Linear is a modern, lightweight issue tracking tool built for speed and developer experience with a $10/user/month starting price, while Jira is an enterprise-grade platform offering extensive customization and integration options at $7.75/user/month but with steeper complexity and learning curve.
Linear vs Jira — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Fast, purpose-built issue tracking and project management platform for software teams
Enterprise project management platform with advanced agile workflows, reporting, and automation.
Pricing Model. Setup Time to Productivity. Native Mobile App. Custom Fields. API Rate Limits. Automation Rules. User Base Size (Teams Using)
Choose Linear if you're a startup or small team (5-50 people) that values speed, clean UI, and rapid issue resolution without heavy customization needs. Choose Jira if you're an enterprise organization requiring deep customization, multiple project types (software, business, service management), complex workflow automation, and extensive integration ecosystems with existing tools.
Linear: Basic (Scrum/Kanban) | Jira: Unlimited custom workflows and fields
Linear: 200+ | Jira: 500+ apps via Marketplace
Linear: Basic | Jira: Advanced (SOC 2, HIPAA)
Linear: Excellent (Fast) | Jira: Good (Moderate)
Linear: Via Everhour API | Jira: Via Everhour API
Linear: 2-4 hours to productive state | Jira: N/A
Linear: Minimal - links to external docs preferred | Jira: N/A
Linear: 50+ native integrations | Jira: N/A
Linear: 5 core views (list, board, calendar, kanban, table) | Jira: N/A
Linear: Unlimited - scales to enterprise | Jira: N/A
Linear: Native commits, PRs, code review | Jira: N/A
Linear: Limited to preset field types | Jira: N/A
Linear: Basic timeline view only | Jira: N/A
Linear: Native GitHub/GitLab sync with PR linking | Jira: N/A
Linear: Full sprint cycles with burndown charts | Jira: N/A
Linear: iOS and Android native apps | Jira: N/A
Linear: Full blocking relationship tracking | Jira: N/A
Linear: N/A (not applicable) | Jira: N/A
Linear: No (external tools required) | Jira: No (requires external integration)
Linear: Native first-class support | Jira: Plugin-based
Linear: Unlimited custom workflows | Jira: N/A
Linear: Moderate (predefined flows) | Jira: N/A
Linear: 120ms (optimized UI) | Jira: N/A
Linear: Thousands of startups and engineering teams | Jira: N/A
Linear: Very fast (<1 second typical) | Jira: N/A
Linear: 50+ (GitHub, GitLab, Slack, etc.) | Jira: N/A
Linear: Issue tracking & dev project management | Jira: N/A
Linear: 1-2 days to productive | Jira: N/A
Linear: Native iOS/Android, well-optimized | Jira: N/A
Linear: SSO, advanced permissions, audit logs | Jira: N/A
Linear: $100 (Standard team plan) | Jira: N/A
Linear: Yes (up to 10 issues/month) | Jira: Yes, limited
Linear: Native with timelines & milestones | Jira: N/A
Linear: Robust public/private API | Jira: N/A
Linear: Advanced with full customization | Jira: N/A
Linear: AI-powered summarization, triage, automation | Jira: N/A
Linear: $100 (Standard plan) | Jira: N/A
Linear: Native sync built-in | Jira: N/A
Linear: ~50 standard automations | Jira: N/A
Linear: 3 views (board, list, views) | Jira: N/A
Linear: Yes - Enterprise plan | Jira: N/A
Linear: Excellent - API-first approach | Jira: N/A
Linear: Custom per-user pricing | Jira: N/A
Linear: Limited AI capabilities | Jira: N/A
Linear: Engineering & dev teams | Jira: N/A
Linear: Established (5+ years) | Jira: N/A
Linear: Available for small teams | Jira: N/A
Linear: Deep developer tool integrations | Jira: N/A
Linear: $50/month (5 users minimum) | Jira: N/A
Linear: $250/month (25 users × $10) | Jira: N/A
Linear: <50ms (sub-millisecond) | Jira: N/A
Linear: Comments only (requires Slack/Discord) | Jira: N/A
Linear: Limited (paid add-on) | Jira: N/A
Linear: 120+ shortcuts with command palette | Jira: N/A
Linear: Unlimited custom statuses | Jira: N/A
Linear: Yes, automatic issue sync | Jira: N/A
Linear: Advanced (50+ rule combinations) | Jira: N/A
Linear: Bi-directional + slash commands | Jira: N/A
Linear: Extensive (50+ shortcuts) | Jira: N/A
Monthly Cost per User (Annual Commitment)
Linear: Two-way sync with auto-close | Jira: N/A
Linear: 8 custom fields | Jira: Unlimited
Linear: ~50 integrations | Jira: ~3000 integrations
Linear: 10,000 requests/month | Jira: Varies by plan
Linear: iOS & Android (native) | Jira: Web app + Jira Mobile (limited)
Linear: 100-500 people | Jira: 1,000+ people
Max Database Items Before Performance Degradation
Linear: Movement along single axis (x only, or parametric t) | Jira: N/A
Typical Grade Level Introduction (US Education)
Computational Complexity for Standard Operations
Linear: O(1) - constant time for most calculations | Jira: N/A
Linear: 2 parameters (slope and y-intercept, or two points) | Jira: N/A
Number of Independent Variables in Standard Equation
Linear: 2 variables (x and y) | Jira: N/A
Practical Applications in Modern Technology
Linear: Linear regression models, trend analysis, machine learning (linear classifiers), signal processing | Jira: N/A
Intersection Outcomes with Same Type Objects
Linear: 3 outcomes: 1 point, parallel (0 points), or identical | Jira: N/A
Linear: N/A | Jira: Full Scrum with sprints, backlogs, velocity tracking
Linear: N/A | Jira: 10+ users, enterprise scale
Linear: N/A | Jira: Highly customizable workflows and fields
Linear: N/A | Jira: Advanced dashboards, burndowns, velocity charts
Linear: N/A | Jira: Enterprise-grade bug tracking
Linear: N/A | Jira: Deep CI/CD & DevOps integration
Linear: N/A | Jira: $14.54/month (Premium)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Full agile reporting suite included
Linear: N/A | Jira: Built-in cycle time metrics
Linear: N/A | Jira: Full cross-project and portfolio reporting
Linear: N/A | Jira: External integration via webhooks and apps
Linear: N/A | Jira: Available at Premium ($14.54/user/month)
Linear: N/A | Jira: 15-500+ with complex workflows
Linear: N/A | Jira: Steeper learning curve, more heavyweight
Linear: N/A | Jira: 1000+ apps in Marketplace
Linear: N/A | Jira: Steep (Advanced features require training)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Via marketplace add-ons
Linear: N/A | Jira: Native with Confluence, Bitbucket, and 400+ apps
Linear: N/A | Jira: Small (1-10) to Enterprise (1000+)
Linear: N/A | Jira: 60-80% of teams require professional services
Linear: N/A | Jira: Project Management & Issue Tracking
Linear: N/A | Jira: Full sprint planning with burndown charts and velocity tracking
Linear: N/A | Jira: Limited to issue descriptions and project documentation
Linear: N/A | Jira: Issue and project-level search capabilities
Linear: N/A | Jira: Standard mobile interface for viewing and managing issues
Linear: N/A | Jira: 10+ users for optimal use
Linear: N/A | Jira: Seamless integration with Confluence for context and documentation
Linear: N/A | Jira: iOS, Android, native apps
Linear: N/A | Jira: Native GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket support
Linear: N/A | Jira: Pages (limited collaboration)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Advanced with burndown charts
Linear: N/A | Jira: Code-based scripting and automation
Linear: N/A | Jira: Up to 10 (limited features)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Issue tracking, sprint planning, agile boards
Linear: N/A | Jira: Requires third-party tools (Jenkins, GitHub Actions)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Data Center available (enterprise)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Full support (Scrum, Kanban, custom)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Deep two-way integration
Linear: N/A | Jira: No (Bitbucket integration required)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Advanced (unlimited custom fields, swim lanes, automation)
Advanced Agile Features (Sprint Velocity Tracking)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Advanced with historical trending
Linear: N/A | Jira: Limited offline access
Linear: N/A | Jira: Native deep integration (GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins, etc.)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Automation through scripting only
Linear: N/A | Jira: Yes - up to 10 users
Linear: N/A | Jira: Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, Scrumban
Linear: N/A | Jira: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps
Linear: N/A | Jira: 30+ (burndown, velocity, CFD, etc.)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Native sprint planning, capacity planning, scope management
Linear: N/A | Jira: Free tier for up to 10 users
Linear: N/A | Jira: $7.16 (Standard) - $29 (Enterprise)
Linear: N/A | Jira: 40+ (burndown, velocity, CFD, sprint)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Unlimited with Jira Automation + Scripts
Linear: N/A | Jira: 1000+ (higher tiers unlimited)
Linear: N/A | Jira: Unlimited in free tier
Linear vs Jira — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Linear vs Jira. Contains 221 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Linear vs Jira — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Linear vs Jira.
Can I migrate from Linear to Jira or vice versa?
Yes, but with caveats. Linear provides built-in CSV export, and several migration tools exist (Exalate, Unito). Jira has import tools for Linear, but custom field mappings require manual setup. Migration typically takes 2-4 weeks for projects with 1,000+ issues. Data loss risk is low if done properly, but historical issue relationships may need reconfiguration in the target system.
Linear has a slight edge due to its native mobile apps with offline-first architecture, allowing work continuation without internet. Linear's real-time collaboration features (live cursors, instant sync) perform better on unreliable connections. Jira works well for remote teams but requires more disciplined configuration and relies more heavily on browser access.
Does Linear support service desk/ticketing functionality?
No. Linear is purpose-built for internal issue tracking and engineering workflows only. Jira Service Management is the dedicated tool for customer support ticketing. If you need both internal issue tracking and customer-facing support, you'd need Linear + Zendesk/Freshdesk, or use Jira Service Management for both.
What's the total cost of ownership at scale?
For a 50-person engineering team: Linear costs $500/month base (~$6,000/year). Jira costs $387.50/month base (~$4,650/year), but add-ons (Automation, Advanced Roadmaps, Insight) typically cost $1,500-3,000/year, bringing total to $6,150-7,650/year. Linear remains cheaper; Jira's flexibility costs more when fully utilized.
Can both tools handle complex workflows and approvals?
Linear supports basic workflows (statuses, assignees, labels) and simple automation rules. Jira's Automation add-on enables complex multi-step workflows, conditional logic, and approval gates. For organizations needing 5+ conditional workflow steps, Jira is significantly more capable. Linear is best for teams using simpler, Agile-focused workflows.
Pricing Model: Linear has $10/user/month (Pro plan), while Jira has $7.75/user/month (Standard plan).
Setup Time to Productivity: Linear has 15-30 minutes, while Jira has 2-4 hours.
Native Mobile App: Linear has Yes (iOS/Android), while Jira has Requires third-party or web app.
Custom Fields: Linear has Limited (8 custom fields), while Jira has Unlimited custom fields.
API Rate Limits: Linear has 10,000 requests/month free, while Jira has Varies by plan (up to 1,000,000/month).
Automation Rules: Linear has Basic workflow automation included, while Jira has Advanced automation (requires Jira Automation add-on).
User Base Size (Teams Using): Linear has ~2 million active users, while Jira has ~10 million active users.