Alternatives
Linear alternatives
Linear set the bar for fast, keyboard-first issue tracking. If you’re looking around anyway, here are the tools teams most often weigh against it, what each one is built for, and how to pick.
Why teams look beyond Linear
Teams usually start looking for a Linear alternative for one of a few reasons: they want planning that spans more than engineering, they need workflows configured in more detail, they want planning to live where the code is, or they’re tired of discussing the work in one app and tracking it in another.
Each tool below answers a different one of those. None of them is the best choice for every team, and Linear itself is still a strong option if a fast tracker is all you need.
On this list
- Deckbell (that’s us)
- Jira
- Asana
- ClickUp
- GitHub Projects
Descriptions are general and based on each product’s public positioning. Check each vendor’s site for current features and prices.
Linear alternatives at a glance
1 · Our product
Deckbell
Issue tracker with team chat and huddles built in
Deckbell keeps a Linear-style tracker, with issue keys, sprints, estimates, sub-tasks, relations, saved views and a ⌘K command palette, and adds the conversation next to it: channels, direct messages, threads and huddles with video and screen sharing.
Every board has its own channel. A new issue posts a card there, the card’s thread and the issue’s comments are the same thing, issue keys in any message become links, and any message can become an issue. AI agents are built in and never take a seat, and every workspace is hosted in the EU, in Germany.
A good fit for
- Software teams who discuss their issues in a separate chat app and want that discussion attached to the work.
- Teams who would rather pay for one tool than a tracker plus a chat app.
- Teams who want their data hosted in the EU by default.
Where it falls short
- No initiatives, roadmaps or timelines: planning is projects, boards, sprints and saved views.
- GitHub is the only integration today, and there is no public API yet.
- Native desktop and mobile apps are coming soon. Until then Deckbell runs in the browser, including on phones.
- The free plan is for small teams; Linear’s free plan allows more members.
2
Jira
Configurable issue and project tracking from Atlassian
One of the most widely used trackers for software teams. It supports Scrum and Kanban boards, backlogs and sprints, and lets admins configure issue types, fields, workflows and permissions in detail. A large marketplace of apps extends it.
A good fit for
- Larger organisations that need detailed, configurable workflows.
- Teams already using other Atlassian products, such as Confluence.
3
Asana
Work management for teams across a company
Built for planning work across departments, not only engineering. Projects can be shown as lists, boards, timelines or calendars, and work can be connected to company-wide goals.
A good fit for
- Cross-functional teams such as product, marketing and operations working in one tool.
- Planning that spans several teams and projects.
4
ClickUp
An all-in-one, highly customisable work platform
Combines tasks with docs, whiteboards and goals, and offers many different views of the same work. Statuses, fields and views can be customised extensively.
A good fit for
- Teams that want one tool for many kinds of work.
- Teams that like to shape the tool around their own process.
5
GitHub Projects
Planning built into GitHub
Projects are tables, boards and roadmaps built from your repositories’ issues and pull requests, with custom fields and automation. Planning sits right next to the code.
A good fit for
- Teams whose code and discussion already live on GitHub.
- Open-source projects that plan in public.
How to choose
Questions worth answering before you replace Linear.
- 01
Who will use it
Only engineers, or product, design, marketing and operations too? Tools built for software teams are leaner; work-management tools cover more kinds of work.
- 02
How much configuration you need
Some teams want sensible defaults, others need custom issue types, fields, workflows and permissions. More flexibility usually means more set-up and admin.
- 03
Where the conversation happens
If decisions are made in a chat app and copied into the tracker, consider a tool that keeps the two together.
- 04
Integrations and apps
List the tools you can’t live without, such as your code host, design tool or support desk, and check each candidate connects to them.
- 05
How you’ll move
Check what each tool can import from Linear, and plan a period where the old tracker stays read-only.
See also all comparisons and Slack alternatives.
FAQ
Linear alternatives: questions
Anything else? Write to support@deckbell.com and a human replies.
What is the best alternative to Linear?
It depends on why you are leaving. For detailed, configurable workflows, teams often look at Jira. For planning across departments, Asana or ClickUp. To plan next to the code, GitHub Projects. To keep the tracker and team chat in one workspace, Deckbell.
Is there a Linear alternative with team chat built in?
Deckbell is an issue tracker with channels, direct messages, threads and huddles in the same workspace. Every board has its own channel, issue comments and thread replies are the same thing, and any message can become an issue.
Can I move my Linear issues to Deckbell?
Yes. Connect Linear with a personal API key, or upload a Linear CSV export. Issues come across with their statuses, priorities, labels, estimates, cycles, sub-issues, relations and comments, people are matched by email, and you get a report when it’s done.
Does Deckbell have Linear’s initiatives and roadmaps?
Not today. Deckbell plans work with projects, boards, sprints and saved views. If you run planning on initiatives or project timelines, factor that in.
Does Deckbell have desktop and mobile apps?
Native apps for Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad and Android are coming soon. Until then, Deckbell works in any browser, including on phones.
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