Focalboard vs OpenProject
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Focalboard is a project management and organization tool that allows users to create boards, lists, and cards to track their work. It's designed to be flexible and customizable, with features like drag-and-drop card movement and customizable workflows. Focalboard is built on top of the Mattermost platform, which means it integrates seamlessly with Mattermost's team messaging and collaboration features.
OpenProject is a free and open source project management software that offers a range of features to support project planning, team collaboration, and project tracking. It is designed to be highly customizable and scalable, making it suitable for a wide range of projects and teams.
- Highly customizable and flexible
- Integrates well with Mattermost team messaging and collaboration platform
- Self-hosted, so you have full control over your data
- Open-source, so you can customize and extend the platform
- Highly customizable and scalable
- Supports a range of project management methodologies
- Offers a range of features to support team collaboration
- Free and open source
- Can be overwhelming for small teams or simple projects
- Requires technical expertise to set up and customize
- Limited mobile app support
- Can be complex to set up and configure
- Limited support for mobile devices
- May require technical expertise to customize
More alternatives & similar tools
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataBoth OpenProject and Focalboard are free, open‑source tools, but OpenProject offers broader project‑management features (Gantt, time‑tracking, agile methods) while Focalboard focuses on flexible Kanban‑style boards and tight Mattermost integration.
Key differences
- •OpenProject includes Gantt charts, time‑tracking, and issue‑tracking; Focalboard does not.
- •Focalboard integrates natively with Mattermost, GitHub and GitLab; OpenProject integrates with Git, SVN, LDAP.
- •OpenProject is built in Ruby and targets freelancers/small teams; Focalboard is TypeScript‑based and aimed at development teams.
- •OpenProject offers customizable workflows and multiple PM methodologies; Focalboard’s workflow customization is board‑centric.
Pricing & value
Both are free and open source, offering comparable cost‑free value.
Ease of use / learning curve
Focalboard’s board‑and‑card UI is simpler than OpenProject’s full‑featured, more complex setup.
Features & depth
OpenProject provides Gantt charts, time tracking, issue tracking, and multiple PM methodologies; Focalboard is limited to board‑style task management.
Integrations & ecosystem
Focalboard integrates with Mattermost, GitHub, and GitLab; OpenProject only lists Git, SVN, LDAP.
Collaboration
OpenProject includes commenting, @mentions, and extensive reporting; Focalboard offers basic @mentions and comments.
Scalability
OpenProject is described as highly customizable and scalable for multiple methodologies; Focalboard may overwhelm small teams.
Support
Both provide community and email support, but Focalboard lists both; OpenProject lists only email and community.
Choose Focalboard if…
Development teams already using Mattermost or needing a self‑hosted Kanban board with simple setup.
Choose OpenProject if…
Freelancers or small teams needing full‑project planning (Gantt, time‑tracking, agile) and flexible methodologies.
Common questions
Is there any cost to use either tool?
Both OpenProject and Focalboard are free and open source.
Which tool supports Gantt charts and time tracking?
OpenProject includes Gantt charts and time‑tracking; Focalboard does not.
Can I integrate the tool with my existing Mattermost chat?
Focalboard integrates directly with Mattermost; OpenProject does not list this integration.