AppBreakup

GitHub Projects alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave GitHub Projects: awkward for non-developers and non-code work, and limited reporting and no time tracking. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces GitHub Projects, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Linear currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Linear logoLinearFree plan + paidNoWeb, macOS, Windows +22 of 376.3
2Jira logoJiraFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +21 of 361.8
3Zenhub logoZenhubFree plan + paidNoWeb, Browser extension, Self-hosted3 of 359.6
4Shortcut logoShortcutFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 457.2
5Huly logoHulyOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +24 of 455.3
6Plane logoPlaneOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted2 of 352.4
  1. Linear logo

    1. LinearTop pick

    Best for: Startups and product teams that value speed over configurability

    Free plan + paidWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

    76.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Projects

    Dedicated tracker with cycles and a fast interface that still syncs with GitHub.

    Pros

    • Extremely fast interface
    • Great GitHub and GitLab integration
    • Opinionated, clean workflow

    Cons

    • Less configurable than Jira
    • Mainly suited to software teams
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.1577
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Linear a good GitHub Projects alternative?

    Verified facts

    2 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026linear.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Git integration
    GitHub and GitLab
    Checked Oct 24, 2026linear.app(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Jira logo

    2. Jira

    Best for: Engineering organizations that need configurable agile workflows

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Projects

    Far more reporting, permissions and process control for large organisations.

    Pros

    • Highly configurable workflows
    • Deep agile reporting
    • Huge app marketplace

    Cons

    • Complex to administer
    • Slower and heavier than newer trackers
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1553
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Jira a good GitHub Projects alternative?

    Verified facts

    1 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, for small teams
    Not checked yetatlassian.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Boards
    Scrum and kanban
    Not checked yetatlassian.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Atlassian
    Checked Oct 24, 2026atlassian.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Zenhub logo

    3. Zenhub

    Best for: GitHub-based engineering teams that want sprints and reporting without leaving GitHub

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Projects

    Adds sprints, estimates and reporting on top of GitHub issues.

    Pros

    • Works directly on GitHub issues and pull requests
    • Sprints, estimates and velocity reports
    • On-premises option for GitHub Enterprise Server

    Cons

    • Only useful if you use GitHub
    • Narrow fit for non-engineering teams
    • Free plan limited to one workspace
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Zenhub a good GitHub Projects alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, one workspace
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zenhub.com(opens source in a new tab)
    On-premises
    Zenhub Enterprise Server
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zenhub.com(opens source in a new tab)
    GitHub integration
    Runs inside GitHub
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zenhub.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Shortcut logo

    4. Shortcut

    Best for: Engineering teams that want structure like Jira without the configuration overhead

    Free plan + paidWeb

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Projects

    Separate tracker with epics and iterations and good GitHub integration.

    Pros

    • Clean interface with good keyboard support
    • Automatic story updates from Git branches and PRs
    • Epics, objectives and roadmaps without heavy setup

    Cons

    • Less flexible for non-engineering workflows
    • Reporting is lighter than Jira's
    • Smaller integration ecosystem than the market leaders
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Shortcut a good GitHub Projects alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shortcut.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Team plan
    $8.50 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shortcut.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business plan
    $12 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shortcut.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Git integrations
    GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shortcut.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Huly logo

    5. Huly

    Best for: Startups that want one open-source tool for tasks, chat and docs instead of several

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Projects

    Open-source tool with two-way GitHub issue sync plus chat and docs.

    Pros

    • Issue tracking, chat, docs and meetings in one app
    • Two-way GitHub issue sync
    • Free hosted tier with unlimited users

    Cons

    • Individual modules are less mature than specialist tools
    • Self-hosting the full platform is resource-heavy
    • Young product that changes quickly
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Huly a good GitHub Projects alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    EPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes, unlimited users
    Checked Oct 25, 2026huly.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid plans
    From $19.99/month per workspace
    Checked Oct 25, 2026huly.io(opens source in a new tab)
    GitHub sync
    Two-way
    Checked Oct 25, 2026huly.io(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Plane logo

    6. Plane

    Best for: Teams that need a self-hosted Jira or Linear replacement

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    52.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Projects

    Open-source tracker with cycles, modules and GitHub integration.

    Pros

    • Open source and self-hostable
    • Multiple layouts including Gantt
    • Built-in pages for docs

    Cons

    • Younger product with fewer integrations
    • Self-hosting needs ops time
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1577
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Plane a good GitHub Projects alternative?

    Verified facts

    2 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026plane.so(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes
    Not checked yetplane.so(opens source in a new tab)

The best GitHub Projects alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Linear logo

Best GitHub Projects alternative for most people

Linear

Dedicated tracker with cycles and a fast interface that still syncs with GitHub.

Huly logo

Best GitHub Projects alternative for a free option

Huly

Open-source tool with two-way GitHub issue sync plus chat and docs.

Jira logo

Best GitHub Projects alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Jira

Far more reporting, permissions and process control for large organisations.

Plane logo

Best GitHub Projects alternative for open source

Plane

Open-source tracker with cycles, modules and GitHub integration.

Huly logo

Best GitHub Projects alternative for self-hosting

Huly

Open-source tool with two-way GitHub issue sync plus chat and docs.

Linear logo

Best GitHub Projects alternative for Mac

Linear

Dedicated tracker with cycles and a fast interface that still syncs with GitHub.

Linear logo

Best GitHub Projects alternative for Windows

Linear

Dedicated tracker with cycles and a fast interface that still syncs with GitHub.

Huly logo

Best GitHub Projects alternative for Linux

Huly

Open-source tool with two-way GitHub issue sync plus chat and docs.

Linear logo

Best GitHub Projects alternative for iPhone and Android

Linear

Dedicated tracker with cycles and a fast interface that still syncs with GitHub.

Zenhub logo

Best GitHub Projects alternative for working in the browser

Zenhub

Adds sprints, estimates and reporting on top of GitHub issues.

GitHub Projects alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to GitHub Projects?

Linear ranks first right now. Dedicated tracker with cycles and a fast interface that still syncs with GitHub. Jira and Zenhub follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to GitHub Projects?

Yes. Linear (free plan + paid), Jira (free plan + paid), Zenhub (free plan + paid) and Shortcut (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to GitHub Projects?

Yes: Huly and Plane. Huly and Plane can also be self-hosted.

Which GitHub Projects alternatives work on Linux?

Huly runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from GitHub Projects?

The complaints we hear most: awkward for non-developers and non-code work; limited reporting and no time tracking; tied to GitHub as your code host.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces GitHub Projects, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.