ToolQuestor Logo

Plane vs Focalboard: Features, Pricing and User Reviews 2026

Plane logo

Plane

Open Source Project Management Tool

Plane screenshot
VS
Focalboard logo

Focalboard

Free Open Source Project Management Tool

Focalboard screenshot

What are Plane and Focalboard?

Plane logo
Plane

Plane is a project management tool built to track work, manage sprints, and organize team projects without unnecessary complexity. It gives teams a clear view of their work through multiple layouts like lists, boards, calendars, and charts. You can create tasks called work items, group them into projects, and track progress over time.

The platform includes AI-powered pages for documenting ideas and plans, built-in time tracking, and detailed analytics to understand team performance. Plane supports both cloud hosting and self-hosting, so you can choose where your data lives. It connects with tools like GitHub and Slack, making it easy to fit into your existing workflow. Whether you use agile methods, scrum, or your own process, Plane adjusts to match how your team actually works.

Focalboard logo
Focalboard

Focalboard is a project management platform that lets you organize work in different ways. You can view tasks as cards on a Kanban board, rows in a table, items in a gallery, or events on a calendar. This flexibility helps you work in the style that suits you best.

It comes in two main versions. The Personal Desktop version is a single-user app for managing your own tasks and projects. The Personal Server version supports multiple users and works well for teams. When used with Mattermost, it integrates messaging and project management in one place.

The tool is completely free to use and modify because it is open source. You can find the source code on GitHub and contribute to its development.

Features of Plane and Focalboard

Plane logo
Plane
  • Open-source project management with full transparency

  • Multiple view options: list, board, calendar, spreadsheet, timeline

  • AI-powered pages for documentation

  • Cycle management with burn-down charts

  • Custom workflows and approval processes

  • Time tracking and work logs

  • Real-time analytics and dashboards

  • GitHub and Slack integrations

  • Cloud-hosted or self-hosted options

  • Mobile app for iOS and Android

  • Unlimited team members on free plan

Focalboard logo
Focalboard
  • Kanban, table, gallery, and calendar views

  • Customizable task cards with properties

  • Pre-built templates for quick start

  • Board filters and saved views

  • Team collaboration with comments and mentions

  • Open source with GitHub access

  • Self-hosted for data privacy

  • Multi-language interface

  • Works offline on desktop

  • Free to use and modify

Use Cases of Plane and Focalboard

Pricing of Plane and Focalboard

Plane logo
Plane

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.

Focalboard logo
Focalboard

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.

FAQs: Plane vs Focalboard

Plane logo
Plane
Focalboard logo
Focalboard

Reviews: Plane vs Focalboard

Plane logo
Plane
0.0

Based on 0 reviews

5
0
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0
Focalboard logo
Focalboard
0.0

Based on 0 reviews

5
0
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0

Compare Plane With Other Tools

Compare Focalboard With Other Tools