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Linear Review: Pros, Cons, Features and Pricing

Linear is a project workflow software designed to simplify task management for agile teams. It's ideal for tech startups, software development teams, and product managers seeking efficient collaboration. Linear offers intuitive task tracking and seamless integration with popular tools.

Linear addresses common issues like task prioritization and team collaboration, especially for software development and product management teams. In this article, I'll cover Linear's features, pros and cons, use cases, and pricing so you can decide if this software aligns with your team's needs and goals.

Linear Evaluation Summary

Linear streamlines workflows by unifying issues, sprints, roadmaps, and insights.
Rating
4.5 /5
Pricing
  • From $10/user/month (billed annually)
  • Free plan available

Why You Can Trust Us

Linear Overview

In my opinion, Linear.app stands out in the project workflow software space with its clean interface and efficient features. It excels in task management and offers seamless integrations that tech-savvy teams will appreciate. Its ease of use and onboarding process make it a great choice for agile teams. Linear is particularly well-suited for startups and tech companies looking for a straightforward tool to manage projects without the clutter of unnecessary features. If you’re deciding between tools, consider Linear for its speed and simplicity, especially if your team values intuitive design and effective task tracking.

Our Review Methodology

How We Test & Score Tools

We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection and what makes a tool effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.

Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across seven criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.

Core Functionality (25% of final scoring)

The starting point of our evaluation is always the core functionality of the tool. Does it have the basic features and functions that a user would expect to see? Are any of those core features locked to higher-tiered pricing plans? At its core, we expect a tool to stand up against the baseline capabilities of its competitors.

Standout Features (25% of final scoring)

Next, we evaluate uncommon standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality typically found in tools of its kind. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.

We also evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.

Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)

We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the tool. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.

Onboarding (10% of final scoring)

We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use a tool with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the tool with no experience. High scoring solutions indicate little or no support is required.

Customer Support (10% of final scoring)

We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Tools and companies that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.

Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)

Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the tool again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.

Value for Money (10% of final scoring)

Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.

Core Features

Task Management: Linear lets your team easily create, assign, and track tasks. Its simple interface ensures you keep projects organized.

Issue Tracking: You can quickly log and monitor issues, making it easy to address bugs and improvements in your workflow.

Sprint Planning: Plan and manage sprints with ease, helping your team stay focused on priorities and deadlines.

Project Roadmaps: Visualize your project's progress and future plans, keeping everyone aligned on long-term goals.

Keyboard Shortcuts: Streamline your work with intuitive shortcuts, allowing you to navigate and manage tasks quickly.

Commenting: Communicate directly within tasks using comments, ensuring your team stays updated on changes and decisions.

Ease of Use

Linear stands out for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design, making it easy for your team to navigate and manage tasks. The clean layout and effective use of keyboard shortcuts let you handle projects efficiently without getting bogged down by unnecessary complexity. Users appreciate the real-time collaboration features, which keep everyone on the same page. Linear's straightforward setup and simple task management make it an excellent choice for teams looking to focus on productivity without a steep learning curve.

Integrations

Linear integrates with GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Figma, Google Sheets, Notion, Intercom, Jira, Zendesk, and Sentry.

Linear also offers an API for building custom integrations and connects with third-party integration tools like Zapier.

Linear Specs

  • 2-Factor Authentication
  • Access Management
  • Anti-Virus
  • API
  • Audit Trail
  • Bug Tracking
  • Calendar Management
  • Customer Management
  • Dashboard
  • Data Export
  • Data Import
  • Data Visualization
  • Email Integration
  • External Integrations
  • File Sharing
  • File Transfer
  • Firewall
  • Google Apps Integration
  • Inventory Tracking
  • Malware Protection
  • Multi-User
  • Network Device Performance Monitoring
  • Network Traffic Monitoring
  • Network Visualization
  • Notifications
  • Project Management
  • Remote Access
  • Risk Assessment
  • SAP Integration
  • Scheduling
  • Software Integration
  • Third-Party Plugins/Add-Ons
  • Ticket Management

Linear FAQs

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By Ben Aston

I’m Ben Aston, a digital project manager and founder of thedpm.com. I've been in the industry for more than 20 years working in the UK at London’s top digital agencies including Dare, Wunderman, Lowe and DDB. I’ve delivered everything from film to CMS', games to advertising and eCRM to eCommerce sites. I’ve been fortunate enough to work across a wide range of great clients; automotive brands including Land Rover, Volkswagen and Honda; Utility brands including BT, British Gas and Exxon, FMCG brands such as Unilever, and consumer electronics brands including Sony. I'm a Certified Scrum Master, PRINCE2 Practitioner and productivity nut!