Linear fits technical freelancers, small product teams, agencies shipping software best. Its clearest advantage is free plan available for small workspaces.
- Best for
- technical freelancers, small product teams, agencies shipping software
- Avoid if
- teams tracking non-software client work
- Cheapest useful plan
- $12.00/mo · Basic
- Free plan
- Yes
- Setup effort
- easy — 30 min
- Main strength
- Free plan available for small workspaces
- Main limitation
- Built around software delivery, so client-services work fits awkwardly
- Evidence level
- Vendor documented (1/3)
- Free plan available for small workspaces
- Noticeably faster to operate than general work-management tools
- Opinionated defaults mean less configuration before it is useful
- teams tracking non-software client work
- anyone needing time tracking and invoicing in the same tool
What it actually does
keyboard-first interface, cycles and roadmaps, Git branch linking, fast search.
The limits to know
- Built around software delivery, so client-services work fits awkwardly
- No native time tracking or invoicing
- Entry paid price shown is the annual rate; monthly billing costs more
The evidence record
- Evidence level
- Vendor documented — Official documentation and pricing page reviewed and dated. No independent verification, no hands-on test recorded.
- Pricing note
- Observed on the official pricing page with the yearly toggle switched off: Free $0; Basic $12 per user/month monthly or $10 annually; Business $18 monthly or $16 annually. Enterprise is annual billing only.
- Billing condition
- $12 per user/month billed monthly; $10 per user/month billed annually
- Platforms
- web, macos, windows, ios, android
- Integrations
- GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Figma, Zapier
- Setup
- easy — 30 min
- Affiliate status
- No affiliate link on this record — no commission.
Pricing & billing commitment
- Rate on record
- $12.00/mo · Basic
- What that figure is
- Month-to-month rate per seat, read on the vendor's monthly view.
- Commitment
- None — payable one month at a time
- The vendor's exact condition
- $12 per user/month billed monthly; $10 per user/month billed annually
What it costs at 1, 3, 5 and 10 users
Linear bills per seat, so the invoice follows head count. Calculated at the rate on record, before tax, with no annual commitment.
| Seats | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $12.00 | $144.00 |
| 3 | $36.00 | $432.00 |
| 5 | $60.00 | $720.00 |
| 10 | $120.00 | $1440.00 |
Hands-on test
No automated hands-on test has been completed for this review cycle. This record rests on the vendor's official documentation and pricing page, re-read and dated. We say so rather than imply otherwise.
The research record
Corrected to the month-to-month figure already recorded in this record's own billing condition
Published by us from the vendor's annual view — our error, read on 2026-08-12
Sources
The official pages this record rests on. No tracking links here: these addresses name the vendor.
Evidence freshness
Each kind of check has its own clock and its own threshold. A price ages in weeks and a feature list in months; sharing one date between them would let an old review pass for a recent check.
| Check | When | State |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Checked today | Fresh |
| Features | Checked 32 days ago | Fresh |
| Privacy & data | Never checked | Not independently checked |
| Hands-on test | Never checked | Not independently checked |
| Page review | Checked 32 days ago | Fresh |
What remains unverified
- No workflow was run inside the product. Everything here comes from the vendor's documentation and public pages.
- Data handling and the privacy policy were not independently verified during this research cycle. We therefore publish no conclusion about security or where data is stored.
- Export terms and the real cost of leaving are not on this record: we have not tested them.
Alternatives to Linear
Frequently asked questions
What is Linear?
Linear is a tool from Linear, in the projects category. It is mainly used for: issue tracking, sprint planning, product roadmaps.
How much does Linear cost?
The paid entry point is $12.00/mo · Basic. Month-to-month rate per seat, read on the vendor's monthly view. The exact condition attached to that figure: $12 per user/month billed monthly; $10 per user/month billed annually. Read on the official pricing page on 13.09.2026. Prices move quickly — confirm before subscribing.
Does Linear have a free plan?
Yes. Linear publishes a permanent free plan. Check this before settling on it: built around software delivery, so client-services work fits awkwardly.
Who is Linear for — and who is it not for?
Good fit: technical freelancers, small product teams, agencies shipping software. Not for: teams tracking non-software client work; anyone needing time tracking and invoicing in the same tool.
What is the main limitation of Linear?
Built around software delivery, so client-services work fits awkwardly. Our evidence level on this record: Official documentation and pricing page reviewed and dated. No independent verification, no hands-on test recorded.