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Technology · head to head

Plane vs Thanos

Plane logo

Plane

Technology

Open-source project management tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thanos logo

Thanos

Cloud

Highly available Prometheus with long-term object storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; Thanos several components — sidecar, store, querier, compactor, ruler — each with its own configuration and failure modes
  • They diverge on capability: Plane covers Issue tracking, Thanos covers Global query.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Plane and Thanos actually diverge.

Attributes where Plane and Thanos differ
AttributePlaneThanos
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsKubernetes, Linux, Docker
CategoryTechnologyCloud
Founded2022Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Plane

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

Only in Thanos

  • Global query
  • Object storage retention
  • Deduplication
  • Downsampling

What people use each for

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

Plane

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

Thanos

  • Querying metrics across many clusters or regions from one placenot Plane
  • Retaining metrics for years without local disk growthnot Plane
  • Removing the gap that appears when a single Prometheus instance restartsnot Plane

Where each one falls short

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

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

Thanos

  • Several components — sidecar, store, querier, compactor, ruler — each with its own configuration and failure modes
  • The compactor is a common source of operational trouble and must not run twice against the same bucket
  • Query latency over object storage is meaningfully higher than local Prometheus
  • Object storage costs and API request charges become real at high volume

Pricing, plan by plan

Plane

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 500 AI credits per seat
    • Max 12 users
    • Unlimited projects
  • Pro$6/seat per month
    • 1,000 AI credits per seat
    • Unlimited users
    • Custom work item types
  • Business$13/seat per month
    • 2,000 AI credits per seat
    • Unlimited users
    • Project templates, recurring work items
  • Enterprise Grid$null/mo
    • Flexible AI credit allocation
    • Private deployments
    • Granular access control

Thanos

Free
  • ThanosFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Thanos if

  • You need global query.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Linux, Docker.
  • You also want object storage retention.
Thanos review

Questions people ask

Is Plane or Thanos better?
Neither clearly leads. Plane starts at Free and Thanos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Plane or Thanos?
Plane starts at Free and Thanos at Free.
Does Plane or Thanos run on more platforms?
Plane runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Thanos runs on Kubernetes, Linux, Docker.
Can I use Plane for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Plane best used for?
Plane is most often used for project and task management with cycles, modules, epics, and initiatives, documentation and knowledge management via workspace wiki tied to project work, sprint planning and issue triage, cross-functional collaboration with analytics and dashboards. Of those, project and task management with cycles, modules, epics, and initiatives and documentation and knowledge management via workspace wiki tied to project work are not what Thanos is typically brought in for.
What can Plane do that Thanos cannot?
Plane covers Issue tracking, Cycles (Sprints), Modules, Views & layouts. Thanos covers Global query, Object storage retention, Deduplication, Downsampling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Plane: Does Plane offer a free plan?

Yes, Plane's free tier includes 500 AI credits per seat, support for up to 12 users, and access to projects, work items, cycles, modules, layouts, views, estimates, and pages.

Source
Thanos: Is Thanos free?

Yes, open source and CNCF-incubating. Costs are the object storage it uses.

Plane: How much does Plane Pro cost?

Plane Pro costs $6/seat per month and saves 25% when billed annually. It includes 1,000 AI credits per seat, unlimited users, and access to custom work item types, wiki, time tracking, and integrations.

Source
Thanos: Does Thanos replace Prometheus?

No. It runs alongside existing Prometheus servers, adding global query, deduplication and long-term storage.

Plane: What is the difference between Plane's paid tiers?

Pro ($6/seat/month) includes 1,000 AI credits and workspace wiki. Business ($13/seat/month) adds 2,000 AI credits, project templates, and recurring work items. Enterprise Grid offers custom pricing with multiple workflows and LDAP support.

Source
Thanos: Thanos or VictoriaMetrics?

Thanos layers onto Prometheus using object storage and is the more established multi-cluster answer. VictoriaMetrics is a separate store aiming at lower resource use and fewer moving parts.

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