Trello vs Kanri
Kanri is a focused desktop alternative for personal, offline Kanban work, with local JSON storage and no account requirement. Its central tradeoff is that it intentionally excludes built-in cloud synchronization, so it is not a like-for-like replacement for Trello’s shared-board collaboration. Choose Kanri for locally controlled, single-user boards; choose Trello when teams need shared cloud workflows, broader views,
Decision guide
The practical reasons to choose either option, based on documented capabilities.
Choose Kanri if
- Individuals managing tasks on offline Kanban boards without creating an account
- Users who want board data stored locally in a portable JSON file
- Windows, macOS, or Linux users who prefer an installed desktop application
Stay with Trello if
- Multiple people need continuously synchronized shared boards; Kanri states that cloud sync will never be built in
- Workflows depend on Trello’s Calendar, Timeline, Table, Dashboard, Map, or workspace-level views, for which Kanri’s supplied documentation shows no equivalent
- Teams require documented inbox capture, calendar planning, board automation, Power-Ups, integrations, or reusable templates; these capabilities are not covered by Kanri’s supplied feature list
Deployment and operations
Kanri is a desktop application for recent versions of Windows, macOS, and Linux. Installers are available from its download page and GitHub releases, with Homebrew also supported on macOS. It needs neither an account nor a hosted server, and Docker and Kubernetes deployment are not documented. Apple Silicon users may need to remove quarantine attributes because the macOS application is unsigned. The project is primarily GPL v3, although some files use Apache 2.0 or other stated licenses; its non
Migration considerations
Kanri documents “basic data import from Trello” plus granular or full export for backups. Because the import is described only as basic, validate representative boards and unsupported Trello features before committing to migration.
Feature fit
What Kanri covers
- Kanban boards, columns, and cards
- Card due dates
- Checklist-like sub-tasks
- Customizable board backgrounds
- Data export
What’s different or missing
- Built-in cloud synchronization
- Documented shared-board collaboration
- Documented assignee support
- Documented alternate project views
- Documented inbox task capture
- Documented calendar planning
- Documented board automation
- Documented integrations and Power-Ups
- Documented reusable templates
Project snapshot
- GitHub stars
- 1,994
- Contributors
- 28
- Language
- Vue
- Last commit
- Jul 15, 2026
- Latest release
- Sep 24, 2025
Categories: Calendars & Scheduling, Workflow Automation, Project Management, Task Management
Sources and editorial review12 linked sources
Public documentation supports this comparison. Automation assists collection and classification; editorial standards and corrections remain the responsibility of Kris.
Modern offline Kanban board app for Windows, MacOS and Linux made with Tauri and Nuxt.
repository description · github.comKanri helps you create Kanban boards easily, right from your desktop. No internet connection or account needed.
readme · github.comFamiliar Kanban board layout with customizable columns, cards, including rich-text descriptions, sub-tasks, due-dates and tags
readme · github.comOffline data storage in one simple `.json` file
readme · github.comBasic data import from Trello, granular or full export for backups
readme · github.comKanri is available for Windows, macOS and Linux
readme · github.comNo matter what features get added, your data will always be yours, and there will never be any cloud sync built in.
verdict · github.comFamiliar Kanban board layout with customizable columns, cards, including rich-text descriptions, sub-tasks, due-dates and tags
shared feature · github.comBasic data import from Trello, granular or full export for backups
migration · github.comKanri is available for Windows, macOS and Linux (only supporting more recent versions of the respective operating systems).
deployment · github.comLicensed under GPL v3 (with some files under Apache 2.0 or other licenses stated in the files themselves).
deployment · github.comThis project is still in active development and is provided "AS IS". Please make regular backups/exports to prevent any data loss.
deployment · github.com
