Plane vs Jira

Both serve Agile software teams, but they sit at opposite ends of the maturity and complexity spectrum. Plane is a modern, open-source, freemium tool aimed at small and mid-size teams that want a lightweight alternative, while Jira is the high-complexity industry standard with deep reporting and a large plugin ecosystem built for larger, more structured Agile organizations.

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PlaneJira
CategoryAgileAgile
Best forSoftware teams that want open-source control with a modern issue-tracking experienceSoftware development teams running structured Agile processes
Free planYes (up to 12 users)Yes (free forever for up to 10 users)
Paid plans from$6 per seat / month (Pro)$9.05 per user / month (Standard)
Platform
DeploymentCloud, Self-hostedCloud
Team sizeSmall team, Mid-sizeMid-size, Large, Enterprise
ApproachIssues, cycles, and modules in an open-source workspaceScrum & Kanban boards with sprint planning
Learning curveMediumHigh
AI featuresYesYes
IntegrationsGitHub, SlackSlack, GitHub, GitLab, Microsoft Teams, Zapier
Strengths
  • Open-source core
  • Modern issue tracking
  • Cycles and modules
  • Powerful Agile workflows
  • Extensive reporting
  • Large ecosystem
  • Scrum & Kanban boards

Plane vs Jira pricing

Plane

  • Free$0Up to 12 users
  • Pro$6 per seat / monthBilled annually
  • Business$13 per seat / monthBilled annually
  • Enterprise GridCustom contact sales

Prices in USD, checked October 2026. Prices exclude VAT and local taxes unless stated. See current Plane pricing →

Jira

  • Free$0Free forever for up to 10 users
  • Standard$9.05 per user / monthBilled monthly; per-user price drops for larger teams; save up to 17% with annual billing
  • Premium$18.30 per user / monthBilled monthly; per-user price drops for larger teams; save up to 17% with annual billing
  • EnterpriseCustom contact salesBilled annually only

Prices in USD, checked October 2026. Prices exclude VAT and local taxes unless stated. See current Jira pricing →

Strengths and trade-offs

Plane

Where it stands out

Its open-source core and modern issue tracking make it attractive for teams that value ownership over their tooling.

Trade-off to know

Its enterprise-grade features are still maturing compared to established competitors.

Jira

Where it stands out

Its Agile workflows, extensive reporting, and large plugin ecosystem make it attractive for teams that want to customize every stage of the development process.

Trade-off to know

That same depth can be a lot to configure and navigate for people outside engineering, and pricing scales quickly as teams grow.

Which one fits your team?

Choose Plane if…

  • You're a smaller product team that wants a modern, self-hostable alternative without Jira's configuration overhead
  • You value open-source ownership over your data even if some enterprise features are still maturing
See full Plane review →

Choose Jira if…

  • You're already in the Atlassian ecosystem or need extensive Agile reporting depth across a mid-size to enterprise team
  • You need every stage of a structured Scrum or Kanban process configurable, and can absorb pricing that scales with growth
See full Jira review →

FAQ

What is the main difference between Plane and Jira?

Both serve Agile software teams, but they sit at opposite ends of the maturity and complexity spectrum. Plane is a modern, open-source, freemium tool aimed at small and mid-size teams that want a lightweight alternative, while Jira is the high-complexity industry standard with deep reporting and a large plugin ecosystem built for larger, more structured Agile organizations.

Do Plane and Jira have a free plan?

Yes, both offer a free plan. Plane: up to 12 users. Jira: free forever for up to 10 users.

How much do Plane and Jira cost?

Plane's paid plans start at $6 per seat / month (Pro), while Jira's start at $9.05 per user / month (Standard). Billing period, team size, and taxes affect the final price, so check each vendor's pricing page before deciding.

Who is each tool best suited for?

Plane fits software teams that want open-source control with a modern issue-tracking experience. Jira fits software development teams running structured Agile processes.

Can Plane or Jira be self-hosted?

Plane offers both cloud and self-hosted options; Jira is cloud-only.

Reviewed by the PM Help Tools team · Last updated · How we review tools