Does SprintOS have the same speed as Linear?

SprintOS is a compiled Go binary that runs natively in your terminal. There is no JavaScript rendering, no network latency for UI interactions, and no Electron overhead. For developers who live in the terminal, it is faster in practice.

Can SprintOS replace Linear for a team?

Yes for engineering teams. SprintOS supports multiple members, board states, sprint planning, GitHub PR sync, time tracking, and AI agent integration. It does not have design or marketing-specific views that some Linear teams use.

How much does SprintOS cost compared to Linear?

Linear costs $8–$16 per user per month. SprintOS core is free (MIT licensed) forever. A one-time $5 Supporter tier unlocks cloud backup and early access features — not per-user, not recurring.

Does SprintOS have a CLI like Linear?

SprintOS is CLI-first by design. Every action available in the TUI is also available as a CLI command — task create, sprint start, report export, and more. Linear has basic CLI via community tools only.

Comparison

SprintOS vs Linear

Q: Is SprintOS a Linear alternative?

Yes. SprintOS covers the same core features as Linear — kanban boards, sprint planning, GitHub sync, team assignments, and velocity tracking — but runs entirely in your terminal with no browser required. It is also free and self-hosted.

Linear is genuinely good — fast UI, great keyboard shortcuts, strong GitHub integration. But it still runs in a browser, costs $8+/user/month, is closed source, and has no native MCP server. SprintOS covers the same engineering PM workflow from your terminal, free, self-hosted, and with a first-party MCP server for Claude and Cursor.

terminal Try SprintOS Free See Full Comparison

SprintOS Terminal-native · Free

check_circle Fully keyboard-driven TUI — no browser
check_circle CLI commands for every action
check_circle Native MCP server for Claude & Cursor
check_circle Built-in time tracking + Pomodoro
check_circle Self-hosted on your own PostgreSQL
check_circle Free core forever, $5 one-time Supporter

Linear Browser-based · $8/user/mo

check_circle Sub-100ms browser UI, keyboard-first
check_circle Best-in-class design and UX polish
check_circle Strong GitHub and Figma integrations
check_circle Mobile apps (iOS / Android)
check_circle Customer support / Triage workflows
check_circle Large ecosystem of third-party integrations

Pricing

The Cost Difference Is Significant

For a 5-person team, Linear costs $480–$960/year. SprintOS costs $5, once, per organization.

Tier SprintOS Linear

Free Unlimited forever Up to 250 issues, 1 active sprint

Team / Supporter $5 one-time (per org) $8/user/month

Business Not applicable $16/user/month

Enterprise Contact for custom Custom pricing

Feature Comparison

Side by Side

Feature SprintOS Linear

Terminal-native interface

Linear is browser + keyboard shortcuts only

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CLI commands

Linear has no official CLI

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Kanban board

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Sprint planning & velocity

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GitHub two-way sync

Both auto-move tasks on PR events

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Native MCP server

Linear uses community-built MCP servers

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AI agent (Claude / Cursor) control

SprintOS ships a first-party MCP

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Built-in time tracking

Linear requires external integrations

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Pomodoro focus sessions

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PDF executive reports

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macOS menu bar app

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REST API

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Webhook automation

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Self-hosted

Linear is cloud-only

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Open source

Linear is closed source

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Free tier

Linear free tier is limited to 250 issues

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Team size limit (free)

SprintOS has no team size limit

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Figma / design integrations

Linear has deep design tool integrations

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Customer support views

Linear has Triage and support workflows

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Mobile app

Linear has iOS and Android apps

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The Core Difference

Linear Lives in Your Browser. SprintOS Lives in Your Editor.

Linear's keyboard shortcuts are excellent — but they only work in the browser tab. The moment you switch to your terminal to run tests, review a diff, or check a build, Linear is gone from your attention.

SprintOS runs in a terminal split pane next to your code. Press T to start a timer. Press m to move a task. Press n to create one. Never leave the terminal.

# Your typical Linear workflow

1. Alt+Tab to Chrome

2. Find the Linear tab

3. Click the issue

4. Change status

5. Alt+Tab back to terminal

# SprintOS workflow

m → "In Review" → Enter

Never left the terminal.

The MCP Gap

Linear's MCP is Community-Built. SprintOS's Is Native.

Linear has community-created MCP servers — which means separate install, manual config, partial API coverage, and no guarantee it stays current. When the Linear API changes, the community MCP lags.

SprintOS ships a native MCP server in the same binary. Run sprintos mcp, and Claude or Cursor has full read/write access to your board — tasks, sprints, assignments, comments — all in one command.

smart_toy See MCP Docs Claude Tutorial →

Honest Recommendation

Which Should You Choose?

Use SprintOS if you...

arrow_forward Live in the terminal and hate browser context switches
arrow_forward Want self-hosted, data-sovereign project management
arrow_forward Use Claude, Cursor, or Windsurf for AI-assisted development
arrow_forward Need built-in time tracking for billing or capacity planning
arrow_forward Want to avoid per-seat SaaS costs as your team grows
arrow_forward Need PDF sprint reports for non-technical stakeholders
arrow_forward Are an open-source contributor or indie hacker

Consider Linear if you...

arrow_forward Have non-technical team members who need a polished web UI
arrow_forward Use Figma and need design-to-engineering workflow integrations
arrow_forward Rely on mobile apps to manage work on the go
arrow_forward Need customer support / triage workflows built in
arrow_forward Want a fully managed cloud solution with no infrastructure
arrow_forward Have a budget and want enterprise SSO and audit logs

Common Questions

Is SprintOS a Linear alternative? expand_more

Yes. SprintOS covers the same core engineering PM features — kanban, sprints, GitHub sync, team assignments, velocity — but from the terminal, self-hosted, and free.

How much cheaper is SprintOS than Linear? expand_more

For a 5-person team: Linear costs $480–$960 per year. SprintOS costs $5 once, per organization. That's a 96–99% cost reduction.

Does SprintOS have Linear's keyboard shortcuts? expand_more

SprintOS is fully keyboard-driven with vim-style navigation (h/j/k/l). Every action has a shortcut. Press ? on any screen for the full help overlay.

Can I migrate from Linear to SprintOS? expand_more

Linear exports issues as CSV or JSON. Use the SprintOS REST API to bulk-import tasks. GitHub integrations reconnect automatically via the webhook setup.

Does SprintOS have Linear's design integrations? expand_more

Not currently. SprintOS is built for engineering workflows. Figma and design-specific integrations are not on the current roadmap.

SprintOS vs Linear

The Cost Difference Is Significant

Side by Side

Linear Lives in Your Browser. SprintOS Lives in Your Editor.

Linear's MCP is Community-Built. SprintOS's Is Native.

Which Should You Choose?

Use SprintOS if you...

Consider Linear if you...

Common Questions

Your Terminal. Your Board.