Jira
Atlassian
6
Overall Score / 10
Asana
Asana Inc.
6.6
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose Jira if:
- —Your team does software development using Scrum or Kanban
- —You need deep DevOps integrations (GitHub, GitLab, CI/CD)
- —You're in the Atlassian ecosystem
Choose Asana if:
- —You manage non-engineering work (marketing, ops, design)
- —You want a cleaner interface with less configuration
- —You need cross-team portfolio and goal tracking
The biggest difference: Jira offers deep engineering workflows (sprints, backlogs, JQL, DevOps integrations); Asana provides cleaner cross-functional PM (goals, portfolios, approvals)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Jira | Asana |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $8.15/mo (Standard)Source: Atlassian pricing page → | $13.49/mo (Starter)Source: Asana Inc. pricing page → |
| Free Tier | Yes Up to 10 users, 2GB storage, Scrum and Kanban boards | Yes Up to 2 users, unlimited tasks and projects, list and board views only |
| Value for Money | 6 | 6 |
| Ease of Use | 4 | 8 |
| Feature Power | 10 | 7 |
| Setup Ease | 4 | 8 |
| Migration Ease | 3 | 5 |
| Transparency | 6 | 6 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Compliance | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, ISO 27001, FedRAMP (Atlassian Government) | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, ISO 27001 |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
23 features compared · 22 differences
| Feature | Jira | Asana |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Approvals | None | Full |
| Backlog management | Full | None |
| Board view | None | Full |
| Calendar | None | Full |
| Forms | None | Full |
| Goals | None | Full |
| JQL (Jira Query Language) | Full | None |
| Kanban boards | Full | None |
| List view | None | Full |
| Portfolios | None | Full |
| Scrum boards | Full | None |
| Sprints | Full | None |
| Tasks and subtasks | None | Full |
| Timeline (Gantt) | None | Full |
| Advanced | ||
| Advanced roadmaps (Premium) | Full | None |
| Automation rules | Full | None |
| Custom fields and issue types | Full | None |
| Custom workflows | Full | None |
| Reporting | None | Full |
| Reporting and dashboards | Full | None |
| Workflow builder | None | Full |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | Full | Full |
| DevOps integrations | Full | None |
Pricing Comparison
Jira Pricing
Up to 10 users, 2GB storage, community support
Up to 35,000 users, 250GB storage, audit logs
Unlimited storage, advanced roadmaps, sandbox, 99.9% uptime SLA
Unlimited sites, Atlassian Access, data residency, 24/7 enterprise support
Asana Pricing
Up to 2 users, unlimited tasks/projects, basic views
Timeline, workflow builder, forms, unlimited dashboards
Portfolios, goals, custom rules, approvals, proofing
SAML, data loss prevention, custom branding, audit logs
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose Jira
Best for
- Software development teams using Scrum or Kanban
- Engineering organizations needing deep issue tracking
- Teams already in the Atlassian ecosystem (Confluence, Bitbucket)
Avoid if
- You need simple, lightweight project management
- Your team is non-technical (high learning curve)
- You want docs and project management in one tool
Who should choose Asana
Best for
- Teams that want structured, opinionated project management
- Marketing and ops teams managing recurring workflows
- Organizations that value clean UI and ease of onboarding
Avoid if
- You need docs/wiki alongside project management
- You want maximum customization (ClickUp wins)
- You're a solo user (limited value on free tier)
Switching Guidance
Switching from Jira
Common triggers to leave:
- •Complexity for simple projects
- •Slow performance on large instances
- •Desire for modern UX
Potential blockers:
- •Years of issue history and custom workflows
- •Atlassian ecosystem lock-in
- •JQL queries and automation rules
Switching from Asana
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need docs/wiki features
- •Need more customization
- •Pricing for large teams
Potential blockers:
- •Established workflows
- •Goal/portfolio tracking
- •Team habits
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