Asana vs planka
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Asana is a work management platform that helps teams organize tasks, projects, and cross-functional workflows in list, board, timeline, and calendar views. It is widely used by marketing, operations, and product teams to plan campaigns and track deliverables. Asana's Workflow Builder automates routine processes like approvals and handoffs, while Goals connects day-to-day tasks to company-wide OKRs so teams can see how their work ladders up to broader objectives. With custom fields, rules, and portfolios for tracking multiple projects at once, Asana scales from simple to-do lists to complex operational workflows across large organizations.
Planka is an open‑source, Kanban‑style project management tool that lets teams create projects, boards, lists and cards. Its drag‑and‑drop interface updates instantly for all connected users, and card descriptions support full Markdown. Designed for self‑hosting via Docker, Planka offers OpenID Connect SSO, notifications to over 100 providers, and full internationalisation. A hosted cloud version and a paid Pro edition are also available.
Free for up to 10 users; paid plans start at $10.99/user/month.
- Very flexible views for different work styles
- Strong automation and workflow tools
- Good for cross-functional, non-technical teams
- Solid free tier for small teams
- Open-source and free to self‑host
- Real‑time synchronization across users
- Rich Markdown support for detailed cards
- Extensive notification integrations
- Can feel overwhelming with many features enabled
- Pricier at higher tiers for large orgs
- Less developer-focused than Linear or Jira
- Self‑hosting requires Docker knowledge
- Limited native reporting features
- Pro version needed for advanced admin tools
What reviewers say
Asana Reviews
3.5 (2)Decent but has rough edges
Asana does what it says, with a few caveats. On the plus side, strong automation and workflow tools. That said, pricier at higher tiers for large orgs, which held us back from rating it higher.
Does exactly what we need
Been a daily user of Asana for a while now. Good for cross-functional, non-technical teams. One minor gripe: pricier at higher tiers for large orgs, but it hasn't been a dealbreaker. Would recommend to anyone considering it.
planka Reviews
No reviews yet.
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataPlanka is a free, self‑hosted, open‑source Kanban board with real‑time sync, while Asana is a cloud SaaS work‑management platform with many views and automation features.
Key differences
- •Deployment model: Planka requires self‑hosting (Docker), Asana is cloud SaaS.
- •Pricing structure: Planka’s core is free; Asana’s free tier caps at 10 users and paid plans start at $10.99 per user.
- •Feature breadth: Asana offers multiple project views, workflow builder, goals, and portfolios; Planka focuses on Kanban with markdown cards.
- •Integrations: Asana lists native integrations (Slack, Google Workspace, Salesforce); Planka supports notifications to 100+ services but fewer deep integrations.
- •Target audience: Planka suits technical teams comfortable managing Docker containers; Asana targets non‑technical, cross‑functional teams needing diverse views.
Pricing & value
Planka’s core is free and open‑source; Asana’s free tier limits to 10 users and paid plans start at $10.99/user.
Ease of use / learning curve
Asana is a ready‑to‑use SaaS with web and mobile apps; Planka needs Docker knowledge to self‑host.
Features & depth
Asana provides multiple views, workflow builder, goals, portfolios, and automation; Planka offers Kanban only.
Integrations & ecosystem
Asana lists native integrations (Slack, Google Workspace, Salesforce); Planka’s integrations are limited to notifications.
Collaboration
Planka offers real‑time sync of board changes; Asana’s collaboration is asynchronous via updates and comments.
Scalability
Asana scales via cloud infrastructure; Planka’s scalability depends on self‑hosted infrastructure expertise.
Support & security
Asana provides Help Center and email support; Planka is community‑driven open source with no formal support.
Choose Asana if…
Non‑technical, cross‑functional teams needing diverse project views, automation, and managed SaaS support.
Choose planka if…
Technical teams that want a free, self‑hosted Kanban board and can manage Docker deployments.
Common questions
Can I use Planka for free with unlimited users?
Yes, Planka is open‑source and free to self‑host; no user limit is specified.
What is the cost if my team grows beyond 10 users?
Asana’s paid plans start at $10.99 per user per month; pricing increases with higher tiers.
Do both tools offer API access for custom integrations?
Both Planka and Asana provide APIs, as stated in their specifications.