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Project management software · 11 alternatives

ClickUp alternatives: 11 compared

Sebastiaan Smits By Sebastiaan Smits · Published October 8, 2026 · Updated October 8, 2026

Teams look past ClickUp when the add-on pricing for AI and the plan-by-plan feature steps outgrow the headline seat price, or when a flexible workspace needs more setup than anyone has time for. They usually go to Asana or monday.com for ready-made structure.

Short answer: The closest replacements for ClickUp in our project management software ranking are Asana, monday.com and Wrike. Choose Asana if your team wants a finished task tool with portfolios and goals, not a build-it-yourself workspace. All 11 alternatives below are ranked products from Best Project Management Software in 2026, and each says where it differs from ClickUp and when ClickUp is still the better choice.

Visibility in our rankings can be paid for. Payment moves a vendor's position within the shortlist; it never adds a vendor, and it never changes a word of the review or of this page. How it works: placement disclosure · editorial process.

ClickUp at a glance

  • Headquarters: United States
  • Pricing model: Per user / month
  • Pricing: Free Forever plan, then per-user tiers; the Brain AI features are sold as a separate add-on.
  • Free option: Free plan
  • Built for: Teams consolidating several work apps
  • Wrong for: A small team that wants something that works in ten minutes with no design decisions. Basecamp or Asana's lower tiers will be adopted faster and questioned less by people who dislike configuring software.
  • Place in our ranking: #1 of 12
  • Website: clickup.com

Facts from our project management software ranking, last checked October 8, 2026.

Why buyers look past ClickUp

  1. AI is billed on top of the seat

    ClickUp's pricing page lists Brain AI at a per-user monthly rate and a larger Everything AI bundle at a higher one, each with a monthly credit allowance. Teams that budget for the seat price alone can see the total move once AI is switched on for everyone.

  2. Features step up by plan

    Gantt charts, goals and time tracking start on Unlimited, advanced dashboards and 5,000 monthly automations on Business, and 250,000 automations plus SAML SSO and audit logs on Enterprise. A team that needs one Business feature pays the Business rate.

  3. Upgrades apply workspace-wide, renewals need notice

    The pricing page says upgrades are workspace-wide. Under the terms of service, annual customers must give notice at least 30 days before the renewal date or the plan renews for 12 months, and ClickUp must email fee changes 30 days ahead.

11 alternatives at a glance

Closest replacement first. The last column is our place in the full 12-product ranking.

#AlternativeHeadquartersPricingKey differenceSwitch ifOur rank
1AsanaUnited StatesPer user / month; free planTask-first work management with portfolios and goalsyour team wants a finished task tool with portfolios and goals, not a build-it-yourself workspace#5
2monday.comIsraelPer seat / month; free planBoard-based work platform with visual automationyou prefer visual boards and metered automations to a deep hierarchy#6
3WrikeUnited StatesPer user / month; free planWork management built around intake, approvals and proofingyou run requests, approvals and resource planning across departments#2
4NotionUnited StatesPer member / month; free planDocs and databases doubling as a project trackeryour docs matter more than your tasks and a small tracker is enough#11
5BasecampUnited StatesFlat monthly; free planFlat-priced project space built for async communicationyou want fewer features, flat pricing and unlimited users#8
6Teamwork.comIrelandPer user / month; free planProject delivery and profitability for client-services firmsyou bill clients for project work and want budgets and invoicing built in#4
7Zoho ProjectsIndiaPer user / month; free planBudget-friendly project tracking with Gantt and timesheetsyou want classic Gantt planning at low per-user cost#12
8LinearUnited StatesPer user / month; free planKeyboard-first issue tracking for software teamsyour use of ClickUp is mostly software issues and sprints#9
9JiraUnited StatesPer user / month; free planConfigurable issue and project tracking at scaleyou need workflow control, release tracking and a marketplace of add-ons#10
10SmartsheetUnited StatesPer user / month; free trialSpreadsheet-style project management for PMOsyour teams think in sheets and a PMO needs governed templates#7
11ProductiveCroatiaPer user / month; free trialAgency operations: projects, budgets, billing, resourcingyou run an agency and want budgets and staffing tied to the plan#3

What each alternative does differently

1. Asana

Task-first work management with portfolios and goals · United States

Task management with fixed, finished structure, so no one designs the hierarchy. Starter has timeline views, reporting dashboards and unlimited automations; Advanced adds portfolios, goals and approvals. The Personal plan is free for up to 2 users. Extra AI requests are billed per request.

Switch from ClickUp if your team wants a finished task tool with portfolios and goals, not a build-it-yourself workspace.

Pricing: Free Personal plan limited to 2 users, then per-user Starter and Advanced tiers sold in seat bundles; timeline and dependencies start on Starter, while portfolios, goals and workload sit on Advanced. (free plan)

Full review: #5 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Asana →

2. monday.com

Board-based work platform with visual automation · Israel

Board-first tool with three free boards and two free seats. Standard adds Timeline and Gantt views, guest access and 250 automation actions a month; Pro raises that to 25,000 and adds time tracking and private boards. Portfolio and resource management belong to quoted Enterprise.

Switch from ClickUp if you prefer visual boards and metered automations to a deep hierarchy.

Pricing: Free plan for up to two seats, then per-seat tiers sold in bundles with a three-seat minimum; automation and integration actions are capped per month by tier. (free plan)

Full review: #6 of 12 in our ranking · Visit monday.com →

3. Wrike

Work management built around intake, approvals and proofing · United States

Work management aimed at request intake, approvals and cross-team reporting. Team serves 2-15 users and Business 5-200, billed annually in seat groups from Business up. Pinnacle brings resource and capacity planning plus budgeting. Its free plan covers essential tasks with board and table views.

Switch from ClickUp if you run requests, approvals and resource planning across departments.

Pricing: Free plan for basic task management, then per-user Team and Business tiers billed annually; request forms, proofing and approvals start on Business, enterprise tiers are quoted and several add-ons cost extra. (free plan)

Full review: #2 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Wrike →

4. Notion

Docs and databases doubling as a project tracker · United States

Docs and databases where the tracker is something you build. Free offers 5 MB uploads and 7 days of page history; Plus lifts uploads and keeps 30 days; Business adds SAML SSO and granular database permissions. Dependencies work only in timeline view.

Switch from ClickUp if your docs matter more than your tasks and a small tracker is enough.

Pricing: Free plan for individuals and light team use, then per-member Plus, Business and Enterprise tiers; the fullest AI features come with Business. (free plan)

Full review: #11 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Notion →

5. Basecamp

Flat-priced project space built for async communication · United States

Flat monthly plans with no per-user fees and a fixed toolset: to-dos, message boards, chat and time tracking on every plan. Capacity is set by active projects, from 1 on Free to unlimited at the annual Unlimited plan. It has no custom hierarchy to configure.

Switch from ClickUp if you want fewer features, flat pricing and unlimited users.

Pricing: Free for one project and up to 5 users; paid plans are flat monthly prices with no per-user fees, from Freelancer at $25 a month for 3 active projects to the Unlimited Edition at $299 a month billed annually. (free plan)

Full review: #8 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Basecamp →

6. Teamwork.com

Project delivery and profitability for client-services firms · Ireland

Client-services project software. The free plan allows 5 users and 5 projects; Basics needs 3 seats, Accelerate 5 seats. Accelerate adds intake forms, workload planning, time budgets, retainers and client invoicing from tracked time. Profitability insights belong to quoted Optimize.

Switch from ClickUp if you bill clients for project work and want budgets and invoicing built in.

Pricing: Free plan for up to 5 users and 5 projects, then per-user Basics and Accelerate tiers with 3- and 5-seat minimums and quoted Optimize and Enterprise tiers; budgets and client invoicing start on Accelerate, profitability reporting on Optimize, and client users are free. (free plan)

Full review: #4 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Teamwork.com →

7. Zoho Projects

Budget-friendly project tracking with Gantt and timesheets · India

Traditional project planning with a Free plan for 5 users, 3 projects and 5 GB. Premium adds Gantt and time tracking and Enterprise adds critical path, baselines and the portfolio dashboard. Paid tiers carry workflow-execution limits instead of automation tiers, and a 15-day trial is available.

Switch from ClickUp if you want classic Gantt planning at low per-user cost.

Pricing: Free plan for up to 5 users and 3 projects, then low-priced per-user Premium, Enterprise and Ultimate tiers; baselines, critical path and the portfolio dashboard start on Enterprise. (free plan)

Full review: #12 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Zoho Projects →

8. Linear

Keyboard-first issue tracking for software teams · United States

Engineering issue tracker, not a general workspace. Free allows unlimited members but 2 teams and 250 issues; Basic allows 5 teams with unlimited issues; Business adds unlimited teams, private teams and guests. It does not cover docs, goals or time tracking the way ClickUp does.

Switch from ClickUp if your use of ClickUp is mostly software issues and sprints.

Pricing: Free plan capped at 250 issues and 2 teams with unlimited members, then per-user Basic and Business tiers billed yearly and a quoted Enterprise tier. (free plan)

Full review: #9 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Linear →

9. Jira

Configurable issue and project tracking at scale · United States

Issue tracking with configurable workflows, aimed at software teams and positioned for other departments too. Free covers up to 10 users with 2 GB and 100 automation runs a month; Standard gives 250 GB and 1,700 runs. Cross-project planning starts on Premium.

Switch from ClickUp if you need workflow control, release tracking and a marketplace of add-ons.

Pricing: Free for up to ten users, then per-user Standard, Premium and Enterprise tiers; marketplace apps add their own per-user fees. (free plan)

Full review: #10 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Jira →

10. Smartsheet

Spreadsheet-style project management for PMOs · United States

Spreadsheet-style grid with reports and dashboards. Pro covers 1-10 members and Business needs at least 3, both with unlimited contributors; portfolios come with Enterprise, and Control Center and Dynamic View with Advanced Work Management. It offers a 30-day trial rather than a free plan.

Switch from ClickUp if your teams think in sheets and a PMO needs governed templates.

Pricing: Per-member Pro (up to 10 members) and Business (3+ members) plans with free contributors, then quoted Enterprise and Advanced Work Management tiers; Control Center, Dynamic View and Resource Management are paid add-ons below Advanced Work Management. (free trial)

Full review: #7 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Smartsheet →

11. Productive

Agency operations: projects, budgets, billing, resourcing · Croatia

Agency operations in one tool: Essential includes budgeting, resource planning, time tracking and expenses, Professional adds recurring budgets and HRIS integrations, and Ultimate adds revenue forecasting. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial, and pricing displays start at 10 users.

Switch from ClickUp if you run an agency and want budgets and staffing tied to the plan.

Pricing: Per-user Essential, Professional and Ultimate tiers with a 3-seat minimum and a 14-day free trial; budgeting and resource planning start on Essential, rate cards and recurring budgets on Professional, revenue forecasting on Ultimate. Clients join free. (free trial)

Full review: #3 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Productive →

When ClickUp is still the right choice

Stay if one person owns the workspace design and the team uses what the plan includes. ClickUp's Free Forever plan has unlimited members and tasks, Gantt and time tracking start on Unlimited, and one workspace can replace a tracker, a wiki and a light goals tool. Switch only when the add-ons or the setup effort outgrow that value.

What to expect when you switch from ClickUp

  1. Export lists and tables as files

    ClickUp's own guide shows exporting a List or Table view as CSV or Excel. Comments, attachments and custom fields do not fit neatly into one flat file, so test the export of one busy list and check what the target tool can accept.

  2. Mind the notice date

    For annual plans the terms of service require notice of downgrades or cancellations at least 30 days before the renewal date. Schedule the migration so the new tool is running a full reporting cycle before that date, with the ClickUp workspace still readable.

Questions and answers

Can I export my data from ClickUp?

Yes. ClickUp's guide shows exporting List or Table views as CSV or Excel files. Export a representative list first and check how comments, attachments, custom fields and subtasks arrive before you rely on it for a full move.

How much notice does ClickUp need to cancel an annual plan?

At least 30 days before the renewal date. ClickUp's terms say annual customers must give notice of downgrades, cancellations or seat reductions in that window, or the plan renews for another 12 months.

Can ClickUp raise the price at renewal?

Yes, with notice. The terms say ClickUp may revise fees and will email notice of changes at least 30 days before your renewal date, so compare alternatives before that email arrives.

Is there a refund if I leave ClickUp early?

Only inside the satisfaction guarantee. ClickUp refunds a first purchase or upgrade requested within 30 days, but the terms exclude renewals and expansions, and say fees are otherwise non-refundable except as the law requires.

Does a free ClickUp account stay open if I stop using it?

Not guaranteed. The terms allow ClickUp to terminate a free account with no replies or logins for 60 days, so export any data you keep on Free Forever before you leave it idle.

Where does ClickUp host my data?

ClickUp is hosted entirely on AWS. Enterprise customers can choose the US, Europe (Ireland) or Asia Pacific (Australia and Singapore) at no added cost. Smaller plans do not list a region choice.

What does ClickUp AI cost on top of the plan?

The pricing page lists Brain AI at $9 per user a month and Everything AI at $28, each with monthly AI credits and extra credits sold separately. Check the live page, since regional prices can differ.

Sources

Prices, plan limits and product facts about ClickUp on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on October 8, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.

Who wrote this

Sebastiaan Smits Sebastiaan Smits, Founder, wrote, edited and fact-checked this page. Founder of The Interregnum and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Writes, edits and fact-checks every page here. Last reviewed October 8, 2026. How we review.