I swapped Trello for Focalboard on my NAS, and it's so much better

For years, Trello was my go-to for project management. It’s simple, a card-based interface was perfect for visualizing my tasks and keeping my personal projects organized. But as my needs evolved with confidential projects, so did my desire for better control. Being a self-hosting enthusiast, with a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device running in the corner, I realized I could do better.

My journey to find a private Trello alternative led me to Focalboard, a tool that not only matched Trello’s functionality but far exceeded it in ways I never expected.

Straightforward setup

Thanks to Docker

One of the biggest selling points for me was the seamless integration with my existing hardware. My Synology NAS is the central hub of my digital life — it handles my media, my backups, and now, my project management as well.

Setting up Focalboard was simple. I just pulled the official Docker container, configured a few basic settings, and within minutes, I had a fully functional, self-hosted project board ready to go.

And since my NAS is always on, Focalboard is always available, whether I’m working from my desktop, laptop, or even my phone. I don’t have to worry about a third-party server going down. My data is local, fast, and completely under my control.

A decent template collection

Easy to get started

The beauty of Focalboard is that you don’t have to start from scratch. When I first fired it up, I was thrilled to see a collection of pre-built templates right there on the ‘Add board’ screen.

This was a huge time-saver. Instead of having to manually create columns, set up different views, and add properties, I could simply select a template that matched my intended purpose.

For example, when I set up the Personal Goals board, I chose the same template, and it instantly created a board with Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4, and added relevant tasks with tags underneath. Going forward, I would love to see more templates from the developers and community.

Focalboard nails the basics

Templates, multiple properties, calendar views, and more

The true power of Focalboard reveals itself in the details of its task management. It goes far beyond a simple card-on-a-board system. I have found it to be quite flexible, allowing me to tailor my boards to my exact needs.

I can add all kinds of properties to my task. The options include text, number, email, phone, URL, select, multi-select, date, person, checkbox, created time, and more. I can even add a comment and description to a relevant task. Overall, Focalboard gives me ample options to define a task.

Focalboard also supports multiple themes. But the real game-changer is the ability to create templates. If I have a recurring task like ‘Post a weekly blog update’, I can save it as a template. This template already has the relevant properties, a description, and a checklist, so I can create a new card from it in seconds without any repetitive work.

I have created a board just for my blog. I use a Kanban board with columns labeled "Idea," "To Write," "In Progress," "Editing," and "Published." As for card properties, I use tags, priority, due date, and editor fields.

Focalboard also supports importing existing boards from other services, making it easy to migrate your data.

Supports several views

And real-time collaboration

Just like Trello, Focalboard offers several views to glance over your tasks. There is a classic Kanban view we all know and love. It’s perfect for seeing the overall flow of a project.

When I need a more detailed, spreadsheet-like perspective, I switch to the Table view. Here, I can see every task in my project listed out, with columns for all the properties I have defined.

And then there is a Gallery view, which is fantastic for my more creative projects. Instead of a list, it displays tasks as cards with an image. I use this for my photography workflow. It’s perfect for visual thinkers and creative types.

For tasks with deadlines, the Calendar view is a lifesaver. It places all my tasks with a due date on a monthly calendar. This gives me a clear visual of my upcoming workload and helps me avoid scheduling conflicts.

Beyond the multiple views, Focalboard also excels at real-time collaboration. When I’m working on a project with a friend, we can both be logged in to my NAS instance and leave comments on tasks to discuss details.

NAS project management

After living with Focalboard on my NAS for a while, I can confidently say that I won’t be going back to Trello. While Trello remains a great service for quick, collaborative projects in the cloud, it simply can’t compete with the flexibility and control that a self-hosted solution offers.

For anyone with a NAS who is looking for a self-hosted Trello alternative, I highly recommend trying Focalboard. It’s not just an alternative — it’s a significant upgrade. If Focalboard doesn’t work for you, try AppFlowy. It’s more of a Notion clone but offers robust project management functionality and comes with self-hosting flexibility.