8 Best ClickUp Alternatives in 2025
Last updated: February 2026 • 27 min read
ClickUp is a popular tool for teams wanting an all-in-one solution on a budget. While it offers a free tier (Unlimited tasks and members), its paid plans start at $7/user/mo. Whether you're looking for a cheaper option, better features, or an open-source solution, we've compiled the 8 best ClickUp alternatives to help you find the right fit.
📋 Quick Summary
- Total alternatives: 8
- Free alternatives: 8 (Asana, Monday.com, Trello)
- Best overall: Asana
- Best free: Asana
Why Look for ClickUp Alternatives?
People commonly look for ClickUp alternatives for several reasons:
- Cost: While ClickUp has a free tier, its paid plans starting at $7/user/mo can add up quickly for growing teams.
- Feature gaps: Can feel cluttered and steep learning curve are common complaints.
- Simplicity: Some users find ClickUp overly complex for their needs and prefer simpler solutions.
- Data ownership: Organizations wanting data sovereignty prefer open-source, self-hosted alternatives.
- Better fit: Different tools excel at different use cases — you may find a tool that's specifically built for your workflow.
📊 Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Free Tier | Starting Price | Rating | Open Source | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | ✓ Unlimited tasks and members | $7/user/mo | ⭐ 4.2 | No | Teams wanting an all-in-one solution on a budget |
| Asana | ✓ Up to 10 users | $10.99/user/mo | ⭐ 4.3 | No | Mid-size teams managing complex projects |
| Monday.com | ✓ Up to 2 users | $9/user/mo | ⭐ 4.4 | No | Teams that need highly customizable workflows |
| Trello | ✓ Unlimited cards, 10 boards | $5/user/mo | ⭐ 4.4 | No | Small teams and simple Kanban workflows |
| Notion | ✓ Personal use, unlimited blocks | $10/user/mo | ⭐ 4.5 | No | Teams and individuals wanting a flexible all-in-one workspace |
| Wrike | ✓ Up to 5 users | $9.80/user/mo | ⭐ 4 | No | Enterprise teams with complex workflows |
| Basecamp | ✓ Personal plan (limited) | $15/user/mo | ⭐ 4.1 | No | Teams that value simplicity and flat pricing |
| Linear | ✓ Up to 250 issues | $8/user/mo | ⭐ 4.6 | No | Software development teams |
| Height | ✓ Limited features | $8.50/user/mo | ⭐ 4.3 | No | Teams wanting AI-powered project management |
Detailed Reviews of Each Alternative
Asana
Work management platform for teams to organize, track, and manage work.
Asana is a leading work management platform that helps teams orchestrate their work, from daily tasks to strategic initiatives. Founded in 2008 by Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz, Asana has grown to serve over 100,000 organizations worldwide. The platform offers multiple project views including lists, boards, timelines, and calendars, making it versatile for different work styles and project types.
Pros
- ✓ Intuitive interface
- ✓ Powerful automation
- ✓ Great for cross-team projects
- ✓ Excellent mobile app
Cons
- ✗ Expensive for large teams
- ✗ Can be overwhelming for simple projects
- ✗ Limited free tier
- ✗ No built-in time tracking
Monday.com
Work operating system that powers teams to run projects and workflows with confidence.
Monday.com is a versatile Work OS that serves as a foundation for teams to create custom workflows for any type of project. Known for its colorful, visual interface and high customizability, Monday.com has become one of the fastest-growing project management platforms. It offers pre-built templates and allows teams to build custom apps on top of its platform.
Pros
- ✓ Highly customizable
- ✓ Beautiful visual interface
- ✓ Great automation
- ✓ Excellent customer support
Cons
- ✗ Can get expensive quickly
- ✗ Steep learning curve
- ✗ Limited free plan
- ✗ Complex pricing tiers
Trello
Visual collaboration tool that creates a shared perspective on any project.
Trello is a visual project management tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to help teams organize work. Acquired by Atlassian in 2017, Trello is known for its simplicity and Kanban-style approach to project management. It's one of the most accessible project management tools available, making it perfect for small teams and personal productivity.
Pros
- ✓ Very easy to learn
- ✓ Generous free tier
- ✓ Great Kanban workflow
- ✓ Simple and clean interface
Cons
- ✗ Limited for complex projects
- ✗ No built-in reporting
- ✗ No timeline/Gantt view on free
- ✗ Power-Ups can be costly
Notion
All-in-one workspace for notes, docs, project management, and wikis.
Notion has become one of the most popular productivity tools by combining notes, databases, kanban boards, wikis, calendars, and reminders into a single flexible workspace. Its block-based editor and powerful database features make it incredibly versatile. Notion is used by individuals, startups, and enterprises alike for everything from personal notes to company-wide knowledge bases.
Pros
- ✓ Incredibly flexible
- ✓ Beautiful design
- ✓ Great free tier
- ✓ Powerful databases
- ✓ Active template community
Cons
- ✗ Slow with large databases
- ✗ Offline mode limited
- ✗ Complex for simple needs
- ✗ No built-in chat
Wrike
Versatile work management platform for enterprise teams.
Wrike is an enterprise-grade project management platform that helps teams plan, manage, and complete work at scale. With features like cross-tagging, custom workflows, and advanced reporting, Wrike is designed for organizations that need robust project management capabilities.
Pros
- ✓ Enterprise-grade features
- ✓ Excellent reporting
- ✓ Strong security
- ✓ Good for large teams
Cons
- ✗ Complex setup
- ✗ Expensive
- ✗ Steep learning curve
- ✗ Outdated interface
Basecamp
All-in-one project management and team communication tool.
Basecamp takes a refreshingly simple approach to project management, focusing on essentials rather than feature overload. Created by 37signals (now Basecamp), it combines message boards, to-do lists, schedules, documents, and group chat. Its flat pricing model (not per-user) makes it attractive for larger teams.
Pros
- ✓ Simple and opinionated
- ✓ Flat pricing for Pro
- ✓ Built-in communication
- ✓ No feature bloat
Cons
- ✗ Limited customization
- ✗ No Gantt charts
- ✗ No time tracking
- ✗ Outdated UI feel
Linear
Streamlined issue tracking built for modern software teams.
Linear has quickly become the favorite project management tool for software development teams. Built with a focus on speed and developer experience, Linear offers keyboard-first navigation, a clean UI, and integrations with GitHub, GitLab, and other developer tools. It's designed to make issue tracking feel fast and enjoyable.
Pros
- ✓ Blazingly fast
- ✓ Beautiful design
- ✓ Developer-focused
- ✓ Great keyboard shortcuts
Cons
- ✗ Limited non-dev features
- ✗ Smaller ecosystem
- ✗ No free plan for teams
- ✗ Limited reporting
Height
Autonomous project management tool powered by AI.
Height is a next-generation project management tool that uses AI to automate routine work. It features smart task management, automatic status updates, and AI-powered prioritization. Height is gaining traction among modern teams looking for a more intelligent approach to project management.
Pros
- ✓ AI-powered features
- ✓ Modern interface
- ✓ Fast and responsive
- ✓ Good free tier
Cons
- ✗ Newer product
- ✗ Smaller community
- ✗ Limited integrations
- ✗ Still evolving
🏆 Our Recommendations
❓ FAQ
What is the best free alternative to ClickUp?
The best free alternative to ClickUp is Asana, which offers Up to 10 users.
Is there an open-source alternative to ClickUp?
There are no widely-used open-source alternatives to ClickUp at this time, but several affordable options exist.
What is the cheapest alternative to ClickUp?
The cheapest alternatives are the free options: Asana, Monday.com, Trello. For paid alternatives, prices start from as low as $5/mo.
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