As a solo entrepreneur, you juggle multiple clients, projects, and deadlines. Without a good project management system, things fall through the cracks – and that damages your reputation. But most project management tools (Asana, Trello, Basecamp) charge per user, which becomes expensive if you want to collaborate with freelancers or give clients view access.
Open source project management tools solve this. You self‑host them on your own VPS, add unlimited users, and pay nothing beyond your server costs. But with so many options, how do you choose? This guide compares the top five open source project management tools and helps you pick the right one for your solo business.
ERPNext is included in every SolOPENpreneur plan – fully managed and integrated.
Start managing projects →ERPNext isn't just a project management tool – it's a complete business management suite that includes CRM, invoicing, accounting, inventory, HR, and project management. For solo entrepreneurs who want to minimize tool sprawl, ERPNext is a powerful choice. Its project management features include task creation and assignment, Gantt charts, Kanban boards, time tracking (billable vs. non‑billable), milestone tracking, and integration with CRM and invoicing. You can also create client portals so clients can log in and see project progress.
Best for: Solopreneurs who also need invoicing, CRM, and accounting. One tool replaces Asana + Harvest + QuickBooks + HubSpot.
Pros: All‑in‑one, no integration headaches, unlimited users, client portals.
Cons: Steeper learning curve than simpler tools, may be overkill if you only need task lists.
OpenProject is one of the most feature‑rich open source project management tools, used by organizations like the UN and Siemens. It includes work packages (tasks) with custom fields and workflows, Gantt charts with critical path analysis, agile boards (Scrum and Kanban), roadmaps and release planning, time and cost tracking, wikis, and meeting agendas. It's ideal if you manage complex, multi‑phase projects.
Best for: Solopreneurs managing complex projects (e.g., software development, construction, event planning).
Pros: Extremely powerful, great for agile, strong reporting.
Cons: Resource‑heavy, requires decent VPS specs, steeper learning curve.
If you love Trello's simple Kanban boards but hate the per‑user fees, WeKan is your answer. It does one thing well: organize tasks into swimlanes. Features include drag‑and‑drop boards, lists, and cards; card descriptions, checklists, due dates, and attachments; labels, comments, and mentions; custom fields; user roles (admin, normal, read‑only); and export to JSON or CSV.
Best for: Visual thinkers, solo entrepreneurs with simple workflows, or anyone migrating from Trello.
Pros: Very lightweight, fast, easy to use, perfect for solo use.
Cons: Lacks advanced features like Gantt charts, time tracking, or client portals.
Taiga is designed for agile development teams, but it's flexible enough for any solo entrepreneur. It offers both Kanban and Scrum (sprint) workflows. Features include user stories, epics, and tasks; sprint planning and backlog management; custom dashboards and reports (burn‑down charts, velocity); GitHub/GitLab integration; built‑in wiki; and role‑based permissions.
Best for: Solopreneurs building software products or managing creative agencies with agile methodology.
Pros: Excellent for agile, good reporting, integrates with Git.
Cons: Overkill for non‑technical solopreneurs, requires some setup.
Leantime is a project management system built for non‑project managers. It simplifies agile concepts and focuses on what solopreneurs actually need: get work done. Features include Kanban boards with swimlanes, time tracking and timesheets, goal tracking (OKRs), risk management, retrospectives, client portals (limited access), and file management and notes.
Best for: Non‑technical solopreneurs who need a balance between simplicity and features.
Pros: User‑friendly, good balance of features, client portal included.
Cons: Less customizable than OpenProject, smaller community.
| Feature | ERPNext | OpenProject | WeKan | Taiga | Leantime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task management | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Gantt charts | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Time tracking | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Client portal | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Invoicing/Accounting | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Agile/Scrum | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Learning curve | Medium | High | Low | Medium | Low |
| Best for | All‑in‑one | Complex projects | Simple Kanban | Software dev | Non‑technical |
Ask yourself these questions:
If you're already using SolOPENpreneur, you have ERPNext pre‑installed. Start there – it's powerful and integrates directly with your CRM, invoicing, and support tickets. You can always add another tool later if needed.
Consider a solo entrepreneur with 3 freelancers and 5 clients who need view‑only access to projects. With Asana Premium: 8 users × $13.49 = $108/month. With OpenProject self‑hosted on a VPS (already paid for): $0 extra. Over a year, that's $1,296 saved – enough to hire a virtual assistant for 50+ hours. Plus, you own your project data. No vendor can change pricing, remove features, or shut down your access.
ERPNext is included in every SolOPENpreneur plan – fully managed and integrated with your website, CRM, and automation.
Start managing projects →Next in our how‑to series: How to Create a Solo Entrepreneur Website with an Open Source CMS: A Beginner's Guide – coming soon.
See exactly how much a solopreneur overpays for 16 SaaS subscriptions every year, and the open source stack that replaces them for one flat price. Plus occasional open source growth tips. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.