject: best overall for full project management

OpenProject combines several styles of project management in one web application. Teams can organize work as tasks and milestones, plan schedules in Gantt charts, use agile boards, track time, and manage budgets. It's a good step up when a task board no longer cuts it. You can plan schedules, track day-to-day work, and manage team projects in one place. OpenProject supports traditional, agile, and hybrid workflows, so teams can choose the approach that fits each project.

You can use the hosted service or run the Community edition on your box. The free Community edition has no user or project limit, and OpenProject offers Linux installation packages as well as Docker deployment.

Pros
Covers schedules, task tracking, agile boards, time tracking, and budgets.
Can be used as a hosted service or self-hosted.
The Community edition is open source and has unlimited users and projects.

Cons
There are many features to learn and configure.
Self-hosting calls for server administration and routine maintenance.
It may be more system than a small project needs.

Choose it if: You need one platform for schedules, work tracking, and team coordination, and you're comfortable with either a hosted plan or server administration.

2. ProjectLibre Desktop: best for traditional project schedules

ProjectLibre Desktop is a native desktop application for Linux, Windows, and macOS. It focuses on detailed schedule planning, with Gantt charts, dependencies, calendars, milestones, resource tracking, and Microsoft Project file support. This app is free, open source, and is suited to building and updating a project plan on your computer. The last major desktop update, version 1.9.8, was released on September 24.

Pros
Installs on Linux and can be used as a desktop planning tool.
Supports detailed schedules, dependencies, milestones, and resource planning.
Can work with Microsoft Project files.
Free and open source.

Cons
Less suited to real-time team collaboration than shared web platforms.
The traditional planning interface may feel dense if you only need a task list.
Project files and collaboration need more deliberate sharing than with an always-online service.

Choose it if: You want a desktop tool for building and maintaining a detailed schedule, especially one similar to a Microsoft Project plan.

3. Redmine: best for issue tracking and flexible workflows

Redmine is a long-running open-source project management web application. It brings multiple projects, role-based permissions, configurable issue tracking, Gantt charts, calendars, time tracking, wikis, forums, and repository browsing into one self-hosted system. Teams can also use custom fields and configure issue workflows to match their process.

Redmine's reputation rests in part on its flexibility and longevity: its project marked its twentieth anniversary in 2026. And it remains actively maintained.

Pros
Open source and self-hostable.
Supports multiple projects, custom workflows, roles, and fields.
Includes issue tracking, Gantt charts, calendars, time tracking, wikis, and repository tools.
Long history and recent security and maintenance releases.

Cons
Requires a server and someone to maintain it.
Configuration and plugins can take time to manage.
Its interface and workflow may feel more utilitarian than newer tools.

Choose it if: You want a flexible self-hosted issue tracker and project hub, particularly for software or technical work.

4. Plane: best for modern team and product work

Plane is a web-based workspace for projects and work items. It offers hosted use and self-hosting, with deployment guidance for teams that want to operate the service on their own infrastructure. Its self-hosted architecture includes separate services for the web application, API, and background jobs, so it is a platform deployment rather than a simple desktop install.

Plane's particular appeal is a modern, web-first approach to organizing work, including projects and issue-style tracking.

Pros
Has a hosted option as well as self-hosting.
A modern web interface for organizing projects and work items.
Public release history provides visible evidence of ongoing development.

Cons
Self-hosting involves several application services to deploy and maintain.
It may require more technical setup than a hosted board.
Teams should compare its available features with their needs before choosing a deployment.

Choose it if: You want a modern web-based work platform and value having a self-hosting path.

5. GanttProject: best for lightweight offline planning

GanttProject is a desktop project planner built around schedules. It supports task hierarchies, dependencies, milestones, baselines, Gantt and PERT charts, resource load charts, and task-cost calculations. It can export project information to formats including PDF, HTML, and PNG, and works with some Microsoft Project and spreadsheet files.

GanttProject is free and open source. Its Linux packages make it a practical option for offline planning. Latest release includes custom filters, calculated columns, and a Linux AppImage package.

Pros
Native desktop app that can work offline.
Gantt charts, dependencies, milestones, and resource views.
Exports charts and supports project-file exchange.
Free and open source.

Cons
Focuses on planning and scheduling, not broad team communication.
Collaboration options are more limited than shared web workspaces.
Less appropriate when the project depends on continuous updates from many contributors.

Choose it if: You need an offline schedule planner for a personal project, a small team, or a project with clear dates and dependencies.

6. Taiga: best for Scrum and Kanban teams

Taiga is an open-source project management platform aimed at cross-functional agile teams. Its main workflows are Scrum and Kanban: teams can plan backlogs and sprints, work with boards, and track issues. You can run Taiga on your own server, either with Docker or by installing it from source.

Pros
Supports Scrum and Kanban in the same platform.
Open-source and self-hostable.
Includes issue tracking alongside agile planning.
A fit for teams that organize work around backlogs and sprints.

Cons
Self-hosting requires deployment and ongoing server maintenance.
Its agile orientation may be a poor match for projects centered on budgets or formal resource scheduling.
Teams looking for a very simple personal task list may find it larger than necessary.

Choose it if: Your team uses Scrum or Kanban and wants an open-source platform it can host itself.

7. Jira: best for software teams and custom workflows

Jira is a hosted web application, so Linux users work with it in a browser. Its project and issue tracking features include Scrum and Kanban boards, backlogs, roadmaps, configurable workflows, automation, and integrations. Atlassian offers a free Cloud plan for up to ten users, with limits on storage and support.

Jira is particularly well known in software development, where teams use it to track bugs, features, releases, and sprint work. Its customization makes it adaptable to other work, too, but the same flexibility can make the setup feel complex.

Pros
Strong issue tracking and agile planning features.
Workflows, boards, and fields can be configured for a team's process.
Large integration ecosystem.
Free Cloud plan available for small teams.

Cons
It is a hosted service rather than a native Linux application.
The range of features and settings can take time to learn.
It may feel heavy for people who only need a simple task board.

Choose it if: Your team needs structured issue tracking and configurable workflows, particularly for software development.

8. Vikunja: best for personal projects and smaller teams

Vikunja is an open-source task and project manager that can be self-hosted or used as a hosted service. It offers list, Kanban, Gantt, and table views, plus project sharing and task assignment. Vikunja's list, Kanban, Gantt, and table views work for everything from personal to-dos to small team projects.

Pros
Multiple ways to view tasks, including Kanban and Gantt.
Can be self-hosted or used as a hosted service.
Open source, with a lighter task-focused approach than larger platforms.
Recent release activity and feature development.

Cons
Less focused on portfolio-level planning and formal resource management.
Self-hosting still requires server upkeep.
Some organization-oriented additions are offered separately from the core feature set.

Choose it if: You want flexible task views, control over where your data lives, and a tool that can grow from personal use to a small team.

9. Trello: best for simple visual boards

Trello is a hosted service. Its boards, lists, and cards provide a visual way to organize tasks and move them through stages. It also supports due dates, calendar views, collaboration, and Power-Ups for connecting other services.

Trello's main strength is that a board is easy to understand at a glance. It works well for lightweight projects, editorial calendars, meeting follow-ups, and personal planning. Atlassian offers a free plan.

Pros
Quick to understand and easy to start using.
Boards and cards give teams a clear visual status.
Browser access works across Linux distributions.
Integrations can extend its basic board workflow.

Cons
It is hosted, so you don't run the service on your own Linux server.
A board-based workflow may not cover detailed dependencies, budgets, or resource plans.
Larger or more structured projects can outgrow a simple card-and-list approach.

Choose it if: You want a straightforward visual board and don't need advanced scheduling.

10. WeKan: best for self-hosted Kanban

WeKan keeps project management focused on Kanban boards. It's open source and self-hosted, and you can use it from a desktop or mobile browser. Linux installation options include packages, Snap, and Docker.

Pros
Open source and self-hosted.
Focused Kanban workflow without needing a larger project suite.
Multiple Linux deployment options.
Recent releases include maintenance and security work.

Cons
Centers on boards and cards rather than full project scheduling.
Requires you to operate the server and maintain backups.
Less suited to formal portfolio, budget, or resource planning.

Choose it if: You want a self-hosted Kanban board and have the capacity to maintain the server behind it.

Which Linux project management tool should you choose?

For an installed desktop planner, start with ProjectLibre Desktop if you need detailed schedules, or GanttProject if you want a lighter offline option. For a broader team system, OpenProject covers traditional and agile planning, while Redmine is a strong fit for issue-driven technical work. Taiga is aimed at Scrum and Kanban teams.

If you prefer a hosted service, Jira offers structured issue tracking and configurable workflows, while Trello keeps things simple with boards and cards. Plane, Vikunja, and WeKan offer self-hosting paths for different kinds of work.

There isn't one best choice for every Linux user. Start with the kind of work you need to organize, then decide whether you want a desktop planner, a hosted workspace, or a system you run yourself.