Comparison Guide
SprintPulse vs Ludi (Metro Retro) (2026)
(formerly Metro Retro)
SprintPulse is a retrospective intelligence platform with AI-powered analysis. Ludi is a collaborative whiteboard with retrospective templates. Choose purpose-built AI over general-purpose tools.
Important Note
Ludi is the rebranded Metro Retro (2026 rebrand). All references reflect current branding.
Quick Verdict
The key differences at a glance
SprintPulse
$17-33/team/month
- AI-powered retrospectives - Claude Opus 4.6 analyzes your feedback
- Smart Merge with confidence scores - AI groups related feedback intelligently
- Bi-directional Linear & Jira sync - Action items stay updated automatically
- Forever-free plan - 1 team, 10 members, 3 boards
- Real-time facilitation - Spoken timer, facilitator controls
Ludi
~$40-80/10 users/month
- Rich whiteboarding - Visual collaboration, stickers, freeform canvas
- 100+ templates - For retros, planning, brainstorming, workshops
- Planning poker - Included alongside retrospectives
- Jira integration - Connect action items to your backlog
- No AI-powered analysis - Manual organization only
Side by Side
Feature Comparison
Ludi offers visual collaboration. SprintPulse offers retrospective intelligence.
| Feature | SprintPulse | Ludi |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Retrospectives specifically | General collaboration/whiteboarding |
| AI-Powered Retrospectives | Claude Opus 4.6 | Not emphasized |
| Smart Merge | Yes with confidence scores | No |
| Action Item Suggestions | Manual only | |
| Whiteboarding | Rich features | |
| Jira Integration | Bi-directional | |
| Linear Integration | Bi-directional | Unclear |
| Templates | 1 proven format (Plus/Delta) | 100+ templates |
| Retrospective Analytics | AI-powered | Basic |
| Real-time Facilitation | ||
| Free plan | Forever free | 30-day trial only |
| AI-powered summaries | ||
| AI action item suggestions | ||
| Smart merge (AI grouping) | Manual only | |
| Real-time collaboration | ||
| Anonymous feedback | ||
| Voting | ||
| Built-in timer | ||
| Slack integration | ||
| Planning poker | ||
| Whiteboard / freeform canvas | ||
| GDPR compliant |
Pricing
Comparable pricing, different value
Price isn't the deciding factor here - it's purpose-built AI vs general whiteboarding.
SprintPulse
1 team, 10 members, 3 boards - forever
No trial expiration
Starter - unlimited boards + AI features
Pro - unlimited everything + priority support
Ludi
Starter - ~$4/user/month
Whiteboarding + basic retros
Pro - ~$6-8/user/month
Advanced features + integrations
Pricing takeaway: Both tools are in the same ballpark. The choice comes down to whether you need AI-powered retrospective analysis (SprintPulse) or a flexible whiteboard for various meetings (Ludi).
Purpose-Built vs General Purpose
The key question isn't "which is better?" but "which is right for your needs?" Ludi excels at visual collaboration. SprintPulse excels at retrospective intelligence.
Choose Ludi If You Want:
- A digital whiteboard for multiple use cases (brainstorming, planning, workshops)
- 100+ templates for various meeting types
- Rich visual collaboration with stickers, drawing, freeform boards
- General team collaboration beyond retrospectives
Choose SprintPulse If You Want:
- AI that analyzes your retrospective feedback and suggests groupings
- Automated action item creation based on team discussion
- Bi-directional sync with Linear and Jira for action tracking
- Confidence scores for AI suggestions and manual refinement
Integrations
The Integration Story
Both tools connect to your workflow - but SprintPulse's bi-directional sync is built specifically for retrospective outcomes.
Ludi's Approach
Good Jira integration for a whiteboarding tool:
- Connect action items to Jira issues
- Export to project management tools
- Limited Linear support (if any)
SprintPulse's Approach
Deep, bi-directional sync designed for retrospective workflows:
- Create issues in Jira/Linear directly from action items
- Status updates sync both ways automatically via webhooks
- Linear integration (Feb 2026)
- Choose per-update whether to sync or keep local
For retrospectives specifically, SprintPulse's integration is more workflow-optimized.
Decision Guide
Which tool fits your team?
SprintPulse is ideal when you want to...
- Get AI-powered insights that analyze feedback and suggest action items
- Use Linear - SprintPulse has bi-directional integration
- Focus purely on retrospectives without whiteboard complexity
- Get confidence scores for AI suggestions and refine manually
- Share summaries to Slack with one click
Choose Ludi if you genuinely need...
- Rich whiteboarding - visual collaboration is your primary need
- Multiple templates - you want variety for different meeting types
- Planning poker - included alongside retrospectives
- General collaboration - not just retrospectives
Ludi is great for teams that want one tool for multiple use cases. SprintPulse is for teams that want the best retrospective experience.
Honest Assessment
Pros & Cons
SprintPulse
Pros
- Claude Opus 4.6 AI-generated summaries and action items
- Smart Merge with confidence scores + manual refinement
- Bi-directional Linear & Jira integration (Feb 2026)
- Free plan forever (not 30-day trial)
- Purpose-built for retrospectives with real-time facilitation
Cons
- No whiteboarding or visual collaboration features
- No planning poker (intentionally focused on retros)
- Single retrospective format (Plus/Delta only)
Ludi
Pros
- Rich whiteboarding with visual collaboration tools
- 100+ templates for various meetings
- Planning poker and sprint planning included
- Jira integration for action items
- Freeform canvas for brainstorming and workshops
Cons
- No AI-powered retrospective analysis
- No Smart Merge or automated grouping
- Linear integration available
- No permanent free plan (30-day trial only)
What's New in SprintPulse
Since our last comparison update, SprintPulse has significantly enhanced its platform.
AI Upgrades
Feb 1-4, 2026
- Claude Opus 4.6 - All AI features upgraded to Anthropic's flagship model
- Smart Merge v2 - Confidence scores + manual refinement options
- Engagement Analysis - AI now weights suggestions by votes, comments, and reactions
Integration Expansion
Feb 5-8, 2026
- Linear Integration - Full bi-directional sync - exclusive among major retro tools
- Jira Cloud - True bi-directional sync with automatic webhook updates
- Slack Enhancements - Connect directly from board creation wizard
Facilitation Excellence
Jan 23 - Feb 5, 2026
- Facilitator-Led Navigation - Real-time synchronized step progression
- Spoken Timer - Voice announcements when time is up
- Role Clarity - Only active facilitator sees controls
FAQ
Common Questions
Start running retros
that actually work
Free for up to 10 users. Set up in 60 seconds. No credit card required.