Todoist vs Linear
Todoist
Lightweight task management app focused on individual productivity and simple team coordination.
Individuals, freelancers, marketing teams, HR departments, and general-purpose teams needing intuitive task management with strong natural language capabilities
Linear
Developer-focused issue tracking and project management platform with real-time collaboration and extensive integrations.
Software development teams, startups, and engineering organizations needing professional issue tracking with Git workflows, sprint cycles, and developer-optimized features
Short Answer
Todoist is a general-purpose task management app excelling at personal productivity with natural language input and flexible organization, while Linear is a developer-focused issue tracking platform built for software teams with Git integration and sprint planning.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose Todoist if you're an individual, small business, or non-technical team needing flexible task management with powerful natural language features and lower costs. Choose Linear if you're an engineering team requiring deep Git integration, sprint planning, issue dependency tracking, and workflow automation specifically designed for software development.
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Choose Todoist if
Individuals, freelancers, marketing teams, HR departments, and general-purpose teams needing intuitive task management with strong natural language capabilities
Choose Linear if
Software development teams, startups, and engineering organizations needing professional issue tracking with Git workflows, sprint cycles, and developer-optimized features
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Key Differences at a Glance
Key Facts & Figures
| Metric | Todoist | Linear | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Integrations(integrations) | 80+ | — | — |
| User Base Size(millions) | 30+ million | — | — |
| User Rating(stars) | 4.5/5 | — | — |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $4/month (flat rate) | $8/user/month | -50% |
| Free Tier Task/Issue Limit(count) | Unlimited | 250 issues | — |
| Supported Platform Integrations(count) | 50+ integrations | 20+ integrations | +150% |
| Monthly Cost (Individual Premium)(USD) | $4/month | — | — |
| Task Entry Speed(seconds) | 2-3 seconds | — | — |
| Page Load Time(seconds) | 0.5 seconds | — | — |
| Recurrence Pattern Options(count) | 20+ patterns | — | — |
| Time to Proficiency(hours) | 0.5-1 hour | — | — |
| Third-Party Integrations(count) | 1,000+ (via IFTTT + native) | 200+ | +400% |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Tier)(USD) | $4 | — | — |
| Annual Subscription Cost (Pro Tier)(USD) | $48 | — | — |
| Starting Monthly Price (Per User/Workspace)(USD) | $4 | — | — |
| Maximum Team Size (Per Instance)(members) | 200 | — | — |
| Number of Built-in Automation Templates(templates) | ~10 | — | — |
| Estimated Time to Team Proficiency(weeks) | 1-2 weeks | — | — |
| Third-Party Integrations Available(count) | 180+ | — | — |
| iOS & Android App Quality Rating (App Store/Google Play)(stars) | 4.6 | — | — |
| Annual Contract Discount Available(percent) | 20% | — | — |
| Workflow Customization Level(flexibility score) | Basic (Scrum/Kanban) | Basic (Scrum/Kanban) | — |
| Onboarding Time for Small Team(hours) | 4-8 hours | 4-8 hours | — |
| Interface Performance(responsiveness score) | Excellent (Fast) | Excellent (Fast) | — |
| Starting Price(USD/month) | $10/month (Team) | $10/month (Team) | — |
| Setup Time for Engineering Teams(hours) | 2-4 hours to productive state | 2-4 hours to productive state | — |
| Number of Integration Partnerships(integrations) | 50+ native integrations | 50+ native integrations | — |
| Custom View Options(view types) | 5 core views (list, board, calendar, kanban, table) | 5 core views (list, board, calendar, kanban, table) | — |
| Base Monthly Cost (per user)(USD) | $7.00 | $7.00 | — |
| Typical UI Load Time(seconds) | 0.5-1.0 seconds | 0.5-1.0 seconds | — |
| Dev Team Adoption Rate(%) | 95%+ in dev teams | 95%+ in dev teams | — |
| Days to Team Proficiency(days) | 3-7 days | 3-7 days | — |
| Monthly Cost (Small Team: 5 users)(USD) | $750 | $750 | — |
| Monthly Cost (Large Team: 20 users)(USD) | $3000 | $3000 | — |
| Issue Workflow Customization(custom statuses) | Unlimited custom workflows | Unlimited custom workflows | — |
| API Rate Limit(requests/minute) | 60000 | 60000 | — |
| Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $10 | $10 | — |
| Free Trial Length(days) | 14 days | 14 days | — |
| Search Performance (avg response)(milliseconds) | 120ms (optimized UI) | 120ms (optimized UI) | — |
| User Base Size(millions) | Thousands of startups and engineering teams | Thousands of startups and engineering teams | — |
| Basic Plan Cost(USD/month) | $100 | $100 | — |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 50+ (GitHub, GitLab, Slack, etc.) | 50+ (GitHub, GitLab, Slack, etc.) | — |
| Setup Time (Days)(days) | 1-2 days to productive | 1-2 days to productive | — |
| Starting Monthly Cost(USD) | $100 (Standard plan) | $100 (Standard plan) | — |
| Automation Rules Available(count) | ~50 standard automations | ~50 standard automations | — |
| Board View Types(count) | 3 views (board, list, views) | 3 views (board, list, views) | — |
| Interface Load Time(seconds) | ~0.5-1.0 | ~0.5-1.0 | — |
| User Rating(out of 5) | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | — |
| Base Monthly Cost (Small Team)(USD) | $50/month (5 users minimum) | $50/month (5 users minimum) | — |
| Cost at 25-Person Team(USD/month) | $250/month (25 users × $10) | $250/month (25 users × $10) | — |
| Native Integrations(count) | 200+ integrations | 200+ integrations | — |
| Onboarding Time for New User(minutes) | 90 minutes | 90 minutes | — |
| Real-Time Collaboration Latency(milliseconds) | <50ms (sub-millisecond) | <50ms (sub-millisecond) | — |
| File Storage per Project(GB) | Limited (paid add-on) | Limited (paid add-on) | — |
| Workflow Keyboard Shortcuts(count) | 120+ shortcuts with command palette | 120+ shortcuts with command palette | — |
All figures sourced from publicly available data. Last updated Jun 2026.
Key Differences
Todoist
Personal and team task management
Linear
Software development issue tracking
Todoist
Yes - advanced AI parsing for tasks🏆
Linear
No - manual entry required
Todoist
Limited via webhooks
Linear
Native GitHub/GitLab sync🏆
Todoist
$4/month🏆
Linear
$8/user/month
Todoist
Basic project management
Linear
Full sprint cycles with velocity tracking🏆
Todoist
Unlimited tasks🏆
Linear
Up to 250 issues
Todoist
Broad teams (any department)
Linear
Engineering teams only
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Todoist | Linear |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Integrations(integrations) | 80+ | — |
| User Base Size(millions) | 30+ million | — |
| Dev Team Adoption Rate(%) | 95%+ in dev teams | — |
| User Base Size(millions) | Thousands of startups and engineering teams | — |
| Market Maturity(years) | Established (5+ years) | — |
| User Rating(stars) | 4.5/5 | — |
| Built-in Habit Tracking | No | — |
| Native Calendar View | No (requires integration) | — |
| Pomodoro Timer | No | — |
| Team Collaboration Capabilities | Advanced (shared projects, comments, assignments) | — |
| Natural Language Task Input | Full AI parsing with smart scheduling | Manual entry only |
Show 23 more attributesRecurrence Pattern Options(count) 20+ patterns — Database Capabilities None (task lists only) — Third-Party Integrations(count) 1,000+ (via IFTTT + native) 200+ Offline Task Access Full offline support (mobile & web) — Recurrence Rule Complexity(pattern types) Advanced (every N weeks, specific weekdays, month patterns) — Gantt Chart / Timeline Availability Not available — Number of Built-in Automation Templates(templates) ~10 — Workflow Customization Level(flexibility score) Basic (Scrum/Kanban) — Built-in Documentation Feature Minimal - links to external docs preferred — Custom View Options(view types) 5 core views (list, board, calendar, kanban, table) — Free Tier Repository Limit(repositories) N/A (not applicable) — Built-in CI/CD Pipelines No (external tools required) — Issue Workflow Customization(custom statuses) Unlimited custom workflows — Customizable Workflows Moderate (predefined flows) — Enterprise Plan Features(qualitative) SSO, advanced permissions, audit logs — Built-in Roadmap Features Native with timelines & milestones — Custom Workflow Automation Advanced with full customization — Automation Rules Available(count) ~50 standard automations — Board View Types(count) 3 views (board, list, views) — AI Automation Limited AI capabilities — Integration Depth Deep developer tool integrations — Built-In Communication Tools Comments only (requires Slack/Discord) — Workflow Keyboard Shortcuts(count) 120+ shortcuts with command palette — | ||
| Interface Complexity | Minimal and focused | — |
| Estimated Time to Team Proficiency(weeks) | 1-2 weeks | — |
| Setup Time (Days)(days) | 1-2 days to productive | — |
| Setup Time to Productivity(Days) | 3-7 days | — |
| Onboarding Time for New User(minutes) | 90 minutes | — |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $4/month (flat rate) | $8/user/month |
| Free Tier Task/Issue Limit(count) | Unlimited | 250 issues |
| Monthly Cost (Individual Premium)(USD) | $4/month | — |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Tier)(USD) | $4 | — |
| Annual Subscription Cost (Pro Tier)(USD) | $48 | — |
Show 18 more attributesStarting Monthly Price (Per User/Workspace)(USD) $4 — Annual Contract Discount Available(percent) 20% — Starting Price(USD/month) $10/month (Team) — Free Tier Availability Yes - unlimited issues for small teams — Base Monthly Cost (per user)(USD) $7.00 — Monthly Cost (Small Team: 5 users)(USD) $750 — Monthly Cost (Large Team: 20 users)(USD) $3000 — Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $10 — Free Trial Length(days) 14 days — Basic Plan Cost(USD/month) $100 — Starting Price Per Month(USD) $100 (Standard team plan) — Free Plan Available Yes (up to 10 issues/month) — Starting Monthly Cost(USD) $100 (Standard plan) — Per-Seat Cost (Annual Billing)(USD/month) ~$100 team plans — Basic Monthly Cost(USD) $100 (Standard plan) — Premium Plan Cost(USD) Custom per-user pricing — Base Monthly Cost (Small Team)(USD) $50/month (5 users minimum) — Cost at 25-Person Team(USD/month) $250/month (25 users × $10) — | ||
| Native Git Integration | Webhook-based (limited) | Native GitHub/GitLab sync with PR linking |
| Sprint Planning & Velocity Tracking | Basic projects only | Full sprint cycles with burndown charts |
| Issue Dependency Tracking | Subtasks only | Full blocking relationship tracking |
| API Type | GraphQL | — |
| Mobile App Availability | iOS and Android native apps | iOS and Android native apps |
| Native Mobile App | Web-based only | — |
| Free Tier Users | Available for small teams | — |
| Supported Platform Integrations(count) | 50+ integrations | 20+ integrations |
| Number of Integration Partnerships(integrations) | 50+ native integrations | — |
| Task Entry Speed(seconds) | 2-3 seconds | — |
| Page Load Time(seconds) | 0.5 seconds | — |
| Interface Performance(responsiveness score) | Excellent (Fast) | — |
| Typical UI Load Time(seconds) | 0.5-1.0 seconds | — |
| Search Performance (avg response)(milliseconds) | 120ms (optimized UI) | — |
Show 3 more attributesPage Load Speed(milliseconds) Very fast (<1 second typical) — Interface Load Time(seconds) ~0.5-1.0 — Real-Time Collaboration Latency(milliseconds) <50ms (sub-millisecond) — | ||
| Time to Proficiency(hours) | 0.5-1 hour | — |
| Supported Platforms | 6 platforms (Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux) | — |
| Team Members Supported(users) | Unlimited teams with shared projects | — |
| AI Features Included | Smart Scheduler, task generation, AI summaries | — |
| Design Awards(count) | Multiple UI awards for functionality | — |
| Data Storage Location | Cloud (Todoist servers) | — |
| Maximum Team Size (Per Instance)(members) | 200 | — |
| Optimal Team Size(developers) | 5-50 | — |
| Maximum Team Size Support(users) | Unlimited - scales to enterprise | — |
| Recommended Team Size(people) | 20-40 engineering focused | — |
| Supported Team Size(users) | 5-500+ | — |
Show 1 more attributeIdeal Team Size(People) 10-500+ developers — | ||
| Third-Party Integrations Available(count) | 180+ | — |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 50+ (GitHub, GitLab, Slack, etc.) | — |
| iOS & Android App Quality Rating (App Store/Google Play)(stars) | 4.6 | — |
| Onboarding Time for Small Team(hours) | 4-8 hours | — |
| Enterprise Compliance Features(standards) | Basic | — |
| Time Tracking Integration Support(methods) | Via Everhour API | — |
| Setup Time for Engineering Teams(hours) | 2-4 hours to productive state | — |
| GitHub Integration Capability | Native commits, PRs, code review | — |
| Custom Fields/Workflow Options(count) | Limited to preset field types | — |
| Gantt Chart & Timeline Support | Basic timeline view only | — |
| Days to Team Proficiency(days) | 3-7 days | — |
| GitHub Integration Quality | Native first-class support | — |
| API Rate Limit(requests/minute) | 60000 | — |
| GitHub Integration | Native sync built-in | — |
| Native Integrations(count) | 200+ integrations | — |
| Primary Use Case Match(qualitative) | Issue tracking & dev project management | — |
| Mobile App Quality | Native iOS/Android, well-optimized | — |
| API Strength(Integrations) | Robust public/private API | — |
| AI Features (2026) | AI-powered summarization, triage, automation | — |
| Enterprise SSO Support | Yes - Enterprise plan | — |
| Developer-Friendly Documentation | Excellent - API-first approach | — |
| User Rating(out of 5) | 4.5/5 | — |
| Developer Focus | Engineering & dev teams | — |
| File Storage per Project(GB) | Limited (paid add-on) | — |
Show 23 more attributes
Show 18 more attributes
Show 3 more attributes
Show 1 more attribute
Visual Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of numeric attributes
Pros & Cons
Todoist
Pros
- Advanced natural language processing - type 'Meet Sarah tomorrow at 2pm about project Q3' and it auto-parses date, time, and assignee
- Unlimited tasks on free tier with core features
- Cross-platform support (iOS, Android, Web, macOS, Windows, Outlook integration)
- Flexible organization - supports hierarchical subtasks, labels, filters, and custom views
- Affordable at $4/month for Pro with no per-user pricing
Cons
- Limited native Git/development tool integrations compared to engineering-focused platforms
- Free tier lacks advanced features like automation and custom fields
Linear
Pros
- Native GitHub and GitLab integration - auto-create issues from commits and link pull requests bidirectionally
- Sprint planning with velocity tracking, burndown charts, and release planning
- Issue dependencies and blocking relationships - visualize blocker chains
- Keyboard-centric interface designed for developer speed and efficiency
- Slack integration with smart notifications and command shortcuts
Cons
- $8/user/month pricing can be expensive for large engineering teams (vs $4/month flat for Todoist)
- Free tier limited to 250 issues - not viable for ongoing active projects
- Learning curve steeper for non-technical team members; not designed for non-engineering use
Frequently Asked Questions
Linear is purpose-built for developers with native Git integration, GitHub/GitLab PR linking, sprint planning, and velocity metrics. Todoist lacks developer-focused features like dependency tracking and automated issue creation from commits. Linear is the clear choice for engineering teams.
Resources & Learn More
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Where to Buy
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