Linear vs Employment Hero

Linear

Linear is a modern project management tool built for high-performance software teams. It is known for its speed, keyboard-first interface, and opinionated workflows that help engineering teams move fast. Linear has become popular with startups and tech companies as a modern alternative to Jira that prioritizes developer experience.

Freemium pricing · Get Pricing →

Employment Hero

Employment Hero is an all-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits platform with a strong presence in Australia and New Zealand. It offers a free HR plan alongside paid payroll and benefits modules, making it accessible for businesses at any stage. Employment Hero also operates a job marketplace called Swag for employees.

Freemium pricing · Get Pricing →

Pros

• ✓Incredibly fast and responsive interface
• ✓Keyboard-first design loved by developers
• ✓Clean and modern interface with no clutter
• ✓Strong GitHub and GitLab integration for engineering workflows

Cons

• ✗Built specifically for software teams — limited use for non-technical projects
• ✗Less feature-rich than Jira for complex enterprise workflows
• ✗Smaller integration ecosystem than established tools
• ✗Limited reporting compared to enterprise tools

Pros

• ✓Free HR plan available with core employee management features
• ✓Strong compliance tools for Australian and NZ employment law
• ✓All-in-one platform covering HR, payroll, and benefits
• ✓Employee benefits marketplace with discounts and perks

Cons

• ✗Payroll module costs extra and is best suited for AU/NZ companies
• ✗Limited support and compliance coverage outside Australia and New Zealand
• ✗Some users report the platform can feel complex to navigate

Best For

High-performance software and engineering teams wanting a fast, modern alternative to Jira

Best For

Australian and NZ businesses needing full HR suite