Overview

Backlog combines project management, issue tracking, and team collaboration. Boards, custom workflows, roadmaps, and guest access support different ways of organizing work, while its open API and integrations—including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jenkins, Google Drive, and Dropbox—give teams options for connecting it to an existing stack. Jira and Redmine importers can help teams moving from either tracker.

Built-in Git repositories and Subversion support make Backlog relevant to teams that want code repositories alongside issues. The trade-off is that automation rules and time tracking are not included, so teams that rely on either capability will need another tool or a different platform.

Key features

Planning and issue tracking

Kanban-style boards and issue tracking cover day-to-day work, with subtasks available on Starter and above. Standard adds issue templates, Gantt charts with a six-month view, and burndown charts. These views give teams more structure for planning and progress tracking than a board alone, but the Gantt horizon remains limited on Standard. Premium removes that view limit and adds third-level subtasks and custom fields.

Code, integrations, and access

Git and Subversion are included even on Free, which makes the entry tier useful for small teams that want repositories and a board together. Backlog’s open API supports custom integrations; named connections include Cacoo, Slack, Jenkins, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCal Sync. Guest access is supported. Premium and Enterprise include an AI Assistant with 2,000 credits monthly.

Enterprise adds SAML single sign-on, SCIM user provisioning, audit logs, centralized user and access management, and security integrations. It can also be installed on a private server, giving organizations control over data, users, security settings, updates, and permissions. That makes Enterprise the relevant tier for teams with private-hosting or centralized-access requirements, rather than a straightforward upgrade for a small project.

Pricing

Paid plans have a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. Plans cannot be switched during the trial, so teams should choose the tier they intend to evaluate. Email support is available across plans; Premium adds dedicated support, and Enterprise includes a Customer Success Manager.

Plan	Price	Limits and notable inclusions
Free	0.00 USD per free; free forever	10 users, 1 project, 100 MB storage, Git and Subversion, board
Starter	35.00 USD per month; billed monthly	30 users, 5 projects, 1 GB storage, Git and Subversion, board, subtasks
Standard	100.00 USD per month; billed monthly	Unlimited users, 100 projects, 30 GB storage, six-month Gantt view, burndown chart, issue templates
Premium	175.00 USD per month; billed monthly	Unlimited users and projects, 100 GB storage, AI Assistant, third-level subtasks, unlimited Gantt view, custom fields, dedicated support
Enterprise	Custom pricing	Unlimited users; private-server deployment and enterprise security features

Free is a practical starting point for a group of up to 10 users, but its single-project cap and 100 MB storage leave little room for a growing portfolio. Starter raises capacity to five projects and 30 users, though 1 GB remains a modest storage allowance. Standard is the first tier with unlimited users and substantial project capacity, making its $100 monthly price easier to justify for teams that need broader planning views. Premium costs $175 monthly and is aimed at teams that need unlimited projects, 100 GB of storage, expanded planning features, or dedicated support. Enterprise is the fit when private hosting or its additional access controls matter; its price is custom.

Platforms

Backlog is available in a browser and on iOS and Android, and supports API access. Deployment options include cloud and self-hosted use, with private-server installation specifically available on Enterprise. That range can accommodate teams mixing desktop browser work with mobile access, as well as organizations requiring their own server.

Who it's for

Backlog is a strong fit for software teams that want issue tracking, planning views, and code repositories together, and can select a plan around their project, user, and storage needs. Smaller teams can begin on Free; teams needing more than one project or 10 users must move to a paid tier. It is less suitable for teams that treat time tracking or automation rules as core workflow requirements.

Pros and cons

Pro: Git and Subversion sit alongside issue tracking, so teams can keep repository and project work in one platform.
Pro: The open API, guest access, and named integrations support connections to tools teams may already use.
Pro: Unlimited-user plans start at Standard, with Premium adding unlimited projects and more storage.
Con: Free is capped at 10 users, one project, and 100 MB, which can quickly constrain a team beyond a single small effort.
Con: Automation rules and time tracking are absent, leaving gaps for teams that need those workflows built into their project tool.
Con: Advanced security and private-server deployment require Enterprise, which uses custom pricing.

Alternatives

For a broader shortlist, compare Game Bug Tracking Software, Issue Tracking Software, and Project Management Software.

Launchpad is a free option with Linux, web, API, and self-hosted platforms, including a free plan for open-source projects.
Linear is a freemium alternative whose free plan includes unlimited members, two teams, and 250 issues, and it supports more listed desktop platforms than Backlog.
Bugzilla is a free, open-source alternative with web, API, and self-hosted platform support.
KronoDesk is a paid API platform priced at 195.76 USD per month for three concurrent agents, unlimited customers, and unlimited tickets.
Tuleap is a freemium option available for Linux, web, API, and self-hosted use, with commercial pricing tailored to users, hosting, and support.
Gemini is a paid game bug tracker with a 10.00 USD per month cloud plan, unlimited projects and content, and a self-host migration option.
YouTrack is a freemium alternative with a free cloud plan for up to 10 users and 30 GB storage, and a broader listed set of mobile and desktop platforms.
Buildtable offers a free-forever plan for one game and two team members, with Bug Center and Tasks.

Verdict

Choose Backlog if your development team wants project and issue tracking alongside Git or Subversion, and its plan limits match the size and storage needs of your work. Look elsewhere if automation rules or time tracking are essential, or if the free tier’s one-project cap is too restrictive and the paid monthly plans do not fit your budget.

	Backlog	Zenkit To Do
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	$35/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, self-hosted, Web	Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows
Free plan	Yes	No
Automation rules	No	Yes
Time tracking	No	—
Guest access	Yes	Yes
Free-plan user limit	10 users	—

Backlog vs Zenkit To Do

Backlog

Zenkit To Do