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Technology · head to head

Linear vs Thought Machine

Linear logo

Linear

Technology

The issue tracking tool you'll enjoy using

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thought Machine logo

Thought Machine

Technology

Cloud native core banking where products are written as smart contracts

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Linear has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Linear no task-level Gantt chart; Timeline view is available for projects only, not individual issues; Thought Machine a core replacement is a two to four year programme at an established bank, and the licence is a minority of total cost against system integrator fees, parallel running and data migration.
  • They diverge on capability: Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Thought Machine covers Smart contract product engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Linear and Thought Machine actually diverge.

Attributes where Linear and Thought Machine differ
AttributeLinearThought Machine
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsWeb, API, Cloud
Founded2019Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Linear

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

Only in Thought Machine

  • Smart contract product engine
  • Cloud native architecture
  • Real time ledger
  • Vault Payments
  • API first design
  • Multi entity and multi currency
  • Product versioning and testing
  • Configurable posting rules

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

Thought Machine

  • A large bank launching a separate digital brand on a clean core rather than migrating the back booknot Linear
  • A bank whose product launches are blocked by vendor change requests on a legacy corenot Linear
  • An institution needing real time balances and postings for instant payment obligationsnot Linear
  • A group consolidating multiple country cores onto one multi entity platformnot 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

Thought Machine

  • A core replacement is a two to four year programme at an established bank, and the licence is a minority of total cost against system integrator fees, parallel running and data migration.
  • The smart contract model presumes a bank can write and maintain Python financial products, and institutions without that engineering capability end up outsourcing the very flexibility they bought.
  • Cloud infrastructure cost sits with the bank and is not trivial at scale, so total cost of ownership comparisons against a hosted legacy core often miss a large recurring line.
  • Thought Machine has made two rounds of job cuts pursuing profitability, which is a legitimate supplier stability concern for a system a bank expects to run for fifteen years.
  • The functional footprint is core ledger and product engine, so origination, collections, regulatory reporting and channels all come from other vendors, and the integration estate around Vault is the bank's problem to design and own.

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

Thought Machine

On request
  • Vault Core$undefined/year
    • Quoted per institution, typically on account volumes or annual contract value
    • Implementation and system integrator costs commonly exceed the licence fee
    • Cloud infrastructure costs are the bank's and are not included

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 Thought Machine if

  • You need smart contract product engine.
  • You work on Web, API, Cloud.
  • You also want cloud native architecture.
Thought Machine review

Questions people ask

Is Linear or Thought Machine better?
Neither clearly leads. Linear starts at Free and Thought Machine at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Linear or Thought Machine?
Linear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Linear and On request for Thought Machine.
Does Linear or Thought Machine run on more platforms?
Linear runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Thought Machine runs on Web, API, Cloud.
Can I use Linear for free?
Yes. Linear has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Thought Machine starts at On request.
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 Thought Machine is typically brought in for.
What can Linear do that Thought Machine cannot?
Linear covers Fast, real-time sync, Keyboard-first design, Automatic issue tracking, Cycles (sprints). Thought Machine covers Smart contract product engine, Cloud native architecture, Real time ledger, Vault Payments.

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
Thought Machine: Is Vault Core genuinely cloud native?

Yes. It is containerised, runs on Kubernetes on public cloud, and posts in real time rather than in overnight batch.

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
Thought Machine: How long does a migration take?

Eighteen months at the absolute fastest for a narrow greenfield launch; two to four years for a phased migration at an established bank.

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
Thought Machine: Does the licence fee represent the total cost?

No. Implementation, system integration, parallel running and cloud infrastructure typically cost more than the licence over the programme.

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