Linear vs Trello — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Linear starts at $12/mo. Trello starts at $6/mo. Trello is $6/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Linear.
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.
Kanban board that started as a side project at Fog Creek and sold to Atlassian for $425M in 2017. Distinctive for the simple card-drag UX that spawned dozens of clones. Free tier includes unlimited cards; paid tiers add automation (Butler), admin controls, and advanced features. Popular with side projects and small teams that would find Jira overwhelming. Now positioned as Atlassian's SMB on-ramp to the broader Jira/Confluence stack.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Linear monthly | Linear annual | Trello monthly | Trello annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Basic / Standard | $12 | $10 | $6 | $5 |
| Pro / power | — / Premium | — | — | $12.5 | $10 |
| Teams | Business / — | $20 | $16 | — | — |
| Enterprise | Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | $17.5 |
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.
Trello is worth it if… small teams (1-20 people) that want free visual kanban boards — the tool your team already knows how to use without training. Free covers most small team needs; Standard adds unlimited boards; Premium adds timeline/calendar views.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Linear over Trello 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 Trello if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $6/mo).
- You match the profile Trello is built for: small teams (1-20 people) that want free visual kanban boards — the tool your team already knows how to use without training.
- You need a general-purpose project management option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Linear | Trello | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $12/mo | $6/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Per Seat |
| Last verified | September 14, 2026 | September 18, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 18, 2026. Tracked daily.