Wrike costs $10/mo.
These cost $0.
5 free alternatives to Wrike, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
Wrike vs Free Alternatives Matrix
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $10/mo
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plane | open source | AGPL-3.0 | Local or hosted | ★ 56k | Wrike vs Plane → |
| OpenProject | open source | GPL-3.0 | Local or hosted | ★ 15k | Wrike vs OpenProject → |
| Leantime | open source | AGPL-3.0+ | Local or hosted | ★ 10k | Wrike vs Leantime → |
| Redmine | open source | GPL-2.0+ | Self-host | ★ 6.0k | Wrike vs Redmine → |
| YouTrack | free | proprietary, free | Local or hosted | ★ $0 forever | Wrike vs YouTrack → |
The picks
4 open source · 1 free to use · ranked by fit
- 01
Plane
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted56kaug 2026Linear-and-Jira-shaped work tracking without the subscription; the stack behind it is not small
The catch vs WrikePlane lacks Wrike's request forms, proofing and approvals, resource planning, portfolio dashboards, and deep custom reporting for non-engineering work.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedself-host, real ops
- install
- Hosted signup, or the official Docker/Kubernetes self-hosting stack
- setup
- Self-hosting is a multi-service deployment: Docker or Kubernetes plus PostgreSQL, RabbitMQ, object storage, a domain, TLS, and usually email configuration.
- your data
- Self-hosted Plane keeps workspaces, projects, work items, users, comments, and settings in PostgreSQL; attachments, images, and exports live in MinIO or another S3-compatible object store, with RabbitMQ and optional OpenSearch alongside them. Plane Cloud stores the equivalent data in Plane's infrastructure.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 02
OpenProject
open sourceGPL-3.0Local or hosted15kaug 2026The enterprise project suite; free in money, expensive in menus
The catch vs WrikeOpenProject is capable but does not match Wrike's polished creative proofing, workload views, no-code automation, and large integration catalog.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Hosted Enterprise Cloud signup, or Community Edition via Docker Compose/all-in-one Docker or supported Linux packages
- setup
- The free Community Edition needs a Linux server; the recommended Docker setup still requires persistent database/file volumes, a hostname, TLS, and mail configuration.
- your data
- Self-hosted application data lives in PostgreSQL; uploaded attachments live on a persistent filesystem volume or configured S3-compatible object storage, while configuration and any linked repositories must be backed up separately. Cloud data lives in OpenProject's hosted infrastructure.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 03
Leantime
open sourceAGPL-3.0+Local or hosted10kaug 2026A small-team project suite that remembers goals and timesheets, not just tickets
The catch vs WrikeLeantime has less flexible request intake, custom-field reporting, automation, proofing, and resource management than Wrike.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Paid hosted signup, or the free open-source edition via Docker Compose/official image or a PHP release archive plus MySQL/MariaDB
- setup
- There is no longer a permanent free hosted tier: the free route means operating PHP, MySQL/MariaDB, persistent storage, backups, and a web-facing Docker or LAMP stack.
- your data
- Self-hosted project data lives in MySQL 8 or MariaDB 10.6+, while uploaded files use the local filesystem or configured S3-compatible storage; hosted-account data lives in Leantime's cloud.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 04
Redmine
open sourceGPL-2.0+Self-host6.0kaug 2026Project tracking, time sheets, Gantt, and wikis from the era when software admitted it needed configuration
The catch vs WrikeRedmine can be customized with plugins, but its dated interface and manual administration are a major step down from Wrike's managed dashboards, proofing, and automations.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedself-host, real ops
- install
- Install the Ruby on Rails application against PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, or SQLite; packaged containers/appliances are third-party conveniences
- setup
- The official install is a real Rails deployment, Ruby and gem versions, database creation, migrations, a production web server, email, backups, and upgrades are all the operator's job.
- your data
- Issues, users, projects, time entries, and configuration live in the configured SQL database; uploaded attachments live as files in Redmine's `files` directory.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 05
YouTrack
freeproprietary, freeLocal or hostedA full project tracker for ten people; user eleven is where JetBrains remembers billing
The catch vs WrikeYouTrack's free ten-user ceiling and developer-first workflow leave Wrike's proofing, request intake, resource allocation, and executive dashboards largely uncovered.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- mobilewebthey host it
- install
- Hosted YouTrack Cloud signup, or the official Docker image for YouTrack Server
- setup
- The cloud edition installs cleanly; self-hosting requires Docker volume mapping, enough storage, a one-time setup token, and external HTTPS/reverse-proxy work for a public server.
- your data
- YouTrack Server stores issues, users, projects, and configuration in its own integrated on-disk database under the data directory, with separate configuration, logs, and backups directories; YouTrack Cloud keeps the data in JetBrains-managed infrastructure.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · Wrike open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to Wrike?+
The top free alternative to Wrike is Plane (open source, AGPL-3.0). Linear-and-Jira-shaped work tracking without the subscription; the stack behind it is not small Other popular Wrike replacements include OpenProject, Leantime, Redmine.
Can I self-host a free replacement for Wrike?+
Yes. Of the 5 free alternatives to Wrike, 5 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Plane (AGPL-3.0), OpenProject (GPL-3.0), Leantime (AGPL-3.0+), Redmine (GPL-2.0+), YouTrack (proprietary, free).
How much does switching from Wrike to a free alternative save?+
Wrike starts at $10/month per seat ($120/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Plane saves $600 per year in software subscription fees.
Should I vibe-code or build my own Wrike clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for Wrike is KINDA (the core, yes. the polish, no). The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Wrike, track projects through tasks, boards, custom fields, and team dashboards. The hard boundary is enterprise workflow, approvals, integrations, reporting, and governance, plus collaboration, integrations, and organizational trust.
What is the catch when switching from Wrike to Plane?+
Plane lacks Wrike's request forms, proofing and approvals, resource planning, portfolio dashboards, and deep custom reporting for non-engineering work.
