Linear Alternatives (2026): 10 Issue Trackers to Try

Product and engineering teams love fast, keyboard-driven issue trackers, but teams differ. Some need open-source software they can host themselves, some need deep GitHub links, and some need one tool that the whole company can use.

These ten Linear alternatives are listed in no particular order, sorted alphabetically, from open-source trackers to all-in-one work platforms. Each description comes from the tool's own website, re-checked today. If you're setting expectations for a growing team, my piece on how AI workslop wrecks small teams is a useful read alongside this.

Linear alternatives at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes a free plan or free open-source edition. Free plans usually limit users, features or storage.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
ClickUp	Work management	One tool for the whole company	Yes
GitHub Projects	Built-in planning	Issues next to your code	Yes
Huly	Open-source workspace	Issues, chat and docs together	Yes
Jira	Issue tracking	Complex workflows at scale	Yes
Leantime	Open-source project tool	Simple, goal-focused planning	Yes
Plane	Open-source issue tracker	A self-hostable modern tracker	Yes
Shortcut	Issue tracking	Product and engineering planning	Yes
Taiga	Open-source agile tool	Scrum and kanban boards	Yes
YouTrack	Issue tracker	Customisable workflows and help desk	Yes
Zenhub	GitHub planning	Sprints on top of GitHub issues	Yes

Ten issue trackers to compare with Linear

ClickUp

Best for: Companies that want engineering issues and other teams' work in one platform.

GitHub Projects

Best for: Developer teams who want issues and boards inside GitHub.

Huly

Best for: Teams who want an open-source alternative that combines tracking, chat and docs.

Jira

Best for: Larger engineering teams that need custom workflows, permissions and reporting.

Leantime

Best for: Small teams who want an open-source tool that's friendly for non-technical colleagues.

Plane

Best for: Teams who want a modern tracker they can self-host or use in the cloud.

Shortcut

Best for: Product teams who want stories, epics and roadmaps without heavy setup.

Taiga

Best for: Agile teams who want open-source scrum and kanban boards.

YouTrack

Best for: Teams who want customisable issue tracking with a help desk and knowledge base.

Zenhub

Best for: Teams who want sprint planning and reports layered on GitHub issues.

The free plan limit to check first

Here's the detail that decides a lot of switches. Linear's own plan page lists its Free plan with unlimited members but 2 teams and 250 issues. A busy small team can reach 250 issues quickly, so many people start looking at this point. Check the equivalent limits on any alternative's free plan or open-source edition before you migrate, so you don't hit the same wall a month later.

Sprints, kanban or a plain backlog

• Sprints suit teams that plan work in fixed cycles and review at the end.
• Kanban suits teams with a steady flow of work, such as support or ops.
• A plain backlog suits small teams who just need a clear, ordered list.

Most tools support all three. Pick the one whose default view matches how your team already talks about work.

Migrating issues without chaos

1. Close or archive stale issues before you export anything.
2. Check whether the new tool has an importer for your current tracker.
3. Map statuses, labels and priorities before you import.
4. Import a small test project first and check links and attachments.
5. Set a cut-over date and stop creating issues in the old tool after it.

Open source and self-hosting

Open-source trackers let you host the software yourself, keep data on your own servers and avoid per-seat limits on a self-hosted edition. You'll handle updates and backups. For teams with an ops person, that's often a fair trade. For others, the cloud version of an open-source tool keeps the option to self-host later. If your team includes people moving into delivery roles, my piece on careers in project management covers the skills that matter.

Speed and focus matter more than features

People choose fast trackers because slow tools get ignored. Test how quickly you can create, find and update an issue with the keyboard, and how notifications behave. A tracker your engineers open happily every morning beats one with twice the features that they avoid.

Roadmaps for people outside engineering

Developers care about issues and cycles, but founders, sales and support care about what's coming and when. Check whether each tool offers a roadmap or project view you can share with non-technical colleagues without giving them access to every issue. A clear roadmap view saves a lot of 'is this done yet?' messages.

Some teams keep a lightweight public changelog as well. It's a simple way to show customers progress without exposing your backlog.

Whatever you pick, agree a few house rules on day one: how issues are titled, which labels exist and who sets priority. Consistent habits make any tracker feel quicker.

Do you make an issue tracker or project tool for software teams? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on leaving Linear

Check the limit that's pushing you out, then make sure the alternative doesn't have the same one. Trial two tools with a real sprint, import a small project first, and pick the one your engineers reach for without being asked. Speed and habit win.

Frequently asked questions

What's a good free alternative to Linear?

Several tools here describe a free plan or free open-source edition. The table shows what each site states.

What are Linear's free plan limits?

Linear's plan page lists the Free plan with unlimited members, 2 teams and 250 issues.

Is there an open-source alternative to Linear?

Yes. Several trackers on this list are open source and can be self-hosted.

Can I import issues from Linear?

Many tools offer importers or CSV import. Test with a small project first.

Which alternative works best with GitHub?

Tools built on GitHub issues or with deep GitHub integration suit developer-led teams.

Do non-technical teams like these tools?

Some are friendlier for non-technical colleagues. Try the interface with someone outside engineering.

Can I share a roadmap with non-technical colleagues?

Many trackers offer roadmap or project views you can share without exposing every issue.

How long does it take to switch issue trackers?

A small team can move in a day or two with an importer. Larger teams should migrate one project first and set a clear cut-over date.