Phorge is a free, open-source (Apache 2.0) developer toolkit forked from Phabricator, combining code review (Differential-style), built-in repository hosting,…
Best for Phorge: Engineering teams that want code review (Differential-style), repository hosting, and rule-based automation in one self-hosted platform, and are comfortable running a Unix-like LAMP/LEMP stack, fit Phorge.
Best for Redmine: Teams needing formal project scheduling (Gantt charts, calendars), time tracking, and integration with existing external Git/SVN repositories across cross-platform servers are better served by Redmine.
At a Glance
Phorge
Redmine
Primary category
Project Management
Project Management
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Open Source
Free and open source (self-hosted); paid hosting and support available from third-party providers
Starting price
Free
Free (open source, GPLv2 license)
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Not documented
Not documented
Platforms
Web
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
Public API
Not documented
Yes
Key Differences
Code Review & Repository Hosting
Phorge: Phorge includes Differential-style code review tooling and built-in repository hosting, both inherited from Phabricator.
Redmine: Redmine's documented features focus on issue tracking and integrate with external SCM repositories (Git, SVN, CVS, Mercurial, Bazaar) rather than hosting them itself.
A platform that hosts repositories and handles code review natively removes the need for a separate Git hosting service.
Platform/OS Requirements
Phorge: Phorge requires a Unix-like OS (Linux, macOS, or BSD), with no Windows support, and runs on a self-managed LAMP/LEMP (PHP/MySQL/MariaDB) stack.
Redmine: Redmine is a cross-platform Ruby on Rails web application without a documented OS restriction.
Teams standardized on Windows server infrastructure would need to accommodate Phorge's Unix-only requirement.
Workflow Automation
Phorge: Phorge includes Herald, a rule-based automation engine for triggering actions on project events.
Redmine: Redmine's documented feature set does not list a comparable rule-based automation engine.
Automated triggers reduce manual overhead for repetitive workflow actions like notifications or status changes.
Maturity & Scale Proof
Phorge: Phorge was founded in 2021 as a community continuation of Phabricator; the Wikimedia Foundation completed a production migration to Phorge for task tracking.
Redmine: Redmine has been actively developed since 2006, with a large community plugin ecosystem built up over nearly two decades.
Longer track record and plugin ecosystem size can indicate stability and available extensions for niche needs.
Time Tracking
Phorge: Phorge's documented feature list does not include time tracking.
Redmine: Redmine has native time tracking, letting teams log and report time spent on issues and projects.
Time tracking supports billing, capacity planning, and effort reporting that some teams require.
Feature-by-Feature
Origin & Deployment
Feature
Phorge
Redmine
Open-source license
Available
Available
Windows support
Unavailable
Available
Self-hosted only (no official managed cloud)
Available
Available
Project founded
Available
Available
Development Workflow Features
Feature
Phorge
Redmine
Code review tooling
Available
Not documented
Built-in repository hosting
Available
Not documented
SCM integration with external repos
Not documented
Available
Rule-based automation (event triggers)
Available
Not documented
Project Management & Extensibility
Feature
Phorge
Redmine
Task/bug tracking
Available
Available
Wikis
Available
Available
Time tracking
Not documented
Available
Gantt charts/calendars
Not documented
Available
Plugin ecosystem
Not documented
Available
REST API
Not documented
Available
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Phorge
Community (self-hosted) — Free N/A (self-hosted)
Redmine
Community/Open Source — Free n/a
Third-party managed hosting — Varies by provider varies
Pros & Cons
Phorge
Pros
Completely free, open-source and self-hosted with no vendor lock-in
Preserves the Differential code-review workflow that many former Phabricator users relied on
Actively maintained by a volunteer community after Phabricator itself was discontinued
All-in-one suite, code review, tasks, wikis and repository browsing, avoids stitching together multiple tools
Apache 2.0 license permits broad commercial and non-commercial use
Cons
No official managed or hosted offering or commercial support contract, since it is entirely volunteer-run
Smaller contributor base and slower feature velocity than well-funded commercial developer tools
Dated user interface and workflows compared to modern SaaS alternatives like GitLab or GitHub
Requires self-hosting expertise, server setup, upgrades and backups, with no vendor to fall back on
Migration tooling from Phabricator, while present, still requires manual effort
Redmine
Pros
Completely free and open source with no per-user licensing fees
Highly customizable issue trackers, workflows, and fields
Built-in Gantt charts, calendars, and time tracking
Native integration with major version control systems
Large plugin ecosystem for extending functionality
Self-hosting gives organizations full control over their data
Cons
Requires self-hosting and server maintenance, or a paid third-party host
Interface feels dated compared to modern SaaS project management tools
No official vendor support; relies on community and third parties
Steeper setup and configuration learning curve than turnkey SaaS tools
Fewer native integrations with modern SaaS apps than commercial competitors
Mobile experience is limited compared to native mobile-first tools
Use Cases
Choose Phorge: Engineering teams that want code review (Differential-style), repository hosting, and rule-based automation in one self-hosted platform, and are comfortable running a Unix-like LAMP/LEMP stack, fit Phorge.
Choose Redmine: Teams needing formal project scheduling (Gantt charts, calendars), time tracking, and integration with existing external Git/SVN repositories across cross-platform servers are better served by Redmine.
Need both: An engineering organization could pair them: Phorge for code review and repository hosting tied directly to commits, while Redmine handles broader cross-team project management, Gantt scheduling, and non-engineering task tracking that Phorge's toolset doesn't cover.
Phorge
Migrating existing Phabricator installs — Teams already running Phabricator use Phorge as a maintained, drop-in successor with documented migration paths.
Self-hosted code review for privacy-conscious teams — Engineering teams that require on-premises tooling use Phorge to keep code review and project data entirely under their own control.
All-in-one project collaboration for open-source projects — Open-source maintainers use Phorge's bundled code review, task tracking and wiki tools instead of assembling several separate services.
Redmine
Software development issue tracking — Track bugs, features, and releases with configurable workflows tied directly to source repositories.
IT and operations project management — Manage internal IT projects, subprojects, and time tracking across multiple teams.
Budget-conscious education and non-profit project tracking — Run structured project management without per-seat licensing costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are both Phorge and Redmine free?
Yes, both are free and open source: Phorge under Apache 2.0 and Redmine under GNU GPL v2.
Which includes native code review tooling?
Phorge includes Differential-style code review inherited from Phabricator. Redmine does not document a native code review feature.
Can Phorge run on Windows?
No, Phorge requires a Unix-like operating system such as Linux, macOS, or BSD. Redmine is cross-platform as a Ruby on Rails application.
Which has built-in time tracking?
Redmine has native time tracking for logging and reporting time spent on issues and projects. Phorge's documented features do not include time tracking.
How does Redmine connect to source code repositories?
Redmine integrates with external Git, SVN, CVS, Mercurial, and Bazaar repositories. Phorge instead hosts repositories natively within the platform.
Is Phorge actively maintained?
Yes, it's developed by a community team; the Wikimedia Foundation completed a production migration to Phorge for task tracking, and maintainers continue shipping PHP 8+ compatibility and security fixes.