Upbase vs ClickUp: Clear over cluttered

A simpler way to manage tasks, docs, planning & teamwork — without the feature bloat

ClickUp is known for packing in features. But that power comes at a cost: a steep learning curve, overwhelming interfaces, and time-consuming setup. Many teams spend more time managing ClickUp than managing their work.

Upbase offers everything most teams actually need—without the clutter. Tasks, Docs, Chat, Calendar, Planner—all built in, all easy to use.

Side-by-side comparison: Upbase vs ClickUp

Category
Setup & Learning Curve	Start using right away. Intuitive layout. No setup required.	Powerful but complex. Setup takes time. Users often need tutorials or internal documentation.
UI & Navigation	Clean and focused. Simple hierarchy keeps things organized.	Can be overwhelming—too many views, menus, and options.
Task Management	Built for clarity: subtasks, recurring tasks, multiple views.	Extremely customizable—sometimes at the cost of usability.
Daily Focus Tools	Daily Planner, Time Blocking, Pomodoro Timer, Calendar integration.	Requires connecting other tools or setting up custom views.
Collaboration	Chat, comments, file sharing all in one place.	Offers built-in chat, but it can feel overwhelming—packed with too many features and distractions.
Customization	Opinionated but flexible enough. Designed to reduce decision fatigue.	Hyper-customizable—but can lead to complexity and mess.
Best for	Teams that want focus, clarity, and quick adoption.	Power users who love to customize everything from scratch.

What you get with Upbase (that ClickUp doesn't make simple)

Core features
Daily Planner
Time blocking
Advanced reminders
Daily Notes
Pomodoro Timer
Global chat
Files
Links
Messages (Async communication)
Tag manager
Unlimited free guests
Client management
Task list view
Kanban board view

👎 What users don't like about ClickUp

1. Feature overload slows everything down

ClickUp tries to be everything—project manager, docs tool, CRM, whiteboard, chat platform, and more. But for many teams, that turns into:

Too many modules to manage
Cluttered sidebars and dashboards
Long setup time before anyone is productive

2. Steep learning curve for new users

ClickUp's flexibility means every team sets it up differently—so onboarding isn't always straightforward. Users say:

It takes hours (or days) to get comfortable
New hires often get lost or avoid using it
You almost need a ClickUp "manager" to keep things organized

3. Customization = complexity

You can customize everything: views, fields, automations, statuses. But the cost?

More time configuring than doing
Team members confused by inconsistent setups
Risk of over-engineering simple workflows

4. Feels like too much for simple work

If your team just wants to manage projects, collaborate, and stay on track—ClickUp can feel like overkill.

"ClickUp is powerful, but honestly we just needed something simpler. We ended up spending more time managing the tool than using it." — Real feedback from switching users

✅ Why teams switch to Upbase

All-in-one, without the overwhelm

You get tasks, docs, chat, notes, calendar, and daily planning—all in one place. No endless modules, no clutter.

Simple and fast to adopt

You don't need a ClickUp admin to run Upbase. Teams can start using it within minutes, with zero configuration.

Built for productivity, not just flexibility

Time blocking, Pomodoro timer, daily planner, recurring tasks—Upbase helps you do the work, not just organize it.

No per-user pricing surprises

Predictable, flat-rate pricing gives growing teams huge savings—and less billing stress.

💰 Pricing: Save big with Upbase

Upbase gives you two flexible ways to pay—without forcing you into expensive per-user pricing.

Option 1: Pay per user

$15/user/month (billed monthly)
$10/user/month (billed yearly)

✅ Great for small teams just getting started.

Option 2: Flat-rate pricing — unlimited users

$119/month (billed monthly)
$99/month (billed yearly)

✅ Best value for growing teams.
✅ No per-seat fees. No surprise increases. Just one predictable price.

💸 See how much you save (30 users example)

Tool	Users	Annual Cost
Upbase (Flat rate)	Unlimited	$1,188 total
ClickUp Business ($12/user/month)	30 users	$4,320

➡️ Save over $3,100/year by switching to a simpler, more focused workspace with Upbase.

🟢 Summary: Which tool is right for you?

Choose Upbase if you want simplicity, speed, and all the essentials—without building from scratch.
Choose ClickUp if you need deep custom workflows, lots of integrations, and you're ready to manage the tool as much as your work.

Read what our customers say

Upbase is the best project management tool I've used. Clean and beautiful UI. It has everything that we need to manage our projects. I especially like how easy it is to keep track of all tasks I have to do and their deadline.

Asil Jacira - Project Manager

We switched to Upbase after using a number of other project management tools. It was by far the best for us as it is easy to use, has a beautiful design, and being able to see everything on a calendar is incredibly helpful.

Ándaras Draha - Designer

Upbase is a joy to work with. We loved this tool so much we made it a part of our company. The UI is great, and the ability to share information with the team is unparalleled. Everything is so easy to use and intuitive.

Ioan Gilbert - Digital Marketer

I've tried a few different project management systems, but I couldn't find anything that click for me. Upbase really is a breath of fresh air in this industry. It's easy to use and takes no time to onboard our team.

Geffrey Albert - Freelancer

Upbase helps us to consolidate all our tasks, files and discussions in one place. Collaborating and sharing information with the team is very easy. And the UI/UX are fantastic. I can tell a lot of thought went into the design of this app.

Clotilde Sarah - Frontend Developer

Upbase is the only project management software that has the functionality I need and a user interface I like. It’s hard to find a simple, yet powerful app like this. Everything is just so beautiful and well-designed.

Zülfikar Ludovic - Sales Manager