Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Lago vs Linear

Lago logo

Lago

Accounting

Open-source billing infrastructure for usage-based models

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Linear logo

Linear

Technology

The issue tracking tool you'll enjoy using

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lago free tier limited to 10,000 entities per month with 5M event cap; Linear no task-level Gantt chart; Timeline view is available for projects only, not individual issues
  • They diverge on capability: Lago covers Real-time usage metering, Linear covers Fast, real-time sync.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lago and Linear actually diverge.

Attributes where Lago and Linear differ
AttributeLagoLinear
Pricing modelFreemium with optional paid tiersUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, Self-hosted, On-premise, VPCWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
CategoryAccountingTechnology
FoundedUnknown2019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Lago

  • Real-time usage metering
  • Multiple pricing models
  • Automated invoicing
  • Prepaid credits
  • Entitlements
  • Multi-currency support
  • Payment orchestration
  • Revenue analytics

Only in Linear

  • Fast, real-time sync
  • Keyboard-first design
  • Automatic issue tracking
  • Cycles (sprints)
  • Projects & milestones
  • Custom workflows
  • API & webhooks
  • Built-in roadmaps

What people use each for

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

Lago

  • Building usage-based billing for high-volume APIs and infrastructurenot Linear
  • Implementing metered billing for AI and tokenized servicesnot Linear
  • Creating subscription and hybrid pricing modelsnot Linear
  • Managing multi-currency billing for global companiesnot Linear
  • Maintaining billing infrastructure without vendor lock-innot Linear

Linear

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

Where each one falls short

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

Lago

  • Free tier limited to 10,000 entities per month with 5M event cap
  • No specific pricing published for Pro annual plan or Scale plan
  • Self-hosted and on-premise deployments require engineering resources
  • Community support only on free tier
  • Scale plan requires annual contracts and sales engagement

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

Lago

Free
  • Build (Free)Free
    • 10,000 managed entities per month
    • 5M usage events per month
    • 1K events per second rate limit
  • Pro$399/month
    • 10,000 entities included (graduated pricing to 100K)
    • 25M usage events included (to 500M with graduated rates)
    • 10K events per second (upgradeable to 100K)
  • Scale$null/custom
    • Custom entity and event volumes
    • 50K events per second (upgradeable to 100K)
    • RBAC and SSO (SAML)

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 Lago if

  • You need real-time usage metering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted, On-premise, VPC.
  • You also want multiple pricing models.
Lago 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 Lago or Linear better?
Neither clearly leads. Lago 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, Lago or Linear?
Lago starts at Free and Linear at Free.
Does Lago or Linear run on more platforms?
Lago runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted, On-premise, VPC. Linear runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Lago for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lago best used for?
Lago is most often used for building usage-based billing for high-volume apis and infrastructure, implementing metered billing for ai and tokenized services, creating subscription and hybrid pricing models, managing multi-currency billing for global companies. Of those, building usage-based billing for high-volume apis and infrastructure and implementing metered billing for ai and tokenized services are not what Linear is typically brought in for.
What can Lago do that Linear cannot?
Lago covers Real-time usage metering, Multiple pricing models, Automated invoicing, Prepaid credits. Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Keyboard-first design, Automatic issue tracking, Cycles (sprints).

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lago: Can I use Lago open-source for free?

Yes, Lago is open-source under the AGPLv3 license and can be self-hosted. The cloud-based Build plan is also free with limits of 10,000 entities and 5M events per month.

Source
Linear: How much does Linear cost?

Linear has a free tier supporting 2 teams and 250 issues. Paid plans start at $10 per user per month for Basic and $16 per user per month for Business. Annual billing is required for paid tiers.

Source
Lago: What payment providers does Lago integrate with?

Lago integrates with Stripe and Adyen for payment processing. It is not a payment processor itself but orchestrates payments through these providers.

Source
Linear: What are the file upload limits on Linear?

The free tier is restricted to 10MB file uploads per team. Paid plans offer unlimited file uploads.

Source
Lago: Does Lago support multiple currencies?

Yes, Lago supports multi-currency billing with automatic currency conversion for global businesses.

Source
Linear: Does Linear offer an Enterprise plan?

Yes, Linear offers an Enterprise tier with custom pricing, annual billing required, SAML and SCIM support, granular admin controls, and priority support.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Lago

More on Linear

Keep looking

Other head to heads