Leantime vs OpenProject
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted project management & tasks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Leantime
Goal-oriented project management for teams
VS
OpenProject
Open-source project management and collaboration
| Feature | Leantime | OpenProject |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 93 · Excellent | 95 · Excellent |
| Category | Project Management & Tasks | Project Management & Tasks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,645 | ★ 16,196 |
| First released | 2019 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Asana, Trello, Notion | Jira, Asana |
What are Leantime and OpenProject?
Leantime
Leantime is an open-source project management system designed around goals, strategy, and accessibility for non-technical teams. It targets small businesses and creatives. It is deployed via Docker or a PHP stack.
- Goals and strategy boards
- Idea management and research
- Kanban and gantt views
- Designed for non-technical users
OpenProject
OpenProject is a comprehensive open-source project management application with gantt charts, agile boards, and time tracking. It targets organizations managing complex projects. It is deployed via Docker or packages.
- Gantt charts and roadmaps
- Agile boards and backlogs
- Time and cost tracking
- Wiki and document management
Leantime vs OpenProject: key differences
Leantime is written in PHP, while OpenProject is built with Ruby. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Leantime versus GPL-3.0 for OpenProject. Leantime is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for OpenProject. OpenProject is the more established project (first released 2012), while Leantime arrived in 2019.
Why pick each one
Choose Leantime if…
- Goal-focused approach
- Accessible to non-techies
- Active development
Watch out for
- Less known
- Some features still evolving
Choose OpenProject if…
- Very feature-complete
- Good for classic project management
- Strong permissions
Watch out for
- Resource heavy
- Premium features gated
Frequently asked questions
Is Leantime or OpenProject better?
Neither is universally better. OpenProject has the larger community, while Leantime is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Leantime and OpenProject free and open-source?
Yes. Leantime is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and OpenProject under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Leantime and OpenProject with Docker?
Leantime: yes. OpenProject: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Leantime or OpenProject?
Leantime has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for OpenProject. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.