Cursor vs Linear
Cursor and Linear are both developer tools tools aimed at developers and small businesses. Cursor costs less, from $8/mo versus $10/mo for Linear. Both have a free plan.
AI-first code editor with agents, now owned by SpaceX
Issue tracking built for fast software teams
| Pricing | Freemium · $8 | Freemium · $10 |
| Starting price | $8/mo | $10/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Developers, Small businesses, Enterprise, Freelancers | Developers, Small businesses |
| Platforms | macos, windows, linux, web | web, macos, windows, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2022 | US · 2019 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Cursor if
Professional developers and engineering teams who want an AI agent built into the editor rather than bolted on.
- Agent workflow is among the most mature in any code editor
- Familiar VS Code interface with near-zero migration effort
- Fast, accurate Tab completion that many developers rate above rivals
Look elsewhere if: Developers who want Tab completion inside JetBrains or Vim, or teams that need predictable flat pricing for Claude and GPT models (GitHub Copilot, Claude Code).
Choose Linear if
Product and engineering teams from 3 to a few hundred people who ship continuously and want speed over configurability.
- Fastest issue tracker in day-to-day use; keyboard-first design
- Opinionated structure keeps teams consistent without configuration
- Excellent GitHub, Slack and Sentry integrations
Look elsewhere if: Organizations that need bespoke workflows, custom issue hierarchies, or a single tool for marketing, HR and engineering.
Cursor vs Linear pricing
Cursor
- Free$0Limited agent and chat requests
- Plus$8/moShared Grok, Cursor and X pool; Grok models only
- Premium$30/mo4x Plus usage, cloud agents, Bugbot code reviews
- Super$100/mo15x Plus usage, priority model access at peak times
- Ultra$200/mo50x Plus usage, earliest access to new models
Linear
- Free$0Unlimited members, 2 teams, 250 issues
- Basic$10/user/moBilled yearly; 5 teams, unlimited issues and uploads, admin roles
- Business$16/user/moBilled yearly; unlimited teams, private teams, Insights, Asks
- EnterpriseCustomAnnual only; SAML, SCIM, advanced security
Cursor · Key features
- Tab autocomplete that predicts multi-line edits and the next cursor jump
- Agent mode that edits many files and runs terminal commands
- Cloud agents that work on tasks in parallel in remote sandboxes
- Bugbot automated code review on GitHub pull requests
- Codebase indexing so chat and agents understand the whole repo
- Project Rules, skills and MCP servers to shape agent behavior
Cons
- Third-party models such as Claude and GPT cost extra at API prices
- Plus plan only offers Grok models
- Pricing has changed repeatedly, including a 2025 backlash over Pro limits
Linear · Key features
- Cycles (sprints) with automatic rollover and capacity view
- Projects and initiatives with milestones, updates and roadmap views
- Triage inbox for bugs and requests from Slack, Intercom, Zendesk and Sentry
- GitHub/GitLab automation: branch naming, PR links and auto-close on merge
- Insights dashboards for velocity, scope change and cycle time
- Local-first sync engine; the app works offline and feels instant
Cons
- Limited customization compared with Jira (no custom issue types)
- Reporting is improving but still lighter than enterprise tools
- Not designed for non-engineering departments
Cursor vs Linear: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Cursor or Linear?
Cursor starts at $8/mo and Linear at $10/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Cursor and Linear have a free plan?
Yes, both Cursor and Linear have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.