Linear vs. Shortcut vs. Jira vs Azure Devops: Which tool offers the best flexibility and customisation for Project Managers?

In the world of project management tools, Linear, Shortcut, Jira, and Azure DevOps each cater to different team needs. Here's a quick breakdown to help you decide:

• Linear: Ideal for small, agile teams focused on speed and simplicity. Limited in customisation but great for software development workflows.
• Shortcut: Best for growing teams managing multiple projects. Offers flexible workflows and strong collaboration features.
• Jira: Suited for large enterprises needing detailed workflow customisation and scalability. Comes with a steeper learning curve.
• Azure DevOps: Designed for organisations using Microsoft's ecosystem. Provides end-to-end development lifecycle management with robust integration.

Quick Comparison

Each tool has strengths tailored to specific workflows and team sizes. Choose based on your team's size, complexity, and integration needs.

11 Best Project Management Software Comparison 2025

Linear: Simple Design for Agile Teams

Linear is all about speed and simplicity, making it a great choice for agile software teams in Australia. Its clean, streamlined design is a perfect match for the fast-moving tech scene in cities like Sydney and Melbourne. With an intuitive interface and strong user ratings (G2: 4.5/5, Capterra: 4.4/5, TrustRadius: 9.2/10), Linear ensures quick onboarding and efficient workflow management. This is especially helpful for startups and smaller development teams looking to hit the ground running.

"Super easy to use, intuitive UX. The design is very clean. And it's fast." - Daniel C.

Customisation Options

While Linear doesn’t offer extensive customisation, it does allow for adjustments that fit agile workflows. Teams can tweak issue flows, switch between list and board views, use swimlanes, and apply advanced filters. It also integrates smoothly with tools like GitHub, Slack, Figma, and Google Sheets, thanks to its API capabilities. For tasks with tight deadlines, SLA settings can automatically assign due dates. Additionally, developers can use Linear’s API to create custom add-ons tailored to their needs.

Pros and Cons

Linear’s developer-first approach makes onboarding a breeze (scored 9/10 for usability), and its support team is quick to respond - often within an hour. It’s ideal for teams managing 3–10 projects with straightforward workflows.

On the flip side, Linear’s customisation rating is 4/10, reflecting its limited features like custom fields, advanced time tracking, Gantt charts, and native resource management. This makes it less suitable for larger organisations or those handling compliance-heavy projects. Its design philosophy is clearly aimed at software development teams with streamlined needs, rather than businesses requiring broader project management tools.

In the next section, we’ll look at how Shortcut caters to teams juggling multiple projects with more flexibility.

Shortcut: Multi-Team Flexibility

Shortcut takes a unique approach to project management by making teams the centre of its system. While Linear leans into simplicity for developers, Shortcut is tailored for businesses that need to coordinate multiple squads working toward shared objectives. This focus makes it particularly useful for growing tech companies in Australia’s bustling business hubs, where cross-functional collaboration is a necessity.

The platform structures work around teams - cross-functional groups responsible for Stories, Epics, and Iterations. This setup aligns with how many Australian organisations operate, often requiring developers, designers, and product managers to work together on the same project.

What sets Shortcut apart is its flexibility: users can belong to more than one team. This mirrors modern workplace practices, where specialists frequently juggle multiple projects. As companies grow, they tend to increase the number of teams rather than expanding team sizes beyond the "two-pizza team" model - typically 8 to 12 members.

Workflow Setup

Shortcut allows each team to set up customised workflows, accommodating processes that range from frontend development to backend operations and even support tasks. For example, a fintech company in Melbourne might create distinct workflows for its compliance team and its mobile app developers, all under the same platform.

The platform also supports hybrid Scrum–Kanban methods. Teams can blend iterations with visual Kanban boards, making it easier to adjust to varying client needs or regulatory requirements. This adaptability is especially valuable for businesses that need to tailor their project management approaches on a case-by-case basis.

Epics in Shortcut bring together Stories from different workflows, fostering seamless cross-functional collaboration. For instance, rolling out a new feature might involve development, marketing, and compliance teams, all contributing Stories under a single Epic for streamlined tracking.

Connections and Reporting

Shortcut integrates with 62 tools, including AppSignal, Beamible, and Carbide, ensuring Australian teams can maintain their existing tech stack without disruption. Its reporting features include burndown charts, time-in-workflow state graphs, cycle time, and lead time charts. These reports can be filtered by team, enabling focused insights.

The platform offers tiered pricing plans: Free (1 Team), Team (5 Teams), Business (10 Teams), and Enterprise (Unlimited Teams), priced at $10 per user per month.

For quarterly or annual planning, Shortcut suggests aligning company goals with team structures to ensure squads are clearly mapped to organisational objectives. This alignment helps Australian project managers maintain visibility across various initiatives while empowering individual teams to operate independently.

Next, we’ll explore Jira and its enterprise-level customisation capabilities.

Jira: Enterprise Customisation

Jira stands out for its ability to adapt to the unique needs of organisations, particularly those managing complex processes across various departments. Its flexibility allows teams to create workflows that reflect their actual operations instead of adhering to rigid, pre-set procedures.

Advanced Customisation

At the heart of Jira's adaptability lies its workflow system. Workflows define how tasks move through different stages, enabling organisations to model their processes effectively. Teams can design tailored workflows by incorporating custom statuses and transitions. For example, a healthcare technology company in Melbourne might implement workflows where bug fixes undergo additional security reviews compared to routine feature updates.

Jira's graphical workflow editor makes it easy to create, visualise, and tweak workflow steps and transitions. Advanced features allow users to apply conditions, ensuring that only authorised individuals can execute specific transitions. Its permission settings go further by controlling who can view, edit, or comment on issues, safeguarding sensitive information. Teams can also configure settings globally or at the project level, offering flexibility in fields and workflows.

Add-ons and Connections

Jira's integration capabilities transform it into a central hub for managing organisational operations. By connecting with various tools, it serves as a single source of truth for project data, promoting better communication, knowledge sharing, and transparency between teams. Through the Atlassian Marketplace, users have access to thousands of add-ons that extend Jira's functionality, addressing challenges like duplicate tasks or incomplete records.

"Before, our team saw Atlassian as individual tools...Now, [features & integrations] like Jira macros & Smart Links have really been pivotal in collaboration, productivity, & discoverability."
– Joe Cotant, Senior Technical Program Manager, Roblox

Jira also integrates smoothly with tools like GitHub, Bitbucket, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Its suite of features - including task tracking, advanced planning, custom workflows, and automation - streamlines project management while improving visibility. Automation tools, such as advanced JQL filters, help reduce manual work, freeing up time for more strategic tasks. These integrations not only simplify operations but also prepare Jira for scalable growth and flexible pricing, which will be discussed next.

Growth and Pricing

Jira's ability to scale makes it a strong fit for organisations with growing and complex needs. It supports various agile methodologies, ensuring teams can work efficiently regardless of their approach. Advanced Roadmaps, available in Premium and Enterprise plans, introduce custom hierarchy levels above Epics, enabling portfolio-level planning across multiple teams. However, the platform's extensive customisation options can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in workflows across teams. To address this, many administrators use template projects with predefined workflows and permission settings, which help maintain standardisation and reduce administrative work.

"The strategy of '1 team, 1 backlog, 1 board, 1 Jira Project' you've been following is indeed a popular and effective approach for many agile teams, especially when simplicity, focus, and team cohesion are priorities."
– Mary from Planyway, Atlassian Partner

For Australian businesses, Jira's pricing reflects its focus on enterprise-level needs. While it lacks built-in tools for resource, portfolio, and budget management, its extensive third-party ecosystem offers solutions to fill these gaps. Features like cross-project reporting and integration with external tools enable comprehensive dashboards and metrics tracking across multiple projects. Jira's standard issue hierarchy (Epic – Task – Sub-task) is ideal for straightforward projects, while Advanced Roadmaps (Initiative – Epic – Story/Task – Sub-task) cater to more intricate projects involving multiple teams. This scalability makes Jira particularly effective for large enterprises coordinating work across departments and locations.

Azure DevOps: Complete Workflow Control

Azure DevOps is a platform that manages the entire development lifecycle, offering a seamless approach from planning to deployment and monitoring. Unlike tools that focus on just one part of project management, Azure DevOps integrates all aspects into a single solution. Let’s dive into how its workflow customisation and integration features set it apart.

Workflow and Connection Features

One of Azure DevOps' standout features is its workflow customisation. It allows project managers to tailor work item types, fields, workflows, forms, and backlogs to fit their team’s unique processes. This flexibility is available at three levels - Organisation, Project, and Team - giving teams precise control over how they operate.

Another key advantage is the ability to create custom work item types. This means teams can craft workflows that reflect their specific needs, including adding custom states to align with their processes. For instance, Australian teams can configure bug tracking to match their preferred methods.

Azure DevOps can support up to 1,000 projects within a single organisation, making it ideal for large enterprises managing multiple projects. Its integration capabilities go beyond basic connectivity, offering native links with tools like Microsoft Defender for DevOps. This ensures that security is deeply embedded into CI/CD pipelines. Being part of the Microsoft ecosystem also provides a level of integration that’s hard to beat, especially for organisations already using Microsoft tools.

"Azure DevOps provides an integrated platform that covers the entire DevOps lifecycle, from planning and coding to testing, releasing, and monitoring."

Custom Reports and Data Analysis

The platform’s Analytics Service is designed to power data-driven decision-making with quick and efficient data access. Its reporting tools offer project managers actionable insights to guide teams throughout the development lifecycle.

Azure DevOps includes several analytical tools, such as built-in dashboards, work item insights, and Power BI integration for advanced visualisation. These tools allow teams to access immediate insights through pre-built dashboards while also customising reports to focus on the metrics that matter most. The data covers work items, board movements, iterations, and team performance, enabling trend analysis and predictive planning.

"Azure DevOps provides a collaborative environment that breaks down silos and enables teams to work together seamlessly, regardless of their location or role."

• Sam Guckenheimer, Product Owner for Azure DevOps at Microsoft

"Automation is a key pillar of DevOps. With Azure DevOps, you can automate your entire software delivery process, from code commit to production deployment, enabling faster and more reliable releases."

• Donovan Brown, Principal DevOps Manager at Microsoft

These reporting capabilities are especially useful for Australian organisations evaluating the platform’s potential cost savings and efficiencies.

Pricing for Australian Teams

Azure DevOps has proven its ability to boost productivity. Vodafone’s implementation saw developer productivity increase fourfold, while monthly releases jumped by 100 times. Ben Connolly, Global Head of Cloud Engineering & Head of Digital Engineering UK at Vodafone, highlighted the platform’s transformative impact:

"Azure DevOps isn't just a great tool, it has fueled the change culturally in what was a classic telco to now becoming a really great software business."

For Australian organisations, Azure DevOps offers significant benefits through its global network of data centres. Teams can choose data centre locations to optimise performance, compliance, and cost. Adaptiv AU notes that Azure DevOps, when combined with Azure’s toolset, provides reliable Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment capabilities tailored for Australian needs.

Integration with Microsoft Teams is another highlight, making it easier for Australian organisations embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem to collaborate effectively. Will Brown, Principal Product Lead for Front-end and Data Discovery at STOPWATCH, shared his experience:

"We've used Teams heavily from day one, taking advantage of how it integrates with things like Azure Boards and Azure DevOps work items for sprint planning."

Azure DevOps is available in two deployment models: Azure DevOps Services, a cloud-based option managed by Microsoft, and Azure DevOps Server, a self-hosted solution for organisations needing more control. This flexibility ensures Australian teams can choose the setup that best meets their compliance and operational needs.

Side-by-Side Comparison: Which Tool Wins?

Choosing the best project management tool comes down to how each platform performs on key criteria that matter to Australian project managers. After evaluating Linear, Shortcut, Jira, and Azure DevOps, the distinctions between them become apparent.

When it comes to user satisfaction, Shortcut takes the lead with an impressive overall rating of 4.6/5 and an ease-of-use score of 4.4/5. Jira follows closely with an overall rating of 4.4/5 and an ease-of-use score of 4.1/5. Jo, a Product Manager who uses Shortcut, shares her experience:

"Shortcut feels very lightweight and fast compared to some more popular alternatives like Jira."

On the other hand, Jose, a QA professional, highlights a challenge with Jira:

"The user interface can be overwhelming for new users, and the initial setup requires a solid understanding of Jira's configuration options."

These insights set the stage for a closer look at the strengths and limitations of each tool.

Comparison Table

Linear offers a generous free plan with unlimited members but limits users to 250 issues. Meanwhile, Jira provides a free plan for up to 10 users with 2GB of storage. Fredrik, a CEO using Shortcut, highlights its appeal:

"It is extremely easy to use. Quick to setup and understand. VERY cost effective!"

When it comes to workflow management, Jira stands out for its detailed customisation options, including administrator-controlled workflows with advanced conditions and validation tasks. In contrast, Shortcut takes a more accessible approach, allowing workflows to be assigned across multiple teams.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here - each tool shines in specific scenarios. Linear is ideal for small, agile teams valuing speed and simplicity. Shortcut strikes a balance between ease of use and the needs of growing teams. Jira is the go-to for large enterprises that require extensive customisation, while Azure DevOps suits organisations already entrenched in the Microsoft ecosystem.

For Australian project managers, the real takeaway is to align the tool’s capabilities with your team’s maturity and organisational goals. As Karanja, a Managing Partner using Jira, explains:

"Jira's capability to manage complex projects, customise workflows and tracking progress is really astonishing. Jira is easy to use and it saves time through team collaborations on certain projects."

Still, for smaller teams or those with fewer regulatory demands, Jira’s extensive customisation might feel like overkill.

Australian Project Manager Requirements

Australian project managers need tools that not only offer advanced features but also align with local standards. These tools must cater to compliance requirements and reflect the unique business practices and expectations in Australia. This includes ensuring support for local formats and adhering to strict data privacy regulations.

Local Format Support

Proper formatting is at the heart of efficient workflows. For example, date and time settings play a significant role. Azure DevOps, for instance, stores dates in UTC but allows localisation based on user or organisation settings. It offers three timezone options: browser settings, organisation/server settings, and personal profile settings. However, changes made in User Settings may not always apply everywhere, such as in dashboard widgets.

Currency management is another key consideration. While Azure DevOps lists prices in US dollars, payments are automatically converted to Australian dollars, sparing teams the trouble of recalculating exchange rates. This ensures smoother budget management for Australian organisations.

For industries requiring detailed reporting, metric units and localised reports are indispensable. With Australia's annual infrastructure spending surpassing $100 billion - double what it was a decade ago - project management tools must handle the complexity of localised data and reporting needs effectively.

Compliance and Work Culture

Compliance with Australian regulations is non-negotiable. The Privacy Legislation Amendment (Enforcement and Other Measures) Bill 2022 introduced severe penalties for serious privacy breaches, including fines of up to $50 million, three times the benefit gained from misuse, or 30% of a company’s adjusted turnover. These rules apply to private sector entities with an annual turnover of $3 million or more, as well as Commonwealth and Australian Capital Territory Government agencies. With 95% of businesses acknowledging the importance of customer privacy and data breaches on the rise, project management tools must provide robust data management, strong security measures, and comprehensive employee training.

The Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) set clear guidelines for handling personal information, covering everything from collection to disclosure. Additionally, Australian work culture places high value on equality, teamwork, and work-life balance. This makes it essential for tools to be user-friendly and transparent. For sectors like construction, which boasts some of the highest-paying roles (with salaries exceeding $139,000 and 3,590 positions currently available), tools that enhance productivity while supporting work-life balance are particularly important.

For Australian project managers, selecting tools that meet these local needs - whether it’s supporting Australian date formats, handling currency seamlessly, ensuring compliance with privacy laws, or aligning with workplace values - can make a significant difference in team success and efficiency.

Conclusion

When choosing a project management tool, it's crucial to align your team's specific workflow challenges with the platform's customisation capabilities. Different tools cater to varying project management styles and organisational needs, so identifying the right fit is key.

Shortcut is an excellent option for teams seeking a balance of simplicity and flexibility. It brings teams together while offering the ability to tailor workflows to specific requirements. For organisations operating on a larger scale...

Jira stands out for its enterprise-level customisation and scalability. It's particularly suited for large organisations with complex compliance needs, though it does come with a steeper learning curve.

For teams focused on integrated development lifecycle management, Azure DevOps provides comprehensive workflow control, exceptional traceability, and quick setup. This makes it a strong choice for managing large-scale projects with stringent compliance demands.

Start by identifying your team’s challenges and prioritising key features like remote collaboration, task tracking, and seamless integration with local business systems. Use trial periods to gather feedback from your team and ensure the tool meets your needs.

For Australian project managers, it’s essential to strike a balance between customisation, user accessibility, and adherence to local compliance standards. Your final choice should reflect the unique operational requirements of your organisation and support its workflow demands effectively.

FAQs

What should project managers consider when choosing between Linear, Shortcut, Jira, and Azure DevOps?

When choosing a project management tool, it's important to think about how well it fits your team's needs. Prioritise tools that offer flexibility and customisation, allowing you to adapt them to your workflows. A platform that integrates smoothly with your existing systems and supports Agile methodologies can make a big difference in keeping your projects on track and boosting productivity.

You should also consider the user interface and overall ease of use. A tool that's simple and intuitive can save your team a lot of time and effort, especially during the onboarding process. Another key aspect is the ability to adjust features to match your specific project requirements, ensuring the tool aligns perfectly with your goals and processes.

How do each tool's integrations impact their suitability for different team workflows?

Linear and Shortcut bring a variety of third-party integrations to the table, making them a great fit for teams that thrive on dynamic and agile workflows. On the other hand, Jira takes the lead with its highly customisable integrations tailored for development tools, making it a solid option for handling complex or large-scale projects. Meanwhile, Azure DevOps stands out for its native integration within the Microsoft ecosystem, making it a natural choice for teams already relying on tools like Azure or Office 365.

Jira and Azure DevOps are best suited for structured, enterprise-level setups, whereas Linear and Shortcut are ideal for teams that value agility and flexibility in their processes.

When might Linear’s limited customisation options be more beneficial than the extensive flexibility of Jira or Azure DevOps?

Linear's lack of extensive customisation can actually be a strong point in situations where simplicity and speed are essential. For smaller Agile teams or short-term projects, its straightforward setup and minimal configuration eliminate unnecessary complications, enabling teams to concentrate on delivering results instead of getting bogged down in managing the tool.

This streamlined approach works especially well for teams that need rapid onboarding or have relatively simple workflows. In such cases, excessive customisation can create more hassle than it's worth, slowing down progress and adding unnecessary layers of complexity.