Linear and Designers are two popular tools that help teams plan, track, and deliver work. This page gives a side‑by‑side look at features, pricing, pros, and cons. Read on to find which tool fits your team’s workflow.
Linear is a lightweight project‑management system built for software teams. It emphasizes speed, minimal UI clutter, and deep integration with GitHub, GitLab, and Jira. Linear uses a command‑line interface and keyboard shortcuts to move tasks instantly. It is best for teams that need a fast, code‑centric workflow.
Designers is a cross‑platform design collaboration platform that merges design files, feedback, and development tasks into a single pane. It integrates directly with Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD, and it offers built‑in code snippets for designers to hand off to developers. Designers is ideal for visual teams that want a unified design‑to‑code workflow.
| Feature | Linear | Designers |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes – limited to 1 project, 5 users | No |
| Base price per user/month | $10 | $15 |
| Enterprise tier | $30 per user, custom API access | $25 per user, unlimited integrations |
| Annual billing discount | 20 % | 15 % |
| Number of projects | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Audit logs | Enabled for all plans | Enabled only in Enterprise |
| Feature | Linear | Designers |
|---|---|---|
| Task creation | Keyboard + API | Drag‑and‑drop from design file |
| Git integration | Native GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket | GitHub only (via pull‑request sync) |
| Design file embedding | No | Yes – Figma and Sketch |
| Commenting | Threaded, mentions, emojis | Threaded, emoji reactions, Slack sync |
| Custom fields | Yes – unlimited | Yes – but limited to design tokens |
| Automated status updates | Git hooks, branch naming | Design file changes trigger task updates |
| Velocity calculation | Built‑in sprint charts | Manual via custom fields |
| API access | Full REST and GraphQL | REST only, limited endpoints |
| Mobile app | iOS & Android, offline sync | Android only, limited features |
If your team is primarily code‑centric and values speed, Linear is the best fit. It will keep your team moving faster than any other tool. If your team’s workflow revolves around design files and you need close collaboration between designers and developers, Designers is the better choice. Many teams use both tools in tandem: Linear for engineering sprints, Designers for design hand‑offs.
In conclusion, Linear and Designers serve distinct needs. Linear excels at fast, code‑centric workflows, while Designers shines in design‑heavy environments. Pick the tool that aligns with your primary workflow, or combine them for a complete solution.