Jira Alternatives in 2026: What They Actually Cost

Verified 2026-07-27  ·  by Sebastian Bru

Every alternative below is priced for a team of twenty on annual billing, so the comparison is like for like. Most lists give you per-seat figures, which hide seat minimums and user caps.

Why teams leave Jira

The per-user rate drops at 100, 250 and 500 seats. If you are near one of those thresholds, adding a few users can lower your total bill.
The self-hosted Data Center edition rose from $51,000 to $59,000 per year for 500 users in February 2026.
Most teams end up buying marketplace add-ons for time tracking and reporting, which are billed separately per user.

The alternatives, cheapest first

ToolEntry planTeam of 20vs Jira
TrelloStandard$100/mosaves $58/mo
ClickUpUnlimited$140/mosaves $18/mo
Monday.comBasic$180/mocosts $22/mo more
NotionPlus$200/mocosts $42/mo more
LinearBasic$200/mocosts $42/mo more
AsanaStarter$220/mocosts $62/mo more
Teamwork.comDeliver$220/mocosts $62/mo more
BasecampPlus$300/mocosts $142/mo more
AirtableTeam$400/mocosts $242/mo more
SmartsheetPronot available (max 10 users)
WrikeTeamnot available (max 15 users)

Comparison uses each tool's cheapest paid plan. Feature sets differ — check the individual breakdowns before deciding.

The four worth looking at first

Trello

The simplest tool here, and the cheapest paid tier in the category. Fine for straightforward boards, thin once you need reporting or dependencies.

From $5 per user/month.

ClickUp

The cheapest serious option per seat. Enormous feature set, which is either the main attraction or the reason teams abandon it.

From $7 per user/month.

Monday.com

Highly visual and easy to adopt. The pricing looks cheap per seat until you hit the three-seat minimum and the automation limits.

From $9 per user/month.

Notion

Flexible workspace that doubles as a project tool. Cheap on paper, but the AI features were moved into the expensive tier in 2026.

From $10 per user/month.

Switching costs money too Migrating a team costs time, retraining and usually some lost history. A tool that saves you $100 a month may not be worth three weeks of disruption. Run the annual number before you move.

Written by Sebastian Bru. Sebastian Bru runs administration for a 180-person private hospital. For the past 10 years he has evaluated, bought and renewed the software his organization depends on, which means he has spent a decade learning the difference between the price on the pricing page and the number on the invoice.

Prices last verified on 2026-07-27.