OpenProject vs Traq
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted project management & tasks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | OpenProject | Traq |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 95 · Excellent | 75 · Good |
| Category | Project Management & Tasks | Project Management & Tasks |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Ruby | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,196 | ★ 204 |
| First released | 2012 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Jira, Asana | Redmine, Jira |
What are OpenProject and Traq?
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
Traq
Traq is a self-hosted, open-source project management application focused on issue tracking, milestones, and wikis. It offers customizable ticket types, statuses, and roadmaps for development teams.
- Issue tracking
- Milestones and roadmaps
- Project wiki
- Customizable ticket types
OpenProject vs Traq: key differences
OpenProject is written in Ruby, while Traq is built with PHP. Traq is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for OpenProject. Traq is the more established project (first released 2009), while OpenProject arrived in 2012. OpenProject has the considerably larger community, at 16,196 GitHub stars versus 204. OpenProject lists first-class Docker deployment; Traq does not.
Why pick each one
Choose OpenProject if…
- Very feature-complete
- Good for classic project management
- Strong permissions
Watch out for
- Resource heavy
- Premium features gated
Choose Traq if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenProject or Traq better?
Neither is universally better. OpenProject has the larger community, while Traq is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are OpenProject and Traq free and open-source?
Yes. OpenProject is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Traq under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenProject and Traq with Docker?
OpenProject: yes. Traq: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, OpenProject or Traq?
Traq has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for OpenProject. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.