Focalboard vs Plane: Features, Pricing and User Reviews 2026

Focalboard is completely free to use because it is open-source software. There are no subscription fees, usage limits, or hidden costs. You can download and use it without any payment.

You have two main options for using Focalboard. The Personal Desktop app is available for free download on Windows, Mac, and Linux. This version is perfect for individual use and small projects. The Personal Server version is also free and can be installed on your own computer or server to support multiple users and team collaboration.

If you use Mattermost, Focalboard comes built-in as the Boards plugin starting from version 6.0. This integration is also free and provides seamless connection between messaging and project management.

Plane offers flexible pricing to fit different team sizes and needs. The free plan includes core project management features with up to 12 team members, 500 AI credits per person each month, and access to basic work tracking, cycles, and multiple layouts.

The Pro plan costs $8 per person monthly and adds 1,000 AI credits, custom work item types, workspace wiki, time tracking, dashboards, and unlimited team members with guest access.

The Business plan at $15 per person per month includes 2,000 AI credits, project templates, recurring work items, email intake forms, advanced workflows, customer profiles, and enhanced dashboard widgets.

For large organizations, the Enterprise Grid plan offers custom pricing with flexible AI credits, private deployments, detailed access controls, LDAP support, audit logs, and white-glove migration services from other tools.