Trello vs Wekan
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Trello is a kanban-style project management tool built around boards, lists, and cards, making it one of the most approachable ways to visualize workflow for teams and individuals alike. Its drag-and-drop simplicity has made it a go-to choice well beyond software teams, from event planning to personal task management. Power-Ups extend basic boards with features like calendar views, custom fields, and automation via Butler, Trello's built-in no-code rules engine that can automate card moves, due date reminders, and checklist actions. Because it owned by Atlassian, Trello integrates well with Jira and Confluence for teams that need lightweight boards alongside more structured engineering tools.
Wekan is a web‑based, open‑source kanban board that lets you organize tasks, projects, and workflows in a visual, drag‑and‑drop interface. It can be self‑hosted on your own server, giving you full control over data and customization. Designed for small teams and freelancers, Wekan offers a lightweight yet powerful way to track progress, assign responsibilities, and collaborate in real time without any licensing costs.
Free for personal use with unlimited cards; paid plans start at $5/user/month.
- Extremely simple to learn
- Generous free tier
- Flexible for non-software use cases
- Good Butler automation
- Completely free and open‑source
- Self‑hosted for full data control
- Simple, intuitive UI
- Active community support
- Limited for complex, multi-team project tracking
- Fewer reporting features than Asana or Jira
- Can get messy with many cards on one board
- Limited native integrations compared to commercial tools
- No official mobile apps, only responsive web
- Feature set may require manual configuration for advanced workflows
What reviewers say
Trello Reviews
4.3 (4)Solid choice
I switched to Trello last quarter and haven't looked back. Good Butler automation. One minor gripe: fewer reporting features than asana or jira, but it hasn't been a dealbreaker. Would recommend to anyone considering it.
Solid choice
Our team evaluated a few options before settling on Trello. Flexible for non-software use cases. One minor gripe: limited for complex, multi-team project tracking, but it hasn't been a dealbreaker. Would recommend to anyone considering it.
Solid choice
We've been using Trello for a few months now and it's genuinely made a difference for our team. Good Butler automation. No major complaints so far. Would recommend to anyone considering it.
Wekan Reviews
No reviews yet.
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataWekan offers a completely free, self‑hosted open‑source kanban solution with full data control, while Trello provides a hosted, feature‑rich platform with a generous free tier but paid upgrades for advanced automation and integrations.
Key differences
- •Self‑hosting & data ownership: Wekan is self‑hosted and open‑source; Trello is cloud SaaS only.
- •Cost model: Wekan is free; Trello charges per user for premium features beyond the basic free tier.
- •Automation & extensions: Trello includes built‑in Butler automation and a Power‑Ups marketplace; Wekan relies on manual configuration and webhooks.
- •Mobile & native apps: Trello offers native iOS/Android apps; Wekan only has a responsive web UI.
- •Integration ecosystem: Trello provides ready‑made integrations (Jira, Slack, Google Drive); Wekan has limited native integrations, only API/webhooks.
Pricing & value
Wekan is completely free and open‑source; Trello’s advanced features require paid plans starting at $5/user/month.
Ease of use / learning curve
Trello’s UI is described as extremely simple to learn, whereas Wekan may need manual setup for advanced workflows.
Features & depth
Trello includes Butler automation, multiple views, and Power‑Ups; Wekan’s feature set is more basic and requires manual configuration.
Integrations & ecosystem
Trello lists built‑in integrations (Jira, Slack, Google Drive) and a marketplace; Wekan only offers API/webhooks and limited native integrations.
Collaboration
Both provide real‑time updates and board sharing; Wekan adds role‑based board privacy, Trello offers similar sharing via cloud.
Scalability
Trello’s SaaS infrastructure scales automatically; Wekan requires self‑hosting resources and management for larger teams.
Support & security
Wekan’s self‑hosted nature gives full data control; Trello relies on vendor security and offers Help Center support only.
Choose Trello if…
Users who want an out‑of‑the‑box hosted solution with native mobile apps, automation, and ready integrations, even if they pay for premium features.
Choose Wekan if…
Small teams or freelancers needing free, self‑hosted kanban with full data control and willing to manage hosting.
Common questions
Is there any cost to start using either tool?
Wekan is free and open‑source; Trello’s basic tier is free, but advanced features require paid plans starting at $5 per user per month.
Can I run the tool on my own server for data privacy?
Yes, Wekan can be self‑hosted on any web server; Trello is only available as a cloud SaaS service.
What automation capabilities are available out of the box?
Trello includes Butler no‑code automation and Power‑Ups; Wekan relies on manual configuration via webhooks and its API.