Jira vs Paymo Comparison
Compare Jira vs Paymo features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
Jira
7.3/10
Atlassian's work and issue-tracking platform for planning, tracking, and shipping projects, with scrum and kanban boards built mainly for software and technical teams.
Paymo
6/10
Work management app that combines tasks, time tracking, resource scheduling and invoicing for freelancers, agencies and small client-service teams billing by the hour.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 7.3/10 | 6/10 |
| Analytics | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Cost | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Customization | 9/10 | 5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 9/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 9/10 | 4/10 |
| Security | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | $8/user/mo Standard | $10/user/mo Solo |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Free | $159/mo Plus |
| Features | ||
| App integrations | ||
| Collaboration tools | ||
| Dashboards | ||
| Kanban boards | ||
| Reporting | ||
| Task lists | ||
| Task management | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Timeline view | ||
| Client collaboration | Not listed | |
| File sharing | Not listed | |
| Gantt charts | Not listed | |
| Scheduling | Not listed | |
| Spreadsheet interface | Not listed | |
| Workflow automation | Not listed | |
Jira vs Paymo cost by team size
Jira and Paymo cost the same at 1 user; Jira costs less from 5 users.
| Team size | Jira | Paymo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeFree | FreeFree |
| 5 users | FreeFree | $80/moPlus |
| 10 users | FreeFree | $159/moPlus |
| 25 users | $212/moStandard | $398/moPlus |
| 50 users | $424/moStandard | $795/moPlus |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Jira
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: Free vs $159/mo
- Higher Scalability score (9/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Customization score (9/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (9/10 vs 2/10)
- Better fit for mid-market (8/10 vs 4/10)
Why choose Paymo
- Higher Ease of Use score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Support score (7/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for small business (8/10 vs 6/10)
Pros & Cons
Jira
Pros
- The free plan supports up to 10 users and includes scrum and kanban boards.
- Reviewers highlight deep customization of workflows, boards, and fields.
- Sprint and agile management are strong, and Jira integrates with GitHub and Git tools.
- It links closely with Confluence and other Atlassian products, so tickets can be referenced across those apps.
- Time tracking is built into every plan, including Free.
Cons
- Reviewers report a steep learning curve and an interface that overwhelms non-technical users.
- Users report slow issue loading and laggy boards in large deployments.
- Paid Marketplace apps can add hidden costs for reporting, CRM, and helpdesk needs.
- The free plan is limited to 100 emails per day and community support only.
- Troubleshooting failed automation rules can be frustrating.
Paymo
Pros
- Time tracking, estimates, recurring invoices and online payments through Stripe, PayPal or Authorize.net sit in one app, so freelancers do not need a separate billing tool.
- Offers five task views (list, table, Kanban, calendar and Gantt), plus a portfolio Gantt on Pro.
- The free plan has no cap on tasks, time entries or invoices, which works for a solo user with one client.
- Project profitability, retainer projects and file proofing are aimed directly at agency client work.
- Independent reviewers report quick responses from human support staff.
Cons
- Gantt charts, task dependencies, resource scheduling and timesheet approvals are only on Pro, the most expensive tier.
- Reviewers say permissions are coarse: only admins approve time, and admins also see billing settings.
- Not well suited to growing teams, because users are added to projects one at a time and reviewers flag problems past roughly 20 people.
- There is no SOC 2 attestation, and reports are described as basic and text-heavy.
- Every project must be linked to a client, which is awkward for internal work. Some long-time users also complained about a steep price increase.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Jira scores higher on our Project Management criteria: 7.3/10 against 6/10 for Paymo. The largest gap is in Scalability: 9/10 for Jira and 4/10 for Paymo.
Jira costs less for 10 users: free on its Free plan, against about $159/mo on its Plus plan for Paymo, billed monthly.
Yes, both Jira and Paymo have a free plan.
Jira is the better fit for enterprise: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 2/10 for Paymo.
