Asana vs Linear Comparison
Compare Asana vs Linear features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
Asana
6.9/10
Work management platform for teams to plan projects, assign tasks, automate workflows, and track goals and portfolios, with AI agents on paid plans.
Linear
6.8/10
Linear is an issue tracking and project planning tool built for software product and engineering teams, with cycles, roadmaps, triage and AI agents.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.9/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Scalability | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Security | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Analytics | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Cost | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Integration | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | $13/user/mo Starter | $10/user/mo Basic |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | $135/mo Starter | Free Free |
| Features | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| App integrations | ||
| Collaboration tools | ||
| Dashboards | ||
| Goals and OKRs | ||
| Kanban boards | ||
| Reporting | ||
| Task lists | ||
| Task management | ||
| Timeline view | ||
| Workflow automation | ||
| Client collaboration | Not listed | |
| Gantt charts | Not listed | |
| Scheduling | Not listed | |
Asana vs Linear cost by team size
Asana and Linear cost the same at 1 user; Linear costs less from 5 users.
| Team size | Asana | Linear |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreePersonal | FreeFree |
| 5 users | $67/moStarter | FreeFree |
| 10 users | $135/moStarter | FreeFree |
| 25 users | $337/moStarter | FreeFree |
| 50 users | $675/moStarter | FreeFree |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Asana
- Higher Customization score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Analytics score (7/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for operations teams (8/10 vs 2/10)
- Better fit for agencies (7/10 vs 3/10)
- Includes Time tracking, which Linear lacks
Why choose Linear
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: Free vs $135/mo
- Higher Cost score (6/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Ease of Use score (9/10 vs 8/10)
- Better fit for startups (9/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for product teams (9/10 vs 7/10)
Pros & Cons
Asana
Pros
- Starter includes unlimited automations, forms, and timeline views, which covers most team project needs without upgrading to Advanced.
- Unlimited free guests on paid plans let teams bring in clients and contractors without buying extra seats.
- Advanced connects to Salesforce, Tableau, and Power BI, so project data can feed existing reporting tools.
- Enterprise+ offers data residency, SIEM integration, and audit logs for regulated organisations.
- Reviews are consistently high, with Capterra showing 4.5 from more than 13,000 reviews.
Cons
- The free Personal plan now allows only 2 users, so most teams have to pay from the start.
- Portfolios, goals, and time tracking are only on Advanced, which costs more than double the Starter price.
- Seats are sold in blocks of 5, 10, 25, or 50 as teams grow, and AWS Marketplace reviewers have criticized these rigid user blocks.
- AI usage beyond the included allowances is billed per request, which makes costs harder to predict.
- A critical Gartner review from 2026 cited high enterprise pricing and limited workflow customization.
Linear
Pros
- Reviewers repeatedly name the interface as one of the fastest in the category, with interactions that feel instant.
- The Free plan includes unlimited members, the API and webhooks, and Linear Agent.
- Built-in AI features include triage routing, MCP access and coding agent sessions.
- The security page lists SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, and a HIPAA BAA is available on request.
Cons
- The workflow is built for software teams and fits non-engineering use poorly.
- There is no native time tracking, and G2 reviewers say epic management is weak.
- Dashboards, SAML and SCIM require the custom-priced Enterprise plan.
- Some AI features use separate AI credits, so the per-seat price can understate the total cost.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Asana scores higher on our Project Management criteria: 6.9/10 against 6.8/10 for Linear. The largest gap is in Cost: 4/10 for Asana and 6/10 for Linear.
Linear costs less for 10 users: free on its Free plan, against about $135/mo on its Starter plan for Asana, billed monthly.
Yes, both Asana and Linear have a free plan.
Asana is the better fit for operations teams: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 2/10 for Linear.
Asana has Time tracking, which Linear lacks.
