ClickUp Product Management Tools Review For 2024
ClickUp stands out from its competitors by offering a highly customizable platform that integrates task management, time tracking, and collaboration tools in one place.
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In this review, I’m going to share my analysis and evaluation from hands-on experience with ClickUp. But first, if you’re just beginning your search for the best product management tools, check out my picks of the best product management tools.
You probably already know ClickUp is among the most popular product management tools out there, but you need to better understand what’s good and not so good about it. This in-depth ClickUp review will walk you through pros and cons, features, and functionality to help guide you to better understand its capabilities and suitability for your scenario.
Summary: ClickUp
ClickUp is a versatile project management tool designed to help teams organize, track, and manage their work. It’s commonly used by project managers, team leaders, and freelancers to support their day-to-day operations by providing a centralized platform for task management, collaboration, and productivity tracking. The software helps businesses with project planning, resource allocation, and workflow automation.
ClickUp addresses common pain points like disorganized workflows, poor communication, and inefficient task tracking. Its best features are task management, time tracking, and customizable workflows.
ClickUp Pros
- Customizable Workflows: ClickUp provides a highly customizable interface that allows you to create and tailor workflows to suit your team's needs, ensuring optimized processes and reduced chances of errors or miscommunication.
- User-Friendly Interface: ClickUp has a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and manage tasks effectively, providing a clean, organized dashboard that displays all tasks and projects in one place.
- Robust Collaboration Tools: The software offers a wide range of collaboration tools, including comments, mentions, and checklists, to ensure team members can communicate and collaborate effectively, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress.
ClickUp Cons
- Steep Learning Curve: ClickUp has many features and customizable options, which can make it overwhelming for new users. This can also impact the time it takes for some users to get used to the platform and navigate it effectively.
- Limited Mobile App Functionality: The mobile app has limited functionality compared to the desktop version, and some features may not be available on mobile devices. This can be a drawback for users who need to manage tasks on the go.
- Complex Pricing Structure: ClickUp’s pricing structure is complicated, with different features available at various levels. This can make it difficult to determine which plan is right for your business and potentially lead to you paying for features you don’t need.
ClickUp Expert Opinion
In my opinion, ClickUp stands out as a highly functional and versatile product management tool, particularly for small to mid-sized businesses. Its extensive feature set, including task management, document collaboration, and AI text generation, makes it a valuable choice for teams needing a centralized platform. ClickUp's intuitive interface and wide range of integrations and automation options are also significant advantages, allowing for seamless workflow management.
Compared to competitors like Asana and monday.com, ClickUp offers better value for money with its feature-rich free plan and affordable paid plans. It excels in task management and collaboration, making it ideal for teams that require detailed project tracking and data visualization.
On the downside, its collaboration features do not fully replace dedicated tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams, and it lacks advanced proofing tools and billing functionalities. Similarly, the software can be overwhelming for new users due to its vast array of features and somewhat clunky automation builder.
Overall, ClickUp is best suited for teams that need an advanced tool for managing complex projects and tasks, offering excellent value and functionality at a reasonable price.
Why Trust Our Software Reviews
We’ve been testing and reviewing product management tools since 2020. As product managers ourselves, we know how critical and difficult it is to make the right decision when selecting software.
We invest in deep research to help our audience make better software purchasing decisions. We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools for different product management use cases and written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews. Learn how we stay transparent & our software review methodology.
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Are You a Good Fit for ClickUp?
Who Would Be a Good Fit for ClickUp?
Small to medium-sized businesses will benefit the most from using ClickUp. These organizations often need a versatile tool that combines project management, task tracking, and collaboration features. ClickUp's customizable workflows and integrations with other tools make it ideal for teams that need flexibility and efficiency in managing their projects.
Who Would Be a Bad Fit for ClickUp?
Large enterprises with highly specialized needs or those requiring advanced reporting and analytics might find ClickUp lacking. For example, companies that rely heavily on complex financial reporting or intricate supply chain management may find ClickUp's feature set insufficient. Additionally, users who prefer a simpler, more straightforward interface might find ClickUp's extensive customization options overwhelming.
Best Use Cases for ClickUp
- Digital Agencies: ClickUp's project management features and customizable workflows make it ideal for managing multiple client projects simultaneously.
- Marketing Teams: The platform's ability to track campaigns, manage content calendars, and collaborate in real-time is perfect for marketing departments.
- Software Development: ClickUp supports Agile methodologies, allowing software teams to create epics, user stories, and track sprints efficiently.
- Remote Teams: With its advanced collaboration tools, ClickUp enables remote teams to stay connected and manage tasks from anywhere.
- Freelancers: ClickUp helps freelancers centralize their schedules, manage client communications, and track billable hours.
- Retail Operations: The hierarchical structure and inventory management features make ClickUp suitable for managing the complexities of retail operations.
Worst Use Cases for ClickUp
- Sales Teams: ClickUp lacks specialized CRM features like sales pipeline management and lead tracking, making it less suitable for sales departments.
- Users Needing High Customization: Teams that require highly customizable workflows may find ClickUp's predefined structures limiting.
- Teams Requiring Fast Automations: ClickUp's automation features can be slow, which may hinder teams that rely on immediate task updates.
- Users Sensitive to Bugs: Frequent glitches and bugs reported by users can disrupt workflows and affect productivity.
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ClickUp Evaluation Summary
- Core Functionality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Standout Features: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Ease of Use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Onboarding: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Customer Support: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Integrations: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Customer Reviews: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Value for Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review Methodology
We’re a team of software experts who obsess about the features and functionality of different platforms. We know how critical—yet difficult and confusing—software selection can be. We test and score software to find the best solutions, whatever the use case may be.
Using our objective, data driven testing methodology, we’ve tested 300+ software. We dedicate ourselves to being objective in fully and fairly testing software, to get beyond the marketing fluff and truly understand the platform.
We’ve developed robust testing scenarios to use the software in the same way you will. We leverage our own first-hand, practical experience of the tools, complemented by interviews with users, experts, and software vendors.
How We Test & Score Product Management Tools
We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system for product management tools. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection, and what makes product management tools effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.
Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across eight criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.
Core Functionality (20% of final scoring)
For product management tools, the core functionality we test and evaluate are:
- Roadmapping: Allows teams to plan and visualize the product development timeline.
- Task Management: Facilitates the assignment, tracking, and completion of tasks.
- Collaboration: Enables team communication and document sharing within the platform.
- Analytics: Provides insights and reports on product performance and team productivity.
- User Feedback: Collects and organizes feedback from users to inform product decisions.
- Integration: Connects with other tools and platforms to streamline workflows.
Standout Features (20% of final scoring)
We evaluate uncommon, standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality defined and typically found in product management tools. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.
Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)
We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the product management tools. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.
Onboarding (10% of final scoring)
We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use the product management tools with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the software with no experience. High scoring software indicates little or no support is required.
Customer Support (10% of final scoring)
We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Product management tools that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.
Integrations (10% of final scoring)
We evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Product management tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.
Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)
Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the product management tools again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.
Value for Money (10% of final scoring)
Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.
Through this comprehensive approach, I aim to identify product management tools that not only meet but exceed expectations, ensuring teams have the tools they need to succeed.
ClickUp Review
Core Product Management Tools Functionality
Task Management: ClickUp allows users to break down any size project into customized tasks. Each task can include descriptions, assignees, statuses, comments, and more, making it easy to track and collaborate on to-dos.
Document Customization: Users can create structured documents and connect them to tasks. This feature is particularly useful for maintaining roadmaps, requirements, and other essential documentation in one place.
Goals: ClickUp helps track work against strategy with measurable targets. Users can set and monitor goals, ensuring alignment with broader business objectives.
Whiteboards: This feature brings team ideas to life with visual collaboration. Teams can brainstorm, plan, and execute projects using a shared visual space.
Dashboards: ClickUp offers real-time reporting via customizable dashboards. Users can add various widgets, such as burnup and burndown charts, time tracking, and assigned tasks, to keep track of key performance indicators in one centralized location.
Automations: ClickUp allows users to automate routine work and processes with over 50 actions, triggers, and conditions. This feature helps save time and reduce manual effort by automating repetitive tasks.
ClickUp Standout Features
ClickUp AI: ClickUp offers AI tools to fast-track product plans and documentation. These tools can generate documents, streamline user feedback, and more, providing expert-crafted AI solutions for product teams directly within ClickUp.
Multiple Views: ClickUp provides several different workspace views, including List, Board, Box, Calendar, Gantt, Mind Map, Timeline, Workload, Table, Activity, Map, Doc, Chat, Embed, and Form views. This flexibility allows users to visualize their work in the way that best suits their needs.
Ease of Use
ClickUp is moderately easy to use for basic functionalities, such as creating task lists, tracking deadlines, and assigning subtasks. However, its extensive range of features and highly customizable interface can present a steeper learning curve, especially for new users. The platform is packed with new features like multiple board views (list, board, calendar, Gantt), automation options, notifications, and integrations with various tools, which can sometimes overwhelm users seeking a simple project management solution.
For teams that require advanced project management solutions, once familiar with the system, ClickUp excels in terms of its flexibility and versatility. Many reviews mention that while the software is powerful, the sheer number of features can feel daunting at first. Nevertheless, users who invest the time to learn the platform often find it highly beneficial for managing complex projects and team collaboration
Onboarding
New users can expect a structured and supportive onboarding process with ClickUp. The platform offers a variety of resources, including an Onboarding Hub with on-demand demos, live webinars, and coaching.
Additionally, ClickUp University provides self-paced learning paths while the Help Center offers FAQs, technical details, and live support. Compared to other product management tools, ClickUp's onboarding process is thorough and designed to help users quickly become proficient with the platform's features.
Customer Support
ClickUp offers several avenues for customer support, including:
- Help Centers: A comprehensive resource with articles covering the latest features, troubleshooting tips, and improvements.
- ClickUp University: A self-paced learning platform with courses for both new and existing users.
- Webinars: Offers both on-demand and live webinars to dive deeper into ClickUp features.
- Live Chat: Available only for users on paid plans. Complex requests, such as billing issues, are followed up via email.
- Support Chatbots: A 24/7 interactive chatbot is available to handle a wide range of questions.
- Communities: Engage with other users through platforms like the ClickUppers Facebook group, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
- Feedback Boards: Users can submit and vote on feature requests using ClickUp’s Canny boards.
Integrations
ClickUp integrates natively with Slack, GitHub, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Outlook, Google Calendar, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and HubSpot.
Additionally, ClickUp offers options for further customization and integration through its public API and Zapier. Users can build custom integrations and automate workflows to enhance their productivity and streamline their processes.
Value for Money
When it comes to the average pricing for product management tools, ClickUp is generally considered to be on the more affordable side. Many competitors in the market have starting prices significantly higher than ClickUp's entry-level plans. This makes ClickUp a cost-effective option for both small teams and larger organizations looking for a comprehensive project management solution.
Here’s a quick breakdown of ClickUp’s pricing plans.
- Free Forever Plan: This plan is best for personal use. It includes 100MB storage, unlimited tasks, unlimited free plan members, two-factor authentication, collaborative docs, whiteboards, and 24/7 support.
- Unlimited Plan: From $7/users/month (billed annually). It includes everything in the Free Forever plan, plus unlimited storage, unlimited integrations, unlimited dashboards, guests with permissions, unlimited Gantt charts, unlimited custom fields, column calculations, native time tracking, goals and portfolios, form view, resource management, and Agile reporting.
- Business Plan: From $12/user/month (billed annually). It includes everything in the Unlimited plan, plus Google SSO, custom exporting, advanced public sharing, advanced automations, timesheets, workload management, and timelines and mind maps.
- Enterprise Plan: Pricing upon request. It includes everything in the Business plan, plus white labeling, advanced permissions, conditional logic in forms, enterprise API, team sharing for spaces, universal search, MSA & HIPAA available, single sign-on (SSO), SCIM provisioning, live onboarding training, and US, EU, and APAC data residency.
Product Specifications
| Feature | ClickUp |
| Roadmap Planning | ✅ |
| Project and Task Management | ✅ |
| Workflow Automation | ✅ |
| Collaboration and Communication Tools | ✅ |
| User Feedback and Idea Collection | ✅ |
| Analytics and Reporting | ✅ |
| Integration Capabilities | ✅ |
| User Role and Access Management | ✅ |
| Customizable Dashboards | ✅ |
| Time Tracking | ✅ |
| Templates | ✅ |
| Mobile App | ✅ |
| Gantt Charts | ✅ |
| Kanban Boards | ✅ |
| Calendar View | ✅ |
| Mind Maps | ✅ |
| Whiteboards | ✅ |
| Custom Fields | ✅ |
| Sprint Management | ✅ |
| Email Integration | ✅ |
| Proofing | ✅ |
| Real-Time Chat | ✅ |
| Document Management | ✅ |
| Heatmaps | ❌ |
| A/B Testing | ❌ |
| Industry Analyst Accounts | ❌ |
| Session Replay | ❌ |
ClickUp Alternatives
If you’re looking for alternative product management tools options to ClickUp, here are a few worth checking out:
- Asana: Known for its user-friendly interface and simplicity, Asana offers strong task management and project tracking features that make it easy for teams to collaborate and stay organized.
- monday.com: This tool stands out with its highly visual and customizable workflows, making it ideal for teams that need to manage complex projects and track progress in a visually intuitive way.
- Wrike: Wrike excels in providing advanced Gantt chart capabilities and detailed reporting features, making it a strong choice for teams that require advanced project planning and resource management.
- Trello: Trello is perfect for teams that prefer a Kanban-style project management approach, offering a simple and intuitive interface with powerful automation features to streamline workflows.
ClickUp Frequently Asked Questions
What is ClickUp?
ClickUp is a productivity platform designed to help teams manage tasks, projects, and workflows in one place. It offers features like task management, document collaboration, goal tracking, and time management. ClickUp aims to streamline work processes and improve team collaboration.
Is there a mobile app for ClickUp?
Yes, ClickUp offers a mobile app available for both iOS and Android devices. The mobile app allows users to manage tasks, communicate with team members, and access project information on the go. It includes many of the same features as the desktop version, ensuring seamless productivity across devices.
Is ClickUp HIPAA compliant?
ClickUp is HIPAA compliant for users on the Enterprise Plan. This plan includes features like Custom Roles, which provide advanced controls over user permissions and access. To ensure HIPAA compliance, users must sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with ClickUp.
Is ClickUp SOC 2 compliant?
Yes, ClickUp is SOC 2 compliant. The platform has achieved SOC 2 Type 2 certification, which means it meets stringent security standards for protecting user data. This certification involves regular audits by an independent CPA firm to ensure ongoing compliance with security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy principles.
Is ClickUp secure?
ClickUp prioritizes data security and employs various measures to protect user information. All data is encrypted at rest using AES-256 encryption, and communications are encrypted over TLS 1.2. ClickUp also maintains ongoing PCI compliance and conducts regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Is ClickUp FedRAMP certified?
No, ClickUp is not currently FedRAMP certified. While it offers a range of security features and compliance with other standards like SOC 2 and HIPAA, it does not have FedRAMP authorization. This may be a consideration for government agencies requiring FedRAMP-certified solutions.
Is ClickUp GDPR compliant?
Yes, ClickUp is GDPR compliant. The platform ensures that user data is handled in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements. Users can export and delete their data, and ClickUp has contracted Data Processing Agreements with all sub processes to ensure compliance.
How does ClickUp handle data privacy?
ClickUp takes data privacy seriously and does not use user data for third-party profit or distribution. The platform employs leading security experts and firms to maintain high standards of data protection. Users can manage their privacy settings and control the types of cookies used on the ClickUp website.
ClickUp Company Overview & History
ClickUp is a project management software company that offers a cloud-based platform for collaboration and productivity. Founded in 2017 by Zeb Evans and Alex Yurkowski, ClickUp provides a unified platform with features such as tasks, whiteboards, spreadsheets, and document collaboration. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California, and employs around 900 people.
ClickUp is recognized for its innovative work culture and rapid growth. The company achieved a valuation of $1 billion in 2020 after raising $100 million in funding. By 2021, ClickUp’s valuation reached $4 billion following a $400 million Series C funding round.
The platform is used by notable clients, including Spotify, IBM, and Logitech. In addition to its core project management tools, ClickUp has expanded its offerings with a visual whiteboard feature, introduced in 2022, and AI-driven functionalities launched as ClickUp AI in 2023, later rebranded as ClickUp Brain in 2024.
The company has made strategic acquisitions, including the purchase of Slapdash in April 2022, to enhance its productivity platform. This acquisition was aimed at improving ClickUp’s unified search functionality, allowing users to access information across various applications more efficiently.
ClickUp Major Milestones
- 2017: ClickUp was founded by Zeb Evans and Alex Yurkowski. The product was publicly launched as a cloud-based collaboration and productivity software.
- 2020: ClickUp secured $35 million in Series A funding. The company raised an additional $100 million, reaching a $1 billion valuation.
- 2021: ClickUp raised $400 million at a $4 billion valuation and expanded to Europe, opening an office in Dublin. The company opened an Asia Pacific headquarters in Sydney.
- 2022: ClickUp acquired SlapDash, a developer of a unified search tool for enterprise applications.
- 2023: ClickUp launched ClickUp Brain, an AI management tool. The company gathered a total annual revenue of more than $150 million.
Want to learn more about ClickUp? Check out their site for additional information.
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