ClickUp vs. Smartsheet
ClickUp is an all-in-one work management platform for organizing tasks, projects, documents, and team collaboration. Smartsheet uses a familiar spreadsheet-style interface to manage projects, workflows, and reporting, particularly across larger teams.
Users often compare them because both support task tracking, project planning, automation, and collaboration, but approach work differently. This comparison looks at their features, pricing, ease of use, integrations, and ideal use cases to help you choose the right fit.
ClickUp VS Smartsheet: Which tool is the most popular?
| Tool | Number of reviews | Average rating | Popularity summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | 137 | 4.31/5 | Most popular, with substantially more reviews and a higher average rating. |
| Smartsheet | 29 | 3.21/5 | Least popular, with fewer reviews and a lower average rating. |
ClickUp and Smartsheet: Quick Comparison Overview
| Category | Ahrefs | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Primary features | SEO research tools for backlink analysis, keyword research, site audits, rank tracking, and content research. | Broader digital-marketing suite covering SEO, competitor research, site audits, rank tracking, content marketing, local SEO, PPC, and social media. |
| Target audience | SEO specialists, content teams, and agencies focused on organic search and link building. | In-house marketing teams, agencies, and businesses managing several digital-marketing channels. |
| Main advantages | Strong backlink and competitor research, with a focused toolkit for finding SEO and content opportunities. | Wider range of marketing tools in one platform, especially useful for combining SEO with paid, local, and social campaigns. |
| Core value proposition | Make organic-search research and link-building workflows more effective. | Manage and measure a broader digital-marketing program from one platform. |
| Ideal use cases | Analyzing competitors’ backlinks, researching keywords and content gaps, auditing a site, and tracking organic rankings. | Coordinating SEO with PPC, local visibility, content, and social efforts; conducting cross-channel competitor research. |
Sources: Ahrefs features · Semrush features
Feature availability varies by plan and may change.
Most liked vs most disliked features of ClickUp and Smartsheet
| Product | Overall user sentiment |
|---|---|
| ClickUp | Users value its customization, project and task management, automation, integrations, and intuitive experience. However, slow performance, a steep learning curve, a less capable mobile app, and notification overload can detract from productivity. |
| Smartsheet | Users appreciate its collaboration tools, approachable design, centralized project tracking, and good value. Common concerns include limited free access, onboarding and learning challenges, and difficulty integrating it smoothly into existing workflows. |
Key Features of ClickUp vs Smartsheet
ClickUp and Smartsheet: Key Task Management Features
| Tool | Feature | How it benefits users | What’s distinctive |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | Task hierarchy and customization | Organize work into tasks and subtasks, assign owners, set priorities and due dates, and tailor statuses or fields to a team’s workflow. | Offers extensive customization within a single work-management workspace. |
| ClickUp | Multiple project views | Switch between views such as List, Board, Calendar, and Gantt to see work in the format that best suits a project or role. | Combines several ways of managing and visualizing tasks in one tool. |
| ClickUp | Automations and recurring tasks | Reduce routine admin by automating workflow steps and setting tasks to repeat. | Automations can be configured around the team’s chosen processes. |
| ClickUp | Docs, Whiteboards, Goals, and Dashboards | Keep project documentation, planning, targets, and progress reporting close to the work itself. | Its all-in-one approach brings collaboration and planning features together with task management. |
| ClickUp | AI features | Help users work with information and tasks using ClickUp’s AI capabilities. | AI is offered as part of ClickUp’s broader workspace experience; availability can depend on the plan. |
| Smartsheet | Spreadsheet-style work management | Use a familiar grid to track tasks, dates, owners, and project details, which can make adoption easier for spreadsheet-oriented teams. | Its spreadsheet-like interface is central to how users build and manage work. |
| Smartsheet | Grid, Gantt, Card, and Calendar views | Move between detailed tracking and visual planning—for example, using Gantt charts to understand schedules and dependencies. | Supports different views of the same underlying work. |
| Smartsheet | Forms and automated workflows | Collect requests or updates through forms, then route work, send alerts, or trigger approvals with automation. | Connects work intake and approval processes to task tracking. |
| Smartsheet | Reports and dashboards | Summarize information from sheets so teams and stakeholders can monitor progress and make decisions without reviewing every task individually. | Provides ways to roll up and present work across projects. |
| Smartsheet | Resource and portfolio management capabilities | Help organizations plan resources and monitor work across multiple projects, rather than focusing only on individual task lists. | Its platform supports broader, portfolio-level work management as well as project tracking. |
In short: ClickUp stands out for its highly configurable, all-in-one workspace, while Smartsheet is especially suited to teams that like spreadsheet-style work tracking and need to connect it to structured workflows and broader project reporting.
Features and availability can vary by plan. See the official feature pages for details: ClickUp Features and Smartsheet Platform Features.
ClickUp vs Smartsheet Pricing Comparison
Prices are in USD per user/member per month. Annual prices are monthly equivalents billed annually; features and limits may vary by contract or region.
| Brand and tier | Monthly billing | Annual billing | Main offerings and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp — Free Forever | $0 | $0 | Permanent free plan with unlimited tasks and free-plan members, collaborative Docs, Kanban boards, and basic project views. Storage and some feature uses are limited. |
| ClickUp — Unlimited | $10 | $7 | Adds unlimited storage, integrations, dashboards, Gantt charts, custom fields, goals, portfolios, forms, and guest permissions. |
| ClickUp — Business | $19 | $12 | Adds advanced project and workload management, timelines and mind maps, more automation capabilities, advanced public sharing, custom exporting, and additional dashboard features. |
| ClickUp — Enterprise | Custom quote | Custom quote | Tailored security, governance, and administration options, such as advanced permissions, custom roles, single sign-on, and enterprise support. |
| Smartsheet — Free trial | $0 during trial | — | The pricing page advertises a 30-day free trial. It does not list a permanent free plan. |
| Smartsheet — Pro | $12 | $9 | Core work management features, including sheets, forms, reports, dashboards, and multiple project views. The plan is limited to 10 paid members; viewer and guest access is available. |
| Smartsheet — Business | $24 | $19 | Adds broader team and administration capabilities, including unlimited members, more storage and automation, proofing, and resource-management features. A minimum number of paid members may apply. |
| Smartsheet — Enterprise | Custom quote | Custom quote | Custom enterprise-scale configuration, governance, security, and administrative controls. |
| Smartsheet — Advanced Work Management | Custom quote | Custom quote | A higher-end offering for organizations needing expanded work-management capabilities and tailored enterprise services. |
Discounts and pricing notes
| Brand | Discount or special rate |
|---|---|
| ClickUp | Annual billing lowers Unlimited from $10 to $7 per user/month (30% less) and Business from $19 to $12 (about 37% less). The Free Forever plan is available without a paid subscription. |
| Smartsheet | Annual billing lowers Pro from $12 to $9 per member/month (25% less) and Business from $24 to $19 (about 21% less). The page advertises a 30-day free trial. |
Sources: ClickUp pricing · Smartsheet pricing
Support Options Comparison: ClickUp vs Smartsheet
| Support option | ClickUp | Smartsheet |
|---|---|---|
| Live chat | Users can contact support through ClickUp’s in-app help and chat options. Support access or priority may depend on the plan. | Smartsheet routes users to its support center to get help. Live-chat availability may depend on the account or support plan, so it is not as clearly presented as a universal option. |
| Phone support | No general phone-support option is listed on the Help Center. | Phone assistance may be available through certain support arrangements, but the support page does not present it as a standard option for every user. |
| Documentation | The Help Center provides searchable articles and guides covering ClickUp features and common issues. | The Support Center provides help articles and product guidance for troubleshooting and using Smartsheet. |
| Additional learning resources | ClickUp offers learning materials such as tutorials and webinars, alongside its Help Center. | Smartsheet offers broader learning resources, including training, webinars, and community resources, in addition to support documentation. |
| Overall | ClickUp emphasizes in-app help and self-service documentation, with support access potentially varying by plan. | Smartsheet combines a support center with a wider set of structured learning resources; access to direct support channels may depend on the account or support arrangement. |
Sources: ClickUp Help Center and Smartsheet Support.
Unique Features of ClickUp Vs Smartsheet
| Brand | Distinctive feature uncommon in task-management tools | Added value | Why it may be a deciding factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | Docs, Whiteboards and tasks in one workspace (ClickUp features) | Teams can connect planning, reference material and execution without splitting them across separate tools. | A fit for teams that want one workspace for brainstorming, documentation and task delivery, and want to reduce app-switching. |
| ClickUp | Built-in chat linked to work (ClickUp features) | Conversations can sit alongside the work they relate to, making it easier to keep context with tasks and projects. | Useful for teams that want less coordination in separate messaging apps and more discussion tied to delivery. |
| ClickUp | Workspace-aware AI (ClickUp features) | ClickUp’s AI features can assist with work such as finding information, summarizing content and drafting text within the workspace. | May matter to teams seeking AI support connected to their project context rather than a separate general-purpose assistant. |
| ClickUp | Native time tracking alongside task management (ClickUp features) | Teams can record time against work and use it to understand effort, estimates and project progress. | A potential deciding factor for agencies, consultants or other teams that need time records without relying on a separate tracker. |
| Smartsheet | Spreadsheet-style work management with multiple project views (Smartsheet platform features) | The grid format supports familiar rows, columns and formulas, while other views can present the same work as a Gantt chart, calendar or cards. | Particularly compelling for teams already comfortable with spreadsheets that need to move into shared project tracking without adopting a wholly different working style. |
| Smartsheet | Resource management and capacity planning (Smartsheet platform features) | Helps managers see how people and resources are allocated across work, not just which tasks are open or complete. | A strong consideration for organizations managing several projects and needing to spot over-allocation or plan capacity across teams. |
| Smartsheet | Portfolio-level oversight and repeatable project setup (Smartsheet platform features) | Portfolio capabilities and tools such as Control Center support oversight across multiple projects and consistent project processes. | Useful when a company needs to standardize how projects are launched and monitored, rather than manage each one as an isolated task list. |
| Smartsheet | Proofing and structured review (Smartsheet platform features) | Reviewers can provide feedback and approvals on creative or other project content within the work process. | Can reduce review handoffs for marketing, design and content teams that would otherwise manage approvals in separate tools. |
| Smartsheet | Configurable workflows and data connections (Smartsheet platform features) | Automation and platform capabilities can help move information between processes and systems, and reduce repetitive updates. | May be decisive for teams with established operational workflows or data sources that need more than a standalone task tracker. |
Most frequently asked questions about ClickUp vs Smartsheet
Which tool is easier to use for task management: Smartsheet or ClickUp?
Reviewers often find Smartsheet familiar if they already work in spreadsheets: its grid makes tasks, owners, dates, and status easy to scan. ClickUp offers more task-management features in one workspace, but reviewers commonly describe the interface as more complex to learn and configure. Choose Smartsheet for a spreadsheet-like starting point; choose ClickUp if your team is willing to spend time tailoring a broader work hub.
How do Smartsheet and ClickUp compare in task and project views?
Both offer multiple ways to organize work. Smartsheet is especially associated with grid-based project plans, alongside views such as Gantt and calendar. ClickUp reviewers often value the range of views—including lists, boards, calendars, and timelines—and the ability to adapt them to different workflows. Feedback suggests Smartsheet suits structured project plans, while ClickUp is appealing when teams want more variety in how they manage day-to-day tasks.
Which is better for customization and flexibility?
ClickUp is frequently praised in reviews for its customizable spaces, statuses, fields, and workflows. That flexibility can also mean more setup and decisions for administrators. Smartsheet supports configurable sheets, forms, and workflows, but its spreadsheet foundation tends to keep the experience more structured. In short, reviewers often see ClickUp as more adaptable, and Smartsheet as easier to standardize around familiar tabular work.
Which tool has stronger automation?
Review feedback commonly highlights automation in both products, particularly for reducing repetitive updates and notifications. Smartsheet is often used to automate sheet-based processes and approvals; ClickUp users value automations tied to task statuses and workflow rules. The better fit depends on where your process lives: in structured sheets and approval flows, Smartsheet may feel natural; in configurable task workflows, ClickUp may be more convenient. Check plan limits and available integrations for the automations you need.
How do Smartsheet and ClickUp compare for collaboration?
Both support assigning work, sharing updates, and collaborating around projects. Smartsheet reviews often emphasize visibility across project plans and coordination with stakeholders. ClickUp reviews commonly point to comments, task context, and keeping work in one workspace. Teams that coordinate through spreadsheet-style plans may prefer Smartsheet; teams that want discussions and task details closely connected may lean toward ClickUp.
Which tool is better for reporting and project visibility?
Smartsheet is often praised for dashboards and reports that summarize information from sheets, making it useful for project and portfolio visibility. ClickUp provides dashboards and reporting features too, and reviewers appreciate having task progress visible alongside the work. Review themes suggest Smartsheet is a strong option for structured, stakeholder-facing reporting, while ClickUp can suit teams that want operational reporting within their task workspace.
Which platform is better for larger organizations?
Reviewers often associate Smartsheet with formal project coordination, standardized processes, and organization-wide visibility. ClickUp can also support large teams, but its breadth of configuration may require decisions about workspace structure and governance. The choice depends less on team size alone than on how much standardization, administration, and workflow flexibility the organization needs. Compare the relevant permission, security, and administration capabilities in the plans you are considering.
How well do Smartsheet and ClickUp integrate with other tools?
Both offer integrations, but reviewers’ experiences depend on their existing software stack and the specific connection they need. ClickUp is often valued as a central workspace that connects tasks with other work tools; Smartsheet is commonly used alongside business applications to support project and process data. Before choosing, verify that your must-have apps, authentication setup, and data-sync requirements are supported—an integration list alone may not tell you whether the workflow will work as expected.
What drawbacks do users commonly mention about Smartsheet and ClickUp?
Smartsheet reviewers sometimes note that its spreadsheet-centered approach can feel less intuitive for people who want a dedicated task app, and advanced setup may take effort. ClickUp reviewers often praise its feature depth but say the number of options can make onboarding and navigation feel overwhelming. These are recurring review themes rather than universal experiences: the impact depends on how much structure or customization your team prefers.
Which offers better value for money: Smartsheet or ClickUp?
Value depends on which capabilities your team will actually use and on the current plan details. ClickUp may appeal to teams looking for many task and collaboration features in one platform; Smartsheet may be worth considering when its project planning, reporting, and process-management approach matches existing work. Reviewers’ value judgments often turn on feature needs, ease of adoption, and plan limits. Compare current pricing, user tiers, storage, automation allowances, and required add-ons before deciding.
