Redmineflux vs OpenProject
Redmineflux vs OpenProject – two open-source platforms, one measured comparison.
For Redmine teams comparing open-source platforms – plugin depth, AI, operations breadth.
This is not David vs Goliath.
OpenProject forked from ChiliProject, which itself forked from Redmine. Both tools share the concept of a structured work package as the unit of work. Both support self-hosted deployment. Both are licensed under open-source licences (OpenProject: GPL v3; Redmine: GPL v2). This comparison is two mature, open-source tools addressing the same core problem from different angles.
Who this comparison is for
Read this if you are choosing between two open-source project management platforms.
Teams evaluating open-source PM tools from scratch will find this comparison directly useful. Development teams currently on Redmine considering whether to stay or migrate to OpenProject need the architecture section. IT decision-makers weighing EU data sovereignty and self-hosted options on both sides will find the deployment comparison most applicable.
Quick verdict
Seven rows. Thirty seconds.
Scan the trade-offs here. The full feature matrix and pricing detail follow below.
| Consideration | OpenProject | Redmineflux |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Development and project management teams seeking an open-source platform with Gantt charts, Agile boards, and time tracking, especially in privacy-conscious or EU-regulated environments | Development and IT teams using Redmine that need structured issue tracking, engineering workflows, and end-to-end operational management |
| Base platform | Open-source project management platform (GPLv3) with a free Community Edition and paid enterprise offerings | Built on the open-source Redmine platform with Redmineflux plugins extending its capabilities |
| Deployment | Community Edition available for free self-hosting; paid Cloud and on-premises enterprise editions available | Available as self-hosted or Redmineflux Cloud with the same plugins and features |
| Data ownership | Self-hosted Community Edition provides full data ownership; Cloud plans are hosted by OpenProject with EU data center options | Self-hosted: full data ownership. Cloud: data hosted by Redmineflux with export support available |
| Pricing model | Free Community Edition for self-hosting; paid Cloud plans are billed per user/month with costs increasing as your team grows | Per user/month with all plugins included in the selected Cloud plan and no per-plugin add-on charges |
| Development-specific tools | Gantt charts, Scrum and Kanban boards, work packages, time tracking, cost reporting, and wiki, but no native CRM, Helpdesk, test case management, or invoicing | Native issue tracking, QA workflows, test case management, timesheet approvals, Helpdesk, CRM, Invoice, and other Redmine plugins in one platform |
| AI / MCP support | No native AI assistant or MCP-based agent integration | MCP Server for Claude, Cursor, and custom AI agents; available with the Cloud Pro plan |
Pricing
Total cost of ownership, compared.
Know what you’re investing in
| Feature | OpenProject | Redmineflux |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Professional | Cloud Pro |
| Billing model | Cloud — Per User | Cloud — Per User |
| Price (25 users, annual billing) | ~$4,050/year25 × $13.50/user/month × 12 | ~$981/year25 × $3.27/user/month × 12 |
| Price (25 users, monthly billing) | N/AAnnual pricing only | $1,197/year25 × $3.99/user/month × 12 |
| Issue tracking & project management | ✓ YesWork packages & projects | ✓ Yes |
| Gantt / timeline | ✓ YesIncluded | ✓ YesGantt Chart — included |
| Agile / Kanban board | ✓ YesScrum & Kanban boards | ✓ YesAgile Board — included |
| Workload management | ✓ YesIncluded | ✓ YesWorkload Plugin — included |
| Time tracking | ✓ YesTime & cost tracking (Professional+) | ✓ YesTimesheet + Time Tracker — included |
| Knowledge base | ✓ YesWiki included | ✓ YesIncluded |
| Helpdesk with SLA | ✗ No | ✓ YesIncluded |
| CRM | ✗ No | ✓ YesIncluded |
| Invoice / billing | ✗ No | ✓ YesIncluded |
| Test case management | ✗ No | ✓ YesIncluded |
| Custom dashboard | ✓ YesReporting dashboards | ✓ YesIncluded |
| Issue templates | ✓ YesWork package templates | ✓ YesIncluded |
| Checklists | ✗ No | ✓ YesIncluded |
| Themes | ● Default only | ✓ YesDaisy, Scarlet & Lotus |
| AI / MCP | ✗ NoNo AI or agent-protocol integration | ✓ YesMCP Server — Claude, Cursor & custom AI agents |
| Self-hosted option | ✓ YesAvailable (all paid tiers & Community Edition) | ✓ YesAvailable |
| EU data residency | ✓ YesEU data centers on paid Cloud plans | ✓ YesAvailable for self-hosted deployments |
How they differ in practice
Four meaningful differences between two open-source peers.
Shared lineage, different architecture, different plugin ecosystems. The differences compound at the edges of the operations loop.
01 – Architecture
Platform vs plugin layer.
OpenProject is a standalone platform that replaces Redmine. Redmineflux is a plugin suite that extends the Redmine already in use. For teams already invested in Redmine – data, custom workflows, existing integrations – Redmineflux is the lower-risk path. Choosing OpenProject means re-platforming.
02 – Plugin depth
Core modules vs focused stack.
OpenProject extends its capabilities through core modules – Agile, Time/Costs, Budgets, Forums, Meetings. These are comprehensive for project delivery. There is no equivalent of Redmineflux’s 18-plugin focused stack: no helpdesk, no CRM, no invoice generation from time logs. Redmineflux fills gaps that OpenProject leaves open at both ends of the operations.
03 – AI integration
No AI vs MCP Server.
Redmineflux has an MCP Server that connects Claude Code, Cursor, and custom AI agents directly to Redmine – allowing AI to read, create, and update Redmine issues. OpenProject lists MCP integration as a Professional-tier add-on as of 2026-07-13; verify its current scope and availability at openproject.org/pricing. For teams evaluating AI-assisted development workflows, verify the depth of each tool’s MCP offering before deciding.
04 – Cloud pricing
Per seat vs per plan.
OpenProject Community self-hosted is free, matching Redmine (also free). On Cloud, OpenProject charges per seat from €5.95/user/month (Basic, 25-user minimum). Redmineflux Managed Cloud charges per plan (Gold/Platinum/Diamond), not per user. For teams of 25+, Redmineflux Cloud’s flat structure becomes increasingly cost-efficient relative to OpenProject’s per-seat model.
Migration
Moving between OpenProject and Redmine + Redmineflux.
The shared data model makes this the most structurally compatible tool pair in this comparison series. Both use structured tickets as the unit of work.
Export from OpenProject
Use OpenProject’s REST API export or CSV work package export. Work packages, assignees, statuses, priorities, and custom fields are exportable. The data model maps closely to Redmine issues.
1–2 daysMap work packages
Map OpenProject work package types to Redmine trackers. Statuses, priorities, and custom fields have direct equivalents in Redmine. Map OpenProject projects to Redmine projects.
1–2 daysImport to Redmine
Import the mapped CSV into Redmine using Redmine’s CSV import with field mapping. The structural similarity means this is among the cleanest migrations in the open-source PM space.
1–2 daysInstall Redmineflux plugins
Install the Redmineflux plugins that replace OpenProject capabilities your team was using. Agile Board replaces OpenProject Agile Boards; Gantt Chart Plugin replaces the Gantt timeline.
1–3 daysParallel run & cutover
Run both systems for 30–60 days. New issues go into Redmine + Redmineflux. Once the team is confident, decommission OpenProject as the primary system.
30–60 daysWhen to choose each
The honest version.
Both tools are mature and genuinely capable. The right choice turns on whether you are already on Redmine, and whether you need CRM, helpdesk, or AI integration.
Choose OpenProject when
OpenProject is the right choice.
- Your team is evaluating from scratch and has no existing Redmine installation
- You want a unified open-source PM platform without the complexity of a plugin ecosystem
- EU data residency is mandatory and you prefer a European-hosted Cloud option
- Your workflow fits OpenProject’s module set without needing CRM, invoicing, or helpdesk
- Community support is sufficient and you want zero licence cost on self-hosted
Choose Redmineflux when
Redmineflux is the right choice.
- Your team is already on Redmine – migrating to OpenProject means re-platforming your issue data
- You need helpdesk, CRM, or invoice generation alongside project management
- AI-assisted workflow (MCP Server, Claude integration) is a current or near-term requirement
- You want a focused plugin stack maintained by one vendor against specific Redmine versions
- Flat per-installation pricing is preferable to per-seat Cloud pricing as the team grows
Ready to evaluate Redmineflux?
Don’t just compare. Try it.
Get a free demo link with every plugin included, or buy the ones you need for your Redmine.
Self-hosted or Managed Cloud · Every plugin in Cloud also runs on self-hosted Redmine.
Frequently asked
Questions about OpenProject vs Redmineflux.
Five questions that come up in every evaluation of open-source PM tools. If yours isn’t here, check pricing or contact support.
Is OpenProject compatible with Redmineflux plugins?
No. OpenProject and Redmine are different platforms. Redmineflux plugins are built for Redmine and do not run on OpenProject. If you are on OpenProject and want Redmineflux, you would need to migrate your data to Redmine first.
The migration is structurally compatible – both tools use a structured work package / issue model – but it is a platform change, not a plugin swap.
Does OpenProject have Kanban boards?
Yes. OpenProject has an Agile Board module that supports Kanban and Scrum boards with sprint management. This is comparable in depth to the Redmineflux Agile Board Plugin. Both tools cover this capability well.
Which has better Gantt support?
Both OpenProject and Redmineflux offer Gantt charts with dependencies, milestones, and timeline views. Both are strong. OpenProject’s Gantt is included in the Community (free) tier; the Redmineflux Gantt Chart Plugin is a paid plugin available per installation.
The differentiator is what surrounds the Gantt: Redmineflux has helpdesk, CRM, and invoicing alongside it; OpenProject does not. For standard project management, both are capable Gantt tools.
Does Redmineflux have EU data residency on Cloud?
Redmineflux Managed Cloud infrastructure is configurable by region. Contact the team to confirm current data residency options for your region. On self-hosted, the team controls data residency entirely – deploy on any infrastructure, in any region.
Which Redmine versions does Redmineflux support?
All Redmineflux plugins are tested and maintained against the three most recent stable Redmine releases. Compatibility is verified with each update. Check the documentation for the confirmed supported version list before installing.