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Best Free Alternatives to Smartsheet Gov
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Category: Project Management / Spreadsheet-DatabaseVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
OpenProject
FREEBest Professional Alternative
Why we like it
The leading open-source project management software; includes professional Gantt charts, work breakdown structures, and time tracking; supports both Agile (Scrum/Kanban) and Waterfall; can be self-hosted on-premises for maximum security.
Keep in mind
The 'Enterprise' features (like SSO or custom themes) require a paid license.
NocoDB
FREEBest for Spreadsheet Data
Why we like it
The open-source alternative to Airtable/Smartsheet; turns your existing SQL database into a smart spreadsheet; allows you to build custom views (Grid, Form, Gallery) and automate workflows without a subscription.
Keep in mind
Lacks Smartsheet's native 'Critical Path' and complex project-scheduling logic.
Plane
FREEBest Modern UI
Why we like it
A modern, open-source alternative to Jira and Smartsheet; features a sleek interface, unlimited users in the Community Edition, and robust issue tracking; great for 'Agile' government teams.
Keep in mind
Newer platform; community support is still growing compared to Redmine.
Redmine
FREEMost Stable / Battle-tested
Why we like it
Highly stable and used by thousands of institutions globally; supports multiple projects, role-based access control, and Gantt charts; massive library of free plugins.
Keep in mind
The user interface looks very dated (early 2000s) without custom themes.
Baserow
FREEBest No-Code Hub
Why we like it
An open-source no-code database that feels identical to Smartsheet/Airtable; very fast performance; self-hosting gives you total control over the data.
Keep in mind
Kanban and some advanced views are locked behind a small 'Premium' fee.
Vikunja
FREEBest for Simple Tasks
Why we like it
The 'to-do list' approach to project management; beautifully designed; includes Gantt, Kanban, and Table views; very easy to self-host.
Keep in mind
Too simple for massive, multi-year construction or engineering projects.
Taiga
FREEBest for Agile Teams
Why we like it
Specifically designed for Scrum and Kanban; features an intuitive UI; very popular in the developer community for public sector projects.
Keep in mind
Not built for traditional 'Waterfall' project management with complex dependencies.
ProjectLibre
FREEBest MS Project Clone
Why we like it
The primary open-source alternative to Microsoft Project; fully compatible with Smartsheet and MS Project files; excellent for complex Gantt chart management.
Keep in mind
Desktop-first; the cloud version is still in limited release.
Leantime
FREEBest for Non-PMs
Why we like it
Focuses on strategic project management; includes goal tracking and idea boards; built to be intuitive for teams that find Smartsheet too complex.
Keep in mind
Fewer deep automation features than NocoDB or Baserow.
Focalboard
FREEBest for Mattermost Users
Why we like it
Created by Mattermost; a lightweight alternative to Trello/Notion; great for organizing tasks inside a secure, self-hosted chat environment.
Keep in mind
Limited project scheduling features; best for simple boards.
GanttProject
FREEBest Offline Scheduler
Why we like it
A lightweight desktop tool for creating Gantt charts and assigning resources; zero cost; works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Keep in mind
No real-time web collaboration; purely a scheduling tool.
Tuleap
FREEBest for Software/ALM
Why we like it
An enterprise-grade Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) tool; popular in Europe for public sector software projects; includes high-security features natively.
Keep in mind
Overkill for simple business task management.
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