ClickUp vs Smartsheet — Which One Wins?
Pick ClickUp if: Teams that want an all-in-one workspace and don't mind a learning curve
Pick Smartsheet if: Teams that live in spreadsheets but need real project management features layered on top
Our take: ClickUp for simplicity, Smartsheet for power users.
| ClickUp | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free forever plan with 100MB storage | Unlimited $7/user/mo | No free plan (30-day trial) | Pro $9/user/mo |
| Features | Docs, whiteboards, and chat built-in, Custom views (15+ types), Sprint management, Time tracking, ClickUp AI assistant | Spreadsheet-style project management, Gantt, card, and calendar views, Automated workflows, Resource management, Dashboards and reports |
| Best for | Teams that want an all-in-one workspace and don't mind a learning curve | Teams that live in spreadsheets but need real project management features layered on top |
| Learning Curve | Hard | Medium |
The Real Difference
Both offer free tiers, so the real question is what you get when you start paying.
ClickUp stands out with Docs, whiteboards, and chat built-in and Custom views (15+ types). Smartsheet counters with Spreadsheet-style project management and Gantt, card, and calendar views.
ClickUp's Achilles heel: feature bloat is real — the app tries to do everything and can feel overwhelming and sluggish. Smartsheet's: it’s a spreadsheet pretending to be a pm tool — power users love it, everyone else gets confused. Pick whichever weakness you can live with.
Bottom Line
If you value docs, whiteboards, and chat built-in and teams that want an, go with ClickUp. If teams that live in matters more, Smartsheet is your pick. Neither is a bad choice — but one will fit your workflow better.