The Plane Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Plane 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.
Plane
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source project management with cycles, wiki and AI agents
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from Plane’s own pages.
Made by Plane Software, Inc. · checked Oct 5, 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 Plane’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Plane’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 54 of the 79 other project management tools we grade
Plane is an open-source project management tool that brings work items, time-boxed cycles, modules, a wiki and AI features into one workspace. Work items can be viewed as a list, board, calendar, Gantt chart or spreadsheet. It runs as a cloud service or self-hosted on your own infrastructure, including an air-gapped edition, and the free plan covers up to 12 users.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Plane, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for open-source issue tracking for small teams
Plane is an open-source project tool in the mould of Jira and Linear: work items, cycles, modules, a wiki and AI agents.
- 2
Paid plans start at $6 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $6 per seat / month, billed annually.
- 3
There is a free plan
Free plan for up to 12 users: projects, work items, cycles, modules, five layouts, intake, estimates and project pages.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 5
Work items, cycles and modules
Projects hold work items, which are planned into time-boxed cycles and grouped into modules. Cycles come with velocity tracking and burndown charts.
- 6
Five layouts and saved views
Work items can be shown as a list, board, calendar, Gantt chart or spreadsheet, and a set of sort, filter and display options can be saved as a view.
- 7
Pages and wiki
Project pages are included on Free. Pro adds a workspace wiki for company-wide knowledge, and Business adds nested pages and embeds.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 54 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
The plain part of Plane you could make: issue tracking, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and wiki. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Plane at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $6 per seat / month, billed annually
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Two-week free trial of Pro or Business
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Plane Software, Inc., since 2023
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for open-source issue tracking for small teams
Plane is an open-source project tool in the mould of Jira and Linear: work items, cycles, modules, a wiki and AI agents. The free plan stops at 12 users, and time tracking, dashboards and the wiki start on Pro at $6 a seat. There's no Windows desktop app yet, the phone apps don't work with the free self-hosted edition, and LDAP and approvals are quote-only Enterprise.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $6 a seat a month billed annually, $8 monthly, which lands between the low and the high end of this category, and it's where time tracking, the wiki, dashboards and integrations begin. Business is $13. Self-hosting the open-source core costs nothing but a server. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free covers up to 12 users with projects, work items, cycles, modules, five layouts, intake, estimates and project pages. Past 12 you pay, and the open-source Community Edition can't use the phone apps. |
| Features | B | Work items planned into cycles with velocity tracking and burndown charts, grouped into modules, shown as a list, board, calendar, Gantt or spreadsheet, plus pages and a wiki, intake for triaging requests and AI agents that run on mentions and schedules. Time tracking and the wiki start at Pro. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. The importers for Jira, Linear, Asana and ClickUp save you retyping a backlog, but you still set up projects, cycles and modules, and self-hosting means Docker or Kubernetes. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, with the Windows desktop app listed as coming soon, and GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Sentry, Figma and Teams on the integrations page. |
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 Plane is for
- Fits if you want to self-host your project management tool
- Works for teams of up to 12 moving off Jira, Linear, Asana or ClickUp with the built-in importers
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying free and need time tracking, dashboards or the workspace wiki, which start at Pro
- Tight if your free team passes 12 users, as every seat then costs $6 a month billed annually
- Skip it if you want a Windows desktop app today, as it's listed as coming soon
- Not for you if you self-host the Community Edition and want the phone apps, because they don't work with it
- Pricey if you need LDAP, granular access control or approval workflows, which are Enterprise Grid only, priced by quote
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that want to self-host their project management tool
- Small teams of up to 12 people who fit the Free plan
- Teams moving off Jira, Linear, Asana or ClickUp using the built-in importers
Worth knowing
- The Free plan is capped at 12 users; time tracking, the workspace wiki, dashboards and work item types start at Pro.
- The download page lists the Windows desktop app as coming soon; macOS and Linux desktop apps are available.
- The mobile apps work with Cloud and the commercial self-hosted editions, not with the open-source Community Edition.
- LDAP, granular access control and multiple workflows with approvals are limited to Enterprise Grid, which is priced by quote.
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
Plane has a free plan. Paid plans start at $6 per seat / month, billed annually.
Self-hosting the open-source core costs nothing but a server.
Free
$0
Up to 12 users. Projects and work items, cycles and modules, five layouts with unlimited views, work item intake, estimates and project pages.
Pro
$6
per seat / month, billed annually ($8 billed monthly)
Unlimited seats, 500 AI credits per seat, work item types, workspace wiki, time tracking, dashboards, initiatives, teamspaces and integrations.
Business
$13
per seat / month, billed annually ($15 billed monthly)
1,000 AI credits per seat, project templates, recurring work items, intake email and forms, a workflow per project and customer profiles.
Enterprise Grid
Custom
Quote on request. Private and managed deployments, granular access control, multiple workflows with approvals, LDAP and audit logs.
The free plan
Free plan for up to 12 users: projects, work items, cycles, modules, five layouts, intake, estimates and project pages.
Trying it first
Two-week free trial of Pro or Business
Read from plane.so on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save up to 25% with annual billing
Pro is $6 per seat / month billed annually against $8 billed monthly, a 25% saving. Business is $13 against $15, about 13%.
Stated on plane.soStartups
Startup discounts on request
Plane's startups page says startup discounts are reviewed on demand: applicants send their company stage, team size and needs through the sales form.
Stated on plane.so
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android
Open-source project management with cycles, wiki and AI agents. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, AI features, wiki, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines, issue tracking.
Time tracking and the wiki start at Pro.
- Work items, cycles and modules
- Projects hold work items, which are planned into time-boxed cycles and grouped into modules. Cycles come with velocity tracking and burndown charts.
- Five layouts and saved views
- Work items can be shown as a list, board, calendar, Gantt chart or spreadsheet, and a set of sort, filter and display options can be saved as a view.
- Pages and wiki
- Project pages are included on Free. Pro adds a workspace wiki for company-wide knowledge, and Business adds nested pages and embeds.
- Plane AI and agents
- Plane AI answers questions from across the workspace, and agents run on mentions, assignments and schedules. Pro includes 500 AI credits per seat a month and Business 1,000.
- Intake
- Intake collects feedback and requests for triage before they become work items. Business adds a dedicated intake email address and public web forms.
- Self-hosting
- Plane deploys on your own servers with Docker or Kubernetes, and an air-gapped edition covers isolated networks. The core is open source under AGPL v3.0.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Slack
- Sentry
- Figma
- Microsoft Teams
- Draw.io
Plane is made by Plane Software, Inc., and has been around since 2023.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
54/79
Other project management tools it is graded above
Plane's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 54 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 54 of 79) and worst on ease of use (C, above 2).
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 3.0 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 80 project management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Plane’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 16 of 79
- BFree plan and trialAbove 53 of 79
- BFeaturesAbove 27 of 79
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 79
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 54 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. Plane 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
The plain part of Plane you could make: issue tracking, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and wiki. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 54 of the 79 other project management tools we grade. It costs $72 a year. Plane is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Issue tracking, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and wiki: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- It plugs into other products, GitHub, GitLab and Slack among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Plane’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
Linear, Jira, ClickUp, OpenProject and Huly
The 5 tools Plane is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Linear
Free plan · from $10/mo
Issue tracking and product planning for software teams.
- Only Plane lists a Linux app.
- Only Linear lists a Windows app.
- Plane is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
Jira
Free plan · from $9.70/mo
Issue and project tracking for software and business teams.
- Only Plane lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Plane is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Plane also covers wiki.
- 3.0GPA
ClickUp
Free plan · from $7/mo
Work platform combining tasks, docs, chat and dashboards.
- Only ClickUp lists a Windows app.
- Only ClickUp lists a browser extension.
- Plane is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
OpenProject
Free plan · from $7.25/mo
Open-source project management for classic and agile teams.
- Only Plane lists macOS and Linux apps.
- OpenProject also covers time tracking.
- 3.2GPA
Huly
Free plan · from $19.99/mo
Open-source project management with chat, docs and video calls.
- Only Plane lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Huly lists a Windows app.
- Plane also covers wiki, kanban boards and Gantt & timelines.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 Plane free?
Plane has a free plan. Free plan for up to 12 users: projects, work items, cycles, modules, five layouts, intake, estimates and project pages.
How much does Plane cost?
Plane lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Plane work on?
Plane is available on Web, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does Plane offer any discounts?
Plane publicly lists the following: Save up to 25% with annual billing; Startup discounts on request.
Does Plane have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Plane is listed for Web, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Is Plane open source?
Yes. Plane is open source, according to its own site.
What does Plane integrate with?
Plane's listing names GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Sentry, Figma, Microsoft Teams and Draw.io.
Does Plane have a free trial?
Yes. Two-week free trial of Pro or Business.
Who makes Plane?
Plane is made by Plane Software, Inc. It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to Plane?
The closest alternatives to Plane in our directory are Linear, Jira, ClickUp, OpenProject and Huly.
How does Plane compare with other project management tools?
Plane's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 54 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 9.
Is Plane good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Plane 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 Plane?
The plain part of Plane you could make: issue tracking, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and wiki.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Plane’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Plane's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-12.
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 Plane Software, Inc. Prices change, so check plane.so 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
- Plane, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/plane
- 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, "Plane: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/plane
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/plane/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after Plane, 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 Plane’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. Plane is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Plane Software, Inc. Prices and plans change: check plane.so before you buy.