Focalboard
ZenHub
| Feature | Focalboard | ZenHub |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free only | From $8.33/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | self-hosters, mattermost-users, small-teams, open-source-advocates | development-teams, github-users, agile-teams, open-source-projects |
| Founded | 2021 | 2014 |
| Kanban Boards | ✓ | ✓ |
| Table View | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calendar View | ✓ | ✗ |
| Templates | ✓ | ✗ |
| Filters | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Epics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Roadmaps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sprint Planning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Burndown Charts | ✗ | ✓ |
| Github Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Focalboard Pros
- Completely free and open-source
- Self-hostable for data control
- Multiple view types (board, table, gallery)
- Integrates with Mattermost
✗ Focalboard Cons
- Limited to basic project tracking
- No built-in time tracking
- Smaller community than alternatives
✓ ZenHub Pros
- Lives inside GitHub
- No context switching
- Good sprint planning
- Roadmap feature
✗ ZenHub Cons
- GitHub only
- Limited outside development
- Expensive for large teams
The Verdict
Focalboard is built for self hosters and mattermost users, with a focus on kanban-boards and table-view. ZenHub targets development teams and github users and leads with kanban-boards and epics.
Focalboard uses custom enterprise pricing, while ZenHub starts at $8.33/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Focalboard has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. ZenHub requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.