True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
Linear saves you 100%
Best for Linear
Modern issue tracking for software teams. Free for up to 250 issues, then $8-$14/user/mo. Clean and
Best for Smartsheet
Enterprise work management platform with spreadsheet-style UI. Per-user pricing from $9-$32/user/mo,
Modern issue tracking for software teams. Free for up to 250 issues, then $8-$14...
Advertised
$0
/month
True Cost
$12
/month (typical)
250 Active Issue Limit on Free
Free plan limits to 250 active issues. Fast-moving engineering teams hit this in weeks. Standard at ...
Guest Access Requires Plus
External guest access for contractors and clients requires Plus plan at $14/user/mo — 75% more than ...
Advanced Features on Plus Only
Triage responsibility, SLA tracking, and advanced GitHub/GitLab integrations require Plus at $14/use...
Enterprise work management platform with spreadsheet-style UI. Per-user pricing ...
Advertised
$9
/month
True Cost
$482
/month (typical)
Automation Action Limits
Pro: 250 automations/mo. Business: 10,000/mo. Enterprise: unlimited. Complex workflows with multiple...
Premium Connectors Add-On
Connectors for Jira, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Microsoft Dynamics cost $4,200/year per connector. ...
Dynamic View Add-On
Sharing filtered views with external stakeholders requires Dynamic View add-on, priced separately fr...
$9/mo annual
$19/mo annual
Linear advertises $0/mo. Smartsheet advertises $9/mo.
Linear has 3 documented hidden fees. Smartsheet has 3.
Linear confidence: 78%. Smartsheet confidence: 74%.
| Metric | Linear | Smartsheet | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $0/mo | $9/mo | Linear |
| True Monthly Cost | $12/mo | $482/mo | Linear |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$12/mo | +$473/mo | Linear |
| # Hidden Fees | 3 | 3 | Linear |
| Confidence Score | 78% | 74% | Linear |
| Pricing Tiers | 3 | 3 | — |
| Affiliate Program | None | None | — |
Linear advertises $0/mo and Smartsheet advertises $9/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, Linear has 3 documented hidden fees adding +$12/mo, while Smartsheet has 3 hidden fees adding +$473/mo. Based on true cost, Linear is typically 100% cheaper.
Linear has 3 documented hidden fees: 250 Active Issue Limit on Free, Guest Access Requires Plus, Advanced Features on Plus Only. These add approximately +$12/mo on top of the $0/mo advertised price.
Smartsheet has 3 documented hidden fees: Automation Action Limits, Premium Connectors Add-On, Dynamic View Add-On. These add approximately +$473/mo on top of the $9/mo advertised price.
Choose Linear if: Modern issue tracking for software teams. Free for up to 250 issues, then $8-$14/user/mo. Clean and . Choose Smartsheet if: Enterprise work management platform with spreadsheet-style UI. Per-user pricing from $9-$32/user/mo,. The right choice depends on your team size, usage volume, and which features you need most.
This comparison is based on manual research of official pricing pages, terms of service, and user reports. Linear data has a 78% confidence score and Smartsheet has 74%. Prices were last verified in April 2026. For the most accurate estimate, enter your specific usage in our calculator.
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