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Comparison · PM
Float vs OpenProject
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Float and OpenProject — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Float vs OpenProject: at a glance
What is Float?
Float is moving from who's-free scheduling toward staffing on experience and pricing on rate cards.
Float's 2026 releases add commercial and intelligence layers on top of its core scheduler: multi-currency rate cards, a Rates tab, and AI experience profiles that surface who has done similar work before. API and Zapier coverage for project templates and rate cards keeps those layers open to automation. The October releases are scheduler polish: clearer role display, then calendar event statuses, faster allocation entry and project update improvements.
What is OpenProject?
OpenProject is patching 17.9 weekly, two of the six with security advisories.
OpenProject 17.9.0 shipped on 30 September with work packages created from Documents, date alerts in the Community edition, Backlogs filters and MCP Server time tracking, but this feed's visible window is now six patch releases after it. 17.9.3 fixes an improper input validation in PDF export that allowed local file loads, and 17.9.5 fixes a budget subject disclosure through the API form; the rest repair SSO in Chromium browsers, fresh installs without work package types, board card reloads and unsaved workflow changes.
Float vs OpenProject: editorial side-by-side
Float
5.0PM
Float is moving from who's-free scheduling toward staffing on experience and pricing on rate cards.
◆ Current state
Float's 2026 releases add commercial and intelligence layers on top of its core scheduler: multi-currency rate cards, a Rates tab, and AI experience profiles that surface who has done similar work before. API and Zapier coverage for project templates and rate cards keeps those layers open to automation. The October releases are scheduler polish: clearer role display, then calendar event statuses, faster allocation entry and project update improvements.
◆ Where it's heading
The product is reaching from resource availability into project economics and staffing judgment. Rates, roles and experience data are becoming first-class objects, while October's work tightens the daily scheduling loop that those layers sit on.
◆ Prediction
Expect role- and rate-aware forecasting next, such as budget or margin projections tied to the roles assigned in a plan. The entries show the data model forming but not yet the forecasting output.
OpenProject is patching 17.9 weekly, two of the six with security advisories.
◆ Current state
OpenProject 17.9.0 shipped on 30 September with work packages created from Documents, date alerts in the Community edition, Backlogs filters and MCP Server time tracking, but this feed's visible window is now six patch releases after it. 17.9.3 fixes an improper input validation in PDF export that allowed local file loads, and 17.9.5 fixes a budget subject disclosure through the API form; the rest repair SSO in Chromium browsers, fresh installs without work package types, board card reloads and unsaved workflow changes.
◆ Where it's heading
The 17.x line alternates monthly feature minors with a tail of weekly patches, and 17.9's tail is longer than usual, partly because fresh installs and SSO broke. The feature direction from 17.8 and 17.9 holds: the MCP Server keeps gaining write and tracking capabilities, and paid features like date alerts move into the free edition. The advisories come from external reporters through GitHub, which suggests outside scrutiny of the API.
◆ Prediction
On the monthly cadence a 17.10 minor is due; the MCP Server has grown in each of the last two minors, so further agent-facing capability there is the most grounded expectation.
Alternatives to Float 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 Float or OpenProject.
Bonsai
Bonsai is turning its CRM into the place Zoom notes, bookings and AI drafts all land.
NocoBase
NocoBase's latest beta makes queued agent failures readable instead of vague.
Productboard
Productboard's v2 API now redirects merged entities instead of returning not-found errors.
Papertrail
Papertrail's changelog has gone quiet on product since its checklist logic rebuild.
Ellie Planner
Ellie follows its MCP opening with a 30-day Trash and Google Calendar editing.
See all Float alternatives → · See all OpenProject alternatives →
Recent activity from Float and OpenProject
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 3d agoOpenProject17.9.6 fixes unsaved workflow changes
- 3d agoOpenProject17.9.5 fixes a budget disclosure in the work package API
- 8d agoOpenProject17.9.4 stops boards reloading cards twice
- 11d agoOpenProject17.9.3 fixes local file loading via PDF export
- 18d agoFloatCalendar event statuses, adding allocations, and project update improvements
- 18d agoOpenProject17.9.2 fixes SSO redirects and fresh-install project types
- 1mo agoOpenProject17.9.1 fixes Chrome SSO login and the sidebar
- 1mo agoFloatProject and phase roles display enhancements
- 2mo agoFloatFloat is the #1 resource management software, 8 seasons running
- 2mo agoFloatRates tab, Zapier project templates, and people code
- 2mo agoFloatSmart insights: know who’s done this work before, with AI experience profiles ⚡
- 2mo agoFloatNew API endpoints: project templates and rate cards, and Zapier project updates
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Float and OpenProject?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Float and OpenProject are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, 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 Float better than OpenProject?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Float and OpenProject are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, 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 Float?
Top Float alternatives in PM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Float alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/float 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.