Linear vs Motion
Compare Linear and Motion on features, pricing, and buyer fit using the same researched criteria.
Linear
Modern issue tracker for product/engineering teams — Free limited; Basic from ~$8/user/mo annual.
Best for
- • Product/engineering teams wanting modern UX
- • Startups replacing Jira complexity
- • Issue-centric software delivery
Starting from $8.00/user/mo
Free plan available
VS
Our verdict
There is no universal winner between Linear and Motion. Choose Linear when Product/engineering teams wanting modern UX. Choose Motion when Individuals/small teams buying AI auto-scheduling. Criterion scores come from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments and first-party research — not hands-on lab testing.
Linear is better for
- ✓ Free plan
- ✓ Ease of use
- ✓ Timeline / Gantt
- ✓ Collaboration
Motion is better for
- ✓ Automations
- ✓ AI features
Choose Linear if: Product/engineering teams wanting modern UX
Choose Motion if: Individuals/small teams buying AI auto-scheduling
Motion
AI calendar + task auto-scheduling (projects, docs, meetings) — Pro AI from $19/seat/mo annual.
Best for
- • Individuals/small teams buying AI auto-scheduling
- • Calendar + task unification
- • Buyers who want AI docs/projects bundled
Starting from $19.00/user/mo
No free plan
Linear vs Motion at a glance
Criterion-level leaders from verified research.
Scorecard preview
Criterion leaders based on verified research — open the Scorecard tab for evidence detail.
- Starting pricingDepends
Linear
Motion
- Seat / licence minimumDepends
Linear
Motion
- Free planLinear
Linear
Motion
- Ease of useLinear
Linear
Motion
- Timeline / GanttLinear
Linear
Motion
Which project management is better for you?
Quick picks based on fit — not a universal ranking.
- → Linear
Best for free plan
Linear researches a free plan; Motion does not research a free plan.
- → Linear
Best for ease of use
Linear leads on ease of use (9/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
- → Linear
Best for timeline / gantt
Linear leads on timeline gantt (9/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
- → Motion
Best for automations
Motion leads on automations (7/10 vs 9/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
- → Motion
Best for ai features
Motion leads on ai features (7/10 vs 9/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
The biggest differences
Where the products diverge most clearly on verified criteria.
Starting pricing
DependsLinear
Linear researched starting price from $8/mo; a free plan is researched; Motion researched starting price from $19/mo. Seat minimums and AI credits can change TCO.
Motion
Linear researched starting price from $8/mo; a free plan is researched; Motion researched starting price from $19/mo. Seat minimums and AI credits can change TCO.
Seat / licence minimum
DependsLinear
Check paid seat floors for Linear and Motion on current vendor packaging.
Motion
Check paid seat floors for Linear and Motion on current vendor packaging.
Timeline / Gantt
Linear winsLinear
Linear leads on timeline gantt (9/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Motion
Trails Linear on this criterion
Automations
Motion winsLinear
Trails Motion on this criterion
Motion
Motion leads on automations (7/10 vs 9/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Integrations
Linear winsLinear
Linear leads on integrations (8/10 vs 6/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Motion
Trails Linear on this criterion
Reporting
Linear winsLinear
Linear leads on reporting (7/10 vs 5/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Motion
Trails Linear on this criterion
Which should you choose?
Choose Linear if
- Product/engineering teams wanting modern UX
- Startups replacing Jira complexity
- Issue-centric software delivery
Choose Motion if
- Individuals/small teams buying AI auto-scheduling
- Calendar + task unification
- Buyers who want AI docs/projects bundled
Related comparisons
Alternatives to consider
Jira
Atlassian Agile issue tracker for software teams — Free ≤10; Standard from ~$8.15/user/mo annual.
ClickUp
All-in-one configurable Work OS (tasks, docs, dashboards, ClickUp Brain) — Unlimited from $7/user/mo annual.
Asana
Cross-functional work management with goals, workflows and AI Studio — Starter from $10.99/user/mo annual.
monday.com
Work OS / work management platform with boards, timelines, automations and AI credits — Basic from $9/seat/mo annual (3-seat minimum).
How we compare
A short look at the comparison process. Full methodology
1
Collect
Collect official product information, pricing, and product evidence.
2
Normalize
Map evidence to the same category evaluation criteria for both products.
3
Compare
Evaluate both products against identical criteria — ties and depends are allowed.
4
Explain
Show why each product wins, loses, or ties, with evidence behind the outcome.
Still deciding between Linear and Motion?
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- Independent criterion outcomes
- No invented scores or prices
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