Redmine vs. Jira: Comparison & Expert Reviews For 2025
Redmine is a flexible project management tool designed to fit your team’s workflow. It offers an open-source project management setup that supports customization and allows team members to adjust workflows, issue types, and user roles. Its self-hosted model appeals to teams wanting control and a free, adaptable tool.
Jira, on the other hand, provides strong features for managing projects across many industries. It excels in issue tracking and agile project management, with Scrum and Kanban boards, roadmaps, and automation. It also includes strong security for regulated environments.
Redmine is great for teams needing a free, self-managed, customizable tool, while Jira suits teams that prefer a cloud-based platform with agile tools, built-in support, and broad integrations. The right choice depends on your budget, technical capacity, and workflow needs.
In this article, you'll find a detailed comparison of these project management software options, exploring their features, pros and cons, pricing, and more.
Redmine vs. Jira: An Overview
Jira
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Redmine vs. Jira Pricing Comparison
| Redmine | Jira | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free plan available | 7-day free trial + free plan available |
| Pricing | Free to use | From $7.16/user/month (billed annually, min 5 seats) |
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Get Expert AdviceOpens new windowRedmine pricing reflects its open-source nature, allowing teams to download and use the software for free. However, there may be additional costs for web hosting, premium plugins, maintenance, or third-party support services. This makes it a cost-effective choice for teams with in-house technical resources capable of managing the setup and upkeep.
In contrast, Jira pricing follows a tiered subscription model with pricing based on user count and feature access. It offers both cloud-based and self-managed plans, with the cloud version providing simplified setup and automatic updates. Larger teams or those needing advanced features like automation, advanced roadmaps, or enhanced security may incur higher subscription fees.
To choose the best pricing fit, assess the total cost of ownership—including hidden costs like infrastructure, setup, customization, and ongoing support—and prioritize the features essential to your team’s project management needs.
Redmine vs. Jira Feature Comparison
Redmine offers flexible project management tools that adapt to a variety of customizable workflows. Redmine’s open-source setup enables deep customization, which allows teams to tailor the platform to their needs. It includes built-in tools like Gantt charts to track progress, time tracking, bug tracking, wikis, and role-based access control.
Jira is known for tracking and managing projects across industries. It also offers an extensive integration ecosystem and built-in features to support agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban boards, sprint planning, and backlog prioritization. It also includes automation rules, templates, and detailed reporting out of the box.
Both tools offer basic project management functionality, including notifications, dependencies, project tracking, task assignment, and customizable workflows to help teams stay organized and aligned.
The right choice depends on your team’s priorities, whether you need a customizable, self-managed solution or a scalable, cloud-based platform with broad third-party support.
| Redmine | Jira | |
|---|---|---|
| API | ||
| Bug Tracking | ||
| Calendar Management | ||
| Dashboards | ||
| External Integrations | ||
| File Sharing | ||
| Gantt Charts | ||
| Kanban Boards | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Project Management | ||
| Status Notifications | ||
| Task Scheduling/Tracking | ||
| Time Management |
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Get Expert AdviceOpens new windowRedmine vs. Jira Integrations
| Integration | Redmine | Jira |
| GitHub | ✅ | ✅ |
| Slack | ✅ | ✅ |
| GitLab | ✅ | ✅ |
| Figma | ❌ | ✅ |
| Jenkins | ✅ | ✅ |
| Adobe XD | ❌ | ✅ |
| Miro | ❌ | ✅ |
| Salesforce | ✅ | ✅ |
| API | ✅ | ✅ |
| Zapier | ✅ | ✅ |
Redmine’s integration with GitHub helps software development teams streamline code management and issue tracking, particularly when managing frequent releases. This Git integration allows developers to associate commits with issues, view changesets, and automate workflow transitions.
Jira’s integration with Figma supports design and development teams by aligning visual updates with project tasks and timelines to enable real-time collaboration and centralized feedback.
Redmine is particularly strong in supporting development-centric workflows through version control and issue linking, while Jira more effectively bridges design collaboration and agile project management through its wide range of creative tool integrations.
Redmine vs. Jira Security, Compliance & Reliability
| Factor | Redmine | Jira |
| Data Privacy | Redmine allows for self-hosting, which gives you complete control over data privacy and access. | Jira offers robust data privacy controls and complies with GDPR and other global regulations. |
| Encryption | Redmine supports SSL/TLS encryption for secure data transmission. | Jira uses industry-standard encryption for data both at rest and in transit. |
| Regulatory Compliance | Redmine's open-source nature means that compliance depends on how you configure and host it. | Jira meets multiple industry standards, including ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2, and more. |
| Backup & Recovery | Redmine relies on your custom backup and recovery processes due to its self-managed setup. | Jira provides automated backups and has a structured disaster recovery plan. |
| User Authentication | Redmine can be configured with LDAP and other tools for centralized authentication. | Jira supports SAML SSO, two-factor authentication, and integration with identity providers. |
Jira generally provides more comprehensive out-of-the-box security and compliance features compared to Redmine. To evaluate these aspects, consider your team's specific regulatory obligations and assess how each tool's security capabilities align with your internal policies and infrastructure.
Redmine vs. Jira Ease of Use
| Factor | Redmine | Jira |
| User Interface | Redmine's interface is minimal and often requires customization for smoother navigation. | Jira offers a polished, modern UI with intuitive dashboards and customizable views. |
| Onboarding Experience | Redmine's onboarding depends on community documentation, tutorials, and forum guidance. | Jira provides guided tutorials, onboarding checklists, and in-app help to ease the learning curve. |
| Setup | Redmine setup can be complex, especially when self-hosting and configuring plugins. | Jira offers a streamlined cloud-based setup with minimal technical steps required. |
| Support | Redmine relies on community support through forums and public wikis. | Jira includes dedicated customer support via live chat, email, and a solid knowledge base. |
| Customization | Redmine supports deep customization but often requires technical skills and manual edits. | Jira offers user-friendly customization with drag-and-drop workflows and configuration wizards. |
Redmine's simplicity in design may be limiting for teams seeking a more intuitive interface, but it offers significant customization potential for technically proficient users. Jira, on the other hand, excels in delivering a positive user experience backed by comprehensive support and structured onboarding, although its wide range of features can be overwhelming for new users.
Redmine vs Jira: Pros & Cons
Redmine
- Redmine supports multiple projects and teams under one roof efficiently.
- It's open-source and provides flexibility and control over your projects.
- You can customize Redmine to fit your team's specific workflow.
- It lacks some advanced features found in other project management software.
- You might find the initial setup process a bit challenging.
- The interface can feel outdated compared to newer tools.
Jira
- Agile workflow management supports Scrum and Kanban and can improve your teams' productivity.
- Automation rules are easy to set up, which helps your team speed up their work.
- Custom filters can be created and accessed quickly, which improves your team's efficiency.
- The interface can be too crowded in Scrum projects, which can make it hard for your team to navigate.
- There's a lack of resource management capabilities, which could limit your team's planning.
- Field names can be confusing, which might slow down your team's workflow.
Best Use Cases for Redmine and Jira
Redmine
- Tech startups Redmine's customization options let you adapt it to your agile development processes.
- Software development You can manage multiple projects at once, which is ideal for handling various software builds.
- IT departments Redmine supports complex project tracking, which makes it perfect for IT teams managing numerous initiatives.
- Non-profit organizations You can benefit from Redmine's open-source nature to keep costs low while still customizing it to fit your needs.
- Educational institutions Redmine's multi-project support is great for managing different courses or department tasks.
- Freelance project managers You can tailor Redmine to fit individual client needs, which means more flexibility for managing diverse projects.
Jira
- Software development Jira’s agile tools like Scrum and Kanban boards make it perfect for managing software projects.
- IT departments Its issue tracking capabilities help your team efficiently handle technical support and bug fixes.
- Tech startups Jira offers customization capabilities that allow your team to scale and adapt as your projects grow.
- Agile teams Sprint planning and backlog management features keep your agile processes organized and effective.
- Large enterprises Jira’s automation rules can streamline your complex workflows and improve team productivity.
- Project managers Its reporting and analytics provide insights that help you make informed decisions quickly.
Get free help from our project management software advisors to find your match.
Get Expert AdviceOpens new windowWho Should Use Redmine, and Who Should Use Jira?
In my opinion, Redmine is best suited for tech-savvy teams or smaller organizations that benefit from flexibility and full control over their tools. It’s ideal for teams that can manage a self-hosted solution and want extensive customization without a large budget.
Jira is better aligned with use cases common to larger enterprises or agile teams that require advanced features and dedicated support. If your project management needs require a user-friendly interface, strong integration options, and scalability, Jira is likely the better fit.
Differences Between Redmine and Jira
| Redmine | Jira | |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | Provides basic automation through plugins or custom scripts, requiring technical setup | Built-in automation rules allow teams to streamline workflows with minimal effort |
| Integrations | Supports integrations with tools like GitHub, Zapier, and others via plugins or manual setup | Offers extensive integrations with tools like Figma, Miro, Slack, and Atlassian Confluence |
| Pricing | Open-source and free to use, though teams may incur costs for hosting, maintenance, or plugins | Subscription-based with tiered pricing that scales by user count and feature access |
| Support | Community-driven support through forums and public documentation | Dedicated customer support via live chat, email, and a comprehensive help center |
| User Interface | Basic and minimal UI that often requires customization to improve usability and navigation | Polished, intuitive interface with drag-and-drop elements and customizable dashboards |
| Visit RedmineOpens new window | Visit JiraOpens new window |
Similarities Between Redmine and Jira
| API Integration | Redmine and Jira both offer APIs for custom development and integration. Redmine offers an open-source REST API, while Jira provides a robust API across its cloud and server environments. |
|---|---|
| Collaboration | Both tools support team collaboration through commenting and file sharing. Redmine enables this via plugins, while Jira offers native integrations with tools like Slack. |
| Reporting | Redmine and Jira include strong reporting capabilities. Redmine allows customizable reports through plugins or configuration, and Jira includes built-in agile reports such as burndown charts and velocity tracking. |
| Task Management | Both Redmine and Jira offer strong task tracking features. Redmine lets you customize issue types and workflows, while Jira provides agile boards for visual task management. |
| User Permissions | Both platforms provide permission controls to manage user access. Redmine uses role-based permissions, while Jira supports fine-grained user access settings and roles. |
| Visit RedmineOpens new window Visit JiraOpens new window | |
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