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Comparison · PM

Leantime vs OpenProject

A side-by-side editorial comparison of Leantime and OpenProject — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

Shared themes:self-hosted

Leantime vs OpenProject: at a glance

FeatureLeantimeOpenProject
SectorPMPM
Velocity score6.36.3
Sparks · 30d01
Top themesproject-management, self-hosted, api, permissionsresource management, capacity planning, patch releases, enterprise add-ons
Last editorial update1mo ago5d ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is Leantime?

Leantime is stabilizing its big 3.9 rewrite while extending cross-project planning and a mobile API

Leantime is deep in a modernization cycle. The 3.9.0 release rebuilt the app around a native, fail-closed permission engine, a JSON-RPC API, and a consolidated Blueprints domain; the releases since then mostly stabilize that foundation. Recent point releases fix regressions (repeated Bearer/PAT auth fixes) while adding cross-project program views and a mobile app backend.

Read the full Leantime trajectory →

What is OpenProject?

OpenProject settles into patch work after 17.7 shipped resource management.

17.7.0 was the substantial release — a resource management module with departments and work schedules, pushing OpenProject past task tracking into staffing. The two releases since are patches. 17.7.2 fixes four bugs, among them project-level hourly rates that could not be adjusted and non-working days silently dropped when saved while a reschedule job was running — both in the scheduling and cost areas 17.7 had just expanded.

Read the full OpenProject trajectory →

Leantime vs OpenProject: editorial side-by-side

L6.3

Leantime is stabilizing its big 3.9 rewrite while extending cross-project planning and a mobile API

◆ Current state

Leantime is deep in a modernization cycle. The 3.9.0 release rebuilt the app around a native, fail-closed permission engine, a JSON-RPC API, and a consolidated Blueprints domain; the releases since then mostly stabilize that foundation. Recent point releases fix regressions (repeated Bearer/PAT auth fixes) while adding cross-project program views and a mobile app backend.

◆ Where it's heading

The work is consolidation over expansion: hardening the new auth/permission and API layers, closing security IDORs domain by domain, and building the surface a mobile app and program-level planning need. The steady stream of small patch releases reflects shaking out regressions from the 3.9.0 refactor rather than opening new product directions.

◆ Prediction

Expect continued point releases fixing regressions from the permission-engine and JSON-RPC migration, plus buildout of the Leantime Mobile app now that its Bearer-authenticated backend API is landing.

O6.3

OpenProject settles into patch work after 17.7 shipped resource management.

◆ Current state

17.7.0 was the substantial release — a resource management module with departments and work schedules, pushing OpenProject past task tracking into staffing. The two releases since are patches. 17.7.2 fixes four bugs, among them project-level hourly rates that could not be adjusted and non-working days silently dropped when saved while a reschedule job was running — both in the scheduling and cost areas 17.7 had just expanded.

◆ Where it's heading

The release rhythm is a feature minor followed by a short tail of patches repairing the surface it just added, and this tail sits squarely in resource-management territory. Rate and non-working-day bugs are the predictable cost of shipping scheduling and cost tracking together. For self-hosted operators the advice does not change between these releases: take the patch.

◆ Prediction

Expect one or two more 17.7.x patches against the resource management surface before 17.8 opens a new feature line.

Alternatives to Leantime and OpenProject

Other PM products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Leantime or OpenProject.

See all Leantime alternatives → · See all OpenProject alternatives →

Recent activity from Leantime and OpenProject

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 5d agoOpenProjectPatch fixes hourly rates, non-working days, custom styles
  2. 12d agoOpenProjectPatch fixes duplicate users on retried imports
  3. 14d agoOpenProjectResource management module lands with departments and work schedules
  4. 1mo agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.8: milestone reporting and MCP endpoint fixes
  5. 1mo agoOpenProjectXWiki integration links work packages to external docs
  6. 1mo agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.7 adds cross-project program views
  7. 1mo agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.6: security hardening plus content templates
  8. 2mo agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.5 adds mobile notification and calendar APIs
  9. 2mo agoOpenProjectPatch fixes work package creation broken by 17.5
  10. 2mo agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.4 fixes cross-project 'My Work' loading
  11. 2mo agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.3 fixes Bearer-token API authentication
  12. 2mo agoOpenProjectProject-based work package IDs arrive in Beta

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Leantime and OpenProject?

Both compete on the same themes — self-hosted — within PM. Leantime and OpenProject are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 6.3 vs 6.3, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is Leantime better than OpenProject?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Leantime and OpenProject are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 6.3 vs 6.3, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other PM products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to Leantime?

Top Leantime alternatives in PM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Leantime alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/leantime for the full list with editorial commentary on each.

What are the best alternatives to OpenProject?

Top OpenProject alternatives in PM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "OpenProject alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/openproject for the full list with editorial commentary on each.