Trello

Run kanban boards with cards, checklists, labels, dates, and simple automation

KINDA · partial replacement
price $12.5/mo per seatsubscription / year $150estimated build time multi-dayreplaced by 0 people

The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Trello, run kanban boards with cards, checklists, labels, dates, and simple automation. The hard boundary is atlassian ecosystem, power-ups, mobile apps, automation, and reliable collaboration, plus collaboration, integrations, and organizational trust.

Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability

What you give up

  • Atlassian ecosystem, Power-Ups, mobile apps, automation, and reliable collaboration
  • deep integrations
  • enterprise permissions
  • large-scale reporting
  • battle-tested notifications and mobile apps

Why people still pay

People still pay for Trello because teams pay because project state has to remain authoritative through staff changes, outages, and years of accumulated workflow exceptions. The recurring cost buys auth, permissions, notifications, search, migrations, audit history, integrations, backups, and uptime, not just the visible interface.

Your build guide

The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.

Before you start

  • A supported Node release, PostgreSQL, HTTPS for a shared deployment, and a backup destination. Begin with one workspace and explicit owner/member permissions.
  • Implementation components: Next.js App Router and TypeScript for server-rendered pages and validated mutations. PostgreSQL with Drizzle migrations; Better Auth sessions for a small private workspace.
  • Scope boundary: Atlassian ecosystem, Power-Ups, mobile apps, automation, and reliable collaboration; deep integrations
01
Next.js App Router and TypeScript for server-rendered pages and validated mutations.
02
PostgreSQL with Drizzle migrations; Better Auth sessions for a small private workspace.
03
Domain model: boards, lists, cards, checklist items, labels, memberships, ordered positions and activity records
engineering roadmap

Implementation plan

1

Phase 1

Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Run a small kanban board with drag-and-drop cards, checklists and due dates. Add one explicit automation such as marking a checklist complete when a card moves to a chosen list, with an audit note. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: Atlassian ecosystem, Power-Ups, mobile apps, automation, and reliable collaboration; deep integrations

2

Phase 2

Durable model. Model boards, lists, cards, checklist items, labels, memberships, ordered positions and activity records Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: Concurrent reorder operations use version checks; archiving a card preserves its comments and never removes another board's data.

3

Phase 3

Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Commit related database changes in one transaction. Use version checks for competing edits and an outbox for external notifications; retry delivery independently of saving the record.

4

Phase 4

Permissions and integration failure. Authorize every record read and mutation on the server using its workspace membership; validate payloads, protect mutations against CSRF, and escape user-authored HTML. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.

5

Phase 5

Portable handoff. Export versioned JSON plus attachments and a readable CSV summary. Restore into a separate database and compare record IDs and attachment checksums before switching. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.

6

Phase 6

Acceptance scenarios. Two users move the same card and receive a conflict or consistent final order; restoring an archived card brings back its checklist and history. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.

the pro prompt
download AGENTS.md
WORKING SLICE
Run a small kanban board with drag-and-drop cards, checklists and due dates. Add one explicit automation such as marking a checklist complete when a card moves to a chosen list, with an audit note.

Build this scoped Trello-inspired workflow with a documented data model and visible failure states.

Architecture
- Next.js App Router and TypeScript for server-rendered pages and validated mutations.
- PostgreSQL with Drizzle migrations; Better Auth sessions for a small private workspace.

Prerequisites and limits
A supported Node release, PostgreSQL, HTTPS for a shared deployment, and a backup destination. Begin with one workspace and explicit owner/member permissions.
Outside this release: Atlassian ecosystem, Power-Ups, mobile apps, automation, and reliable collaboration; deep integrations

Data model and correctness
boards, lists, cards, checklist items, labels, memberships, ordered positions and activity records
Invariant: Concurrent reorder operations use version checks; archiving a card preserves its comments and never removes another board's data.
Commit related database changes in one transaction. Use version checks for competing edits and an outbox for external notifications; retry delivery independently of saving the record.

Security and privacy
Authorize every record read and mutation on the server using its workspace membership; validate payloads, protect mutations against CSRF, and escape user-authored HTML.

Recovery and export
Export versioned JSON plus attachments and a readable CSV summary. Restore into a separate database and compare record IDs and attachment checksums before switching.

Implementation order
1. Phase 1 — Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Run a small kanban board with drag-and-drop cards, checklists and due dates. Add one explicit automation such as marking a checklist complete when a card moves to a chosen list, with an audit note. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: Atlassian ecosystem, Power-Ups, mobile apps, automation, and reliable collaboration; deep integrations
2. Phase 2 — Durable model. Model boards, lists, cards, checklist items, labels, memberships, ordered positions and activity records Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: Concurrent reorder operations use version checks; archiving a card preserves its comments and never removes another board's data.
3. Phase 3 — Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Commit related database changes in one transaction. Use version checks for competing edits and an outbox for external notifications; retry delivery independently of saving the record.
4. Phase 4 — Permissions and integration failure. Authorize every record read and mutation on the server using its workspace membership; validate payloads, protect mutations against CSRF, and escape user-authored HTML. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.
5. Phase 5 — Portable handoff. Export versioned JSON plus attachments and a readable CSV summary. Restore into a separate database and compare record IDs and attachment checksums before switching. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.
6. Phase 6 — Acceptance scenarios. Two users move the same card and receive a conflict or consistent final order; restoring an archived card brings back its checklist and history. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.

Acceptance
Two users move the same card and receive a conflict or consistent final order; restoring an archived card brings back its checklist and history.
Use real source data or clearly labeled fixtures. Explain unsupported input and provider failures; do not fabricate analytics, delivery receipts, accuracy claims or security guarantees.

Optional agent guidance
Optional external skill: [vercel-react-best-practices](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/react-best-practices/SKILL.md) — Improve React and Next.js data fetching, rendering, bundle size and server performance. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: [supabase-postgres-best-practices](https://github.com/supabase/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/supabase-postgres-best-practices/SKILL.md) — Review PostgreSQL schemas, queries, indexes, pooling, concurrency and row-level security. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: [web-design-guidelines](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/web-design-guidelines/SKILL.md) — Review web interfaces for accessibility, keyboard focus, forms, navigation and interaction quality. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Project rule — data model: boards, lists, cards, checklist items, labels, memberships, ordered positions and activity records
Project rule — preserve this invariant: Concurrent reorder operations use version checks; archiving a card preserves its comments and never removes another board's data.
Project rule — acceptance evidence: Two users move the same card and receive a conflict or consistent final order; restoring an archived card brings back its checklist and history.

$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy or download AGENTS.md · generated from this app's build plan

share on X ↗

Alternatives to building your own

WekanTrello's boards without Butler, upsells, or anyone else holding the database21kaug 2026open source↗KanboardSpartan kanban that is finished, not fashionable; maintenance mode means only fixes9.8kapr 2026open source↗TaigaScrum baggage aside, its kanban boards comfortably replace Trello's core job844aug 2026open source↗

all 4 free alternatives to Trello →· no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real

Trello pricing

planmonthlyannual (per mo)what you get
free$0/user$0/userUp to 10 collaborators/workspace, 10 boards/workspace, unlimited cards, 10 MB/file and 250 automation runs/month
standard$6/user$5/userUnlimited boards, 250 MB/file and 1,000 automation runs/month
premium$12.50/user$10/userUnlimited automation runs, dashboard/timeline/table/calendar/map views and workspace admin controls
enterprise—$17.50/userUnlimited workspaces, organization-wide permissions, public-board controls and Atlassian Guard StandardAnnual-only starting rate is $210/user/year; per-user price can decrease at higher seat counts.

free tier10 collaborators/workspace, 10 boards/workspace, unlimited cards, 10 MB/file and 250 automation runs/month

billingmonthly + annual for Standard/Premium; Enterprise annual only

hidden costsMulti-board guests are billed as workspace members. Third-party Power-Ups may charge separate subscriptions. Enterprise uses volume pricing, so the exact per-user rate changes with seat count.

pricing sources checked 2026-08-14 · pricing source ↗

Questions about Trello

Can you build your own Trello with AI?

Partly. The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Trello, run kanban boards with cards, checklists, labels, dates, and simple automation. The hard boundary is atlassian ecosystem, power-ups, mobile apps, automation, and reliable collaboration, plus collaboration, integrations, and organizational trust.

What does the Trello build prompt cover?

The prompt starts with this scope: Run a small kanban board with drag-and-drop cards, checklists and due dates. Add one explicit automation such as marking a checklist complete when a card moves to a chosen list, with an audit note. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: Atlassian ecosystem, Power-Ups, mobile apps, automation, and reliable collaboration; deep integrations; enterprise permissions. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.

How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?

Start with the Trello prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.

How long will this Trello project take?

The catalogue estimate is multi-day for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.

What would I give up by replacing Trello?

Atlassian ecosystem, Power-Ups, mobile apps, automation, and reliable collaboration; deep integrations; enterprise permissions; large-scale reporting; battle-tested notifications and mobile apps. People still pay for Trello because teams pay because project state has to remain authoritative through staff changes, outages, and years of accumulated workflow exceptions. The recurring cost buys auth, permissions, notifications, search, migrations, audit history, integrations, backups, and uptime, not just the visible interface.

What price is this guide comparing against?

The recorded Premium plan is $12.5/mo per seat (monthly per user), checked 2026-07-31. Check the linked pricing source before buying. Building your own also has hosting, API and maintenance costs; the recorded amount is not a guaranteed saving.

What can I use instead of building Trello?

Wekan: Trello's boards without Butler, upsells, or anyone else holding the database. Kanboard: Spartan kanban that is finished, not fashionable; maintenance mode means only fixes. Taiga: Scrum baggage aside, its kanban boards comfortably replace Trello's core job. Compare all listed options at https://howtovibecodeit.dev/trello/alternatives. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.

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