Updated October 2026
The best free kanban boards in 2026
Genuinely free options only, with a plain note on who each one is for. Yes, we make one of them. We say where it is not the right fit, too.
How we picked
- Actually free: a useful free plan, no credit card, no trial clock.
- Works for one person: you should not need a team to get value from it.
- Has a real board view: columns you drag cards between.
- Time to first useful board: how long before you are tracking real work.
The list
1. Stickyboard
Best for a simple, visual personal board on your new tab.
A sticky-note kanban that replaces your browser's new tab. Three columns, drag and drop, handwritten-style notes, and you can sketch on a note. Start on the web with no signup; share a board by email when you need to. Free on the web, Chrome and Mac.
Not for: teams that need automations, custom fields or reporting.
2. Trello
Best for flexible team boards.
The default kanban tool for a reason: a generous free plan, Power-Ups, automations and integrations with almost everything. It can feel heavy if all you want is a personal to-do list.
3. Notion
Best if you want docs and boards in one place.
Any Notion database can be shown as a board, next to your notes and wikis. Very powerful, with a real learning curve and some setup before the board is useful.
4. Todoist
Best for list-first people who sometimes want a board.
A polished to-do list app with a board view per project. Great capture and reminders; the board is a secondary view rather than the heart of the app.
5. GitHub Projects
Best for developers tracking issues.
Boards built on top of GitHub issues and pull requests, free for public and private repositories. Ideal when your tasks are code; odd for anything else.
6. KanbanFlow
Best for kanban plus a built-in Pomodoro timer.
A straightforward web kanban with time tracking and a focus timer built in. Functional rather than pretty, and the free plan covers personal use well.
7. A physical whiteboard
Best for a team in one room.
Still hard to beat when everyone sits together. It does not sync, it does not follow you home, and it does not survive the cleaner.
Quick picks
| If you are... | Start with |
|---|---|
| One person who wants it simple | Stickyboard |
| A small team | Trello |
| Already organising your life in docs | Notion |
| A developer | GitHub Projects |
| A student | Stickyboard for students |
What people say about Stickyboard
-
The best todo app is usually the one that's impossible to forget exists.
Puzzleheaded-Oil-571, r/ProductivityApps -
I have a personal FigJam board that I use for this exact use case.
varun-1-, r/ProductivityApps
The simplest one on the list takes ten seconds to try.
Open a free board or add it to Chrome as your new tab →Questions
What is the simplest free kanban board?
For a single person, a board with three columns (to do, doing, done) and nothing else is usually enough. Stickyboard is built around exactly that, and it opens on every new tab so there is nothing to set up.
What is the best free kanban board for a team?
Trello is the safest default for most small teams. If your team already lives in GitHub, GitHub Projects keeps tasks next to the code.
Do I need an account to use a kanban board?
Most tools require one. Stickyboard lets you start on the web without signing up; your board is saved in the browser, and you can create an account later to sync it across devices.