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Top 8 Free Focalboard Alternatives, Compared (2026)

Explore 8 alternatives to Focalboard — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

Focalboard alternatives: the 8 best options at a glance

Quick answer

Need a Focalboard alternative fast? Consider Smartsheet, ClickUp and Trello. Smartsheet holds the top SpotScore (9.8) with a 4.56★ rating. The full comparison of all 8 on score, rating, and price is below.

When Focalboard no longer matches how your team works, the right swap makes a big difference. These 8 project management software free alternatives are the strongest candidates, ranked by SpotScore (real-user satisfaction plus market presence), ratings, and pricing. Each is editor-vetted. Use the table to compare at a glance, then read the breakdowns.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
SmartsheetStreamline your projects with Smartsheet's powerful tools.9.8★★★★★ 4.56(2444)Freefrom $9/moteams of all sizes
ClickUpEffortlessly streamline your projects with ClickUp9.8★★★★★ 4.87(2889)Freefrom $7 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
TrelloOrganize, prioritize, and stay on track with Trello.9.3★★★★★ 4.55(3997)Freefrom $5 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
WrikeEffortlessly manage projects and teams with Wrike.9.2★★★★★ 4.55(2062)Freefrom $10 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
OpenProjectStreamline your projects with ease.8.8★★★★☆ 3.74(17)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Open-source · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
TaigaStreamline project collaboration and workflow efficiency.8.4★★★★☆ 4.42(54)Freefrom $5 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
NotionStreamline teamwork and organization effortlessly.—★★★★☆ 4.48(168)Freefrom $10 per seat/monthsmall & mid-size businesses
MattermostStreamline team communication and collaboration.—★★★★★ 4.76(34)Freefrom $3.25 /User/Monthteams of all sizes

9.8

SpotScore

Smartsheet - Project Management Software

Smartsheet

RECOMMENDED

Streamline your projects with Smartsheet's powerful tools.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

4.6

2444 verified reviews

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What is Smartsheet?

Smartsheet is a dynamic project management tool that simplifies tracking and planning for teams of all sizes. Offering a user-friendly interface, it’s designed to adapt to your unique workflows, whether you're managing simple checklists or complex project plans. Smartsheet’s intuitive platform ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Smartsheet offers custom pricing plan

9.8

SpotScore

ClickUp - Collaboration Software

ClickUp

RECOMMENDED

Effortlessly streamline your projects with ClickUp

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

4.9

2889 verified reviews

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What is ClickUp?

ClickUp is a versatile cloud-based project management platform designed to cater to both individual project needs and the complex demands of enterprise-level teams. Offering a customizable planning experience, it allows users to toggle between two distinct views, providing flexibility based on ...

Read more about ClickUp
Free TrialTry Free →·

ClickUp offers custom pricing plan

9.3

SpotScore

Trello - Project Management Software

Trello

Organize, prioritize, and stay on track with Trello.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.5

3997 verified reviews

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What is Trello?

Trello is a flexible project management application that organizes your projects into boards. Each card can be easily moved from one column to another to prioritize tasks and keep you in control of when things get done. You'll know exactly who's working on what, when they completed their task, ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

9.2

SpotScore

Wrike - Project Management Software

Wrike

Effortlessly manage projects and teams with Wrike.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.5

2062 verified reviews

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What is Wrike?

Wrike is a web-based project management software designed to enhance team collaboration, streamline workflows, and boost productivity. It provides real-time visibility into project progress, ensuring teams stay aligned with deadlines and objectives. Task management and prioritization tools help ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Wrike offers custom pricing plan

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8.8

SpotScore

OpenProject

OpenProject

Streamline your projects with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

3.7

17 verified reviews

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What is OpenProject?

OpenProject is a collaborative project management software for planning, tracking, and reporting on projects. It emphasizes usability – before users start a project, they need a tool that enables them to start working efficiently as quickly as possible. In OpenProject this is achieved by its ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

8.4

SpotScore

Taiga - Project Management Software

Taiga

Streamline project collaboration and workflow efficiency.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.4

54 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Taiga?

Taiga is a group project management software. It is designed to improve communication and transparency on your team between clients and developers. This application gives you a virtual space to discuss and manage a project together. Taiga allows features such as Kanban boards, Scrum boards, ...

Read more about Taiga
Free Trial·

Taiga offers custom pricing plan

Notion - Enterprise Wiki Software

Notion

Streamline teamwork and organization effortlessly.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.5

168 verified reviews

Add to compare

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What is Notion?

Notion is a collaborative enterprise wiki and document library application designed for small to large businesses and workgroups. Notion has the ability to automatically capture and organize ideas and content and quickly capture and organize links and content from the web via the “See Also” ...

Read more about Notion
Free TrialTry Free →·

Notion offers custom pricing plan

Mattermost - Business Instant Messaging Software

Mattermost

Streamline team communication and collaboration.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.8

34 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Mattermost?

Mattermost is an open source messaging platform that brings all business communication into one place. More than just chat, Mattermost is built around a modern team communication workflow. It includes integrated video conferencing and IP telephony, along with integrations to CRM, LDAP ...

Read more about Mattermost
Free Trial·

Mattermost offers custom pricing plan

Why each option earned its place

Smartsheet9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Customizable and user-friendly interface, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced professionals.

Watch for: Advanced features may require a learning curve, making onboarding somewhat challenging for new users.

ClickUp9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Versatile platform with constant updates and amazing customer support that prioritizes user feedback promptly.

Watch for: Steep learning curve initially, which may be challenging for newcomers without a technical background.

Trello9.3Best for teams of all sizes

Easy for new and experienced users to operate with minimal setup time.

Watch for: Limited capability for handling large or complex projects due to the lack of advanced features compared to specialized project management tools.

Wrike9.2Best for teams of all sizes

Easy-to-use interface with drag-and-drop functionality, providing seamless task management and organization.

Watch for: Difficult to navigate for beginners with a steep learning curve for mastering advanced functionalities.

OpenProject8.8Best for teams of all sizes

Open-source and free in its standard version, making it accessible to users from all sectors.

Watch for: Frequent bugs despite regular updates, leading to occasional crashes and frustrations.

Taiga8.4Best for teams of all sizes

Provides features for project management, including Kanban and Scrum, that improve organization and team productivity.

Watch for: Interface design needs improvement, with some users finding it outdated or visually unappealing.

NotionBest for small & mid-size businesses

Notion seamlessly combines note-taking, task management, knowledge base, and project collaboration into one intuitive platform, eliminating the need for switching between multiple apps.

Watch for: Notion’s performance in offline mode is subpar, which may frustrate users who frequently work without internet access.

MattermostBest for teams of all sizes

Open source flexibility

Watch for: Steeper learning curve

Why teams look for a Focalboard alternative

Several familiar frustrations tend to drive teams away from Focalboard:

  • Limited features compared to competitors
  • May require technical setup
  • Not suitable for large teams

How to evaluate a Focalboard alternative

The numbers behind these 8 free alternatives: 8 offer a free tier; paid plans run $3.25–$10, with Mattermost the cheapest entry point; and ClickUp is the highest rated at 4.87★ across 2889 reviews.

How we put this in order.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Focalboard are ClickUp (4.9★), Mattermost (4.8★), Smartsheet (4.6★). Compare all 8 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Focalboard, prioritize: Project Management, Progress Tracking, Task Automation, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Focalboard is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend shortlisting 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to land on the right Focalboard alternative

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Smartsheet, ClickUp and Trello let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: ClickUp has the strongest star rating (4.87★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Smartsheet has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.8) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

Ready to leave Focalboard?

Getting off Focalboard cleanly comes down to preparation. Export everything, verify the new tool can import it, and check feature parity for your day-to-day work. Run a small pilot first, then migrate fully, keeping Focalboard as backup until you're done. Free trials above lower the risk.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].