Kan vs Kanboard
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted project management & tasks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Kan
Open-source, self-hosted kanban board and Trello alternative
VS
Kanboard
Minimalist kanban project management
| Feature | Kan | Kanboard |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 93 · Excellent |
| Category | Project Management & Tasks | Project Management & Tasks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,688 | ★ 9,881 |
| First released | 2024 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Trello | Trello |
What are Kan and Kanboard?
Kan
Kan is an open-source, self-hosted kanban board application positioned as a Trello alternative. Built with TypeScript, it offers boards, lists, labels, member collaboration, and public board sharing in a modern web interface.
- Trello-style kanban boards
- Labels and members
- Public board sharing
- Modern responsive UI
Kanboard
Kanboard is a minimalist, free kanban project management tool focused on simplicity and a clear visual workflow. It targets individuals and small teams wanting a no-frills board. It is deployed via Docker or a PHP stack.
- Simple kanban boards
- WIP limits and automation
- Plugin ecosystem
- Lightweight PHP app
Kan vs Kanboard: key differences
Kan is written in TypeScript, while Kanboard is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Kan versus MIT for Kanboard. Kanboard is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Kan. Kanboard is the more established project (first released 2014), while Kan arrived in 2024.
Why pick each one
Choose Kan if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.7k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Kanboard if…
- Very lightweight
- Easy to learn
- Stable
Watch out for
- Minimal feature set
- Dated look
Frequently asked questions
Is Kan or Kanboard better?
Kanboard is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Kan if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Kan and Kanboard free and open-source?
Yes. Kan is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Kanboard under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kan and Kanboard with Docker?
Kan: yes. Kanboard: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Kan or Kanboard?
Kanboard has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Kan. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.