Jira is built for engineering teams and developers, with a focus on scrum-boards and kanban. Linear targets software teams and startups and leads with issues and cycles.

Both tools come in at similar price points ($7.91/mo for Jira, $8/mo for Linear), so pricing won't make the decision for you.

Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.

Linear edges out on user ratings (4.7 vs 4.3). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.

Feature-wise, Jira offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Linear takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.

Both tools are a solid fit for engineering teams — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.

Bottom line: Linear has a slight overall edge — but if powerful agile/scrum support matters most to you, Jira may still be the right call.