The Planio Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Planio 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.
Planio
The Insider’s Guide
Hosted Redmine with issue tracking, repositories, wiki and help desk
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from Planio’s own pages.
Made by Planio GmbH · 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 Planio’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Planio’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
2.4
GPA, above 20 of the 79 other project management tools we grade
Planio is a hosted project management service built on the open-source Redmine. It combines issue tracking with role-based workflows, agile boards, roadmaps and Gantt charts, Git and Subversion hosting, wikis, time tracking, team chat and a customer help desk. Plans are priced at a flat monthly rate by the number of active projects and users, not per seat.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Planio, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for hosted Redmine without the server work
Planio is Redmine, hosted for you, with issue tracking, agile boards, Gantt charts, Git and Subversion repositories, wikis, chat and a help desk.
- 2
Paid plans start at $25 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $25 per month for 5 active users and 3 active projects, billed monthly.
- 3
There is a free plan
Bronze plan: 1 project, 2 users, 10 customers and 1 GB of storage.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Issue tracking and workflows
Issues carry configurable fields such as status, priority, assignee and dates, and role-based workflows define which steps each participant may take.
- 6
Agile boards, roadmaps and Gantt
Plan sprints on a Kanban-style agile board, or assign issues to milestones and follow them on a roadmap and an automatically generated Gantt chart.
- 7
Git and Subversion hosting
The pricing page lists an unlimited number of Git and Subversion repositories for its plans, and GitHub repositories can be mirrored into Planio.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 20 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 Planio you would be making chat that a whole team counts on staying up. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Planio at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $25 per month for 5 active users and 3 active projects, billed monthly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial of paid plans, no credit card needed and no need to cancel
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Planio GmbH, since 2009
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for hosted Redmine without the server work
Planio is Redmine, hosted for you, with issue tracking, agile boards, Gantt charts, Git and Subversion repositories, wikis, chat and a help desk. You pay a flat monthly rate from $25 for 5 users. But every plan caps projects as well as people, Silver stops at 3 active projects, storage and the help desk are add-ons below the top plans, and a custom domain costs extra.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Silver is a flat $25 a month for 5 active users and 3 active projects, which is $5 a head only if you fill every seat; two of you and it's $12.50 each. Gold is $59 for 10 users and 7 projects, and Storage and Help Desk are add-ons on both, $7 to $15 a month each. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Bronze is free but it's 1 project, 2 users, 10 customers and 1 GB, which is a demo rather than a home. The 30-day trial of the paid plans needs no card and doesn't even need cancelling, but you don't get it if you're already on Bronze. |
| Features | B | Issues with role-based workflows, sprints on an agile board, milestones on a roadmap, an automatic Gantt chart, Git and Subversion hosting, a wiki and forum per project, a timer for time tracking, team chat and a help desk that turns customer email into issues. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Having it hosted spares you the server, which is the whole pitch, but this is Redmine underneath: trackers, roles and workflows to configure before anyone files an issue. The card-free 30-day trial lets you find that out without paying. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web with free iPhone and Android apps that list, filter, create and edit issues, and no desktop app. GitHub repositories mirror in, and it works with Bitbucket and clients like Git Tower, SmartGit and TortoiseSVN. |
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 Planio is for
- Fits if you're a software team wanting issues, repositories and a wiki in one hosted service
- Works for organizations already on Redmine that would rather not host it themselves
Who it is not for
- Tight if you juggle lots of projects, because Silver stops at 3 active projects and Gold at 7
- Pricey if there are only one or two of you, since paid plans start at a flat $25 a month
- Watch out: Planio Storage is a paid add-on below Platinum, and Help Desk is extra on Silver and Gold, $7 to $20 a month each
- Skip it if you need a custom domain, which is included only in Enterprise from $449 a month and costs 15 euros a month otherwise
- Tight if you're staying free on Bronze, with 1 project, 2 users and 1 GB, and no 30-day trial when you move up
Good to know
Good for
- Software teams that want issues, repositories and a wiki in one hosted service
- Organizations already using Redmine that prefer not to host it themselves
- Teams that answer customer email from the same tool as their issues
Worth knowing
- Plans cap both active projects and active users: Silver stops at 3 projects and 5 users, and Platinum at 40 projects and 45 users.
- Planio Storage is a paid add-on below Platinum, and Help Desk is a paid add-on on Silver and Gold.
- The free Bronze plan is limited to 1 project, 2 users and 1 GB, and moving up from it does not include the 30-day trial.
- A custom domain is included only in Enterprise; the FAQ lists it as a paid extra at 15 euros a month on other plans.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$25
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Planio has a free plan. Paid plans start at $25 per month for 5 active users and 3 active projects, billed monthly.
Bronze
$0
1 project, 2 users, 10 customers and 1 GB of storage.
Silver
$25
per month flat, billed monthly
3 active projects, 5 active users and 5 GB, with team chat. Planio Storage and Help Desk are add-ons at $7 a month each.
Gold
$59
per month flat, billed monthly
7 active projects, 10 active users and 20 GB, with team chat. Planio Storage and Help Desk are add-ons at $15 a month each.
Diamond
$125
per month flat, billed monthly
15 active projects, 20 active users and 40 GB, with Help Desk and team chat included. Planio Storage is a $20 a month add-on.
Platinum
$249
per month flat, billed monthly
40 active projects, 45 active users and 80 GB, with Planio Storage, Help Desk and team chat included.
Enterprise
From $449
per month; extra charges may apply
100 or more projects and users and 100 GB or more, on a separately managed instance with custom branding, a custom domain and Redmine plugins on request.
The free plan
Bronze plan: 1 project, 2 users, 10 customers and 1 GB of storage.
Trying it first
30-day free trial of paid plans, no credit card needed and no need to cancel
Read from plan.io on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
Free account for open source projects
Planio's FAQ offers a complimentary account to open source projects that set their projects to public, arranged by emailing the company with details of the project.
Stated on plan.io
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
Hosted Redmine with issue tracking, repositories, wiki and help desk. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, wiki, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines, issue tracking, time tracking, team chat.
Web with free iPhone and Android apps that list, filter, create and edit issues, and no desktop app.
- Issue tracking and workflows
- Issues carry configurable fields such as status, priority, assignee and dates, and role-based workflows define which steps each participant may take.
- Agile boards, roadmaps and Gantt
- Plan sprints on a Kanban-style agile board, or assign issues to milestones and follow them on a roadmap and an automatically generated Gantt chart.
- Git and Subversion hosting
- The pricing page lists an unlimited number of Git and Subversion repositories for its plans, and GitHub repositories can be mirrored into Planio.
- Wiki and discussions
- Each project can have its own wiki and forum for recording decisions, and chat messages, updates and comments are kept with the work they refer to.
- Help Desk
- Emails from customers become issues, with auto-replies, reply templates and a tracking page customers can open without logging in. It is an add-on on Silver and Gold.
- Time tracking and mobile apps
- Start a timer on an issue and log the time with a comment and activity. Free iOS and Android apps list, filter, create and edit issues.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- GitHub
- Bitbucket
- Dropscan
- Git Tower
- SmartGit
- TortoiseSVN
- Cornerstone SVN
Planio is made by Planio GmbH, and has been around since 2009.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/79
Other project management tools it is graded above
Planio's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 21.
It stands best on features (B, above 27 of 79) and worst on ease of use (C, above 2).
Its paid plans start at $25 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 68 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 28 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. Planio’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 16 of 79
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 79
- BFeaturesAbove 27 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. Planio 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 Planio you would be making chat that a whole team counts on staying up. 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: 38 of the 79 other project management tools grade higher. It costs $300 a year.
What you could make
- Issue tracking, Gantt & timelines, kanban boards, wiki and time tracking: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, GitHub, Bitbucket and Dropscan among them, and has an API.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Planio’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
Redmine, OpenProject, Backlog, Jira and YouTrack
The 5 tools Planio is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Redmine
Free
Free, self-hosted issue tracker and project management web app.
- Only Planio lists iOS and Android apps.
- Redmine is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Planio also covers kanban boards and team chat.
- 2.6GPA
OpenProject
Free plan · from $7.25/mo
Open-source project management for classic and agile teams.
- OpenProject is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Planio also covers team chat.
- 2.4GPA
Backlog
Free plan · from $30/mo
Issue tracking and project management with built-in Git and SVN.
- Backlog is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Planio also covers wiki, time tracking and team chat.
- Backlog also covers tasks and documents.
- 3.2GPA
Jira
Free plan · from $9.70/mo
Issue and project tracking for software and business teams.
- Planio also covers wiki, time tracking and team chat.
- Jira also covers tasks and workflow automation.
- 3.2GPA
YouTrack
Free plan · from $4.50/mo
Issue tracker and project management tool from JetBrains.
- YouTrack is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Planio also covers team chat.
- YouTrack also covers workflow automation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 Planio free?
Planio has a free plan. Bronze plan: 1 project, 2 users, 10 customers and 1 GB of storage.
How much does Planio cost?
Planio lists 6 plans. Bronze: $0.
What platforms does Planio work on?
Planio is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Planio offer any discounts?
Planio publicly lists the following: Free account for open source projects.
Does Planio have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Planio is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Planio have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Planio is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Planio open source?
Planio is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Planio have an API?
Yes. Planio offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Planio integrate with?
Planio's listing names GitHub, Bitbucket, Dropscan, Git Tower, SmartGit, TortoiseSVN and Cornerstone SVN.
Does Planio have a free trial?
Yes. 30-day free trial of paid plans, no credit card needed and no need to cancel.
Who makes Planio?
Planio is made by Planio GmbH. It dates from 2009.
What are the alternatives to Planio?
The closest alternatives to Planio in our directory are Redmine, OpenProject, Backlog, Jira and YouTrack.
How does Planio compare with other project management tools?
Planio's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 21.
Is Planio good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Planio C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $25 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 68 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Planio?
To replace Planio you would be making chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Planio’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 Planio's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-21.
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 Planio GmbH. Prices change, so check plan.io 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
- Planio, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/planio
- 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, "Planio: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/planio
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/planio/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after Planio, 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 Planio’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. Planio is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Planio GmbH. Prices and plans change: check plan.io before you buy.