Jira vs Linear

Compare Jira and Linear pricing, features, pros and cons. Updated for 2026.

Jira Enterprise-grade issue tracking for engineering at scale vs Linear Issue tracking built for high-velocity engineering teams

Pricing

Tier Jira Linear
Free tier Free (Up to 10) Free (Unlimited)
Starter $7.53 / user/month (Standard) $8 / user/month (Standard)
Business / Pro $13.53 / user/month (Premium) $14 / user/month (Plus)
Enterprise Enterprise (custom) Enterprise (custom)

Feature matrix

Feature Jira Linear
Task management ✓ ✓
Gantt / timeline Premium plan+ ✗
Time tracking ✓ ✗
Automations ✓ ✓
Guest users ✓ ✓
API access ✓ ✓
Single sign-on (SSO) Premium plan+ Plus plan+
Mobile app ✓ ✓
Offline mode ✗ Limited
Integrations 3,000 80

Pros & cons

Jira

Pros

  • Deep agile/scrum support out of the box
  • Powerful JQL query language
  • Massive Atlassian Marketplace
  • Tight Confluence and Bitbucket integration

Cons

  • Configuration complexity is famous
  • UI feels heavy compared to modern issue trackers
  • Performance can lag on large instances

Linear

Pros

  • Fastest, snappiest UI in the category
  • Opinionated workflow keeps teams aligned
  • Excellent keyboard-first design
  • Cycles and triage are well-thought-out

Cons

  • Less flexible than Jira for non-engineering teams
  • Fewer marketplace add-ons
  • No native gantt or roadmap views beyond cycles

Best for

Jira

Engineering orgs with formal agile process and 50+ developers

Linear

Modern engineering teams under ~200 people who value speed

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Jira or Linear?

Both Jira and Linear offer a free tier, so the cheaper option depends on which paid features you need. Compare the paid tiers in the table above.

Is Jira better than Linear?

It depends on what you're optimizing for. Jira is best for engineering orgs with formal agile process and 50+ developers, while Linear is best for modern engineering teams under ~200 people who value speed. If your priorities map to the first, pick Jira; if they map to the second, pick Linear.

Which is better for small teams?

Both are workable for small teams. Jira suits engineering orgs with formal agile process and 50+ developers; Linear suits modern engineering teams under ~200 people who value speed.

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