Linear is a developer-focused issue tracking platform emphasizing speed and streamlined workflows, while Shortcut (formerly Clubhouse) is a project management tool designed for agile teams with broader collaboration features. Linear prioritizes minimalist design and keyboard-centric navigation, whereas Shortcut focuses on customizable workflows and team visibility.
Linear vs Shortcut — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Fast, purpose-built issue tracking and project management platform for software teams
Agile project management platform with customizable workflows and team collaboration features.
Primary Use Case. UI Philosophy. Team Size Sweet Spot. Pricing Model. Keyboard Shortcuts Support. Custom Workflow Fields. GitHub/GitLab Integration Depth
Choose Linear if you lead a lean engineering team that values speed, keyboard efficiency, and frictionless issue tracking without feature bloat. Choose Shortcut if you manage larger, cross-functional teams that need flexible workflows, extensive customization, and lower per-user costs for team scaling.
Linear: Basic (Scrum/Kanban) | Shortcut: Pre-optimized with limited customization
Linear: Excellent (Fast) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Via Everhour API | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: $10/month (Team) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 2-4 hours to productive state | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Minimal - links to external docs preferred | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 50+ native integrations | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 5 core views (list, board, calendar, kanban, table) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Unlimited - scales to enterprise | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Native commits, PRs, code review | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Limited to preset field types | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 95%+ in dev teams | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Basic timeline view only | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Manual entry only | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Native GitHub/GitLab sync with PR linking | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Full sprint cycles with burndown charts | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: iOS and Android native apps | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Full blocking relationship tracking | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 20+ integrations | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: N/A (not applicable) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: No (external tools required) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Native first-class support | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Unlimited custom workflows | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Moderate (predefined flows) | Shortcut: Extensive (fully custom)
Linear: Web-based only | Shortcut: iOS & Android apps
Linear: 120ms (optimized UI) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Thousands of startups and engineering teams | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Very fast (<1 second typical) | Shortcut: 300-400ms
Linear: 50+ (GitHub, GitLab, Slack, etc.) | Shortcut: 100+
Linear: Issue tracking & dev project management | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 1-2 days to productive | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Native iOS/Android, well-optimized | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: SSO, advanced permissions, audit logs | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: $100 (Standard team plan) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Yes (up to 10 issues/month) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Native with timelines & milestones | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Robust public/private API | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 10-500+ developers | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Advanced with full customization | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: AI-powered summarization, triage, automation | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: $100 (Standard plan) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: ~$100 team plans | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Native sync built-in | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: ~50 standard automations | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 3 views (board, list, views) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Yes - Enterprise plan | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Excellent - API-first approach | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Custom per-user pricing | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Limited AI capabilities | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Engineering & dev teams | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Established (5+ years) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Available for small teams | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Deep developer tool integrations | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: $50/month (5 users minimum) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: $250/month (25 users × $10) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 200+ integrations | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: <50ms (sub-millisecond) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Comments only (requires Slack/Discord) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Limited (paid add-on) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 120+ shortcuts with command palette | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Unlimited custom statuses | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Yes, automatic issue sync | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Advanced (50+ rule combinations) | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 5-500+ optimized | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Bi-directional + slash commands | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: Extensive (50+ shortcuts) | Shortcut: N/A
Monthly Cost per User (Annual Commitment)
Linear: None | Shortcut: Yes (up to 10 users)
Linear: Two-way sync with auto-close | Shortcut: One-way sync only
Linear: 2 (Table, Board) | Shortcut: 4 (Kanban, Scrum, Table, List)
Linear: ~50 integrations | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 10,000 requests/month | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: iOS & Android (native) | Shortcut: N/A
Max Database Items Before Performance Degradation
Linear: Movement along single axis (x only, or parametric t) | Shortcut: N/A
Typical Grade Level Introduction (US Education)
Computational Complexity for Standard Operations
Linear: O(1) - constant time for most calculations | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: 2 parameters (slope and y-intercept, or two points) | Shortcut: N/A
Number of Independent Variables in Standard Equation
Linear: 2 variables (x and y) | Shortcut: N/A
Practical Applications in Modern Technology
Linear: Linear regression models, trend analysis, machine learning (linear classifiers), signal processing | Shortcut: N/A
Intersection Outcomes with Same Type Objects
Linear: 3 outcomes: 1 point, parallel (0 points), or identical | Shortcut: N/A
Linear: N/A | Shortcut: 50+ integrations
Linear: N/A | Shortcut: Minimal (Intuitive for developers)
Linear: N/A | Shortcut: Built-in, native
Linear: N/A | Shortcut: Not part of Atlassian ecosystem
Linear: N/A | Shortcut: Small (1-10) to Large (200+)
Linear: N/A | Shortcut: 0-5% require custom setup
How to choose between Linear and Shortcut
Linear vs Shortcut — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Linear vs Shortcut. Contains 127 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Linear vs Shortcut — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Linear vs Shortcut.
Which tool is better for small startup teams?
Shortcut offers better value for teams under 15 people due to its free tier and flat $20/month pricing for 10 users. Linear's $10/user minimum makes it more expensive for small teams. However, if your startup is engineering-focused and prioritizes speed and keyboard efficiency, Linear's superior developer experience may justify the cost.
How do Linear and Shortcut compare for GitHub integration?
Linear provides superior GitHub integration with two-way synchronization, automatic issue closing when pull requests merge, and branch linking. Shortcut only supports one-way issue creation from GitHub commits, making Linear the clear choice for teams heavily integrated with Git workflows.
Can I customize workflows extensively in both tools?
Shortcut supports 40+ custom field types and complex automation rules, making it ideal for organizations with unique processes. Linear intentionally limits customization to maintain simplicity and speed, offering only 8 basic field types. Choose Shortcut if flexibility is critical; choose Linear if you prefer enforced standardization.
Yes, Linear loads pages in approximately 0.3 seconds compared to Shortcut's 1.2 seconds, and it supports 50+ keyboard shortcuts versus Shortcut's 15. For keyboard-driven workflows, Linear is significantly faster. Shortcut's performance is acceptable for most teams but doesn't match Linear's optimization focus.
Which tool scales better for large teams?
Shortcut scales better for teams 50+ people due to its portfolio/roadmap views, stakeholder visibility features, and support for complex workflows. Linear remains effective but is designed primarily for engineering team-focused issue tracking. Shortcut's per-user cost also decreases at scale ($8/user at 10+ users vs Linear's flat $10/user).
How to Choose Between Linear and Shortcut
Primary Use Case: Linear has Issue tracking and bug management, while Shortcut has Agile project management and sprint planning.
UI Philosophy: Linear has Minimalist, keyboard-first, speed-optimized, while Shortcut has Feature-rich, visual board-centric, customizable.
Team Size Sweet Spot: Linear has 5-50 person engineering teams, while Shortcut has 10-200+ person cross-functional teams.
Pricing Model: Linear has $10/user/month (annual), free tier unavailable, while Shortcut has $20/month flat for up to 10 users, then $8/user.
Keyboard Shortcuts Support: Linear has 50+ native keyboard shortcuts, fully navigable, while Shortcut has 15+ keyboard shortcuts, mouse-dependent workflows.
Custom Workflow Fields: Linear has Limited (status, assignee, priority, custom text fields), while Shortcut has Extensive (40+ field types, complex custom workflows).
Consider: GitHub/GitLab Integration Depth
GitHub/GitLab Integration Depth: Linear has Two-way sync, branch linking, auto-close on merge, while Shortcut has Unidirectional sync, basic commit linking.