ClickUp Review: Can One App Really Replace Them All?
ClickUp positions itself as "one app to replace them all." It's an ambitious goal that promises to consolidate your project management, docs, spreadsheets, chat, and goals into a single platform. But can it actually deliver?
We spent two months using ClickUp as our primary work hub, testing everything from basic task management to complex automations. Here's our complete, unbiased review.
The Verdict: ClickUp
ClickUp is incredibly feature-rich, offering everything from docs to whiteboards. However, this comes at the cost of a steeper learning curve and occasional performance issues.
Pros
- Extremely feature-rich platform
- Generous free tier with unlimited users
- Highly customizable workspaces
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Can be slow with large workspaces
- Mobile app needs improvement
What is ClickUp?
ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity platform founded in 2017. Despite being relatively young, it has grown rapidly to serve over 800,000 teams worldwide. The platform combines project management, document collaboration, goal tracking, time tracking, and even chat into a unified workspace.
The company's philosophy is that you shouldn't need separate apps for different types of work. Whether you're managing sprints, writing documentation, or tracking OKRs, ClickUp aims to do it all.
Standout Features
- Everything View: See all tasks across all spaces, folders, and lists in one unified view. Filter and sort to find exactly what you need.
- ClickUp Docs: Built-in document editor with real-time collaboration. Link docs to tasks, embed widgets, and create wikis.
- Whiteboards: Visual brainstorming and diagramming with the ability to convert shapes into tasks.
- Built-in Time Tracking: Track time on tasks without needing third-party integrations. Available on all plans.
- Goals: Set and track objectives with measurable targets. Link goals to tasks for automatic progress updates.
- Custom Views: 15+ view types including List, Board, Gantt, Calendar, Workload, Table, and more.
- ClickUp AI: AI writing assistant for docs, summaries, and task descriptions.
- Automations: 100+ automation templates to reduce manual work.
ClickUp Hierarchy Explained
Understanding ClickUp's structure is crucial for success:
- Workspace: Your company or organization (top level)
- Spaces: Departments or major areas (e.g., Marketing, Engineering)
- Folders: Projects or categories within spaces (optional)
- Lists: Collections of related tasks
- Tasks: Individual work items with subtasks
Pricing Plans
- Free Forever: Unlimited users, 100MB storage, unlimited tasks. Great for small teams.
- Unlimited ($7/user/month): Unlimited storage, integrations, dashboards, and Gantt charts.
- Business ($12/user/month): Advanced automations, time tracking, workload, and timelines.
- Enterprise (Custom): White labeling, advanced permissions, dedicated support.
ClickUp vs Notion
| Feature | ClickUp | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Unlimited users | 1 user (limited) |
| Project Management | Excellent | Good |
| Documentation | Good | Excellent |
| Time Tracking | Built-in | No |
| Offline Mode | No | Yes |
| Learning Curve | Steep | Moderate |
Best Use Cases
- Software Development Teams: Sprint planning, bug tracking, and release management.
- Marketing Agencies: Client management, campaign tracking, and content calendars.
- Remote Teams: Centralized collaboration with docs, chat, and project management.
- Startups: All-in-one solution without needing multiple subscriptions.
Performance Concerns
Our biggest frustration with ClickUp was occasional slowness, especially with large workspaces. Loading times can increase as your data grows, and the mobile app sometimes lags behind the web version. ClickUp has been actively working on performance improvements, but it's worth noting if you have thousands of tasks.
Final Verdict
ClickUp is the Swiss Army knife of productivity tools. If you want maximum features at an affordable price, it's hard to beat. The free plan alone offers more than many paid competitors.
However, that feature richness comes with complexity. Be prepared to invest time in learning the platform and customizing it for your workflow. Once you do, ClickUp can genuinely consolidate multiple tools into one.
Our recommendation: Ideal for power users and teams who want everything in one place. If you prefer simplicity over features, consider Asana or Todoist instead.