Self-host Vikunja
updated Sep 2026deployed by usprices checked · Jul 2026Install verified on Ubuntu 26.04 · Sep 2026 · how we test
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Open-source to-do and task manager for organizing work across multiple projects, with list, table, kanban, and Gantt-style views, labels, filters, reminders, and recurring tasks. The free AGPL-3.0 self-hosted build ships the full task-management feature set including SSO/LDAP login; a separate self-hosted Pro add-on layers an admin panel, audit logs, and time tracking on top as a paid upgrade and isn't part of the free build.
Key facts
CategoryProject Management
LicenseAGPL-3.0
StackGo, Vue.js, PostgreSQL
Min RAM1024 MB
Official imageyes
Measured idle RAM45 MB
Difficulty
Our recommendation
Pick Vikunja when you want a fast, lightweight task manager — list, table, kanban, and Gantt-style views, labels, filters, recurring tasks — that runs on 1 GB and includes SSO/LDAP login in the free build. The tradeoff is a newer paid Pro tier: if you specifically need an admin panel, audit logs, or built-in time tracking, check whether that's still free before you commit to it.
Follow the Vikunja deploy guide →What you need
- Any VPS with at least 1024 MB of RAM
- A domain you control — most self-hosted setups need HTTPS in front of them
- Under an hour if you've used Docker before
Where to host itaffiliate disclosure
Hetzner Cloudrun it on
From $23.59/mo · 2 vCPU / 4 GB / 80 GB · EU + USKamaterafree trial
From $4/mo · 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 20 GB · US + EU + AsiaDigitalOceanalso works on
From $6/mo · 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 25 GB · US + EU + AsiaPaid link — we earn a commission if you shop through it.
Install
Run these commands on your server:
# Vikunja — official all-in-one image (API + frontend) with Postgres
mkdir -p vikunja/files vikunja/db && cd vikunja
sudo chown 1000 files db
cat > docker-compose.yml <<'EOF'
services:
vikunja:
image: vikunja/vikunja:2.6.0
environment:
VIKUNJA_SERVICE_PUBLICURL: http://SERVER_IP:3456/
VIKUNJA_SERVICE_SECRET: change-me-to-a-random-string
VIKUNJA_DATABASE_TYPE: postgres
VIKUNJA_DATABASE_HOST: db
VIKUNJA_DATABASE_USER: vikunja
VIKUNJA_DATABASE_PASSWORD: change-me
VIKUNJA_DATABASE_DATABASE: vikunja
ports: ["3456:3456"]
volumes: ["./files:/app/vikunja/files"]
depends_on:
db:
condition: service_healthy
db:
image: postgres:17-alpine
environment:
POSTGRES_USER: vikunja
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: change-me
POSTGRES_DB: vikunja
volumes: ["./db:/var/lib/postgresql/data"]
healthcheck:
test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U vikunja"]
interval: 5s
retries: 10
EOF
docker compose up -d # → http://SERVER_IP:3456 (register the first account, then disable open registration)deploy guideHow to Deploy Vikunja on a VPSvps picksBest VPS for self-hostingbenchmarked quarterly · re-priced monthly
What you take on
Vikunja's free build is genuinely complete, but a newer paid tier carves a few admin-facing features out of it:
non-negotiableVikunja Pro is a separate paid self-hosted add-on. It layers an admin panel, audit logs, and time tracking on top of the free AGPL-3.0 build — those three are paywalled, but every pre-existing feature (including SSO/LDAP login and the full task-management set) stays free; nothing was pulled back or paywalled retroactively.
non-negotiableIt's the lightest install in this cluster (1 GB RAM, difficulty 2) but still two containers, not one — Postgres is a separate service you're responsible for backing up alongside the file volume.
non-negotiableOpen registration is on by default. The official install note says to register the first account, then disable open registration before you expose it publicly.
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