ClickUp vs Linear: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between ClickUp and Linear? Both are popular project management tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
ClickUp is for: Teams who want tasks, docs, whiteboards, chat and goals in one workspace and are willing to configure it.
Linear is for: Software teams who want a fast, opinionated issue tracker with cycles, triage and Git integration.
Quick verdict
There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose ClickUp if you want tasks, docs, whiteboards and chat in one tool. Choose Linear if you run product and engineering work as issues, cycles and projects.
ClickUp vs Linear — Side by Side
| ClickUp | Linear | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Project Management | Project Management |
| What it is | All-in-one work management platform | Issue tracker for software teams |
| How work is organised | Spaces, folders, lists and tasks with many views | Issues, cycles and projects per team |
| How you pay | Per user, yearly discount | Per user, billed yearly on paid plans |
| Free access | Unlimited members, 60 MB storage | 250 issues, 2 teams, unlimited members |
| SAML SSO | Enterprise and Max (Google SSO from Business) | Enterprise only (Google sign-in on all plans) |
| Pricing | Free · paid from $9/user/mo | Free · paid from $10/user/mo |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Free tier | ||
| Best for | Project Management — all-in-one, customisable views, docs and tasks | Project Management — issue tracking, engineering teams, cycles |
Pros & Cons
- Tasks, docs, whiteboards and chat in one workspace
- Unlimited members on the free plan
- Many views and custom fields
- Takes time to configure well
- Free plan has only 60 MB of storage
- SAML SSO only on Enterprise and Max
- Issues, cycles and projects built for software teams
- Unlimited members on the free plan
- Customer requests from Zendesk and Intercom on Business
- Free plan caps you at 250 issues and 2 teams
- SAML SSO only on Enterprise
- Paid plans are billed yearly
Key Features Compared
ClickUp
- Free Forever: unlimited members, 60 MB storage, 5 spaces, 100 automation actions a month, sprints and time tracking
- Core: $9 per user a month billed yearly (listed regular price $12); unlimited storage, Gantt charts, 1,000 automations a month
- Business: $17 per user a month billed yearly (listed regular price $25); advanced dashboards, 10,000 automations, timesheets, Google SSO
- Max: $100 per user a month billed yearly; unlimited AI fields and Autopilot agents, MCP connections
- AI credits pooled per workspace: 500 on Free, 1,000 per user on Core, then $10 per 10,000 extra
Linear
- Free: unlimited members, 250 issues, 2 teams, 10 MB file uploads; includes the agent platform, Linear Agent and Loops
- Basic: $10 per user a month billed yearly; unlimited issues, 5 teams, unlimited file uploads, admin roles
- Business: $16 per user a month billed yearly; unlimited teams, private teams and guests, Triage Intelligence, Insights, issue SLAs, Zendesk and Intercom integrations
- Enterprise: custom, annual billing only; SAML and SCIM, audit log, IP restrictions, HIPAA
- Google sign-in on every plan
Choose ClickUp if…
- Budget is tight — paid plans start lower ($9/mo vs $10/mo).
- You want tasks, docs, whiteboards and chat in one tool.
- You want unlimited members on a free plan with sprints and time tracking.
- You want many views and custom fields and have someone to set them up.
Choose Linear if…
- You run product and engineering work as issues, cycles and projects.
- You want unlimited members on a free plan while the backlog stays under 250 issues.
- You want customer requests from Zendesk or Intercom linked to issues on the Business plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ClickUp better than Linear?⌄
There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose ClickUp if you want tasks, docs, whiteboards and chat in one tool. Choose Linear if you run product and engineering work as issues, cycles and projects.
What is the difference between ClickUp and Linear?⌄
What it is — ClickUp: All-in-one work management platform. Linear: Issue tracker for software teams. How work is organised — ClickUp: Spaces, folders, lists and tasks with many views. Linear: Issues, cycles and projects per team. How you pay — ClickUp: Per user, yearly discount. Linear: Per user, billed yearly on paid plans. Free access — ClickUp: Unlimited members, 60 MB storage. Linear: 250 issues, 2 teams, unlimited members. SAML SSO — ClickUp: Enterprise and Max (Google SSO from Business). Linear: Enterprise only (Google sign-in on all plans).
ClickUp vs Linear: which is cheaper?⌄
ClickUp pricing: Free · paid from $9/user/mo. Linear pricing: Free · paid from $10/user/mo. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
When should I skip both ClickUp and Linear?⌄
Skip ClickUp if you want a tracker with fewer options to configure. Linear and Trello are narrower. Skip Linear if you need SAML SSO without an enterprise contract. Notion includes it on Business at $20 per member.
Sources · tool facts checked November 2026
See more options in our guide to the best project management tools for startups.
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