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Software · head to head

Breathe HR vs Linear

Breathe HR logo

Breathe HR

Software

Simple HR software for SMEs

From
£13/month
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: Breathe HR pricing is banded by headcount, starting at £24 per month for 1 to 10 people, £44 per month for 11 to 20 and £99 per month for 21 to 50; Linear no task-level Gantt chart; Timeline view is available for projects only, not individual issues
  • They diverge on capability: Breathe HR covers Employee Database, Linear covers Fast, real-time sync.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Breathe HR and Linear actually diverge.

Attributes where Breathe HR and Linear differ
AttributeBreathe HRLinear
Starting price£13/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
Founded20122019

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 Breathe HR

  • Employee Database
  • Absence Management
  • Document Storage
  • HR Reporting
  • Performance Management
  • Training
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365

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

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Breathe HR

  • Holiday, absence and sickness tracking for a UK small businessnot Linear
  • Storing HR documents, contracts and e-signaturesnot Linear
  • Performance reviews and onboarding workflows for small teamsnot Linear

Linear

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

Where each one falls short

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

Breathe HR

  • Pricing is banded by headcount, starting at £24 per month for 1 to 10 people, £44 per month for 11 to 20 and £99 per month for 21 to 50
  • Plans are capped by band up to 151 to 200 people, so it is not sold to organisations above that range on the published ladder
  • The free trial is 14 days
  • Health and safety, e-learning and other modules are sold as add-ons on top of the core HR plan
  • Pricing is quoted in pounds and the product is marketed to UK SMEs

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

Breathe HR

£13/month
  • Core$13/month
    • Employee Database
    • Absence Management
    • Documents
  • People Management$18/month
    • All Core features
    • Performance
    • Goals

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 Breathe HR if

  • You need employee database.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want absence management.
Breathe HR 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 Breathe HR or Linear better?
Neither clearly leads. Breathe HR starts at £13/month and Linear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Breathe HR or Linear?
Linear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at £13/month for Breathe HR and Free for Linear.
Does Breathe HR or Linear run on more platforms?
Breathe HR runs on Web, Ios, Android. 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. Breathe HR starts at £13/month.
What is Breathe HR best used for?
Breathe HR is most often used for holiday, absence and sickness tracking for a uk small business, storing hr documents, contracts and e-signatures, performance reviews and onboarding workflows for small teams. Of those, holiday, absence and sickness tracking for a uk small business and storing hr documents, contracts and e-signatures are not what Linear is typically brought in for.
What can Breathe HR do that Linear cannot?
Breathe HR covers Employee Database, Absence Management, Document Storage, HR Reporting. Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Keyboard-first design, Automatic issue tracking, Cycles (sprints). Both handle Slack.
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