Linear alternative
Beck or Linear?
Linear is a full product-engineering system with its own agent. Beck is a smaller Linear alternative for teams whose coding agents do the work: your agent records the plan you approved in Beck, works through it where you can see it, and asks you when a choice is yours. Below is when each one fits.
Stay on Linear if
- You plan in cycles and initiatives, and your org runs on them.
- You want the agent inside the tracker: Linear Agent triages, drafts updates and writes code in coding sessions.
- You rely on the GitHub integration and reviewing diffs next to the issue.
- You're dozens of people, and Linear is already how you plan.
Look at Beck if
- Your agent already plans in your repo, and you want that plan to outlive the conversation.
- You want to follow a run, the task in hand and its checks, without asking the agent.
- You want questions that come with a default, answered from your phone while the work goes on.
- You're a small team, and a PR link on an epic is all the GitHub you need.
Side by side.
| Topic | Beck | Linear |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Small teams whose coding agents already write the code | Product-engineering organizations of every size |
| Where the agent works | Your agent, in your repo: Claude Code, Cursor or any MCP host | Linear Agent inside Linear, plus agents you connect through Linear MCP |
| Planning | The agent records the plan you approved as a document, epics and tasks | Issues, projects, cycles and initiatives |
| Following the work | Now: each agent session as a run, with checks, questions and blockers | Project updates and status, and agent progress in Linear |
| Code | Beck doesn't write code. Your agent does, in your repo | Coding sessions with reviewable diffs |
| GitHub | Branch name and PR link on an epic | A GitHub integration |
| Price | Free $0, Pro $12, Team $15 a seat, monthly | Free (2 teams, 250 issues); Basic from $10 and Business from $16 a user, billed yearly |
Linear’s details are from its public pricing and AI pages; check linear.app before you decide. There’s no importer from Linear yet. See how Beck works with agents.
FAQ
Questions people ask.
Is Beck a Linear clone?
No. Linear is a full product-engineering system with its own agent. Beck is where your coding agent's plan lives: recorded when you approve it, followed on Now, asked about with a default, and reviewed by you.
Does Beck work with Claude Code and Cursor?
Yes. The Claude Code plugin records the plan when you approve it and resumes each session. Cursor and any other MCP host run Beck's MCP server. Name the token after the bot.
Does Beck write the code?
No. Your agent does, in your repo. Beck holds the plan, the run, the questions and the review.
What does Linear do that Beck doesn't?
Cycles, initiatives, Linear Agent with coding sessions and reviewable diffs, a GitHub integration, and a mobile app. If you rely on those, stay on Linear.
Can I import from Linear?
Not yet. There is no importer. Start with the next plan your agent makes.
How do I try Beck?
Free includes 50 AI credits a month. See Plans. Cancel a paid plan anytime.
Try Beck on your agent’s next plan.
Free includes 50 AI credits. Recorded plans, runs and decisions use none.