Linear vs Smartsheet — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Linear and Smartsheet both start at $12/mo on their entry tier.
See price history: Linear · Smartsheet
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 work platform, taken private by Vista Equity + Blackstone for $8.4B in 2023. Positioned as the alternative to Excel + Asana for enterprise operations teams that need spreadsheet-like flexibility with permissions and audit trails. Distinctive for its dominance in construction, IT ops, and manufacturing verticals. Priced $9-$32/user/mo publicly, but real enterprise deals run $25K-$500K+ ARR. PE-owned — expect margin work at renewal.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Linear monthly | Linear annual | Smartsheet monthly | Smartsheet annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / — | Free | Free | — | — |
| Entry paid | Basic / Pro | $12 | $10 | $12 | $9 |
| Teams | Business | $20 | $16 | $24 | $19 |
| 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.
Smartsheet is worth it if… enterprise ops teams (100-1,000+) that need spreadsheet-like project management with Gantt charts, resource management, and portfolio dashboards — particularly if your team lives in Excel already. Pro covers small teams; Business adds automations and Gantt; Enterprise adds admin center and SSO.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Linear over Smartsheet 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 Smartsheet if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $12/mo).
- You match the profile Smartsheet is built for: enterprise ops teams (100-1,000+) that need spreadsheet-like project management with Gantt charts, resource management, and portfolio dashboards — particularly if your team lives in Excel already.
- You need a general-purpose project management option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Linear | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Entry price | $12/mo | $12/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Per Seat |
| Last verified | September 14, 2026 | September 15, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 15, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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Common questions about Linear and Smartsheet
- 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 Smartsheet cost in 2026?
- Does Smartsheet have a free plan?
- How often does Smartsheet change prices?
- What are the best Smartsheet alternatives in 2026?