Is Vikunja Free and Open Source, and What Paid Option Exists?

Vikunja is free and open source under the AGPLv3 license, and you can self-host it at no cost. If you don't want to run your own server, Vikunja Cloud is the paid hosted alternative — a fully managed instance with automatic updates, backups, and zero maintenance. The two options give you the same core task management features; the difference is who runs the infrastructure.

What "Free and Open Source" Means Here

Vikunja describes itself as "open-source task management you can self-host," and the project states it is licensed under the AGPLv3 and "completely free to self-host." In practice, that means:

• You can read every line of code. The founder's stated motivation was privacy: "you should be able to look at the code of a piece of software you use a lot. Especially if it is something like a to-do app you use daily."
• Your data stays on your infrastructure. Self-hosting means your tasks, projects, and rules live on your own server.
• No license fee to run it yourself. The cost of self-hosting is whatever your server and maintenance time cost you — not a Vikunja subscription.

The AGPLv3 is a copyleft license, so if you plan to modify Vikunja and distribute it (or offer it as a network service), check the license terms for your situation rather than assuming unrestricted reuse.

The Paid Option: Vikunja Cloud

Vikunja Cloud is the hosted version for people who "don't have a server or don't want to deal with it." According to the site, it provides:

• A fully managed instance
• Automatic updates
• Backups
• Zero maintenance

The founder frames Cloud as the project's sustainability model: "Vikunja Cloud is the best way for me to make sure the project can continue to live on and be self-sustainable." The project is bootstrapped, and the founder says users — not investors — are the priority. So choosing Cloud is also a way to fund continued development of the open-source version.

The site links to a pricing page and a "Get Vikunja Pro" page, but the specific prices and what Pro includes aren't stated in the material available here. Check those pages directly before budgeting.

Self-Hosted vs. Cloud: Same Features, Different Responsibilities

Choose self-hosting if you have server access, want full control of your data, and are comfortable with updates and backups. Choose Cloud if you want to skip infrastructure work entirely and are willing to pay for that convenience.

How to Get Started with Either Path

The site lists three installation routes: Docker, native binaries for your platform, or signing up for Vikunja Cloud. A guided install wizard is available for setup.

1. Decide on hosting. Self-host if you have a server; otherwise start with Cloud.
2. Install or sign up. Use Docker or native binaries for self-hosting, or create a Cloud account.
3. Run the install wizard for a guided setup (self-hosted path).
4. Verify access by logging in and creating a first project — the site suggests starting with a personal to-do list and sharing projects with a team later.
5. Import existing tasks if needed. Built-in migration support covers Todoist, Trello, Microsoft To-Do, and other platforms, which the site says takes minutes.

A common snag on the self-hosted path is underestimating maintenance: updates and backups are yours to schedule. If that's not something you want to own, Cloud removes that step.

What You Get on Either Plan

The core feature set is the same: list, Kanban, Gantt, and table views for your tasks, with the ability to switch between views as needed. It's designed to start as a personal to-do list and grow into team collaboration — sharing projects, assigning tasks — without switching tools.

If your deciding question is simply "is it free?", the answer is yes for self-hosting under AGPLv3. The paid question is only about whether you want Vikunja to run the server for you.