True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
Linear saves you 100%
Best for Smartsheet
Modern issue tracking for software teams. Free for up to 250 issues, then $8-$14/user/mo. Clean and
Best for Linear
Enterprise work management platform with spreadsheet-style UI. Per-user pricing from $9-$32/user/mo,
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
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. Smartsheet advertises $9/mo.
Linear has 3 documented hidden fees. Smartsheet has 3.
Linear confidence: 78%. Smartsheet confidence: 74%.
| Metric | Smartsheet | Linear | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $9/mo | $0/mo | Linear |
| True Monthly Cost | $482/mo | $12/mo | Linear |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$473/mo | +$12/mo | Linear |
| # Hidden Fees | 3 | 3 | Smartsheet |
| Confidence Score | 74% | 78% | Linear |
| Pricing Tiers | 3 | 3 | — |
| Affiliate Program | None | None | — |
Smartsheet advertises $9/mo and Linear advertises $0/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, Smartsheet has 3 documented hidden fees adding +$473/mo, while Linear has 3 hidden fees adding +$12/mo. Based on true cost, Linear is typically 100% cheaper.
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.
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 Smartsheet if: Modern issue tracking for software teams. Free for up to 250 issues, then $8-$14/user/mo. Clean and . Choose Linear 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. Smartsheet 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.
Enter your usage to see personalized pricing for both tools
Use Free Calculator