ClickUp vs. Asana? Choosing a Project Management System
The Realest Pro-Con List You’ll Read for Popular Project Management Systems
Confession: When people compliment me on “having it all together,” I feel like Fraudy McFraudster.
I’ll let you in on a little secret: Success looks far simpler from the outside.
Despite my extensive experience running two businesses and two studios, I still struggle to stay on top of things for myself.
For far longer than I’d care to admit, my “project management system” consisted of my virtual assistant, my copywriter, and the task lists in my Google Calendar.
Of course, I had systems in place for clients (I use Dubsado for that), but I also had the distinct feeling I needed someone to project manage ME so I could project manage.
You, too?
Well, gentle reader, it’s time for all that to change.
I decided to kick the procrastination habit and give not one but TWO project management systems the old college try. Here are the very real pros and cons I found so you can make the most informed decision for you and your business.
The Pros and Cons of Using Asana
Let’s start with Asana. In the past, I’d only used Asana to create lists.
Where are my fellow list-makers at?!
I’ve long relied on to-do lists to reduce reliance on my neurodivergent brain (if I don’t immediately put it on the list/calendar, it’s gone forever) – and Asana is really great for that. But couldn’t I get more out of Asana? I believed so. After a lot of thought and research, I finally decided to give Asana another go for two reasons:
My VA, Olivia, already knew how to use it and could guide me through the process. This also meant we didn’t have to teach her a new system.
It's a lot more "get up and go," making it easier to jump right in. Asana is pretty intuitive for beginners.
Here’s what I learned about Asana as compared with Click-up:
Asana is more streamlined, more intuitive, and has an easier-to-use interface. There’s not a lot you can mess up because of the parameters set.
It can be used for free forever if you only need the very basics for your business.
It incorporates private messaging, which I appreciate. (Clickup does too…but differently)
It’s actually a task/project collaboration management system. It isn't trying to be anything else and has continued to stay in its lane. Sticking to what it’s good at means it rules this domain and remains less glitchy than competitors.
The mobile app is cleaner and better than Click-Up’s.
Automation can be tied more to workflows than a this-then-that network.
Hierarchy is more exclusive and designated project-by-project. This means that "categories" stick together and remain separate.
It has more native tools/integrations.
Using Asana when working with large teams means you often need several other tools.
Overall: Asana is of higher quality for task management but much less quantity (than ClickUp) – which isn't necessarily bad, depending on what you’re looking for.
The Pros and Cons of Using ClickUp
After signing up for ClickUp (and paying for it every month), I resigned myself to the idea that I might never figure it out. It is time-intensive to learn how it all works and set it up effectively. It just overwhelmed me. I felt that way for a long time.
But then I started playing with ClickUp again.
I really wanted to figure it out because ClickUp does so much more than Asana. For instance, it lets me create documents, which can then be housed in one place. Hallelujah.
I figured if I could get so much more out of Clickup for a much smaller price, I should give it a chance. So I did.
Here’s what I learned about ClickUp as compared with Asana:
It does more. Pair that with its lower price tag, and it’s true: you get more for less.
Hierarchy is more complicated. I think of it as a matrix that nests together. This verison of hierarchy provides different views, but makes also it more challenging to learn/navigate the system (hence why I gave up the first time.)
ClickUp is constantly developing more features. This can be both good and bad. Good that they are adding and moving forward; bad in that you often feel like a beginner all over again.
ClickUp is the most cost-effective. You get so much more for substantially less.
Email can happen directly inside of ClickUp.
You can very quickly create a new task/doc from anywhere.
ClickUp has a lot more flexibility. But that means a lot more can go wrong.
Lots of integrations. You can even do document creation directly in app. (However, be warned that there’s no easy way to download and transfer all the info housed in Clickup if you ever decide to leave the platform. That was a BIG con for me.)
I hear it’s painfully slow — especially with things like docs.
It’s trying to be the one tool to rule them all, which would be great if that were possible. But reality doesn’t always match the vision. As a result, it's got lots of glitches, and casting a wider net means it's not doing everything all that great. You may not need multiple tools for your team – but the platform can be really time-intensive to set up and become efficient.
Overall: Clickup is higher quantity and good quality – but it doesn’t do everything great.
Other Platforms to Consider:
Notion is a beloved platform by many!
I’ve heard it described as though “ClickUp and Asana had a baby”. It’s so customizable and flexible — you can write, plan & organize with it, too. The interface looks much more basic, which some people like. There’s not a lot of color or distraction.
But getting it functional for your business comes with a big learning and setup curve that I didn’t have the time for. It doesn’t have much in terms of integrations.
Monday has a growing following and has become a tough competitor, but I just decided it was easier to not also go down that rabbit hole. I hear it can be a great time saver, has a beautiful interface, and does many things well. I also hear that people can grow frustrated with it lacking some basics.
The Real Secret To Systems That Work
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. For all that you love about any one system, there’s something not to love, too. The real secret is automating client workflows as much as possible and setting up systems that work for you (whatever those may be).
For instance, if you love Google Tasks/Calendar and it’s working for you, stick with it.
However, if you’re feeling scattered and finding it hard to manage multiple places of lists or info, choose a project management system like Asana or ClickUp to keep you organized. These places can become a solid “business hub” for you to refer back to.
Running a business can feel lonely, but you are not alone.
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