The MantisBT Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about MantisBT 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.
MantisBT
The Insider’s Guide
Open source issue tracker for teams and clients
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from MantisBT’s own pages.
Made by MantisBT Team · 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 MantisBT’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on MantisBT’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 14 of the 149 other project management tools we grade
MantisBT is an open source, web-based bug tracking system written in PHP. Teams install it on their own Linux, Windows or macOS server to log issues, notify members and clients by email, and set per-project access roles. The project is released under the GNU General Public License.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about MantisBT, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You install and maintain it yourself, and its site describes issue tracking only.
- 1
Best for tracking issues on your own server
MantisBT is a free open-source issue tracker with per-project access control, custom fields and email notifications.
- 2
It is free
MantisBT has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Email notifications
Team members and clients are notified by email when an issue is updated, resolved or commented on.
- 5
Per-project access control
Role-based access is set per project, so each user sees and changes only the projects they are given.
- 6
Customizable fields and workflow
Issue fields, notifications and the workflow can be adjusted to fit how a team handles its issues.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 14 of 149
That is against the other project management tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
MantisBT is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
MantisBT at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- MantisBT Team, since 2000
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for tracking issues on your own server
MantisBT is a free open-source issue tracker with per-project access control, custom fields and email notifications. You install and maintain it yourself, and its site describes issue tracking only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Free under the GPL, 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 | Email notifications, per-project access, custom fields and workflow, add-ons. It does issue tracking fully, but that is a smaller job than project management. |
| Ease of use | D | You install and maintain it yourself, and the 1.3 legacy line only gets security fixes. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, with add-ons 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 MantisBT is for
- Fits if your team can host its own server and wants a free issue tracker
- Works for teams that only track issues
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want a hosted version: that is MantisHub, a separate paid service by a different team
- Too light for project planning, as the site mentions no boards, sprints or Gantt
- Watch out: on the 1.3 legacy line only security fixes are made
- Tight if you need support: nothing on the page offers a support plan
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that want a free, simple issue tracker on their own server
- Software teams that give clients access to report issues
- Administrators comfortable running a PHP application
Worth knowing
- You install and maintain it yourself; the download page offers a stable 2.x release and a legacy 1.3 line that gets security fixes only.
- The project site describes issue tracking only, with no mention of boards, sprints or Gantt charts.
- Hosted MantisBT is a separate paid service, MantisHub, run by a different team; its prices are not on the MantisBT site.
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
MantisBT is free to use.
Free under the GPL, but only if you host it yourself, which needs a server.
Open source
$0
Free to download and run on your own server under the GNU General Public License.
Read from mantisbt.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
Open source issue tracker for teams and clients. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, issue tracking.
Email notifications, per-project access, custom fields and workflow, add-ons.
- Email notifications
- Team members and clients are notified by email when an issue is updated, resolved or commented on.
- Per-project access control
- Role-based access is set per project, so each user sees and changes only the projects they are given.
- Customizable fields and workflow
- Issue fields, notifications and the workflow can be adjusted to fit how a team handles its issues.
- Add-ons
- The project site lists add-ons that extend the core tracker with extra behavior.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
MantisBT is made by MantisBT Team, and has been around since 2000.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
14/149
Other project management tools it is graded above
MantisBT's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 14 of the 149 other project management tools we grade, and level with 23.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 101 of 149) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
MantisBT 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 150 project management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. MantisBT’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 35 of 149
- BFree plan and trialAbove 101 of 149
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 149
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 149
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 149
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 128 project management tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. MantisBT 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
MantisBT is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 112 of the 149 other project management tools grade higher.
What you could make
- Issue tracking: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
What this rests on. MantisBT’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
Bugzilla, Redmine, Trac, YouTrack and Kanboard
The 5 tools MantisBT is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Bugzilla
Free
Free open source bug tracker you run on your own server.
- Bugzilla also covers reports.
- 3.0GPA
Redmine
Free
Free, self-hosted issue tracker and project management web app.
- Redmine also covers wiki, Gantt & timelines and time tracking.
- 2.2GPA
Trac
Free
Open source wiki and issue tracker for software projects.
- Trac also covers wiki and reports.
- 3.2GPA
YouTrack
Free plan · from $4.50/mo
Issue tracker and project management tool from JetBrains.
- Only YouTrack lists iOS and Android apps.
- MantisBT is open source, according to its own site.
- YouTrack also covers wiki, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines, workflow automation and time tracking.
- 2.6GPA
Kanboard
Free
Free, self-hosted kanban board software under the MIT License.
- MantisBT also covers issue tracking.
- Kanboard also covers kanban boards, workflow automation, time tracking and reports.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 MantisBT free?
Yes. MantisBT is free to use.
How much does MantisBT cost?
MantisBT lists one plan. Open source: $0.
What platforms does MantisBT work on?
MantisBT is available on Web.
Does MantisBT have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. MantisBT is listed for Web.
Does MantisBT have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. MantisBT is listed for Web.
Is MantisBT open source?
Yes. MantisBT is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes MantisBT?
MantisBT is made by MantisBT Team. It dates from 2000.
What are the alternatives to MantisBT?
The closest alternatives to MantisBT in our directory are Bugzilla, Redmine, Trac, YouTrack and Kanboard.
How does MantisBT compare with other project management tools?
MantisBT's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 14 of the 149 other project management tools we grade, and level with 23.
Is MantisBT good value for money?
ToolGPA grades MantisBT C for value for money. MantisBT has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of MantisBT?
MantisBT is free, so making your own would save you nothing. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 112 of the 149 other project management tools grade higher.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from MantisBT’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 MantisBT Team'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 MantisBT Team. Prices change, so check mantisbt.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- MantisBT, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/mantisbt
- 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, "MantisBT: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/mantisbt
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/mantisbt/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after MantisBT, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Project Management Insider's GuideEvery one of the 150 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 MantisBT’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. MantisBT is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by MantisBT Team. Prices and plans change: check mantisbt.org before you buy.