🩺 Vitals
- 🟢 Last active: 2026-09-07
- 📦 Latest release: v3.9.8 (2026-07-08)
- 🐞 Open issues: 337
- 🌟 Stars: 11.6k
What do these metrics mean?
- Last active: when code was last pushed, as of our last check. The dot is green when that was recent, grey otherwise. A long gap can mean a tool is finished and stable, not only unmaintained.
- Latest release: the most recent tagged, packaged version the maintainers published. Not every healthy project tags releases.
- Open issues: unresolved reports and requests. A high number is normal for a popular project and is not a warning on its own.
- Stars: how many people bookmarked the project on its forge. A rough popularity signal, not a measure of quality.
🏗️ Profile
- Official: leantime.io
- Source: github.com/Leantime/leantime
- License: AGPL-3.0 (Open Core)
- Deployment: Docker | SaaS
- Data Model: MySQL
- Jurisdiction: USA 🇺🇸 (Leantime, Inc.; VC-Backed / Techstars)
- Compliance (SaaS): N/A (Undisclosed)
- Compliance (Self-Hosted): HIPAA Eligible | GDPR Ready
- Complexity: Low (2/5) - Standard PHP/MySQL, Docker Compose
- Maintenance: Low (2/5) - Standard web app update cycle
- Enterprise Ready: Moderate (3/5) - OIDC SSO, LDAP, 2FA, and RBAC in core; audit logging absent
1. The Executive Summary
What is it? Leantime is a project management platform designed explicitly for teams that lack a dedicated project manager. Built on strategic frameworks (OKR, Lean Canvas, SWOT) and a neurodiversity-informed UX, it provides an accessible entry point for non-technical teams to run structured project portfolios. The core engine is AGPL-3.0-licensed with an Open Core commercial model: critical enterprise scaling features (program management, strategy boards, custom fields) are proprietary marketplace plugins sold by Leantime, Inc.
The Strategic Verdict:
- 🔴 For Scaling Enterprises Needing Cross-Project Coordination: Caution. Program management, strategy boards, and custom fields require purchasing proprietary marketplace plugins from a single vendor. AGPL-3.0 copyleft also triggers source-sharing obligations if you modify and expose the code over a network.
- 🟢 For SME Teams Without Dedicated PMs: Strong Buy. The core platform delivers OKR tracking, Lean Canvas, Kanban, and time tracking at zero license cost, with a PHP/MySQL stack that any sysadmin can deploy and maintain.
2. The "Hidden" Costs (TCO Analysis)
| Cost Component | Monday.com (SaaS) | Leantime (Self-Hosted) |
|---|---|---|
| License Fee | Per-seat SaaS pricing (min 3 seats) | $0 (AGPL-3.0 Core) |
| Program Management | Included (Enterprise tier) | Proprietary Plugin (Paid Add-on) |
| Strategy Frameworks | Third-party integrations | Built-in Core (Advanced features paid) |
| Data Sovereignty | Cloud-Hosted (US jurisdiction) | 100% Self-Owned |
3. The "Day 2" Reality Check
🚀 Deployment & Operations
- Installation: Standard PHP/MySQL stack with official Docker Compose support. No compiled dependencies, no polyglot build chains. A single
docker-compose upgets a working instance. - Scalability: Scales vertically on standard web hosting infrastructure. PHP + MySQL is battle-tested. The bottleneck will be the database before the application. Horizontal scaling requires external load balancing and session management outside the default deployment.
🛡️ Security & Governance (Risk Assessment)
- Jurisdiction & The CLOUD Act: Leantime, Inc. is a US-incorporated, VC-backed entity (Techstars). Any SaaS or cloud-hosted data is subject to the US CLOUD Act, exposing EU and international buyers to compelled government disclosure. Self-hosting on EU infrastructure eliminates this exposure entirely: the standard PHP/MySQL architecture makes jurisdiction-shifting straightforward.
- The Compliance Shift: Leantime does not disclose compliance certifications for its SaaS tier. Self-hosting transfers the full security burden to the operator: HIPAA and GDPR readiness depend entirely on your infrastructure team securing MySQL encryption at rest, network isolation, and backup retention. The application provides RBAC, OIDC/LDAP integration, and 2FA as building blocks, but these are enablers, not a compliance guarantee.
- License Risk (The Open Core Trap): The AGPL-3.0 core carries a network copyleft clause: modifying the source and exposing it over a network triggers mandatory source-code release under AGPL-3.0. More critically, the features that scaling enterprises require (Program Management, Strategy Boards, Custom Fields, Advanced Whiteboards) are proprietary marketplace plugins, not AGPL-3.0. This creates a hard lock-in ceiling: accessibility and strategic frameworks are free, but cross-project coordination requires purchasing from a single vendor with no open-source alternative for those specific modules.
4. Market Landscape
🏢 Proprietary Incumbents
- Monday.com: The dominant visual PM platform for non-technical teams. Organizations evaluate Leantime to eliminate per-seat SaaS fees and regain data sovereignty, while preserving accessible UX for teams without PM training.
- Asana: The established task coordination platform. Teams migrate when Asana's pricing scales past budget and they need embedded strategic frameworks (OKR, Lean Canvas) rather than bolt-on integrations.
🤝 Open Source Ecosystem
- OpenProject: The enterprise-grade PM platform for regulated industries. Better suited for organizations with dedicated project managers and Gantt-heavy waterfall or hybrid workflows.
- Plane: The high-velocity alternative targeting developer teams with a Linear-like experience. Lighter operational footprint but lacks Leantime's strategic PM frameworks and accessibility focus.