Backlog Alternative
Best Backlog Alternative 2026
Love the simplicity but need self-hosting and deeper developer tools?
There’s a way to keep both.
Why Teams Look for Backlog Alternatives
Backlog by Nulab got a lot right. Issue tracking, Git, and a wiki in one clean tool, with a learning curve your whole team can climb in a day. If you’re evaluating alternatives, it’s probably not because Backlog is hard to use.
It’s usually one of these walls:
- Self-hosting means a sales call — Backlog’s cloud plans are self-serve, but self-hosted Backlog Enterprise is custom-quoted. No published price, no instant download-and-go.
- Repository caps — Git repos are limited to 10GB and go read-only when you hit it. Individual file pushes cap at 100MB.
- Storage caps per tier — Every cloud plan gates storage. Outgrow it and you’re upgrading tiers or deleting history.
- No builds in the platform — There’s no CI/CD in Backlog. The Jenkins plugin links issues and posts notifications, but pipelines live somewhere else.
- Feature gates and add-ons — Gantt charts, custom fields, and AI features are tier-locked. SAML SSO requires the separate Nulab Pass add-on, priced per user.
Backlog Git repositories have a 10GB size limit. When a repository reaches it, it becomes read-only and blocks further pushes.
The maximum file size for a Git push in Backlog is 100MB. Larger files require Git LFS workarounds or history rewrites.
Backlog’s Starter plan supports up to 30 users — but only 5 projects and 1GB of total storage.
SAML single sign-on for Backlog requires Nulab Pass, a separate per-user subscription on top of your Backlog plan.
Same all-in-one simplicity. With self-hosted control.
What to Look For
What to Look for in a Backlog Alternative
If Backlog’s all-in-one simplicity is what drew you in, don’t give it up. Look for a platform that keeps it while removing the walls.
Self-Hosting Without a Sales Call
Download, install, run on your own servers — at a published price. No custom quotes, no procurement dance just to keep your data in-house.
No Repository or Storage Caps
Your repos shouldn’t go read-only at 10GB. Self-hosted means your storage is your hardware — no tier limits, no forced cleanup.
Builds in the Platform
Build status belongs next to your commits and issues, not in a separate tool connected by a notification plugin.
Keep the Simplicity
Backlog proved that dev tools don’t have to be complicated. Your alternative should install in minutes and make sense on day one.
Everything Included
SSO shouldn’t be a per-user add-on. Gantt-tier feature gates shouldn’t decide your plan. One price should mean all features.
Human Support
When you need help, talk to people who know the product — the same engineers who build it.
The GForge Way
GForge: Backlog’s Simplicity, Without the Walls
GForge is an all-in-one platform in the same spirit as Backlog — issues, code, wiki, one tool — built for teams that need self-hosted control and deeper developer workflows.
Everything You Like About Backlog
- Issue tracking with Kanban, sprints, and burndown charts
- Git and Subversion hosting with pull requests
- Wiki & documentation alongside your code
- Simple administration — one console, one permission model
- Flat learning curve — productive on day one
- All-in-one — no duct-taping separate tools
Plus What Backlog Doesn’t Include
- Self-hosted at the same price — $6/user/month, cloud or your servers, one-minute Docker/Podman install
- Air-gapped deployment — offline installer included, no phone-home
- No repository or storage caps — self-hosted storage is your hardware
- Build integration in-platform — build status on commits, issues, and pull requests
- Team chat & service desk — included, not integrations
- SSO/SAML included — no per-user security add-on
Comparison
Backlog vs. GForge Comparison
| Feature | Backlog | GForge |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat tiers ($35–$175/mo) with user, project, and storage caps per tier | $6/user/month — one tier, all features |
| Free tier | 10 users, 1 project, 100MB storage | First 5 users free, all features, no project limit |
| Self-hosted option | Backlog Enterprise — custom quote, contact sales | Included at $6/user/month, Docker/Podman install in about a minute |
| Air-gapped deployment | Not offered — install and upgrades require live access to Nulab’s cloud registry on AWS | Offline installer included, no internet required |
| Repository limits | 10GB per repo (read-only at limit), 100MB max file push | No platform-imposed caps — self-hosted storage is your hardware |
| CI/CD & builds | None built in — Jenkins plugin for issue links and notifications | Build integration in-platform, status on commits and issues, no limits |
| SSO/SAML | Requires Nulab Pass add-on (separate per-user fee) | Included |
| Team chat | Not included — integrates with Slack/Teams | Included |
| Service desk | Not included | Included |
| Gantt charts | Included (Standard plan and up) | Not included — release planning, roadmaps, and sprints instead |
| Support | Email and chat support | Human support from the engineers who build the product |
Ready for All-in-One Without the Caps?
Who GForge Is For
GForge works best for:
- Teams that need self-hosting at a known price — Download and deploy on your infrastructure today, $6/user/month, no sales cycle
- Regulated and security-conscious organizations — Defense, aerospace, government, finance, healthcare needing on-premise or air-gapped deployment
- Teams hitting Backlog’s repository and storage caps — Large repos, binary assets, long histories — your storage, your rules
- Developer teams that want builds with their code — Build status on commits, issues, and pull requests without a separate toolchain
- Organizations that want SSO without add-ons — SAML included, not a per-user upsell
Who GForge Is NOT For
We believe in being honest. GForge might not be the right choice if:
- You have a large cloud team and price is everything — Backlog’s flat-tier pricing is genuinely cost-effective at high user counts. A 100-person team on Backlog Standard pays less than per-user pricing anywhere. If you’re happy in the cloud and inside the caps, that’s a fair deal.
- Gantt charts drive your planning — Backlog’s Gantt view is good. GForge plans with releases, sprints, and Kanban instead of Gantt timelines.
- You’re invested in the Nulab ecosystem — If your team lives in Cacoo diagrams and Nulab’s shared account system, switching costs are real.
- You need Japanese-language support — Nulab is a Japanese company with native Japanese support and UI. GForge support is English-language.
Get Started
Ready to Try GForge?
Start Free
Create an account on our cloud platform. First 5 users are free, forever. No credit card required.
Create Free Account →Download & Self-Host
Download the installer and run GForge on your own infrastructure. Docker or Podman, installs in about a minute.
Download GForge →Talk to Us
Have questions? Want a demo? Need help with migration from Backlog? Schedule a call with our team.
Schedule a Demo →
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best self-hosted Backlog alternative in 2026?
GForge is the leading self-hosted Backlog alternative for teams that want the same all-in-one approach — issue tracking, Git/SVN, wiki, and Kanban in one platform — with full control of their infrastructure. Unlike Backlog, where self-hosting requires a custom-quoted Enterprise contract, GForge self-hosted costs the same $6/user/month as the cloud version and installs via Docker or Podman in about a minute. There are no repository size caps or storage tiers — your storage is your hardware.
Can you self-host Backlog?
Yes — Nulab offers Backlog Enterprise, a self-hosted version installed on your own servers. However, it’s custom-priced and requires contacting Nulab’s sales team; there is no published price or self-serve download-and-deploy path, and per Nulab’s own installation guide, both installation and upgrades require live access to Nulab’s cloud registry on AWS — there is no offline installer for air-gapped networks. GForge takes the opposite approach: self-hosting is the standard product at $6/user/month, downloadable today, with an offline installer for disconnected environments included.
Is there a Backlog alternative without repository size limits?
Yes. Backlog caps Git repositories at 10GB — when a repository hits the limit it becomes read-only — and individual file pushes at 100MB. GForge imposes no platform repository caps on self-hosted deployments: repository and storage capacity are limited only by your own hardware. This matters for teams with large binary assets, long commit histories, or monorepo workflows that outgrow hosted limits.
Does Backlog have built-in CI/CD?
No. Backlog has no built-in CI/CD or build pipelines. Its Jenkins plugin provides issue linking and build-failure notifications, but pipeline configuration and build management happen entirely outside the platform. GForge integrates builds as a first-class module — build status appears directly on commits, tracker items, and pull requests, with build history and reporting inside the same platform as your code and issues, and no build-minute limits.
Which Backlog alternatives work in air-gapped or offline environments?
GForge supports true air-gapped deployment out of the box. An offline installer includes all dependencies — no internet connection is required during or after installation, and GForge does not phone home, send telemetry, or require external license servers. This makes it the go-to choice for defense contractors, government agencies, and regulated industries where internet-connected tooling is not permitted. Backlog’s cloud plans require internet by definition, and its self-hosted Enterprise edition requires live access to Nulab’s cloud registry on AWS to install and upgrade — there is no offline installer.
How does Backlog pricing compare to GForge?
Backlog uses flat-tier pricing: Free (10 users, 1 project, 100MB), Starter at $35/month (30 users, 5 projects, 1GB), Standard at $100/month, and Premium at $175/month, with storage caps and feature gates at each tier and SAML SSO sold separately via Nulab Pass. GForge is $6/user/month with every feature included — SSO, service desk, chat, builds, unlimited projects. For small teams GForge is often cheaper outright (first 5 users are free; a 10-person team pays $720/year vs. $1,200/year on Backlog Standard). For very large cloud teams, Backlog’s flat tiers can cost less — but with the caps and add-ons that come with them.
Can I migrate from Backlog to GForge?
Yes. Git and Subversion repositories migrate directly since the underlying version control is standard. Issues, wiki pages, and project data can be exported through Backlog’s API and imported into GForge — and we help with that migration directly rather than pointing you at a self-service tool. Schedule a call to discuss your specific situation and timeline.
What is a good Backlog alternative for regulated industries?
GForge is used by defense contractors, aerospace organizations, government agencies, and healthcare companies that need their development platform running entirely on their own infrastructure. Deployment options include on-premise, private cloud, and fully air-gapped networks, with role-based access control across issues, code, wiki, and documents in one permission model. Backlog’s cloud-first model and custom-quoted Enterprise edition make it a harder fit where data residency or disconnected operation is a hard requirement.
What about support?
You talk to engineers, not ticket queues. The same people who build GForge answer your support requests.