Mainline

a project tool with no backlog, story points or surveillance

Free plan available
No credit card

What is Mainline?

Mainline is a project management tool designed for teams that want to track work without the overhead of traditional backlog management or story points. It focuses on flow metrics and pair programming data to help teams understand their delivery pace and collaboration patterns. The tool uses a story map interface to visualise work, making it easier to see the relationship between tasks and user needs. It's aimed at software development teams looking for a lighter-weight alternative to conventional agile boards, with no surveillance features or mandatory time tracking.

Key features

Story map interface

visualise work as a narrative flow rather than a flat backlog

Flow metrics

track delivery pace and identify bottlenecks in your process

Pairing data

monitor pair programming activities and collaboration patterns

No story points

estimate and plan work without assigning point values

No surveillance

no time tracking, keystroke monitoring, or employee monitoring built in

Public demo access

explore a working example without creating an account

Pros & cons

Advantages

Simpler approach to project planning that avoids the gamification of story points
Focus on actual workflow metrics rather than velocity predictions
No invasive monitoring features means better team trust and privacy
Visual story map format helps teams stay aligned on user needs and priorities

Limitations

May require process changes for teams already invested in story point estimation
Limited information about integration capabilities with other tools
Smaller tool with less extensive community resources compared to established platforms