Best Self-hosted Alternatives to Smartsheet

NocoDB is an open-source no-code platform that provides a spreadsheet-like interface on top of databases. It can create new tables or connect to existing SQL databases, letting teams collaborate through views and forms while still keeping data in a real database.

Key Features

• Spreadsheet-style UI for creating and editing tables, columns, and rows
• Multiple view types including grid, form, kanban, gallery, and calendar
• Relational field types such as links, lookup, rollup, and formulas
• Role-based access control and view-level sharing (including password-protected sharing)
• Automatically generated REST APIs and an SDK for programmatic access
• Integration “app store” for notifications, email, chat tools, and storage providers
• Schema visualization including ERD-style database structure views

Use Cases

• Build internal tools and lightweight CRUD apps without custom frontends
• Create operational trackers (CRM-like lists, inventory, projects) on top of Postgres/MySQL
• Publish data collection forms and share read-only or collaborative views with stakeholders

Limitations and Considerations

• License is the Sustainable Use License (not OSI-approved), which may restrict some commercial use cases

NocoDB is well suited for teams that want Airtable-like productivity while keeping ownership of their data in standard SQL databases. It combines collaborative data views with API access, making it useful both for non-technical users and developers.

Focalboard is an open source project management and work-tracking tool designed around boards, cards, and customizable properties. It helps individuals and teams organize tasks, plan projects, and collaborate in a shared workspace.

Key Features

• Kanban-style boards with cards for tasks and projects
• Multiple views such as board, table, gallery, and calendar views
• Filters, grouping, sorting, and saved views for focused workflows
• Comments and @mentions for collaboration on cards
• Board permissions for controlling who can view or edit
• Templates and custom attributes/properties for structured planning
• File sharing on cards for centralizing project context
• Archiving and backup snapshots for preserving historical work

Use Cases

• Team project tracking with kanban workflows and task assignments
• Personal task management and planning using a local or small server setup
• Managing roadmaps, OKRs, content calendars, and meeting agendas with templates

Limitations and Considerations

• The standalone Focalboard repository is currently not maintained, which may affect future updates, security fixes, and long-term support.

Focalboard fits teams that want a Trello/Notion-style workflow with flexible views and collaboration features. It is particularly useful when you need customizable boards and permissions without relying on a proprietary SaaS service.

Huly is an open-source, all-in-one platform for building and running team workspaces that combine project management, real-time communication, and documentation. It aims to replace a stack of separate tools by unifying issues, collaboration, and knowledge in one system.

Key Features

• Project and issue tracking for planning and managing work
• Team chat for real-time communication inside workspaces
• Collaborative documents with rich text, attachments, and code blocks
• Real-time co-editing, user mentions, linking documents to issues, and action items
• Multiple business apps built on the same platform (e.g., CRM, HRM, ATS)
• API client for programmatic access and building integrations

Use Cases

• Run a unified workspace for product teams combining issues, chat, and documentation
• Maintain internal documentation, meeting notes, and roadmaps linked to ongoing work
• Build custom business applications on top of the Huly Platform framework

Limitations and Considerations

• Some local/development installations may not support outbound email, which can disable features like password recovery and email notifications

Huly is well-suited for teams that want a single, cohesive system for coordinating work and knowledge. It also provides a platform foundation for extending into broader business workflows such as CRM and HR processes.

NocoBase is an open-source no-code/low-code development platform for building internal tools and business applications on top of your data. It focuses on a data model-driven architecture, a WYSIWYG configuration experience, and a plugin-based core that can be extended for enterprise needs.

Key Features

• Data model-driven design that decouples data structure from UI for flexible app building
• Visual page builder with blocks (tables, forms, charts, calendars, etc.) and configurable actions
• Built-in workflow automation to orchestrate business logic and processes
• Fine-grained permissions for menus, data access, and actions
• Plugin-based microkernel architecture where features are delivered and extended as plugins
• Integrations and multiple data sources, including the main database, external databases, and third-party APIs
• Optional AI-oriented capabilities designed to embed AI “employees” into interfaces and workflows

Use Cases

• Build CRUD-based internal tools such as admin panels, operations back offices, and client portals
• Create business apps like CRM, ERP-style modules, and project/work management systems
• Automate approvals, data synchronization, and operational processes with workflows and role-based access

NocoBase is a strong fit when you need rapid delivery of business applications while keeping full control over deployment, extensibility, and access policies through plugins and granular permissions.

Teable is a no-code/low-code database application builder that combines a familiar spreadsheet-like interface with a robust PostgreSQL backend. It helps teams structure data, build lightweight internal tools, and collaborate on shared datasets in real time.

Key Features

• Spreadsheet-style tables with rich field types, formatting, validation, and formulas
• Multiple views for the same data, including grid, form, kanban, gallery, and calendar
• Real-time collaboration with comments, history, and undo/redo
• Data operations such as filtering, sorting, grouping, aggregation, search, and batch editing
• Import/export capabilities and attachment previews
• SQL querying for advanced data access
• Extensibility via a plugin system and SDK for building custom extensions

Use Cases

• Replacing Airtable for internal databases and lightweight business apps
• Building team workflows such as tracking projects, sales pipelines, and operations in structured tables
• Creating forms and views for data collection and reporting across departments

Limitations and Considerations

• PostgreSQL is the primary production database; SQLite is intended for development-only usage
• Some advanced capabilities (for example AI, advanced admin/automation features) may be limited to the Enterprise Edition

Teable is well-suited for teams that want a spreadsheet-first UX without sacrificing database scalability and developer-friendly integration options. It provides a strong foundation for collaborative data management that can grow from simple tables into more structured internal applications.

WeKan is an open-source, Trello-like Kanban board application for organizing personal and team work. It provides a real-time, collaborative interface for managing boards, lists, and cards while keeping data under your control.

Key Features

• Kanban boards with lists and cards for visual task tracking
• Real-time collaboration and live updates
• Access controls and permissions to restrict board and user access
• Internationalization support with extensive community translations
• Multiple packaging/deployment options (including container images)

Use Cases

• Team project management and lightweight agile workflows
• Personal task tracking and planning (to-do lists, trips, side projects)
• Replacing hosted Kanban tools for privacy, compliance, or cost reasons

Limitations and Considerations

• Uses MongoDB; insufficient disk space can risk database corruption, so monitoring and backups are important
• Upgrades are important for security due to upstream dependency updates (for example Node.js/Meteor stack)

WeKan is a solid option for organizations and individuals who want a familiar Kanban workflow with real-time collaboration and self-managed data. Its broad platform support and mature feature set make it suitable from small teams to larger deployments.

OpenProject is a web-based, open source project management platform for planning, tracking, and collaborating on projects. It supports classic, agile, and hybrid methodologies, combining task management, scheduling, and team collaboration in one system.

Key Features

• Work packages for tasks, issues, and project tracking with flexible workflows
• Gantt charts and timelines for project planning, scheduling, and dependencies
• Agile boards supporting Scrum and Kanban-style processes
• Roadmaps and release planning for product and delivery management
• Time tracking and cost reporting/budgeting for project controlling
• Built-in collaboration modules such as wikis, forums, and meeting agendas/minutes
• Integrations such as linking work items to GitHub pull requests

Use Cases

• Running agile delivery with boards, backlogs, and sprint planning
• Managing project schedules and milestones with Gantt-based planning
• Coordinating cross-functional teams with centralized tasks, meetings, and documentation

OpenProject is a strong fit for organizations that want a transparent, extensible project management system with both planning and collaboration features. It scales from small teams to larger organizations needing consistent workflows and reporting.

Planka is an open-source Kanban-style project management tool designed for teams to collaborate in real time. It provides collaborative boards with drag-and-drop tasks, rich Markdown notes, and configurable notifications, while being self-hostable and extensible.

Key Features

• Collaborative Kanban Boards: Create projects, boards, lists, cards, and manage tasks with a drag-and-drop interface
• Real-Time Updates: Instant syncing across all users, no page refresh required
• Rich Markdown Support: Formatted card descriptions with a markdown editor
• Flexible Notifications: Alerts via 100+ providers, customizable to your workflow
• Seamless Authentication: Single sign-on with OpenID Connect
• Multilingual & Easy to Translate: Full internationalization support

Use Cases

• Software development teams track backlogs and sprint work with shared boards
• Cross-functional teams coordinate tasks across design, product, and engineering
• Distributed teams collaborate in real time with task assignment and updates

Conclusion: Planka emphasizes open-source cooperation and self-hosting, with an active community and regular releases. It is well-suited for teams seeking a fast, real-time Kanban board that adapts to their workflows.

Grist is a modern relational spreadsheet that combines the flexibility of spreadsheets with the structure and robustness of a database. It’s designed for building collaborative, spreadsheet-like data apps with strong data modeling, views, and access controls.

Key Features

• Relational tables with typed columns and references between records
• Spreadsheet-style formulas with full Python syntax and access to the Python standard library
• Multiple views and dashboards, including charts, card views, calendar widgets, and linked widgets
• Import/export tools (including CSV and Excel formats) and incremental imports for updating existing datasets
• Built-in forms that write directly into tables
• REST API, outgoing webhooks, and support for external/custom widgets
• Granular sharing and access control, including rules for rows, columns, and tables
• Portable document format based on SQLite for easy backup and migration

Use Cases

• Replace complex spreadsheets with a structured, collaborative system for operational data
• Build lightweight internal tools (CRMs, inventory trackers, project trackers) with no-code layouts
• Collect data via forms and produce dashboards and reports for teams

Grist is a strong fit for teams that want spreadsheet familiarity while gaining relational modeling, safer collaboration, and integration-friendly workflows. It can be self-managed for tighter control and supports a broad range of data-driven workflows without requiring a full custom app build.

Kanboard is an open source project management application focused on the Kanban methodology. It provides a simple, minimal interface for visualizing work, managing tasks, and improving flow using WIP limits.

Key Features

• Kanban boards with configurable columns and drag-and-drop task movement
• Work-in-progress (WIP) limits per column with visual highlighting when exceeded
• Tasks with subtasks, comments, attachments, categories, colors, assignees, and due dates
• Markdown support for task descriptions
• Search and filtering with a simple query language and custom board filters
• Automatic actions to trigger workflow automation based on events
• Multiple authentication backends, including LDAP/Active Directory and OAuth2 providers
• Multilingual interface with extensive community translations

Use Cases

• Managing software or ops work with a lightweight Kanban board and clear WIP controls
• Tracking personal or small-team projects with tasks, due dates, and attachments
• Automating repetitive workflow steps such as assignments or metadata changes

Limitations and Considerations

• The project is in maintenance mode: major new features are not actively developed, with releases depending largely on community contributions

Kanboard is a pragmatic choice for teams that want a straightforward Kanban workflow without a complex UI. It emphasizes clarity, basic automation, and flexible task organization while remaining easy to deploy and operate.

Leantime is an open-source project management system designed to combine strategy, planning and execution into a single workspace. It emphasizes personal dashboards and cognitive-friendly UX, with features aimed at helping teams and individuals align tasks to goals and milestones.

Key Features

• Personal "My Work" dashboard with time-blocking, notes and cross-project task visibility
• Multiple task views: Kanban, table, list and calendar; unlimited subtasks and dependencies
• Milestones and timeline (Gantt) views with program-level planning and milestone grouping
• Strategy and goal management (vision, focus areas, project-goal linking, blueprints)
• Built-in wikis/docs for project knowledge and idea/validation boards (Lean Canvas, SWOT)
• Time tracking, timesheets and basic reports/dashboards for progress and billing
• Plugin system and JSON-RPC API for extensions, plus integrations with chat platforms
• Official Docker image and a development docker-compose environment; configurable via .env
• AI-assisted features (task prioritization, task breakdowns, status reports) available in paid/hosted tiers

Use Cases

• Small to mid-size teams that need a combined strategy-to-execution workspace with goals and milestones
• Consultants or agencies who want client-facing project dashboards, idea boards and documentation in one place
• Organizations that require self-hosting, data ownership and extensibility via plugins or the API

Limitations and Considerations

• Official system requirements target PHP 8.2+ and MySQL/MariaDB; PostgreSQL is not listed as supported
• Some advanced AI features and managed hosting capabilities are available only in the commercial/hosted offering or via paid plugins
• Requires several PHP extensions (bcmath, mbstring, pdo_mysql, gd, openssl, etc.) and attention to webserver configuration when self-hosting

Leantime provides a full open-source core focused on linking strategy and execution while offering paid hosting and plugin options for additional features. It is suitable for teams that want a self-hosted, extensible PM platform with an emphasis on accessible UX and goal alignment.

Kan is an open-source project management app focused on Trello-style kanban boards for organizing work, tracking progress, and collaborating with a team. It aims to stay minimal and familiar while adding modern collaboration and administration features.

Key Features

• Kanban boards with drag-and-drop cards
• Workspaces and member invitations for team collaboration
• Board visibility controls for viewing and editing
• Labels and filters to organize and find cards quickly
• Comments on cards for discussion
• Activity log to track changes and history
• Reusable board templates
• Trello board import

Use Cases

• Replacing Trello with a self-managed kanban board for teams
• Managing personal or small-team projects with a minimal interface
• Importing existing Trello workflows and continuing them in an open-source tool

Kan provides a clean, focused kanban experience with core collaboration features and practical migration support. It is well-suited for teams that want a simple Trello-like workflow without unnecessary complexity.

Baserow is an open-source platform for building and collaborating on databases with a spreadsheet-like interface. It combines structured data management with no-code tools for creating views, forms, automations, dashboards, and simple applications, with an API-first architecture for integrations.

Key Features

• Spreadsheet-style database with relational data modeling and multiple field types
• Multiple views to work with data, including grid, kanban, calendar, timeline, and forms
• No-code automation builder with logic (triggers, conditions/branches, loops) and actions
• Integrations via native actions such as HTTP requests, email, and webhooks
• Application builder for creating internal tools, portals, and simple apps from your data
• API-first design with a REST API for programmatic access and integration
• Extensible architecture with support for frontend and backend plugins
• Built-in AI assistant/agents features for creating databases and workflows from natural language

Use Cases

• Replace spreadsheets and Airtable with a self-managed collaborative database
• Build internal tools (asset tracking, task management, risk management) on top of structured data
• Automate data workflows and sync processes across systems using HTTP and webhooks

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced capabilities are offered as premium/enterprise features (open-core model)

Baserow fits teams that want the usability of a spreadsheet UI while keeping the rigor of a database and the flexibility of an extensible, API-driven platform. It is suitable for both lightweight data apps and larger-scale deployments where integrations and governance matter.

Vikunja is an open-source to-do and task management application designed to help individuals and teams organize work in projects. It provides collaborative task tracking with multiple ways to visualize and plan your workload.

Key Features

• Project-based organization with hierarchical projects and subprojects
• Task assignment and project sharing for team collaboration
• Multiple task views including list, Kanban, Gantt, and table
• Web-based UI backed by an API for integrations and automation

Use Cases

• Personal task tracking and daily planning with project structure
• Team task coordination with shared projects and assigned responsibilities
• Project planning and timeline overview using Gantt and board views

Vikunja is a flexible, privacy-friendly alternative to proprietary task managers, combining a clean UI with collaboration and planning features for a wide range of workflows.

Kaneo is an open-source project management platform that emphasizes minimalism, speed, and privacy. It provides focused task workflows (kanban and list views), workspace/team management, and options to run self-hosted or use the project's cloud offering.

Key Features

• Fast, minimalist UI with Kanban board and list (table) views
• GitHub integration: import issues and sync pull requests
• Authentication: password, magic-link, and OAuth social providers (e.g., GitHub, Google)
• Self-hosting-first: Docker Compose images and a Helm chart for Kubernetes deployments
• PostgreSQL-backed data storage with documented environment configuration
• Workspace, teams, labels, priorities, due dates and saved views/filters
• Privacy-minded defaults (minimal analytics, granular access controls)
• Deployment helper (drim CLI) for one-click installs and automated HTTPS

Use Cases

• Small to mid-sized engineering teams tracking work with lightweight Kanban or list workflows
• Teams that want to import or sync GitHub issues and PRs into a dedicated project board
• Organizations seeking a privacy-focused, self-hosted alternative to hosted PM SaaS

Limitations and Considerations

• Native third-party integrations are currently limited compared with large commercial PM platforms; primary integrations focus on GitHub and standard OAuth providers
• No official first-party mobile apps are documented; mobile access depends on the web UI responsiveness

Kaneo is suited for teams that prefer a streamlined, developer-friendly project tool they can host and extend. It prioritizes performance and simplicity over a broad set of built-in integrations or extensive enterprise feature bloat.

Worklenz is an open-source project management platform that combines task management, time tracking, resource planning and basic client/finance features in a single product. It provides a web application suitable for teams that need project planning, collaboration and time-based reporting.

Key Features

• Task management with subtasks, dependencies, attachments and activity logs
• Kanban board and phase-based project views for visual workflow tracking
• Built-in time tracking and timesheets with time reports and per-user/project summaries
• Resource and workload views to monitor team allocation and utilization
• Project templates and reusable task templates for standardizing projects
• Client portal and basic project finance tracking for billing visibility
• Dashboard analytics and project health/estimated vs actual reporting
• Files and comments attached to tasks for team collaboration
• Deployable via Docker with recommended stack components (PostgreSQL, Redis, MinIO, nginx)

Use Cases

• Agencies and consultancies managing client projects, deliverables and billing
• Software and IT teams organizing work with kanban, time tracking and roadmap views
• Small-to-medium organizations needing resource planning, workload balancing and project analytics

Limitations and Considerations

• The free tier limits active projects (site notes a three-active-project limit for the free plan)
• Several features (CRM, HR) are listed as "coming soon" on the product site and roadmap
• Import/migration tools from other PM platforms appear limited or pending enhancements

Worklenz targets teams that want an integrated, open-source PM tool they can run themselves or use as a hosted service. It emphasizes a combined feature set (tasks, time, resources, analytics) and provides Docker-based deployment and documented setup for self-hosting.

tududi is an open-source, self-hosted web application for task and project management. It combines a simple personal to-do workflow with project-level organization, focused on privacy, control, and lightweight deployment.

Key Features

• Hierarchical organization: Areas → Projects → Tasks with support for notes and tags for structured GTD-style workflows.
• Advanced recurring tasks: multiple recurrence patterns, completion-based recurrence, parent-child linking, and series editing.
• Subtasks and progress tracking: break down tasks into subtasks with visible progress and navigation between parent/child tasks.
• Flexible tagging and smart filtering: tag-based organization, multi-criteria filters, and quick search to locate items rapidly.
• Project documentation: rich-text notes attached to projects with full search capabilities.
• Collaboration controls: share projects with granular read/write permissions for team collaboration.
• Integrations and API: versioned REST API with Swagger docs and personal access tokens for automation and integrations.
• Telegram integration: create tasks via Telegram messages and receive daily task digests (requires a Telegram bot/token).
• Responsive UI and localization: modern responsive interface with dark/light themes and multi-language support (24 languages).
• Docker-first deployment: distributed as a container image for simple, local or server deployment.

Use Cases

• Personal productivity: manage daily tasks, recurring routines, and long-term projects using Areas and Projects.
• Small team project tracking: share projects with team members, delegate tasks, and track completion metrics.
• Automation and integrations: connect tududi data to other tools via the provided REST API and personal access tokens.

Limitations and Considerations

• Storage and scale: the default persistence is a file-based SQLite database and filesystem uploads, which is suitable for individuals and small teams but may limit performance or concurrency for very large deployments.
• Mobile availability: there is no official native mobile application; access is via the responsive web UI or third-party hosting/deployments.
• Operational requirements: production use requires running behind HTTPS and managing session secrets and bot tokens securely; administrators must handle backups and file-permission management.

In summary, tududi is a compact, privacy-oriented task and project manager aimed at users who prefer self-hosting and simple deployment. It emphasizes hierarchical organization, rich recurring-task support, Telegram connectivity, and an extensible API surface for automations.

Corteza is an open-source low-code platform for building CRM, business process, and other structured-data applications. It combines an app builder, workflow automation, and an API-first backend to help teams model data and deliver internal tools quickly.

Key Features

• Low-code app building for structured data (records, fields, pages, and modules)
• Workflow automation and scripting to orchestrate business processes
• API-centric architecture for integrations and external application development
• Role-based access control (RBAC) for fine-grained permissions
• Privacy and compliance-oriented features to support regulated environments
• Customization options including terminology, translations, and reusable app configurations

Use Cases

• Building internal CRM and case-management systems tailored to your processes
• Creating operational tools (requests, approvals, inventories) with automated workflows
• Integrating multiple systems via APIs to unify data entry and reporting

Corteza is suited to organizations that need flexible, self-controlled business applications without committing to a proprietary low-code ecosystem. Its focus on standards, security, and extensibility makes it a strong foundation for long-lived internal platforms.

Saltcorn is an extensible open-source no-code application builder for creating database-driven web and mobile apps. It provides a point-and-click interface to model data, build pages and views, and add behavior via actions and plugins.

Key Features

• No-code relational data modeling with tables, fields, and relationships
• Drag-and-drop page builder for composing forms, lists, and data views
• Extensible plugin system for adding datatypes, views, actions, and themes
• Supports PostgreSQL and SQLite backends for app data storage
• Can run as a single instance or in multi-tenant mode for hosting multiple apps
• Optional capabilities such as PDF generation and email features via plugins

Use Cases

• Internal tools such as CRUD apps, trackers, and lightweight admin panels
• Rapid prototyping of database-backed applications without custom code
• Simple business workflow automation built around structured data

Limitations and Considerations

• Multi-node mode requires PostgreSQL and shared filesystem access between nodes
• Some advanced features (for example, specialized views or integrations) may require installing and managing additional plugins

Saltcorn is a strong fit when you want a flexible, self-hostable no-code builder centered on structured data and extensibility. Its combination of relational modeling, visual UI building, and a plugin ecosystem makes it suitable for both prototypes and production applications.

Taiga is an open source project management platform focused on agile workflows, designed to help teams plan, track, and deliver work using Scrum or Kanban. It provides a web UI plus an API, making it suitable for product teams that need both collaboration features and integrations.

Key Features

• Scrum and Kanban project templates with backlog and sprint planning
• Issue tracking with custom workflows, statuses, and fields
• Team collaboration features such as comments, watchers, and notifications
• Real-time updates via events and websockets
• REST API for integrations and automation
• Optional authentication integrations such as GitHub and GitLab OAuth
• Email notifications via SMTP configuration

Use Cases

• Managing software development with sprints, user stories, and epics
• Tracking bugs and support work alongside product tasks
• Coordinating cross-functional teams with a shared backlog and boards

Taiga is a solid choice for teams that want an agile-focused alternative to proprietary tools, with the flexibility to run it on their own infrastructure and integrate it with existing systems.