Linear vs Trello
pricing comparison · 2026 · Updated April 2026
Linear pricing ranges from $0–$16/user/month, while Trello ranges from $0–$17.5/user/month. Trello is typically 25% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
Sources & confidence
Every dollar amount and contract clause below traces back to a sourced fact. We don't manufacture composite scores.
Plans at a glance
Every tier per product. Lock one to drive the cost row above and reveal a tier-specific outbound CTA.
Contract terms
The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.
What users say
Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.
Linear and Trello serve overlapping but distinct audiences. Trello popularized Kanban boards for general teams and remains the go-to visual task manager for non-technical users. Linear was built for software engineering teams from the ground up — with cycle planning, GitHub integration, SLAs, and a speed-first interface that eliminates Trello configuration overhead.
Trello is cheaper at Standard $5/user/month vs Linear Basic $10/user/month — but Linear engineering-specific features often make it a more productive tool for dev teams that outgrow Trello simplicity.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Linear | Trello |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free /month | Free /month |
| Basic | $10 /user/month | $5 /user/month |
| Business | $16 /user/month | $10 /user/month |
| Enterprise | Custom | $17.50 /user/month |
Cost at Scale
Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.
Linear
4 scenariosTrello
9 scenariosMarket Intelligence
Linear
- Median annual cost
- $700
- Based on
- 368 deals
Trello
- Median annual cost
- $500
- Based on
- 137 deals
Contract Terms
| Term | Linear | Trello |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | Yes | Yes |
| Cancellation | Cancel anytime for monthly plans; annual plans commit for the full year with no mid-term refunds | Not clearly communicated; users report receiving only an indirect email approximately 7 business days before charge |
| Minimum commitment | Annual billing required on all paid plans | Monthly or annual |
| Price escalation | No published annual uplift schedule; pricing has remained stable since launch | No published schedule; new features (e.g. Planner) are progressively moved to paid tiers |
| Can downgrade | Yes | No |
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Our Verdict
Linear wins for software engineering teams that want tight developer tool integration and structured cycle planning. Its opinionated, keyboard-first interface is noticeably faster for issue triage and sprint planning than Trello open-ended boards.
Trello wins for teams that prioritize simplicity, price, and ease of adoption — especially non-technical users or mixed teams where not everyone needs deep dev tool integration. At $5/user/month vs $10/user/month, the price difference compounds quickly at team scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Linear or Trello better for software teams?
Linear is widely preferred by software teams for its native GitHub/GitLab integration, cycle planning, and engineering-specific workflows. Trello can be adapted for dev teams via Power-Ups, but requires more configuration to match Linear out-of-box functionality.
02 Can I migrate from Trello to Linear?
Yes, Linear supports CSV imports and has a Trello import tool. Boards become projects, cards become issues, and labels carry over. The main adjustment is Linear more structured issue hierarchy and cycle-based planning.
03 Which is cheaper — Linear or Trello?
Trello Standard ($5/user/month) is half the price of Linear Basic ($10/user/month). Trello Premium ($10/user/month) and Linear Business ($16/user/month) narrow the gap at higher tiers. Both offer free plans.
04 Does Linear have a Kanban view like Trello?
Yes, Linear has a Board view similar to Trello Kanban layout. It also adds List, Timeline, Roadmap, and Cycles views. Trello Timeline and Table views are available on Premium ($10/user/month).