Linear vs Jira

by Gralio Feb 03, 2025

Linear and Jira are both project management tools, but they cater to different needs. Linear excels in simplicity and speed, making it ideal for smaller, fast-paced software development teams. Jira, with its extensive customization and integration options, is better suited for larger teams and complex projects, but comes with a steeper learning curve.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 4907 reviews and 60 websites, saving 1 day, 3 hours, 45 minutes of reading.

Linear

Website LinkedIn Twitter

Jira

LinkedIn Twitter

About

Linear is a software platform designed for product development teams of all sizes to manage projects and build products efficiently. It provides tools to streamline and track issues, manage sprints, and build product roadmaps. Linear enables teams to collaborate on ideas, plan projects, visualize progress, and gain insights from real-time data analytics. It integrates with popular tools like Slack and Figma, making it a comprehensive solution for managing modern software development workflows.

Jira is a popular work management tool from Atlassian used by teams of all sizes to track tasks and projects. It helps organize, prioritize, and track work progress through customizable workflows, boards, and reporting features. Although highly configurable and initially popular for software development, Jira is now used by various teams for project management, bug tracking, and issue resolution.

Summary

Main difference

Linear is a streamlined, intuitive project management tool ideal for fast-moving software development teams prioritizing speed and ease of use. Jira, while more complex, offers greater customization and a wider range of integrations, making it better suited for larger teams with intricate workflows and diverse project needs.

Relative strengths of Linear (compared to Jira)

Intuitive and user-friendly interface, promoting ease of use and quick onboarding.
Fast performance and real-time sync, enabling efficient task management.
Strong focus on software development workflows, with purpose-built features and integrations.

Relative weaknesses of Linear (compared to Jira)

Limited customization options compared to Jira, restricting flexibility for diverse project needs.
Smaller user base and fewer integrations than Jira, potentially limiting interoperability with existing tools.
Less robust reporting and analytics features than Jira, hindering in-depth project analysis.

Who should use Linear VS. Jira

Linear is a powerful, user-friendly platform built for software development teams to manage projects, track issues, and build product roadmaps. Known for its intuitive interface and fast performance, Linear helps teams collaborate effectively and streamline their workflow. Users praise its clean design, speed, and excellent keyboard shortcuts, while some desire more label customization.

Jira is a versatile work management and issue-tracking tool suitable for teams of all sizes. Users praise Jira's customizable workflows, Agile project management features, and integrations. However, some find the interface complex and the learning curve steep. If your team needs a powerful, adaptable tool and you're prepared to invest in training, Jira could be a great fit.

Best for small to mid-sized teams needing streamlined product development.
Ideal for software development teams seeking enhanced collaboration and efficient workflows.

Best for small, medium, and large businesses.
Ideal for software, IT, and telecom companies, but suitable for most industries.

Linear and Jira features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Workflow management

Not supported

Linear is designed for software development workflows, not knowledge bases.

Partially supported

Jira offers workflow management but might require integrations or customization for knowledge base content.
Intuitive Interface Design

Supported

Linear has a sleek, minimalist, and streamlined interface praised for intuitive design.

Partially supported

Jira offers a functional interface with ongoing improvements and third-party customization options for enhanced user experience.
High Performance

Supported

Linear is built for speed with a high-performance architecture.

Supported

Jira, especially Data Center, is engineered for optimal speed and efficiency.
Purpose-built Workflows

Supported

Linear supports custom workflows designed for software development, enhancing efficiency.

Supported

Jira allows creating custom workflows for various purposes, enhancing efficiency.
Team Collaboration Enhancement

Supported

Linear supports team collaboration with features like real-time co-editing and communication tools integration.

Supported

Jira supports team collaboration with features like shared boards, real-time updates, and integrations.
Comprehensive Product Management

Supported

Linear supports comprehensive product management, from daily tasks to large initiatives.

Supported

Jira provides a comprehensive platform for managing all aspects of product development, from daily tasks to large initiatives.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

-1

Strongly negative sentiment

-0.49

Rather negative sentiment
Customer Service

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment

+0.3

Rather positive sentiment
Ease of Use

+1

Strongly positive sentiment

+0.43

Rather positive sentiment
Reliability and Performance

+1

Strongly positive sentiment

+0.38

Rather positive sentiment
Ease of Implementation

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment

-0.13

Neutral sentiment
Scalability

No data

+0.23

Neutral sentiment

Linear and Jira Pricing

No data

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-1

See full Pricing page

No data

User sentiment

Rather negative

-0.49

We couldn't find a pricing page for Jira.

Linear and Jira review insights

4903 reviews analysed from and

Users love

Intuitive and user-friendly interface, praised for its clean design and ease of use.
Fast and efficient performance, making task management seamless.
Excellent keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys, enabling efficient navigation and interaction.
Strong collaboration features, particularly for software development teams.

Highly customizable workflows and boards.
Excellent for Agile project management, with Scrum and Kanban boards.
Seamless integrations with other tools like Confluence and Slack.
Robust reporting features and dashboards.
Detailed issue tracking and task management.

Users dislike

Limited customization options for labels, with users desiring more flexibility.

Complex interface can be overwhelming for new users.
Steep learning curve, especially for beginners.
Slow loading times, especially with large projects.
Mobile app could be improved.
Notification system can be overwhelming.

Linear and Jira Ratings

G2

4.6/5

(36)
TrustPilot

4.0/5

(4)

G2

4.3/5

(2553)
Capterra

4.4/5

(2350)

Company health

Employee growth

47% increase in the last year

No data

Web traffic

No change in the last quarter

No data

Financing

June 2023 - $52M

No data

How do Linear's real-time collaboration features compare to Jira's for remote teams?

Linear emphasizes real-time collaboration with features like real-time sync and integrations with communication tools, while Jira, though supporting collaboration through features like @mentions and shared boards, doesn't explicitly highlight real-time features in the same way. Therefore, Linear may offer a slightly more seamless real-time experience for remote teams needing constant synchronization.

Which product, Linear or Jira, offers a more intuitive onboarding experience for new users?

Linear offers a more intuitive onboarding experience for new users. Linear's "intuitive interface design" is frequently praised in user reviews, highlighting its clean design and ease of use. Conversely, Jira, while powerful, is known for its complex interface and steep learning curve, which can be overwhelming for beginners.

What are the advantages of Linear?

Linear offers a more intuitive and user-friendly interface, particularly beneficial for teams prioritizing ease of use and a streamlined experience. It is praised for its speed and performance, enabling efficient task management. Linear also stands out with its excellent keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys, which can significantly improve workflow efficiency for users who prefer keyboard navigation.

What are the disadvantages of Linear?

Linear has limited customization options, particularly for labels, which can be a constraint for teams requiring more flexibility in their workflows. It also receives a "bad" rating for suitability for enterprise companies. While it performs well for small and medium-sized businesses, its ability to scale and meet the complex needs of larger organizations might be a concern.

Alternatives to Linear and Jira

Trello

Trello is a visual project management tool that helps teams organize tasks and collaborate more effectively. Using boards, lists, and cards, teams can easily track progress on projects, from simple to-do lists to complex workflows. Trello offers a high level of customization with features like templates, integrations with other popular apps, and no-code automation. Its intuitive interface makes it easy for anyone to use, regardless of technical skill. Trello offers various pricing plans to suit different team sizes and needs, including a free plan for small teams.

Asana

Asana is a work management platform designed to help teams organize tasks, projects, and goals in one shared space. It offers tools to improve team collaboration, transparency, and accountability. Used by companies of all sizes, it's particularly beneficial for managing complex projects and keeping everyone aligned on priorities. Features include task assignments, progress tracking, deadline setting, and communication tools. Asana aims to streamline workflows, enhance team productivity, and provide a clear overview of project statuses.

Dynatrace

Dynatrace helps you understand how your software is running, like a health tracker for your apps and systems. It monitors everything - websites, networks, user experience - to pinpoint problems before they impact your business. With AI-powered analysis, Dynatrace simplifies complex data, giving you clear answers and helping you automate IT tasks.

monday dev

monday dev is a product management and bug tracking software designed for software development teams. Built on the monday.com platform, it helps manage development processes, launch products, and collaborate on roadmaps, sprints, and customer feedback. It centralizes development activities and aims for faster, more efficient product delivery through streamlined workflows and improved team communication. monday dev integrates with other monday.com products, potentially connecting your development team with sales, marketing, and customer success.

BugHerd

BugHerd simplifies website feedback and bug tracking. It allows teams and clients to pinpoint issues directly on a webpage like using virtual sticky notes. This visual approach eliminates vague feedback, saving time and confusion. BugHerd also offers task management features and integrates with popular tools like Slack and Jira, streamlining your workflow. It's a popular choice for web development agencies, marketing teams, and in-house project management for its user-friendly interface and efficient feedback loop.

ClickUp

ClickUp is a comprehensive work management platform designed to consolidate various work processes into one centralized location. It offers a wide array of features including task management, project planning, document collaboration, communication tools, goal setting, and automation options. ClickUp aims to enhance team collaboration, improve visibility across projects, and streamline workflows for increased productivity regardless of team size or industry.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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