Project management · 3-way · 2026
Kanboard · Linear · Trello
Three credible picks in project management. Here's the trade-off that actually decides it.
Reviewed by Switchpoint Editors ·
Kanboard
Free, open-source kanban.
- Self-hosters who just need boards.
- Free, open source.
- Free forever
- Sparse UI
Best for
Pricing
Top strength
Biggest trade-off
Linear
Fast, opinionated issue tracker for product teams.
- Startups and product engineering teams.
- Free up to 250 issues. Standard $8/user/mo.
- Blazing fast
- Less customizable than Jira
Best for
Pricing
Top strength
Biggest trade-off
Trello
Kanban-style boards owned by Atlassian.
- Small teams that want low-friction boards.
- Free. Standard $5/user/mo.
- Dead simple
- Limited beyond boards
Best for
Pricing
Top strength
Biggest trade-off
The matrix
Side-by-side-by-side
| Kanboard | Linear | Trello | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Self-hosters who just need boards. | Startups and product engineering teams. | Small teams that want low-friction boards. |
| Pricing | Free, open source. | Free up to 250 issues. Standard $8/user/mo. | Free. Standard $5/user/mo. |
| Top strength | Free forever | Blazing fast | Dead simple |
| Biggest trade-off | Sparse UI | Less customizable than Jira | Limited beyond boards |
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