Fizzy is a modern Kanban tool for tracking tasks, ideas, and bugs, developed by 37signals (the creators of Basecamp and HEY). It is positioned as a lightweight, fast, and pleasant alternative to heavyweight trackers like Jira, Trello, and Asana.
Main features:
- A simple and fast Kanban interface for cards and columns.
- Automatic closing of old cards (auto-close) to keep boards clean.
- Webhooks for integration with Slack, Campfire, and other services.
- Notification controls and reminders that “pop up” when cards are ignored.
- The ability to make boards public for external viewers.
- Stamps showing who created a card and when.
Free tier up to 1000 cards. The source code is open on GitHub — it is a full Rails application with Kanban logic.
Who is Fizzy for
Fizzy is an excellent fit for small and medium-sized teams that value fast decision-making and simple workflows. If you need a minimalist, lightweight Kanban tool — without excessive metrics, complex boards, or heavy configuration — Fizzy helps you quickly organize your workflow, gather ideas, and track bugs. It is especially useful for startups, indie studios, small product teams, and project teams that prefer transparency and public boards for feedback, as well as for those who want a self-hosted, open-source-based solution.
Fizzy vs Alternatives
| Criteria | Fizzy | Jira | Trello | Asana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | Very easy: focused on Kanban and cards | More complex: many features and configurations | Very easy: intuitive boards and cards | Moderately easy: flexible workflows |
| Free tier | Yes - up to 1000 cards | Limited free capabilities | Generous free plan (feature-limited) | Free plan available with limitations |
| Integrations | Webhooks; extendable via code (self-host) | Many plugins and API options | Large ecosystem of Power-Ups | Integrations and API; many pre-built apps |
| Agile / advanced metrics | Basic Kanban only; no advanced analytics | Advanced boards, reports, backlogs, sprints | Simple boards; limited metrics (via Power-Ups) | Strong workflow and reporting support |
| Self-host / Open source | Yes - code available on GitHub; self-hostable | Data Center available (paid); not fully open source | SaaS; no official full self-host option | SaaS; Enterprise options, no self-host |
| Customization & extensibility | High in self-host mode: edit the code | Very flexible (plugins, scripts, API) | Moderate (Power-Ups + API) | Wide configuration options, templates, and API |
| Scalability for large teams | Best for small/medium teams; limited for large orgs | Built for large organizations | Good for small and medium teams | Suitable for medium and large businesses |
| Best suited for | Small product teams, startups, indie projects | Large product teams, enterprise organizations | Teams that value simplicity and visual boards | Teams with diverse workflows and task management needs |
Installing Fizzy
There are several ways:
Option A: Deploy using Kamal
This is the recommended method from the official repository.
Steps:
- Clone the repository or create a fork.
- Edit the configuration in config/deploy.yml, .kamal/secrets, and config/environments/production.rb, specifying server and email parameters.
- Fill the secrets in .kamal/secrets (SECRET_KEY_BASE, VAPID_, SMTP_, etc.). Run:
bin/kamal setup
This installs Docker and launches the application.
For future deployments:
Option B: Local development
For local launch (e.g., for testing):
Run in the repository root:
This installs dependencies and prepares the environment.
Reset database (optional):
Start the server:
Available at http://fizzy.localhost:3006
by default.
In development mode, you can log in with name@example.com and the code shown in the browser console.
Option C: Docker / Railway / Unraid
Users report that Fizzy can be launched as a Docker container (e.g., on Unraid or Railway). Unofficial configuration examples exist in Gists and on platforms like Railway.
Tech stack features
- Ruby on Rails application.
- Uses SQLite by default (MySQL optional).
- Web Push notifications via VAPID keys.
- Includes tests (unit, CI).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What is free in Fizzy? You can use up to 1000 cards for free with no limits on time or number of users.
- Can I integrate with Basecamp, GitHub, or other tools? There are no two-way integrations yet — only webhooks that send events (card creation, assignment, completion) to Slack, Campfire, or any other listener.
- Can I import data from Trello, Jira, or another tool? At the moment, there is no built-in import.
- If I delete a card, does it count toward the 1000 limit? Yes — every created card increments the counter even if deleted later.
- License and limitations The source code is released under the O’Saasy License; you can run and modify it, but the license includes certain conditions (e.g., restrictions on competing with the SaaS version).
Conclusion
Fizzy is a modern, fast, and simple Kanban tracker that fits teams seeking minimalistic task, idea, and bug management without excessive features. You can use the hosted version on fizzy.do, deploy your own instance for free, modify the code, and extend the functionality. If you need a practical, lightweight task management system — Fizzy may be an excellent choice.