Jira
Atlassian
6
Overall Score / 10
Linear
Linear Inc.
7.9
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose Jira if:
- —Software development teams using Scrum or Kanban
- —Engineering organizations needing deep issue tracking
- —Teams already in the Atlassian ecosystem (Confluence, Bitbucket)
Choose Linear if:
- —Engineering teams that value speed and keyboard shortcuts
- —Startups wanting a modern, fast alternative to Jira
- —Teams that prefer opinionated tools over infinitely configurable ones
The biggest difference: Jira wins for deep customization, enterprise scale, and the Atlassian ecosystem. Linear wins for speed, modern UX, and opinionated engineering workflows.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Jira | Linear |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $8.15/mo (Standard)Source: Atlassian pricing page → | $8/mo (Standard)Source: Linear Inc. pricing page → |
| Free Tier | Yes Up to 10 users, 2GB storage, Scrum and Kanban boards | Yes Up to 250 issues, unlimited members, all core features |
| Value for Money | 6 | 8 |
| Ease of Use | 4 | 9 |
| Feature Power | 10 | 7 |
| Setup Ease | 4 | 9 |
| Migration Ease | 3 | 6 |
| Transparency | 6 | 8 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Compliance | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, ISO 27001, FedRAMP (Atlassian Government) | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
22 features compared · 21 differences
| Feature | Jira | Linear |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Backlog management | Full | None |
| Cycles (sprints) | None | Full |
| Issue tracking | None | Full |
| JQL (Jira Query Language) | Full | None |
| Kanban boards | Full | None |
| Keyboard shortcuts | None | Full |
| Projects and roadmaps | None | Full |
| Scrum boards | Full | None |
| SLAs (Plus) | None | Full |
| Sprints | Full | None |
| Time tracking (Plus) | None | Full |
| Triage | None | Full |
| Views and filters | None | Full |
| Advanced | ||
| Advanced roadmaps (Premium) | Full | None |
| Automated workflows | None | Full |
| Automation rules | Full | None |
| Custom fields and issue types | Full | None |
| Custom workflows | Full | None |
| Reporting and dashboards | Full | None |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | Full | Full |
| DevOps integrations | Full | None |
| GitHub/GitLab sync | None | Full |
Pricing Comparison
Jira Pricing
Up to 10 users, 2GB storage, community support
Up to 35,000 users, 250GB storage, audit logs
Unlimited storage, advanced roadmaps, sandbox, 99.9% uptime SLA
Unlimited sites, Atlassian Access, data residency, 24/7 enterprise support
Linear Pricing
Up to 250 issues, unlimited members
Unlimited issues, cycles, projects, integrations
Roadmaps, triage, SLAs, time tracking, SAML
SCIM, audit logs, custom roles, priority support
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose Jira
Best for
- Software development teams using Scrum or Kanban
- Engineering organizations needing deep issue tracking
- Teams already in the Atlassian ecosystem (Confluence, Bitbucket)
Avoid if
- You need simple, lightweight project management
- Your team is non-technical (high learning curve)
- You want docs and project management in one tool
Who should choose Linear
Best for
- Engineering teams that value speed and keyboard shortcuts
- Startups wanting a modern, fast alternative to Jira
- Teams that prefer opinionated tools over infinitely configurable ones
Avoid if
- You need deep customization of workflows
- You manage non-software projects (marketing, ops)
- You need advanced reporting and dashboards
Switching Guidance
Switching from Jira
Common triggers to leave:
- •Complexity for simple projects
- •Slow performance on large instances
- •Desire for modern UX
Potential blockers:
- •Years of issue history and custom workflows
- •Atlassian ecosystem lock-in
- •JQL queries and automation rules
Switching from Linear
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need more customization
- •Need advanced reporting
- •Non-engineering use cases
Potential blockers:
- •Team loves the speed and UX
- •GitHub integration setup
- •Issue history
Try Jira
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Try Linear
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