Linear
Issue tracking for software teams
Linear is a modern issue tracking and project management tool built for high-performance software teams, featuring a streamlined UI and keyboard-first design.
By Toolradar Team · Updated March 2026
Agile project management and sprint planning
The agile & scrum category is highly competitive in 2026, with Linear and Asana both ranking among the top choices on Toolradar's assessment, followed closely by GitHub Issues. The tight competition reflects how mature this market has become.
All top-ranked agile & scrum tools offer free or freemium plans, making this an accessible category for teams of any size. Linear stands out by combining a top ranking with freemium (free tier available) pricing.
Issue tracking for software teams
Linear is a modern issue tracking and project management tool built for high-performance software teams, featuring a streamlined UI and keyboard-first design.

Work management platform
Asana is a work management platform that helps teams orchestrate work from daily tasks to strategic initiatives with projects, portfolios, and automation.

Project planning and issue tracking built for developers, integrated directly into GitHub.
GitHub Issues provides a flexible and powerful way for development teams to plan, track, and discuss their work directly within their repositories. It allows users to create issues, break them down into sub-issues, track progress with indicators, and add custom fields for metadata like priority or story points. The platform supports rich conversations using GitHub Flavored Markdown, mentions, emojis, and attachments, all while referencing commits, pull requests, and deploys. Beyond basic issue tracking, GitHub Issues offers "Projects" which are adaptable planning canvases. These projects can be visualized as tables, boards, or roadmaps, allowing teams to create custom views for sprints, backlogs, or releases. It includes features like project insights with burn-up charts to identify bottlenecks, shareable project templates, and keyboard shortcuts for efficient navigation. GitHub Issues is designed for developers, offering integration with GitHub CLI and mobile apps for managing work on the go, ensuring planning stays connected to the code.

Project management for software teams
Shortcut is a project management and issue tracking platform built for software development teams. It combines kanban boards, sprints, roadmaps, docs, and objectives into a single workspace so engineering, product, and design teams can plan, track, and ship work without juggling multiple tools. Deep integrations with GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket auto-update stories as code moves through review and deploy. Built-in reporting surfaces cycle time, throughput, and velocity metrics. Shortcut also offers an AI agent (Korey) and an MCP server for agentic coding workflows with tools like Cursor and Claude Code. SOC 2, GDPR, and HIPAA-ready security is available across plans.

Engineering metrics
LinearB provides engineering metrics and developer workflow automation for software teams. Engineering leaders measure productivity, identify bottlenecks, and improve development processes. The platform connects to Git providers and project management tools.

The #1 Project Management Software For Teams.
Hive is a comprehensive project management software designed to help teams organize, collaborate, and automate their work in a single workspace. It offers flexible project views like Kanban, Gantt, Timeline, and List, along with automated action and project templates, and customizable labels to streamline task management. Teams can communicate effectively with native in-app chat, robust proofing and approvals, and the ability to include external users. Beyond core project management, Hive provides robust time management features including flexible time tracking, resourcing, and time sheet submissions, alongside detailed time reporting. It also integrates powerful automation capabilities with internal automated workflows, Hive Automate, and over 1,000 integrations. A key differentiator is Hive Buzz, an AI assistant that helps with project and task building, email automations, and generating workspace insights, making it suitable for agencies, PMOs, marketing teams, and educational institutions looking to consolidate tools and boost productivity.

Self-hosted Kanban board for agile teams, offering privacy, flexibility, and full data control.
PLANKA is a modern, self-hosted Kanban project management tool designed for teams who want to visualize and organize their tasks effectively. It provides a feature-rich alternative to proprietary tools, allowing users to maintain full control over their data and infrastructure. Available in both Community and Pro editions, PLANKA scales from small teams to large organizations, emphasizing ease of use and a clean design. The tool is built with a community-driven approach, incorporating user feedback into its development. It offers real-time synchronization, unlimited boards and cards, and supports multiple languages. PLANKA caters to those who prioritize data privacy and require a flexible project management solution that can be deployed on their own servers or through managed cloud hosting.

Open-source agile project management for cross-functional teams with intuitive UI and self-hosting options.
Taiga is a free and open-source project management tool designed for cross-functional agile teams. It offers a rich set of features for planning, team interaction, and gaining insights into project progress, all through an intuitive user interface that requires no extensive training or complex setup. The platform supports both Kanban and Scrum methodologies, allowing teams to define deliverables, manage backlogs, plan sprints, track issues, and visualize progress with burn-down charts. Taiga emphasizes transparency and communication, helping teams align on priorities, share progress, and address bottlenecks effectively. It also provides extensive customization options for workflows, roles, permissions, and reporting. Taiga is ideal for teams looking for a flexible, adaptable, and open-source solution for agile project management. It caters to organizations that prefer to host their data on-premise or require significant customization, offering self-hosted options alongside cloud-based plans. Its focus on ease of use and comprehensive agile features makes it suitable for teams of varying sizes and complexities.

Powerful open-source software for classic, agile, or hybrid project management in a secure environment.
OpenProject is an open-source project management software designed to support teams throughout the entire project lifecycle, offering robust features for classic, agile, and hybrid methodologies. It provides a centralized platform to streamline work, enhance goal clarity, and efficiently assign tasks, boosting team productivity and satisfaction. The software caters to organizations that prioritize data sovereignty and security, offering on-premises installation for complete data control and transparent open-source code. It's suitable for teams needing comprehensive project planning, scheduling with Gantt charts, agile boards for Scrum and Kanban, and multi-project views for portfolio management. OpenProject aims to provide a secure and transparent environment for managing projects, from small teams to large enterprises. Key benefits include enhanced collaboration, detailed project planning, efficient task management, and the ability to monitor project portfolios effectively. Its open-source nature fosters transparency and allows for community contributions and modifications, while enterprise options provide professional support and additional features.

Organize work, manage tasks, and streamline communication for faster project completion.
Redbooth is a project management and team collaboration software designed to help teams organize tasks, manage projects, and improve communication. It provides tools for task management, project visualization, and team synchronization, aiming to make projects get completed faster and easier. The platform is suitable for teams of various sizes, from small groups to large organizations, and is used globally to manage important projects. The software offers features like customizable Kanban boards for planning and tracking, detailed task transparency with assigned users and due dates, and dashboards to help teams stay focused. Users can visualize projects using board, list, and timeline views, including Gantt charts with task dependencies. Redbooth also integrates HD video meetings powered by Zoom for instant team connectivity and offers mobile applications for iOS and Android to keep teams connected on the go. It leverages AI-powered features like Redbooth Predict™ to improve task and project management based on historical data.
Agile project management and sprint planning
According to our analysis of 10+ tools, the agile & scrum software market offers solutions for teams of all sizes, from solo professionals to enterprise organizations. The best agile & scrum tools in 2026 combine powerful features with intuitive interfaces.
“After evaluating 10 agile & scrum tools, Linear stands out as our top pick. For budget-conscious teams, Linear (free tier available) delivers strong value without the price tag. The agile & scrum market is competitive — the gap between top tools is narrower than ever, so the best choice comes down to your team's specific workflow and priorities.”
— Toolradar Editorial Team · March 2026
The agile & scrum software market continues to grow as businesses prioritize digital transformation. According to Toolradar's analysis across 10+ products, 100% of agile & scrum tools offer free or freemium plans, making it accessible for teams of all sizes. Linear leads the category based on features, user reviews, and overall value.
Automate repetitive agile & scrum tasks to save time
Work together with team members in real-time
Track progress and measure performance
Protect sensitive data with enterprise-grade security
Agile & Scrum software is used by a wide range of professionals and organizations:
When evaluating agile & scrum tools, consider these key factors:
Based on our analysis of features, user reviews, and overall value, Linear ranks as the #1 agile & scrum tool in 2026. Other top-rated options include Asana and GitHub Issues.
Yes! Linear, Asana, GitHub Issues offer free plans. In total, 10 of the top 10 agile & scrum tools have free or freemium pricing options.
Our rankings are based on multiple factors: editorial analysis of features and usability (40%), community reviews and ratings (30%), pricing value (15%), and integration capabilities (15%). We regularly update rankings as tools evolve and new reviews come in.
Key factors to consider include: core features that match your workflow, ease of use and learning curve, pricing that fits your budget, quality of customer support, integrations with your existing tools, and scalability as your needs grow.
At Toolradar, we combine editorial expertise with community insights to rank agile & scrum tools:
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