The Bugzilla Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Bugzilla in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Bugzilla
The Insider’s Guide
Free open source bug tracker you run on your own server
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from Bugzilla’s own pages.
Made by Zarro Boogs Corporation · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Bugzilla’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Bugzilla’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 6 of the 111 other project management tools we grade
Bugzilla is a long-running defect-tracking system, first released as open source in 1998 for the Mozilla project. It is a web application that you install on your own server and use to file, search, assign and report on bugs and change requests. It is licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Bugzilla, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You run it on your own server, there is no hosted edition, and the project says it won't become a project-management tool.
- 1
Best for tracking software defects on your own server
Bugzilla is a free open-source bug tracker with search, reports, custom fields and email notifications.
- 2
It is free
Bugzilla has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Advanced search
A plain full-text search for new users, plus a query builder that supports time-based conditions and saved, shareable searches.
- 5
Reports and charts
Cross-tabulate bugs by any two fields and view the result as a table, line graph, bar graph or pie chart, or have reports emailed on a schedule.
- 6
Custom fields and workflow
Administrators can add custom fields, define their own workflow, and control who sees or edits bugs through groups.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 6 of 111
That is against the other project management tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Bugzilla is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Bugzilla at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Zarro Boogs Corporation, since 1998
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for tracking software defects on your own server
Bugzilla is a free open-source bug tracker with search, reports, custom fields and email notifications. You run it on your own server, there is no hosted edition, and the project says it won't become a project-management tool.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Free under the Mozilla Public License 2.0, but only if you host it yourself, which needs a server. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free to download with no caps, no trial and no account. You supply the server. |
| Features | C | Search, reports and charts, custom fields, email filing, time tracking. It does defect tracking fully, but that is a smaller job than project management. |
| Ease of use | D | Install from a source checkout on your own server, per the download page. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, with extensions and web services but no integrations list. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Bugzilla is for
- Fits if your team can host its own server and wants a free bug tracker
- Works for teams that only track defects
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want a hosted version, as none exists
- Too light for project planning: no boards, timelines or Gantt
- Tight if you need support: it is community-run by a small nonprofit
- Watch out: the download page recommends a source checkout over a packaged release
Good to know
Good for
- Software teams that want a free, self-run bug database
- Open source projects that already file bugs by product and component
- Administrators who want custom fields and workflow rules
Worth knowing
- It must be installed on your own server; the project describes no hosted version.
- It is built around tracking defects, and the project says it is not aiming to become a project management tool.
- The download page recommends installing from a source code checkout rather than a packaged release.
- Support is community-run: the project is managed by a small nonprofit and appeals for sponsors to hire a developer.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Bugzilla is free to use.
Free to download with no caps, no trial and no account.
Open source
$0
Free to download and run on your own server under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. There is no hosted edition.
Read from bugzilla.org on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Free open source bug tracker you run on your own server. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, issue tracking, reports.
Search, reports and charts, custom fields, email filing, time tracking.
- Advanced search
- A plain full-text search for new users, plus a query builder that supports time-based conditions and saved, shareable searches.
- Reports and charts
- Cross-tabulate bugs by any two fields and view the result as a table, line graph, bar graph or pie chart, or have reports emailed on a schedule.
- Custom fields and workflow
- Administrators can add custom fields, define their own workflow, and control who sees or edits bugs through groups.
- Email notifications and filing by email
- Users choose which changes they are emailed about, and bugs can be filed or modified by email.
- Time tracking and requests
- Bugs can carry time estimates and actuals, and a request system lets users ask others for reviews or information.
- Extensions and web services
- An extension mechanism customizes installations, and XML-RPC and JSON-RPC interfaces let other programs work with the data.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Bugzilla is made by Zarro Boogs Corporation, and has been around since 1998.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/111
Other project management tools it is graded above
Bugzilla's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 6 of the 111 other project management tools we grade, and level with 15.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 77 of 111) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Bugzilla has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 112 project management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Bugzilla’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 27 of 111
- BFree plan and trialAbove 77 of 111
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 111
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 111
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 111
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 104 project management tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Bugzilla is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Bugzilla is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 90 of the 111 other project management tools grade higher.
What you could make
- Issue tracking and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- An API that other software can build on.
What this rests on. Bugzilla’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
MantisBT, Redmine, YouTrack, Trac and OpenProject
The 5 tools Bugzilla is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
MantisBT
Free
Open source issue tracker for teams and clients.
- Bugzilla also covers reports.
- 3.0GPA
Redmine
Free
Free, self-hosted issue tracker and project management web app.
- Bugzilla also covers reports.
- Redmine also covers wiki, Gantt & timelines and time tracking.
- 3.2GPA
YouTrack
Free plan · from $4.50/mo
Issue tracker and project management tool from JetBrains.
- Only YouTrack lists iOS and Android apps.
- Bugzilla is open source, according to its own site.
- Bugzilla also covers reports.
- 2.2GPA
Trac
Free
Open source wiki and issue tracker for software projects.
- Trac also covers wiki.
- 2.6GPA
OpenProject
Free plan · from $7.25/mo
Open-source project management for classic and agile teams.
- Only OpenProject lists iOS and Android apps.
- Bugzilla also covers reports.
- OpenProject also covers wiki, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and time tracking.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Bugzilla free?
Yes. Bugzilla is free to use.
How much does Bugzilla cost?
Bugzilla lists one plan. Open source: $0.
What platforms does Bugzilla work on?
Bugzilla is available on Web.
Does Bugzilla have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Bugzilla is listed for Web.
Does Bugzilla have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Bugzilla is listed for Web.
Is Bugzilla open source?
Yes. Bugzilla is open source, according to its own site.
Does Bugzilla have an API?
Yes. Bugzilla offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes Bugzilla?
Bugzilla is made by Zarro Boogs Corporation. It dates from 1998.
What are the alternatives to Bugzilla?
The closest alternatives to Bugzilla in our directory are MantisBT, Redmine, YouTrack, Trac and OpenProject.
How does Bugzilla compare with other project management tools?
Bugzilla's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 6 of the 111 other project management tools we grade, and level with 15.
Is Bugzilla good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Bugzilla C for value for money. Bugzilla has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Bugzilla?
Bugzilla is free, so making your own would save you nothing. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 90 of the 111 other project management tools grade higher.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Bugzilla’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Zarro Boogs Corporation's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Zarro Boogs Corporation. Prices change, so check bugzilla.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Bugzilla, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/bugzilla
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Bugzilla: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/bugzilla
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/bugzilla/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after Bugzilla, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Project Management Insider's GuideEvery one of the 112 project management tools we grade, compared
- GitHub Issues Insider's GuideIssue tracking and project planning built into GitHub3.4 GPA
- Freedcamp Insider's GuideProject management suite with a free plan for unlimited users3.2 GPA
- Huly Insider's GuideOpen-source project management with chat, docs and video calls3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Bugzilla’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Bugzilla is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Zarro Boogs Corporation. Prices and plans change: check bugzilla.org before you buy.