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Comparison · PM

Redmine vs SmartSuite

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

Redmine vs SmartSuite: at a glance

FeatureRedmineSmartSuite
SectorPMPM
Velocity score2.57.5
Sparks · 30d01
Top themesissue tracking, self-hosted, security patching, webhookswork management, scripting, automation, mcp
Last editorial update2mo ago3d ago
WebsiteVisit →—

What is Redmine?

Twenty years in, Redmine is on a disciplined security-patch cadence behind its first major release since 6.0.

Redmine shipped 7.0.0 at the end of June with webhook triggers, a Rails 8 migration, and a header redesign, then followed it eight weeks later with 7.0.1 alongside backports to the 6.1 and 6.0 branches. That August release fixes five security defects, including a session-affecting API flaw and a stored XSS in the Textile formatter, and lands them on all three supported series at once. Alongside the real releases the feed also carries version-index wiki pages captured as entries, which are crawl artifacts rather than releases.

Read the full Redmine trajectory →

What is SmartSuite?

SmartSuite adds a scheduled JavaScript runtime with secrets and run history.

SmartSuite is a no-code work management platform that is adding developer and agent surfaces. Script Engine, a new admin page, lets workspaces write, schedule and monitor JavaScript with memory and timeout limits, secrets by reference and per-run history. It builds on Managed Secrets, released two weeks earlier, and the hosted MCP server from early October.

Read the full SmartSuite trajectory →

Redmine vs SmartSuite: editorial side-by-side

Redmine logo2.5

Twenty years in, Redmine is on a disciplined security-patch cadence behind its first major release since 6.0.

◆ Current state

Redmine shipped 7.0.0 at the end of June with webhook triggers, a Rails 8 migration, and a header redesign, then followed it eight weeks later with 7.0.1 alongside backports to the 6.1 and 6.0 branches. That August release fixes five security defects, including a session-affecting API flaw and a stored XSS in the Textile formatter, and lands them on all three supported series at once. Alongside the real releases the feed also carries version-index wiki pages captured as entries, which are crawl artifacts rather than releases.

◆ Where it's heading

The maintenance pattern is consistent and easy to read: coordinated multi-branch security releases roughly every two to three months, with the newest series also collecting performance and API work. Redmine 7.0.1 adds project information to the wiki page list API and fixes an OAuth2-related user deletion bug, so the 7.0 branch is absorbing polish rather than new capability. The three-branch support window is holding steady as 5.1 drops off the list.

◆ Prediction

Expect the next coordinated release to cover 7.0, 6.1, and 6.0 on the same schedule, with continued API and OAuth2 refinement on the 7.0 branch rather than new features before 7.1.

S7.5

SmartSuite adds a scheduled JavaScript runtime with secrets and run history.

◆ Current state

SmartSuite is a no-code work management platform that is adding developer and agent surfaces. Script Engine, a new admin page, lets workspaces write, schedule and monitor JavaScript with memory and timeout limits, secrets by reference and per-run history. It builds on Managed Secrets, released two weeks earlier, and the hosted MCP server from early October.

◆ Where it's heading

SmartSuite is becoming programmable on three fronts: a hosted MCP server for agents, managed secrets, and now a scheduled code runtime. Together they let teams run integrations inside the platform instead of in Zapier or external cron jobs. Mobile dashboard parity and admin recovery tools continue alongside.

◆ Prediction

Expect scripts to gain record-event triggers beyond schedules, and links between Script Engine and the automation builder.

Alternatives to Redmine and SmartSuite

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 Redmine or SmartSuite.

See all Redmine alternatives → · See all SmartSuite alternatives →

Recent activity from Redmine and SmartSuite

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

  1. 6d agoSmartSuiteSmartSuite Script Engine ⚡
  2. 13d agoSmartSuiteFilter Widget: Multiple Operators in Dynamic Filters
  3. 13d agoSmartSuiteRecycle Bin: Restore Team
  4. 21d agoSmartSuiteManaged Secrets
  5. 21d agoSmartSuiteMobile: Data Schema Widget
  6. 27d agoSmartSuiteMobile: Pivot Table Widgets on Dashboards
  7. 2mo agoRedmineRedmine 7.0.1, 6.1.4 and 6.0.11 released
  8. 4mo agoRedmineRedmine 7.0.0 is now available ⚡
  9. 4mo agoRedmineRedmine 6.1.3, 6.0.10 and 5.1.13 released
  10. 7mo agoRedmineRedmine 6.1.2, 6.0.9 and 5.1.12 released
  11. 7mo agoRedmine1.1.x series
  12. 7mo agoRedmine1.4.x series

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Redmine and SmartSuite?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. SmartSuite is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 7.5 vs 2.5), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is Redmine better than SmartSuite?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. SmartSuite is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 7.5 vs 2.5), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other PM products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to Redmine?

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

What are the best alternatives to SmartSuite?

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