Is Trello Safe?
Privacy Audit 2026
TL;DR Verdict
Trello offers acceptable privacy for most use cases, but it is not without concerns. Review the data collection details below and adjust your settings accordingly. For sensitive use cases, consider the alternatives we recommend.
Trello is one of the most recognized project management tools in the world, with over 50 million users organizing their work on Kanban boards. Owned by Atlassian since 2017, Trello's data practices are governed by Atlassian's broader enterprise policies. This audit examines the privacy implications of storing your project data in Trello and the risks of public board exposure.
What Data Does Trello Collect?
Our analysis of Trello's privacy policy, terms of service, and technical behavior reveals the following categories of data collection. Each item represents data that Trello either explicitly states it collects in its privacy policy or that independent researchers have documented through technical analysis.
- •Board content, cards, lists, and labels
- •Comments and activity timestamps
- •File attachments and linked content
- •User profile and account information
- •Board membership and collaboration data
- •Power-Up and integration usage
- •Usage analytics and interaction patterns
- •Email addresses and notification preferences
Privacy Concerns
Trello, owned by Atlassian, stores all board data including cards, comments, attachments, and activity logs on Atlassian's cloud infrastructure. While Atlassian maintains SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certifications, the company holds encryption keys and can access your board content for support, compliance, and content moderation purposes.
Trello's free tier boards can be set to public visibility, meaning anyone with the URL can view the board contents. This has led to documented data exposure incidents where organizations accidentally exposed sensitive project data, customer lists, and credentials through public Trello boards. Even private boards can be accessed by Atlassian administrators.
Atlassian collects usage analytics from Trello including feature usage, interaction patterns, and user engagement metrics. This data feeds into Atlassian's product development and may be shared across Atlassian products. Trello also supports numerous Power-Ups (integrations) that can access board data through Atlassian's API.
Our Privacy Grade: B
Trello earns an acceptable privacy grade. The product provides adequate security and encryption, but there are areas where data collection exceeds what is strictly necessary for the service. The company holds encryption keys to your data, and administrator or employer access to your content is possible.
Trello is adequate for non-sensitive project management. Ensure all boards are set to private, audit Power-Up permissions regularly, and avoid storing credentials or customer data in cards. For privacy-critical project management, consider self-hosted alternatives.
Better Alternatives
If privacy is a priority, consider these alternatives to Trello that offer stronger data protection:
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