Jira vs Linear
Jira and Linear are both project management tools. Jira is aimed at enterprise and developers, while Linear is aimed at developers and small businesses. Jira costs less, from $9.70/mo versus $10/mo for Linear. Both have a free plan.
| Pricing | Freemium · $10 | Freemium · $10 |
| Starting price | $9.70/mo | $10/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | — |
| Built for | Enterprise, Developers | Developers, Small businesses |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, macos, windows, ios, android |
| Country | AU · 2002 | US · 2019 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Jira if
Mid-size to enterprise engineering organizations that need customization, governance and ecosystem.
- Can model virtually any process
- Deep ecosystem and integrations
- Free for up to 10 users
Look elsewhere if: Small fast teams who want speed and simplicity (Linear, Plane).
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.
Jira vs Linear pricing
Jira
- Free$0Up to 10 users, 2 GB storage
- Standard$9.70/user/mo1-100 users list price; 250 GB, 400 automation steps
- Premium$19.60/user/mo1-100 users; unlimited storage; 30-day trial
- EnterpriseCustomAnnual billing, multiple instances
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
Jira · Key features
- Scrum and kanban boards with backlogs, sprints and releases
- Custom workflows, issue types, fields and screens
- JQL advanced search and saved filters
- Plans for cross-project roadmaps and capacity (Premium)
- Automation rules and 3,000+ marketplace apps
- Rovo AI for JQL, summaries and breakdowns
Cons
- Complexity grows with configuration
- Slower and denser than modern trackers
- Admin overhead in large instances
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
Jira vs Linear: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Jira or Linear?
Jira starts at $9.70/mo and Linear at $10/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Jira and Linear have a free plan?
Yes, both Jira and Linear have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Jira or Linear?
Linear lists small businesses as a core audience, while Jira is aimed more at enterprise and developers.