Best open source
ServiceNow alternative

Find out why OpenProject is the best open source ServiceNow alternative for project management.

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Intuitive and web-based
High security and data privacy

ServiceNow is a US-based software company offering an enterprise platform for managing digital workflows. Its products cover areas such as IT service management, customer service management, and strategic portfolio management. ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) supports organizations in planning and prioritizing projects, allocating resources, managing portfolios, and connecting project execution with strategic business objectives.

OpenProject provides an open source alternative for organizations looking for dedicated project and portfolio management software without relying on a proprietary platform. It combines traditional, Agile, and hybrid project management with features such as Gantt charts, work packages, Agile boards, time tracking, and collaborative project documentation. Portfolio management is also available as an Enterprise add-on. OpenProject offers a cost-free Community edition as well as an Enterprise edition, available both in the cloud and on-premises.

What does OpenProject offer?

ServiceNow and OpenProject both provide tools for managing projects and portfolios, but their approaches differ. ServiceNow SPM is part of a broader proprietary enterprise workflow platform, offering capabilities for strategic planning, portfolio management, resource allocation, and financial management. OpenProject offers similar features for project and portfolio management. Additionally, its open source character gives organizations access to its source code under the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3). This allows users to inspect, modify, and redistribute the software in accordance with the license terms.

With OpenProject, teams can plan projects using Gantt charts, organize tasks on Agile boards, track working time, document knowledge in project wikis, and manage meetings directly within the application. Its portfolio management functionality enables organizations to structure projects and programs and maintain an overview of their progress. OpenProject also supports configurable workflows, roles, and permissions to adapt project processes to organizational requirements.

For organizations seeking an alternative to ServiceNow’s project management capabilities, OpenProject offers a different approach: open source licensing, a free self-hosted Community edition, and the choice between independently managed infrastructure and cloud hosting. Explore the comparison below to see how the two solutions differ.

Features	OpenProject	ServiceNow
Open source software	OpenProject Translation missing: en.components.accessibility.yes	ServiceNow Translation missing: en.components.accessibility.no
Available on-premises	OpenProject Translation missing: en.components.accessibility.yes	ServiceNow Translation missing: en.components.accessibility.yes
Available in the cloud	OpenProject Translation missing: en.components.accessibility.yes	ServiceNow Translation missing: en.components.accessibility.yes
Comprehensive project management features	OpenProject Translation missing: en.components.accessibility.yes	ServiceNow Translation missing: en.components.accessibility.yes
Data server in the EU	OpenProject Headquarters in Germany. Data stored in the EU.	ServiceNow US-based company. EU hosting and EU-focused processing available, subject to exceptions.

See all OpenProject features in detail

Data sovereignty and European hosting

OpenProject is developed by a German company and offers flexible hosting options, including self-hosting and an EU Shard for cloud customers with EU-based sub-processors. Organizations can run OpenProject on their own infrastructure to control where their project data is stored and how their systems are managed. ServiceNow is headquartered in the United States and also offers European data hosting and EU-focused processing safeguards. OpenProject combines these hosting choices with open source licensing, providing transparency and independence in managing project data and software.

Community edition without licensing fees

Unlike ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management, which is offered under a proprietary licensing model, OpenProject provides a cost-free and open source Community edition. Organizations can manage unlimited users and projects without software license fees. The source code is publicly accessible under GPLv3, allowing teams to inspect and adapt the application to their needs. For organizations requiring additional enterprise features or professional support, OpenProject also offers paid editions.

Self-hosting with full control

OpenProject allows organizations to host their project management software on their own infrastructure, giving them control over where their data is stored and how their systems are managed. Self-hosting enables organizations to define their own security policies, manage access and infrastructure configurations, and integrate the software into their existing IT environment. This flexibility is particularly valuable for organizations with strict data protection, compliance, or internal IT requirements. ServiceNow also offers a self-hosted deployment model, which requires additional coordination with ServiceNow for deployment planning and setup.