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Backlog alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Backlog: git hosting is basic compared with GitHub or GitLab, and free plan limited to one project. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Backlog, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Asana currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Asana logoAsanaFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +23 of 374.4
2Redmine logoRedmineOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 462.6
3Jira logoJiraFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +21 of 361.8
4YouTrack logoYouTrackFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +14 of 459.6
5OpenProject logoOpenProjectOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 455.3
6Shortcut logoShortcutFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 453.6
  1. Asana logo

    1. AsanaTop pick

    Best for: Cross-functional teams running many projects in parallel

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    74.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Backlog

    Better for non-technical teams that do not need code hosting.

    Pros

    • Multiple project views
    • Portfolios and goals for leadership
    • Strong rules and forms

    Cons

    • Can feel heavy for simple to-do lists
    • Key features are on higher tiers
    Visit Asana Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Asana a good Backlog alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026asana.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Views
    List, board, timeline, calendar
    Checked Oct 24, 2026asana.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Web, desktop, mobile
    Checked Oct 24, 2026asana.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Redmine logo

    2. Redmine

    Best for: Technical teams that want a free, self-hosted tracker they can customise with plugins

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Backlog

    Free, self-hosted tracker with similar issue and wiki features.

    Pros

    • Free and open source under GPL v2
    • Multiple projects, Gantt, wiki and time tracking included
    • Large library of community plugins

    Cons

    • Dated default interface
    • You must host and maintain it yourself
    • No official mobile apps or cloud service
    Visit Redmine Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Redmine a good Backlog alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL v2
    Checked Oct 25, 2026redmine.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026redmine.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Databases
    MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, SQL Server
    Checked Oct 25, 2026redmine.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Multiple projects
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026redmine.org(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Jira logo

    3. Jira

    Best for: Engineering organizations that need configurable agile workflows

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Backlog

    More powerful workflows and integrations for larger engineering teams.

    Pros

    • Highly configurable workflows
    • Deep agile reporting
    • Huge app marketplace

    Cons

    • Complex to administer
    • Slower and heavier than newer trackers
    Visit Jira Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1553
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Jira a good Backlog alternative?

    Verified facts

    1 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, for small teams
    Not checked yetatlassian.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Boards
    Scrum and kanban
    Not checked yetatlassian.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Atlassian
    Checked Oct 24, 2026atlassian.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. YouTrack logo

    4. YouTrack

    Best for: Software teams that want a configurable Jira-style tracker, especially JetBrains IDE users

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Backlog

    Free for up to 10 users with a richer query language.

    Pros

    • Free for up to 10 users with every feature
    • Powerful search, commands and scripted workflows
    • Self-hosted server option alongside the cloud

    Cons

    • Configuration depth can overwhelm newcomers
    • Interface feels technical for non-engineering teams
    • Smaller ecosystem of third-party integrations than Jira
    Visit YouTrack Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is YouTrack a good Backlog alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Up to 10 users
    Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.jetbrains.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $4.50 per user/month billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.jetbrains.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Monthly price
    $5.40 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.jetbrains.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Helpdesk
    Free for up to 3 agents
    Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.jetbrains.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. OpenProject logo

    5. OpenProject

    Best for: Organisations that need full-featured project management they can self-host

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Backlog

    Open-source Gantt and issue tracking you can self-host.

    Pros

    • Free, open-source Community edition
    • Gantt, agile boards and time tracking in one tool
    • On-premises or EU-hosted cloud options

    Cons

    • Interface feels dated next to modern SaaS tools
    • Some advanced features need an Enterprise plan
    • Setup of types, workflows and roles takes effort
    Visit OpenProject Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is OpenProject a good Backlog alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free edition
    Community edition
    Checked Oct 25, 2026openproject.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    DEB/RPM packages or Docker
    Checked Oct 25, 2026openproject.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Hosting options
    On-premises or cloud
    Checked Oct 25, 2026openproject.org(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Shortcut logo

    6. Shortcut

    Best for: Engineering teams that want structure like Jira without the configuration overhead

    Free plan + paidWeb

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Backlog

    Modern developer tracker with Git integrations.

    Pros

    • Clean interface with good keyboard support
    • Automatic story updates from Git branches and PRs
    • Epics, objectives and roadmaps without heavy setup

    Cons

    • Less flexible for non-engineering workflows
    • Reporting is lighter than Jira's
    • Smaller integration ecosystem than the market leaders
    Visit Shortcut Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Shortcut a good Backlog alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shortcut.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Team plan
    $8.50 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shortcut.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business plan
    $12 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shortcut.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Git integrations
    GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shortcut.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Backlog alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Asana logo

Best Backlog alternative for most people

Asana

Better for non-technical teams that do not need code hosting.

Redmine logo

Best Backlog alternative for a free option

Redmine

Free, self-hosted tracker with similar issue and wiki features.

Jira logo

Best Backlog alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Jira

More powerful workflows and integrations for larger engineering teams.

OpenProject logo

Best Backlog alternative for open source

OpenProject

Open-source Gantt and issue tracking you can self-host.

Redmine logo

Best Backlog alternative for self-hosting

Redmine

Free, self-hosted tracker with similar issue and wiki features.

Asana logo

Best Backlog alternative for Mac

Asana

Better for non-technical teams that do not need code hosting.

Asana logo

Best Backlog alternative for Windows

Asana

Better for non-technical teams that do not need code hosting.

YouTrack logo

Best Backlog alternative for iPhone and Android

YouTrack

Free for up to 10 users with a richer query language.

Shortcut logo

Best Backlog alternative for working in the browser

Shortcut

Modern developer tracker with Git integrations.

Backlog alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Backlog?

Asana ranks first right now. Better for non-technical teams that do not need code hosting. Redmine and Jira follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Backlog?

Yes. Asana (free plan + paid), Redmine (open source), Jira (free plan + paid) and YouTrack (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Backlog?

Yes: Redmine and OpenProject. Redmine and OpenProject can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Backlog?

The complaints we hear most: git hosting is basic compared with GitHub or GitLab; free plan limited to one project; fewer integrations than the market leaders.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Backlog, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.