Quick answer: GitHub Issues is free, lives next to your code and closes from commit messages, which makes it a fine bug list for a solo developer or a small team that thinks in pull requests. Linear is faster and stronger at planning (cycles, triage, projects), free for unlimited members up to 250 non-archived issues. Neither collects crashes or player reports; Bugnet files both into GitHub or Linear automatically, and both connections are on its free plan.
For a code-first indie team, the bug tracker question often comes down to two options: stay in GitHub Issues because it is already there, or move to Linear because it is nicer to plan in. Both are good. Here is how they compare when the thing you are building is a game.
At a glance
| GitHub Issues | Linear | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Included with GitHub | Free for unlimited members, 2 teams, 250 non-archived issues |
| Code links | Native: close issues from commits and pull requests | GitHub integration links issues and pull requests |
| Planning | Labels, milestones, Projects boards | Cycles, projects, triage inbox, roadmaps |
| Speed | Fine | Very fast, keyboard-driven |
| Non-programmers | Need GitHub accounts and repo access | Invite anyone to the workspace |
GitHub Issues: free and next to the code
If your game's code lives on GitHub, Issues costs nothing and connects to everything: reference an issue in a commit, close it from a pull request, plan with labels, milestones and Projects boards. For a solo developer, that is often all the tracking a game needs.
The limits show up with a team that is not all programmers (artists and designers need GitHub accounts and repository access), and with players, who will not file issues on your repository and whom you probably would not want to. See GitHub Issues vs a dedicated bug tracker.
Linear: faster planning
Linear is built for speed and rhythm: cycles, a triage inbox for new issues, project updates and a fast interface. It links to GitHub pull requests, so programmers keep most of the code connection, and non-programmers can be invited without repository access.
The free plan's 250 non-archived issues is plenty for planned work and tight for raw player reports. See Bugnet vs Linear.
Which should you choose?
- Solo developer, code on GitHub: GitHub Issues.
- Small team with artists, designers or QA: Linear.
- Heavy player feedback: either, with intake handled by a separate tool so the tracker only gets the bugs worth working on.
Getting crashes and player reports into either
Bugnet handles the intake: its SDK captures crashes and errors in your game with the stack trace, recent logs, a screenshot and the player's hardware, and players report the rest from an in-game widget. Duplicates stack onto one bug with a count. Then:
- GitHub or GitLab: turn on auto-create and each new bug opens an issue with the description (stack trace and logs for crashes), category and priority labels and the report number. Included for one repository on the free plan. Setup guide.
- Linear: new bugs at or above a priority you choose become issues in your team, with priority mapped and the issue moved through your workflow as the bug changes. Included on every plan. Setup guide.
Create a free Bugnet project and connect whichever you use.
Frequently asked questions
Is GitHub Issues good enough for tracking game bugs?
For a solo developer or a small programmer-only team, often yes: it is free and connected to your code. It does not collect player reports or crashes, and non-programmers need GitHub access to use it.
Is Linear free?
Linear has a free plan with unlimited members and 2 teams, capped at 250 non-archived issues.
Does Linear integrate with GitHub?
Yes. Linear's GitHub integration links issues with pull requests and commits.
How do I turn game crashes into GitHub issues?
Use a tool that captures crashes and opens issues for you. Bugnet's GitHub and GitLab integration auto-creates an issue for each new bug, with the stack trace, logs, labels and report number, and repeat crashes do not open new issues.
Can I send player bug reports to Linear?
Yes. Bugnet collects player reports from an in-game widget and files them as Linear issues, filtered by priority if you like, on every Bugnet plan.
Keep the tracker for decisions. Let something else catch what players and crashes have to say.