Best Open-Source Linear Alternatives (2026)

9 self-hostable, open-source projects that replace Linear — without per-user pricing and cloud-only data. Each is scored for how hard it is to self-host, with one-click deploy options where they exist.

Linear is cloud-only with per-user pricing, so costs climb with every seat and your issue data lives entirely on someone else's servers. Teams that need data residency, want to avoid recurring SaaS bills, or simply prefer to own their stack run into a wall.

Our picks at a glance

Easiest to self-host

Plane

Difficulty 3/5 versus Huly's 4/5, with simpler Docker Compose setup.

Most powerful

Huly

All-in-one with project management, tracker, and team collaboration in a single app, going beyond pure issue tracking.

Most active

Plane

~50k stars to Huly's 26k, the clear momentum leader.

Best managed option

Plane

Offers official managed hosting and is the lower-difficulty option, the closest one-to-one swap for Linear's SaaS model.

Compare all 9 alternatives

Tap a column header to sort

Project			Deploy	License
Plane Sponsored TypeScript	52k ★	3/5 Moderate	Docker Docker Compose +2	AGPL-3.0	2 days ago	Repo
Gitea Go	56k ★	2/5 Easy	Docker Docker Compose +2	MIT	2 days ago	Repo
Gogs Go	48k ★	2/5 Easy	Docker Manual	MIT	4 days ago	Repo
Huly TypeScript	26k ★	4/5 Involved	Docker Docker Compose +2	EPL-2.0	2 days ago	Repo
gitbucket Scala	9.4k ★	3/5 Moderate	Docker Manual	Apache-2.0	5 days ago	Repo
Octobox Ruby	4.5k ★	3/5 Moderate	Docker Docker Compose +1	AGPL-3.0	4 days ago	Repo
Kaneo K8S	3.7k ★	4/5 Involved	Kubernetes Manual	MIT	6 days ago	Repo
Tasks.md Docker	2.1k ★	2/5 Easy	Docker Manual	MIT	3 months ago	Repo
Review Board Python	1.7k ★	4/5 Involved	Docker Manual	MIT	5 days ago	Repo

What to look for: Linear's appeal is speed and a clean keyboard-driven UX, so look for a replacement that keeps issue tracking snappy rather than burying you in configuration. Both options here are TypeScript projects with managed tiers, so decide whether you want a focused tracker (Plane) or an all-in-one suite (Huly).

Head-to-head:Plane vs Linear Gitea vs Linear Gogs vs Linear Huly vs Linear gitbucket vs Linear

The alternatives, reviewed

#1
Plane
Sponsored
Self-host: Moderate
Open-source issue tracking, sprints, and roadmaps - a Jira and Linear alternative
52k TypeScript AGPL-3.0 2 days ago
How it compares to Linear
Some advanced features (e.g. certain enterprise workflows, intake, advanced analytics) are gated behind the paid Pro/Enterprise tiers

Self-hosted community edition lags behind the cloud version on newer features

Automation rules are far less mature than Jira's

Mobile apps are less polished than Linear's
Repo Details & deploy →
#2
Gitea
Self-host: Easy
Painless self-hosted Git service with code review, CI/CD, and package registry
56k Go MIT 2 days ago
How it compares to Linear
Advanced Jira-style sprint planning, roadmaps, and velocity charts are absent

No native real-time pair-programming or live collaboration tools

Gitea Actions ecosystem is smaller than GitHub Actions; fewer third-party action integrations

Enterprise SSO (SAML, advanced LDAP group sync) requires extra configuration effort
Repo Details & deploy →
#3
Gogs
Self-host: Easy
Minimal painless self-hosted Git service written in Go
48k Go MIT 4 days ago
How it compares to Linear
No built-in CI/CD pipeline; relies on webhooks to external systems

Code review and pull-request functionality is basic compared to GitHub or Gitea

Plugin/extension ecosystem is very limited

Development pace is slower than Gitea; some features lag behind by years
Repo Details & deploy →
#4
Huly
Self-host: Involved
All-in-one project management, tracker, and team collaboration - a Linear/Jira alternative
26k TypeScript EPL-2.0 2 days ago
How it compares to Linear
Self-hosting the full multi-service architecture (MongoDB, MinIO, Elastic, transactors) is complex

Documentation for self-hosting is sparse relative to its breadth

Breadth over depth: individual modules are less mature than dedicated tools like Linear or Slack

Self-hosted edition trails the managed cloud on some features
Repo Details & deploy →
#5
gitbucket
Self-host: Moderate
GitHub-compatible self-hosted Git platform with easy install and high extensibility
9.4k Scala Apache-2.0 5 days ago
How it compares to Linear
No native CI/CD system; requires external integration

JVM runtime adds memory overhead compared to Go-based alternatives

Package/container registry is not built in

Advanced project management views (kanban, roadmaps) require plugins
Repo Details & deploy →
#6
Octobox
Self-host: Moderate
Take back control of your GitHub notifications with a self-hosted inbox
4.5k Ruby AGPL-3.0 4 days ago
How it compares to Linear
Scoped exclusively to GitHub notifications; no GitLab or Bitbucket support

Not a full project management tool — no task creation, boards, or planning views

Requires a GitHub OAuth app setup; adding team members requires individual GitHub auth

Development activity has slowed; some GitHub API changes may not be promptly reflected
Repo Details & deploy →
#7
Kaneo
Self-host: Involved
Simple and efficient project management platform focused on clean UX
3.7k K8S MIT 6 days ago
How it compares to Linear
Feature set is early-stage; lacks advanced views like Gantt, timeline, or calendar

No native integrations with developer tools (GitHub, GitLab, Jira)

Time tracking and reporting capabilities are not present

Primary deployment target is Kubernetes, which raises the barrier for smaller teams
Repo Details & deploy →
#8
Tasks.md
Self-host: Easy
Self-hosted file-based task board with full Markdown syntax support
2.1k Docker MIT 3 months ago
How it compares to Linear
No multi-user support or access controls; single-user by design

No due dates, labels, priorities, or rich task metadata beyond Markdown content

No integrations with external services or developer tools

Lacks swimlanes, filters, and search capabilities found in Trello or Linear
Repo Details & deploy →
#9
Review Board
Self-host: Involved
Extensible code review tool for teams and open-source projects
1.7k Python MIT 5 days ago
How it compares to Linear
No built-in issue/ticket tracker; must pair with a separate project-management tool

UI feels dated compared to GitHub PRs or modern code-review SaaS products

Limited built-in CI/CD pipeline integration vs. Jira's deep Atlassian ecosystem

Mobile experience is minimal
Repo Details & deploy →

The verdict

Plane is the closest match to Linear's focused, fast issue tracking and has both the momentum and a managed tier. Choose Huly instead if you want to consolidate tracking, docs, and team chat into one self-hosted platform.

Still deciding? Compare Plane vs Gitea side by side →

Linear alternatives — frequently asked questions

Is there a self-hosted Linear alternative?

Yes. Plane (AGPL-3.0) and Huly (EPL-2.0) are both open-source, self-hostable, and explicitly position themselves as Linear alternatives.

Which is easier to self-host, Plane or Huly?

Plane, rated 3/5 versus Huly's 4/5. Both ship Docker, Docker Compose, and Kubernetes options, but Plane's setup is lighter.

Do any of these offer managed hosting like Linear?

Both do. Plane and Huly each offer an official managed/cloud tier, so you can keep the SaaS convenience while retaining the option to self-host later.

Which feels most like Linear day to day?

Plane is the closest in scope, focused on issues, sprints, and roadmaps. Huly is broader, bundling a tracker with chat and documents, which is more than Linear does.

What about data ownership?

That's the main reason to switch. Self-hosting either Plane or Huly puts your issue data on infrastructure you control, unlike Linear's cloud-only model.

Keep exploring

All Project Management & Kanban →Self-hosted directory →Easiest to self-host →

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