The Jira Cloud alternative with a <50ms interface, no hidden plugins and 78 MCP tools
Workflows, transition screens and JQL as in Jira, at Linear's speed. No Tempo, ScriptRunner or Structure: they are built in.
Executive summary
TL;DRp95 speed
< 50 ms
vs Jira Cloud: No published latency
Yearly cost · 100 users
$16,800
vs Jira Cloud: $19,500 on Premium (yearly list)
Migration time
15 min
From Jira Cloud: 1-Click importer with dry run
MCP tools
78 native
vs Jira Cloud: Through Rovo, with AI credits
< 50 msIn-depth comparison
Ciclal next to Jira Cloud, category by category
| Category | Ciclal | Jira Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Speed and UX | CiclalUnder 50 ms per interaction, ⌘K for everything, 2,000 cards per column without lag | Jira CloudPartialNo published latency: depends on the board and installed apps |
| Governance and workflows | Ciclal4-level hierarchy, transition rules with a modal screen and cascading fields | Jira CloudIncludedComplete workflows and transition screens |
| JQL / KQL queries | CiclalNative KQL and JQL-compatible: saved filters import as they are | Jira CloudPartialNative JQL, no KQL |
| Analytics and time reports | CiclalCycle time, lead time p50/p85, CFD, Gantt and worklogs included | Jira CloudPartialTimesheets and advanced time reports usually need Tempo, billed separately |
| AI agents / MCP | CiclalMCP server with 78 tools, OAuth 2.1 and no per-token fee | Jira CloudPartialAI through Rovo, with usage credits |
| Total cost without a marketplace | Ciclal$14/user/mo on Business, with guests, time tracking and MCP included | Jira CloudPartialPremium: Atlassian yearly list; Tempo and other Marketplace apps are billed separately |
Total cost calculator
How much you save next to Jira Cloud
Yearly cost from each tool's public price list, billed yearly.
Team size
You save $2,700/yr
14% less than Jira Premium
Ciclal Business
$14/user/mo · all included
$16,800/yr
500 free guests · time tracking, workflows, Gantt and MCP included
Jira Cloud Premium
Atlassian's yearly list price for the user tier
$19,500/yr
Tempo and other Marketplace apps are billed separately
1-Click migration
From Jira Cloud to Ciclal in 15 minutes, with a dry run before any write
The preflight reads your instance and shows the full diff. You import only when it reports zero differences.
- 1ConnectJira or Linear token, read-only
- 2Dry runPreflight diff, nothing written
- 3ImportIdempotent: safe to resume
- 4CutoverZero-gap cutover with key redirects
Everything is kept
0 differences · ready to import- IDs and keysJIRA-123 → JIRA-123
- ADF commentsADF → Markdown
- Attachments7,380 files
- Sprints212 with history
- WorklogsTempo → native worklogs
- JQL filters64 saved views
Frequently asked questions
More comparisons and guides