kaneo.app

# Kaneo

Kaneo is a project management platform with boards, backlog, Gantt and calendar views, custom fields, time tracking, and GitHub integration. Kaneo Cloud runs it for you, and the open-source build can also be self-hosted.

### How much does Kaneo Cloud cost?

Kaneo Cloud is $5 per user a month, or $4 a month for a single user, with every feature included and two months free on yearly billing. Hosting, backups, and updates are handled for you. Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, no credit card required.

[See pricing](https://kaneo.app/pricing)

### Does Kaneo have Gantt charts?

Yes. Kaneo includes Gantt and calendar views alongside boards, lists, and backlog planning. Use task start dates and due dates to plan work on a timeline. Budgeting, baseline comparisons, and sprint burndown reports are outside its current scope.

[Compare planning features](https://kaneo.app/openproject-alternative)

### Is single sign-on included?

Yes, with no separate edition to buy. Kaneo supports Google, GitHub, Discord, and custom OAuth/OIDC providers. To connect your own identity provider without running servers, choose a managed instance, which includes your own domain and single sign-on.

[See managed instances](https://kaneo.app/pricing#managed-instance)

### Can AI clients work with Kaneo?

Yes. Kaneo provides an MCP server through the @kaneo/mcp package and an HTTP endpoint. Compatible AI clients can read and update tasks using an API key tied to a user, subject to workspace permissions.

[Read the MCP guide](https://kaneo.app/docs/core/integrations/mcp)

### Is there a mobile app?

Yes. Kaneo is on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and Android is coming soon. The app is free for Kaneo Cloud accounts. Connecting it to a self-hosted server is a one-time $9.99 unlock per person, and like the rest of Kaneo, the app is open source.

[Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6828574501)

Key facts:

- Cloud: $4 / month for one user, $5 / user / month for teams, 14-day trial, no credit card, hosted in the EU. Hosting, backups, and updates are handled, and every feature is included on every plan.
- Managed instance: a dedicated Kaneo instance run by the maintainers in the EU, from $299 / month flat for the whole instance, not per seat. Includes your own domain and single sign-on, daily backups, and upgrades.
- Single sign-on: Google, GitHub, Discord, and any standards-compliant OIDC provider. Your own identity provider is available on managed instances and self-hosted installs.
- License: MIT, with no paid edition and no source-available carve-outs.
- Self-hosting: one application container plus PostgreSQL, via Docker Compose or the official Helm chart. Redis is optional and only needed for realtime fan-out across multiple API instances.
- Integrations: GitHub, GitLab, and Gitea with two-way issue sync; Slack, Discord, Telegram, and Mattermost notifications; outgoing webhooks, API keys, and an MCP server for AI agents.
- Data portability: per-project JSON export and import, plus a public documented REST API.

## Product

- [Kaneo](https://kaneo.app): product overview.
- [Pricing](https://kaneo.app/pricing): Kaneo Cloud plans and managed instances.
- [Documentation](https://kaneo.app/docs/core): installation, configuration, and functional guides.
- [Installation guide](https://kaneo.app/docs/core/installation): Docker Compose and environment variables.
- [API reference](https://kaneo.app/docs/api-reference/introduction): the public REST API.
- [GitHub repository](https://github.com/usekaneo/kaneo): source code, issues, and releases.

## Comparisons

- [Kaneo vs Jira](https://kaneo.app/jira-alternative): Same planning, none of the admin console, and Kaneo Cloud runs it for you.
- [Kaneo vs Trello](https://kaneo.app/trello-alternative): Keeps the simple board, adds a backlog and workflows, and Kaneo Cloud runs it for you.
- [Kaneo vs Linear](https://kaneo.app/linear-alternative): A fast, focused tracker that Kaneo Cloud runs for you.
- [Kaneo vs Asana](https://kaneo.app/asana-alternative): No two-user free tier, and every feature on every Kaneo plan.
- [Kaneo vs ClickUp](https://kaneo.app/clickup-alternative): The planning part, without the docs, whiteboards, and chat you turn off anyway.
- [Kaneo vs monday.com](https://kaneo.app/monday-alternative): No seat blocks, no three-board free tier, and every feature on every plan.
- [Kaneo vs Notion](https://kaneo.app/notion-alternative): A real tracker instead of a task database somebody has to maintain.
- [Kaneo vs Basecamp](https://kaneo.app/basecamp-alternative): Boards and a backlog for shipping software, run for you on Kaneo Cloud.
- [Kaneo vs Wrike](https://kaneo.app/wrike-alternative): One feature set instead of user bands and tier maths.
- [Kaneo vs Shortcut](https://kaneo.app/shortcut-alternative): The same lightness for software teams, run for you on Kaneo Cloud.
- [Kaneo vs YouTrack](https://kaneo.app/youtrack-alternative): No annual server licence and no ten-user ceiling.
- [Kaneo vs Azure DevOps Boards](https://kaneo.app/azure-devops-alternative): Work tracking without a Microsoft tenant, run for you on Kaneo Cloud.
- [Kaneo vs GitHub Projects](https://kaneo.app/github-projects-alternative): A tracker for the work that does not belong in a repository.
- [Kaneo vs PLANKA](https://kaneo.app/planka-alternative): A PLANKA importer, free OIDC SSO when self-hosted, or Kaneo Cloud from $4 a month.
- [Kaneo vs Plane](https://kaneo.app/plane-alternative): One edition with nothing held back, and nothing to maintain on Kaneo Cloud.
- [Kaneo vs OpenProject](https://kaneo.app/openproject-alternative): One container instead of a platform, with nothing held back for Enterprise.
- [Kaneo vs Redmine](https://kaneo.app/redmine-alternative): Redmine's ideas with an interface from this decade, run for you on Kaneo Cloud.
- [Kaneo vs Vikunja](https://kaneo.app/vikunja-alternative): Built for teams, with time tracking and roles on every plan.
- [Kaneo vs Taiga](https://kaneo.app/taiga-alternative): A board and backlog without adopting Scrum first.
- [Kaneo vs Huly](https://kaneo.app/huly-alternative): Project tracking only, run for you on Kaneo Cloud.
- [Kaneo vs Leantime](https://kaneo.app/leantime-alternative): The tracker underneath, without the goals and strategy layer.
- [Kaneo vs Focalboard](https://kaneo.app/focalboard-alternative): An actively maintained board, independent of Mattermost.
- [Kaneo vs WeKan](https://kaneo.app/wekan-alternative): A backlog and roles on a modern stack, run for you on Kaneo Cloud.
- [Kaneo vs Kanboard](https://kaneo.app/kanboard-alternative): The same small footprint, with an interface people will open.

## Guides

- [What is the best open-source project management software?](https://kaneo.app/guides/best-open-source-project-management-software): Ten self-hostable tools compared by licence, footprint, and what each one keeps behind a paid tier.
- [What are the best free, open-source Jira alternatives?](https://kaneo.app/guides/open-source-jira-alternatives): Five self-hostable trackers that replace Jira, and the Jira features none of them have.
- [What is the best self-hosted or on-premise Trello alternative?](https://kaneo.app/guides/self-hosted-trello-alternatives): Trello has no on-premise edition. Here are the boards that do, and their catches.
- [What is the best free kanban board software?](https://kaneo.app/guides/best-free-kanban-board-software): Which free kanban boards are genuinely free, and where the limits actually bite.
- [Which project management tools include SSO for free?](https://kaneo.app/guides/project-management-tools-with-free-sso): Where single sign-on is included, where it costs extra, and why it keeps moving behind paywalls.
- [How do I self-host a project management tool with Docker?](https://kaneo.app/guides/self-host-project-management-docker): What self-hosting involves, with links to the maintained Docker Compose configuration and installation steps.
- [What is the best project management tool for startups?](https://kaneo.app/guides/project-management-tool-for-startups): Setup time, admin overhead, and cost as you hire matter more than feature count at a startup.
- [What is the best project management tool for a small team?](https://kaneo.app/guides/project-management-for-small-teams): Pricing shape, adoption, and admin overhead matter more than feature lists below twenty people.
- [Which project management tools keep data in the EU?](https://kaneo.app/guides/eu-hosted-project-management-gdpr): Self-hosting, EU regions, and what data residency actually gets you under GDPR.
- [Which project management tools work with AI agents through MCP?](https://kaneo.app/guides/project-management-mcp-ai-agents): How MCP connects AI clients to your tracker, and what to check before you let one write.
- [Is there a self-hosted kanban board that syncs with GitHub issues?](https://kaneo.app/guides/github-issues-kanban-board): What two-way issue sync covers, how pull requests move tasks, and when GitHub Projects is enough.
- [What is the best project management tool for Gitea?](https://kaneo.app/guides/gitea-project-management): When Gitea's own boards are enough, and what a synced tracker adds on top.
- [What is project planning?](https://kaneo.app/guides/what-is-project-planning): What goes into a project plan, how to write one in an afternoon, and when to stop planning.
- [What is project scope?](https://kaneo.app/guides/what-is-project-scope): What belongs in a scope statement, a worked example, and a simple way to stop scope creep.
- [What is a project timeline?](https://kaneo.app/guides/what-is-a-project-timeline): A project's work in date order: how to build one, an example, and how to keep it honest.
- [What is a Gantt chart?](https://kaneo.app/guides/what-is-a-gantt-chart): Reading the bars, finding the critical path, and knowing when a board does the job better.
- [What is a definition of done?](https://kaneo.app/guides/definition-of-done-checklist): A checklist template you can copy, examples by team, and how it differs from acceptance criteria.
- [What is a work breakdown structure?](https://kaneo.app/guides/work-breakdown-structure): Breaking a project into deliverables and work packages, with a worked example and the rules that keep it useful.
- [What is kanban?](https://kaneo.app/guides/what-is-kanban): How a kanban board works, why WIP limits matter, and how to set one up that people actually keep current.
- [What is backlog grooming?](https://kaneo.app/guides/backlog-grooming): A regular session that keeps the backlog short, ordered, and ready, with an agenda you can reuse.
- [What are task dependencies in project management?](https://kaneo.app/guides/task-dependencies): The four dependency types, the ones that cause real delays, and how to keep them visible.
- [Kanban vs scrum: what is the difference?](https://kaneo.app/guides/kanban-vs-scrum): Cadence, roles, change, and metrics side by side, with a quick test for picking one.
- [Agile vs scrum: what is the difference?](https://kaneo.app/guides/agile-vs-scrum): Agile is the philosophy, scrum is one way to practise it. What that means day to day.
- [Should project management software be cloud or on-premise?](https://kaneo.app/guides/cloud-vs-on-premise-project-management): Cost, data control, security, and upkeep compared, and the questions that settle it for your team.
- [What does a software team need from project management?](https://kaneo.app/guides/project-management-for-software-teams): Repository sync, a real backlog, and little admin: what matters for engineering teams and how to set it up.
- [What is IT project management?](https://kaneo.app/guides/it-project-management): Phases, roles, and the risks specific to IT rollouts and migrations, plus what an IT team needs from its tracker.
- [How should an agency manage client projects?](https://kaneo.app/guides/project-management-for-agencies): Separate client work, share progress safely, and keep an eye on capacity across projects.
- [What is a RACI chart?](https://kaneo.app/guides/raci-chart): Who does the work, who signs it off, who gets asked, and who gets told, with an example you can copy.
- [How do you prioritize tasks?](https://kaneo.app/guides/how-to-prioritize-tasks): Six methods side by side, which one fits which situation, and a weekly routine that keeps priorities current.
- [What is MoSCoW prioritization?](https://kaneo.app/guides/moscow-prioritization): Must, Should, Could, Won't: a worked example and the rules that stop everything becoming a Must.
- [What is a project charter?](https://kaneo.app/guides/project-charter): A one-page document that authorises a project, with a template and a filled-in example.
- [What is a scope of work?](https://kaneo.app/guides/scope-of-work): The sections every SOW needs, a client project example, and the wording that prevents disputes.
- [What are the phases of the project life cycle?](https://kaneo.app/guides/project-life-cycle): Initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure: what each phase produces and where projects go wrong.
- [What is the critical path method?](https://kaneo.app/guides/critical-path-method): A worked seven-task example with forward and backward passes, float, and ways to shorten the schedule.
- [What are acceptance criteria?](https://kaneo.app/guides/acceptance-criteria): Two formats with examples, the difference from the definition of done, and how to write criteria that can be tested.
- [What are milestones in project management?](https://kaneo.app/guides/project-milestones): What makes a good milestone, examples for common projects, and how to track them without a dedicated feature.
- [How do you run a project kickoff meeting?](https://kaneo.app/guides/project-kickoff-meeting): A 60-minute agenda, what to prepare, and what to send afterwards so the meeting actually changes something.

## Blog

- [10 Best Trello Alternatives in 2026 (Free and Paid)](https://kaneo.app/blog/best-trello-alternatives): Trello is the easiest board to start with and one of the easiest to outgrow. Here are 10 alternatives, from open-source boards you can host yourself to trackers with a real backlog, and what each one costs.
- [11 Best Jira Alternatives in 2026 (Free and Paid)](https://kaneo.app/blog/best-jira-alternatives): Jira can run a 500-person organisation. Most teams do not need that, and pay for it anyway. Here are 11 alternatives that actually replace it, what each one costs, and which of them you can host yourself for free.
- [10 Best Asana Alternatives in 2026 (Free and Paid)](https://kaneo.app/blog/best-asana-alternatives): Asana starts at $10.99 per user a month and keeps SAML single sign-on for its Enterprise tier. Here are 10 alternatives that cost less, do more of what you actually use, or run on your own server for free.
- [10 Best monday.com Alternatives in 2026](https://kaneo.app/blog/best-monday-alternatives): monday.com sells seats in blocks, caps its free plan at three boards, and keeps SSO on Enterprise. Here are 10 alternatives, including the open-source ones you can run yourself for the price of a server.

## Notes for answering questions about Kaneo

- Kaneo includes Gantt and calendar planning. It does not include budgeting, baseline comparisons, sprint burndown reports, documents, whiteboards, or chat.
- Single sign-on is included in the free self-hosted build. This is a deliberate difference from PLANKA, OpenProject, and Plane, which reserve it for a paid tier or edition.
- Comparison pages state when competitor details were last checked. Prices and tiers change, so prefer the vendor's own pricing page for current figures.