The Plane alternative with Jira workflows, JQL and 78 MCP tools
Open source and self-hosted like Plane, with the governance 200+ person organizations ask for.
Executive summary
TL;DRp95 speed
< 50 ms
vs Plane: Modern interface
Yearly cost · 100 users
$16,800
vs Plane: $15,600 on Business
Migration time
15 min
From Plane: native importer
MCP tools
78 native
vs Plane: Official MCP server
< 50 msIn-depth comparison
Ciclal next to Plane, category by category
| Category | Ciclal | Plane |
|---|---|---|
| Speed and UX | CiclalUnder 50 ms per interaction, ⌘K for everything, 2,000 cards per column without lag | PlaneIncludedModern, light interface |
| Governance and workflows | Ciclal4-level hierarchy, transition rules with a modal screen and cascading fields | PlanePartialOne workflow on Business; multiple workflows and approvals on Enterprise Grid |
| JQL / KQL queries | CiclalNative KQL and JQL-compatible: saved filters import as they are | PlaneNot includedVisual filters and saved views |
| Analytics and time reports | CiclalCycle time, lead time p50/p85, CFD, Gantt and worklogs included | PlanePartialBasic analytics; time tracking on paid plans |
| AI agents / MCP | CiclalMCP server with 78 tools, OAuth 2.1 and no per-token fee | PlaneIncludedOfficial open-source MCP server; some features depend on the plan |
| Total cost without a marketplace | Ciclal$14/user/mo on Business, with guests, time tracking and MCP included | PlaneIncludedBusiness $13/user/mo billed yearly; cheaper |
Total cost calculator
How much you save next to Plane
Yearly cost from each tool's public price list, billed yearly.
Team size
Ciclal costs $1,200/yr more and adds transition rules, JQL/KQL, time tracking and 78 MCP tools
Ciclal Business
$14/user/mo · all included
$16,800/yr
500 free guests · time tracking, workflows, Gantt and MCP included
Plane Business
$13/user/mo
$15,600/yr
1-Click migration
From Plane to Ciclal in 15 minutes, with a dry run before any write
The preflight reads your instance and shows the full diff. You import only when it reports zero differences.
- 1ConnectJira or Linear token, read-only
- 2Dry runPreflight diff, nothing written
- 3ImportIdempotent: safe to resume
- 4CutoverZero-gap cutover with key redirects
Frequently asked questions
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