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Software · head to head

Checkmk vs Plane

Checkmk logo

Checkmk

Software

Comprehensive IT monitoring, open and flexible

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Plane logo

Plane

Software

Open-source project management tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Plane has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Checkmk pricing is metered per service (each individual metric or sensor monitored) rather than per host, so cost scales with monitoring depth, not just server count; Plane self-hosted Community edition requires managing your own Docker/Kubernetes infra plus your own PostgreSQL, Redis, and S3-compatible/GCS/MinIO storage; no single-binary install

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Checkmk and Plane actually diverge.

Attributes where Checkmk and Plane differ
AttributeCheckmkPlane
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
FoundedUnknown2022

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Checkmk

Nothing recorded that Plane does not also cover.

Only in Plane

  • Issue tracking
  • Cycles (Sprints)
  • Modules
  • Views & layouts
  • Pages (Docs)
  • Analytics
  • API access
  • Webhooks

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Checkmk

No use cases recorded yet. See the Checkmk review.

Plane

  • Project and task management with cycles, modules, epics, and initiativesnot Checkmk
  • Documentation and knowledge management via workspace wiki tied to project worknot Checkmk
  • Sprint planning and issue triagenot Checkmk
  • Cross-functional collaboration with analytics and dashboardsnot Checkmk
  • Migration target from Jira, Linear, Monday, ClickUp, or Asananot Checkmk

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Checkmk

  • Pricing is metered per service (each individual metric or sensor monitored) rather than per host, so cost scales with monitoring depth, not just server count
  • Pro edition starts at 190 euro per month billed annually, and Ultimate at 275 euro per month billed annually; prices are published in euros only
  • The CloudAI SaaS edition is capped at 50,000 services even though self-hosted Pro and Ultimate scale to over 100,000 hosts

Plane

  • Self-hosted Community edition requires managing your own Docker/Kubernetes infra plus your own PostgreSQL, Redis, and S3-compatible/GCS/MinIO storage; no single-binary install
  • Cloud Free tier caps at 12 users and 500 AI credits per seat per month
  • Substantial feature gating by tier: custom work item types, workspace wiki, time tracking, dashboards, initiatives, teamspaces, and integrations require Pro or above; LDAP, granular access control, and multi-workflow approvals require Enterprise Grid
  • Guest-to-paid-member ratio capped at 1:5 on the Pro plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Checkmk

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Checkmk review.

Plane

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 12 users
    • 500 AI credits/seat
    • Cycles, modules
  • Pro$6/month
    • 1,000 AI credits/seat
    • Custom work item types
    • Wiki
  • Business$13/month
    • 2,000 AI credits/seat
    • Project templates
    • Recurring items
  • Enterprise Grid$undefined/month
    • Flexible AI credits
    • Private/managed deployment
    • Granular access control

Which should you pick?

Choose Checkmk if

Nothing in the data separates Checkmk from Plane on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Checkmk review

Choose Plane if

  • You need issue tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want cycles (sprints).
Plane review

Questions people ask

Is Checkmk or Plane better?
Neither clearly leads. Checkmk starts at On request and Plane at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Checkmk or Plane?
Plane has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Checkmk and Free for Plane.
Does Checkmk or Plane run on more platforms?
Checkmk runs on Web. Plane runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Plane for free?
Yes. Plane has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Checkmk starts at On request.
What can Checkmk do that Plane cannot?
Plane covers Issue tracking, Cycles (Sprints), Modules, Views & layouts.
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Related pages

More on Checkmk

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