Comparison
Deckbell vs Linear
Linear set the bar for fast, keyboard-first issue tracking. Deckbell keeps that style of tracker and adds what Linear leaves to Slack: channels, threads and huddles, right next to the board, plus coding agents that open pull requests.
Updated October 2026, using each vendor's public list prices and documentation.
The short version
If all you need is an issue tracker, Linear is hard to beat. It's more mature than Deckbell, with initiatives, triage, customer requests, insights, a long list of integrations, a GraphQL API and native apps.
Deckbell is for teams who want the conversation in the same place as the work. Every board has a channel, issue comments and thread replies are the same thing, and you can start a huddle about an issue without leaving it. Coding agents take an issue and open a pull request. Paid plans start at $10 a seat ($8 on annual billing) and include team chat, so many teams can drop a separate chat subscription.
Who it's for
Switch to Deckbell if…
- Your Linear issues are mostly discussed in Slack threads, and you want that discussion attached to the issue.
- You'd like to stop paying for a separate chat app.
- You want agents that write code and open pull requests, with the cost of every run shown, and AI credits included in the seat price.
- You want the whole workspace hosted in the EU by default.
Stay with Linear if…
- You plan with initiatives, project updates, insights or dashboards.
- You rely on Linear's integrations (GitLab, Figma, Sentry, Zendesk, Intercom and more) or its API.
- You need native desktop and mobile apps.
- Your free workspace has more than 5 people: Linear Free allows unlimited members, Deckbell Free allows 5.
- Your team is happy in Slack and doesn't want to move chat.
Feature by feature
What each product does out of the box, as of October 2026. Where Linear does more, we say so.
| Feature | Deckbell | Linear |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking | ||
| People on the free plan | Up to 5 | Unlimited |
| Issues with keys (WEB-142), priorities, estimates and labels | Yes. | Yes. |
| Kanban board and list views | Yes. | Yes. |
| Sprints (cycles) with story points | Yes. Pro and up | Yes. Cycles |
| Sub-tasks and blocked-by / blocking relations | Yes. | Yes. |
| Saved views and filters, shared with the team | Yes. Pro and up | Yes. |
| Command palette (⌘K) and keyboard shortcuts | Yes. | Yes. |
| Roadmaps, timelines or Gantt charts | No. | Yes. Initiatives and project timelines |
| Docs and wikis | No. | Yes. Project documents |
| Communication | ||
| Channels and direct messages | Yes. | No. Issue comments; chat through Slack or Microsoft Teams |
| Threads, @-mentions, file sharing and voice messages | Yes. | No. Comment threads on issues |
| Group calls with video and screen sharing | Yes. Huddles; 1:1 voice on Free, groups from Pro | No. |
| Each board has a linked channel; issue comments and thread replies are the same thing | Yes. | No. |
| Turn a message into an issue | Yes. | Yes. From Slack, through the integration |
| One search across issues, messages and pull requests | Yes. | No. Issues, projects and documents |
| AI agents | ||
| AI coding agents that take an issue and open a pull request | Yes. Coder, Reviewer and Security roles | Yes. Linear Agent, plus third-party coding agents |
| Agents never take a paid seat | Yes. | Yes. |
| AI usage included in the seat price | Yes. $5 (Pro), $15 (Business) or $25 (Enterprise) per seat a month, or your own key | No. Coding sessions draw on prepaid AI credits |
| Platform and security | ||
| GitHub integration | Yes. | Yes. |
| Other integrations and an app marketplace | No. GitHub only today | Yes. GitLab, Slack, Figma, Sentry, Zendesk and more |
| Public API and webhooks | No. Not yet | Yes. GraphQL API and webhooks |
| Native desktop and mobile apps | No. Web app that works on phones | Yes. |
| Guest accounts or channels shared with other companies | No. | Yes. Guests on Business |
| SAML single sign-on | Yes. Enterprise | Yes. Enterprise |
| Audit log | Yes. Business and up | Yes. Enterprise |
| EU data hosting | Yes. Every workspace, in Germany | Yes. EU region, chosen when the workspace is created |
| Import from other tools | Yes. Linear, Jira, ClickUp, Asana, Trello, GitHub, CSV and Slack | Yes. |
Price per seat
Both charge per user. Linear's plans don't include team chat, so most Linear teams also pay for Slack; the last column adds Slack's matching plan.
| Tier | Deckbell | Linear | Linear + Slack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free$0Up to 5 members, 2 projects, 250 issues | Free$0Unlimited members, 250 issues, 2 teams | Free + Free$0 |
| Entry paid plan | Pro$10 / month$8 / month billed annually | Basic$12 / month$10 / month billed annually | Basic + Pro$20.75 / month$17.25 / month billed annually |
| Business plan | Business$18 / month$15 / month billed annually | Business$18 / month$16 / month billed annually | Business + Business+$36 / month$31 / month billed annually |
| Enterprise | Enterprise$30 / month$24 / month billed annuallyFrom 10 seats | EnterpriseCustomAnnual billing only | Enterprise + Enterprise+Custom |
What a 10-person team pays in a year
On annual billing where it's sold, before tax.
Entry paid plan
- Deckbell Pro
- $960
- Linear Basic
- $1,200
- Linear + Slack (Basic + Pro)
- $2,070
Business plan
- Deckbell Business
- $1,800
- Linear Business
- $1,920
- Linear + Slack (Business + Business+)
- $3,720
Linear Agent is on every Linear plan; coding sessions and Loops are paid from prepaid AI credits. Deckbell's Pro, Business and Enterprise seats include AI credits for agents each month.
Public list prices in US dollars per user per month, from each vendor's pricing page in October 2026. Combined columns add up the two products' matching plans. Prices exclude tax, change often, and can differ by region, team size or promotion, so check the vendor's page before you decide. Sources: Linear pricing, Slack pricing, Deckbell pricing.
How to switch from Linear
- Step 1
Create a workspace and connect GitHub
Sign up free, invite your team and connect GitHub, so agents can work in your repositories and open pull requests.
- Step 2
Import from Linear
Connect Linear with a personal API key and pick the teams to bring over. Issues come across with their statuses, priorities, labels, estimates, cycles, sub-issues, relations and comments. A Linear CSV export works too.
- Step 3
Check the report
Each Linear status is matched to a board column, and people are matched by email. The report lists what was created, what was skipped and anyone who couldn’t be matched.
- Step 4
Keep Linear read-only for a cycle
Start new work in Deckbell and leave Linear read-only for one cycle so nothing gets lost, then cancel.
Moving from more than one tool? See every importer and a migration plan.
FAQ
Deckbell vs Linear: questions
Something we didn't cover? Write to support@deckbell.com and a human replies.
Is Deckbell a Linear clone?
No. The tracker will feel familiar if you use Linear: issue keys, cycles, estimates, sub-tasks, relations, saved views and a ⌘K command palette. The difference is what sits next to it: team chat, huddles and coding agents in the same workspace.
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, project updates or insights, factor that in.
Can we import our Linear workspace?
Yes. Connect Linear with a personal API key, or upload a Linear CSV export. Deckbell brings over issues with their statuses, priorities, labels, estimates, cycles, sub-issues, relations and comments, matches people by email, and gives you a report when it’s done.
How does pricing compare with Linear?
Linear Basic is $10 per user per month billed annually ($12 monthly) and Business is $16 ($18 monthly). Deckbell Pro is $8 billed annually ($10 monthly) and Business is $15 ($18 monthly), and both include team chat, huddles and AI credits. Prices as of October 2026.
Do pull requests link to issues like in Linear?
Yes. Connect GitHub and pull requests link to issues. Pull requests opened by agents or linked in issue comments also show up in ⌘K search.
Does Linear have AI agents too?
Yes. Linear Agent is included on every Linear plan, and third-party coding agents can work on Linear issues. Deckbell's agents run inside the workspace on the GitHub repositories you attach to each one, show the cost of every run, and draw on AI credits included in the seat price or on your own Anthropic key.
Other comparisons
- Deckbell vs Slack (and Linear + Slack)Replace your chat app and your tracker with one workspace, for less than the pair costs.
- Deckbell vs JiraA fast tracker with sprints, chat and agents, instead of a configurable platform.
- Deckbell vs ClickUpFewer features, on purpose: a focused tracker, chat and agents for software teams.
- Deckbell vs AsanaBuilt for software teams rather than cross-functional project management.
- Deckbell vs NotionA dedicated tracker and team chat. Keep Notion for your docs and wiki.
Try Deckbell with your team.
Free for up to 5 members, no credit card. Import from Linear when you're ready.