diff --git a/deepcomp/env/entities/user.py b/deepcomp/env/entities/user.py
index a595aed..4445a77 100644
--- a/deepcomp/env/entities/user.py
+++ b/deepcomp/env/entities/user.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 from matplotlib import cm
 
-from deepcomp.env.util.utility import log_utility, step_utility
+from deepcomp.env.util.utility import log_utility, step_utility, linear_clipped_utility
 from deepcomp.util.constants import MIN_UTILITY, MAX_UTILITY, SUPPORTED_UTILITIES
 
 
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ def dr_to_utility(self, dr):
             return log_utility(dr)
         if self.util_func == 'step':
             return step_utility(dr, self.dr_req)
+        if self.util_func == 'linear':
+            return linear_clipped_utility(dr)
         # unknown utility not implemented
         raise NotImplementedError(f"Utility function {self.util_func} not implemented!")
 
diff --git a/deepcomp/env/util/utility.py b/deepcomp/env/util/utility.py
index 3fa926e..3931019 100644
--- a/deepcomp/env/util/utility.py
+++ b/deepcomp/env/util/utility.py
@@ -7,6 +7,19 @@
 from deepcomp.util.constants import MIN_UTILITY, MAX_UTILITY
 
 
+def linear_clipped_utility(curr_dr, max_dr=MAX_UTILITY):
+    """
+    Utility that directly equals the data rate, increasing linearly up to a given maximum.
+
+    :param max_dr: Maximum data rate at which the utility does not increase further
+    :return: Utility
+    """
+    assert curr_dr >= 0 and max_dr >= 0
+    assert MIN_UTILITY == 0 and MAX_UTILITY == max_dr, \
+        f"The chosen linear utility requires MIN_UTILITY=0 and sensible MAX_UTILITY. Set sensible values manually!"
+    return np.clip(curr_dr, MIN_UTILITY, MAX_UTILITY)
+
+
 def step_utility(curr_dr, req_dr):
     """
     Flat negative utility as long as the required data rate is not met; then positive. Nothing in between.
diff --git a/deepcomp/util/cli.py b/deepcomp/util/cli.py
index ba1e806..2715e1c 100644
--- a/deepcomp/util/cli.py
+++ b/deepcomp/util/cli.py
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 import structlog
 
 from deepcomp.util.constants import SUPPORTED_ALGS, SUPPORTED_ENVS, SUPPORTED_AGENTS, SUPPORTED_RENDER, \
-    SUPPORTED_SHARING, SUPPORTED_REWARDS, CENTRAL_ALGS, MULTI_ALGS, SUPPORTED_UE_ARRIVAL, SUPPORTED_UTILITIES
+    SUPPORTED_SHARING, SUPPORTED_REWARDS, CENTRAL_ALGS, MULTI_ALGS, SUPPORTED_UE_ARRIVAL, SUPPORTED_UTILITIES, \
+    MIN_UTILITY, MAX_UTILITY
 
 
 log = structlog.get_logger()
@@ -117,6 +118,11 @@ def setup_cli():
         log.warning('Algorithm only supports multi-agent. Switching to multi-agent.', alg=args.alg)
         args.agent = 'multi'
 
+    # warn for linear utility; can't change this automatically in code
+    if args.util == 'linear':
+        log.warning('Make sure to set MIN_UTILITY and MAX_UTILITY to sensible values manually!',
+                    util_func=args.util, min_utility=MIN_UTILITY, max_utility=MAX_UTILITY, suggestion=(0, 1000))
+
     # render settings
     if (args.dashboard or args.ue_details) and args.video is None:
         log.warning("--dashboard and --ue-details have no effect without --video.")
diff --git a/deepcomp/util/constants.py b/deepcomp/util/constants.py
index aac5524..a5eb78a 100644
--- a/deepcomp/util/constants.py
+++ b/deepcomp/util/constants.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 SUPPORTED_RENDER = {'html', 'gif', 'both', None}
 SUPPORTED_SHARING = {'max-cap', 'resource-fair', 'rate-fair', 'proportional-fair'}
 SUPPORTED_REWARDS = {'min', 'sum'}
-SUPPORTED_UTILITIES = {'log', 'step'}
+SUPPORTED_UTILITIES = {'log', 'step', 'linear'}
 
 # small epsilon used in denominator to avoid division by zero
 EPSILON = 1e-16
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@
 
 # upper and lower bound for utility
 # affects reward clipping, normalization, plotting, etc.; change for different utility function
-MIN_UTILITY = -20
-MAX_UTILITY = 20
+# TODO: manually adjust for different utility functions. more elegant solution?
+MIN_UTILITY = 0
+MAX_UTILITY = 1000
 
 
 # constants regarding result files