Your team is growing. The Excel sheets are getting out of hand. Now you have to decide: Linear or Jira? I’ve used both tools for months, and honestly, they’re completely different. Let me help you make the call.
Linear in short
Linear was built by developers who were frustrated with slow project tools. The result? A lightning‑fast issue tracker that feels like a native app. Keyboard shortcuts for everything. An offline mode that actually works. And an interface that stays out of your way. Linear focuses on software teams that want to move quickly without endless configuration. The tool nudges you toward an efficient way of working — and that’s exactly the point.
Jira in short
Jira is the veteran. It’s been the standard for agile teams for years, especially in larger organizations. It’s a powerful machine that can handle pretty much anything: Scrum, Kanban, custom workflows, detailed reporting. With more than 3,000 integrations, you can hook Jira into almost any other system. But that power comes with complexity. Jira is built for enterprises that care more about control and compliance than raw speed. It can do everything—if you’re willing to spend the time configuring it.
Linear vs Jira: the differences
The biggest difference? Philosophy. Linear wants you to move fast. Jira wants you to keep everything under control. You notice that immediately the moment you open both tools.
Linear’s interface loads in milliseconds. Hit a shortcut and you create an issue without taking your hands off the keyboard. Sitting on a train without Wi‑Fi? No problem—the offline mode is fully functional. Jira, on the other hand, can feel slow, especially in large projects with hundreds of issues. The interface is packed with options, menus, and configuration settings. For beginners, that’s overwhelming. For experienced admins, it’s exactly what they need.
Then there are the workflows. Linear uses “Cycles” instead of sprints. The concept is similar, but Linear pushes you into a 1–2 week rhythm. No endless six‑week sprints. No complex board configurations. It’s opinionated—and that works surprisingly well for teams that want focus. Jira, meanwhile, gives you unlimited freedom. Want a workflow with 15 statuses and 8 different issue types? Totally possible. But that freedom also means you need an admin who knows what they’re doing.
Reporting is a different story. Jira stands out here with advanced dashboards, burndown charts, velocity tracking, and custom reports. Great for managers who want detailed numbers. Linear keeps it minimal with ‘Linear Insights’ — basic metrics that show whether your team is on track. Enough for most teams, but not for enterprises with strict reporting requirements.
Integrations? On paper, Jira wins with 3000+ options. But in practice, you’re probably only using GitHub, Slack, and your CI/CD tool. Linear’s GitHub integration is more thoughtfully designed than Jira’s. Branches link to issues automatically, PRs update the status, and everything feels more natural. The new Linear Agent for Slack (since October 2024) makes it even easier to manage issues without opening the tool.
A recent difference: in December 2024, Linear launched ‘Pulse on Mobile’ — a unified feed of all project updates on your phone. Jira has better mobile apps, but they feel like scaled‑down versions of the desktop interface. Linear’s mobile experience is built for quick updates on the go.
Scalability is where Jira really shines. Teams of 1000+ people, multiple departments, complex compliance requirements? Jira can handle it. Linear is built for teams of roughly up to 500 people. Above that, it gets tricky — not because the tool can’t handle it, but because Linear’s minimalist approach clashes with the complexity of very large organizations.
Pricing compared
Both tools have a free plan, but with different limitations. Linear gives you unlimited members but a maximum of 2 teams and 250 active issues. Enough for a small team just getting started. Jira’s free plan is limited to 10 users, but you do get 2GB of storage and full functionality. The downside: only 100 email notifications per day, which you’ll hit quickly.
For paid plans, Linear starts at $ 1 per user per month (billed annually) or $ 1 per month. Jira starts at $ 1.50 per user per month (annually) or $ 1.05 per month. At first glance, Jira looks cheaper. But heads‑up: Jira raised prices by 5–10% in October 2024. And for enterprise features, you’re quickly paying $ 1.41+ per user per month with Jira.
Linear’s Business plan ($ 1–16 per user per month) gives you everything you need: unlimited teams, priority support, and advanced roadmaps. Jira’s Premium plan ($ 1.41–18.30 per month) mostly adds compliance‑focused features: audit logs, unlimited storage, and advanced permissions. Honestly? For a team of 20 people, Linear runs you $ 1–200 per month, Jira $ 1–180. The difference is negligible.
Where things get pricey: guest users. Linear charges full price for guests. Jira offers free “stakeholder” licenses. For teams that regularly give external people access, that gap can easily grow to hundreds of dollars per month.
Conclusion
Choose Linear if speed and developer experience are your top priorities. Your team is under 500 people, you don’t want to waste time on configuration, and basic reporting is enough. The tool feels like an extension of your code editor—fast, keyboard‑driven, and without the fluff.
Choose Jira if you work in a large organization with complex processes, strict compliance requirements, or management that wants detailed reporting. And if your workflows differ from standard software development (think marketing, HR, legal), Jira’s flexibility is hard to replace.
My personal preference? For teams up to 100 people: Linear, no question. The speed and focus make you more productive. But if you’re in an enterprise with 500+ people and need audit logs, then Jira is the only realistic option. It’s not about which tool is “better”—it’s about which one fits how your organization works.
