Redmine vs Trello

What Redmine is

Redmine is an open-source project management and issue tracking application that has run reliably for over a decade.

What Trello is

Trello is the world's most popular and simple Kanban board system. It brings the 'To Do, Doing, Done' logic into the digital world in its purest form. You manage your workflow by dragging cards between columns. Its success is rooted in providing instant usability for those who don't want to get lost in complex features. With 'Power-Ups,' it can connect to tools like Slack or GitHub, while 'Butler' automation handles routine chores easily.

What Trello is built to do

Kanban Boards

Create a visual workflow by dragging and dropping cards between lists.

Butler Automation

Set up rules triggered by card movements without writing any code.

Power-Ups

Add calendars, voting, or external app integrations directly to your cards.

Checklists

Break large tasks into smaller pieces within individual cards.

Choose Redmine if

• Organisations that want issue tracking without licence costs.

Choose Trello if

• Freelancers, Small Teams, and Personal Planners.

Redmine: pros & cons

• Free and self-hostable with no seat limits
• Plugin ecosystem covers most needs
• Stable and predictable
• Interface looks its age
• Plugins vary in quality and maintenance
• Ruby stack needs someone to maintain it

Trello: pros & cons

• Zero Training: Anyone can understand how to use it at first glance.
• Fast and Light: Low CPU usage and very responsive in both browser and mobile.
• Visual Simplicity: Lets you see exactly where work stands with one look.
• Free Plan: One of the best free tiers for personal use and small projects.
• Complexity Cap: Can become difficult to manage for projects with hundreds of tasks.
• Reporting: Has very low capacity for deep data analysis and advanced charting.
• Hierarchy: Not as flexible as rivals for breaking projects into layers or sub-tasks.