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Customer Support · head to head

Freshservice vs Linear

Freshservice logo

Freshservice

Customer Support

Modern IT service management

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Linear logo

Linear

Technology

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: Freshservice change, problem and release management require the Pro plan at $99 per agent per month, so core ITIL processes sit two tiers up; Linear no task-level Gantt chart; Timeline view is available for projects only, not individual issues
  • They diverge on capability: Freshservice covers Incident management, Linear covers Fast, real-time sync.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshservice and Linear actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshservice and Linear differ
AttributeFreshserviceLinear
Starting price$19/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
CategoryCustomer SupportTechnology
Founded20102019

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Freshservice

  • Incident management
  • Asset management
  • Change management
  • Knowledge base
  • Automation
  • Reporting
  • Microsoft Teams
  • AWS

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.

Freshservice

  • IT service management and internal help desk ticketingnot Linear
  • Asset management and change control for IT teamsnot Linear

Linear

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

Where each one falls short

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

Freshservice

  • Change, problem and release management require the Pro plan at $99 per agent per month, so core ITIL processes sit two tiers up
  • Every plan includes only 100 ITAM asset units, with more sold separately regardless of tier
  • Orchestration transactions are metered monthly, from 1,000 on Starter to 20,000 on Enterprise, with extra packs at $250 per 1,000
  • The Freddy AI copilot is a $29 per agent per month add on on top of Pro or Enterprise
  • Sandbox and audit logs are Enterprise only, which carries no published price

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

Freshservice

$19/month
  • Starter$19/month
    • Incident management
    • Knowledge base
    • Self-service portal
  • Growth$49/month
    • Asset management
    • Approval workflows
    • SLA management
  • Pro$95/month
    • Problem management
    • Change management
    • Release management
  • Enterprise$119/month
    • Freddy AI
    • Audit logs
    • Custom SSL

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 Freshservice if

  • You need incident management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want asset management.
Freshservice 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 Freshservice or Linear better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshservice starts at $19/month and Linear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Freshservice or Linear?
Linear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19/month for Freshservice and Free for Linear.
Does Freshservice or Linear run on more platforms?
Freshservice 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. Freshservice starts at $19/month.
What is Freshservice best used for?
Freshservice is most often used for it service management and internal help desk ticketing, asset management and change control for it teams. Of those, it service management and internal help desk ticketing and asset management and change control for it teams are not what Linear is typically brought in for.
What can Freshservice do that Linear cannot?
Freshservice covers Incident management, Asset management, Change management, Knowledge base. Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Keyboard-first design, Automatic issue tracking, Cycles (sprints). Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR.
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