Linear
Paymo
| Feature | Linear | Paymo |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $8/mo | Free / from $5.9/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | software-teams, startups, product-teams, engineering-teams | freelancers, small-businesses, agencies, consultants |
| Founded | 2019 | 2008 |
| Issues | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cycles | ✓ | ✗ |
| Roadmaps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Projects | ✓ | ✗ |
| Views | ✓ | ✗ |
| Git Integration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Project Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Invoicing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Resource Scheduling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Kanban Boards | ✗ | ✓ |
| Gantt Charts | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Linear Pros
- Incredibly fast
- Beautiful design
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Git integration
✗ Linear Cons
- Limited customization
- Opinionated workflow
- No time tracking
✓ Paymo Pros
- All-in-one project and time tool
- Built-in invoicing
- Resource scheduling
- Good free plan
✗ Paymo Cons
- Limited advanced features
- Reporting could be deeper
- Mobile app less polished
The Verdict
Linear is built for software teams and startups, with a focus on issues and cycles. Paymo targets freelancers and small businesses and leads with time-tracking and project-management.
Pricing is close: Paymo starts at $5.9/mo versus $8/mo for Linear — not a deciding factor on its own.
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.
Bottom line: Linear has a slight overall edge — but if all-in-one project and time tool matters most to you, Paymo may still be the right call.