Manage is a free, open-source project management platform for small teams that want tasks, documentation, and time tracking in one workspace they control. Built by techulus and licensed under the AGPL-3.0, it runs as a self-hosted web application with project dashboards, task boards, built-in docs, a shared calendar, and billable time entries.[1][2]
Quick verdict
Small product teams that want tasks, docs, and time tracking in one self-hosted workspace benefit most from Manage. Its concrete advantage is breadth without cost: task boards, MDX docs, calendars, custom fields, and billable time tracking arrive in a single AGPL codebase. The material constraint is operational and legal: you host and maintain it yourself, and the AGPL copyleft governs network use and derivatives. If your team can self-host and accept copyleft, try Manage; if you need a vendor-operated service with support, choose a managed incumbent such as Asana.[1][2][3]
Key features
Project dashboards Each project gets a dashboard combining its tasks, documents, time entries, and recent activity, giving leads one place to check status.[1][2]
Task boards with labels and dates Boards organize work with priorities, labels, and start and due dates, and tasks feed the calendar and upcoming views.[1][2]
Docs with MDX support A block-based editor with MDX support keeps specs and notes inside projects beside the tasks they describe.[1][2]
Billable time tracking Time tracking records billable and non-billable hours against tasks, and entries roll up to the project dashboard.[1][2]
Calendar and upcoming views Shared calendar and upcoming views surface scheduled items across projects beyond individual boards.[1][2]
Custom fields Tasks accept custom text, number, date, and select attributes so projects can track domain-specific data.[1][2]
Email and social login Better Auth provides email and social login with organization invites and role-based access for team workspaces.[1][2]
File uploads with managed backups Attachments use S3-compatible object storage while deployments keep daily database backups.[1][2]
What Manage is
Open-source project suite Manage is an open-source project management suite where a team organizes work by project, tracks tasks on boards, writes accompanying docs, and logs time against the same items.[1][2]
AGPL-3.0 self-hosted edition The codebase is licensed under the AGPL-3.0 with no separate commercial terms observed, and deployment is operator-run via a Railway template or manual Node.js and PostgreSQL setup.[1][2]
Who will love it
Small teams consolidating tools Teams splitting tasks, docs, and hours across subscriptions benefit from one codebase covering all three without license fees.[1][2]
Self-hosting teams Teams that must keep project data in their own PostgreSQL database and storage benefit from full control of the deployment.[1]
AGPL-comfortable organizations Organizations with Node.js and PostgreSQL experience that accept copyleft benefit from a TypeScript stack they can read, modify, and operate.[1][2]
Who should avoid it
No managed service Teams needing a vendor-operated service should look elsewhere, since hosting, upgrades, backups, and mail delivery remain the operator's job.[1]
Copyleft restrictions Organizations that cannot accept AGPL copyleft, including teams keeping proprietary modifications private in network use, should wait for counsel review.[1]
Unverified enterprise needs Enterprise single sign-on, a documented external API, and offline support are not established in the official sources.[1][2]
Questions worth asking
What is the best Manage alternative for non-technical users?
Asana suits non-technical teams because its managed list, board, timeline, and calendar views need no self-hosting, while Manage requires operating a server and database. Teams wanting open source without operations could consider Leantime, which pairs self-hosting with managed Pro hosting.[1]
Is Manage really no-code?
How much does Manage cost per month?
Can you self-host Manage?
Yes. The repository documents self-hosting with a Railway template or manual deployment on Node.js 18 or later with PostgreSQL, optional S3-compatible storage for uploads, and SMTP for mail, with migrations applied during setup.[1]
Sources and editorial review
Source research. Reviewed on October 11, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.
We have not run or tested this product.
- Manage - Modern project management
official · Observed October 11, 2026
Official product site observed October 2026. Supports identity, feature set, free and open-source positioning, and the repository link. The live application preview requires sign-in, so hosted-candidate details are limited to public pages.
- techulus/manage README
official · Observed October 11, 2026
Repository README observed October 2026. Supports repository identity, feature list, self-hosting requirements and methods, version v0.5.0-beta, and auth/storage dependencies.
- techulus/manage LICENSE (AGPL-3.0)
official · Observed October 11, 2026
LICENSE file observed October 2026. Supports the AGPL-3.0-only license claim and the absence of separate commercial terms in the repository.
- techulus/manage package.json
official · Observed October 11, 2026
package.json observed October 2026. Supports the dependency-derived stack list and the Better Auth organization setup behind invites and roles. Carries no license field, so the LICENSE file governs.