Workboard vs Plane
The lighter, MIT-licensed Plane alternative
Plane is a capable open-source tracker with a Community edition and a Commercial edition above it. Workboard has one edition, MIT licensed, and a much smaller install.
Short answer: is Workboard a good Plane alternative?
Workboard and Plane are both open-source, self-hostable project trackers. Plane's Community edition is AGPL-3.0 and free, with a separate Commercial edition and paid cloud tiers where single sign-on and advanced controls live. Workboard is MIT licensed with a single edition, includes SSO everywhere, and runs as one container plus PostgreSQL.
- License
- MIT, versus AGPL-3.0 for the Plane Community edition
- Hosting
- Both self-host. Workboard is a single container plus PostgreSQL
- Single sign-on
- Free on every Workboard build, Pro tier and above on Plane
- Pricing
- $0 self-hosted, cloud from $4 / month
Plane details checked on 19 August 2026. Plane pricing, Workboard pricing.
Why teams choose Workboard
One edition, no upgrade path to buy
Plane splits into Community, Commercial, and Airgapped editions. Workboard has one build, and everything in it is yours under MIT.
Less to operate
Workboard is a container and a database. Plane's self-hosted stack has more services to run, monitor, and upgrade.
Permissive licensing
MIT rather than AGPL matters if you intend to modify Workboard and offer it as part of a service. It removes the question entirely.
When Plane is the better choice
Plane is the more feature-complete tracker: cycles, modules, intake, pages, and a polished interface, backed by a well-funded team shipping quickly. If you want a Linear-shaped open-source product and do not mind AGPL or a bigger install, Plane is an excellent choice.
Workboard vs Plane, answered
Is Plane fully open source?
The Community edition is open source under AGPL-3.0 and free to self-host with no user limits. Plane also sells Commercial and Airgapped editions, and its cloud plans put single sign-on and advanced controls on paid tiers.
Plane or Workboard for a self-hosted team?
Plane if you want cycles, modules, and a broader feature set and can run a larger stack. Workboard if you want MIT licensing, SSO in the free build, and the smallest install that still handles a team.
Does AGPL matter for self-hosting?
For internal use, generally not. It matters if you modify the code and offer it to others over a network, where AGPL requires you to publish your changes. MIT has no such requirement.
Can I migrate from Plane to Workboard?
There is no dedicated importer yet. Both have APIs, and Workboard supports per-project JSON import, so a scripted migration is feasible. Open a GitHub issue if you want it supported directly.