REVIEWS / PROJECT MANAGEMENT / OWNER INSIGHTS
🦉 WE READ 80 OWNER COMMENTS
Trello Free: what owners actually say
Owners value Trello Free for its near-zero learning curve but some are hitting walls with missing features, UI changes, and device compatibility
What owners complain about
- Missing sub-tasks FEW
An owner notes that Trello still hasn't added sub-task functionality on cards, which they consider essential, and that recent updates didn't address this gap.
- New card format unfriendly to small screens FEW
A user with a smaller laptop screen reports the new card layout is harder to use than the old scroll-based view, stating 'Trello is not Instagram.'
- iOS app drops older device support FEW
The updated iPhone/iPad app now requires iOS 17 minimum, leaving users on devices capped at iOS 15 unable to use the mobile app.
- Sluggish responsiveness vs. alternatives FEW
A user who tried a self-hosted Trello alternative remarked it felt 'more responsive than actual Trello,' suggesting performance concerns.
- Users migrating away FEW
At least one owner reported switching from Trello to Planka three years ago and using it daily for simple use cases, citing migration options as making the move straightforward.
What owners love
- Negligible learning curve
Multiple owners highlight that Trello's ease of adoption is its standout quality, especially critical for small business leaders juggling multiple roles who can't afford time learning a complex tool.
- Simplicity as a feature
Users actively defend Trello's lack of feature bloat, with one stating they use it specifically because it 'doesn't have all that crap' that competitors pile on.
- Intuitive for personal use
Owners report the tool is simple and intuitive enough for personal task management, not just team workflows.
Surprising patterns
- A noticeable segment of the self-hosting community is actively seeking and building open-source Trello replacements (Planka, Kanboard, Wekan, Nextcloud Deck), suggesting a meaningful group finds Trello insufficient for self-hosting or data-control needs.
- Some users prefer Trello precisely because it lacks features others consider essential — the minimalism is the selling point, not a drawback.
WHO SHOULD SKIP IT
Buyers who need sub-task hierarchies, use older Apple devices, prefer self-hosting, or want advanced enterprise-style features should look elsewhere based on owner reports.
Synthesised from 80 real owner comments across 3 platforms. Every point is grounded in the comments — no marketing, no AI guessing. How we do it →