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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:project-management

Leantime vs OpenProject: at a glance

FeatureLeantimeOpenProject
SectorPMPM
Velocity score6.36.3
Sparks · 30d01
Top themesproject-management, self-hosted, api, permissionsproject-management, open-source, security, jira-alternative
Last editorial update10h ago1d 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 grinds out steady releases while hardening against a bug-bounty backlog of CVEs.

OpenProject is in a maintenance-heavy stretch: a run of 17.x point releases mixes small features with a steady stream of security patches surfaced by its EU-sponsored bug bounty. Feature work is incremental but pointed — project-based work package identifiers ease Jira migrations, and 17.6 adds an XWiki integration linking project management to enterprise knowledge. The cadence is high but a large share of releases are corrective.

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 grinds out steady releases while hardening against a bug-bounty backlog of CVEs.

◆ Current state

OpenProject is in a maintenance-heavy stretch: a run of 17.x point releases mixes small features with a steady stream of security patches surfaced by its EU-sponsored bug bounty. Feature work is incremental but pointed — project-based work package identifiers ease Jira migrations, and 17.6 adds an XWiki integration linking project management to enterprise knowledge. The cadence is high but a large share of releases are corrective.

◆ Where it's heading

The product is consolidating as a credible open-source Jira alternative rather than chasing new categories. Recent features — Jira-friendly identifiers, XWiki knowledge links, Baselines refinements — target enterprise buyers weighing a migration. Security discipline, with multiple CVEs patched across back-ported 17.2 through 17.4 lines, signals a push for enterprise trust.

◆ Prediction

Expect continued 17.x point releases pairing migration-friendly features with back-ported security fixes; the Jira-migration and enterprise-knowledge threads are the ones to watch build out.

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. 16h agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.8: milestone reporting and MCP endpoint fixes
  2. 1d agoOpenProjectOpenProject 17.6 adds XWiki integration for enterprise knowledge
  3. 3d agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.7 adds cross-project program views
  4. 4d agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.6: security hardening plus content templates
  5. 20d agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.5 adds mobile notification and calendar APIs
  6. 24d agoOpenProjectOpenProject 17.5.1 patches 17.5 regressions
  7. 25d agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.4 fixes cross-project 'My Work' loading
  8. 25d agoLeantimeLeantime 3.9.3 fixes Bearer-token API authentication
  9. 29d agoOpenProjectOpenProject 17.5 adds project-based IDs to ease Jira migration
  10. 1mo agoOpenProjectOpenProject 17.3.4 fixes broken Memcached serialization
  11. 1mo agoOpenProjectOpenProject 17.4.1 patches journal and work-package disclosure CVEs
  12. 1mo agoOpenProjectOpenProject 17.3.3 back-ports visibility and IDOR security fixes

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Leantime and OpenProject?

Both compete on the same themes — project-management — 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.