Gantify vs OpenProject: ready to use, EU-hosted, free
OpenProject is the choice for organizations that want to host an open-source tool in-house. Gantify is for those who want the logic of MS Project, data in Europe and no servers to manage.
In this article
OpenProject is an open-source project management platform, valued by organizations that want to install the tool on their own servers and keep full control over the infrastructure. Gantify takes a different approach: a ready-to-use, free service, with data on servers in Germany and a scheduling engine modeled on Microsoft Project.
The comparison below is based on data from OpenProject’s official pages.
Who OpenProject and Gantify are for
OpenProject is designed for organizations with an IT department able to install and manage the tool on their own servers, using the open-source Community edition[1].
Gantify is designed for those who want to plan without managing infrastructure:
- SMEs, professional firms and teams without the resources to install and maintain a server;
- project managers who need the four dependency types and the critical path;
- European organizations that want their data in the EU without having to host it themselves.
Comparison at a glance
| Feature | Gantify | OpenProject |
|---|---|---|
| Opening .mpp files | Available.mpp/ | Not statedNot stated |
| Export | AvailableMicrosoft Project XML, CSV, print/ | Not statedNot stated |
| Dependencies (4 types, with lag) | AvailableFS, SS, FF and SF, with lag | Partialpredecessor and follower relations; no dependency types documented |
| Critical path | Availableon demand, with total float | Not statednot documented in the Gantt guide |
| Baselines | Availablesaved automatically at first progress; slippage in days | Availablebaseline comparison |
| Calendars and holidays | Availableworking calendars with exceptions | Not statedNot stated |
| Date constraints | Availableconstraint dates and deadlines | Not statedNot stated |
| Resources and over-allocation | Availableproject members assigned to tasks, daily workload, over-allocation warnings | Not statedNot stated |
| Costs and budget | Partialfixed and baseline costs from imported files; no budget view | Not statedNot stated |
| Earned Value Management (EVM) | Not availableNot available | Not statedNot stated |
| Automatic resource levelling | Not availableapplies the leveling delay from .mpp files; does not calculate it | Not statedNot stated |
| Views | AvailableSummary, Gantt, list, board, calendar, workload | AvailableGantt, board, table, calendar |
| Collaboration | Availableowner, editor and viewer roles; comments with @mentions | AvailableAvailable |
| Public sharing | Availableread-only public link | Not statedNot stated |
| Interface languages | Available10 | Not statedNot stated |
| Self-hosting | Not availablemanaged service, EU servers (Germany) | AvailableCommunity edition, on-premises |
| Entry price | Availablefree, ad-supported | AvailableCommunity edition free; Basic USD 7.25 per user/ |
| Free plan | Availableall features, no seat limit | AvailableCommunity edition, self-hosted, no user minimum |
The data is the same as in our full comparison. “Not stated” means that OpenProject does not provide the information on the pages consulted, not that the feature is missing.
Scheduling
OpenProject’s Gantt guide describes predecessor and successor relations and baseline comparison; dependency types and the critical path are not documented in that guide[2]. Gantify is built on the MS Project model:
- FS, SS, FF and SF dependencies with lead and lag;
- date constraints and deadlines;
- project and resource calendars with holidays and exceptions;
- a critical path recalculated with every change;
- baselines with the variance of each task;
- multi-level subtasks created with Tab.
Example: an institution with a reporting deadline
A research institution manages a funded project with phases, deliverables and a fixed reporting date. In Gantify, each deliverable is linked to the tasks it depends on, the reporting date is a deadline and the calendars take summer closures into account. When a partner delivers late, the critical path immediately shows whether the deadline is at risk, and the baseline saved at kickoff documents the extent of the changes to the plan. Partners follow progress through the read-only public link, with nothing to install.
Import, export and migration
Gantify reads .mpp, Microsoft Project XML and Primavera .xer files, with an import report, and exports to Microsoft Project XML, CSV for Excel and print/PDF. The OpenProject pages consulted do not list .mpp import[1].
Collaboration
Both support teamwork. Gantify also offers link invitations with roles, comments with mentions, unique task keys, a change history and a read-only public link, with no minimum number of users and no cost.
Pricing
OpenProject Community is free if you install and manage it yourself; the Basic plan costs USD 7.25 per user per month with a minimum of 25 users[1]. Gantify is free, supported by advertising, with no minimum or maximum number of users and no server costs.
Languages, data and AI assistant
With OpenProject Community, data resides wherever the software is installed[1]. Gantify hosts projects on servers in the European Union, in Germany, and is available in 10 languages. It includes an AI assistant that reads the plan and proposes changes for you to confirm, and an MCP server with API keys for integration with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Cursor and VS Code.
How to move from OpenProject to Gantify
- Export your tasks from OpenProject to a spreadsheet, using the options available in your installation.
- Create a free Gantify account and a new project.
- Paste the rows from Excel into the grid: names, durations and indentation become tasks and subtasks.
- Recreate the dependencies, choosing the appropriate type (FS, SS, FF, SF) and any lag.
- Save a baseline and invite your team.
Try Gantify with your own plan
Create a free accountConclusion
OpenProject is the right solution for organizations that want open-source software hosted in-house. Gantify is the solution for those who want to start planning right away, with the logic of MS Project, data in Europe and no servers to maintain, free of charge.
Frequently asked questions
Can Gantify be installed on your own servers?
No. Gantify is a managed service, hosted on servers in the European Union. OpenProject Community, by contrast, is installed on the organization’s own servers[1].
Does OpenProject require a minimum number of users?
The Community edition has no minimum; the Basic cloud plan has a minimum of 25 users[1].
Does Gantify support all four dependency types?
Yes: finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish, with lead and lag.
Does Gantify open Microsoft Project files?
Yes: .mpp and Microsoft Project XML files, as well as Primavera .xer.
Sources
Every fact about the products mentioned comes from these official pages, checked in September 2026. Prices are list prices, in the currency and billing period shown by the vendor, and may change.
- Pricingopenproject.org
- Gantt docsopenproject.org
Try Gantify with your own plan
Create a free account, import your .mpp file or start from a template: within minutes you will see the Gantt chart with dependencies, calendars and the critical path.