True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
Linear saves you 100%
Best for Monday.com
Modern issue tracking for software teams. Free for up to 250 issues, then $8-$14/user/mo. Clean and
Best for Linear
Work management platform with customizable workflows. Minimum 3-seat requirement and per-seat pricin
Work management platform with customizable workflows. Minimum 3-seat requirement...
Advertised
$12
/month
True Cost
$72
/month (typical)
Minimum 3-Seat Requirement
Can't buy fewer than 3 seats on any paid plan. Basic at $9/seat/mo = $27/mo minimum, not $9/mo. Solo...
Zero Automations on Basic
Basic plan ($9/seat/mo) includes ZERO automation and ZERO integration actions. Any automation requir...
250 Actions/Month on Standard
Standard plan includes only 250 automation actions/mo — roughly 8 per day. Any meaningful workflow e...
Seat Increment Packaging
Seats sold in increments (3, 5, 10, 15, 20...). A 4-person team must buy 5 seats. A 6-person team bu...
$9/mo annual
$12/mo annual
$19/mo annual
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission
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. Monday.com advertises $12/mo.
Linear has 3 documented hidden fees. Monday.com has 4.
Linear confidence: 78%. Monday.com confidence: 74%.
| Metric | Monday.com | Linear | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $12/mo | $0/mo | Linear |
| True Monthly Cost | $72/mo | $12/mo | Linear |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$60/mo | +$12/mo | Linear |
| # Hidden Fees | 4 | 3 | Linear |
| Confidence Score | 74% | 78% | Linear |
| Pricing Tiers | 5 | 3 | — |
| Affiliate Program | $100 per conversion | None | — |
Try the tool that fits your needs. Both offer free trials or free tiers.
Monday.com advertises $12/mo and Linear advertises $0/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, Monday.com has 4 documented hidden fees adding +$60/mo, while Linear has 3 hidden fees adding +$12/mo. Based on true cost, Linear is typically 100% cheaper.
Monday.com has 4 documented hidden fees: Minimum 3-Seat Requirement, Zero Automations on Basic, 250 Actions/Month on Standard, Seat Increment Packaging. These add approximately +$60/mo on top of the $12/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 Monday.com if: Modern issue tracking for software teams. Free for up to 250 issues, then $8-$14/user/mo. Clean and . Choose Linear if: Work management platform with customizable workflows. Minimum 3-seat requirement and per-seat pricin. 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. Monday.com data has a 74% 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.
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