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Linear vs Okteto

Linear logo

Linear

Technology

The issue tracking tool you'll enjoy using

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Okteto logo

Okteto

Developer Tools

Runs production-like development environments on your own Kubernetes cluster

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Linear no task-level Gantt chart; Timeline view is available for projects only, not individual issues; Okteto two of the three plans publish no price at all, with no currency and no billing period stated anywhere, so any budget above five seats requires a sales conversation before you can even compare it with an alternative.
  • They diverge on capability: Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Okteto covers Cluster development environments.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Linear and Okteto actually diverge.

Attributes where Linear and Okteto differ
AttributeLinearOkteto
Pricing modelUnknownquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsLinux, macOS, Windows, CLI, Kubernetes, Web
CategoryTechnologyDeveloper Tools
Founded2019Unknown

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 Linear

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

Only in Okteto

  • Cluster development environments
  • File synchronisation
  • Development containers
  • Environment catalogue
  • Preview environments
  • Bring your own cloud

What people use each for

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

Linear

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

Okteto

  • A microservices estate where no developer can run the full dependency graph on a laptopnot Linear
  • Giving each pull request a working environment reviewers can click rather than describenot Linear
  • Letting coding agents build and test against real databases and queues instead of mocksnot Linear
  • Removing a fleet of local Kubernetes installations that drift from production and produce false test resultsnot Linear

Where each one falls short

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

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

Okteto

  • Two of the three plans publish no price at all, with no currency and no billing period stated anywhere, so any budget above five seats requires a sales conversation before you can even compare it with an alternative.
  • The Apache-2.0 CLI is restricted to the development section of the manifest, so build services, user management and observability all require the commercial platform and the open licence provides very little continuity insurance.
  • The last disclosed funding round is a 15 million US dollar Series A from February 2022 with nothing announced since, and the contributor base is dominated by company employees, which is concentrated risk for something embedded in every developer daily loop.
  • You must bring and pay for the Kubernetes cluster, so node cost, capacity planning and version upgrades stay with your platform team on top of the licence fee.
  • The 2026 repositioning towards AI agents means the classic developer inner loop is no longer what the marketing leads with, so a buyer purchasing that use case should confirm roadmap commitment rather than assume it.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Okteto

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 5 seats included
    • Self-hosted deployment into your own cluster
    • Community support
  • Scale$undefined/year
    • Contact sales, no price, currency or billing period published
    • More seats and environments than Starter
    • Self-hosted deployment
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Contact sales, no price published
    • Bring your own cloud deployment
    • Available through Google Cloud and AWS marketplaces

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Okteto if

  • You need cluster development environments.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, CLI, Kubernetes, Web.
  • You also want file synchronisation.
Okteto review

Questions people ask

Is Linear or Okteto better?
Neither clearly leads. Linear starts at Free and Okteto at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Linear or Okteto?
Linear starts at Free and Okteto at Free.
Does Linear or Okteto run on more platforms?
Linear runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Okteto runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, CLI, Kubernetes, Web.
Can I use Linear for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Linear best used for?
Linear is most often used for issue management and triage, converting customer feedback into prioritized issues, strategic planning via initiatives, roadmaps, and prds from idea to launch, agent-assisted development, with agents drafting docs and submitting pull requests, code review with structural diffs for human and agent output. Of those, issue management and triage, converting customer feedback into prioritized issues and strategic planning via initiatives, roadmaps, and prds from idea to launch are not what Okteto is typically brought in for.
What can Linear do that Okteto cannot?
Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Keyboard-first design, Automatic issue tracking, Cycles (sprints). Okteto covers Cluster development environments, File synchronisation, Development containers, Environment catalogue.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Okteto: Is Okteto open source?

The CLI is Apache-2.0, but the README states it supports only the development section of the manifest. Everything operationally interesting, including builds, user management and observability, is in the commercial platform.

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
Okteto: What does it cost?

Only the free Starter tier with five seats is published. Scale and Enterprise are both contact sales, with no price, currency or billing period disclosed on the pricing page.

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
Okteto: Do I need my own Kubernetes cluster?

Yes. Okteto installs into a cluster you provide and pay for, so capacity, upgrades and node costs remain your responsibility in addition to the licence.

Okteto: How is this different from running Kubernetes locally?

Environments run against the same managed databases, queues and service mesh as production, so a class of failures that only appears in a real cluster is caught before merge rather than after deploy.

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