Alternatives · Project Management
GitHub Issues alternatives
GitHub Issues compared with 7 alternatives: Jira, Linear, Shortcut, YouTrack, Zenhub and 2 more.
GitHub Issues has a free plan. Paid plans start at $4 per user / month (GitHub Team). All 7 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
7 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub IssuesThis tool | Free plan · from $4/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Jira | Free plan · from $9.05/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Linear | Free plan · from $10/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Shortcut | Free plan · from $8.50/mo | Yes | Web |
| YouTrack | Free plan · from $4.50/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Zenhub | Free plan · from $4.99/mo | Yes | Web, Browser extension |
| Backlog | Free plan · from $30/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Fizzy | Free | Free | Web, iOS, Android |
How each one differs from GitHub Issues
- Free plan · from $9.05/mo
Jira
Issue and project tracking for software and business teams
- Jira starts at $9.05 per user / month, billed monthly (Standard, 1 to 100 users). GitHub Issues starts at $4 per user / month (GitHub Team).
- Jira also covers tasks.
- GitHub Issues also covers Markdown.
Suits: Software teams tracking bugs and development work
- Free plan · from $10/mo
Linear
Issue tracking and product planning for software teams
- Linear starts at $10 per user / month, billed yearly. GitHub Issues starts at $4 per user / month (GitHub Team).
- Only Linear lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Linear also covers tasks.
- GitHub Issues also covers Markdown, Gantt & timelines and workflow automation.
Suits: Software teams planning work in issues, cycles and projects
- Free plan · from $8.50/mo
Shortcut
Issue tracking, sprints and roadmaps for software teams
- Shortcut starts at $8.50 per user / month, billed yearly. GitHub Issues starts at $4 per user / month (GitHub Team).
- Only GitHub Issues lists iOS and Android apps.
- Shortcut also covers goals, AI agents and reports.
- GitHub Issues also covers Markdown and workflow automation.
Suits: Software teams that plan in stories, epics and sprints
- Free plan · from $4.50/mo
YouTrack
Issue tracker and project management tool from JetBrains
- YouTrack starts at $4.50 per user / month, billed annually (Cloud, 11 or more users). GitHub Issues starts at $4 per user / month (GitHub Team).
- YouTrack is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- YouTrack also covers wiki and time tracking.
- GitHub Issues also covers Markdown.
Suits: Software teams that want issue tracking linked to their IDE and build server
- Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Zenhub
Agile project management built on top of GitHub issues
- Zenhub starts at $4.99 per user / month, billed yearly. GitHub Issues starts at $4 per user / month (GitHub Team).
- Only Zenhub lists a browser extension.
- Only GitHub Issues lists iOS and Android apps.
- Zenhub is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Zenhub also covers reports.
Suits: Software teams that plan their work directly on GitHub issues
- Free plan · from $30/mo
Backlog
Issue tracking and project management with built-in Git and SVN
- Backlog starts at $30 / month flat for up to 30 users, billed annually. GitHub Issues starts at $4 per user / month (GitHub Team).
- Backlog is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Backlog also covers tasks and documents.
- GitHub Issues also covers Markdown and workflow automation.
Suits: Software teams that want issues and Git or SVN repositories together
- Free
Fizzy
Free kanban tracker for bugs, issues and ideas from 37signals
- Fizzy is free. GitHub Issues starts at $4 per user / month (GitHub Team).
- Fizzy is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- GitHub Issues also covers Markdown, Gantt & timelines and workflow automation.
Suits: Small teams tracking bugs, issues and ideas on simple boards
Limits worth knowing in GitHub Issues
- Issues is not sold on its own: it is part of every GitHub plan, and paid plans are priced per user for the whole platform.
- Every issue lives in a repository, so planning across repositories and teams runs through GitHub Projects.
- A project is limited to 50 fields, counting built-in metadata and custom fields.
- SAML single sign-on, SCIM provisioning and self-hosted Enterprise Server need the Enterprise plan, from $21 per user / month.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to GitHub Issues?
The alternatives to GitHub Issues in this directory are Jira, Linear, Shortcut, YouTrack, Zenhub, Backlog and Fizzy. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with GitHub Issues.
Is there a free alternative to GitHub Issues?
Yes. Fizzy is free to use. Jira, Linear, Shortcut, YouTrack, Zenhub and Backlog have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which GitHub Issues alternatives work on Windows?
The GitHub Issues listing does not include a Windows app. Linear lists one.
Which GitHub Issues alternatives work on macOS?
The GitHub Issues listing does not include a macOS app. Linear lists one.
Is there an open-source alternative to GitHub Issues?
Fizzy is described as open source on its own site.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 4, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
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