ClickUp is a highly customizable all-in-one project management platform with 15+ view types and automation, while Basecamp is a simpler, communication-first tool designed for teams that prioritize straightforward messaging over complex workflows. ClickUp suits growing companies needing advanced features; Basecamp excels for small teams prioritizing simplicity.
ClickUp vs Basecamp — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
All-in-one workspace combining project management, docs, CRM, and time tracking with 1000+ integrations.
Simple, communication-focused project management tool with messaging and to-do lists
Customization & View Types. Pricing (per user/month). Automation Capabilities. Learning Curve. Team Size Optimization. Time Tracking Integration. Mobile App Quality
Choose ClickUp if you manage complex projects, need advanced automation, track time, or work with teams over 50 people—its flexibility and scalability justify the learning curve. Choose Basecamp if your team values simplicity, collaboration, and communication over feature depth, and you want a flat-rate pricing model that doesn't penalize growth.
ClickUp: Visual timelines & Gantt | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Customizable dashboards | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Strong priority | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Native integration | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Kanban, Timeline, Map, Calendar, Board, List | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Small to mid-size teams | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 1,000+ integrations | Basecamp: 500+
ClickUp: AI summaries for tasks, smart automation suggestions, AI search | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Basic docs feature; secondary to task management | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 100+ advanced templates | Basecamp: N/A
Base Monthly Price (Individual/Starter Plan)
ClickUp: $14-$33 (optional add-on) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 5 stars (Brain: Enterprise Search, AI Notetaker, Autopilot) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 20+ integrated tools in workspace | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Steep (highly customizable, many features) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes (connects to task work directly) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes (with custom roles) | Basecamp: N/A
Annual Cost for Full Stack (Single User with AI)
ClickUp: $234-$410 (base + AI) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes, unlimited tasks but limited features | Basecamp: No - 30-day free trial only
ClickUp: Full-featured with most desktop functions | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 5/10 - Moderate curve | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 5/10 - Basic doc support | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: All-in-One Workspace | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Feature-Rich & Dense | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes (100 MB storage, unlimited tasks) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: $7/month (Teams) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes, unlimited tasks | Basecamp: No free tier
ClickUp: Via Zapier - third-party automation | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 16-40 hours for full setup and customization | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Comprehensive - wiki, docs, and page builder included | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 1000+ integrations via Zapier + 200+ native | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 8+ views (list, board, calendar, timeline, table, gantt, workload, map) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Unlimited - scales to enterprise | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Unlimited tasks | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 14-28 days (2-4 weeks optimal) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Tasks, docs, chat, time tracking, whiteboards, AI | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: High complexity (requires customization) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Baseline comparison | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: $99 (unlimited users) | Basecamp: $99 (unlimited users)
ClickUp: 7+ views (List, Board, Calendar, Gantt, Timeline, Table, Whiteboards) | Basecamp: 3 views (To-Do Lists, Message Boards, Schedule)
ClickUp: 4-8 hours for optimal configuration | Basecamp: 30-60 minutes to start using
ClickUp: Advanced dashboards, burndown charts, custom metrics across projects | Basecamp: Basic progress tracking within individual projects only
ClickUp: Chat and threaded comments; separate from tasks | Basecamp: Message boards and real-time updates as primary hub
ClickUp: Full-featured mobile app with most desktop capabilities | Basecamp: Mobile-optimized interface with core features (2024-2026 updates)
ClickUp: 10+ users; scales to enterprise | Basecamp: 2-20 users; suited for small teams
ClickUp: $99 (unlimited included) | Basecamp: $1,470-3,675 (per user plan)
ClickUp: 2-4 weeks | Basecamp: 0.3-0.5 weeks (1-2 days)
ClickUp: 10+ (List, Board, Calendar, Timeline, Gantt, Table, Workload, etc.) | Basecamp: 3 (To-Do, Message Board, Schedule)
ClickUp: 1000+ Zapier integrations + native automation builder | Basecamp: Limited; no native automation or Zapier support
ClickUp: Unlimited | Basecamp: Unlimited
ClickUp: Limited via webhooks | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: iOS, Android, native apps | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: List, board, timeline, calendar, table, gallery, custom | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: ClickUp Docs (full-featured) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: $0 (unlimited users, core features) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes (native feature) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 7+ (List, Board, Calendar, Timeline, Gantt, Docs, Whiteboard) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Chat, docs, tasks, and team collaboration | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 1,000+ including native connectors | Basecamp: ~50-100 integrations
ClickUp: Built-in automations and workflow builder | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Free tier available | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: $9/month (Business plan) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 4.2/5 (45K reviews) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes, with timesheet reporting | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 200+ integrations | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: $5 (Free plan available) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 15+ (List, Board, Calendar, Gantt, Timeline, Table, Workload, etc.) | Basecamp: 3 (Message Board, To-Do, Schedule)
ClickUp: $5 (Team), $9 (Business) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes (all paid tiers) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 1,000+ native + Zapier | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: No, basic gantt only | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Unlimited | Basecamp: Limited (3-5 standard)
ClickUp: Yes, Enterprise tier only | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 100 MB per space | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 200+ | Basecamp: ~50 integrations
ClickUp: 10+ (Kanban, Gantt, Calendar, Board, Table, List, Mind Map, Timeline) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: $9 (Free plan available) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes, with billable rates | Basecamp: Not available
ClickUp: 15+ views (List, Board, Calendar, Gantt, etc.) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 150+ pre-built automations | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 4 types (one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-many, rollups) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 8-12 hours to learn core features | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes (granular role-based access, audit logs) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes, timeline view | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 5-500 (SMB-Mid Market) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 15+ (list, board, calendar, gantt, workload, timeline, sheet, etc.) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Unlimited members | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Limited AI (search and basic summaries only) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Yes (with dependencies and critical path) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Task-based structure (limited relational querying) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: $475-$950 | Basecamp: $99 flat rate
ClickUp: 100+ | Basecamp: 0 (manual only)
ClickUp: Yes (with Business plan+) | Basecamp: No
ClickUp: 99.9% | Basecamp: Not published
ClickUp: Yes (ClickUp Docs) | Basecamp: No
ClickUp: $5-$19 (tiered plan) | Basecamp: $99 flat (unlimited users)
ClickUp: $95-$190 (mid-tier plan) | Basecamp: $99 flat rate
ClickUp: Native time tracking, estimates, Pomodoro timer included | Basecamp: Not available; requires third-party integration
ClickUp: 4.3 stars (full-featured) | Basecamp: 3.8 stars (basic functionality)
ClickUp: 5-10 hours of training required | Basecamp: 1-2 hours to get started
ClickUp: 7-10 days (due to complexity) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 60% parity with desktop | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: $5/user/month (Teams plan) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 2000-3000ms (complex workspaces) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 120-240 minutes (2-4 hours with customization) | Basecamp: 1-2 days
ClickUp: 100+ features, unlimited tasks, 5GB storage | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: 20-500+ (cross-functional) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Extensive (40+ field types, complex automation workflows) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: Standard (2-way sync, but not native) | Basecamp: N/A
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: $99 (unlimited users)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Basic task automation only
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Optimal for under 50 users
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 2 (Kanban, List)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Basic admin controls
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: $299 (flat-rate for unlimited users)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: $299 (unlimited users)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Message boards, campfire chats, built-in messaging
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Low (focused on simplicity)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: $349 (unlimited users)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Yes - messaging, discussions, announcements
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Native with task dependencies
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: High - comprehensive feature set
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: $99/month (unlimited users)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: $99/month (flat rate)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 500-2000ms typical
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 3 (text, checkbox, date)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Message boards, DMs, comments, announcements
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Basic (task assignment, reminders only)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 3 (List, Board, Calendar)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Unlimited (all messages searchable)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Yes (to-do lists, schedules, message boards)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 1,000-3,000ms (batch updates)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 100GB per account
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: $99 flat (unlimited users)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Flat rate after 1 user
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Yes: to-do lists, timelines, milestones, dependencies
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 3 million+ (2024 estimate)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: $99/month (flat)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: $299/month (flat)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 5 (chat, threads, message boards, pings, notifications)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 0 (no native databases)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 85% of desktop features
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: ~25 major integrations
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Basic (comments and threads only)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Webhooks only; manual setup required
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Message boards, notifications, email integration
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 5-50 person teams optimal
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: iOS and Android with offline support
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: $99/month (flat rate, unlimited users)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 0.25 hours (5 minutes)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 5 standard field types
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 95% feature parity with desktop
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Yes - Campfire real-time chat included
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: Unlimited (designed for simpler task lists)
ClickUp: N/A | Basecamp: 35+ integrations via Zapier
How to choose between ClickUp and Basecamp
ClickUp vs Basecamp — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for ClickUp vs Basecamp. Contains 234 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
ClickUp vs Basecamp — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for ClickUp vs Basecamp.
Which tool is better for small teams under 10 people?
Basecamp is typically better for small teams due to its $99 flat monthly fee, minimal learning curve (1-2 hours), and communication-first design. ClickUp becomes cost-competitive only if you need advanced features like Gantt charts, time tracking, or 15+ view types. For simple to-do and messaging needs, Basecamp's simplicity wins.
Which has better time tracking capabilities?
ClickUp has native time tracking, time estimates, and a Pomodoro timer built directly into the platform. Basecamp offers no native time tracking and requires third-party tools like Harvest or Toggl. If time tracking is critical to your workflow, ClickUp is the clear winner.
Can I use Basecamp if my team grows to 100+ people?
Yes, Basecamp's flat $99/month rate supports unlimited team members, making it cost-effective even at 100+ people. However, it may feel limiting due to lack of advanced filtering, automation, and views. ClickUp scales better functionally but costs $950-$1,900+ monthly for large teams. Basecamp works for large teams focused on communication; ClickUp works for those needing process complexity.
Which integrates better with other tools?
ClickUp has 1000+ integrations via Zapier and includes native integrations with Slack, Google Drive, GitHub, Figma, and more. Basecamp has limited integrations and no Zapier support, though it does integrate with Slack and email. For teams relying on tool ecosystems, ClickUp is significantly more flexible.
Is ClickUp worth the learning curve over Basecamp?
Yes, if you need: advanced project management (Gantt charts, timeline views, workload management), time tracking, automation, or scale beyond 50 people. The 5-10 hour learning curve pays dividends for agencies, product teams, and growing companies. For teams focused on simple task management and communication, Basecamp's ease of use is worth more than ClickUp's features.
How to Choose Between ClickUp and Basecamp
Customization & View Types: ClickUp has 15+ view types (List, Board, Calendar, Gantt, Table, Timeline, etc.), while Basecamp has 2-3 view types (Message Board, To-Do List, Schedule).
Pricing (per user/month): ClickUp has $5-$19 (or free for 1 workspace), while Basecamp has $99 flat rate for unlimited users.
Automation Capabilities: ClickUp has 50+ automation triggers and actions via Zapier, native automation builder, while Basecamp has Limited automation, focused on manual workflows.
Learning Curve: ClickUp has Steep; requires 5-10 hours to master core features, while Basecamp has Minimal; most teams productive within 1-2 hours.
Team Size Optimization: ClickUp has Scales from 1 to 500+ person teams, while Basecamp has Optimized for 2-50 person teams.
Time Tracking Integration: ClickUp has Native time tracking, Pomodoro timer, time estimates, while Basecamp has No native time tracking; requires third-party tools.
Mobile App Quality: ClickUp has Full-featured iOS/Android app with 4.3/5 rating, while Basecamp has Basic iOS/Android app with 3.8/5 rating.