If you want an open source Asana alternative, the main reasons are usually the same: you want your project data on your own server, you want to stop paying per seat as the team grows, and you want to change the tool when it does not fit. AlianHub is free and open source under AGPL-3.0, self-hosted with Docker, and built around AI agents that work inside your projects with approvals.
Key takeaways
- Asana is a polished cloud tool. The question is whether cloud-only still fits you.
- Open source means you can read, run and change the code yourself.
- AlianHub has no per-seat pricing. Your costs are your server and your AI model.
- Built-in time tracking and chat mean fewer tools to stitch together.
- Test with your real projects in the demo before you move anything.
Why teams look beyond Asana
Asana is a well-known work management tool with lists, boards, timelines and goals. Many teams are happy with it. The ones who look for an alternative tend to hit one of these walls:
- Data location. Asana runs in the vendor's cloud. Some teams need data on their own infrastructure.
- Cost growth. Per-seat pricing grows with the team, including occasional users.
- Fit. A closed product works the way the vendor decides. You cannot change the code.
- Tool sprawl. Time tracking, chat and reporting often need extra apps.
Moving tools is work. It is only worth it if the reason is bigger than a feature list.
What AlianHub offers instead
AlianHub covers the everyday project work: tasks, sprints, List, Board, Table, Calendar, Gantt and Workload views, docs, automations and time tracking. It runs on your own servers under an open-source license.
| Area | Asana (general) | AlianHub |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Vendor cloud | Self-hosted, Docker Compose or from source |
| License | Proprietary | AGPL-3.0, open source |
| Pricing model | Per seat | Free, no per-seat pricing |
| Project views | List, board, timeline, calendar and more | List, Board, Table, Calendar, Gantt, Workload |
| Time tracking | Varies by plan | Built in: timers, timesheets, approvals |
| Chat | Comments and messages | Built-in chat channels plus comments |
| AI | Vendor AI features | Agents with autonomy levels, AI Inbox, your own model |
Check Asana's current plans yourself, since features and plan limits change.
The AI difference
AlianHub's main focus is AI that does the work while you keep control.
Agents as teammates
Agents are members of your workspace with an owner, a run budget and a scope. Each one has a skill, a list of allowed actions and an autonomy level from L0 to L3. Low-risk changes can happen with Undo, and wider changes, like moving or assigning tasks, wait in the AI Inbox for a person.
Hard limits
Agents cannot delete tasks, docs, comments or projects. They cannot remove people, change permissions or touch billing. No agent closes a task: a person checks before Done.
Your model, your choice
You can pin a model per agent or run a self-hosted model such as Ollama or vLLM. Each person can also connect Claude, ChatGPT or Claude Code over MCP, working as themselves with their own permissions. See the AI page for the full picture.
Time tracking and reports without add-ons
Start a timer on a task or add time by hand, send in a weekly timesheet for approval, and optionally use the desktop tracker for screenshots and activity. Reports include Milestone, Variance, Custom and Capacity views, plus a Portfolio that shows every project as on track, at risk or off track. More on the workspace and reports page.
Tip: list the three Asana features your team uses every day, not the thirty on the pricing page. Test those three first in the AlianHub demo.
What to check before you switch
An honest checklist:
- Who will run the server? Self-hosting needs someone comfortable with Docker, backups and upgrades. The admin guide covers install, HTTPS, upgrades and backup and restore.
- How will you move data? AlianHub lists Asana among its import sources, alongside Jira, ClickUp, Trello, Monday.com and CSV, and imports can be undone. Still test with one project first and check which fields come across.
- Which integrations matter? AlianHub connects to GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zapier and Google Calendar, plus Email to Task and outgoing webhooks.
- Who needs access? Four roles: Owner, Admin, Member and Guest, with private projects and private lists.
Open source does not mean unsupported. Paid help with hosting, customization and support is available from Aliansoftware if you want it, and the community lives on GitHub Discussions.
How to do this in AlianHub: a switching plan with AI
- Explore the live demo with your team for a day.
- Self-host a test instance with Docker Compose, using the admin guide.
- Rebuild one active project with the AI project generator: open AI, write a brief describing the project, answer its questions, and review the plan before it is built.
- Open AI, then the Agents tab, and switch on a Reporter (digest.ceo) for that project at L3, so a digest posts on a schedule.
- Set a daily action limit and monthly spend cap, and pick your model or the workspace routing policy.
- Ask each person to connect Claude, ChatGPT or Claude Code under AI, then Connect your AI, so they can add and update tasks in plain words. Owners approve the app under Settings, Agent clients.
- Run the pilot for a sprint, review AI Inbox and Audit log, then move the rest.
A business scenario: growing without growing the bill
Picture a consultancy adding people each quarter. In a per-seat tool, every new hire and occasional contractor adds cost, so access gets rationed and work leaks into email.
On a self-hosted AlianHub, everyone who needs access gets it, with Guest roles for contractors. The AI project generator gives each new client project the same structure in minutes. The Reporter digest replaces the weekly round of "where are we?" messages.
New staff find their work in one place from day one, leads spend less time assembling updates, and the cost of the tool stays tied to the server rather than the headcount.
If you are also comparing other tools, see our posts on an open source ClickUp alternative and a Jira alternative for small teams.
FAQ
Is AlianHub really free?
Yes. It is free and open source under AGPL-3.0, with no per-seat pricing. You pay for your own server and any AI model usage.
Is there a hosted version, or must I self-host?
AlianHub is built to be self-hosted. If you would rather not run it yourself, Aliansoftware offers paid help with hosting and support. Contact the team to ask.
Can I import my Asana projects?
Yes. Asana is one of the import sources AlianHub lists, alongside Jira, ClickUp, Trello, Monday.com and CSV, and an import can be undone. Start with a single project and check which fields come across before moving everything.
Does AlianHub have a timeline like Asana?
AlianHub has a Gantt view with a bar per task, links for blockers and milestones as diamonds, plus a Milestone report across a year.
If Asana's cloud and per-seat model no longer fit, try the alternative on your own terms. Open the demo, self-host it free, and share this comparison with whoever signs off on your tools.