Plane vs Jira vs Linear (2026): The Open-Source Verdict

In 2026, Plane is the top open-source Jira alternative for small to mid-sized teams. Plane offers a modern interface, similar to Linear, and can be self-hosted for free with unlimited users. For teams deeply tied to Atlassian, Jira is preferable, while Linear shines for product engineering teams prioritizing speed over data ownership.

Plane is an open-source (AGPL-3.0) project management tool, and it has gained popularity with 58,544 stars on GitHub. The Community Edition of Plane is free for unlimited users, with a cloud Free plan allowing up to 12 users. Cloud plans start at $6 per seat per month, with the Business plan at $13 per seat per month and Enterprise Grid priced on request.

Plane's standout features include cycles with burndown charts, modules, saved views, triage intake, AI-powered Pages, and one-click importers for Jira, Linear, Asana, and ClickUp. The platform ships a full project-management vocabulary, including work items, cycles, modules, views, triage/intake queues, AI-enhanced Pages, and real-time analytics.

Plane costs vary, depending on the cloud or self-hosted approach. The self-hosted Community Edition is entirely free for unlimited users. Cloud plans begin at $6 per seat per month, with Pro ($13 per seat per month) and Business plans offering additional features. Plane also offers a one-time perpetual self-host license (Plane One) for growing teams.

When deciding between Plane, Jira, and Linear in 2026, consider the following: Plane is open-source and data-focused, Jira is proprietary but offers extensive integrations, and Linear is designed for speed-focused product teams. Plane is less polished than Linear but provides control and ownership of the software.