Solution

Linear Alternative 2026 | Time Tracking + Clients

Linear has no time tracking or client portals. GitScrum adds what agencies need: native time tracking, client visibility, flexible hierarchy. Free trial.

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Linear Alternative 2026 | Time Tracking + Clients

Linear Gets a Lot Right Let's be honest: Linear is excellent.

- Blazing fast - Beautiful interface - Keyboard-first - Git integration works - Opinionated in good ways For internal product teams, Linear might be perfect. This isn't about Linear being bad.

It's about when Linear isn't enough. The Gaps 1.

No Native Time Tracking Linear doesn't track time. Philosophical choice: They believe time tracking hurts productivity.

Agencies billing hours: 'Cool philosophy. I need to invoice clients.' You'll need a separate time tracker.

Clockify. Another tool.

Another context switch. Data in different places.

2. No Client Portals Linear is for teams.

Sharing with clients? Give them Linear access.

Clients don't need your internal workflow. Clients shouldn't see your messy backlog.

Clients want progress, deliverables, communication. Linear doesn't solve client visibility.

3. Opinionated Hierarchy Linear's structure: Workspace > Team > Project > Issue.

Fixed. What if you need: - Epic > Story > Task > Subtask?

- Different hierarchy per project type? - More flexible organization?

You adapt to Linear's opinions. Sometimes that's fine.

Sometimes it's limiting. 4.

Pricing at Scale Linear: $10/user/month. Not expensive.

But adds up. Agency with 20 people + 15 contractors?

That's $350/month for Linear. Plus time tracking tool.

Plus client communication tool. 5.

Product Team Focus Linear optimizes for product development teams. Roadmaps.

Cycles. Product-thinking.

Agency work is different: - Multiple clients simultaneously - Time-based billing - Client communication crucial - Project handoffs common Linear's product focus shows in missing agency features. Who Needs More Than Linear?

Agencies: Billing clients requires time tracking. Consultancies: Client portals crucial for communication.

Freelancers with clients: Need professional client-facing interface. Teams doing client work: Separate client view from internal chaos.

Product teams building their own product: Linear might be perfect. Teams serving external clients: Linear might not be enough.

GitScrum: Linear-Like + Agency Features We admire Linear's approach: - Speed matters - Keyboard shortcuts matter - Clean interface matters - Git integration matters We added what agencies need: 1. Native Time Tracking - Timer on every task - Track as you work - Export for billing - No separate tool 2.

Client Flow Portals - Purpose-built client access - Show progress without internal mess - Clients see deliverables - Clients communicate within context - Always free for clients 3. Flexible Hierarchy - Story > Task > Subtask native - Adapt structure to project needs - Less rigid than Linear 4.

Better Pricing for Agencies - 2 users FREE forever - $8.90/user/month for more - Clients always free - Time tracking included - No additional tools needed The Decision Framework Choose Linear if: - Internal product team - No time tracking needed - No client-facing needs - Linear's hierarchy fits your work - You love minimalism absolutely Choose GitScrum if: - Agency or consultancy - Bill clients by time - Need client portals - Want flexibility in structure - Need all-in-one solution Both are good tools. For different use cases.

Honest Comparison Speed: Linear: Exceptionally fast GitScrum: Fast (not Linear-level, but fast) Git Integration: Linear: Excellent GitScrum: Excellent Time Tracking: Linear: None GitScrum: Native Client Portals: Linear: None GitScrum: Built-in Hierarchy: Linear: Fixed, opinionated GitScrum: Flexible Pricing: Linear: $10/user/month (all paid) GitScrum: 2 free, $8.90/user/month Philosophy: Linear: Minimalist perfection for products GitScrum: Practical completeness for agencies

The GitScrum Advantage

One unified platform to eliminate context switching and recover productive hours.

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The Problem

No time tracking - Philosophical choice. Agencies billing hours need separate tool anyway.

No client portals - Linear is team-only. Clients see internal mess or need workarounds.

Fixed hierarchy - Workspace > Team > Project > Issue. Can't adapt structure to project needs.

Product team focus - Optimized for internal products. Agency work patterns not prioritized.

All users paid - $10/user/month for everyone. Agencies with contractors add up fast.

Minimalism as limitation - Beautiful simplicity becomes constraint for complex client workflows.

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The Solution

Native time tracking - Timer on every task. Bill clients from actual work. No separate tool.

Client Flow portals - Built-in client access. Show progress, hide chaos. Always free for clients.

Flexible hierarchy - Story > Task > Subtask. Adapt structure to how you work. Less rigid.

Agency-aware design - Built for client work. Multiple projects. Time billing. Client communication.

Smart pricing - 2 users FREE forever. $8.90/user/month for more. Clients don't count. Contractors affordable.

Practical completeness - Fast interface with all features agencies need. Not minimal for minimalism's sake.

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How It Works

Familiar Experience

GitScrum feels familiar. Fast interface. Keyboard shortcuts. Git integration. Similar workflow patterns.

Add Time Tracking

Start tracking time on tasks. Timer built-in. No separate tool. Export for billing whenever needed.

Set Up Client Access

Create Client Flow portal. Invite clients. They see progress. They don't see internal chaos. Free for them.

Structure Your Way

Organize with flexible hierarchy. Stories, tasks, subtasks. Adapt to project needs. Not fixed structure.

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Why GitScrum

GitScrum addresses Linear Alternative for Teams Wanting More - When Fast Isn't Everything through Kanban boards with WIP limits, sprint planning, and workflow visualization

Methodology

Problem resolution based on Kanban Method (David Anderson) for flow optimization and Scrum Guide (Schwaber and Sutherland) for iterative improvement

Capabilities

Kanban boards with WIP limits to prevent overload
Sprint planning with burndown charts for predictable delivery
Workload views for capacity management
Wiki for process documentation
Discussions for async collaboration
Reports for bottleneck identification

Industry Practices

Kanban MethodScrum FrameworkFlow OptimizationContinuous Improvement

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Related Features

View all features

Time Tracking

What Linear lacks - Native time tracking. Timer on tasks. Export for billing. Agency essential.

Client Portal

Client portals - What Linear can't do. Professional client access. Progress without chaos. Always free.

Git Integrations

Git integration - Same quality as Linear. GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket native. Commits on tasks.

Sprint Planning

Ship faster without the chaos. Drag-and-drop backlog prioritization, velocity tracking across iterations, and burndown charts that update as work gets done—not when someone remembers to update a spreadsheet. Your team always knows what's next, stakeholders see progress without asking, and {vertical} across {city} consistently hit their sprint commitments.

Kanban Boards

Visual project management that actually fits how {vertical} work. Create unlimited Kanban boards with custom columns—from 'Client Review' to 'Ready to Deploy'—and set WIP limits that prevent the bottlenecks {city} teams know too well. Every card, comment, and status change syncs instantly across devices, so whether your {vertical} team is in the office or remote across {city}, everyone sees the same real-time picture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Contact us at customer.service@gitscrum.com

Is GitScrum as fast as Linear?

Honest answer: Linear's speed is exceptional. GitScrum is fast, but Linear is faster. The question is whether raw speed matters more than having time tracking, client portals, and flexibility. For agencies, the additional features matter more.

Why would I leave Linear if it's so good?

You might not need to. If you're an internal product team with no time tracking needs and no client-facing requirements, Linear is excellent. If you're an agency billing hours and working with clients, Linear's gaps become daily friction.

Can I use both Linear and GitScrum?

Technically yes, but why? That's two PM tools. GitScrum covers what Linear does (fast boards, Git integration, sprints) plus what Linear doesn't (time tracking, client portals). One tool is simpler.

How does pricing compare?

Linear: $10/user/month for all users. GitScrum: 2 users FREE forever, then $8.90/user/month. Clients always free. For agency with 10 team members and 5 clients: Linear = $150/month. GitScrum = $71.20/month. Plus GitScrum includes time tracking.

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