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Top 10 Best Issue And Project Tracking Software of 2026

Find the best issue and project tracking software to streamline workflows. Optimize management with top tools – start today!

Sarah Mitchell

Sarah Mitchell

Feb 11, 2026

10 tools comparedExpert reviewed
Independent evaluation · Unbiased commentary · Updated regularly
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Issue and project tracking software are foundational to modern team productivity, enabling seamless alignment, clear visibility into workflows, and efficient resolution of challenges. With a spectrum of tools ranging from agile-specific platforms to all-in-one workspaces, choosing the right solution is key to optimizing operations—and our list distills the most exceptional options to guide your decision.

Quick Overview

  1. 1#1: Jira - Leading issue tracking and agile project management software for software development teams.
  2. 2#2: Linear - Ultra-fast issue tracker designed for modern software teams with seamless workflows.
  3. 3#3: ClickUp - Highly customizable all-in-one platform for issue tracking, tasks, and projects.
  4. 4#4: Asana - Powerful work management tool for organizing tasks, projects, and team collaboration.
  5. 5#5: GitHub - Integrated issue tracking and project boards tightly coupled with code repositories.
  6. 6#6: Azure DevOps - Comprehensive DevOps platform with robust issue tracking, boards, and pipelines.
  7. 7#7: Trello - Simple visual Kanban boards for effortless project and task tracking.
  8. 8#8: monday.com - Flexible work OS with customizable boards for managing issues and projects.
  9. 9#9: YouTrack - Intelligent issue tracker with agile boards, reports, and IDE integration.
  10. 10#10: Wrike - Enterprise project management with dynamic request forms and proofing tools.

We evaluated tools based on a blend of features (agile tools, integrations, reporting), user experience (intuitive design, accessibility), and value, ensuring each entry excels in meeting diverse team needs.

Comparison Table

Explore a breakdown of top issue and project tracking software, including Jira, Linear, ClickUp, Asana, and GitHub, to help teams streamline workflows. This comparison table highlights key features, use case fit, and unique strengths, guiding readers to identify the best tool for their needs.

1Jira logo9.3/10

Leading issue tracking and agile project management software for software development teams.

Features
9.8/10
Ease
7.6/10
Value
8.4/10
2Linear logo9.4/10

Ultra-fast issue tracker designed for modern software teams with seamless workflows.

Features
9.5/10
Ease
9.8/10
Value
8.7/10
3ClickUp logo8.7/10

Highly customizable all-in-one platform for issue tracking, tasks, and projects.

Features
9.4/10
Ease
7.6/10
Value
9.1/10
4Asana logo8.6/10

Powerful work management tool for organizing tasks, projects, and team collaboration.

Features
8.4/10
Ease
9.3/10
Value
8.1/10
5GitHub logo9.1/10

Integrated issue tracking and project boards tightly coupled with code repositories.

Features
9.4/10
Ease
8.4/10
Value
9.6/10

Comprehensive DevOps platform with robust issue tracking, boards, and pipelines.

Features
9.4/10
Ease
7.6/10
Value
8.3/10
7Trello logo7.8/10

Simple visual Kanban boards for effortless project and task tracking.

Features
7.2/10
Ease
9.5/10
Value
8.5/10
8monday.com logo8.5/10

Flexible work OS with customizable boards for managing issues and projects.

Features
9.2/10
Ease
8.7/10
Value
7.8/10
9YouTrack logo8.7/10

Intelligent issue tracker with agile boards, reports, and IDE integration.

Features
9.3/10
Ease
7.6/10
Value
8.1/10
10Wrike logo8.2/10

Enterprise project management with dynamic request forms and proofing tools.

Features
9.1/10
Ease
7.4/10
Value
7.8/10
1
Jira logo

Jira

enterprise

Leading issue tracking and agile project management software for software development teams.

Overall Rating9.3/10
Features
9.8/10
Ease of Use
7.6/10
Value
8.4/10
Standout Feature

Advanced Roadmaps for cross-team planning and dependency visualization

Jira, developed by Atlassian, is a leading issue tracking and project management platform designed for software development teams and adaptable to various industries. It excels in agile methodologies with customizable Scrum and Kanban boards, backlogs, epics, and advanced roadmaps for planning and execution. The tool provides robust reporting, automation rules, and thousands of integrations to streamline workflows and collaboration.

Pros

  • Highly customizable workflows and issue types
  • Extensive integrations with dev tools and Atlassian suite
  • Scalable for enterprise-level teams with advanced reporting

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for new users
  • Interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming
  • Premium features increase costs significantly

Best For

Mid-to-large software development teams and enterprises requiring flexible, scalable agile project tracking.

Pricing

Free for up to 10 users; Standard $8.15/user/month; Premium $16/user/month (billed annually).

Visit Jiraatlassian.com
2
Linear logo

Linear

specialized

Ultra-fast issue tracker designed for modern software teams with seamless workflows.

Overall Rating9.4/10
Features
9.5/10
Ease of Use
9.8/10
Value
8.7/10
Standout Feature

Cycles: A dynamic timeboxing system that automatically advances issues through sprints with minimal manual overhead.

Linear is a modern issue tracking and project management tool designed for high-velocity software teams, enabling seamless creation, assignment, and resolution of issues with a focus on speed and simplicity. It supports agile workflows through features like Cycles for timeboxing sprints, Projects for roadmaps, and Teams for cross-functional collaboration. Linear integrates deeply with GitHub, Slack, and other dev tools, providing customizable views, triages, and automations to streamline development processes.

Pros

  • Blazing-fast performance and responsive UI
  • Keyboard-driven interface with powerful shortcuts and commands
  • Flexible Cycles and Scopes for agile planning and iteration management

Cons

  • Pricing can become expensive for larger teams
  • Limited advanced reporting and analytics compared to enterprise tools
  • Fewer native integrations than more established competitors like Jira

Best For

Fast-growing software engineering teams looking for a lightweight, intuitive alternative to Jira with superior speed and UX.

Pricing

Free plan for small teams; Standard at $9/user/month (annual billing), Premium at $19/user/month for advanced features.

Visit Linearlinear.app
3
ClickUp logo

ClickUp

enterprise

Highly customizable all-in-one platform for issue tracking, tasks, and projects.

Overall Rating8.7/10
Features
9.4/10
Ease of Use
7.6/10
Value
9.1/10
Standout Feature

Unlimited hierarchical structure (Spaces > Folders > Lists > Tasks > Subtasks) enabling granular organization unmatched by most competitors

ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity platform designed for comprehensive project and issue tracking, featuring customizable hierarchies of Spaces, Folders, Lists, and Tasks with subtasks. It offers multiple views including Kanban boards, Gantt charts, calendars, and mind maps, alongside automations, custom fields, dependencies, and robust integrations. This makes it suitable for teams managing complex workflows, sprints, and bug tracking in a single workspace.

Pros

  • Extremely customizable with unlimited task hierarchies, custom fields, and 15+ views for flexible issue tracking
  • Powerful automations, dependencies, and integrations with tools like GitHub and Slack
  • Generous free plan with core features for small teams

Cons

  • Steep learning curve due to overwhelming options and complexity
  • Performance can lag in large workspaces with thousands of tasks
  • Overkill for simple issue tracking needs, lacking Jira's specialized agile focus

Best For

Mid-to-large teams or organizations needing a highly customizable, all-in-one platform for complex project management and issue tracking across multiple hierarchies.

Pricing

Free plan available; paid plans start at $7/user/month (Unlimited), $12/user/month (Business), and custom Enterprise pricing.

Visit ClickUpclickup.com
4
Asana logo

Asana

enterprise

Powerful work management tool for organizing tasks, projects, and team collaboration.

Overall Rating8.6/10
Features
8.4/10
Ease of Use
9.3/10
Value
8.1/10
Standout Feature

Timeline view for Gantt-style dependency mapping and project roadmapping

Asana is a collaborative work management platform designed to help teams organize tasks, projects, and workflows with customizable boards, lists, timelines, and calendars. It excels in task assignment, progress tracking, dependencies, and real-time collaboration, making it suitable for managing both projects and issues across various team types. While versatile for general project tracking, it supports issue resolution through custom fields, subtasks, and automations but lacks some advanced bug-tracking specifics found in developer-focused tools.

Pros

  • Highly intuitive interface with multiple visual views (list, board, timeline)
  • Powerful no-code automations and rules for workflows
  • Strong collaboration tools including comments, attachments, and real-time updates

Cons

  • Advanced features like portfolios require higher-tier plans
  • Reporting and analytics are basic compared to dedicated issue trackers
  • Less optimized for software development issue tracking (e.g., no native Git integration)

Best For

Marketing, operations, and creative teams needing flexible, visual project and task tracking without heavy agile requirements.

Pricing

Free Personal plan; Starter at $10.99/user/month, Advanced at $24.99/user/month (billed annually).

Visit Asanaasana.com
5
GitHub logo

GitHub

specialized

Integrated issue tracking and project boards tightly coupled with code repositories.

Overall Rating9.1/10
Features
9.4/10
Ease of Use
8.4/10
Value
9.6/10
Standout Feature

Native linking of issues to pull requests, commits, and GitHub Actions for end-to-end dev workflow automation

GitHub is a comprehensive platform renowned for code hosting and collaboration, with robust built-in tools for issue tracking and project management. Its Issues feature enables detailed task tracking using labels, milestones, assignees, and rich text discussions, while Projects provide customizable Kanban boards and roadmaps for visualizing workflows. Deeply integrated with Git repositories, pull requests, and Actions for automation, it streamlines software development lifecycles.

Pros

  • Seamless integration with Git, pull requests, and CI/CD workflows
  • Powerful issue tracking with labels, milestones, and automation via GitHub Actions
  • Generous free tier supporting unlimited public and limited private repositories

Cons

  • Steeper learning curve for non-developers due to Git-centric interface
  • Project boards lack some advanced customization of dedicated PM tools like Jira
  • Paid plans required for advanced features in private repos on larger teams

Best For

Software development teams and open-source contributors seeking integrated issue tracking with version control.

Pricing

Free tier for unlimited public repos and limited private; Pro at $4/user/month, Team at $4/user/month (annual billing).

Visit GitHubgithub.com
6
Azure DevOps logo

Azure DevOps

enterprise

Comprehensive DevOps platform with robust issue tracking, boards, and pipelines.

Overall Rating8.7/10
Features
9.4/10
Ease of Use
7.6/10
Value
8.3/10
Standout Feature

End-to-end traceability linking work items directly to code commits, pull requests, builds, and deployments

Azure DevOps Boards provides robust issue and project tracking capabilities, supporting Kanban, Scrum, and custom agile workflows for managing work items, backlogs, sprints, and bugs. It offers customizable fields, queries, and dashboards to visualize progress and dependencies, with deep integration into the broader Azure DevOps ecosystem for repos, pipelines, and testing. Ideal for software development teams, it enables traceability from requirements to deployment while scaling to enterprise needs.

Pros

  • Highly customizable workflows, fields, and process templates
  • Seamless integration with Azure services, GitHub, and CI/CD pipelines
  • Advanced analytics, reporting, and extensibility via Marketplace

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for beginners and complex setups
  • Interface can feel overwhelming or cluttered for simple use cases
  • Overkill and higher cost for very small teams

Best For

Enterprise development teams in the Microsoft ecosystem needing scalable, integrated issue tracking with full DevOps lifecycle support.

Pricing

Free for up to 5 users; Basic plan $6/user/month; additional costs for pipelines ($40/month parallel job) and advanced features.

Visit Azure DevOpsdev.azure.com
7
Trello logo

Trello

other

Simple visual Kanban boards for effortless project and task tracking.

Overall Rating7.8/10
Features
7.2/10
Ease of Use
9.5/10
Value
8.5/10
Standout Feature

Flexible Kanban boards with endless customization via labels, checklists, and Power-Ups

Trello is a visual project management tool that uses Kanban-style boards, lists, and cards to organize tasks, issues, and workflows. It allows teams to track progress by dragging cards between lists representing stages like 'To Do,' 'In Progress,' and 'Done.' While effective for simple issue tracking and collaboration, it relies on Power-Ups for advanced features like automation and integrations.

Pros

  • Intuitive drag-and-drop Kanban interface for quick task visualization
  • Generous free plan with unlimited cards and boards
  • Extensive Power-Ups marketplace for custom integrations and automations

Cons

  • Limited native reporting and analytics tools
  • Lacks advanced issue tracking features like custom fields or SLAs
  • Scalability issues for large teams with complex workflows

Best For

Small to medium-sized teams or non-technical users seeking a simple, visual tool for basic issue and project tracking.

Pricing

Free plan available; Standard at $5/user/month, Premium at $10/user/month (billed annually), Enterprise custom pricing.

Visit Trellotrello.com
8
monday.com logo

monday.com

enterprise

Flexible work OS with customizable boards for managing issues and projects.

Overall Rating8.5/10
Features
9.2/10
Ease of Use
8.7/10
Value
7.8/10
Standout Feature

No-code automations that trigger actions across boards, like auto-assigning issues based on labels or status changes

monday.com is a highly visual work management platform that excels in project tracking and issue management through customizable boards, automations, and dashboards. It supports Kanban, Gantt, timeline views, and hierarchical structures with subitems for organizing tasks and bugs effectively. With extensive integrations like Jira, GitHub, and Slack, it streamlines workflows for teams handling complex projects and issue resolution.

Pros

  • Extreme customizability with boards, columns, and formulas for tailored issue tracking
  • Powerful no-code automations and 200+ integrations for seamless workflows
  • Visual dashboards and real-time collaboration for project oversight

Cons

  • Pricing becomes expensive for larger teams or advanced features
  • Steep learning curve for complex customizations
  • Less specialized for pure software bug tracking compared to tools like Jira

Best For

Teams in creative, marketing, or operations needing flexible, visual project and issue tracking with heavy customization.

Pricing

Free for 2 users; Basic starts at $9/user/month (annual), Standard $12, Pro $19; Enterprise custom.

9
YouTrack logo

YouTrack

specialized

Intelligent issue tracker with agile boards, reports, and IDE integration.

Overall Rating8.7/10
Features
9.3/10
Ease of Use
7.6/10
Value
8.1/10
Standout Feature

Advanced search queries using a syntax as powerful and flexible as programming language searches

YouTrack is a robust issue tracking and project management platform developed by JetBrains, designed primarily for software development teams. It supports agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban with customizable boards, workflows, and reporting. Key features include advanced search queries, time tracking, Markdown support for issues, and deep integrations with JetBrains IDEs and other tools. It offers both cloud-hosted and on-premise deployment options for flexibility.

Pros

  • Highly customizable workflows and issue fields without coding
  • Powerful search language rivaling code IDE searches
  • Seamless integrations with JetBrains tools and Git repositories

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for new users due to extensive features
  • User interface feels dated compared to modern competitors
  • Performance can lag with very large projects or instances

Best For

Software development teams needing advanced customization and IDE integrations for complex workflows.

Pricing

Free for up to 10 users; cloud plans start at $4.40/user/month (billed annually) for Team edition, with Enterprise options and on-premise licensing available.

Visit YouTrackyoutrack.jetbrains.com
10
Wrike logo

Wrike

enterprise

Enterprise project management with dynamic request forms and proofing tools.

Overall Rating8.2/10
Features
9.1/10
Ease of Use
7.4/10
Value
7.8/10
Standout Feature

Blueprints for creating standardized, reusable project and workflow templates

Wrike is a comprehensive work management platform designed for project and issue tracking, offering tools like customizable workflows, Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and real-time collaboration. It supports task assignments, dependencies, custom fields, and automated rules to streamline issue resolution and project delivery. With robust reporting and integrations, it's suited for teams handling complex workflows across departments.

Pros

  • Extensive customization with blueprints and automations for repeatable processes
  • Powerful visualizations including Gantt, timeline, and workload views
  • Seamless integrations with 200+ apps like Jira, Slack, and Google Workspace

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for advanced features and setup
  • Pricing escalates quickly for premium capabilities
  • Interface can feel cluttered with too many options

Best For

Mid-to-large teams in marketing, creative, or software development needing scalable issue tracking and project management.

Pricing

Free plan for basics; paid tiers from $9.80/user/month (Team) to $24.80/user/month (Business), with Enterprise custom pricing (billed annually).

Visit Wrikewrike.com

Conclusion

The reviewed tools span varied needs, with Jira claiming the top spot as a leading choice for software development workflows. Linear impresses with its speed for modern teams, and ClickUp stands out for customization in all-in-one project management. Whether prioritizing specialized integration, agility, or flexibility, these top three offer compelling solutions to boost team efficiency.

Jira logo
Our Top Pick
Jira

Experience Jira’s proven track record as a top issue and project tracking tool—start streamlining your workflows today, with Linear and ClickUp as strong alternatives if speed or customization align better with your team’s needs.