Pliny
What Pliny is
Pliny is a Kanban app teams can run on their own server, with Kanban, calendar, timeline, and mobile agenda views. Cards support subtasks, relations, labels, due dates, checklists, attachments, Markdown descriptions, custom fields, and bulk actions. Collaboration features include real-time WebSocket updates, comments, mentions, activity history, and email notifications. Global Guest, Member, and Admin roles can be paired with Viewer, Editor, and Admin roles on individual boards; boards can also have public read-only links.
Pliny imports Trello JSON and CSV files with previews, and exports CSV and JSON. Developers can use REST API v1, personal access tokens, and webhooks signed with HMAC-SHA256 that support delivery retries. Administration includes OIDC single sign-on, TOTP two-factor authentication, and rate limiting. Attachments can use local disk or S3-compatible storage. The free self-hosted plan includes unlimited users, boards, and cards, plus community support through GitHub Issues. Pliny uses Elastic License 2.0; commercial redistribution and managed service offerings require a separate agreement. Pliny Cloud is $10 a month, billed monthly, and is in development with a waitlist.
Who it suits
Pliny suits teams that want a flexible Kanban workspace hosted on their own server, with multiple views and detailed card fields. It also fits groups that need granular board roles, import and export options, or API and webhook access.
What it does well
- Self-hosted plan includes unlimited users, boards, and cards.
- Offers Kanban, calendar, timeline, and mobile agenda views.
- Supports custom card fields, attachments, checklists, and bulk actions.
- Includes board-level roles and public read-only links.
- Provides REST API v1, personal access tokens, and signed webhooks.
What to know first
- Self-hosting requires Docker 20+, Docker Compose v2+, and at least 512 MB RAM.
- Cloud plan is in development and available by waitlist.
- Commercial redistribution and managed service offerings require a separate agreement.
Limits
Self-hosting requires Docker 20+, Docker Compose v2+, at least 512 MB RAM, and a Linux server, VPS, or homelab machine. Pliny Cloud is in development with a waitlist.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Hosted | forever · Unlimited users, boards & cards · full kanban board with all views · community support (GitHub Issues) | Free |
| Pliny Cloud | monthly · Unlimited users · managed infrastructure · automatic backups and updates · 99.9% uptime SLA · email support · in development; join the waitlist | $10 a month |
| Enterprise | Custom · Dedicated instance · priority support with SLA · custom data residency · procurement and security review support · onboarding assistance | On request |
As getpliny.com lists them, read 8 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit https://getpliny.com/.
- Choose the free self-hosted plan or join the Pliny Cloud waitlist.
- For self-hosting, prepare a Linux server, VPS, or homelab machine with Docker 20+, Docker Compose v2+, and at least 512 MB RAM.
- Configure file attachments to use local disk or S3-compatible storage.
- Use the self-hosted plan's community support through GitHub Issues if needed.
Verdict
Pick Pliny if your team wants a self-hosted Kanban app with several views, extensive card fields, and collaboration and access controls. Teams that prefer managed hosting can consider Pliny Cloud, though it is in development with a waitlist; those offering commercial redistribution or managed services need a separate agreement.
Questions
How much does Pliny cost?
Self-Hosted costs nothing, billed forever. Pliny Cloud costs $10 a month, billed monthly; it is in development with a waitlist. Enterprise pricing is custom.
What is included in the free self-hosted plan?
It includes unlimited users, boards, and cards, all views, and community support through GitHub Issues.
Can teams use Pliny without self-hosting?
Pliny Cloud is listed at $10 a month and includes managed infrastructure, automatic backups and updates, a 99.9% uptime SLA, and email support. It is in development with a waitlist.
What platforms can run Pliny?
The listed platforms are API, Linux, self-hosted, and web. The deployment guide requires a Linux server, VPS, or homelab machine for self-hosting.
Is Pliny open source?
The GitHub README says Pliny uses Elastic License 2.0 and is free to self-host and modify. Commercial redistribution and managed service offerings require a separate agreement.
Does Pliny support guests and custom fields?
Yes. It has global Guest roles and supports custom card fields.
Facts from Pliny's own pages
- Access control
- Global Guest, Member, and Admin roles can be combined with per-board Viewer, Editor, and Admin roles, and boards can have public read-only links. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Cards
- Cards support subtasks, relations, labels, due dates, checklists, attachments, markdown descriptions, custom fields, and bulk actions. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Collaboration
- It provides real-time WebSocket updates, comments, mentions, activity history, and email notifications. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Data control
- The maker says self-hosting means no cloud dependency, telemetry, or vendor lock-in. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The deployment guide lists Docker 20+, Docker Compose v2+, at least 512 MB RAM, and a Linux server, VPS, or homelab machine as requirements. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Import and export
- It supports Trello JSON import with preview, CSV import with column mapping and preview, CSV export, and JSON export. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Integrations and developer tools
- Pliny provides REST API v1, personal access tokens, and webhooks with HMAC-SHA256 signatures and delivery retry. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- License
- The GitHub README says Pliny uses Elastic License 2.0 and is free to self-host and modify; commercial redistribution and managed service offerings require a separate agreement. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Product
- Pliny is a full-featured Kanban app that teams run on their own server. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Security features
- Administration features include OIDC single sign-on, TOTP two-factor authentication, and rate limiting for brute-force protection and API usage. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Storage
- File attachments can use local disk or S3-compatible storage. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- The self-hosted plan lists community support through GitHub Issues. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Views
- It includes Kanban, calendar, timeline, and mobile agenda views. · getpliny.com, 8 Oct 2026
Where Pliny stands on Freedom251
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