Software · head to head
Asana vs Linear
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Asana the free Personal tier is capped at 2 users, so it does not cover a small team; Linear no task-level Gantt chart; Timeline view is available for projects only, not individual issues
- They diverge on capability: Asana covers Multiple project views, Linear covers Fast, real-time sync.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Asana and Linear actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Asana
- Multiple project views
- Task dependencies
- Milestones
- Portfolios
- Goals & OKRs
- Workflow automation
- Resource management
- Reporting dashboards
Only in Linear
- Fast, real-time sync
- Keyboard-first design
- Automatic issue tracking
- Cycles (sprints)
- Projects & milestones
- Custom workflows
- API & webhooks
- Built-in roadmaps
Both cover
- Slack
- SOC2
- GDPR
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Asana
- Project planning & trackingnot Linear
- Campaign managementnot Linear
- Product launchesnot Linear
- Event planningnot Linear
- Agile & Scrum managementnot Linear
Linear
- Issue management and triage, converting customer feedback into prioritized issuesnot Asana
- Strategic planning via initiatives, roadmaps, and PRDs from idea to launchnot Asana
- Agent-assisted development, with agents drafting docs and submitting pull requestsnot Asana
- Code review with structural diffs for human and agent outputnot Asana
- Progress monitoring via dashboards tracking cycle times and project healthnot Asana
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Asana
- The free Personal tier is capped at 2 users, so it does not cover a small team
- Timeline and Gantt views, reporting dashboards and time tracking all require Starter at $10.99 per user per month
- Portfolios, goals, workload management and approvals need Advanced at $24.99 per user per month
- Salesforce, Tableau and Power BI integrations are Advanced or above
- Monthly billing costs more, at $13.49 and $30.49 against the annual rates
Linear
- No task-level Gantt chart; Timeline view is available for projects only, not individual issues
- No native time-tracking or hour-logging feature
- No native Linux desktop app; official FAQ states it 'may come in the future but it's not on the roadmap for now'
- Free tier capped at 250 issues and 2 teams
Pricing, plan by plan
Asana
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Asana review.
Linear
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited members
- 2 teams
- 250 issues
- Basic$10/month
- 5 teams
- Unlimited issues
- Unlimited file uploads
- Business$16/month
- Unlimited teams
- Private teams/guests
- Triage Intelligence
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- SAML/SCIM
- Granular admin controls
- Invoice/PO billing
Which should you pick?
Choose Asana if
- You need multiple project views.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want task dependencies.
Choose Linear if
- You need fast, real-time sync.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
- You also want keyboard-first design.
Questions people ask
- Is Asana or Linear better?
- Neither clearly leads. Asana starts at Free and Linear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Asana or Linear?
- Asana starts at Free and Linear at Free.
- Does Asana or Linear run on more platforms?
- Asana runs on Web, iOS, Android. Linear runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
- Can I use Asana for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Asana best used for?
- Asana is most often used for project planning & tracking, campaign management, product launches, event planning. Of those, project planning & tracking and campaign management are not what Linear is typically brought in for.
- What can Asana do that Linear cannot?
- Asana covers Multiple project views, Task dependencies, Milestones, Portfolios. Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Keyboard-first design, Automatic issue tracking, Cycles (sprints). Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Asana: Does Asana have a free tier?
Yes. Asana offers a free Personal plan for up to 2 users, plus free trial access to paid plans.
SourceAsana: What is the starting price for Asana paid plans?
Asana Starter plan begins at $10.99 per user per month when billed annually, or $13.49 per user when billed monthly.
SourceAsana: Does Asana integrate with other work tools?
Yes. Asana offers 200+ integrations including Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Jira, and Zoom.
Source