# Linear vs Shortcut

> Linear and Shortcut both sell a lighter, more pleasant way to organize software work, but their brand histories split sharply. Linear was founded under its current name in 2019 and has kept it. Shortcut began as Clubhouse, then announced a 2021 rename after the unrelated Clubhouse audio app became too famous for the software company to maintain a distinct brand. The comparison shows that product competition is fought not only through speed, workflows and pricing, but also through the costly work of owning a name.

## Achievements

- Shortcut reports more than 21 million stories completed and says it serves thousands of software teams.
- Linear says more than 37,000 companies use its product to plan, build and ship software.
- Both products combine issue tracking with higher-level roadmaps, planning and developer integrations.
- Shortcut completed a customer-facing brand transition from Clubhouse while preserving redirects and continuity for existing users.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Linear's public site says it serves more than 37,000 companies and positions its platform for teams and AI agents working in a shared environment.
- **2026-08** — Shortcut's current plans include Stories, Epics, Iterations, Roadmaps, Docs, Objectives, developer integrations and AI-agent collaboration.
- **2021-09** — Shortcut's new name became effective on September 7, replacing Clubhouse for the company and product.

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Last updated: 2026-08-17