Why Planora
Why teams pick Planora over Jira
30-day money-back guarantee · runs on your server in minutes · no per-user fees
Jira is the default for a reason: it can model almost any process for almost any organization. That generality has a cost — administration, configuration sprawl, and a UI that carries twenty years of enterprise requirements. Planora makes the opposite trade: it covers what software teams of 11–50 actually use, makes it fast, and hands you the keys. If you need the long tail of enterprise workflows, Jira remains a fine choice. If you mostly need to plan, track and ship — read on.
Planora vs Jira
| Feature | Planora | Jira |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted by design — one docker-compose file on your servers | Cloud-first; self-managed options target larger enterprises |
| Setup | Minutes: compose up, migrations run automatically | Typically days-to-weeks of configuration as needs grow |
| Day-one usability | Default 4-status workflow, 5 issue types, 6-item project nav | Highly configurable; complexity grows with configuration |
| Speed | Real-time board sync < 500 ms; board loads < 1 s | Varies by instance and configuration |
| Query language | PQL — JQL-like syntax, instantly familiar | JQL — powerful, mature |
| Permissions | 40+ granular permissions, custom roles, per-project | Very deep permission schemes; admin-heavy at scale |
| AI | Built-in MCP server, 13 tools, works with Claude/Cursor | AI features tied to the vendor's cloud offering |
| Pricing | Per instance — no per-seat fees; lifetime option | Per user, subscription |
| Your data | On your infrastructure, standard formats, pg_dump backups | Primarily on the vendor's cloud |
| Migration | Jira importer: projects, issues, users (Server & Cloud) | — |
Comparison reflects our understanding at the time of writing; Jira's offering is defined by Atlassian and changes over time.
Self-hosted
Your data, your rules
Planora runs on your infrastructure with PostgreSQL, Redis and MinIO. Backups use standard tools, the audit log records field changes, and 40+ permissions keep project access explicit.
- Self-hosted
- Audit-ready
Simple and fast
The daily path is intentionally shorter
Default workflows, a focused project navigation and under-500 ms board sync keep the tracker out of the way. Planora does not ask every team to become a tool-admin team before they can ship.
- < 500 ms sync
- Simpler day one
Honest fit
When Jira is the better fit
Honestly: if you’re 500 people across 12 departments with ITSM workflows, audited change processes and a dedicated tool-admin team, Jira’s depth is exactly what you’re paying for. Planora doesn’t try to be that. We’re the right answer when the tool should disappear behind the work — for software teams of roughly 11–50 who want speed, simplicity and their data at home.
- Enterprise depth
- Dedicated admins
Migration
Switching is an afternoon, not a quarter
Planora’s Jira importer bulk-imports your projects, issues and users from Jira Server or Jira Cloud. PQL reads like JQL, so saved-search habits carry over. Run both in parallel while you decide — your data is portable in both directions, because it sits in your own PostgreSQL.
- Jira Server & Cloud import
- JQL-like query language
Fair pricing
Grow the team without growing the seat math
Planora is licensed per self-hosted instance with no per-seat fees and a lifetime option. A watcher, client stakeholder or extra developer does not become another monthly line item.
- Flat instance license
- Lifetime option
AI-native
Your assistant can work inside the tracker
Planora ships its own MCP server with 13 scoped tools, so Claude, Cursor or any MCP-capable client can create issues, search with PQL, manage sprints, transition work and comment without broad database access.
- 13 MCP tools
- Scoped tokens
Built by 4eck Media
Built by the team that needed it
Planora is built by 4eck Media, a German digital agency that needed a tracker its own client teams would actually use — fast, self-hosted, and priced like a tool instead of a tax. We run Planora to build Planora. [OWNER: company facts — founding year, location, team size, agency background, link target for 4eck Media website.]
- German agency
- Dogfooded daily
- Real-time board sync
- < 500 ms
- Granular permissions
- 40+
- MCP tools for AI agents
- 13
- Flat per-instance license
- 1
Why the trade-off works
Default workflow
The four-status default is not a limitation. It is the reason a new project is useful before anyone becomes an admin.
Self-hosted first
Data locality, backups and operating control are not enterprise extras. They are the starting point.
No seat tax
The person you invite to watch a project should not make the bill jump. Per-instance pricing keeps collaboration cheap.
Frequently asked questions
Is Planora a full Jira replacement?
For the workflows most 11–50-person software teams use daily — boards, backlog, sprints, reports, time tracking, automations — yes. We deliberately don’t chase Jira’s enterprise long tail such as ITSM or deep portfolio tooling.
Will my team have to relearn everything?
Mostly no. Concepts map one-to-one: epics, stories, sprints and workflows. PQL reads like JQL, and the importer brings your history along.
What does Planora deliberately not do?
Be everything to everyone. No per-department app marketplace, no twenty-step screens. Planned additions live on our roadmap — clearly labeled as roadmap, not as features you can buy today.
Why self-hosted instead of SaaS?
Control and cost: your data stays on your infrastructure, which matters in many regulated and EU contexts, and per-instance licensing means headcount growth does not multiply your bill.
Plan, track, ship — without the bloat
Every feature, one fair license, your own servers. Prefer to see it running first? Book a demo on a real instance.
30-day money-back guarantee · runs on your server in minutes · no per-user fees