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project-open

project-open.com

Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 8.9 #2 of 29 in Agency Project Management Software

What it is

project-open is an open-source application providing end-to-end tools for service industry organizations. Its project management functions cover planning, staffing, tracking, collaboration and accounting. Portfolio management coordinates multiple projects, dependencies, initiation and approvals, as well as resource and capacity management. IT service management modules cover incident and helpdesk work, changes, configuration, software releases and service level agreements. Professional services automation includes expense management, invoicing, payments, absence management and time tracking. The product supports Linux, Windows, web, API and self-hosted use, with deployment options including native Linux, Windows, VMware virtual machines and Docker. It can also run as SaaS on a private server with administrator privileges managed by the project-open team. Listed integrations and import modules include LDAP, Navision/UBL, SAP FI, JIRA and OTRS. Community Edition is free; Professional Edition costs €12 a month per employee and Enterprise Edition costs €24 a month per employee. Both paid editions have a 20-license minimum.

Spec sheet

What it does
Project-open is a web-based, open-source ERP and project/service-management system aimed at project-oriented service companies with roughly 2 to 2,000 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Deployment
The maker offers Windows, VMware virtual machine, Docker and native Linux installation options, and says it can also run the software as SaaS.Read 8 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Free plan
YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · project-open.com
API
The product includes an OpenACS API Browser and XML-RPC package, and the installation wiki lists a REST interface module.Read 8 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Integrations
Documented integrations include LDAP/OpenLDAP, Microsoft Project, GanttProject, OpenProj, TaskJuggler, Jira, SugarCRM, Nagios, SAP FI, UBL and exchange-rate services.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Support
The maker says it professionally supports Professional and Enterprise installations and offers additional support options by inquiry.Read 8 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Headquarters
Barcelona, SpainRead 28 Sep 2026 · project-open.com
Company
The maker’s company fact sheet says the open-source project started in 2003 and Project Open Business Solutions S.L. was established in Barcelona in 2012.Read 8 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Automation rules
YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · project-open.com
Business intelligence
The BI module provides operational reports, data-warehouse cubes, indicators, charts, Excel/Access reporting and ad-hoc SQL queries.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Collaboration
Collaboration capabilities include wiki, project file storage, forums, calendar, surveys, idea management, notes, mail integration and full-text search.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Commercial edition limits
Professional and Enterprise editions include 2 and 6 support requests per year respectively, and each has a 20-license minimum.Read 8 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Core business areas
The product combines finance management, project tracking and reporting with professional-services and IT-service operations.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
CRM and finance
CRM handles customer contacts, sales planning, portals, leads and mailings, while finance covers budgets, controlling, billing, earned value, payables and receivables.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Documentation depth
The online documentation says it contains more than 800 pages, including end-user manuals, configuration guides, data-model material and developer documentation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Extensibility
Administrators can install packages, configure workflows and object lifecycles, add dynamic fields, change categories, customize portlets and restrict menus by group.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Founded and size
LinkedIn says the project began in 2003, serves more than 3,000 customers in 25 countries and lists a company size of 2–10 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Guest access
YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · project-open.com
Independent implementation caveat
Software Finder notes that deploying all modules can require expert configuration.Read 15 Oct 2026 · softwarefinder.com
Independent positioning
Software Finder characterizes project-open as a modular open-source EPM system combining project management, ITSM, PSA, financials, HR and CRM.Read 15 Oct 2026 · softwarefinder.com
IT service management
ITSM functions include SLA, incident, help-desk, problem, configuration, change and software-release management.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Latest release
Version 5.2 was released on 2025-05-01 and is stated to be maintained through 2028-12-31.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
License details
Core OpenACS packages use GPL version 2 or later; many project-open packages use the project-open Free License, while enterprise extensions use a commercial license.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Limit: customization learning curve
A Capterra reviewer said locating the correct source files and execution flow for modifications is difficult and requested clearer developer guidance.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Limit: user interface
The same G2 review criticized an old-looking, non-responsive interface, too many clicks, a complicated administration area, difficult reporting and no mobile app.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Maker legal name
The maker identifies itself as Project Open Business Solutions S.L., headquartered in Barcelona, Spain and operating under German management.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Other developer interfaces
The architecture documents ODBC access, a PL/SQL API, XML-RPC mapping for TCL calls, SOAP services and CSV/XML libraries.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Portfolio management
The product supports coordinated multi-project management, cross-project dependencies, project initiation and approval, and resource and capacity management.Read 8 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Praise: adaptability
A G2 reviewer praised the system's adaptability and customization for complex environments, including task tracking, resource control and executive reporting.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Praise: completeness
Capterra reviewers describe project-open as complete, flexible and scalable for work packages, financial management, risk visibility and controlled planning.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Product scope
project-open describes itself as an open-source application providing end-to-end solutions for the service industry.Read 8 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Professional services automation
Its PSA functions include expense management, invoicing, payments, absence management and time tracking.Read 8 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Project management
Its project module covers planning, tracking, Scrum/agile work, portfolios, tasks, milestones, baselines, risks, changes and timesheets.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Rating on Capterra
4.1 out of 5 from 7 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2
3.8 out of 5 from 2 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on TrustRadius
6.9 out of 10 from 2 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
REST API
The intranet-rest package lets external systems create, read, update and list important project-open objects over HTTP; deletion is intentionally unsupported.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
SaaS hosting
The SaaS description says customers receive a private server with full project-open administrator privileges managed by the project-open team.Read 8 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
SDK/reference client
A Java PO-Timesheet client for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X is supplied as a REST reference application with source obtainable through CVS.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Security controls
Version 5.1 introduced Content Security Policy and fixed several security issues; version 5.2 expanded audit logging and added warnings for unaudited object changes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Security features
The security page describes page-contract parameter checks, a database interface intended to block SQL injection, XSS filtering and a semi-automatic security checker.Read 8 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Self-hosting
Community installers are offered for Windows, virtual machines, Docker and bare-metal Linux, and the software can run on a local PC, private server or hosting provider.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Server dependencies
Hosted installations require AOLServer or NaviServer plus PostgreSQL and therefore at least a virtual dedicated server rather than Apache/MySQL-only shared hosting.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Time tracking
YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · project-open.com
Translation workflow
A dedicated translation module supports workflow, Trados integration, freelance skills, purchase orders, quality processes and a translation marketplace.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Windows requirements
The Windows installer supports 64-bit Windows 10/11 and Windows Server 2016 or newer, requiring at least 16 GB RAM and 20 GB free disk space.Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com

Plans and prices

Standard Price not published 1 GB disk space · 5 GB transfer volume · 5 users included · Unlimited database storage Read 20 Sep 2026 · project-open.com
Professional Price not published 2 GB disk space · 10 GB transfer volume · 10 users included · Unlimited database storage Read 20 Sep 2026 · project-open.com
Platinum Price not published 10 GB disk space · 20 GB transfer volume · 20 users included · Unlimited database storage Read 20 Sep 2026 · project-open.com
Community Edition Free free of charge freely available modules · downloadable and self-installable Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Professional Edition €12 a month €12 per internal employee/month closed-source extensions · professional support · minimum 20 licenses Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com
Enterprise Edition €24 a month €24 per internal employee/month enterprise extensions · professional support · minimum 20 licenses Read 15 Oct 2026 · project-open.com

Every project-open plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Covers project, portfolio, ITSM and PSA functions
  • Community Edition is free
  • Offers native Linux, Windows, VMware and Docker deployment
  • Includes time tracking and automation rules

Limits

  • Professional and Enterprise require 20 licenses minimum
  • Paid editions have limited annual support requests
  • Free Windows installer suits 5–6 concurrent users

Who it suits

project-open suits service industry organizations coordinating projects, IT service work and professional services administration. Its deployment options may fit teams seeking Linux, Windows, self-hosted or SaaS use.

project-open in depth

Read the full write-up

project-open is an open-source business application for organizations managing client projects alongside service operations and professional-services administration. It is best suited to teams that need those workflows together and can accommodate a self-hosted or managed deployment. Its breadth is a compelling advantage, but the paid editions’ 20-license minimum makes them a poor fit for many smaller teams.

Overview

Project-open brings project planning, staffing, tracking, collaboration and accounting together with portfolio coordination, IT service management and professional services automation. That combination can reduce the need to separate project delivery from service and billing workflows. It is more system than a team seeking only a lightweight project tracker is likely to need.

The open-source project began in 2003, and Project Open Business Solutions S.L. was established in Barcelona in 2012. The maker describes the product as an end-to-end application for the service industry.

Key features

Projects and portfolios

Teams can plan and staff projects, track work, collaborate and account for project activity. Portfolio management adds cross-project dependencies, project initiation and approval, and resource and capacity management. These capabilities suit organizations balancing assignments and people across multiple client engagements; buyers with isolated projects may not benefit enough from the extra scope.

Service operations and administration

IT service management modules cover incidents, helpdesk, changes, configuration, software releases and service-level agreements. Professional services functions include expenses, invoicing, payments, absences and time tracking. Together, these workflows make project-open relevant to service organizations that need operational work and project administration in the same application.

Integration, security and API

Integrations and import modules include LDAP, Navision/UBL, SAP FI, JIRA import and OTRS import, which may help organizations connecting existing identity, finance or service systems. Security measures include page-contract parameter checks, a database interface designed to block SQL injection, XSS filtering and a semi-automatic security checker. An OpenACS API Browser and XML-RPC package are included, and an installation wiki lists a REST interface module.

Pricing

Community Edition

Community Edition is free and provides freely available modules. Linux supports unlimited users; the free Windows installer is suited to 5–6 concurrent users. It is the clearest starting point for organizations able to manage their own installation, but Windows concurrency is a meaningful ceiling and this edition does not include the stated paid-edition support allotments.

Professional and Enterprise

Professional Edition costs €12 a month, billed per employee per month, with a 20-license minimum and 2 support requests per year. Enterprise Edition costs €24 a month on the same per-employee monthly basis and minimum, with 6 support requests per year. Both support unlimited users on Linux. Professional is the lower-cost commercial option for organizations that can work within two annual support requests; Enterprise doubles that allowance, but still requires at least 20 licenses. The minimum makes either edition a substantial commitment for a small team.

Hosted plans

Standard, Professional and Platinum hosted plans have custom pricing. They include, respectively, 1 GB, 2 GB and 10 GB of disk space; 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB of transfer volume; and 5, 10 and 20 included users. Each has unlimited database storage. These tiers provide a managed alternative to running an installation, with higher tiers increasing included users and disk and transfer capacity. The maker also offers SaaS on a private server where customers have full project-open administrator privileges and the project-open team manages the server.

Platforms

Project-open supports Linux, Windows, web access, self-hosting and an API. Deployment options include a Windows installer, VMware virtual machine, Docker and native Linux installation, as well as SaaS. The range gives organizations flexibility to choose infrastructure, but it also means buyers should decide whether they have the capacity to operate a deployment or want the maker to manage a private server.

Who it's for

Project-open is a strong candidate for service businesses coordinating multiple projects, staffing, time and expenses while also handling IT service workflows. Its portfolio controls and professional-services functions are most useful when those activities need to be managed together. Smaller teams, or buyers focused on one narrow project-management task, should weigh that breadth against the paid editions’ license floor and the operational demands of self-hosting.

Pros and cons

Broad service-business coverage: project and portfolio management sit alongside ITSM and professional-services administration, supporting organizations that need connected workflows.

Flexible deployment: Linux, Windows, virtual machine, Docker, native installation and SaaS options let organizations choose between operating their own environment and a managed server.

Free Linux edition: Community Edition supports unlimited Linux users, making it viable for organizations able to handle deployment without the commercial editions’ support allotments.

Paid license floor: Professional and Enterprise both require at least 20 licenses, which can put them out of reach for smaller teams.

Limited included support: Professional includes 2 requests per year and Enterprise 6, so organizations needing more support must inquire about additional options.

Alternatives

Scoro is a paid option with a free trial and apps for Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows; its Time-billing plan is $17 a month. Consider it when those platforms and a paid time-billing offering better match your requirements.

TimeLog is another paid option with a free trial and desktop, mobile and web platforms. Its Starter plan is €14 a month per user for time and expense logging, project management and invoicing for time spent; it may suit buyers focused on those workflows.

Deltek Maconomy is an enterprise ERP for professional services firms, with pricing by demo request. It is worth considering when an enterprise ERP is the priority.

TideFlow offers a free plan with one user, two workspaces and three projects, plus unlimited tasks, profitability reports, a client portal and file-share links. It is a more constrained free-plan option for buyers whose work fits those caps.

BQE CORE is a paid option with a free trial and web, Android and iOS platforms; its CRM is an optional module with quote-based pricing. Consider it if those platform and CRM terms suit your needs.

FunctionFox is a paid option with a free trial and web, Android and iOS platforms. Its Classic plan is $12.75 a month with a 3-user minimum and unlimited clients and projects, an alternative for teams whose requirements fit that plan.

Infor Learning Management System is a paid option with a free trial and API and web platforms.

projectfacts is a paid option with a free trial, self-hosted and web deployment, and a 14-day free trial at free; consider it if a time-limited trial is preferable to project-open’s free edition.

Browse Agency Project Management Software or Project Management Software for more options.

Verdict

Choose project-open if your service organization needs project and portfolio coordination joined to IT service management and professional-services administration, and can support its deployment model. The free Community Edition makes it possible to start without a paid license commitment, while Linux removes a user-count cap. Look elsewhere if you need a small-team commercial plan: the 20-license minimum and limited annual support requests are substantial constraints.

Verdict

project-open spans project delivery, IT service management and professional services administration. The free Community Edition and paid editions differ in support terms and license minimums, so compare those constraints with the intended installation.

Where Specifiction places it

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