True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
Linear saves you 100%
Best for Microsoft Teams
Modern issue tracking for software teams. Free for up to 250 issues, then $8-$14/user/mo. Clean and
Best for Linear
Bundled with Microsoft 365. 'Free' for M365 subscribers, but standalone and add-ons (Rooms, Phone, W
Bundled with Microsoft 365. 'Free' for M365 subscribers, but standalone and add-...
Advertised
$4
/month
True Cost
$74
/month (typical)
Teams Phone System
Voice calling requires Teams Phone at $8/user/mo + calling plan $12/user/mo. Total: $20/user/mo for ...
Teams Rooms
Conference room integration: $40/room/mo for Teams Rooms Pro. 10 rooms = $400/mo....
Teams Premium
AI meeting recap, custom branding, advanced webinars: $10/user/mo add-on. Not included in any M365 p...
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...
Linear advertises $0/mo. Microsoft Teams advertises $4/mo.
Linear has 3 documented hidden fees. Microsoft Teams has 3.
Linear confidence: 78%. Microsoft Teams confidence: 76%.
| Metric | Microsoft Teams | Linear | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $4/mo | $0/mo | Linear |
| True Monthly Cost | $74/mo | $12/mo | Linear |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$70/mo | +$12/mo | Linear |
| # Hidden Fees | 3 | 3 | Microsoft Teams |
| Confidence Score | 76% | 78% | Linear |
| Pricing Tiers | 0 | 3 | — |
| Affiliate Program | None | None | — |
Microsoft Teams advertises $4/mo and Linear advertises $0/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, Microsoft Teams has 3 documented hidden fees adding +$70/mo, while Linear has 3 hidden fees adding +$12/mo. Based on true cost, Linear is typically 100% cheaper.
Microsoft Teams has 3 documented hidden fees: Teams Phone System, Teams Rooms, Teams Premium. These add approximately +$70/mo on top of the $4/mo advertised price.
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.
Choose Microsoft Teams if: Modern issue tracking for software teams. Free for up to 250 issues, then $8-$14/user/mo. Clean and . Choose Linear if: Bundled with Microsoft 365. 'Free' for M365 subscribers, but standalone and add-ons (Rooms, Phone, W. 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. Microsoft Teams data has a 76% confidence score and Linear has 78%. Prices were last verified in April 2026. For the most accurate estimate, enter your specific usage in our calculator.
Enter your usage to see personalized pricing for both tools
Use Free Calculator