Quick answer: Trello is the fastest way to plan a small game on a board, and it is free to start. HacknPlan is built for game development: boards with game-dev categories, estimates, time logs and a Game Design Model that links your design document to the tasks that build it; its Personal plan is free and Studio is €7.5 per seat a month. Choose HacknPlan if your design doc drives production, Trello if you want zero setup. For bugs and crashes, add an intake tool such as Bugnet to either.
Indie developers often start a project on Trello because it is familiar, then discover HacknPlan and wonder whether a game-specific planner is worth switching to. The answer depends on how central your design document is and how much structure your team wants. Prices are from HacknPlan's pricing page at the time of writing (October 2026).
At a glance
| Trello | HacknPlan | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Any project | Game development |
| Planning model | Boards, lists and cards | Kanban boards with game-dev categories |
| Design document | Not built in | Game Design Model linked to tasks |
| Estimates and time logs | Via Power-Ups | Built in |
| Free plan | Yes | Personal plan |
| Paid | Per user | Personal Plus €5.8/mo (one user); Studio €7.5 per seat/mo, billed yearly |
Trello
Trello's appeal is that there is nothing to learn. A list per stage, a card per task, drag to move. For a game jam or a first small game it keeps planning light, and the free plan goes a long way. It does not know anything about games: no design document, no notion of builds or platforms, and estimates or time tracking need add-ons.
HacknPlan
HacknPlan is planning shaped around how games are made. Tasks sit on boards grouped by game-dev categories such as programming, art, design and audio, with estimates and time logs built in. Its signature feature is the Game Design Model: a structured design document where each mechanic, level or system links to the work items that implement it, so you can see the state of a feature from the design side. The Studio plan adds Gantt timelines, sprint burndowns and centralised billing.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Trello for small or short projects, very small teams, or when you want the least possible setup.
- Choose HacknPlan if your design document is the backbone of production, or you want estimates and time tracking without add-ons.
See also Codecks vs HacknPlan, the other game-specific planner many indie teams consider.
What about bugs?
Neither tool captures crashes or gives players a way to report bugs from inside your game, and neither knows how many players a bug affects. After launch, that becomes the bulk of your work. Bugnet fills that gap: engine SDKs that capture errors and crashes with recent logs, a screenshot and the player's hardware; an in-game report widget; grouping so repeat reports become one bug with a count; and Steam reviews and a public known-issues page in the same place.
On Trello, Bugnet adds cards automatically and moves them as bugs are fixed, on every plan including the free one (setup guide). It does not connect to HacknPlan directly today; teams on HacknPlan triage in Bugnet and copy the bugs they schedule, or relay them with Bugnet's signed webhooks. Start free.
Frequently asked questions
Is HacknPlan better than Trello for game development?
HacknPlan is better if you want a game design document linked to tasks, game-dev categories and built-in estimates and time logs. Trello is better if you want the simplest possible board with no setup.
How much does HacknPlan cost?
HacknPlan has a free Personal plan, a Personal Plus plan at €5.8 a month for one user, and a Studio plan at €7.5 per seat per month, billed yearly.
Can I track bugs in HacknPlan or Trello?
Yes, as tasks or cards, but both rely on someone entering them. Neither captures crashes or collects player reports from inside your game.
Does Bugnet integrate with Trello?
Yes. Bugnet adds a Trello card for each new bug and moves it as the bug's status changes, on every plan including the free plan.
Does Bugnet integrate with HacknPlan?
Not directly today. Teams on HacknPlan triage in Bugnet and move the bugs they schedule, or use Bugnet's signed webhooks to relay new bugs.
Plan in the tool that matches how your team thinks about the game. Catch bugs in one that does not need anyone to think at all.