Workboard vs Kanboard
The Kanboard alternative with a modern interface
Kanboard is admirably small and famously plain. Workboard keeps the small footprint and gives your team something they will want to look at every day.
Short answer: is Workboard a good Kanboard alternative?
Workboard and Kanboard are both MIT-licensed and simple to self-host. Kanboard is a minimal PHP application that runs almost anywhere, including on SQLite. Workboard is a modern React and PostgreSQL app with realtime boards, workspace roles, time tracking, integrations, and an optional managed cloud.
- License
- MIT for both
- Hosting
- Kanboard is PHP with SQLite or MySQL. Workboard is Docker plus PostgreSQL
- Single sign-on
- Built into Workboard, plugin-based on Kanboard
- Pricing
- $0 self-hosted for both, Workboard Cloud from $4 / month
Kanboard details checked on 19 August 2026. Kanboard, Workboard pricing.
Why teams choose Workboard
Adoption, not just installation
Kanboard installs in minutes and then people avoid opening it. Workboard is built to be the tab your team actually keeps open.
Team features in the core
Workspaces, roles, notifications, integrations, and SSO come with Workboard rather than arriving as separate plugins to keep updated.
Still small
One container plus PostgreSQL, with a Helm chart if you are on Kubernetes. Workboard is not the heavy option in this comparison.
When Kanboard is the better choice
Kanboard's footprint is remarkable: PHP, an SQLite file if you want, and it will run happily on the cheapest VPS you own for years without attention. If minimal resource use and total simplicity are what you value, it is hard to beat.
Workboard vs Kanboard, answered
Is Kanboard still maintained?
Yes. Kanboard is MIT licensed and still receives releases. Its design is deliberately conservative, and much of its extra functionality comes from community plugins.
Kanboard or Workboard for a small team?
Kanboard if you want the smallest possible install and do not mind a plain interface. Workboard if you want realtime boards, backlog planning, roles, and SSO without assembling plugins.
What are Workboard's system requirements?
A small VPS is enough. Workboard runs as a single container alongside PostgreSQL, and there is a Helm chart for Kubernetes deployments.
Does Workboard have a plugin system?
No. Workboard extends through its public API, outgoing webhooks, API keys, and an MCP server rather than in-process plugins.