Linear vs Notion
Linear and Notion are both project management tools. Linear is aimed at developers and small businesses, while Notion is aimed at small businesses and freelancers. Linear costs less, from $10/mo versus $12/mo for Notion. Both have a free plan.
Issue tracking built for fast software teams
All-in-one workspace for notes, docs and projects
| Pricing | Freemium · $10 | Freemium · $12 |
| Starting price | $10/mo | $12/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Developers, Small businesses | Small businesses, Freelancers, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web, macos, windows, ios, android | web, ios, android, macos, windows |
| Country | US · 2019 | US · 2016 |
| Rating | — | — |
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.
Choose Notion if
Startups and small teams (2–50 people) that want docs, wiki and simple project tracking in one place, and individuals who like building their own systems.
- Replaces several tools (docs, wiki, light PM, CRM) for small teams
- Extremely flexible data model; databases with relations and rollups
- Huge template ecosystem and integrations via API and Zapier/Make
Look elsewhere if: Engineering teams that need a strict issue tracker with cycles and estimates, finance teams that live in spreadsheets, or organizations that need offline-first access.
Linear vs Notion pricing
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
Notion
- Free$07-day page history, 10 guests, limited Notion AI trial
- Plus$12/member/mo$10/mo billed yearly; 30-day history, unlimited guests
- Business$24/member/mo$20/mo billed yearly; 90-day history, Notion Agent, AI notes
- EnterpriseCustomUnlimited history, zero data retention with LLM providers
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
Notion · Key features
- Block-based editor with slash commands, synced blocks and 50+ content types
- Relational databases with table, board, calendar, gallery, timeline and list views
- Templates, buttons and database automations for repeatable workflows
- Notion AI: Q&A across workspace plus Slack, Drive and GitHub connectors
- Public publishing with custom domains (Notion Sites) and SEO settings
- Granular sharing: teamspaces, guests, page-level permissions and SSO on Business
Cons
- No native structure means workspaces sprawl without governance
- Slower on large databases; offline mode is limited
- Per-seat pricing adds up for large teams, AI bundled only in Business and up
Linear vs Notion: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Linear or Notion?
Linear starts at $10/mo and Notion at $12/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Linear and Notion have a free plan?
Yes, both Linear and Notion have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.