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Asana vs ClickUp for Agencies (2026): Which Is Better?
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 10 min read
Summary
Choose Asana if adoption, client guests, and approvals matter most and you are willing to pay for the Advanced plan. Choose ClickUp if you want maximum flexibility and value, and have someone who will own the setup. Prices and ratings were checked in October 2026.
Asana vs ClickUp: which is better for agencies in 2026?
Asana and ClickUp are the two project tools agencies most often shortlist together, and they take opposite approaches. Asana is polished, structured, and easy to pick up. ClickUp gives you far more building blocks and expects you to assemble them into a workspace that fits your agency.
Neither is the wrong choice. The right one depends on whether your team would rather have a tool that works well immediately or one it can shape. We compared them on price, public ratings, client collaboration, and visibility into workload and time.
| Tool | Editorial score | Review-site ratings | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asana | 4.2 / 5 | G2 4.4, Capterra 4.5 | Free for up to 2 users. Starter $10.99 and Advanced $24.99 per user per month (billed annually). | Small to large agencies |
| ClickUp | 4 / 5 | G2 4.6, Capterra 4.6 | Free plan. Paid plans start around $9-$12 per user per month (billed annually); Business adds timesheets and resource management. | Small to mid-size agencies |
How do Asana and ClickUp compare on price?
ClickUp is cheaper at every comparable tier and has a free plan with unlimited tasks and members, while Asana limits its free plan to two users. The catch is where each charges for agency features: ClickUp puts timesheets and resource management on Business, and Asana puts workload, approvals, and portfolios on Advanced at $24.99 per user per month on annual billing, which is more than double its Starter price.
| Tool | Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asana | Personal | $0 | Up to 2 users, unlimited tasks and projects |
| Asana | Starter | $10.99 per user/month (annual billing); $13.49 monthly | Timeline, dashboards, automations, free guests |
| Asana | Advanced | $24.99 per user/month (annual billing); $30.49 monthly | Portfolios, goals, workload, approvals, time tracking |
| Asana | Enterprise | Custom | SSO, SCIM, capacity planning |
| ClickUp | Free Forever | $0 | Unlimited tasks and members, 60MB storage |
| ClickUp | Core (Unlimited) | $9 per user/month (annual billing); regular $12 | Unlimited storage, Gantt, custom fields, guests |
| ClickUp | Business | $17 per user/month (annual billing); regular $25 | Timesheets, resource management, advanced dashboards |
| ClickUp | Enterprise | Custom | White labeling, SSO, audit logs |
| ClickUp | Max | $100 per user/month | Maximum AI model usage and Enterprise-grade controls |
Which is easier for an agency team to learn?
Asana wins on ease of use. Reviewers on Capterra and G2 consistently describe it as intuitive, and new hires and part-time collaborators can be productive within an hour. ClickUp reviewers describe the opposite experience, with praise for flexibility but complaints about complexity, overwhelming notifications, and the time needed to configure a workspace properly.
If your team includes people who resist new tools, Asana lowers that risk. If you have an operations lead who enjoys setting systems up, ClickUp rewards that effort.
Which handles client collaboration better?
Asana is the more client-friendly tool. Paid plans include unlimited free guests, and approvals and proofing on Advanced route work to a reviewer with comments attached to the task. Clients usually find the interface calm and familiar.
ClickUp can share work with guests too, and its Spaces map neatly to clients, but the interface is denser and some agencies prefer to keep clients out of it. Teams that mostly collaborate internally will not notice the difference.
Which gives better visibility into workload and time?
Both can show workload, but at different prices. Asana offers workload and portfolios on Advanced, and Enterprise adds capacity planning. ClickUp includes time tracking and, on Business, timesheets, resource management, and dashboards, so it can cover more of the time-and-capacity picture inside one tool.
Neither calculates agency profitability on its own. If margin by client is your main worry, pair either with a dedicated time tracker or consider an agency-specific platform.
How do Asana and ClickUp compare on integrations, security, and support?
Beyond price, agencies ask about connections to their other tools, what to tell clients about security, and how quickly they can get help. This is what each vendor states publicly, as checked in October 2026.
| Area | Asana | ClickUp |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | 200+ apps listed on the integrations page; Notable: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Drive, Gmail, Outlook, Zendesk, Salesforce | 1,000+ integrations stated by ClickUp; Notable: Slack, GitHub, GitLab, HubSpot, Google Drive, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Outlook |
| Security | SOC 2 Type II (and a SOC 3 report), ISO 27001, 27017, 27018 and 27701, and CSA STAR Level 1 listed; GDPR; HIPAA available as an opt-in with requirements; Two-factor authentication can be required for members and guests; Google and Microsoft SSO; SAML and SCIM from Enterprise; audit logs with Enterprise+; 256-bit encryption at rest and in transit | SOC 2 Type 2, SOC 1 Type 2, SOC 3, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, ISO 27701 and ISO 42001 listed; GDPR compliant; HIPAA compliance listed from the Business plan; Two-factor authentication by authenticator app on all plans; SMS 2FA and required 2FA from Business; Google SSO from Business; Microsoft, Okta and SAML SSO, SCIM, audit trails, session management and data residency from Enterprise; TLS 1.2 in transit and AES-256 at rest |
| Support | Help Center, Asana Academy, community forum, and developer guide; Direct support from Asana's team; 24/7 priority support for Enterprise customers; dedicated customer success specialists with eligibility requirements | 24/7 support through the help center on all plans; Live chat support from Core; Priority support on Enterprise; premium support on Max |
| Apps | iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows apps | iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows apps |
What are the pros and cons of Asana and ClickUp?
Here is where each tool helps agencies and where it can get in the way, based on plan details and public feedback.
Asana pros
- Easy to learn, so new hires and clients get comfortable quickly.
- Unlimited free guests on paid plans make client collaboration simple.
- Portfolios and workload views help leads see capacity across accounts.
- Approvals and proofing support creative review loops.
Asana cons
- The most agency-relevant features (portfolios, workload, approvals, time tracking) need the Advanced plan.
- Time tracking is basic, and budgets and timesheets cost extra, so profitability needs another tool.
- The mobile app is a common complaint for slowness and missing features.
- The interface can feel crowded to first-time users on large workspaces.
ClickUp pros
- Spaces map cleanly to clients, so each account gets its own lists, docs, and views.
- Many views (list, board, Gantt, calendar, dashboards) over the same tasks.
- Generous free plan with unlimited tasks and members.
- Integrations and API cover accounting and reporting, so work and invoices can be linked.
ClickUp cons
- Heavy customization means a slow, deliberate rollout; a loose setup gets messy fast.
- Reviewers regularly complain about noisy notifications and a weaker, less stable mobile app.
- Resource management, timesheets, and larger automation limits sit on the Business plan.
- AI features use pooled credits, so heavy use can add cost.
What do reviewers say about Asana and ClickUp?
Both are well rated at very large scale. ClickUp scores slightly higher on G2 and Capterra, while Asana has the larger review base on Capterra. The pattern in written feedback is consistent: Asana is praised for simplicity and criticized for its mobile app and cost at the top tier, and ClickUp is praised for flexibility and criticized for notifications and mobile stability.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asana | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 14,164 |
| Asana | Capterra | 4.5 / 5 | 13,616 |
| ClickUp | G2 | 4.6 / 5 | 13,719 |
| ClickUp | Capterra | 4.6 / 5 | 4,632 |
Reviewer themes for Asana
- G2 shows 4.4 out of 5 from 14,164 reviews, and Capterra shows 4.5 from 13,616.
- Capterra reviewers describe the interface as easy to learn and good for organizing tasks, and praise its reporting and analytics.
- One marketing-focused reviewer called it close to perfect for marketing teams and agencies, while saying it fell short for a more technical organization.
Reviewer themes for ClickUp
- Capterra and GetApp reviewers praise flexible views and per-client organization, and one agency user highlights an accounting integration that links work to invoices.
- G2 shows ClickUp at 4.6 from 13,719 reviews and Capterra at 4.6 from 4,632, which suggests satisfaction holds up after the first month.
- TrustRadius and GetApp reviewers criticize notification volume, saying defaults can overwhelm a team until they are tuned.
How does setup differ between Asana and ClickUp?
Getting value from either tool depends on how you set it up, and the first steps differ. Here is the practical starting point for each.
Asana: Begin with a project template for a typical client engagement, including the standard sections, tasks, and owners. Asana works best when every project looks familiar, so people can find things without asking.
ClickUp: Start by designing one client Space template before anyone else touches the tool. Decide the folder structure, the standard lists such as onboarding, deliverables, and reporting, and the handful of custom fields you will use on every account. A small, agreed template is what keeps ClickUp tidy as it grows.
What should agencies check before choosing between Asana and ClickUp?
Small details in plans and limits decide whether a tool works in practice. Check these points for each tool during a trial on a real client account.
Before you buy Asana
- Confirm which plan includes workload, portfolios, and approvals, because that is Advanced.
- Price in the add-on for timesheets and budgets if you need them.
- Test the mobile app on the devices your team really uses.
- Plan a standard project template so large workspaces stay tidy.
Before you buy ClickUp
- Check whether timesheets and resource management, which sit on Business, are essential to you.
- Decide who owns the workspace structure before inviting the whole team.
- Set notification defaults early to avoid the flood reviewers describe.
- Estimate AI credit use if you plan to rely on AI features heavily.
How should you test Asana and ClickUp before deciding?
The fairest test is to run both tools on the same real client account for two weeks, with the same people, and compare the results rather than first impressions.
What to measure
- How long it takes a new team member to be productive in Asana versus ClickUp.
- How often people open each tool without being reminded.
- Whether the plan you need includes the features you tested, not just the entry price.
- How a client reacts if you invite them to either tool.
- How much time the team spends on notifications, setup, and cleanup each week.
Which should you choose: Asana or ClickUp?
Choose Asana if adoption, client guests, and approvals matter most and you are willing to pay for the Advanced plan. Choose ClickUp if you want maximum flexibility and value, and have someone who will own the setup.
If we had to pick for a typical ten-person agency with no operations specialist, we would start with Asana. For a team with a dedicated ops lead, ClickUp usually delivers more for less.
Choose Asana if
- You want a polished tool that account managers, designers, and clients will actually use.
- You run creative review loops and need approvals and proofing.
- You want free client guests on a paid plan.
Skip Asana if
- You need budgets, invoicing, and profitability in the same tool.
- You want deep customization of fields, views, and workflows on a small budget.
- Most of your team works from a phone and needs a fast mobile app.
Choose ClickUp if
- You want tasks, documents, and dashboards in one workspace and have someone to own the setup.
- You run many client accounts and want a repeatable Space template for each one.
- You want a generous free plan to test with a real client before paying.
Skip ClickUp if
- Your team wants a tool that works well with almost no configuration.
- Clients will log in often and need a very simple interface.
- Notification overload would be a dealbreaker and nobody will tune the defaults.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Asana or ClickUp better for agencies?
- Asana is better for ease of use and client collaboration. ClickUp is better for flexibility and value, but needs more setup.
- Which is cheaper, Asana or ClickUp?
- ClickUp is cheaper at comparable tiers and has a more generous free plan. Asana costs more, especially on the Advanced plan.
- Can clients use Asana and ClickUp for free?
- Asana includes unlimited free guests on paid plans. ClickUp allows guest access with limited permissions on paid plans.
- Which has better time tracking?
- ClickUp includes time tracking with timesheets on Business. Asana offers estimated-versus-actual time on Advanced, with timesheets as an add-on.
- Can I switch from Asana to ClickUp?
- Yes. Both support imports, but custom fields and automations usually need rebuilding, so pilot on one client first.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- Asana pricing page
- ClickUp pricing page
- G2
- Capterra
- GetApp