The YouTrack Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about YouTrack 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.

Pass it onEmail LinkedIn X WhatsApp

ToolGPAOctober 2026

YouTrack

The Insider’s Guide

Issue tracker and project management tool from JetBrains

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from YouTrack’s own pages.

Made by JetBrains · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

3.2GPA

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 YouTrack’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on YouTrack’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

3.2

GPA, above 73 of the 79 other project management tools we grade

YouTrack is JetBrains' issue tracker and project management tool, offered as a cloud service or as a server version installed on your own infrastructure. It combines tasks, Kanban and Scrum boards, Gantt charts, time tracking, a knowledge base, whiteboards and a ticket-based helpdesk, with workflows that automate how tasks move. Both versions are free for up to 10 users; above that, Cloud is priced per user with volume discounts and Server is sold in user packs.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about YouTrack, taken from its own pages and our grades.

Server means running a Docker image yourself.

From our grade for ease of use

1
Best for issue tracking that's free for up to 10 users
YouTrack is JetBrains' issue tracker with Kanban and Scrum boards, Gantt charts, time tracking, a knowledge base and a helpdesk, free for up to 10 users in the cloud or on your own server.
2
Paid plans start at $4.50 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $4.50 per user / month, billed annually (Cloud, 11 or more users).
3
There is a free plan
Free for up to 10 users on Cloud or Server, with every feature except a custom logo. Cloud includes 30 GB of storage and 3 helpdesk agents.
4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
5
Agile boards
Boards support Kanban, Scrum and mixed approaches, for planning at any level from an individual backlog to an enterprise portfolio.
6
Gantt charts and time tracking
An interactive Gantt timeline schedules tasks with estimates and dependencies. Time is tracked automatically or by hand and reviewed on timesheets.
7
Knowledge base and whiteboards
Articles hold internal notes and plans or a public knowledge base. Whiteboards gather issues, tickets and notes that can be turned into tasks and articles.
8
A 3.2 GPA, above 73 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 YouTrack 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.

YouTrack at a glance

Pricing: Free plan, from $4.50 per user / month, billed annually (Cloud, 11 or more users)
Free plan: Yes
Free trial: 14-day Cloud trial with up to 100 users, no credit card required; 60-day trial for YouTrack Server
Runs on: Web, iOS, Android
Made by: JetBrains
Category: Project Management
Our grade: 3.2 GPA, very good

The report card

Best for issue tracking that's free for up to 10 users

YouTrack is JetBrains' issue tracker with Kanban and Scrum boards, Gantt charts, time tracking, a knowledge base and a helpdesk, free for up to 10 users in the cloud or on your own server. From 11 users every user is paid, cloud storage is tied to seats with no way to buy more, Server is now an annual subscription, and there's no desktop app.

ToolGPA report cardYouTrackGraded Oct 10, 2026

Subject	Grade	Comment
Value for money	B	From 11 users, Cloud is $4.50 a user a month billed annually with every feature in it, which is inside the cheapest quarter for project tools here, and the per-user price falls as the team grows. Helpdesk agents are extra beyond three, at $5.50 each a month.
Free plan and trial	A	Free for up to 10 users on Cloud or Server, and it's the whole product bar a custom logo, with 30 GB of storage and 3 helpdesk agents. No cap a team of 10 would run into.
Features	A	It covers the whole job and then some its rivals don't: Kanban, Scrum and mixed boards, a Gantt chart with estimates and dependencies, time tracking with timesheets, a knowledge base, whiteboards, workflow automation, and a ticket helpdesk with service-level agreements in the same product.
Ease of use	C	No store rating on record, and this is a tracker you shape: projects, fields and workflow rules are yours to set before it fits how you work. Cloud is at least hosted, and the trial takes up to 100 users with no card. Server means running a Docker image yourself.
Platforms and integrations	B	Web, iPhone and Android, plus a Server version for your own infrastructure, with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, TeamCity, Jenkins, Zendesk, Slack and Telegram wired in and apps adding more. No desktop app is listed, which is what holds it to a B.

Grade point averageVery good, out of 4.03.2

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 YouTrack is for

Fits if you're a software team that wants issues linked to your IDE and build server
Works for teams of 10 or fewer, since Cloud and Server are both free at that size

Who it is not for

Pricey if you grow to 11, because then every user is paid, from $4.50 a month each billed annually
Skip it if you want to buy Server licenses outright, as they've been annual subscriptions since June 23, 2026
Tight if you store lots of files, since paid Cloud gives 3 GB per user with no way to buy more
Pricey if you run a big helpdesk, because from 4 agents every agent is charged and needs a user license too
Not for you if you want a desktop app, and self-hosting Server means running a Docker image yourself

Good to know

Good for

Software teams that want issue tracking linked to their IDE and build server
Teams of up to 10, who can use the Cloud or Server version free
Organizations that need to keep project data on their own servers

Worth knowing

From 11 users every user is paid: Cloud starts at $4.50 per user / month billed annually, or $5.40 billed monthly.
YouTrack Server is sold as an annual subscription in fixed user packs; licenses bought since June 23, 2026 are no longer perpetual.
With 4 or more helpdesk agents, every agent is charged and each one also needs a user license.
Cloud storage is tied to seats: 30 GB on the free plan and 3 GB per user on paid plans, with no way to buy more separately.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$4.50

A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too

YouTrack has a free plan. Paid plans start at $4.50 per user / month, billed annually (Cloud, 11 or more users).

Cloud: 1–10 users
$0
Hosted by JetBrains. All features except a custom logo, 30 GB of storage, 3 helpdesk agents and free AI Assistant credits.
Server: 10 users
$0
Installed on your own server from a Linux or Windows Docker image. Free for up to 10 users and 3 agents, including updates.
Cloud: 11+ users
$4.50
per user / month, billed annually ($5.40 billed monthly)
The per-user price falls as the team grows, down to $1.53 at 10,000 users on annual billing. 3 GB of storage per user and a custom logo.
Server: 15-user pack
$900
per year, annual subscription
Self-hosted instance with a year of updates and technical support. Larger packs include 25 users for $1,500, 50 for $3,000 and 100 for $6,000.

The free plan

Free for up to 10 users on Cloud or Server, with every feature except a custom logo. Cloud includes 30 GB of storage and 3 helpdesk agents.

Trying it first

14-day Cloud trial with up to 100 users, no credit card required; 60-day trial for YouTrack Server

Read from jetbrains.com on Oct 5, 2026.

Ways to pay less

Annual discount
Two months free on annual Cloud billing
Annual Cloud subscriptions start at $4.50 per user / month against $5.40 billed monthly, which JetBrains describes as saving 2 months' worth of costs.
Stated on jetbrains.com
Startups
50% off for startup companies
Private software development companies in business for less than five years may qualify for 50% off up to 10 commercial licenses for JetBrains products, including YouTrack.
Stated on jetbrains.com
Nonprofit
50% off for non-profit organizations
Registered non-profit organizations can apply for a 50% discount on commercial pricing, depending on their business model, by requesting a quote from sales.
Stated on jetbrains.com
Education
50% off for universities, free for classrooms
Universities and accredited educational institutions can get 50% off commercial subscriptions for internal projects, and free classroom licenses for teaching.
Stated on jetbrains.com
Other savings
Free licenses for open source projects
Non-commercial open source projects can qualify for free YouTrack licenses if they meet the requirements of JetBrains' support program.
Stated on jetbrains.com
Other savings
25% off when migrating from another tool
Customers who currently hold a commercial license for a competing tool qualify for a 25% discount on commercial YouTrack subscriptions.
Stated on jetbrains.com

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android

Issue tracker and project management tool from JetBrains. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, wiki, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines, issue tracking, workflow automation, time tracking.

No desktop app is listed, which is what holds it to a B.

From our grade for platforms and integrations

Agile boards: Boards support Kanban, Scrum and mixed approaches, for planning at any level from an individual backlog to an enterprise portfolio.
Gantt charts and time tracking: An interactive Gantt timeline schedules tasks with estimates and dependencies. Time is tracked automatically or by hand and reviewed on timesheets.
Knowledge base and whiteboards: Articles hold internal notes and plans or a public knowledge base. Whiteboards gather issues, tickets and notes that can be turned into tasks and articles.
Workflows and apps: Workflows are rules that automate the life cycle of tasks, such as deadline reminders, field updates and recurring tasks. Apps add further features and integrations.
Helpdesk: Helpdesk projects give support agents ticket handling with service-level agreements and unlimited reporters. 3 agents are free; on larger teams each costs $5.50 a month, billed annually.
AI Assistant: JetBrains AI summarizes tasks, articles and tickets, suggests replies and turns text into issues. Free credits, refilled weekly, come with Cloud and with paid Server subscriptions.

Where it runs

Web
iOS
Android

What it works with

GitHub
GitLab
Bitbucket
TeamCity
Jenkins
Zendesk
Slack
Telegram

YouTrack is made by JetBrains.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

73/79

Other project management tools it is graded above

YouTrack's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 73 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 5.

It stands best on features (A, above 75 of 79) and worst on ease of use (C, above 2).

Its paid plans start at $4.50 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 10 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. YouTrack’s own letter is outlined.

BValue for money
Above 57 of 79
AFree plan and trial
Above 71 of 79
AFeatures
Above 75 of 79
CEase of use
Above 2 of 79
BPlatforms and integrations
Above 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. YouTrack 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 YouTrack 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.

It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 73 of the 79 other project management tools we grade. It costs $54 a year.

What you could make

Issue tracking, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines, time tracking and wiki: 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.
It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
The depth: we grade its features A, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. YouTrack’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

Jira, Linear, GitHub Issues, Shortcut and Plane

The 5 tools YouTrack is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

3.2GPA
Jira
Free plan · from $9.70/mo
Issue and project tracking for software and business teams.
- YouTrack is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- YouTrack also covers wiki and time tracking.
- Jira also covers tasks.
YouTrack and Jira compared in full
3.0GPA
Linear
Free plan · from $10/mo
Issue tracking and product planning for software teams.
- Only Linear lists macOS and Windows apps.
- YouTrack is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- YouTrack also covers wiki, Gantt & timelines, workflow automation and time tracking.
YouTrack and Linear compared in full
3.4GPA
GitHub Issues
Free plan · from $4/mo
Issue tracking and project planning built into GitHub.
- YouTrack is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- YouTrack also covers wiki and time tracking.
- GitHub Issues also covers Markdown.
YouTrack and GitHub Issues compared in full
2.6GPA
Shortcut
Free plan · from $8.50/mo
Issue tracking, sprints and roadmaps for software teams.
- Only YouTrack lists iOS and Android apps.
- YouTrack is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- YouTrack also covers wiki, workflow automation and time tracking.
YouTrack and Shortcut compared in full
2.8GPA
Plane
Free plan · from $6/mo
Open-source project management with cycles, wiki and AI agents.
- Only Plane lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Plane is open source, according to its own site.
- YouTrack also covers workflow automation and time tracking.
YouTrack and Plane compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

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 YouTrack free?

YouTrack has a free plan. Free for up to 10 users on Cloud or Server, with every feature except a custom logo.

How much does YouTrack cost?

YouTrack lists 4 plans. Cloud: 1–10 users: $0.

What platforms does YouTrack work on?

YouTrack is available on Web, iOS and Android.

Does YouTrack offer any discounts?

YouTrack publicly lists the following: Two months free on annual Cloud billing; 50% off for startup companies; 50% off for non-profit organizations; 50% off for universities, free for classrooms; Free licenses for open source projects; 25% off when migrating from another tool.

Does YouTrack have a Windows app?

No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. YouTrack is listed for Web, iOS and Android.

Does YouTrack have a macOS app?

No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. YouTrack is listed for Web, iOS and Android.

Is YouTrack open source?

YouTrack is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

Can YouTrack be self-hosted?

Yes. YouTrack's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.

What does YouTrack integrate with?

YouTrack's listing names GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, TeamCity, Jenkins, Zendesk, Slack and Telegram.

Does YouTrack have a student discount?

50% off for universities, free for classrooms. Universities and accredited educational institutions can get 50% off commercial subscriptions for internal projects, and free classroom licenses for teaching.

Does YouTrack have a free trial?

Yes. 14-day Cloud trial with up to 100 users, no credit card required; 60-day trial for YouTrack Server.

Who makes YouTrack?

YouTrack is made by JetBrains.

What are the alternatives to YouTrack?

The closest alternatives to YouTrack in our directory are Jira, Linear, GitHub Issues, Shortcut and Plane.

How does YouTrack compare with other project management tools?

YouTrack's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 73 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 5.

Is YouTrack good value for money?

ToolGPA grades YouTrack B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $4.50 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 10 of the 74 others that charge start lower.

Could I make my own version of YouTrack?

To replace YouTrack 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 YouTrack’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 JetBrains' own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-21.

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 JetBrains. Prices change, so check jetbrains.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

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, "YouTrack: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/youtrack

Know someone choosing between project management tools?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/youtrack/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded project management tools after YouTrack, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what YouTrack’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. YouTrack is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by JetBrains. Prices and plans change: check jetbrains.com before you buy.