Linear vs Claude Code
The issue tracking tool built for modern software teams
vs. Anthropic's terminal-native coding agent — built for deep codebase work
Pricing tiers
Linear
Free
$0. Unlimited members. 250 issues. Unlimited file uploads. 2 teams. Slack/GitHub integration.
Free
Basic
$8/user/mo annual ($10/mo monthly). Unlimited issues, 5 teams, admin roles, API access.
$8/mo
Business
$14/user/mo annual. Unlimited teams, Linear Insights, private teams, SSO (SAML, OIDC).
$14/mo
Enterprise
Custom. SAML, SCIM, audit logs, advanced security, HIPAA-eligible, dedicated CSM.
Custom
Claude Code
API (pay-per-token)
Pay-per-token via Anthropic API. Sonnet: $3/$15 per 1M in/out. Opus: $15/$75. Best for heavy/team use.
$0 base (usage-based)
Claude Pro
$20/mo. Includes limited Claude Code usage via subscription (Sonnet). Heaviest users will hit caps.
$20/mo
Claude Team
$30/user/mo. Shared workspace, admin controls, priority support.
$30/mo
Claude Max
$200/mo. Higher Claude Code quotas + priority access to Opus.
$200/mo
Enterprise
Custom. SSO, audit logs, SOC 2, dedicated support, HIPAA-eligible.
Custom
Free-tier quotas head-to-head
Comparing free on Linear vs api-pay-per-use on Claude Code.
| Metric | Linear | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|
| No overlapping quota metrics for these tiers. | ||
Features
Linear · 16 features
- Asks — Slack → Linear issue from messages.
- Cycles — Auto-recurring sprints.
- Desktop App — Native macOS, Windows, Linux.
- Documents — Markdown-style shared docs.
- GitHub Sync — Auto-link PRs/commits to issues.
- GraphQL API — Full-featured public API.
- Initiatives — Multi-project strategic groupings.
- iOS + Android Apps — Native mobile clients.
- Issues — Fast CRUD + keyboard shortcuts.
- Labels + Custom Views — Filter + save views.
- Linear Insights — Built-in analytics.
- Parent + Subissues — Hierarchical task breakdown.
- Projects — Milestones + docs + updates.
- Roadmaps — Timeline view with dependencies.
- Triage — Inbox for unassigned issues.
- TypeScript SDK — @linear/sdk generated from GraphQL.
Claude Code · 16 features
- Background Tasks — Long-running processes.
- Claude Agent SDK — Build custom agents on same primitives.
- claude CLI — Terminal command.
- Git Worktrees — Isolated worktree per session.
- Hooks — Lifecycle shell commands.
- IDE Extensions — VS Code + JetBrains + Zed.
- MCP Client — Connect any MCP server.
- Memory (CLAUDE.md) — Persistent per-project instructions.
- Native Tools — Bash, Read, Write, Edit, Grep, Glob, WebFetch.
- Plan Mode — Dry-run — Claude shows plan without executing.
- Prompt Caching — 90% discount on repeated context.
- Sandbox Modes — Safe execution of risky commands.
- Slash Commands — User-defined workflows.
- Task Tool (subagents) — Spawn parallel Claude subagents.
- TodoWrite Tool — Internal task tracking.
- WebSearch + WebFetch — Live internet access.
Developer interfaces
| Kind | Linear | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|
| CLI | — | claude CLI |
| SDK | @linear/sdk | Claude Agent SDK |
| GRAPHQL | Linear GraphQL API | — |
| MCP | Linear MCP | MCP Client (built-in) |
| OTHER | Linear Desktop App, Linear Webhooks, OAuth 2.0 | Claude Code Web, GitHub/PR Bridge, Hooks System, JetBrains Plugin, Slash Commands, VS Code Extension |
Staxly is an independent catalog of developer platforms. Some links to Linear and Claude Code may be affiliate links — Staxly may earn a commission if you sign up through them, at no extra cost to you. Pricing is verified against vendor pages at publication time — reconfirm before buying.
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