Goodbye Scrum Mate — Meet PM Engine

We’ve been quiet for a while — not because nothing was happening, but because we had a lot to figure out. Behind the scenes, we’ve been rethinking how to build a better long-term product for you, and how to compete in the crowded project management space.

Now, we’re ready to share where we’re headed.

New investor, same team

Earlier this year, our team received significant growth capital from a team of investors with decades of experience in building software businesses.

This partnership provides:

• More financial stability and resources to grow than ever before.
• The same product team is still here, doing the work.
• A sharper, more focused vision for the future.

Our new investors have not only supported this evolution—they have been instrumental in shaping it.

What’s changing?

With the backing of our new partner, we took a fresh look at the project management market and set a new direction.

Scrum Mate is becoming PM Engine — a self-hosted tool for organizations that want full ownership of their project data, without giving up simplicity or usability.

PM Engine vs. Scrum Mate

PM Engine builds on Scrum Mate’s foundation. It will carry over most of its features, with a modernized UI and a more flexible, long-term architecture.

While it will feel familiar to Scrum Mate users, PM Engine is a fresh start. We’re rethinking a few features to make the tool more adaptable and customizable over time.

The first few releases will not include every Scrum Mate feature. Some, like Topics, Dividers, and Planbox, will be missing. But we’re committed to supporting the same real-world scenarios — sometimes with different implementation approaches.

When PM Engine is ready, we’ll provide a clear migration path for moving your projects over.

What happens next?

Right now, we’re deep in under-the-hood improvements and giving the UI a gentle refresh. Our goal is to make PM Engine ready to run smoothly in your environment. Our goal is to release the initial version of PM Engine in Q4, 2025.

Why self-hosted?

We see a clear market demand for simple, affordable project management tools that also offer flexibility, customization, and security. We've concluded that a self-hosted model is the best way to meet all these needs together.

With self-hosting, you get:

• Full ownership and direct access to your project data
• Flexible hosting (your servers or your private cloud)
• Predictable costs
• Freedom to decide when and how to update
• Easier compliance with security standards

We’ve asked the same question you might be thinking:

“Is the extra admin effort of self-hosting worth it?”

That’s exactly why we’re building PM Engine to feel nearly as effortless as a SaaS tool. You won’t need a support team or an IT department. You’ll get a simple setup, clear instructions, and help when you need it.

In this article, we share our thoughts on why we chose the self-hosted model.

Questions you might have

We know this is a big change. Here are answers to a few questions we anticipate.

1. How long can I use Scrum Mate?

Scrum Mate will be available at least until the end of 2025.

We plan to release PM Engine and its migration tools this autumn. You’ll get plenty of notice, clear instructions, and support to make the transition smooth.

One thing we can promise: we won’t leave any existing subscribers behind. We’re here to help you work through any specific needs.

2. Will I lose any features if I switch?

Initially, you might. The first few versions of PM Engine will not include topics, dividers, or the 'Planbox' feature. We are rebuilding this functionality with care to create a stronger foundation for future improvements.

3. What will it cost? Will pricing change?

We have not finalized PM Engine’s pricing yet. However, we can make this promise: if you’re a current Scrum Mate customer, your pricing will not increase.

4. What if we don’t have an IT team to run a self-hosted app?

You won’t need one. PM Engine is designed to be lightweight and easy to manage without special infrastructure or deep technical expertise. We are also building automatic backup and restore features to ensure reliability and peace of mind.

If you prefer not to host it yourself, we can run a dedicated PM Engine instance for you. Terms and fees will be based on your specific needs.

5. How will the migration work? Will our data be safe?

You will be able to transfer all your projects and data using our migration tools. Your entire history will remain intact, and we will guide you through every step of the process.

Let’s talk

We understand this is a significant shift. We will be sharing more details soon and are always happy to hear from you.

Thank you for being on this journey with us. We’re excited to show you what’s next.