Teams look past Jira when work is mostly not software, when the Free plan's 10-user cap is outgrown, or when Atlassian's wind-down of self-hosted Data Center forces a platform decision. Engineering teams usually go to Linear, business teams to Asana, monday.com or ClickUp.
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What each alternative does differently
1. Linear
Keyboard-first issue tracking for software teams · United States
Software-team issue tracker whose own docs say it chose not to pursue some Jira features: its import drops issue types and turns components into labels. Free allows unlimited members but 2 teams and 250 issues; Business adds unlimited teams and guests. It is not aimed at HR or marketing work.
Switch from Jira if your teams are product and engineering and you want a leaner tracker.
Pricing: Free plan capped at 250 issues and 2 teams with unlimited members, then per-user Basic and Business tiers billed yearly and a quoted Enterprise tier. (free plan)
Full review: #9 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit Linear →
2. ClickUp
Configurable workspace for tasks, docs, goals and chat · United States
A configurable workspace that holds tasks, docs and dashboards, hosted on AWS with US, Europe and Asia Pacific regions on Enterprise. Free Forever has unlimited members but 60 MB of storage, and Gantt starts on Unlimited. AI is a separate per-user add-on, not part of the seat.
Switch from Jira if you want one configurable workspace for engineering and business teams.
Pricing: Free Forever plan, then per-user tiers; the Brain AI features are sold as a separate add-on. (free plan)
Full review: #1 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit ClickUp →
3. Asana
Task-first work management with portfolios and goals · United States
Task and goal management for business teams rather than a developer-centered issue tracker. Timeline views and reporting dashboards come with Starter, while portfolios, goals, resource management and approvals sit on Advanced. The free Personal plan stops at 2 users.
Switch from Jira if most of your Jira users are marketing, operations or program staff.
Pricing: Free Personal plan limited to 2 users, then per-user Starter and Advanced tiers sold in seat bundles; timeline and dependencies start on Starter, while portfolios, goals and workload sit on Advanced. (free plan)
Full review: #5 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit Asana →
4. monday.com
Board-based work platform with visual automation · Israel
Board-first work management with low setup effort. Timeline and Gantt views and guest access start on Standard, time tracking and private boards on Pro, and portfolio and resource management only on quoted Enterprise. Automations are counted in actions per month, from 250 on Standard.
Switch from Jira if your non-engineering teams want visual boards and simple automations.
Pricing: Free plan for up to two seats, then per-seat tiers sold in bundles with a three-seat minimum; automation and integration actions are capped per month by tier. (free plan)
Full review: #6 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit monday.com →
5. Wrike
Work management built around intake, approvals and proofing · United States
Work management for request intake and cross-team governance. Plans are billed per user in seat groups and annually from Business up, with Team limited to 2-15 users. Pinnacle adds resource and capacity planning and budgeting at quoted prices. Wrike offers a free plan for basic tasks only.
Switch from Jira if you need intake, approvals and resource planning across several departments.
Pricing: Free plan for basic task management, then per-user Team and Business tiers billed annually; request forms, proofing and approvals start on Business, enterprise tiers are quoted and several add-ons cost extra. (free plan)
Full review: #2 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit Wrike →
6. Notion
Docs and databases doubling as a project tracker · United States
Docs and databases with a timeline view and dependencies you enable yourself. The Free plan caps uploads at 5 MB and page history at 7 days, and Business adds SAML SSO and granular database permissions. Its pricing page lists no sprint or release tooling.
Switch from Jira if your tracking is light and the specs and notes matter more than the tickets.
Pricing: Free plan for individuals and light team use, then per-member Plus, Business and Enterprise tiers; the fullest AI features come with Business. (free plan)
Full review: #11 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit Notion →
7. Zoho Projects
Budget-friendly project tracking with Gantt and timesheets · India
Classic project scheduling at a lower tier ladder. The Free plan allows 5 users, 3 projects and 5 GB, Premium adds Gantt and time tracking, and critical path, baselines and the portfolio dashboard start on Enterprise. It offers a 15-day trial and cancellation without long-term contracts.
Switch from Jira if you plan projects with Gantt charts and want a cheaper tier ladder.
Pricing: Free plan for up to 5 users and 3 projects, then low-priced per-user Premium, Enterprise and Ultimate tiers; baselines, critical path and the portfolio dashboard start on Enterprise. (free plan)
Full review: #12 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit Zoho Projects →
8. Smartsheet
Spreadsheet-style project management for PMOs · United States
Spreadsheet-style grid for PMOs. Pro is limited to 1-10 members and Business needs at least 3, both with unlimited contributors, and portfolios arrive on Enterprise. Control Center and Dynamic View belong to Advanced Work Management. A 30-day trial replaces a free plan.
Switch from Jira if your work is governed by a PMO that thinks in sheets and reports.
Pricing: Per-member Pro (up to 10 members) and Business (3+ members) plans with free contributors, then quoted Enterprise and Advanced Work Management tiers; Control Center, Dynamic View and Resource Management are paid add-ons below Advanced Work Management. (free trial)
Full review: #7 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit Smartsheet →
9. Basecamp
Flat-priced project space built for async communication · United States
Flat monthly plans with no per-user fees, and every plan includes to-dos, message boards, chat and time tracking. Limits are on active projects: 1 on Free, 3 on Freelancer, 10 on Studio. Its pricing page lists no sprints or issue workflows, so developer teams give up tracker features.
Switch from Jira if you want a calm client or team workspace with flat pricing, not workflows.
Pricing: Free for one project and up to 5 users; paid plans are flat monthly prices with no per-user fees, from Freelancer at $25 a month for 3 active projects to the Unlimited Edition at $299 a month billed annually. (free plan)
Full review: #8 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit Basecamp →
10. Teamwork.com
Project delivery and profitability for client-services firms · Ireland
Built for agencies and client-services firms. The free plan covers 5 projects and 5 users; paid tiers need 3 or 5 seats minimum, and Accelerate adds intake forms, time budgets, retainers and client invoicing from tracked time. Profitability insights wait for the quoted Optimize tier.
Switch from Jira if you bill clients for project time and want budgets beside the plan.
Pricing: Free plan for up to 5 users and 5 projects, then per-user Basics and Accelerate tiers with 3- and 5-seat minimums and quoted Optimize and Enterprise tiers; budgets and client invoicing start on Accelerate, profitability reporting on Optimize, and client users are free. (free plan)
Full review: #4 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit Teamwork.com →
11. Productive
Agency operations: projects, budgets, billing, resourcing · Croatia
Agency operations in one product, with budgeting, resource planning, time tracking and expenses all on Essential. Professional adds recurring budgets and HRIS integrations; revenue forecasting waits for Ultimate. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial, and pricing starts at 10 users.
Switch from Jira if you run an agency and want margins, budgets and staffing in one tool.
Pricing: Per-user Essential, Professional and Ultimate tiers with a 3-seat minimum and a 14-day free trial; budgeting and resource planning start on Essential, rate cards and recurring budgets on Professional, revenue forecasting on Ultimate. Clients join free. (free trial)
Full review: #3 of 12 in our ranking ·
Visit Productive →
Questions and answers
Can I export my data from Jira Cloud?
Yes. Jira Cloud has a Backup Manager that exports work items, custom fields, comments, boards and settings. It does not include automation flows or third-party app data, and Atlassian recommends keeping data under 25 GB for exports and imports.
How often can I run a Jira Cloud backup?
Backups that include attachments, avatars or logos need 48 hours between runs, per Atlassian's export documentation. The same page says Backup Manager limits restores to backups no more than 30 days old, starting January 22, 2026.
When does Jira Data Center stop being sold and supported?
New Data Center subscriptions ended on March 30, 2026, and existing customers can buy new subscriptions and expansions until March 30, 2028. End of life is March 28, 2029, with limited extensions by exception only.
Does Jira renew automatically and at what price?
Yes. Under Atlassian's customer agreement a term renews at Atlassian's then-current rates, for 12 months if the prior term was 12 months or longer. Either party can decline by giving notice before the term ends, through account settings or support.
Is there a refund if I try Jira and leave?
Yes, within 30 days of the initial order. Atlassian's customer agreement lets you terminate within 30 days of the first order of a product and request a refund of the amount paid for that product and its support.
Which alternatives suit non-engineering teams?
Asana, monday.com, ClickUp and Wrike are built for business work, with timelines, forms and approvals. Check which plan holds each feature you use, because Gantt, portfolios and resource planning sit on different tiers in each product.
Where is Atlassian headquartered?
Atlassian's contact page lists Sydney, Australia as global headquarters and San Francisco as its US headquarters. The category table shows the United States, so confirm the contracting entity on your order before assuming a jurisdiction.
