ClickUp vs Smartsheet – Which Is Better For Project Management?

November 29, 2022

Table of Contents

The Bottom Line Up Front
ClickUp vs Smartsheet - The Main Difference
What Is ClickUp?
What Is Smartsheet?
ClickUp - The Main Features
Smartsheet - The Main Features
ClickUp vs Smartsheet - Integrations
- ClickUp
- Smartsheet
ClickUp vs Smartsheet - Customer Support
- ClickUp
- Smartsheet
ClickUp vs Smartsheet - Pricing
ClickUp vs Smartsheet - Alternatives To Try
FAQs
My Final Thoughts

Last Updated on April 22, 2023 by Ewen Finser

Having a decent project management platform is key if you want to manage a project – whether it’s a creative project or a new business venture. In addition, you need to have a platform that will enable collaborative working, especially now that many people choose to work remotely. So the question is, when it comes to ClickUp vs Smartsheet, which one is best for project management?

I’ll give you my opinion in just a moment, and then we’ll go into the main differences, and then we’ll go into each one in more detail.

I’ve been both a contributor and a manager in creative projects, so I understand the need to make certain processes easier: the more time you can save on admin tasks, the better! I’ll let you know what I think about each one, and answer some frequently asked questions, too.

The Bottom Line Up Front

Okay, here’s what I’m thinking: I can see the flexibility of Smartsheet and how that would appeal to bigger companies, but I much prefer the experience of using ClickUp.

ClickUp is brighter and easier to navigate, and it offers more options in terms of communicating with team members. I can imagine that working using ClickUp will make you feel more in touch with your team, whereas Smartsheet is plain and doesn’t allow you to create voice notes, for example. These small details can make a big difference to user experience.

However, Smartsheet does offer some flexibility for larger companies wanting to design a platform that works for their business, which is great.

ClickUp vs Smartsheet – The Main Difference

There are a few big differences between ClickUp and Smartsheet:

ClickUp is a bit easier to navigate, whereas Smartsheet requires a bit more help to get used to
ClickUp’s interface is a bit brighter, whereas Smartsheet’s interface is a little plainer
ClickUp offers more chances to communicate including voice notes, screen sharing, and Whiteboards, whereas Smartsheet is more limited
ClickUp allows you to create docs in the platform, whereas Smartsheet does not
ClickUp is more fixed, whereas Smartsheet has a lot of creative options for larger companies
ClickUp offers a free plan, whereas Smartsheet does not (but it does have a free trial)

What Is ClickUp?

Why Go With ClickUp?

I've been so impressed with how quickly ClickUp has caught up with and even EXCEEDED competitors. They have ALL the integrations, plenty of pre-built templates for any use case, AND additional customization for any workflow.

Check it out Here

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ClickUp is a project management tool, designed to make online collaboration much more accessible. Users can bring other apps (including Google Drive, Zoom, and Slack) under one umbrella, making it simple to track tasks and keep an eye on team members’ progress.

ClickUp has a free plan, and it’s suitable for any sized team wanting to get organized.

What Is Smartsheet?

Smartsheet is a project management platform, offering task management, project tracking, calendars, document sharing, and other services.

Smartsheet has a free trial, so potential users can check out the platform before committing to it. I’d recommend it for any sized team wanting to better manage complex projects, but I think it’s particularly well suited to larger businesses wanting a customizable platform.

ClickUp – The Main Features

Here’s what I think about the main features of ClickUp.

UX

User experience is essential to me: I hate using clunky, cluttered apps. Luckily, ClickUp is pretty clean and simple.

Everything you need is on the dashboard, including quick access to apps like Google Drive, Google Chrome, and Google Calendar. You can easily view your task list, ordered by the due date, and see tasks you’ve completed and delegated. Plus, you can pin sections to your ‘favorites’ bar on the left-hand side, making it easier to see the areas of ClickUp you use regularly.

It’s also very easy to get going. You don’t need to pay to use ClickUp, so it takes moments to get going.

Task Management

It’s easy to add tasks on ClickUp. You can choose a location for the task, assign it to yourself or a colleague, type a description (including checklists and subtasks), and set a due date.

What I like about ClickUp is that you can add Dependencies. Sometimes, with a particularly complex project, you end up waiting around for other tasks to be completed first. ClickUp allows for this, and you can add ‘Waiting On’ tasks, ‘Blocking’ Tasks, and ‘Related’ Tasks.

You can also set watchers, which means the created task will pop up on other people’s dashboards. This means you can flag up tasks for managers or editors to keep an eye on, thus delegating the responsibility and sharing the load more easily.

Adding tags to tasks makes it easier to view, at a glance, what needs to be done. This is good if you’re running many tasks at once.

Calendar and Scheduling

From your dashboard, you can quickly access the calendar to see any upcoming deadlines or Zoom calls:

You can also view your Agenda, which will quickly bring up any tasks that are due urgently.

I also like that you can set recurring tasks. This saves a lot of time and hassle if you want to set up repeat tasks or events (like weekly calls).

Communication

I like the speed of communication using ClickUp. You can easily add comments to tasks and projects, and you can tag people to grab their attention next time they log in. At any time you can share documents, share links, and set up Chats for specific groups of people.

Plus, you can quickly and easily record voice clips, sending them to specific people or adding them to Chats or tasks. This makes it much easier if you have a lot to say! Task organization feels more collaborative with ClickUp. You can view tasks in list or board form, or you can make the most of their Whiteboard feature, which I find engaging and useful.

You can permit other people to add to Whiteboards, and it’s really easy to use (although I have to admit that some of the features, like drawing arrows to link ideas, are a bit buggy at times). You can add images, links, drawings, and text, and you can add tasks to give your team members a visual idea of how you’ll complete a project.

Goals

Setting goals is pretty easy to do in ClickUp:

Goals can be broken up into stages, in either task targets, number targets, monetary targets, and more. These can be shared with anyone on the team and can be viewed from your dashboard, helping everyone to keep on track. Seeing your progress is motivating, and it helps to be able to break up tasks into chunks.

Notes and Docs

I also enjoy how easy it is to create documents using ClickUp’s simple word processor:

Docs can be shared with anyone, added to tasks, and given a header image and logo.

I was impressed by how easily you can edit these documents, including font, page width, adding subtitles, and more. ClickUp aims to make it easier to complete projects without having to open several apps at once, and I think document creation is the perfect example of how this can save time.

Smartsheet – The Main Features

Here’s what I thought about my time with Smartsheet.

UX

I like how easy it is to get started on Smartsheet. The setup process is really simple, and it launches you right into the platform:

Once you’re in, you can see a basic overview of your current project.

I like how clean the interface is, but I have to say, it is a bit less visually appealing than ClickUp. It’s easy to navigate, but the lack of color makes it seem a little too plain.