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JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA vs Jira

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA logo

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

Technology

The Leading Java and Kotlin IDE

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Jira logo

Jira

Technology

The #1 software development tool used by agile teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA high memory consumption and slower startup time compared to lightweight editors like Visual Studio Code; Jira free tier strictly limited to 10 users with only 2 GB storage; unsuitable for growing teams
  • They diverge on capability: JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA covers Smart code completion, Jira covers Scrum boards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA and Jira actually diverge.

Attributes where JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA and Jira differ
AttributeJetBrains IntelliJ IDEAJira
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, LinuxCloud, Web
Founded20002002

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).

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 JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

  • Smart code completion
  • Framework support
  • Refactoring tools
  • Debugging & profiling
  • Version control
  • Database tools
  • Build tools
  • Testing frameworks

Only in Jira

  • Scrum boards
  • Kanban boards
  • Roadmaps
  • Agile reporting
  • Custom workflows
  • Issue tracking
  • Sprint planning
  • DevOps integration

Both cover

  • GitHub

What people use each for

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

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

  • Enterprise Java developmentnot Jira
  • Spring applicationsnot Jira
  • Android appsnot Jira
  • Web applicationsnot Jira
  • Microservicesnot Jira

Jira

  • Software development teams leveraging AI-powered Rovo for trend analysis and bottleneck identificationnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
  • Organisations requiring integrated issue tracking, project planning, and team alignment toolsnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
  • Enterprises with 1,000+ users needing advanced analytics, security controls, and custom deployment optionsnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

Where each one falls short

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

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

  • High memory consumption and slower startup time compared to lightweight editors like Visual Studio Code
  • Refactoring can sometimes increase code line count and doesn't effectively support all modern programming languages
  • Occasionally misses dependencies between files requiring full rebuilds for consistency
  • Expensive subscription costs for Ultimate edition compared to open-source alternatives like Eclipse
  • Not all class name references are updated reliably when using search and replace functionality

Jira

  • Free tier strictly limited to 10 users with only 2 GB storage; unsuitable for growing teams
  • Per-seat pricing ($7.91–$14.54/user/month) accumulates significantly for large teams; 50-person team costs £3,955–7,270 monthly
  • Enterprise tier requires annual billing and sales contact; no transparent per-user pricing available
  • Premium features (cross-team planning, advanced automation) available only at $14.54/user/month tier or above

Pricing, plan by plan

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Java, Kotlin, Scala development
    • Python, Go, Rust, PHP, Ruby support
    • Spring Boot integration
  • Ultimate (Individual)$19.9/month
    • All Community Edition features
    • Advanced web development tools
    • JavaScript, TypeScript, React support
  • All Products Pack (Individual)$29.9/month
    • IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate
    • PyCharm Professional
    • WebStorm

Jira

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 users
    • 2 GB storage
    • 100 automation rule runs per month
  • Standard$7.91/user/month
    • Up to 100,000 users per site
    • 250 GB storage
    • 1,700 automation rule runs per month
  • Premium$14.54/user/month
    • Unlimited storage
    • 1,000 rule runs per month per paid user
    • 70 credits per user monthly for Rovo
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • 150 credits per user monthly for Rovo
    • Multiple sites (up to 150)
    • Unlimited automation rule runs

Which should you pick?

Choose JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA if

  • You need smart code completion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want framework support.
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA review

Choose Jira if

  • You need scrum boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Web.
  • You also want kanban boards.
Jira review

Questions people ask

Is JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA or Jira better?
Neither clearly leads. JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA starts at Free and Jira at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA or Jira?
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA starts at Free and Jira at Free.
Does JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA or Jira run on more platforms?
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA runs on macOS, Windows, Linux. Jira runs on Cloud, Web.
Can I use JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA best used for?
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA is most often used for enterprise java development, spring applications, android apps, web applications. Of those, enterprise java development and spring applications are not what Jira is typically brought in for.
What can JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA do that Jira cannot?
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA covers Smart code completion, Framework support, Refactoring tools, Debugging & profiling. Jira covers Scrum boards, Kanban boards, Roadmaps, Agile reporting. Both handle GitHub.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: Is there a free version of IntelliJ IDEA?

Yes, IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition is completely free for personal, educational, and commercial use. As of IntelliJ IDEA 2025.3, the Community Edition has been unified with Ultimate, maintaining all core functionality free including Java, Kotlin, Scala, Python, Go, Rust, PHP, and Ruby support.

Source
Jira: What is Jira's free tier?

Jira's Free plan supports up to 10 users, includes 2 GB storage, allows 100 automation rule runs per month, and provides community support only. Ideal for small teams or evaluation.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: What programming languages does IntelliJ IDEA support?

IntelliJ IDEA supports Java, Kotlin, Scala, Python, Go, Rust, PHP, Ruby, JavaScript, TypeScript, and more. The free Community Edition includes support for all major languages with new features in Spring, Jakarta EE, Thymeleaf, and other frameworks.

Source
Jira: How much does Jira Standard cost?

Jira Standard costs $7.91 per user per month and includes 250 GB storage, 1,700 automation rule runs per month, Rovo Search/Chat/Agents, and 9/5 regional support with 2-hour response time for critical issues.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: Can I use IntelliJ IDEA with Spring Boot?

Yes, IntelliJ IDEA has built-in Spring Boot integration including the Spring Initializr project wizard, automatic dependency management with Maven and Gradle, code inspections for Spring frameworks, and direct project creation from Spring Initializr.

Source
Jira: What is included in Jira Premium?

Jira Premium costs $14.54 per user per month and includes unlimited storage, 1,000 rule runs per user per month, 70 monthly Rovo credits, 24/7 support with 1-hour critical response, and 99.9% uptime SLA.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: Does IntelliJ IDEA support Git version control?

Yes, IntelliJ IDEA includes comprehensive Git integration allowing users to create Git repositories, commit changes, push to GitHub, create and merge branches, resolve conflicts, and investigate file history directly from the IDE.

Source
Jira: Does Jira offer an Enterprise plan?

Yes, Jira Enterprise is available with custom pricing (contact sales). It includes up to 150 sites, 150 monthly Rovo credits per user, unlimited automation runs, 24/7 support with 30-minute critical response, and 99.95% uptime SLA.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: How much does IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate cost?

IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate subscription starts at $19.90 per month for Individual plans or $29.90 for the All Products Pack. Long-term discounts apply: 20% off year 2 and 40% off year 3 and beyond, reducing the annual cost significantly for loyal users.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: What are the main differences between IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse?

IntelliJ IDEA offers a cleaner UI and more powerful code assistance capabilities compared to Eclipse's more complex interface. IntelliJ provides better refactoring tools, superior code completion, and optimized performance, while Eclipse remains free and open-source with a larger plugin ecosystem.

Source
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