Technology · head to head
Shortcut vs Checkmk
Checkmk
Technology
Comprehensive IT monitoring, open and flexible
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Shortcut has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Shortcut limited reporting compared to Jira; Checkmk pricing is metered per service (each individual metric or sensor monitored) rather than per host, so cost scales with monitoring depth, not just server count
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Shortcut and Checkmk actually diverge.
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 Shortcut
- Stories & epics
- Iterations (sprints)
- Kanban boards
- Roadmaps
- Reporting
- Docs
- API & webhooks
- Mobile apps
Only in Checkmk
Nothing recorded that Shortcut does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Shortcut
- Sprint planningnot Checkmk
- Bug trackingnot Checkmk
- Feature developmentnot Checkmk
- Product roadmappingnot Checkmk
- Team collaborationnot Checkmk
Checkmk
No use cases recorded yet. See the Checkmk review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Shortcut
- Limited reporting compared to Jira
- Designed specifically for software teams, not general project management
- Can experience slow loading times with very large projects
Checkmk
- Pricing is metered per service (each individual metric or sensor monitored) rather than per host, so cost scales with monitoring depth, not just server count
- Pro edition starts at 190 euro per month billed annually, and Ultimate at 275 euro per month billed annually; prices are published in euros only
- The CloudAI SaaS edition is capped at 50,000 services even though self-hosted Pro and Ultimate scale to over 100,000 hosts
Pricing, plan by plan
Shortcut
Free- FreeFree
- Kanban boards
- Sprints
- Roadmaps
- Team$8.5/user/month
- Unlimited users
- Advanced reports
- WIP limits
- Business$12/user/month
- Unlimited workspaces
- OKRs
- Advanced custom fields
- Enterprise$null/custom
- Volume discounts
- SSO/SCIM
- Premier support
Checkmk
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Checkmk review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Shortcut if
- You need stories & epics.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
- You also want iterations (sprints).
Choose Checkmk if
Nothing in the data separates Checkmk from Shortcut on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Shortcut or Checkmk better?
- Neither clearly leads. Shortcut starts at Free and Checkmk at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Shortcut or Checkmk?
- Shortcut has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Shortcut and On request for Checkmk.
- Does Shortcut or Checkmk run on more platforms?
- Shortcut runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux. Checkmk runs on Web.
- Can I use Shortcut for free?
- Yes. Shortcut has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Checkmk starts at On request.
- What is Shortcut best used for?
- Shortcut is most often used for sprint planning, bug tracking, feature development, product roadmapping. Of those, sprint planning and bug tracking are not what Checkmk is typically brought in for.
- What can Shortcut do that Checkmk cannot?
- Shortcut covers Stories & epics, Iterations (sprints), Kanban boards, Roadmaps.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Shortcut: Does Shortcut have a free plan?
Yes, Shortcut offers a free plan for up to 10 users with core features like kanban boards, roadmaps, sprints, and reports. Paid plans start at $8.50 per user per month.
SourceShortcut: Does Shortcut integrate with GitHub?
Yes, Shortcut has native GitHub integration that automatically syncs pull requests and commits to stories, and includes GitLab and Bitbucket support as well.
SourceShortcut: Can I use Shortcut for non-technical projects?
Shortcut is built for software teams, though you can customize workflows for other use cases. Linear and Asana may be better suited for non-technical project management.
SourceShortcut: Does Shortcut support SSO and SCIM?
Yes, SSO and SCIM support are available on the Enterprise plan, allowing centralized identity management for large organizations.
SourceShortcut: What's the difference between Shortcut and Jira?
Shortcut is lighter and faster with less setup required, while Jira offers deeper customization and enterprise features. Shortcut works better for modern software teams wanting simplicity; Jira suits enterprises needing extensive configuration.
Source