Comparing FrankBoard Community, Pro, and Cloud Editions
FrankBoard provides three primary deployment tiers—Community, Pro, and Cloud—designed to balance cost, control, and convenience. The Community edition offers a free, self-hosted experience for those who manage their own infrastructure, while the Pro version adds advanced features for scaling teams, and the Cloud option removes the overhead of server management entirely.
Comparing FrankBoard Community, Pro, and Cloud Editions
FrankBoard offers a tiered approach to project management, allowing users to choose between a free self-hosted Community edition, a feature-rich Pro version, or a fully managed Cloud experience.
Choosing the Right Edition for Your Team
Selecting the correct version of FrankBoard depends on your team's technical capacity and your requirements for data sovereignty. Because FrankBoard is built on the foundation of Kanboard, it maintains a lean architecture that avoids the "enterprise bloat" found in many modern SaaS tools.
The Community Edition: For the Self-Hosters
The Community edition is designed for developers and privacy-conscious managers who want total control over their data. It is free to use and requires the user to provide their own hosting environment. This version is ideal for teams that already utilize Docker and PostgreSQL to manage their internal toolstack.
By choosing the Community edition, teams eliminate vendor lock-in and ensure that their project data never leaves their own hardware or VPS. For those starting this journey, learning how to deploy FrankBoard using Docker and PostgreSQL is the first step in establishing a private workflow.
The Pro Edition: For Scaling Teams
The Pro edition is intended for small-to-medium teams that require extended functionality beyond basic task tracking. While it remains self-hosted, the Pro tier introduces advanced management tools and priority support to ensure uptime and efficiency.
Pro users benefit from a more polished UI and expanded feature sets that streamline the Kanban experience without adding unnecessary complexity. This version is particularly useful for teams that have outgrown basic boards and need more robust organizational tools while still maintaining the privacy benefits of a self-hosted vs. cloud kanban board.
The Cloud Edition: For Zero-Overhead Management
The Cloud edition is a fully managed service. It is the primary choice for teams that want the FrankBoard experience but do not have the DevOps resources to maintain a server, manage backups, or handle security patches.
In the Cloud model, the FrankBoard team handles the infrastructure, allowing project managers to focus entirely on their workflow rather than server maintenance. This removes the need for a self-hosting and DevOps guide, as the environment is pre-configured and optimized for performance.
Feature Comparison Matrix
To determine which version fits your specific needs, evaluate these core pillars of the software:
Data Ownership and Privacy
- Community & Pro: You own the database and the server. Data resides on your chosen infrastructure, providing maximum privacy.
- Cloud: Data is hosted on secure, managed servers. While encrypted and private, you are relying on a third-party provider for hosting.
Deployment and Maintenance
- Community: Manual deployment via Docker. The user is responsible for updates and database backups.
- Pro: Manual deployment with enhanced support and streamlined update paths.
- Cloud: Instant deployment. Updates and maintenance are handled automatically by the provider.
Cost Structure
- Community: Free (excluding your own hosting costs).
- Pro: Paid license based on team size or feature requirements.
- Cloud: Subscription-based pricing for convenience and hosting.
Technical Considerations for Migration
Many teams transition to FrankBoard from other Kanboard-based systems. Regardless of the edition chosen, the underlying architecture remains compatible with the core Kanboard logic. If you are currently using a standard Kanboard setup, migrating from Kanboard to FrankBoard is a straightforward process that preserves your existing tasks and columns.
For those moving from the Community edition to Pro, the transition is typically a license upgrade and a simple update to the Docker image, requiring no data migration. Moving from Community to Cloud requires a database export and import to shift the data from a private VPS to the managed cloud environment.
Which Edition Should You Choose?
Choose the Community Edition if: * You are a developer or have a dedicated DevOps person. * You have a strict requirement for data sovereignty. * You prefer using Docker and PostgreSQL to manage your own tools. * You want a free, lightweight project management tool.
Choose the Pro Edition if: * You want the privacy of self-hosting but need advanced features. * Your team is growing and requires professional support. * You need a polished UI that improves upon the basic Kanboard experience.
Choose the Cloud Edition if: * You want to start managing tasks in seconds without configuring a server. * You prefer a subscription model over managing infrastructure. * You do not have the technical resources to maintain a VPS.
Key Takeaways
- Community Edition: Free, self-hosted via Docker; offers maximum privacy and control for technical teams.
- Pro Edition: Self-hosted with advanced features and support; balances power with data sovereignty.
- Cloud Edition: Fully managed SaaS; eliminates deployment overhead for immediate use.
- Compatibility: All versions maintain a lean, Kanban-focused approach without the bloat of enterprise software.
- Migration: Seamless transitions exist for those moving from Kanboard or upgrading between FrankBoard tiers.
Last updated: 2026-09-12 (UTC).