Linear vs Quickbase — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Linear starts at $12/mo. Quickbase starts at $35/mo. Linear is $23/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Quickbase.
Engineering-first issue tracker positioned as the modern alternative to Jira for small-to-mid engineering teams. Distinctive for its opinionated speed (keyboard-first, obsessively fast) and clean design that engineers actually like. Popular with venture-backed startups and design-conscious engineering orgs. Priced $8-$16/user/mo. Series B in 2024. Not a direct Jira replacement at enterprise scale (weaker admin controls) but eating Jira's mid-market share aggressively.
Enterprise low-code application platform, acquired by Vista Equity Partners for $1B in 2019. Positioned as the alternative to Airtable Enterprise and Microsoft Power Apps for large orgs building internal tools. Distinctive for compliance features (HIPAA, SOC 2, GDPR) that Airtable lacks and for pricing per app rather than per record. Pricing opaque, typically $600+/user/month for Team plan (minimum 20 users). Vista-owned — expect margin work.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Linear monthly | Linear annual | Quickbase monthly | Quickbase annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / — | Free | Free | — | — |
| Entry paid | Basic / Business | $12 | $10 | $55 | $55 |
| Teams | Business / Team | $20 | $16 | $35 | $35 |
| Enterprise | Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | Custom |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Linear is worth it if… engineering teams (5-100 developers) that want fast, opinionated issue tracking + sprint planning — the anti-Jira for teams that value speed and design polish over configurability. Free covers small teams; Basic adds more features; Business adds advanced permissions and admin.
Quickbase is worth it if… enterprise ops teams (500+ employees) that need low-code custom apps for internal workflows — particularly if you want IT-governed apps that non-developers can build. Team covers small deployments; Business adds advanced admin; Enterprise custom.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Linear over Quickbase if…
Choose Linear if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $12/mo).
- You match the profile Linear is built for: engineering teams (5-100 developers) that want fast, opinionated issue tracking + sprint planning — the anti-Jira for teams that value speed and design polish over configurability.
- You need a general-purpose project management option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Quickbase if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $35/mo).
- You match the profile Quickbase is built for: enterprise ops teams (500+ employees) that need low-code custom apps for internal workflows — particularly if you want IT-governed apps that non-developers can build.
- You need a general-purpose project management option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Linear | Quickbase | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Entry price | $12/mo | $35/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Per Seat |
| Verification | Verified August 18, 2026 | Checked September 26, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 26, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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Common questions about Linear and Quickbase
- How much does Linear cost in 2026?
- Does Linear have a free plan?
- How often does Linear change prices?
- What are the best Linear alternatives in 2026?
- How much does Quickbase cost in 2026?
- Does Quickbase have a free plan?
- How often does Quickbase change prices?
- What are the best Quickbase alternatives in 2026?