Leantime, Shortcut, and Teamwork all track tasks and projects, but they optimize for different buyers: Leantime is a free, self-hosted, neurodivergent-friendly…
Open Source · From Free (self-hosted); Cloud Pro from $8/user/month billed annually
Best for: Small teams, freelancers, and neurodivergent-led organizations that want a free, self-hosted, goal-first PM tool without per-seat SaaS costs.
freemium · From Free (paid plans from $9.99/user/month billed yearly)
Best for: Agencies and consultancies that need project planning, time tracking, and client invoicing combined in one connected system.
At a Glance
Leantime
Shortcut
Teamwork
Primary category
Project Management
Project Management
Project Management
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Open Source
Freemium, per-user subscription
freemium
Starting price
Free (self-hosted); Cloud Pro from $8/user/month billed annually
Free (up to 10 users); paid plans from $8.50/user/month billed annually
Free (paid plans from $9.99/user/month billed yearly)
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web
Not documented
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Yes
Yes
Yes
Public API
Not documented
Yes
Not documented
Standout Differences
Leantime is the only genuinely free, self-hosted option
Leantime's Community Edition is free and open source under AGPLv3 with no user limits, while Shortcut and Teamwork only offer free tiers capped at 10 and 5 users respectively.
Leantime
Shortcut is purpose-built for engineering workflows
Shortcut combines Stories, sprint-style Iterations, and native GitHub, GitLab, Figma, and Slack integrations in a lighter interface than general PM tools, aimed specifically at software teams.
Shortcut
Teamwork is the only one built for client billing
Teamwork pairs project and task tracking with native time tracking, budgeting, and invoicing that syncs to Xero and QuickBooks, a workflow Leantime and Shortcut do not offer.
Teamwork
All three ship an AI assistant on paid plans
Leantime Cloud Pro and Teamwork's paid plans include built-in AI features (AI-powered task management and Teamwork AI respectively), while Shortcut's public feature set does not document a comparable AI assistant.
Leantime, Teamwork, Shortcut
Leantime designs explicitly for neurodivergent users
Leantime markets goal- and motivation-based workflows built to reduce cognitive load for ADHD, autism, and dyslexia, a design angle neither Shortcut nor Teamwork addresses.
Leantime
Feature-by-Feature
Core Planning and Tracking
Feature
Leantime
Shortcut
Teamwork
Kanban boards
Available
Available
Available
Gantt or timeline views
Available
Not documented
Available
Built-in time tracking
Available
Not documented
Available
Team and Client Collaboration
Feature
Leantime
Shortcut
Teamwork
Client billing and invoicing
Unavailable
Unavailable
Available
Native GitHub or GitLab integration
Not documented
Available
Not documented
AI and Automation
Feature
Leantime
Shortcut
Teamwork
AI-assisted task management
Available
Not documented
Available
Deployment and Pricing
Feature
Leantime
Shortcut
Teamwork
Free self-hosted or open-source edition
Available
Unavailable
Unavailable
Free hosted plan
Unavailable
Available
Available
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Leantime
Community Edition (Self-Hosted) — Free N/A
Cloud Pro (Monthly) — $10/user/month monthly
Cloud Pro (Annual) — $8/user/month annual
Enterprise — Custom pricing annual
Shortcut
Free — $0 Monthly (up to 10 users)
Team — $8.50/user/month Billed annually
Business — $12/user/month Billed annually
Enterprise — Contact sales Custom
Teamwork
Free — $0 monthly
Basics — From about $9.99/user/month billed yearly (monthly billing also available at a higher rate)
Accelerate — From about $24.99/user/month billed yearly (monthly billing also available at a higher rate)
Optimize — Custom annual contract
Enterprise — Custom annual contract
Pros & Cons
Leantime
Pros
Fully free, unrestricted open-source self-hosted edition under AGPLv3
Explicit design focus on neurodivergent and ADHD-friendly workflows
Affordable Cloud pricing relative to mainstream project management SaaS
Active open-source community and Discord support
Cons
Self-hosting requires technical setup and ongoing server maintenance
AI features and some advanced tools (strategy, program management) are Cloud-only, not in open source
Smaller ecosystem of integrations compared to Asana, ClickUp, or Monday.com
Enterprise pricing is not published and requires contacting sales
Younger company (founded 2022) with a smaller support team than larger competitors
Shortcut
Pros
Purpose-built for software engineering teams rather than general project management
Simpler, faster interface than heavier tools like Jira
Generous free tier for teams up to 10 users
Transparent per-user pricing with no hidden enterprise-only paywalls at the Team/Business level
Strong native integrations with GitHub, GitLab, and Slack
Cons
Less suited to non-engineering teams than general-purpose PM tools like Asana
Fewer deep workflow customizations than enterprise-grade tools like Jira
Mobile app is less mature than the web application
Reporting depth trails some larger, more established competitors
Enterprise pricing is not published and requires a sales conversation
Teamwork
Pros
Combines project management with native time tracking and invoicing, reducing the need for separate billing tools
Strong fit for agencies and client-services teams managing many concurrent projects and budgets
Multiple project views (Gantt, board, list, table) suit different planning styles on the same data
Resource and capacity planning tools help prevent team over-allocation
Generous free tier for very small teams to evaluate the platform
Cons
Per-user pricing can get expensive for larger teams once advanced features are needed
Some advanced features such as CRM integration and multi-currency budgeting are locked behind custom-priced Optimize and Enterprise tiers
Automation actions are capped by plan, which can be limiting for heavy automation users on lower tiers
Interface has a learning curve for teams new to full-featured project management software
Mobile app is generally reported as less capable than the desktop web experience
Use Cases
Choose Leantime: Small teams, freelancers, and neurodivergent-led organizations that want a free, self-hosted, goal-first PM tool without per-seat SaaS costs.
Choose Shortcut: Software engineering teams that want lightweight Kanban and sprint-style Iterations tied directly to GitHub, GitLab, and Slack.
Choose Teamwork: Agencies and consultancies that need project planning, time tracking, and client invoicing combined in one connected system.
Leantime
Self-hosted PM for developer teams — Technical teams deploy the free open-source edition on their own infrastructure to avoid per-seat SaaS costs.
ADHD-friendly project management — Neurodivergent freelancers and small teams use Leantime's goal-based workflows to reduce overwhelm compared to traditional task-list tools.
Startup strategy and planning — Early-stage startups use the built-in Lean Canvas and SWOT tools alongside task management to plan and execute strategy in one place.
Shortcut
Agile sprint planning — Plan and track sprint-based work using Iterations and Kanban Workflows.
Cross-team roadmap and OKR tracking — Connect engineering execution to company-level objectives and roadmaps.
Developer-centric bug and issue tracking — Track bugs and technical work with native GitHub and GitLab integration.
Teamwork
Agency client delivery — Agencies use Teamwork.com to plan client projects, track billable hours against budgets, and invoice clients directly from tracked time.
Software and IT consultancy delivery — Consultancies track project scope, resource allocation, and profitability across multiple concurrent client engagements.
Internal cross-functional project management — Teams use Gantt and board views to plan internal initiatives, track dependencies, and manage team capacity without client billing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these tools is best for software development teams?
Shortcut is the most purpose-built option, combining Kanban Stories, sprint-style Iterations, and native GitHub, GitLab, and Figma integrations designed specifically around how engineering teams plan and ship code.
Is there a free, self-hosted alternative among these three?
Yes. Leantime's Community Edition is free, open source under AGPLv3, and has no user limits, as long as the team is comfortable deploying and maintaining it on their own infrastructure.
Which tool handles client billing and invoicing?
Teamwork is the only one of the three built around billable client work, with native time tracking, budgeting, and invoicing that syncs to Xero and QuickBooks.
Do Leantime, Shortcut, and Teamwork offer AI features?
Leantime Cloud Pro and Teamwork's paid plans both include AI assistants for task management and workflow suggestions. Shortcut's publicly documented feature set does not include a comparable AI assistant.
Which is the cheapest way to get started?
Leantime's self-hosted Community Edition is free with no user cap, making it the lowest-cost entry point for teams willing to self-host. For hosted options, Shortcut and Teamwork both offer free tiers for small teams (up to 10 and 5 users respectively) before paid plans start.
Is any of these three designed for neurodivergent users specifically?
Leantime is explicitly marketed as friendly to neurodivergent users, including people with ADHD, autism, and dyslexia, with goal- and motivation-based workflows built to reduce cognitive load. Shortcut and Teamwork do not make this a specific design focus.