Vikunja
FreeThe same tasks as a list, a board, a Gantt chart or a calendar
A self-hosted task and project manager. The same set of tasks can be viewed as a list, a kanban board, a table, a Gantt chart or a calendar. It supports subtasks, dependencies, labels, reminders, attachments, assignment and team sharing, with an API and CalDAV access.
Why we picked it
Task managers monetize in a consistent way: the free tier caps projects, boards and Gantt charts are "advanced features", and team collaboration is billed per seat monthly. For individuals and small teams, those limits arrive early.
Vikunja is among the more complete self-hosted answers. 5,059 stars, AGPL-3.0, a Go backend with a Vue front end, fully featured once deployed with no paywall anywhere.
Its most practical design decision is multiple views — one set of tasks, presented however you like:
- List: the everyday default for adding and ticking off tasks.
- Kanban: columns by status with draggable cards, the Trello workflow.
- Table: spreadsheet-style bulk viewing and editing of attributes.
- Gantt: timelines and dependencies, useful for projects with deadlines.
- Calendar: laid out by date for tasks with specific days.
In other words, wanting a Gantt chart does not mean switching tools or paying to upgrade.
Also worth noting:
- Task dependencies: B cannot start until A finishes, visualized on the Gantt chart.
- CalDAV support syncs tasks into a phone's system calendar or a third-party calendar app, so today's work is visible without installing anything of Vikunja's.
- A complete API for scripted task creation or integration with other systems.
- Reminders and recurring tasks, including relative reminders such as one day before due.
- Attachments, comments and assignment — enough for small team collaboration.
To be clear about:
- You must deploy it. An official Docker image exists and a single binary also runs directly, with SQLite (ample for personal use), MySQL or PostgreSQL behind it. If deployment is unappealing and the use is personal, Super Productivity is a purely local desktop alternative.
- Mobile apps are community-built. The project promotes the web interface, which adapts to phones; native apps exist from the community but are less polished.
- It is not for complex project management. This is a capable todo list plus kanban, not a Jira-class tool with workflow engines, permission matrices and reporting. Small teams fit well; a several-dozen-person engineering process will outgrow it.
If you already self-host and want a task system no subscription can change, this is a dependable choice.