Smartsheet vs ClickUp

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Our analysts compared Smartsheet vs ClickUp based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Project Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Smartsheet is an enterprise-level SaaS management application that helps teams streamline processes through collaboration, project planning and task management. Users can set up tasks using a grid view, similar to a spreadsheet with automations, formulas, comments and mentions. 

It provides templates for projects and automations that can be modified and saved as a template to save time. Project views include a Kanban board, Gantt chart, timeline, calendar view, card view and a custom dashboard.

Its file and sheet sharing capabilities, comment feature and conversations remove team and data silos and give stakeholders insight into project details. A user-friendly interface helps managers and team members boost adoption rates, maintain consistency and increase efficiency. 

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ClickUp is an all-in-one cloud-based solution designed to help users streamline project cycles with collaboration, customization and visibility. It allows you to assign comments and tasks to specific team members or groups of team members and view time spent on those tasks. Other collaboration features include reminders, docs, calendars, goals, scheduling and an inbox.

An activity stream displays tasks in real time in the order of their creation and completion. Businesses can configure team-specific notifications while viewing projects on an Agile dashboard. It sends alerts to relevant employees in a discussion thread while allowing them to edit and post comments. You can create a personalized workspace with no-code automations, customizations for statuses, fields and views and ClickApps.

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$9/User, Monthly
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$7/User, Monthly, Freemium
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Mobile

Product Assistance

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Live Online
Videos
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Documentation
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Live Online
Videos
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Email
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FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Use Familiar Spreadsheet Formatting: Move from regular spreadsheets to spreadsheets with versatile views and much less formula knowledge required for formatting. Make adoption and training smoother because you’re not starting from scratch with processes. We especially liked the ability to enter data using a familiar cell view and then convert it to, say, a Kanban board.
  • Create No-Code Automations: Use templates or build from scratch with a trigger, condition and action automation format. Save time on admin tasks with automations for alerts, approvals, document creation and sheet changes. Choose from four starting cell-related triggers and build from there. We thought the automation building was intuitive and straightforward. Check out our test in the “See It In Action” section below.
  • Access Multiple Views: Add dynamic views to your projects and filter and customize views to meet task requirements. For example, we added a card view organized by status and a Kanban Board sorted by task assignee. Create a customizable dashboard to pull data like task progress, workload and duration using widgets.
  • Share Proofs and Additional Information: Collaborate on team documents, provide context and add proofs and files to individual tasks or the entire sheet. We set a piece of content as a task and added extra files like logos and docs along with comments for specific client requests.
  • Train As You Go: Kick your project off with a checklist outlining best practices and research material. Use pop-ups and explainer icons with video links as you work to get a better understanding of features and capabilities. We popped over to the help center to learn how to set up baselines for our Gantt chart (you need to edit the start date and end date columns).
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  • Customize Your Workspace with ClickApps: Create a personalized environment for your business by enabling ClickApps for specific spaces or the entire organization. Enable apps like time tracking, custom fields, dependency warnings, time estimates and sprints. We loved the custom fields with multiple drop-downs for statuses and teams and the dependency warnings, so nothing slips through the cracks.
  • Create No-Code Automations and Workflows: Click on the Automations tab on the right-hand side of your screen to create your own custom automations using prebuilt templates with conditions, actions and triggers or build your own. We tested building our own workflow automation for status changes with more than one action and found it was simple to execute.
  • Collaborate Better via Various Channels: Communicate more efficiently via comment threads in the card, user mentions, screen recordings, native docs and group chats. We appreciated the accountability of comment threads and how you can assign comments to users that show up differently from a regular mention. The ability to link internal documents and add checklists to cards is a great way to enforce processes and brand guidelines — a big plus in our eyes.
  • View Projects in Multiple Ways: Set up multiple views for each of your spaces so you can zoom in a particular step in your project or get an overview of your progress. We liked the variety of views, including Kanban, list and calendar, and also that you can pin certain views, say urgent tasks, so it’s front and center for all team members.
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  • Dashboards and Reports: Customize your dashboard by adding widgets like reports, project-specific charts, shortcuts, images and text. Consolidate data from multiple sheets into a summary view using system reports. Track sheet changes using bi-directional functionality. Send reports via collaborative tools and change statuses to recur.
  • Multiple Views: View your tasks using the grid view, akin to a spreadsheet, a Gantt view as an add-on to your grid view, a Kanban board where you can drag and drop tasks and group them by assignee or status, a timeline view, a card view with customizable lanes and a calendar view that displays your tasks across its duration or by start dates only.
  • Task Management: Add your tasks and subtasks into each cell and use the indent and outdent buttons to divide tasks into groups that can be minimized to provide a project overview. Create or modify custom fields with your own text, dropdown lists and symbols to show status, assignees, priority, dates and latest comment. Attach files and proofs, write comments and mention users and set reminders for tasks.
  • Automations and Workflows: Save time with custom processes and workflows you can build by modifying templates for reminders and alerts, document generation, row changes, sheet changes and updates, and approval requests. Build your own workflow automations from scratch by choosing your trigger, setting conditions and adding actions. Manage automations by deactivating, deleting, duplicating or unsubscribing.
  • Templates: Use pre-built templates ranging from event management to HR workflows and marketing to streamline project creation. View complexity, task management and process before you apply a template. Build and save your own templates by customizing pre-built templates or creating them from scratch.
  • Integrations: Drive productivity with integrations like Office 365, Dropbox, DocuSign and Google Workspace and use iCal or Google Calendar to track project statuses.
  • Team Collaboration: Communicate with team members by commenting and mentioning users in individual tasks, adding files for additional information and chatting via the conversations tool where everyone with access to the sheet can see your comments. Integrate with Slack or Microsoft Teams to receive updates about your sheet and send messages to channels.
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  • Multiple Views: Get a bird’s eye view of your business with the everything view. Check your project’s progress in over 15 ways, including Kanban, board, Gantt, calendar, chat and activity views.
  • Custom Workspaces: Create (work)spaces for each project with your own set of workflow rules, automations, statuses, fields and even assignees. Move tasks in-between spaces and change priority, receive pop-ups if statuses are different and control space accessibility.
  • Task Management: Keep track of tasks using cards that you can build from scratch or create using custom templates and fields. Assign tasks, post points, due dates, assignees and statuses. View and add comments, create alerts for overdue tasks, use custom checklists and add task dependencies.
  • Sprint Management: Create sprints using templates from ClickUp or your workspace. Manage your sprint cycles by setting custom sprint dates, priority levels and points to your work. Auto-add unfinished tasks to your next sprint, duplicate sprint views and integrate sprints with GitHub, GitLab and Bitbucket. Pace your sprints against a target using burndown charts and use burnup charts to see completed and pending work. Organize and manage sprint-specific settings via the sprint folder.
  • No-Code Automations: Create custom automations for tasks and processes without coding expertise. Use built-in recipes, ClickApps or build-your-own automations in each space using actions, triggers and conditions custom to your workflow and processes using drop-down menus.
  • Dashboards and Reporting: Click on the home icon to view a personalized dashboard of your recent projects, assigned tasks, reminders and comments. Create custom dashboards and reports from specific spaces using templates or by selecting the start from scratch option.
  • Time Tracking: Track time from multiple assignees using the built-in tracker in each card. Get an overview of user activity in your company and see when users are active using Pulse and the timesheets feature.
  • Document Creation: Create documents within the program’s word processor that are directly integrated into projects and tasks. Import documents from other word processors to add tags and use a robust tool library.
  • Goals and Targets: Set and organize goal trackers in folders to keep track of multiple projects at once. Set goal targets by monetary value, True/false conditions, or by number of units.
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Product Ranking

#5

among all
Project Management Software

#14

among all
Project Management Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

81
92
83
100
80
100
88
88
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Project Tracking
Platform Features
Mobile Capabilities
Task Management
Customizations
Dashboards and Reporting
Platform Security
Task Management
Team Collaboration

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Smartsheet
ClickUp
+ Add Product + Add Product
Customizations Dashboards And Reporting Mobile Capabilities Platform Features Project Planning And Scheduling Project Tracking Task Management Team Collaboration Time Tracking And Management 83 80 88 92 78 96 85 77 56 100 100 88 94 89 79 100 95 71 0 25 50 75 100
57%
43%
0%
100%
0%
0%
80%
0%
20%
100%
0%
0%
86%
0%
14%
71%
0%
29%
88%
0%
12%
92%
4%
4%
67%
8%
25%
92%
0%
8%
86%
14%
0%
71%
0%
29%
75%
17%
8%
100%
0%
0%
67%
8%
25%
92%
0%
8%
14%
57%
29%
71%
0%
29%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

67%
6%
27%
83%
0%
17%
63%
0%
37%
100%
0%
0%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 22301 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 15441 reviews
88%
of users recommend this product

Smartsheet has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 22301 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

94%
of users recommend this product

ClickUp has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 94% when considering 15441 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (20)
4.3 (15)
4.4 (17366)
4.7 (9774)
4.5 (3333)
4.7 (4231)
4.7 (728)
4.5 (178)
4.3 (854)
4.5 (1243)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Smartsheet and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Mobile Capabilities and Project Tracking.

Mobile Capabilities Award
Project Tracking Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated ClickUp and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Project Management Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for Customizations, Dashboards and Reporting, Mobile Capabilities, Task Management and Platform Security. ClickUp stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

Analysts' Pick Award
User Favorite Award
Customizations Award
Dashboards and Reporting Award
Mobile Capabilities Award
Task Management Award
Platform Security Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Automation: Reviewers appreciated the no-code automation and said that it helps to eliminate productivity killers and saves time.
Collaboration: Users liked the sharing option with level-based permissions that allow collaboration with non-users and help coworkers and external stakeholders stay up-to-date on projects and processes.
Ease of Use: A user-friendly interface and templates make it easy to set up, customize and access multiple views, according to reviewers.
What Users Like
Customization: “We can customize it to fit various projects, whether we’re tracking client cases, managing document revisions, or planning team tasks. For instance, I created a project tracker for a major client contract negotiation. The ability to set deadlines, assign tasks, and update statuses in real time has streamlined our communication and kept everyone on the same page.” - Russ Johnson, Founder of Linx Legal
Collaboration: “We had this one job in a high-rise condo that put Smartsheet to the test. The sliding door system was an older model with custom-sized panels that aren’t easy to source, and it needed specific adjustments due to the unique structure of the frame. Typically, coordinating the right parts, tools, and technician experience for something like this would require several phone calls and a lot of back-and-forth. With Smartsheet, we were able to set up the job details to track not only the special parts needed but also assign a technician who was experienced with that model. When the parts came in, the technician was notified directly through Smartsheet, so he knew the moment everything was ready. It saved us from potential delays and kept the customer fully updated on when the work could be done.” - Gal Cohen, Business Development Leader and Field Area Manager JDM Sliding Doors
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Easy To Use: Reviewers appreciated how easy the solution was to use and set up, even without extensive training or customer support.
Customization: Extensive customization options like task views, priority levels, color coding, and automations to create a unique product for their specific team were a plus for many users.
Collaboration: Users liked how easy it is to collaborate by assigning tasks, subtasks, comments and due dates with automated email notifications.
What Users Like
Versatility: “ClickUp lets you tailor tasks, projects, and views down to the smallest detail, which was perfect for our team since each project can look totally different. For example, we used its automation features to auto-assign tasks when certain stages were reached, which cut down on a ton of back-and-forth and kept everyone aligned.” - Victor André Enselmann, Founder of digital marketing firm Modeva
Centralization and Collaboration: “With offices across major U.S. cities, aligning everyone can be challenging. However, ClickUp’s customizable dashboards allow each team to organize tasks based on project demands while keeping a high-level view of overall progress. This flexibility has significantly reduced the back-and-forth between teams, saving time and ensuring that our large-scale projects stay on track.” - Steve Morris, Founder and CEO of NEW MEDIA
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System Integration: Limited integrations and complex configurations were an issue for reviewers.
Premium Add-Ons: Reviewers noted that advanced features come with a price tag that can be prohibitive for some businesses.
Slow Loading Time: Users reported it takes time to display screens export formats occasionally.
What Users Dislike
Integration: “Despite its many benefits, integrating Smartsheet with other systems posed some challenges. Initially, we experienced issues with data syncing between Smartsheet and our CRM software, leading to discrepancies in our financial reporting. Recognizing this, I allocated specific time for thorough testing before our full implementation, allowing us to identify and resolve any integration issues early on.” - Austin Rulfs, Founder of Zanda Wealth Mortgage Brokers
Learning Curve: “While Smartsheet is powerful, it can feel a bit overwhelming at first. I found that investing time in training sessions helped bridge that gap, making it easier for everyone to adapt and use the tool effectively.” - Russ Johnson, Founder of Linx Legal
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Cost: Reviewers mentioned expensive renewal fees after the free trial and upselling.
Learning Curve: Users noted it takes time for new users to get familiarized with so many features and how its navigation and customization work.
Notifications: An influx of email notifications for every change can cause some important alerts to get lost, according to some users.
What Users Dislike
Too Many Features: “We ended up with a cluttered dashboard full of features we didn’t need, and it actually slowed us down. Once we simplified and focused on just the core tools, it was a lot smoother. So, with ClickUp, the trick is to use what you need and ignore the rest, or it can overwhelm more than it helps." - Victor André Enselmann, Founder of digital marketing firm Modeva
Time-Based Automations: “Initially, the learning curve was steep, which led to some confusion and delays as we adapted. To address this, we created a custom onboarding process for new hires that guides them through the platform’s essentials before diving into more advanced functions.” - Steve Morris, Founder and CEO of NEW MEDIA
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Smartsheet is a cloud-based work management platform that helps users streamline and organize processes with a spreadsheet-esque interface, flexible templates, multiple views and team collaboration. Apart from the grid view, you can visualize projects using a Gantt chart, Kanban board, calendar view, card view or timeline view. No-code automations are another note-worthy feature, where you can build from templates or scratch.It streamlines project creation with templates suited to different industries and end goals, so you have a jumping-off point instead of going in blind. Team collaboration is another area where Smartsheet shines, with comments, conversations and file and sheet sharing (even with people outside your organization). It also offers a customizable dashboard view, although I did find some of the chart widgets a little tricky to work, without training.Highlights for me were definitely the familiarity of spreadsheet formatting (but with more views and automations), robust collaboration capabilities and guided explainers throughout the setup. However, user reviews noted limited filters and integrations, lags and expensive add-ons as downsides.Overall, Smartsheet is a great option for teams familiar with spreadsheets but are on the lookout for more visualization and collaboration, along with the budget to spend on advanced features.

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ClickUp is an all-in-one project management solution designed to help businesses in any industry optimize project cycles with a highly customizable interface, robust automation capabilities and extensive collaboration features. It helps you visualize tasks and project optimally with over 15 views including options like Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and calendars.No-code automation with templates and drop-down menus for increased personalization mean you can build effective workflows. Other notable features include in-card comments, custom dashboards, sprint management, in-built documents and time tracking.However, ClickUp’s feature-rich platform can also be a pitfall with some reviewers noting a steep learning curve associated with mastering its various functionalities. Additionally, the platform's tiered pricing structure might be a concern for smaller teams or organizations with limited budgets.During our test run, ClickUp scored points for its easy automation, customization to the nth level, reporting views and collaborative tools. We found it incredibly easy to build custom workflows, implement templates for a new space and keep assignees accountable with the activity stream in each card. Overall, we think ClickUp is a fantastic option for businesses of all sizes, especially if you’re looking for a highly customizable and collaborative project management platform.

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