How to export your data from Trello

How to export data from Trello before your plan changes

Trello has three documented export paths, and each one has gaps. Every member can export a board as JSON, but that file carries only the 1,000 most recent actions on the board. Premium boards can export CSV one board at a time, and that file leaves out comments and archived cards. The Premium Workspace export is the broadest option and can include raw attachments if you select that option. If a renewal, a price change, a data residency requirement or a plan to leave is coming, you need to know exactly what leaves with each file before the plan changes. No single path returns everything, so this section sets out the gaps, and the rest of the page covers formats, sequence, verification and contract planning.

Start with an inventory of every board that matters to the business, and note whether each one has long comment histories, archived cards or attachments that someone may need later. For each board, decide which file becomes the record of truth. A board that needs comments and raw attachments will likely depend on the Premium Workspace export, while a board that only needs card titles, lists and descriptions may be covered by the JSON file. Confirm with your Trello administrator whether the Workspace export is available on your current plan and who holds the rights to run it, because export features depend on plan status and role. Run the exports while your plan is still active, then record which file covers which board so nothing is assumed later.

Check each export before you rely on it. Open the JSON and CSV files, compare card counts and list names with the live board, and confirm that comments and archived cards appear where you expect them. Where attachments are included, open a sample and confirm that the files are readable. Store the files under your retention policy, with a checksum and a short log of who ran each export and when. On the contract side, find your renewal date and notice period, and ask the vendor in writing what data return terms apply after access ends. Set an internal deadline that falls well before access stops, so an export problem leaves time to fix it.

Which Trello export data you can take out and in what format

This table compares the three ways to get Trello data out, by who can run each export, how much it covers, its format and its documented limits. Read the columns as separate options, since the JSON export is the broadest per board and the Premium Workspace export is the only path that can include raw attachments. Confirm every limit in Trello's help documentation before you start a migration, because plan rules change.

Export path	JSON per board	CSV per board	Premium Workspace export
Who can run it	Any board member	Board members on a Premium plan	Workspace admins, per Trello's help documentation
Scope	One board	One board	The whole workspace
Format	JSON file	CSV file	Workspace export file with board data
Comments included	Yes, within the action limit	No	Yes
Archived cards included	Yes, within the action limit	No	Yes
Raw attachments	Not included	Not included	Optional, selected when exporting
Documented limit	Only the 1,000 most recent actions per board	Plan-gated and missing comments and archived cards	Plan-gated, check the current export options
Confirm before migrating	Action cap and member access	Plan requirement and missing fields	Who can export and attachment handling

Trello data that stays behind and how to recover it

Trello's exports cover boards, lists and cards, but each one leaves something out. The cards below cover the gaps most likely to matter in a migration, with a workaround for each and a decision to record where the loss is acceptable.

Older actions beyond the JSON cap

The JSON export per board carries only the 1,000 most recent actions. Activity history older than that, including earlier card moves and edits, is not in the file. Before you migrate, decide whether that history is needed for audit or dispute purposes. If it is, export the Premium Workspace data, which is the route that keeps the full comment and activity record, and confirm its contents against Trello's current documentation. If it is not, record the loss as an accepted decision with the board owner's sign-off.

Comments and archived cards in CSV

The CSV export per board, available on Premium, does not include comments or archived cards. Teams that rely on discussion threads or closed work for reference will lose both if they use CSV alone. Export archived cards in a separate pass by reviewing the board's archive menu, and copy the comment text of key cards into the notes of their replacement items. Check the export contents on your plan, since the CSV columns can change.

Attachments outside the raw option

Attachments are excluded from standard exports unless you use the Premium Workspace export with raw attachments included. Without that option, files linked on cards stay on Trello or Google Drive servers and disappear once the account closes. Download attachments from each card view for a small number of files, or request the workspace export with raw attachments for large boards. Confirm the file size and retention limits with Trello before you start.

Power-Up data not carried over

Power-Up configuration, such as custom fields, calendar settings and integration links, is not reliably carried by the board exports. Create an inventory of every Power-Up enabled on each board, then recreate the needed fields by hand in WeKan or Nextcloud Deck. Note any external service that pushed data into Trello, because that feed will stop unless you reconfigure it. Confirm exactly which Power-Up data is included in each export against Trello's current documentation.

Automation rules saved by hand

Butler automation rules, such as card-move triggers, due date commands and scheduled actions, are logic rather than content, so the standard exports do not reproduce them. Open each board's automation panel, copy every rule into a document with its trigger, condition and action, and mark which ones still apply. Rebuild only the rules your team actually runs, using the equivalent features in the target tool or a separate workflow automation service.

Recording accepted losses

Some gaps will be accepted rather than recovered, and each one should be written down. Create a short register listing the board, the data missing, the reason it is not needed, and the approver. This register protects the migration owner if a later audit or dispute asks where data went. Keep the export files and the register together in the same controlled location, and ask your records or compliance lead which retention period applies.

Choosing the Trello export that fits your situation

If you are a board member without Premium, the per-board JSON export is the option available to you. Run it from the board menu for each board you need to move. The file carries only the 1,000 most recent actions per board, so older activity on busy boards falls outside it.

Scope: one file per board, so a team with many boards needs one export for each.
Action cap: only the 1,000 most recent actions are included, so older history on active boards is lost.
Attachments and archive: check a test export for attachment files and archived cards before you rely on it, and confirm the findings with the board admin.
Before starting: list every board to move, note which ones are busy, and confirm with the board admin who owns each board and whether any are shared.

Run one test export on your smallest board and open the file to see what came through before you export the rest.

Sequence to export data from Trello and verify it

This sequence takes a Trello workspace from inventory to verified copies using only Trello's documented export paths. Each step ends with a check, so the files can be trusted before any migration or deletion decision.

Inventory every board and workspace
The workspace owner or an admin lists every board and workspace in scope, noting which boards are on Premium. For each board, record its name, open card count, archived card count and member count. Archived cards matter because the CSV export leaves them out, so this inventory is the only record that shows what must be checked separately. Flag boards whose comments and attachments the business must keep. The step is done when every board appears once with its counts in a document stored outside Trello.
Freeze changes or set a cutoff
Agree a cutoff time with the members of each board and ask them to stop editing cards, comments and attachments after it. Exports capture the board at the moment they run, so any edit made later will be missing from the files. Write the cutoff into the migration plan and tell members how to report anything they add afterward. The step is complete when the cutoff is recorded and the people who edit those boards have acknowledged it.
Export each board as JSON
Run the JSON export for every board in the inventory. Trello's JSON export is available to each board member for boards they can access, so confirm which account runs each export and check the current options in Trello's help documentation. The JSON file includes at most the 1,000 most recent actions per board, so treat it as a partial activity history rather than a full audit trail. Save one file per board, named with the board name and export date. The step is done when every board has a JSON file.
Export Premium boards as CSV
Run the CSV export on each Premium board. The CSV is produced per board and does not include comments or archived cards, so it cannot serve as a complete copy. Use it as a readable list of card titles, lists and fields that you compare against the JSON file and the inventory. Store each CSV next to its matching JSON file. The step is done when every Premium board has a CSV and the number of rows matches the open card count in the inventory.
Run the Premium Workspace export
Ask a workspace admin to start the Premium Workspace export when comments or raw attachments must be kept. Decide before starting whether to include raw attachments, since that option is optional and changes the size of the output. Confirm that the boards in the archive match the inventory, and make sure the destination storage has room for the full archive. The step is done when the archive is downloaded and its board list matches the inventory.
Store the files encrypted on your servers
Move the JSON files, CSV files and workspace archive to storage inside your own environment. Enable encryption at rest and limit read access to named people, using your existing identity and access controls. Record where each file lives, who can read it and when it was copied. Do not leave copies on personal laptops or in shared chat channels. The step is done when checksums of the copies match the originals and the access list has been reviewed.
Verify each file against the inventory
Check every export against the inventory before anything is deleted or archived. Compare card counts for each board, confirm that comments appear in the Premium Workspace archive, and open a sample of attachments to confirm they download and display. Check that board and member names match the inventory. Log each mismatch and rerun the affected export. The step is complete when every board has a signed-off checklist row, and only then should retention or deletion decisions proceed.

Why the 1,000-action cap changes what a complete export means

The JSON export from a Trello board carries only the 1,000 most recent actions, so a busy board can lose its earliest history without any warning in the file. Actions are the record of what happened on the board: card creations, moves between lists, edits, comments and member changes. A board that has run for a year with several active members can pass 1,000 actions quickly, and everything older than the window is simply absent from the export. Nothing in the file marks the gap, so a reader who opens it may assume the board has no older history at all.

That gap matters most where the board is the record. Decision logs kept as cards, approval comments on a release card, or a trail showing who moved a risk item to done and when are all actions-driven content. If a team relies on these for an audit, a dispute or a handover, a truncated export can remove the very entries they need. Verification should therefore compare the export against what the team must keep, such as the dated decisions, approvals and comments for a given period, rather than against the board as it looks on screen. The screen shows current state, while the export should be checked for the history the organization is obliged or chooses to retain. Confirm the action count for each board before you export, and check that the oldest action in the file falls within the period you need.

Which path is enough depends on the retention requirement attached to each board, not on which export tool is most convenient. A board holding routine task tracking with a short useful life may be fully served by the JSON export. A board whose comments, attachments or decision records must be kept for longer should be exported through the Premium Workspace export, or the team should record the history in another system before moving on. Ask the records owner or compliance lead to state the retention period in writing for each board, then choose the export path that meets it.

What to plan before the Trello contract ends

Exporting Trello data is the last step of a longer decision. The items below cover retention, timing, ownership, attachments, the target platform and the evidence you keep, and each one affects how much work the export takes and what you can prove afterward.

Set retention for each board

Decide which boards, workspaces and archived cards must be kept, for how long, and who may read them after the move. Each Trello export type covers different content, so a retention decision determines which export you need. Boards with long comment histories or many archived cards need the most attention. Write the decision down per board before you export anything.

Export before the billing cutoff

Schedule every export before the last billing date, not after it, so you still have an administrator's access if an export fails. Keep the exported files through the notice period and any dispute window. Confirm with Trello in writing when access to the workspace ends and when data is deleted, because those dates may differ from the billing date.

Confirm the workspace owner

Identify who holds the workspace owner role and whether that person can still sign in after the contract ends. Board exports depend on member permissions, and a departing employee's account can block access to boards they created. Assign a named owner, record the account, and make sure a second administrator can run the exports if the first is unavailable.

Handle attachments and comments separately

Check whether the export you plan to use includes comments, archived cards and raw attachments. Some exports omit them or cap the activity history, so attachments may need a separate download step. Inventory attachment volume and comment history per board, then decide whether these items need their own copy in the archive.

Plan the target platform and import path

Choose the destination before the export so you can match the file format to the import route. Confirm that the target's importer accepts the export you plan to produce, and test one representative board end to end. Record any fields that do not map, such as labels, due dates or card members, so you know what to fix by hand.

Document the evidence trail

Keep a record of each export: date, person who ran it, export type, board list, file hashes and where the files are stored. Auditors and records teams often ask how data was removed from a vendor, and this log answers that question. Ask your compliance lead which retention policy applies, since it sets how long the log and the files must remain available.

Questions buyers ask before exporting data from Trello

Can a regular Trello member export board data without a Premium plan?

Yes, for the JSON export. Members can export a board they can access as JSON, but the file carries only the 1,000 most recent actions for that board. CSV export requires Premium and leaves out comments and archived cards. The Premium Workspace export is the route for a fuller copy, with raw attachments as an optional add-on. Confirm current plan requirements, export options and limits in Trello's help documentation, since plan rules change. Before starting, check which boards each member can see, because a member can only export what they have access to. Agree the route with a workspace admin so everyone knows what each export covers.

How long does a full Trello export take and what drives the effort?

No duration or effort figure applies here, so ask any provider to state its estimate in writing and show the assumptions behind it. Effort is driven by the number of boards, how many cards and comments each one holds, how many attachments must be downloaded, and how many checks the team runs afterward. A workspace with a few boards and no attachments is a short task. A workspace with years of history, many archived cards and large file sets takes longer at every step, from export through verification. Ask for the estimate to be split into inventory, export, transfer, import and verification so each part can be reviewed.

Can our team run the Trello export without outside help?

Yes, a team with an admin and someone comfortable with JSON or spreadsheets can handle a small export internally. The built-in exports are the starting point, but each has gaps. The JSON file stops at 1,000 actions per board, CSV omits comments and archived cards, and complete attachments depend on the Premium Workspace export. Outside help becomes useful when there are many boards, long histories, large attachment sets, or when the data must land in a self-hosted tool and be checked afterward. Decide early whether your team has time for reconciliation, because most of the effort goes into finding and filling those gaps.

What does a Trello workspace owner need before exporting?

The workspace owner or an admin sets the scope and approves who handles the files. Before the export starts, confirm:

The plan and admin rights the workspace has, and which export options they unlock
The full list of boards, including archived ones, and the owner of each board
Whether attachments must be included, and where the exported files will be stored
Who may access the exported files, since boards often contain member names and personal details

Trello's help documentation describes plan and admin requirements, so check those before scheduling any work.

How do we confirm nothing is missing after a Trello export?

Compare the export against the live workspace and against the imported result, using counts and samples. Count boards, lists, cards, members, comments and attachments in Trello, then check those counts in the exported files and after import. Pay close attention to boards with more than 1,000 actions, because the JSON file will be incomplete for them, and to archived cards, which the CSV route omits. Sample cards on each board and check titles, descriptions, due dates, labels, comments and attachment links. Keep a written record of the checks, file names and checksums so a reviewer can repeat them.

What would a fixed-scope Trello export engagement need in writing?

A fixed-scope engagement from DeployOpen starts with a written scope agreed before work begins. It should name the boards and workspaces covered, the export routes used, and how gaps such as the 1,000-action limit and omitted archived cards will be handled. It should also state the target self-hosted platform, the verification method, the deliverables, the timeline, and what the client provides, such as admin access and sign-off. Include where data is stored during the work and who receives the final files. DeployOpen does not publish a price list. A quote follows from the written scope, so a more precise scope gives a more precise quote. Ongoing support after cutover is available as a separate retainer.

How DeployOpen works on this

DeployOpen plans and implements self-hosted open-source platforms inside your own cloud accounts, data centers or air-gapped networks. For a Trello exit, we start by mapping which boards, comments, attachments and archived cards must survive the move, then agree the export and import path in writing before any work starts.

How we scope

Inventory every Trello board, workspace and plan tier, and record which exports each board can actually produce.
Agree in writing which data must be carried over, such as comments, archived cards and raw attachments.
Confirm the target platform, hosting location, identity source and who in your organization signs off each deliverable.

How we build

Stand up the chosen self-hosted target in your environment, with configuration documented as it is built.
Run test imports of sample boards and compare cards, comments, attachments and labels against the source export.
Record known gaps, such as data a JSON export omits, so each one has a documented workaround or an accepted limitation.

How we hand over

Deliver the migration runbook, export and import steps, validation checklist and a log of what was moved.
Provide the admin documentation for backups, upgrades and user access, so your team can operate the platform.
Walk your administrators through the cutover and archive the Trello export files under your retention rules.

How we support

Engagements are fixed-scope, and any post-cutover fixes are handled under the written scope or a separate quote.
Ongoing support, upgrades and continuous testing are available as a retainer after handover.
Ask us to confirm the current export options and plan limits in your own Trello account before the scope is signed.