Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Bugzilla Hosted

MantisBT is a web-based issue tracking and bug tracking system designed to help teams record, track, and resolve issues across projects. It balances a straightforward UI with configurable workflows and permissions suitable for both internal teams and client-facing collaboration.

Key Features

• Issue reporting, triage, assignment, and resolution tracking
• Per-project role-based access control and permissions
• Configurable workflows, custom fields, and notifications
• Email notifications for issue updates, comments, and resolutions
• Works with multiple database backends (commonly MySQL and PostgreSQL)

Use Cases

• Software teams tracking bugs, regressions, and release blockers
• Internal IT teams managing incident and request tickets
• Client-visible issue reporting and status tracking for delivered projects

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires a PHP-compatible web server and a supported relational database
• Feature set and integrations may rely on configuration and extensions depending on deployment needs

MantisBT is a solid choice for teams that want a mature, lightweight issue tracker with strong access control and customization options. It is well-suited for organizations that prefer a classic web app with flexible configuration over heavier ALM platforms.

ZenTao is an open source project management platform originally developed in China that supports end-to-end software delivery workflows. It combines product and project planning with quality management, documentation, and reporting in one system, with built-in support for Scrum, Kanban, and Waterfall.

Key Features

• Product management for requirements/stories, releases, roadmaps, and traceability
• Project and execution tracking with Scrum sprints, Kanban boards, and task management
• QA tools including bug tracking, test case management, and test reporting
• Built-in dashboards and reporting for project visibility and metrics
• Extensible platform with additional modules and integrations depending on edition

Use Cases

• Replace separate tools for backlog, sprint planning, bugs, and test cases in one workspace
• Track delivery across mixed methodologies (Scrum/Kanban/Waterfall) for different teams
• Provide stakeholders with status dashboards, reports, and release tracking

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced capabilities are offered in paid editions (Biz/Max/IPD) rather than the community edition

ZenTao is well-suited for teams that want a single system to manage requirements, delivery execution, and QA activities. It can scale from small agile teams to larger organizations needing structured processes and reporting.

Bugzilla is an open source, web-based bug and issue tracking system used to plan, organize, and release software across teams. It provides structured tracking for products and components and supports large, long-lived projects.

Key Features

• Issue/bug tracking with configurable fields and workflows
• Products and components to categorize issues across multiple projects
• Milestones and release tracking to plan and monitor delivery
• Advanced search for filtering and finding issues quickly
• Web-based UI designed for scalability and long-term project use

Use Cases

• Tracking software defects, feature requests, and tasks across teams
• Managing release planning with milestones and product/component ownership
• Running a central issue tracker for open source or enterprise projects

Bugzilla is a mature, widely used tracker that emphasizes structured issue management and powerful search. It fits teams that want a proven, self-managed system for coordinating development and releases.

Trac is an enhanced wiki and issue tracking system designed for managing software development projects with a lightweight, process-neutral approach. It combines tickets, wiki pages, and version control references into a single web interface to help teams track work and project history.

Key Features

• Issue tracking with wiki-style markup in ticket descriptions
• Integrated wiki for project documentation and collaboration
• Integration with version control systems such as Subversion and Git
• Automatic cross-linking between tickets, changesets, files, and wiki pages
• Timeline view aggregating project events for quick historical context
• Roadmap and milestones for planning upcoming work
• Reporting and query capabilities for tracking progress and status

Use Cases

• Manage bugs, tasks, and feature requests for software projects
• Maintain project documentation alongside development activity
• Provide traceability between code changes and the tickets they address

Limitations and Considerations

• User interface and workflow model are intentionally minimal and may feel dated compared to newer “all-in-one” dev platforms
• Some advanced features are commonly added via plugins, which can increase maintenance complexity

Trac is well-suited to teams that want a straightforward, self-managed environment for tickets and documentation with strong cross-referencing to source control activity. Its minimalism and extensibility make it a practical choice for organizations that prefer adapting tools to existing processes rather than adopting rigid workflows.

Phorge is an open source, self-hosted platform for software teams that combines code review, task tracking, and project collaboration in a single web application. It is a community-driven continuation of the Phabricator codebase and workflow.

Key Features

• Built-in code review workflow (Differential-style) and repository hosting/integration
• Task and project management with workboards (Kanban-style boards)
• Audit trails and activity feeds across code, tasks, and projects
• User and permission system for controlling access to projects and objects
• Web-based UI for browsing changes, reviewing revisions, and managing work

Use Cases

• Running an internal code review system for Git-based development
• Managing engineering tasks and projects alongside code changes
• Hosting an integrated collaboration hub for software teams and organizations

Limitations and Considerations

• Installation and maintenance can be more involved than lighter-weight tools due to its broad feature set and dependencies

Phorge fits teams that want an integrated, on-premises alternative to hosted developer platforms while keeping code review and work tracking tightly connected. It is particularly suited for organizations that prefer the Phabricator-style workflow and unified tool suite.

Redmine is a flexible project management web application focused on issue tracking and team collaboration. Built with Ruby on Rails, it supports multiple projects and works with several database backends.

Key Features

• Multiple projects with per-project configuration
• Flexible issue tracking with custom fields and workflows
• Role-based access control (RBAC)
• Gantt chart and calendar views
• Time tracking and reporting
• Wiki and forums per project
• Documents and file management
• Email notifications, feeds, and issue creation via email
• Source control integration (including Git and Subversion)
• Authentication options including LDAP and self-registration

Use Cases

• Managing software development projects with issues, milestones, and timelines
• Running internal IT/helpdesk-style ticketing with roles and custom workflows
• Coordinating documentation and discussions using per-project wiki and forums

Limitations and Considerations

• Plugin and theme compatibility can depend on the specific Redmine version
• The official shared demo referenced by the community is operated by a third party

Redmine is well-suited to teams that need a proven, extensible tracker with strong project structure and permissions. Its cross-database support and mature ecosystem make it a common choice for long-running, process-oriented projects.