Notion vs Linear
Notion and Linear represent two popular approaches to project management. My team has used both for real projects, and we've learned that the "best" tool often depends on your team's working style. Linear scores 9.1/10, but team adoption matters more than features.
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Quick Answer
Linear beats Notion for most users. It scores 9.1/10 vs 8.9/10 and incredibly fast ui (50ms interactions). Choose Notion if you need extremely flexible and customizable.
Notion
Flexible workspace for docs and projects
Starting from
$8/mo
Linear
WinnerBlazing-fast issue tracking for modern dev teams
Starting from
$8/mo
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 8.9/10 | 9.1/10 |
| Starting Price | $8/mo | $8/mo |
| User Reviews | ||
| Capacity | ||
| Users | Unlimited (free) | Unlimited |
| Boards | ||
| File Storage | 5MB/file (free) | Unlimited |
| Views & Planning | ||
| Kanban View | ||
| Gantt Chart | ||
| Time Tracking | ||
| Features | ||
| Automations | ||
| Integrations | 100+ | 50+ |
| Mobile App | ||
| API Access | ||
Pros & Cons Breakdown
Notion
- Extremely flexible and customizable
- Excellent documentation/wiki
- Databases with multiple views
- Beautiful interface
- Great templates library
- Free for personal use
- Not a dedicated PM tool
- No native time tracking
- Offline mode is limited
Linear
- Incredibly fast UI (50ms interactions)
- Beautiful, modern design
- Real-time collaboration
- Deep GitHub/GitLab integration
- Cycles for sprint planning
- Powerful keyboard shortcuts
- AI-powered semantic search
- Free plan limited to 250 issues
- Less customizable than Jira
- Focused on software teams only
- Fewer integrations than competitors
Key Difference
The core difference lies in approach: Notion focuses on extremely flexible and customizable, while Linear emphasizes incredibly fast ui (50ms interactions). Both philosophies have merit depending on your priorities.
Which Should You Choose?
Notion
Choose Notion if you prioritize extremely flexible and customizable, want to start with a free tier, need unlimited usage, or value excellent documentation/wiki.
Linear
Choose Linear if you prioritize incredibly fast ui (50ms interactions), want to start with a free tier, need unlimited usage, or value beautiful, modern design.
Our Verdict
After thorough testing, Linear is our winner with a rating of 9.1/10 compared to Notion's 8.9/10. Linear stands out for its incredibly fast ui (50ms interactions) and beautiful, modern design. Linear also offers better value at its price point. However, Notion remains an excellent choice if extremely flexible and customizable is your priority. There's no universally "wrong" choice here - both are quality options that serve their target audiences well.
Thinking of Switching?
Switching project management tools affects your whole team. Most tools offer data export, but workflows and automations won't transfer. Plan for a transition period where you might run both systems briefly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Notion better than Linear?
Linear scores higher in our testing (9.1/10 vs 8.9/10). Linear excels at incredibly fast ui (50ms interactions), while Notion is better for extremely flexible and customizable.
Which is cheaper, Notion or Linear?
Linear is more affordable at $0.00/mo vs $0.00/mo. Linear offers NaN% savings.
Notion vs Linear: which should I choose?
Choose Notion if you prioritize extremely flexible and customizable. Choose Linear if you need incredibly fast ui (50ms interactions). Both are solid project management options.
What's the main difference between Notion and Linear?
The main difference is Notion offers flexible workspace for docs and projects, while Linear focuses on blazing-fast issue tracking for modern dev teams.