The 6 best Linear alternatives
Short answer
The best Linear alternatives are ClickUp, Asana, Notion. ClickUp is our top pick — it scores 8.5/10 and is best for Agencies wanting one tool for all project work. The right choice depends on your budget, team size, and which features matter most.
Why look for a Linear alternative?
Linear scores 9/10 in our review and works well for many teams — but it is not the right fit for everyone. The most common reasons readers look elsewhere:
- ✗Built only for software teams — not useful for non-dev project management
- ✗Free plan caps at 250 issues
- ✗No Gantt chart or resource planning for non-engineering work
Linear alternatives, ranked
ClickUp
Top pickOne app to replace them all
ClickUp is a feature-packed project management platform covering tasks, docs, whiteboards, goals, time tracking, and reporting. The most popular choice for agencies wanting one tool for internal project management and client delivery tracking.
Strengths
- ✓Incredible value — replaces many tools
- ✓Highly customizable views (list, board, gantt, calendar)
- ✓Strong free tier
Best for
- →Agencies wanting one tool for all project work
- →Teams with diverse workflows
Asana
Project management for teams who want clarity
Asana is a mature project management platform used by teams of all sizes. It excels at task tracking, project timelines, and cross-team coordination. The free tier is generous for small teams.
Strengths
- ✓Excellent task visualization (list, board, timeline, calendar)
- ✓Strong integrations ecosystem
- ✓Generous free tier
Best for
- →Agencies managing multiple client projects
- →Teams needing cross-department coordination
Notion
The connected workspace for notes, docs, and projects
Notion is a flexible workspace combining notes, docs, wikis, databases, and project management. Extremely popular with consultants and small teams as a client-facing wiki, internal knowledge base, and lightweight project tracker. Steep learning curve but limitless flexibility.
Strengths
- ✓Extremely versatile — replaces many single-purpose tools
- ✓Great for client-facing deliverable docs
- ✓Strong free tier
Best for
- →Consultants building client deliverables and SOPs
- →Solo operators centralizing their work
- →Knowledge-heavy businesses
Airtable
The database your team will actually use
Airtable is a flexible database platform that works like a supercharged spreadsheet. Used by agencies for client tracking, content calendars, project databases, and custom workflows. Extremely versatile with a large template library.
Strengths
- ✓Extremely flexible — fits almost any use case
- ✓Multiple views (grid, gallery, kanban, calendar)
- ✓Large integration ecosystem
Best for
- →Agencies tracking clients, content, or campaigns
- →Custom workflow builders
Teamwork
Project management purpose-built for client-service agencies
Teamwork is a project management platform designed specifically for agencies and client-service businesses. Unlike ClickUp or Monday which are general-purpose, Teamwork's core features are shaped around agency workflows: client access without charging for client seats, time tracking and budgets per project, retainer tracking, invoicing, and a client-facing portal. The combination of project management, time tracking, and billing in one tool makes it a compelling option for agencies billing on time-and-materials.
Strengths
- ✓Built for agencies — client access doesn't cost extra seats
- ✓Time tracking, budgets, and retainer management built in
- ✓Invoicing from tracked time without a separate tool
Best for
- →Agencies billing clients hourly who want PM + time tracking + invoicing together
- →Client-service businesses with many concurrent active projects
Monday.com
The work OS that adapts to any team's workflow
Monday.com is a visual Work OS — a flexible platform that teams use for project management, CRM, HR processes, and more. Its strength is customizability: boards can be shaped into timelines, Kanban views, calendars, Gantt charts, or dashboards. This flexibility comes with a cost: per-seat pricing makes it one of the more expensive PM tools, and the learning curve is steeper than Trello or Asana.
Strengths
- ✓Highly customizable — builds boards for almost any workflow
- ✓Multiple views: Kanban, Gantt, timeline, calendar, dashboard
- ✓Strong automation builder for repetitive tasks
Best for
- →Agencies managing complex, multi-team projects
- →Teams that need PM + light CRM or ops workflows in one tool
Linear vs. the alternatives
Linear alternatives — FAQ
What is the best Linear alternative?
ClickUp is our top-rated Linear alternative, scoring 8.5/10. It is best for Agencies wanting one tool for all project work.
Is there a free Linear alternative?
Yes — ClickUp, Asana, Notion, Airtable, Teamwork, Monday.com offer a free plan you can use to evaluate the tool before paying.