Todoist Alternative Self Hosted: 4 Options to Run Yourself
Self-hosted Todoist alternatives compared: Vikunja, Nextcloud Tasks with Tasks.org, Kanboard and Super Productivity, on license, import, mobile and CalDAV.
•4 min read•Project & Task Management
Verdict:Vikunja is the closest self-hosted Todoist replacement: AGPLv3, free to run, with a built-in Todoist import. Nextcloud Tasks with Tasks.org suits people already on Nextcloud, Kanboard suits boards, and Super Productivity is local-first. Expect rougher mobile apps than Todoist.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Price | Platforms | Best for | Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikunja | Free to self-host (AGPLv3); Vikunja Cloud from EUR 4 per month | Web, Self-hosted, Mobile app | A Todoist-style task app you host yourself, with a built-in Todoist import | Docs only |
| Nextcloud Tasks with Tasks.org | Free (AGPL-3.0 server app; Tasks.org is GPLv3) | Self-hosted, Web, Android | People who already run Nextcloud and want tasks that sync over CalDAV | Docs only |
| Kanboard | Free (MIT) | Self-hosted, Web | A simple self-hosted Kanban board instead of a task list | Docs only |
| Super Productivity | Free | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web | A local-first planner with optional WebDAV sync to your own server | Docs only |
Independent comparison. Paid placements are labelled separately; editorial links earn no affiliate commissions. Learn more.
Good fit if
- You run a home server or VPS and want your tasks on it
- You want to avoid Todoist's Pro plan limits and subscription
- You can accept a less polished mobile experience
Not ideal if
- You depend on Todoist's mobile apps and natural-language polish
- You do not want to maintain updates and backups
Short answer: Todoist offers no self-hosted version that its pricing page mentions, so you need a different app. Vikunja is the closest match: it is AGPLv3, free to run yourself, and can import from Todoist. Nextcloud Tasks with Tasks.org suits people already on Nextcloud, Kanboard suits a board rather than a list, and Super Productivity keeps tasks on your device. The trade-off is polish: self-hosted mobile apps are the weak spot.
What matters for a self-hosted task manager
Five questions drive the choice. How hard is it to host? Is there a decent mobile app or CalDAV sync? Does it handle recurring tasks and the views you use? Can you import from Todoist? What does it cost?
Todoist's pricing page shows a free Beginner plan with 5 personal projects, 3 filter views, one week of history and 5 MB uploads, and no custom reminders. Pro is $5 a month billed yearly ($60 a year). It lists no self-hosted option, and a vendor comparison from OpenProject says Todoist is cloud-only.
A commenter in a mirrored r/selfhosted post (about November 2025) said they use Tasks.org with Nextcloud, liked Todoist, wanted a desktop web app and found Nextcloud's task app lacking. In an April 2026 forum post, the author of a self-hosted task app agreed his project was not a one-to-one replacement for Todoist. Treat these as individual opinions, not test results.
Vikunja
Vikunja is an open-source task manager you host yourself. According to its homepage, it offers list, Kanban, Gantt and table views, is licensed AGPLv3, and installs with Docker, native binaries or an install wizard. It has built-in migration from Todoist, Trello and Microsoft To-Do.
Its install docs say it supports MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL and SQLite, with SQLite bundled, and that the mobile app supports only very basic features. According to its pricing page, self-hosting is free, you handle maintenance, updates and backups, and Vikunja Cloud costs EUR 4 a month for Personal, with a 14-day trial.
CalDAV is available, but the CalDAV docs call it early alpha. DAVx5, OpenTasks, Tasks on Android and Apple Reminders (Vikunja 2.2.0 or later) are listed as working, and some properties such as repeat rules sync only from Vikunja to the client.
Pick Vikunja if you want the closest all-round replacement. Skip it if you rely on a polished mobile app.
Nextcloud Tasks with Tasks.org
This pairing keeps tasks on your Nextcloud server and syncs them to phones over CalDAV. According to the Nextcloud Tasks repository, it is an AGPL-3.0 app with subtasks, priority and start and due dates, and it works with CalDAV clients including Apple Reminders, 2Do, DAVx5 and OpenTasks.
Tasks.org is a GPLv3 Android to-do app that lists CalDAV, DAVx5, Google Tasks and EteSync as sync options. Its desktop version is in alpha.
Pick this if you already run Nextcloud. Do not install Nextcloud only for tasks, since that is a large server for a small job.
Kanboard
Kanboard is a free Kanban tool, so it replaces boards rather than a personal task inbox. According to its site, it is MIT-licensed, self-hosted and has drag-and-drop columns, work-in-progress limits, subtasks, Markdown descriptions, attachments, due dates, automatic actions and LDAP or OAuth2 login.
The homepage does not list reminders or system requirements. Pick it for shared boards with a team. Skip it if your daily habit is a today list with recurring tasks.
Super Productivity
Super Productivity is a local-first planner. According to its site, tasks stay on your device by default, you can work offline without an account, and optional sync runs through Super Sync, WebDAV or Dropbox. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and the web, and it is open source and free to use. It integrates with GitHub, GitLab and Jira.
The site does not state a license or a Super Sync price, and it does not mention Todoist import. Pick it if you want your data on your own devices and are happy to point WebDAV at your own server.
Comparison
| Tool | Self-host | Views | Todoist import | Mobile | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikunja | Docker, binary, wizard | List, Kanban, Gantt, table | Built in | Basic app, CalDAV | Free; Cloud EUR 4/mo |
| Nextcloud Tasks | Needs Nextcloud | Not stated | Not stated | CalDAV clients | Free software |
| Kanboard | Yes | Kanban | Not stated | Not stated | Free, MIT |
| Super Productivity | Local, optional sync | Planner | Not stated | Apps for Android and iOS | Free |
How to choose
You want the nearest thing to Todoist. Run Vikunja with Docker, import your Todoist projects and try its CalDAV and mobile app against your phone.
You already run Nextcloud. Use Nextcloud Tasks with Tasks.org on Android and your existing server.
You manage a small team's work. Kanboard gives you boards with no per-user fee.
You mostly plan your own day. Super Productivity keeps it local.
For more options, see TickTick alternatives, open-source project management software, free project management software and Trello alternatives.
Limits of this review
Nothing was installed or load-tested, so setup time, stability and mobile behavior are not measured. Super Productivity's license and Super Sync price were not stated on the pages read. Kanboard's system requirements and reminders were not documented on its homepage. Direct Reddit threads were not retrievable, so community views come from a mirrored r/selfhosted post and a forum post.
FAQ
Is there a self-hosted version of Todoist?
Not as far as its own pages show. Todoist's pricing page lists subscription plans and does not mention self-hosting, and OpenProject's comparison page, written by a competitor, says Todoist is cloud-only. To run your own server you need a different app such as Vikunja, Kanboard or Nextcloud Tasks.
What is the best self-hosted Todoist alternative?
Vikunja, for most people. It is AGPLv3, free to self-host, offers list, Kanban, Gantt and table views, installs with Docker or a binary, and can import from Todoist. Its mobile app is basic, so check it against your daily workflow.
Can I import my Todoist tasks into Vikunja?
Yes. Vikunja's homepage says it has built-in migration for Todoist, Trello and Microsoft To-Do. No import was run for this page, so test with one small project first and compare the result with your Todoist data before moving everything or cancelling your subscription.
Is there a good mobile app for self-hosted tasks?
It is the weak spot. Vikunja's install docs say its mobile app supports only very basic features. Vikunja's CalDAV docs list Tasks on Android and Apple Reminders among clients that work, though they describe the CalDAV support as early alpha.
How much does self-hosting save over Todoist?
Todoist Pro is $5 a month billed yearly, or $60 a year. Vikunja, Kanboard and Nextcloud Tasks cost nothing as software, but you pay for a server and spend time on updates and backups. Vikunja also charges EUR 4 a month if you prefer its hosted Cloud.
Is there a self-hosted Todoist alternative with Kanban?
Vikunja has a Kanban view alongside list, Gantt and table views. Kanboard is a dedicated Kanban tool under the MIT license with work-in-progress limits, subtasks and due dates. Its homepage does not list reminders, so it is weaker as a personal inbox.
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Kevin Fan
Kevin Fan is a SaaS founder. He runs Free Instead Of, which tracks free and open-source alternatives to paid software and checks each price and free-plan limit against the vendor's own pages.
Methodology
Official sites, docs and repositories for Vikunja, Kanboard, Super Productivity, Nextcloud Tasks and Tasks.org were read on 2026-10-26, together with Todoist's pricing page, three vendor or directory articles for the current recommendations, and two community posts from 2025-2026 for pain points. No tool was installed or run, and no accounts were created.