Azure Boards vs LeanKit: What are the differences?

Introduction

Azure Boards and LeanKit are both project management tools that help teams plan, track, and discuss work across the entire development process. However, there are key differences between the two platforms that set them apart. In this article, we will explore six specific differences between Azure Boards and LeanKit.

1. Integration with Azure DevOps: One major difference between Azure Boards and LeanKit is their integration with Azure DevOps. Azure Boards is fully integrated with other Azure DevOps services such as Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, and Azure Test Plans, providing a seamless end-to-end solution for managing software development projects. On the other hand, LeanKit does not have a direct integration with Azure DevOps and requires additional configurations and customizations to integrate with other DevOps tools.

2. Customization and Flexibility: Azure Boards offers a high level of customization and flexibility, allowing users to define work item types, customize fields and workflows, and create custom rules and extensions using Azure DevOps Services. This extensive customization capability makes it suitable for complex development processes and teams with specific requirements. In contrast, LeanKit has limited customization options and is more suitable for simple, straightforward project management needs.

3. Visualization and Kanban Board: LeanKit is known for its advanced visualization capabilities and its focus on Kanban boards. It provides a visually appealing and intuitive Kanban board interface that allows team members to easily track and visualize work progress. Azure Boards, on the other hand, offers a more traditional approach to project management with its backlog and sprint planning features. While Azure Boards does offer a Kanban board view, it is not as feature-rich and visually appealing as LeanKit's Kanban board.

4. Analytics and Reporting: Azure Boards provides powerful analytics and reporting features that allow teams to gain insights into their project's progress, identify bottlenecks, and track team performance. It offers pre-built dashboards and reports, as well as the ability to customize and create custom reports using Azure DevOps Analytics. LeanKit, on the other hand, has limited analytics and reporting capabilities, making it less suitable for teams that require in-depth data analysis and reporting.

5. Pricing and Cost: Another notable difference between Azure Boards and LeanKit is their pricing models. Azure Boards is included as part of the Azure DevOps Services and has different pricing tiers based on the number of users and features required. LeanKit, on the other hand, has its own separate pricing structure, with different tiers and plans based on the number of users and additional features required. The pricing of LeanKit may vary depending on the specific needs of the organization.

6. Integration Ecosystem: Azure Boards benefits from the extensive integration ecosystem of Azure DevOps, allowing seamless integration with a wide range of development tools and services. It can easily integrate with popular third-party tools such as GitHub, Jenkins, Slack, and Jira, making it suitable for teams using multiple development tools. On the other hand, LeanKit has a more limited integration ecosystem and may require additional customizations and configurations to integrate with other tools outside of its core functionality.

In summary, Azure Boards offers deep integration with Azure DevOps, extensive customization options, and powerful analytics and reporting capabilities. It also benefits from a wider integration ecosystem. On the other hand, LeanKit excels in visualization and Kanban board features and may be more suitable for simpler project management needs.