Jira is a proprietary issue tracking product developed by Atlassian that allows bug tracking and agile project management.
Mantis is a free, open-source, web-based issue tracking and project management tool. It is written in PHP and supports multiple databases. Mantis is suitable for a variety of organizations, from small startups to large enterprises, and is widely used in software development, IT, and other industries.
Free for up to 10 users; paid plans from about $7.75/user/month.
- Powerful and configurable
- Strong agile support
- Scales to enterprise
- Big ecosystem
- Free and open-source
- Highly customizable
- Scalable and secure
- Supports multiple databases and integrations
- Can be complex/heavy
- Configuration overhead
- Overkill for tiny teams
- Steep learning curve
- Limited user interface customization options
- May require technical expertise to set up and configure
What reviewers say
Jira Reviews
4.5 (4)Solid choice
Tried Jira recently. Big ecosystem. No real complaints. Would recommend.
Recommend Jira
We rolled out Jira last quarter. Strong agile support. No real complaints. Would recommend.
Decent with caveats
We rolled out Jira last quarter. Upside: scales to enterprise. Downside: configuration overhead.
Mantis Reviews
No reviews yet.
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataJira offers a robust, enterprise‑grade agile platform with a free tier but can be heavyweight, while Mantis is a free, open‑source issue tracker that requires self‑hosting and more technical setup.
Key differences
- •Jira is SaaS/cloud with managed hosting; Mantis is self‑hosted only
- •Jira’s pricing scales per user after 10 free seats; Mantis is completely free
- •Jira provides a large Atlassian ecosystem of add‑ons; Mantis has limited official integrations
- •Jira’s UI is geared toward agile boards (scrum/kanban); Mantis focuses on classic issue tracking
- •Jira includes enterprise‑level support options; Mantis relies on email and community forum
Pricing & value
Mantis is free and open‑source; Jira charges per user after 10 free seats.
Ease of use / learning curve
Jira’s UI is polished for agile teams; Mantis has a steep learning curve and limited UI customization.
Features & depth
Jira offers advanced roadmaps, reporting, and extensive workflow customization beyond basic issue tracking.
Integrations & ecosystem
Jira taps into the broad Atlassian ecosystem; Mantis lists only core VCS and DB integrations.
Collaboration
Jira includes built‑in agile boards and collaboration tools; Mantis lacks dedicated agile collaboration features.
Scalability
Jira scales to enterprise deployments; Mantis can scale but requires self‑hosted infrastructure expertise.
Support
Jira offers commercial support tiers; Mantis provides only email and community forum support.
Choose Jira if…
Large or growing agile teams needing enterprise features, willing to pay for managed SaaS and support.
Choose Mantis if…
Small/technical teams that need a free, self‑hosted tracker and can handle setup and maintenance themselves.
Common questions
Which tool is cheaper for a team of 25 users?
Mantis is free; Jira would cost roughly $7.75 per user/month after the first 10 free users.
Can I host Jira myself?
Not specified; Jira is offered as cloud/SaaS only in the provided facts.
Does Mantis support agile boards like Scrum or Kanban?
Not specified; Mantis focuses on issue tracking and does not list Scrum/Kanban board features.