The Best Free Linear App Alternative

What Is Linear app?

Linear app is a software company that was founded in 2019 by Karri Saarinen, Jori Lallo, and Tuomas Artman. The trio built Linear after experiencing challenges when working on software engineering-related projects in other companies.

Targeted at software companies and teams, Linear app was originally intended to be an issue-tracking service. However, today their product can also be used as a project management tool for software development teams.

In 2019, the company raised $4.2 million in seed funding despite only having 4 employees. Today, their total funding is estimated to be around $17.2 million.

Their goal is to pave the way for software development and project management by allowing teams to work more efficiently and quickly with an intuitive tool. 

Linear’s belief is that teams should work to create a steady momentum, and not in sprints. This is to prevent teams from rushing their tasks which they believe can be unsustainable in the long run.

Features of Linear app

Linear is an issue tracking tool that was made with software engineering teams in mind. Instead of tasks, you create issues on the Linear software. Larger issues (tasks) can be broken down further into sub-issues (subtasks) to make the problem more actionable and less overwhelming.

Data on Linear is synchronized in real-time to allow teams to work together seamlessly from anywhere. This is similar to Taskade which also offers real-time collaboration features so that you can get work done from anywhere.

Built for software teams, it’s inevitable that Linear has a library of keyboard shortcuts to help you manage your issues and projects with hotkeys. If you can master these shortcuts, you should be able to utilize them to optimize your work. 

Taskade also has a wide collection of keyboard shortcuts to help you optimize your workflows. The key difference is that Taskade was designed to be user-friendly for all teams, whilst Linear leans more towards software teams.

Besides issue tracking, Linear can also be used to manage projects. Projects on Linear are used to plan and organize work. These projects are not your usual to-do list style project management tool as Linear has a heavy emphasis on issues. 

Once a project has been created, it can then be shared across teams. Each project has features that can also be customized to help you meet your objectives.

You can also track your team's progress on any project by viewing the project graph which is automatically created with each project. The project graph helps to project predictions so that you can see if your current trajectory will meet your stipulated timeline.

However, it must be taken into consideration that project management on Linear is designed with software teams in mind, and is a little too complicated for non-software teams to use. If you’re looking for a more user-friendly tool to help manage your projects, Taskade would be a better choice for you.

You have the ability to create multiple teams on your Linear app workspace for the various functions in your company. Within these teams, you can customize workflow and cycle settings to support the different ways that each team gets their work done.

Projects on Linear can be shared across different teams teams. For example business roadmaps can be shared across all teams in the organization to make sure that everyone is aligned on the common goal.

Catered more toward engineering teams, Linear works well with Figma and Github, allowing users to track pull requests. Their integration with Zapier unlocks a wide range of other applications that you can pair Linear with to optimize your workflows.

There is also a triage function which acts as an inbox in Linear. Issues created from integrations or members from other teams will pop up here. This gives you a chance to prioritize your teams workflow.

What Is Linear app Good For?

Linear is best used for teams that work with software. If you’re looking for an issue tracking and management software then this tool is for you.

Software engineers will also find Linear to be an intuitive software to use, especially if you can master the keyboard shortcuts that they offer.

What Are Some Limitations of Linear app?

We wouldn’t recommend Linear even for simple project management if you’re not dealing with software as Linear was not created to be a universal project management software, unlike Taskade.

Linear is simply too complex to use if you’re looking for a straightforward project management tool. Linear has a steep learning curve and it takes effort to learn how to properly use the software to your advantage.

Additionally, Linear does now offer real-time video conferencing - something that Taskade offers for free.

Communication features on Linear are limited. You can add comments on issues and integrate with Slack to comment on tasks from Slack, but that just means that you’ll have one additional application to toggle between just to get your work done.

How much does Linear app cost?

Linear offers its software with three different price ranges.

Linear app Free Plan

Linear’s Free plan enables you to work with unlimited users but limits your file upload size to 10mb, with a cap of 150mb per month. You are also only able to have 250 issues at any given time. 

Linear app Standard Plan

Linear’s Standard plan starts at $10 per user monthly, and gives you unlimited file upload size and unlimited issues as well. You also unlock the ability to create private teams and have access to admin tools within Linear.

Linear app Plus Plan

Linear’s Plus plan is meant for bigger organizations as it unlocks advanced authentication controls and an audit log, which tracks security incidents within your organization’s workspace. Not only that, you also get access to priority support as well.

Linear’s Plus plan starts at $15 per user monthly.

What Is Taskade?

Taskade is an online productivity and collaboration tool that was founded by John Xie, Dionis Loire, and Stan Chang in 2017. The Y Combinator-backed startup aims to help remote teams and individuals get work done faster and smarter.

Taskade is where remote teams get work done. With Taskade, you can organize projects and tasks, change between multiple project views, automate repetitive workflows, collaborate via built-in video chat with your team, and more, via an all-in-one unified workspace. 

Get a headstart on your projects and find a suitable structure for your notes via Taskade’s versatile collection of templates. Simply choose from a wide variety of templates and add them to your projects to get started instantly!

Taskade is a supercharged productivity app that both individuals and teams can use to collaborate on projects in real-time.

Taskade is the best free Linear app alternative. Get started instantly for free today.

Key Features of Taskade

• Project Views. Visualize your projects in several different ways. Cycle between the List, Mind Map, Org Chart, and Board views to work the way you want. 

  • List View. This is the default view on Taskade. Create new lists here.
  • Board View. This view lets you work horizontally like a Kanban board. Visualize your workflow and tasks in this full-width view.
  • Mind Map View. This view lets you work in a horizontal tree-structured manner and map out what you have in mind.
  • Action View. Work in table view and stay organized with your task due dates, and more.
  • Org Chart View. Break down larger tasks into smaller ones to help you get things done.

• Zoom In, Zoom Out. Get a bird’s-eye view of the workflow by zooming out on all project views, or zoom in to focus on a specific area.
• Fold/Unfold. Fold (collapse) a parent task/bullet element to hide its subtasks. Indent outline elements with ⌨️ Tab and unfold lists with ⌨️ Shift+Tab.
• Real-time Communication. Chat and video conference with your team while collaborating in real-time on the same page. 
• 500+ Templates. Choose from 500+ templates across 26 categories to improve your productivity and workflows. Customize existing templates or create new ones across your workspaces.
• Multi-Select. Select and format multiple blocks or bulk assign them as tasks to other team members. You can also copy, paste, or indent selected blocks.

• Customize Sub-Tasks. Customize the format of your sub-tasks at individual levels. Choose from headings, numbered lists, shapes, and more.
• Recurring Tasks. Add due dates with start and end times to tasks within your project and set them to repeat daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly.
• Move Tasks. Move and copy selected tasks to other projects across any workspace. You’ll receive a pop-up notification on completion.
• User Roles & Permissions. Manage collaborators and assign user roles/editing privileges (Owner, Admin, Editor, Checker, Viewer).

• Sort Tasks. Sort sub-tasks/children elements by completed/uncompleted stats or the due date. Task sorting can be accessed from a convenient pop-up menu.
• Search. Search within projects or globally across workspaces and subspaces. Instantly browse and jump between projects anywhere in the Taskade.
• Keyboard Shortcuts. Navigate projects, create content blocks, reorder elements, and complete tasks using a set of handy keyboard shortcuts.

• Team Calendar. Aggregate all tasks and projects in a shared calendar. The Taskade calendar integrates with Google (two-way), Apple, and Outlook. 
• Reorder Tasks. Lists in Taskade aren’t set in stone. Reorder tasks and find them a new home with intuitive drag-and-drop mechanics.
• Project History. See all the changes made by you and other collaborators. Click on the entries to navigate to the edited items within the project.
• Version History. Taskade saves snapshots of your project so that you can restore a previous version of your project with a single click.

• Export and Print. You can export your projects as plain text or markdown files. Attach them to emails, presentations, or for print.

• Cloud File Upload. Share files directly from Google Drive, Dropbox, Instagram, and Box in your projects with our integrations.
• Breakdown Larger Tasks. Organize your thoughts with Taskade’s unlimited hierarchy to break down large projects into tasks.
• Quick Search. Use CMD / CTRL + K to jump between any projects within Taskade web and apps.

For an exhaustive list of Taskade’s features, click here.

Taskade Pros

• Free-forever plan is loaded with features
• Real-time collaboration within the same project 
• Free built-in video call and chat function in each project
• Customizable templates to give you a headstart
• Work and chat in the same window, in the same app
• Frequent updates based on user/your feedback and suggestions
• Tabbed workflow for working with multiple Projects

Taskade Cons

• No custom APIs (yet)

Taskade Pricing

Taskade Free Plan

• Unlimited Tasks & Projects
• Unlimited Members & Guests
• Unlimited Folders & Teams
• Templates, Calendar, Repeat Tasks
• Real-time Collaboration
• Built-in Free Chat and Video Call

Taskade Unlimited Plan - Starts from $5/month

• Everything in Free, plus:
• Version History
• Advanced Permission
• Cloud Upload Integration
• 2-Way Calendar Integration

Click here for more information.

Is Taskade Right for You?

Taskade can be used by individuals and teams working from anywhere. Use Taskade individually or collaborate with your team for weekly agendas, team meetings, note-taking, project management, product roadmaps, and more. 

Make use of customizable board views to visualize your projects into digestible smaller tasks. Multiple board views are available even on Taskade’s free plan, allowing you to get more work done the smarter way. 

Collaborate with your team in real-time with free and unlimited chat and video conferencing available on every project. Automatic syncing ensures that your data is always up to date across devices.

Our customizable templates are available even with our free plan. Find the perfect template to help you get started with your project, and customize it to fit your needs!

Taskade is the simplest way to create task lists, checklists, and workflows. Manage projects and get more work done the simple way with Taskade.

Taskade is the best free Linear app alternative. Try Taskade for free today.