Linear is a specialized issue tracking and project management tool optimized for software development teams with real-time collaboration, while Basecamp is a general-purpose project management platform designed for broader team coordination across any industry. Linear excels in speed and developer workflows, whereas Basecamp prioritizes simplicity and all-in-one communication.
Basecamp vs Linear — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Project management and team communication platform with integrated messaging and task tracking.
Fast, purpose-built issue tracking and project management platform for software teams
Primary Use Case. Team Size Sweet Spot. API & Integration Capabilities. Real-Time Collaboration Speed. Learning Curve. Monthly Cost (Small Team). Built-In Communication Tools
Choose Basecamp if you're a non-technical team, marketing/creative agency, or small business needing unified communication with project management in one place. Choose Linear if you're a software development team that needs lightning-fast issue tracking, developer-focused workflows, extensive integrations with GitHub/GitLab, and real-time sprint management.
Basecamp: $99 (unlimited users) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Basic task automation only | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Optimal for under 50 users | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 2 (Kanban, List) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Basic admin controls | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 3 views (To-Do Lists, Message Boards, Schedule) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: ~50 integrations | Linear: 200+ integrations
Basecamp: 30-60 minutes to start using | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Basic progress tracking within individual projects only | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Message boards and real-time updates as primary hub | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Basic (simple task assignments, status updates) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Mobile-optimized interface with core features (2024-2026 updates) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 2-20 users; suited for small teams | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: $1,470-3,675 (per user plan) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 0.3-0.5 weeks (1-2 days) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 3 (To-Do, Message Board, Schedule) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 30 days (no credit card required) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: $299 (flat-rate for unlimited users) | Linear: $100 (Standard plan)
Basecamp: $299 (unlimited users) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Message boards, campfire chats, built-in messaging | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Low (focused on simplicity) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: $349 (unlimited users) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Yes - messaging, discussions, announcements | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: ~50-100 integrations | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Native with task dependencies | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 20-200+ users | Linear: 10-500+ developers
Basecamp: High - comprehensive feature set | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: $99/month (unlimited users) | Linear: $50/month (5 users minimum)
Basecamp: $99/month (flat rate) | Linear: $250/month (25 users × $10)
Basecamp: 25 minutes | Linear: 90 minutes
Basecamp: 500-2000ms typical | Linear: <50ms (sub-millisecond)
Basecamp: Message boards, group chat, pings, comments | Linear: Comments only (requires Slack/Discord)
Basecamp: 500GB included | Linear: Limited (paid add-on)
Basecamp: 20 shortcuts | Linear: 120+ shortcuts with command palette
Basecamp: 3 (text, checkbox, date) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Message boards, DMs, comments, announcements | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Basic (task assignment, reminders only) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 3 (List, Board, Calendar) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Unlimited (all messages searchable) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Yes (to-do lists, schedules, message boards) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 1,000-3,000ms (batch updates) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 100GB per account | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: $99 flat (unlimited users) | Linear: $10
Basecamp: Flat rate after 1 user | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: Yes: to-do lists, timelines, milestones, dependencies | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 3 million+ (2024 estimate) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: $99/month (flat) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: $299/month (flat) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 5 (chat, threads, message boards, pings, notifications) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 0 (no native databases) | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: 85% of desktop features | Linear: N/A
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Basic (Scrum/Kanban)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Excellent (Fast)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Via Everhour API
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: $10/month (Team)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 2-4 hours to productive state
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Minimal - links to external docs preferred
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 50+ native integrations
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 5 core views (list, board, calendar, kanban, table)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Unlimited - scales to enterprise
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Native commits, PRs, code review
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Limited to preset field types
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 95%+ in dev teams
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Basic timeline view only
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Manual entry only
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Native GitHub/GitLab sync with PR linking
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Full sprint cycles with burndown charts
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: iOS and Android native apps
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Full blocking relationship tracking
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 20+ integrations
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: N/A (not applicable)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: No (external tools required)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Native first-class support
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Unlimited custom workflows
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Moderate (predefined flows)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 120ms (optimized UI)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Thousands of startups and engineering teams
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Very fast (<1 second typical)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 50+ (GitHub, GitLab, Slack, etc.)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Issue tracking & dev project management
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 1-2 days to productive
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Native iOS/Android, well-optimized
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: SSO, advanced permissions, audit logs
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: $100 (Standard team plan)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Yes (up to 10 issues/month)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Native with timelines & milestones
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Robust public/private API
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Advanced with full customization
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: AI-powered summarization, triage, automation
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: ~$100 team plans
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Native sync built-in
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: ~50 standard automations
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 3 views (board, list, views)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Yes - Enterprise plan
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Excellent - API-first approach
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: $100 (Standard plan)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Custom per-user pricing
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Limited AI capabilities
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Engineering & dev teams
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Established (5+ years)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Available for small teams
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Deep developer tool integrations
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Unlimited custom statuses
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Yes, automatic issue sync
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Advanced (50+ rule combinations)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 5-500+ optimized
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Bi-directional + slash commands
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Extensive (50+ shortcuts)
Monthly Cost per User (Annual Commitment)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Two-way sync with auto-close
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 2 (Table, Board)
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: ~50 integrations
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 10,000 requests/month
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: iOS & Android (native)
Max Database Items Before Performance Degradation
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Movement along single axis (x only, or parametric t)
Typical Grade Level Introduction (US Education)
Computational Complexity for Standard Operations
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: O(1) - constant time for most calculations
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 2 parameters (slope and y-intercept, or two points)
Number of Independent Variables in Standard Equation
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 2 variables (x and y)
Practical Applications in Modern Technology
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: Linear regression models, trend analysis, machine learning (linear classifiers), signal processing
Intersection Outcomes with Same Type Objects
Basecamp: N/A | Linear: 3 outcomes: 1 point, parallel (0 points), or identical
How to choose between Basecamp and Linear
Basecamp vs Linear — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Basecamp vs Linear. Contains 182 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Basecamp vs Linear — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Basecamp vs Linear.
Which tool is better for non-technical teams?
Basecamp is significantly better for non-technical teams. Its interface has a 25-minute learning curve compared to Linear's 90+ minutes, and it includes built-in chat, messaging boards, and file sharing so teams don't need to juggle external tools. Linear is designed specifically for software developers and assumes familiarity with concepts like sprints, backlogs, and issue tracking.
Which is more cost-effective for 30+ person teams?
Basecamp's flat $99/month rate is dramatically more cost-effective for larger teams. At 30 people, Basecamp costs $99/month while Linear costs $300/month (30 × $10). However, Linear's per-user pricing makes sense if only 5-8 engineers need access while others use external communication tools.
Can Linear replace Slack/Discord for team communication?
No. Linear intentionally has no built-in messaging—it's designed to integrate with Slack or Discord for communication. Basecamp includes comprehensive communication tools (message boards, group chat, pings), making it a complete standalone solution. If your team prefers a unified platform, Basecamp is the better choice.
Which integrates better with GitHub and development tools?
Linear has 200+ native integrations including first-class support for GitHub, GitLab, Slack, and CI/CD tools. Basecamp has ~50 integrations and doesn't prioritize developer tools. If your workflow heavily relies on GitHub automation, code reviews, and CI/CD pipelines, Linear is significantly superior.
Is Linear worth the extra cost for non-engineering teams?
No. Linear is purpose-built for software development teams and its features (sprints, velocity tracking, issue prioritization, GitHub sync) add little value for marketing, sales, or creative teams. Basecamp's all-in-one approach, simplicity, and flat pricing make it the better ROI for general business teams.
How to Choose Between Basecamp and Linear
Primary Use Case: Basecamp has General project management, team communication, any industry, while Linear has Software development issue tracking and sprint management.
Team Size Sweet Spot: Basecamp has 5-100+ people across different departments, while Linear has 2-50 person engineering teams.
Consider: API & Integration Capabilities
API & Integration Capabilities: Basecamp has Limited integrations (Zapier, basic webhooks), while Linear has Extensive API with 200+ native integrations.
Real-Time Collaboration Speed: Basecamp has Standard response times, message-based, while Linear has Sub-millisecond updates, designed for instant feedback.
Learning Curve: Basecamp has Under 30 minutes for new users, while Linear has 1-3 hours for non-technical team members unfamiliar with dev workflows.
Monthly Cost (Small Team): Basecamp has $99/month for up to 20 users, while Linear has $10/month per user (minimum 5 users = $50/month).
Built-In Communication Tools: Basecamp has Message boards, group chat, ping system, extensive messaging, while Linear has Comments only, requires external Slack/Discord integration.