Linear vs Plane (2026)
By Noahlast updated
Linear
LinearA fast, opinionated issue tracking and product development platform for software teams, used by companies like OpenAI, Ramp, and Opendoor.
- Pricing
- Free tier · paid from $10/mo
- License
- Freemium
Best for software product and engineering teams that want a fast, keyboard-driven issue tracker with built-in support for assigning work to AI coding agents, rather than a heavily customizable general project-management tool
Plane
PlaneAI-native, open-source (AGPL-3.0) project management platform with self-hosted and cloud options, priced as a Jira and Linear alternative.
- Pricing
- Free tier · paid from $6/mo
- License
- Open core
Best for engineering teams migrating from Jira or Linear who want an AGPL-licensed self-hosting option plus a cloud plan that bundles AI credits into every paid tier
Which should you choose?
Choose Linear if…
wins 3/6 use cases
- You want to assign issues directly to AI coding agents and review their code with Linear's Diffs feature
- Your team values a fast, keyboard-first interface with a low learning curve over deep configuration
- You have more than 12 people but light usage, since Linear Free allows unlimited members with 2 teams and 250 issues
- You route customer feedback from Zendesk or Intercom into issues (Business, $16/user/month billed annually)
- You need SAML/SCIM, invoice or PO billing, and priority support with account management (Enterprise)
Choose Plane if…
wins 3/6 use cases
- You need to self-host on Docker or Kubernetes, including air-gapped environments, under the AGPL-3.0
- You want lower per-seat prices: $6/seat/month on Pro and $13 on Business, against Linear's $10 and $16
- You want Board, Spreadsheet, List, and Gantt views plus a built-in wiki in one workspace
- You want AI credits bundled into every tier, from 500 per seat on Free to 2,000 on Business
- You are migrating from Jira, ClickUp, Asana, or Monday and want built-in import tools
Linear vs Plane: feature comparison
| Feature | Linear | Plane |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Yesfree plan; paid from $10/user/month billed annually (Basic) | Yesfree plan; paid from $6/seat/month billed annually (Pro) |
| Free tier | Partialunlimited members, 2 teams, 250 issues | Partialup to 12 users, 500 AI credits per seat |
| Business tier | Yes$16/user/month billed annually | Yes$13/seat/month billed annually |
| Billing flexibility | PartialBusiness and Enterprise prices require annual billing | Yesannual billing saves 25% on Pro, 13% on Business |
| Platforms | Yesweb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Yesweb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| License | Noproprietary freemium | Partialopen-core: AGPL-3.0 Community Edition, commercial enterprise features |
| Self-hosting | Nohosted by Linear | YesDocker or Kubernetes, air-gapped option |
| AI agents | Yescoding agents take issues; Diffs reviews their code | Yesagents triage issues, assign work, post updates |
| Gantt view | Unknown | Yesamong 5 layouts on Free |
| Wiki and docs | Unknown | Yesproject pages on Free, workspace wiki from Pro |
| Sprints and cycles | Yessprint cycles | Yescycles with velocity tracking |
| Customer intake | YesIntake, plus Zendesk and Intercom on Business | Yeswork item intake on Free, email and forms on Business |
| Integrations | YesZendesk and Intercom on Business | Yes50+, including GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Sentry |
| SSO and admin controls | YesSAML/SCIM on Enterprise (custom pricing) | PartialSSO/SAML and LDAP need a commercial license when self-hosted |
| Migration | Yesmigration support on Enterprise | Yesimporters for Jira, Linear, ClickUp, Asana, Monday |
| Learning curve | Yeslow | Partialmoderate |
| External rating | Yes4.9/5 from 436 reviews (Product Hunt) | Unknown |
Linear vs Plane: pricing
Every tier both tools publish, as we last checked them — not just the entry price.
Linear
- FreeUnlimited members, up to 2 teams, 250 issues, admin roles, and access to Linear's agent platform. 10MB file upload limit.Free
- BasicPer user/month, billed annually. Adds up to 5 teams, unlimited issues, unlimited file uploads, and admin roles beyond Free.$10/mo
- BusinessPer user/month, billed annually. Adds unlimited teams, private teams, guest access, Triage Intelligence, Code Intelligence, Linear Insights, Linear Asks, and Zendesk/Intercom integrations.$16/mo
- EnterpriseCustom pricing, annual billing only. Adds invoice/PO billing, SAML/SCIM, granular admin controls, advanced org modeling, migration support, and priority support with account management.Custom
Plane
- FreeUp to 12 users; 500 AI credits per seat; core project management, 5 layouts, work item intake, estimates, and project pages.Free
- ProBilled annually (save 25%); 1,000 AI credits per seat; adds custom work item types, workspace wiki, time tracking, templates, dashboards, initiatives, teamspaces, and integrations.$6/mo
- BusinessBilled annually (save 13%); 2,000 AI credits per seat; adds project templates, recurring work items, intake email/forms, nested pages, single workflow, customer profiles, and advanced dashboards.$13/mo
- Enterprise GridCustom quote; managed deployments, granular access control, multiple workflows with approvals, LDAP support, API audit logs, and migration services.Custom
Linear vs Plane pricing: which costs less?
Plane costs less, at $6/seat/month for Pro and $13/seat/month for Business, both billed annually, against Linear's $10/user/month Basic and $16/user/month Business.
For a 10-person team, Plane Pro runs $60/month and Linear Basic $100/month on annual billing; at the Business tier the gap is $130 versus $160. The free plans limit different things: Plane Free covers up to 12 users with 500 AI credits per seat, while Linear Free allows unlimited members but only 2 teams and 250 issues. Plane's Community Edition is free to self-host, though SSO/SAML, LDAP, and audit logs need a commercial license. Linear's Business and Enterprise prices require annual billing.
Which is easier to use, Linear or Plane?
Linear is easier to use, with a low learning curve rating against Plane's moderate rating, and reviewers consistently cite Linear's keyboard-driven interface as faster than Jira or Asana for daily use.
Linear is deliberately opinionated: fewer configuration choices mean less setup, which suits software teams but feels rigid to teams with complex, non-software workflows. Plane offers more structure to configure, including five layouts, custom work item types, initiatives, epics, and teamspaces, which adds flexibility at the cost of more setup. Self-hosting Plane also adds Docker or Kubernetes administration that Linear's hosted service does not require.
Which is better for AI-assisted development, Linear or Plane?
Linear is better for AI-assisted coding, because Linear issues can be assigned directly to AI coding agents that set up, run, and test code, with Diffs providing structural code review, while Plane's AI agents focus on triage, assignment, and status updates.
Linear's Business plan adds Triage Intelligence and Code Intelligence, and the Free plan includes access to Linear's agent platform. Plane bundles AI credits into every cloud tier, 500 per seat on Free, 1,000 on Pro, and 2,000 on Business, so AI usage is part of the plan rather than a separate add-on. Plane's credit-based consumption can make costs less predictable than flat per-seat pricing.
Can Plane replace Linear?
Plane can replace Linear for issue tracking, cycles, and planning, and ships a dedicated Linear importer, but teams that assign coding work to AI agents through Linear will not find an equivalent coding-agent workflow in Plane's listing.
Plane covers issues, cycles with velocity tracking, initiatives, epics, and intake, and adds Gantt and Spreadsheet views, time tracking, and a wiki that Linear's listing does not mention. Plane integrates with 50+ tools including GitHub, GitLab, Slack, and Sentry, and runs on the same web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android platforms as Linear. Plane has no external rating yet, while Linear holds 4.9/5 from 436 Product Hunt reviews.
Strengths and weaknesses
Linear
Pros
- Fast, keyboard-shortcut-driven interface that reviewers consistently cite as faster than Jira or Asana for daily use.
- Free tier is genuinely usable for small teams (unlimited members, 250 issues, 2 teams).
- Native support for assigning issues to AI coding agents with structured code review via Diffs.
- Native desktop and mobile apps keep the same fast experience across platforms.
Cons
- Less configurable than Jira for teams with complex or non-software workflows.
- Business and Enterprise tiers require annual billing for their listed per-seat prices.
- 250-issue cap on the Free plan is restrictive once a team is doing real ongoing work.
- Less suited to non-engineering teams (marketing, HR, ops) than general tools like Asana or ClickUp.
Plane
Pros
- Free, AGPL-3.0-licensed Community Edition can be fully self-hosted via Docker or Kubernetes.
- AI credits (500-2,000 per seat) are bundled into every cloud tier rather than sold as a separate add-on.
- Multiple views (Board, Spreadsheet, List, Gantt) plus a built-in wiki in one workspace.
- Purpose-built migration tools from Jira, Linear, ClickUp, Asana, and Monday.com.
Cons
- Enterprise self-hosted features (SSO/SAML, LDAP, audit logs) require a separate commercial license, not included in the open-source repo.
- Free cloud tier is capped at 12 users, forcing a move to Pro for larger teams.
- AI-credit-based consumption on paid tiers adds cost unpredictability compared to flat per-seat pricing.
Which fits your use case?
| Use case | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering team assigning work to AI coding agents | Linear | Linear lets issues be assigned directly to AI coding agents and reviews their changes with Diffs. |
| Company that must self-host in an air-gapped network | Plane | Plane's AGPL-3.0 Community Edition runs on Docker or Kubernetes with an air-gapped deployment option. |
| Ten-person startup watching per-seat costs | Plane | Plane Free covers up to 12 users, and Plane Pro costs $60/month for 10 seats against $100/month for Linear Basic, both billed annually. |
| Product team pulling customer feedback from Zendesk or Intercom | Linear | Linear Business ($16/user/month billed annually) adds Zendesk and Intercom integrations, Linear Asks, and Triage Intelligence. |
| Team that wants Gantt charts and docs next to issues | Plane | Plane includes a Gantt layout on its free plan and a workspace wiki from Pro. |
| Developer team that wants the fastest daily workflow | Linear | Linear's keyboard-first interface carries a low learning curve, and reviewers cite Linear as faster than Jira or Asana for daily use. |
Neither a match?
Both lists carry verified pricing and honest weaknesses for every option.
Popular comparisons
Linear vs Plane: migration FAQ
Should I use Linear or Plane?
- Use Linear if you want a fast, keyboard-first issue tracker with native AI coding-agent support; use Plane if you want an AGPL-3.0 tool you can self-host, with Gantt views, a wiki, and lower per-seat prices.
Is Linear cheaper than Plane?
- No — Linear costs $10/user/month on Basic and $16/user/month on Business, while Plane costs $6/seat/month on Pro and $13/seat/month on Business, all billed annually. Plane's Community Edition is also free to self-host.
Can Plane replace Linear?
- Yes for issue tracking, cycles, initiatives, and intake, and Plane includes a Linear importer. Teams that assign coding work to AI agents and review it with Linear's Diffs would lose that workflow.
Is Plane open source?
- Yes — Plane's Community Edition is open source under AGPL-3.0 and self-hostable via Docker or Kubernetes. Enterprise features such as SSO/SAML, LDAP, and audit logs need a separate commercial license when self-hosted.
Is Linear free?
- Yes — Linear's Free plan covers unlimited members, up to 2 teams, and 250 issues, with a 10MB file upload limit. Paid plans start at $10/user/month billed annually and remove the issue cap.