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Software · head to head

Linear vs Redis

Linear logo

Linear

Software

The issue tracking tool you'll enjoy using

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redis logo

Redis

Software

The real-time data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
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; Redis licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage
  • They diverge on capability: Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Redis covers In-memory data store.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Linear and Redis actually diverge.

Attributes where Linear and Redis differ
AttributeLinearRedis
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsLinux, macOS, Windows
Founded20192009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), 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 Linear

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

Only in Redis

  • In-memory data store
  • Data structures
  • Pub/Sub messaging
  • Lua scripting
  • Transactions
  • Persistence options
  • Replication
  • Clustering

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 Redis
  • Strategic planning via initiatives, roadmaps, and PRDs from idea to launchnot Redis
  • Agent-assisted development, with agents drafting docs and submitting pull requestsnot Redis
  • Code review with structural diffs for human and agent outputnot Redis
  • Progress monitoring via dashboards tracking cycle times and project healthnot Redis

Redis

  • Cachingnot Linear
  • Session managementnot Linear
  • Real-time analyticsnot Linear
  • Message queuingnot Linear
  • Leaderboardsnot 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

Redis

  • Licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage
  • All data must fit in memory, limiting scalability to available RAM
  • No built-in support for multi-tenancy
  • Limited transaction support compared to traditional databases

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

Redis

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Redis review.

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 Redis if

  • You need in-memory data store.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want data structures.
Redis review

Questions people ask

Is Linear or Redis better?
Neither clearly leads. Linear starts at Free and Redis at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Linear or Redis?
Linear starts at Free and Redis at Free.
Does Linear or Redis run on more platforms?
Linear runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Redis runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
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 Redis is typically brought in for.
What can Linear do that Redis cannot?
Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Keyboard-first design, Automatic issue tracking, Cycles (sprints). Redis covers In-memory data store, Data structures, Pub/Sub messaging, Lua scripting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Redis: Is Redis open source?

Redis was open source under the BSD license since its inception in 2009 and has remained open source. However, in 2024-2025, Redis Labs changed licensing to source-available and AGPL, prompting the creation of Valkey, a BSD-licensed open-source fork.

Source
Redis: What is Redis used for?

Redis is an in-memory data structure store used primarily as a cache, database, and message broker. It provides high-speed data access for real-time applications, sessions, leaderboards, real-time analytics, and other use cases requiring fast data retrieval.

Source
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