Redmine vs Zoho Projects: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Redmine and Zoho Projects to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Redmine
6.3/10
Free, open-source, self-hosted web application for issue tracking and multi-project management, with Gantt charts, wikis and time tracking, aimed at technical teams.
Zoho Projects
7.3/10
Cloud project management software with tasks, Gantt charts, timesheets, issue tracking and automation, built for small and mid-sized teams using the Zoho suite.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | Z Zoho Projects |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.3/10 | 7.3/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 10/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Scalability | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Support | 3/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | $4/user/mo Premium |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Open source (self-hosted) | Contact for pricing |
| Features | ||
| App integrations | ||
| Gantt charts | ||
| Reporting | ||
| Task lists | ||
| Task management | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Timeline view | ||
| Client collaboration | Not listed | |
| Collaboration tools | Not listed | |
| Dashboards | Not listed | |
| Docs | Not listed | |
| File sharing | Not listed | |
| Kanban boards | Not listed | |
| Knowledge base | Not listed | |
| Scheduling | Not listed | |
| Team messaging | Not listed | |
| Whiteboards | Not listed | |
| Workflow automation | Not listed | |
Redmine vs Zoho Projects cost by team size
Redmine and Zoho Projects cost the same up to 5 users.
| Team size | Redmine | Zoho Projects |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeOpen source (self-hosted) | FreeFree |
| 5 users | FreeOpen source (self-hosted) | FreeFree |
| 10 users | FreeOpen source (self-hosted) | Contact for pricing |
| 25 users | FreeOpen source (self-hosted) | Contact for pricing |
| 50 users | FreeOpen source (self-hosted) | Contact for pricing |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Redmine
- Higher Cost score (10/10 vs 9/10)
- Higher Customization score (9/10 vs 8/10)
- Better fit for developers (9/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for it teams (8/10 vs 4/10)
ZWhy choose Zoho Projects
- Higher Analytics score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Support score (6/10 vs 3/10)
- Better fit for small business (9/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for freelancers (6/10 vs 3/10)
Pros & Cons
Redmine
Pros
- No licence fees under GPL v2, so the only costs are hosting and administration.
- Trackers, workflows and custom fields on issues, projects, users and time entries can all be configured in depth.
- Built-in Gantt chart, calendar, time tracking, and per-project wiki and forums cover many needs without plugins.
- Native integration with Git, Subversion, Mercurial, Bazaar and CVS suits software teams.
- The REST API in JSON and XML, with API-key authentication, supports automation.
Cons
- Reviewers widely describe the interface as dated.
- Agile boards and Kanban need third-party plugins and configuration.
- Reviewers report that it becomes slow on big or complex projects.
- Self-hosting needs Ruby on Rails skills, and there is no official vendor support.
- Advanced analytics need plugins, and some commercial plugins cost roughly $99 to $499.
ZZoho Projects
Pros
- Paid plans start at $4 per user per month on annual billing, which reviewers rank among the cheapest in the category.
- The free plan supports 5 users and 3 projects, enough for very small teams to run real work.
- Built-in timers, timesheets with approvals, and budgeting serve teams that bill for their time.
- Blueprints, automation rules and custom functions allow detailed workflow control.
- Integrates closely with other Zoho apps such as Desk, Analytics and Sprints.
Cons
- Reviewers say the learning curve is steep, especially for blueprints and custom functions.
- Client and guest access cost extra on top of the plan price.
- Users report weaker portfolio and multi-project management than enterprise-focused rivals.
- Some reviewers find the configuration screens crowded and say support can be slow to respond.
- The free plan has no project templates, and its automation limit is low at 50 actions per month.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Zoho Projects scores higher on our Project Management criteria: 7.3/10 against 6.3/10 for Redmine. The largest gap is in Analytics: 4/10 for Redmine and 7/10 for Zoho Projects.
Yes, both Redmine and Zoho Projects have a free plan.
Redmine is the better fit for developers: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 5/10 for Zoho Projects.
