The Redmine Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Redmine 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.
Redmine
The Insider’s Guide
Free, self-hosted issue tracker and project management web app
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from Redmine’s own pages.
Made by Jean-Philippe Lang and community volunteers · 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 Redmine’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Redmine’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
3.0
GPA, above 64 of the 79 other project management tools we grade
Redmine is an open-source project management web application that you install on your own server. It tracks issues across multiple projects with configurable roles, workflows and custom fields, and adds a Gantt chart, calendar, time tracking, and a wiki and forums for each project. It is written in Ruby on Rails, released under the GNU GPL v2 and maintained by community volunteers.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Redmine, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Help comes from volunteers, and there's no official phone or desktop app.
- 1
Best for a free issue tracker on your own server
There's no hosting, so somebody has to set up Ruby and a database and keep it running.
- 2
It is free
Redmine has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under the GNU GPL v2. Releases are downloaded from redmine.org and run on your own server; the site lists no paid plans or hosting of its own.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Configurable issue tracking
Statuses and issue types are defined by the administrator, and workflow transitions are set for each issue type and role from the web administration interface.
- 5
Gantt chart and calendar
Both views are generated automatically from the start and due dates entered on issues.
- 6
Time tracking
Time can be entered at project or ticket level, with a simple report of time per user, issue type, category or activity.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 64 of 79
That is against the other project management tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Redmine is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Redmine at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Jean-Philippe Lang and community volunteers, since 2006
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for a free issue tracker on your own server
Redmine is an open-source issue tracker you install on your own server, with a Gantt chart, calendar, time tracking and a wiki for every project and no paid edition. There's no hosting, so somebody has to set up Ruby and a database and keep it running. Help comes from volunteers, and there's no official phone or desktop app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and substantial: GPL v2, no paid edition, no hosted tier, in a category where the middle plan is $8 a member a month. Your only cost is the server and whoever looks after it. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright. The complete application is a download, with nothing kept back for a paid tier: roles, workflows, custom fields, the wiki and the REST API are all in it. Help is free too, though it's community forums, an IRC channel and volunteers. |
| Features | B | It covers the whole job. Issues across many projects with statuses, types and workflows you define per role, a Gantt chart and calendar built from issue dates, time tracking, a wiki and forums per project, and a browser for Git or Subversion repositories. The time report is a simple one, mind. |
| Ease of use | D | You host it yourself, and that's what pins this down. The project offers downloads, not hosting, and an install wants Ruby and a database such as PostgreSQL or MySQL. Then the statuses, roles and workflows are all the administrator's to build. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, with a REST API serving XML or JSON, and it attaches to Git, Subversion, Mercurial, Bazaar and CVS repositories and to LDAP. No app of its own on any phone or desktop. The clients listed on its site are community tools the project doesn't support. |
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 Redmine is for
- Fits if your team can install and look after its own server software
- Works for teams that want issues tied to Git or Subversion repositories across many projects
Who it is not for
- Not for you if nobody on the team can set up Ruby and a database, because there's no hosted version
- Skip it if you need someone to call when it breaks, since help comes from community forums and volunteers
- Tight if you live on your phone, as the mobile clients are community tools the project doesn't support
- Watch out: SQLite is supported, but the install guide says it isn't for multi-user production use
- Too light for detailed time reporting, as the built-in time report is a simple one
Good to know
Good for
- Teams able to install and maintain their own server software
- Software teams that want issues tied to a code repository
- Organizations running many projects and subprojects in one installation
Worth knowing
- The project offers downloads rather than hosting: you install it yourself, which needs Ruby and a database such as PostgreSQL or MySQL.
- Redmine itself is a web application. The mobile and desktop clients listed on its site are community tools that the project does not support.
- Help comes from community forums, an IRC channel and an unofficial Slack workspace; the project is maintained by volunteers.
- SQLite is supported as a database, but the install guide says it is not for multi-user production use.
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
Redmine is free to use.
Your only cost is the server and whoever looks after it.
Redmine
$0
The complete application, downloaded as a .tar.gz or .zip release or checked out from the source repository, and installed on your own server.
The free plan
Free and open source under the GNU GPL v2. Releases are downloaded from redmine.org and run on your own server; the site lists no paid plans or hosting of its own.
Read from redmine.org on Oct 5, 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, self-hosted issue tracker and project management web app. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, wiki, Gantt & timelines, issue tracking, time tracking.
Web, with a REST API serving XML or JSON, and it attaches to Git, Subversion, Mercurial, Bazaar and CVS repositories and to LDAP.
- Configurable issue tracking
- Statuses and issue types are defined by the administrator, and workflow transitions are set for each issue type and role from the web administration interface.
- Gantt chart and calendar
- Both views are generated automatically from the start and due dates entered on issues.
- Time tracking
- Time can be entered at project or ticket level, with a simple report of time per user, issue type, category or activity.
- Per-project wiki and forums
- Each project can have its own wiki, with diff and annotate views, alongside forums, news, documents and file management.
- Repository browser
- Existing Subversion, Git, Mercurial, Bazaar or CVS repositories can be attached to a project to browse their contents, search changesets and view diffs.
- Roles, custom fields and REST API
- Roles and permissions are user-defined, custom fields cover issues, time entries, projects and users, and a REST API serves data as XML or JSON.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Git
- Subversion
- Mercurial
- Bazaar
- CVS
- LDAP
Redmine is made by Jean-Philippe Lang and community volunteers, and has been around since 2006.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
64/79
Other project management tools it is graded above
Redmine's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 64 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 71 of 79) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Redmine has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 80 project management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Redmine’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 68 of 79
- AFree plan and trialAbove 71 of 79
- BFeaturesAbove 27 of 79
- DEase of useAbove 0 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. Redmine 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
Redmine is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 64 of the 79 other project management tools we grade.
What you could make
- Issue tracking, Gantt & timelines, time tracking and wiki: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- It plugs into other products, Git, Subversion and Mercurial 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. Redmine’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
OpenProject, Planio, Jira, Taiga and Kanboard
The 5 tools Redmine is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 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.
- OpenProject also covers kanban boards.
- 2.4GPA
Planio
Free plan · from $25/mo
Hosted Redmine with issue tracking, repositories, wiki and help desk.
- 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.
- 3.2GPA
Jira
Free plan · from $9.70/mo
Issue and project tracking for software and business teams.
- Only Jira lists iOS and Android apps.
- Redmine is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Redmine also covers wiki and time tracking.
- 2.8GPA
Taiga
Free plan · from €5/mo
Open-source agile project management with Scrum and Kanban.
- Redmine also covers Gantt & timelines and time tracking.
- Taiga also covers kanban boards.
- 2.6GPA
Kanboard
Free
Free, self-hosted kanban board software under the MIT License.
- Redmine also covers wiki, Gantt & timelines and issue tracking.
- Kanboard also covers kanban boards, workflow automation and reports.
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 Redmine free?
Yes. Redmine is free to use.
How much does Redmine cost?
Redmine lists one plan. Redmine: $0.
What platforms does Redmine work on?
Redmine is available on Web.
Does Redmine have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Redmine is listed for Web.
Does Redmine have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Redmine is listed for Web.
Is Redmine open source?
Yes. Redmine is open source, according to its own site.
Does Redmine have an API?
Yes. Redmine offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Redmine integrate with?
Redmine's listing names Git, Subversion, Mercurial, Bazaar, CVS and LDAP.
Who makes Redmine?
Redmine is made by Jean-Philippe Lang and community volunteers. It dates from 2006.
What are the alternatives to Redmine?
The closest alternatives to Redmine in our directory are OpenProject, Planio, Jira, Taiga and Kanboard.
How does Redmine compare with other project management tools?
Redmine's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 64 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 8.
Is Redmine good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Redmine A for value for money. Redmine has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Redmine?
Redmine is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Redmine’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 Redmine's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-01-22.
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 Jean-Philippe Lang and community volunteers. Prices change, so check redmine.org 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
- Redmine, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/redmine
- 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, "Redmine: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/redmine
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/redmine/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after Redmine, 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 Redmine’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. Redmine is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Jean-Philippe Lang and community volunteers. Prices and plans change: check redmine.org before you buy.