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Software · head to head

BambooHR vs Linear

BambooHR logo

BambooHR

Software

HR software with heart

From
$10/month per employee
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Linear logo

Linear

Software

The issue tracking tool you'll enjoy using

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Linear has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BambooHR organisations of 25 or fewer employees pay a flat rate starting at $250 a month, so a very small team pays far more per head than the listed per-employee price; Linear no task-level Gantt chart; Timeline view is available for projects only, not individual issues
  • They diverge on capability: BambooHR covers Employee database, Linear covers Fast, real-time sync.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BambooHR and Linear actually diverge.

Attributes where BambooHR and Linear differ
AttributeBambooHRLinear
Starting price$10/month per employeeFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
Founded20082019

Identical on both: 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 BambooHR

  • Employee database
  • Time-off management
  • Benefits tracking
  • Performance reviews
  • Onboarding
  • Reporting & analytics
  • Mobile access
  • Document management

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.

BambooHR

  • HR system of record with employee data and documentsnot Linear
  • Time off tracking and approvalsnot Linear
  • Applicant tracking and onboardingnot Linear
  • Performance reviews and 1:1s on the Pro tiernot Linear
  • Compensation planning and benchmarking on Elitenot Linear

Linear

  • Issue management and triage, converting customer feedback into prioritized issuesnot BambooHR
  • Strategic planning via initiatives, roadmaps, and PRDs from idea to launchnot BambooHR
  • Agent-assisted development, with agents drafting docs and submitting pull requestsnot BambooHR
  • Code review with structural diffs for human and agent outputnot BambooHR
  • Progress monitoring via dashboards tracking cycle times and project healthnot BambooHR

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BambooHR

  • Organisations of 25 or fewer employees pay a flat rate starting at $250 a month, so a very small team pays far more per head than the listed per-employee price
  • Per-employee pricing starts at 26 employees, from $10 on Core
  • Performance management, 360 reviews and recognition all require Pro at $17 per employee per month
  • Compensation management, salary benchmarking and advanced analytics are Elite only at $25 per employee per month
  • Compliance training is rationed by tier, at 1 course on Core against 300 on Elite

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

BambooHR

$10/month per employee

No published plan breakdown. See the BambooHR 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 BambooHR if

  • You need employee database.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want time-off management.
BambooHR review

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.
Linear review

Questions people ask

Is BambooHR or Linear better?
Neither clearly leads. BambooHR starts at $10/month per employee and Linear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BambooHR or Linear?
Linear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10/month per employee for BambooHR and Free for Linear.
Does BambooHR or Linear run on more platforms?
BambooHR runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Linear runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Linear for free?
Yes. Linear has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BambooHR starts at $10/month per employee.
What is BambooHR best used for?
BambooHR is most often used for hr system of record with employee data and documents, time off tracking and approvals, applicant tracking and onboarding, performance reviews and 1:1s on the pro tier. Of those, hr system of record with employee data and documents and time off tracking and approvals are not what Linear is typically brought in for.
What can BambooHR do that Linear cannot?
BambooHR covers Employee database, Time-off management, Benefits tracking, Performance reviews. Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Keyboard-first design, Automatic issue tracking, Cycles (sprints). Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR.
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