The Kanban Tool Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Kanban Tool 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.
Kanban Tool
The Insider’s Guide
Online kanban boards with time tracking and flow analytics
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from Kanban Tool’s own pages.
Made by Kanban Tool sp. z o.o. · checked Oct 9, 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 Kanban Tool’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Kanban Tool’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 3 of the 79 other project management tools we grade
Kanban Tool is a visual project management service built around kanban boards with swimlanes, work-in-progress limits and real-time updates. Cumulative flow and cycle time reports are included on every plan, and the Enterprise plan adds time tracking and process automation. It is sold as a hosted service and as Kanban Tool On-Site, which organizations install on their own servers.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Kanban Tool, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for kanban with WIP limits and flow charts
Kanban Tool is a kanban board with swimlanes, work-in-progress limits, and cumulative flow and cycle time reports on every plan, from $6 a user a month.
- 2
Paid plans start at $6 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $6 per user / month.
- 3
There is a free plan
2 boards and 2 users, with no file attachments, time tracking, process automation or user groups.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Kanban boards with swimlanes
Work is shown as cards on boards with horizontal swimlanes, work-in-progress limits, collapsible columns and predefined, customizable board templates.
- 6
Real-time collaboration
Board changes appear across team devices as they happen, with comments, task assignments, email notifications and due date reminders.
- 7
Flow analytics
A cumulative flow diagram, cycle time reports and breakdown charts show where work is piling up. Board analytics are included on every plan.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 3 of 79
That is against the other project management tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Kanban Tool you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Kanban Tool at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $6 per user / month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of the chosen plan, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Kanban Tool sp. z o.o., since 2008
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for kanban with WIP limits and flow charts
Kanban Tool is a kanban board with swimlanes, work-in-progress limits, and cumulative flow and cycle time reports on every plan, from $6 a user a month. The free plan is 2 boards and 2 users with no attachments, time tracking and automation sit on Enterprise at $11, annual prices aren't published, and the on-site version comes in 10-user packs priced on request.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Team is $6 a user a month, between the low and the high end of this category, and it brings unlimited boards, attachments and board analytics. Time tracking and automation need Enterprise at $11, and the pricing page never says what annual billing costs. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free is 2 boards and 2 users with no file attachments at all, so you'll be mailing documents around within a week. The 14-day trial of a paid plan needs no card, at least. |
| Features | C | Kanban with swimlanes, work-in-progress limits, real-time updates, a cumulative flow diagram and cycle time reports, with 30-odd Power-Ups for a calendar, dependencies and checklists. That's one method rather than the whole job, and time tracking and automation are Enterprise-only. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. The templates and the AI Assistant that drafts a board from a description help, but the work is still designing your own columns, swimlanes and WIP limits, which is the bit teams argue about. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android, with no desktop app. It connects to Zapier, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box and Outlook, there are developer tools for your own styles and scripts, and On-Site installs on your own server. |
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 Kanban Tool is for
- Fits if your team runs kanban with WIP limits and flow metrics
- Works for organizations that must keep board data on their own servers and can buy 10 seats or more
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying free, with 2 boards, 2 users and no file attachments
- Pricey if you need time tracking, automation or user groups, which are only on Enterprise at $11 a user a month
- Skip it if you're a small team wanting to self-host, as On-Site comes in 10-user annual packs with pricing on request
- Watch out: annual billing exists, but the pricing page doesn't say what it costs
- Not for you if you want a desktop app, as it runs on the web, iPhone and Android only
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that run kanban with WIP limits and flow metrics
- Organizations that must keep board data on their own servers
- Two-person teams whose work fits on the free plan's 2 boards
Worth knowing
- The Free plan is limited to 2 boards and 2 users and has no file attachments.
- Time tracking, process automation and user groups are only on the Enterprise plan at $11 per user / month.
- The pricing page shows one per-user monthly price; annual billing exists, but its price is not listed.
- Kanban Tool On-Site is sold in 10-user annual license packs, with pricing only on request.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$6
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Kanban Tool has a free plan. Paid plans start at $6 per user / month.
Free
$0
2 boards and 2 users, without file attachments.
Team
$6
per user / month; annual billing also offered, price not listed
Unlimited boards and file attachments, with real-time board updates and board analytics.
Enterprise
$11
per user / month; annual billing also offered, price not listed
Everything in Team, plus time tracking and reporting, user groups management and process automation.
Kanban Tool On-Site
Custom
The Enterprise product installed on your own server, sold in 10-user annual license packs with pricing on request.
The free plan
2 boards and 2 users, with no file attachments, time tracking, process automation or user groups.
Trying it first
14-day free trial of the chosen plan, no credit card required
Read from kanbantool.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Nonprofit
Nonprofit pricing on request
Kanban Tool says it gives significant discounts to non-profit organizations. The amount is not published and is arranged by contacting the company.
Stated on kanbantool.comEducation
Educational pricing on request
Educational organizations are offered discounted pricing on the same terms: no published rate, arranged by contacting the company.
Stated on kanbantool.comOther savings
Reduced pricing above 50 users
The support pages state that accounts with more than 50 users get reduced pricing, arranged with the sales team.
Stated on kanbantool.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Online kanban boards with time tracking and flow analytics. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, public API, real-time collaboration, kanban boards, workflow automation, time tracking, reports.
That's one method rather than the whole job, and time tracking and automation are Enterprise-only.
- Kanban boards with swimlanes
- Work is shown as cards on boards with horizontal swimlanes, work-in-progress limits, collapsible columns and predefined, customizable board templates.
- Real-time collaboration
- Board changes appear across team devices as they happen, with comments, task assignments, email notifications and due date reminders.
- Flow analytics
- A cumulative flow diagram, cycle time reports and breakdown charts show where work is piling up. Board analytics are included on every plan.
- Time tracking and automation
- The Enterprise plan adds time tracking with time reports and process automation. Recurring and postponed tasks with reminders are also listed.
- Power-Ups
- More than 30 optional Power-Ups add an interactive calendar, task dependencies, card covers, checklists and developer tools for custom styles and scripts.
- AI Assistant
- The assistant builds a board from a description of the work and suggests checklist items and tasks, using an OpenAI integration.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Zapier
- Google Drive
- OneDrive
- Dropbox
- Box
- Outlook
- OpenAI
- ActiveCampaign
Kanban Tool is made by Kanban Tool sp. z o.o., and has been around since 2008.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
3/79
Other project management tools it is graded above
Kanban Tool's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 3 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 16.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 6 of 79) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $6 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 21 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 14 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 80 project management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Kanban Tool’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 16 of 79
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 79
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 79
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 79
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 6 of 79
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 78 project management tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Kanban Tool 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
To replace Kanban Tool you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 60 of the 79 other project management tools grade higher. It costs $72 a year.
What you could make
- Kanban boards, time tracking and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
What this rests on. Kanban Tool’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
KanbanFlow, Trello, Kanbanchi, Kanboard and Teamhood
The 5 tools Kanban Tool is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
KanbanFlow
Free plan · from $5/mo
Kanban boards with a built-in Pomodoro timer and time tracking.
- Only Kanban Tool lists iOS and Android apps.
- Kanban Tool is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Kanban Tool also covers workflow automation.
- 2.8GPA
Trello
Free plan · from $5/mo
Kanban boards with an inbox, planner and built-in automation.
- Only Trello lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Kanban Tool is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Kanban Tool also covers time tracking and reports.
- 2.2GPA
Kanbanchi
Free plan · from $3.97/mo
Kanban boards and Gantt charts for Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
- Only Kanban Tool lists an iOS app.
- Kanban Tool is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Kanban Tool also covers workflow automation.
- 2.6GPA
Kanboard
Free
Free, self-hosted kanban board software under the MIT License.
- Only Kanban Tool lists iOS and Android apps.
- Kanboard is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
Teamhood
Free trial · from $6/mo
Project management with capacity planning in a single plan.
- Kanban Tool has a free plan. Teamhood does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Kanban Tool lists iOS and Android apps.
- Kanban Tool is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
17
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 Kanban Tool free?
Kanban Tool has a free plan. 2 boards and 2 users, with no file attachments, time tracking, process automation or user groups.
How much does Kanban Tool cost?
Kanban Tool lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Kanban Tool work on?
Kanban Tool is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Kanban Tool offer any discounts?
Kanban Tool publicly lists the following: Nonprofit pricing on request; Educational pricing on request; Reduced pricing above 50 users.
Does Kanban Tool have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Kanban Tool is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Kanban Tool have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Kanban Tool is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Kanban Tool open source?
Kanban Tool is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Can Kanban Tool be self-hosted?
Yes. Kanban Tool's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
Does Kanban Tool have an API?
Yes. Kanban Tool offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Kanban Tool integrate with?
Kanban Tool's listing names Zapier, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, Outlook, OpenAI and ActiveCampaign.
Does Kanban Tool have a student discount?
Educational pricing on request. Educational organizations are offered discounted pricing on the same terms: no published rate, arranged by contacting the company.
Does Kanban Tool have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day free trial of the chosen plan, no credit card required.
Who makes Kanban Tool?
Kanban Tool is made by Kanban Tool sp. z o.o. It dates from 2008.
What are the alternatives to Kanban Tool?
The closest alternatives to Kanban Tool in our directory are KanbanFlow, Trello, Kanbanchi, Kanboard and Teamhood.
How does Kanban Tool compare with other project management tools?
Kanban Tool's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 3 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 16.
Is Kanban Tool good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Kanban Tool C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $6 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 21 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Kanban Tool?
To replace Kanban Tool you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Kanban Tool’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Kanban Tool's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-03.
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 Kanban Tool sp. z o.o. Prices change, so check kanbantool.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 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.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Kanban Tool, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/kanban-tool
- 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, "Kanban Tool: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/kanban-tool
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/kanban-tool/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after Kanban Tool, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Project Management Insider's GuideEvery one of the 80 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 Kanban Tool’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. Kanban Tool is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Kanban Tool sp. z o.o. Prices and plans change: check kanbantool.com before you buy.