ClickUp vs Asana: Complete Comparison (2026)

ClickUp vs Asana: which one actually helps you bill clients?

If you're comparing ClickUp and Asana, you're probably looking for a project management tool that keeps your team organized. Both do that: tasks, timelines, dashboards, automations. But neither one can invoice a client, send a proposal, or collect a payment. You'll need separate tools for time tracking, billing, and client communication, which means more subscriptions, more logins, and more data to copy between apps.

ClickUp tries to be an "all-in-one" workspace with docs, whiteboards, and time tracking built in. But that time tracking doesn't connect to invoicing, and there's no client portal or proposal system - so you're still juggling tools.

Asana focuses on clean project views and portfolio management for larger teams. But it has no native time tracking at all, and you'll still need third-party tools to handle billing.

Below, we break down where each tool fits and where it falls short. If you need a tool that tracks time and converts those hours into invoices with one click... check out Plutio and skip the comparison.

Last updated January 2026

4.6

Quick comparison (TLDR)

ClickUp offers task management, docs, whiteboards, and time tracking in one platform. Pricing starts at $7/user/month and includes more features than most competitors at that price. But ClickUp focuses entirely on internal team workflows. There is no invoicing, no proposals, and no way to show clients their project status. Time tracking data stays inside ClickUp with no path to billing.

Asana takes a cleaner approach with fewer features and a more focused interface. Pricing starts at $10.99/user/month, and the platform performs consistently for teams with clear hierarchies and large portfolios. But Asana also stops at internal work. No time tracking, no billing, and no client-facing tools. Every billable hour requires a third-party app.

Key differences at a glance

Time tracking: ClickUp includes native time tracking on paid plans. Asana requires third-party tools like Harvest or Toggl.
Pricing: ClickUp is cheaper per seat ($7-12/user) vs Asana ($10.99-24.99/user) for similar features.
Interface: Asana is cleaner and more focused. ClickUp offers more views but can feel overwhelming.
Client billing: Neither tool offers invoicing. Both require external apps for billing clients.
Customization: ClickUp allows granular customization of workflows, including custom fields, statuses, and automations. Asana keeps things more standardized.
Team size: Asana targets large enterprises with portfolio management, but costs more per seat and has no native time tracking. ClickUp suits smaller teams wanting one platform for tasks and docs.

ClickUp makes sense when you want maximum features at a lower price, but the learning curve takes about a week and there is no invoicing. Asana makes sense when you need portfolio management for a larger team, but it costs more per seat and has no native time tracking. Plutio covers tasks, time tracking, proposals, and invoicing in one app for $19/month.

Tired of switching between apps?

One platform for the full workflow

Task management, time tracking, invoicing, and client portals. All in one platform for $19/month.

No credit card required

Plutio - Your entire business, one login away

4.6/5 Rating

4.4/5 Rating

4.6/5 Rating

4.7/5 Rating

User interface and ease of use

You need to manage work, not learn software. How quickly can your team get productive?

ClickUp

Packed with tools but busy. ClickUp packs a lot into one interface: tasks, docs, whiteboards, goals, chat. New users often spend a week just figuring out where things are and how the nested hierarchy (workspaces, spaces, folders, lists, tasks, subtasks) fits together. The trade-off is adaptability. Once you learn the layout, you can customize almost everything, from custom statuses and fields to automation triggers that fire when tasks move between columns. Multiple view options (list, board, Gantt, calendar, timeline, table, mind map) give teams control over how they see their work. The real question is whether your team has the patience to configure all of those options before the tool starts paying off.

15+ project views available
Granular customization options
Built-in docs and whiteboards
Steeper learning curve (roughly one week)
Interface can feel cluttered with features

Asana

Clean and focused. Asana prioritizes clarity over features. The interface is consistent and predictable, and most teams can start creating projects within an hour of signing up. Every project follows the same pattern: add tasks, assign owners, set due dates, and track progress in list or board view. The trade-off is less adaptability. You get list, board, timeline, and calendar views, but fewer customization options than ClickUp. Custom fields exist on paid plans, but the overall framework is more rigid. Larger organizations often prefer the structure because it reduces the time spent configuring the tool and keeps every team on the same workflow pattern.

Clean, consistent interface
Quick team onboarding (under one hour)
Good for structured, repeatable workflows
Limited view customization
Less adaptable than ClickUp

Time tracking and billable hours

If you bill clients by the hour, how do you track and convert that time into money?

ClickUp

Native time tracking on paid plans. ClickUp includes a built-in timer you can start directly from any task. Time logs appear in reports and can be filtered by project, team member, or date range. You can also set time estimates per task and compare estimated hours against actual hours logged, which helps with future project scoping. But the time data stops at reporting. There is no invoicing built in, so when a project wraps up, you have to export a CSV, open a separate billing tool, and manually create an invoice from the time logs. For a team running 10-15 client projects a month, that manual step adds up to hours of admin work.

Native time tracking on Unlimited+ plans
Track time at task level with estimates
Time reports by project and user
No invoicing integration
Cannot convert time to invoices

Asana

No native time tracking. Asana does not include time tracking in any plan. You need to connect a third-party tool like Harvest ($10.80/user/mo), Toggl ($9/user/mo), or Everhour ($8.50/user/mo). The extra tool adds $8-15/user/month on top of the Asana subscription. The integrations connect through sidebar widgets or browser extensions, but you are now managing two systems with separate logins, separate billing, and separate data exports. When a project ends, you pull time data from one tool and manually transfer totals into your invoicing software, which means three systems touch a single billing event.

Integrates with Harvest, Toggl, Everhour
Integration setup takes under 10 minutes
No native time tracking in any plan
Additional $8-15/user/month for time tool
Two systems to manage for every billing cycle

Client communication and billing

Your team uses the tool internally. But can clients see their project status or pay invoices through it?

ClickUp

Internal focus only. ClickUp targets internal team workflows, not client-facing ones. You can invite guests with limited permissions, but guests see the full ClickUp interface, your workspace structure, and ClickUp branding. There is no branded client portal where clients can log in under your domain, view their project timeline, approve deliverables, or pay invoices. If you run a client services business, you will need separate tools for proposals (PandaDoc or Better Proposals), contracts (DocuSign or HelloSign), and billing (QuickBooks or FreshBooks). Each tool adds its own subscription, login, and data silo.

Guest access with limited permissions
No branded client portal
No proposals or contracts
No invoicing or payment collection
Clients see ClickUp branding

Asana

Same limitation. Asana also focuses on internal team collaboration. Guest access exists for external collaborators, but there is no portal where clients can see their project in a branded interface. Clients invited as guests see the Asana UI, your project structure, and other tasks within the project they are added to. Invoicing, proposals, and contracts are not part of Asana's feature set. The entire billing workflow, from initial proposal through to payment collection, happens in external tools. For agencies running 10+ active client accounts, that means switching between Asana, a proposal tool, a contract tool, and an invoicing tool for every new engagement.

Guest access for external collaborators
No branded client portal
No proposals or contracts
No invoicing or payment collection
Clients see Asana's UI and branding

Automation and workflows

Repetitive tasks drain hours every week. How does each platform handle rule-based automation to reduce manual work?

ClickUp

Granular automation with high volume limits. ClickUp includes automation on the Unlimited plan ($7/user/month) with 100 automations per month. The Business plan ($12/user/month) removes the cap entirely. Automations trigger on task status changes, assignee changes, due date arrivals, or custom field updates. You can build multi-step workflows that create tasks, move items between lists, send notifications, and update custom fields in sequence. The builder supports conditional logic with if/then branching. The trade-off: configuring automations requires understanding ClickUp's nested hierarchy, and complex workflows take time to build and test. For teams running 50+ automations per month, the unlimited cap on Business is a meaningful advantage over Asana's limits.

100 automations/month on Unlimited, unlimited on Business
Multi-step workflow builder with conditional logic
Custom field triggers and actions
Setup requires understanding nested hierarchy
Complex automations take time to configure

Asana

Clean rule builder with tighter caps. Asana's workflow builder uses a visual rule system: when a trigger fires, an action follows. Triggers include task completion, section changes, due date arrivals, and form submissions. The Starter plan includes 250 automations per month, and the Advanced plan raises that cap. The builder is easier to learn than ClickUp's because there are fewer options, but that simplicity limits what you can automate. Multi-step sequences with conditional branching are not available at the same depth as ClickUp. For teams with straightforward workflows (task created, assign to person, notify channel), Asana's builder is faster to set up. For teams needing branching logic across nested projects, ClickUp offers more control.

Visual rule builder with drag-and-drop
250 automations/month on Starter
Form submission triggers available
Limited conditional branching
Fewer trigger and action options than ClickUp

Reporting and dashboards

When leadership asks how projects are tracking, can you pull a report without exporting to a spreadsheet?

ClickUp

Custom dashboards with widget flexibility. ClickUp's dashboard builder lets you create custom views with widgets for task status, time tracking summaries, workload distribution, sprint velocity, and custom field breakdowns. The Business plan includes unlimited dashboards with 50+ widget types. You can build a dashboard that shows time logged per project, tasks completed per team member, and overdue items across all spaces. The downside: building a useful dashboard takes 30-60 minutes of configuration, and the number of widget options can be overwhelming for teams that want a quick overview without the customization work.

50+ widget types on Business plan
Time tracking data in dashboards
Custom field reporting
Dashboard setup takes 30-60 minutes
Widget overload for simple reporting needs

Asana

Portfolio-level reporting for cross-project visibility. Asana's Advanced plan includes portfolios that combine status across multiple projects into a single view. Project owners update status with a color-coded system (on track, at risk, off track), and the portfolio dashboard shows the health of every project at a glance. Individual project dashboards show task completion rates, upcoming deadlines, and milestone progress. The reporting is cleaner and requires less setup than ClickUp, but the depth is limited. There is no time tracking data to report on since Asana has no native timer. Custom field reporting exists but with fewer visualization options than ClickUp's widget system.

Portfolio dashboard on Advanced plan
Color-coded project health status
Task completion and milestone tracking
No time tracking data in reports
Fewer visualization options than ClickUp

Integrations and ecosystem

No project management tool works in isolation. How well does each platform connect to the tools your team already uses?

ClickUp

Broad native integrations plus built-in alternatives. ClickUp integrates with 1,000+ tools through native connections and Zapier. Key integrations include Slack, GitHub, GitLab, Google Drive, Dropbox, Figma, and Zoom. But ClickUp also builds in features that replace some of those tools: ClickUp Docs replaces Google Docs for some teams, ClickUp Chat replaces Slack for internal messaging, and ClickUp Whiteboards replaces Miro for brainstorming. The bundled approach reduces the number of tools in the stack, but each built-in feature is less capable than the dedicated tool it replaces. Teams have to decide whether the convenience of fewer logins outweighs the feature gaps in each built-in alternative.

1,000+ integrations via native and Zapier
Built-in docs, chat, and whiteboards
GitHub and GitLab integrations for dev teams
Built-in alternatives are less capable than dedicated tools
Some integrations require Zapier (extra cost)

Asana

Focused integration library with strong partnerships. Asana integrates with 200+ tools natively, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Adobe Creative Cloud, Salesforce, and Tableau. The integrations are more curated than ClickUp's broader list but tend to work more reliably out of the box. Asana's Harvest integration is the most common path to time tracking. The Salesforce integration is useful for teams that need CRM data connected to project tasks. Asana does not try to replace tools with built-in alternatives. Instead, it focuses on being the project management layer that connects to your existing stack. For teams already committed to specific tools for communication, design, and development, Asana's integration approach requires less switching.

200+ native integrations
Adobe Creative Cloud and Salesforce connections
Reliable out-of-box integration setup
Smaller integration library than ClickUp
No built-in alternatives for communication or docs

Skip the comparison?

Get task management and billing in one app

ClickUp and Asana handle internal work. Plutio handles the full workflow: projects, time tracking, invoicing, and client portals.

No credit card required

4.6/5 Rating

4.4/5 Rating

4.6/5 Rating

4.7/5 Rating

ClickUp vs Asana pricing breakdown

Both tools use per-seat pricing that scales with team size. Here is how the costs compare for 2026.

ClickUp Pricing (2026)

Free: 100MB storage, unlimited tasks, limited features. No time tracking, no Gantt charts, no automations. Suitable for solo testing only.
Unlimited ($7/user/mo): Unlimited storage, Gantt charts, time tracking, integrations, and 100 automations per month. Most popular for small teams of 2-10 people.
Business ($12/user/mo): Adds Google SSO, dashboards, workload management, sprint reporting, and unlimited automations. The go-to plan for agencies and growing teams.
Enterprise: Custom pricing. White-labeling, advanced permissions, HIPAA compliance, and dedicated success manager. Requires annual contract.

Asana Pricing (2026)

Personal (Free): Up to 10 teammates, basic list and board views, no timeline, no dependencies, no custom fields.
Starter ($10.99/user/mo): Timeline view, workflow builder, custom fields, forms, and 250 automations per month. Minimum viable plan for most teams.
Advanced ($24.99/user/mo): Portfolios, workload management, advanced reporting, goals, and approvals. Required for cross-team multi-project oversight.
Enterprise: Custom pricing. SAML SSO, advanced audit logs, custom branding, data export API, and dedicated support.

The real cost comparison

A 10-person team comparing options:

ClickUp Business: $120/month for project management with time tracking
Asana Advanced: $250/month for project management without time tracking
Add time tracking: +$80-150/month for a third-party tool like Harvest or Toggl
Add invoicing: +$100-200/month for billing software like QuickBooks or FreshBooks
Add proposals and contracts: +$50-100/month for PandaDoc or DocuSign
Total stack cost: $250-600/month for the full client workflow

All-in-one platforms like Plutio start at $19/month for solo users and $49/month for teams, including projects, time tracking, invoicing, proposals, and client portals in one subscription. The cost difference grows significantly as team size increases, since Plutio uses flat-rate pricing rather than per-seat billing, meaning a 10-person team pays the same as a 3-person team on the same plan.

Which tool is better for your team type?

Choosing between ClickUp and Asana depends on whether you value feature density or interface clarity, and whether your workflow stops at task management or extends to client billing.

Marketing agencies

Neither tool handles client billing. ClickUp's docs and whiteboards are useful for creative briefs and internal collaboration. Asana's portfolios help manage multiple client accounts from a single dashboard. But when the creative work ends and billing begins, both tools stop. You still need a proposal tool, a contract tool, and an invoicing tool for every client engagement.

Software teams

Both work for sprint planning. ClickUp includes sprint points, velocity tracking, and burndown charts natively. Asana's timeline view maps dependencies across tasks and sprints. For teams that only need internal task coordination, either tool covers the basics. The difference is that ClickUp costs $7/user/month with more features, while Asana costs $10.99/user/month with a cleaner layout.

Freelancers and consultants

Neither is ideal. Both lack invoicing, proposals, and client portals. A freelancer using ClickUp still needs Harvest for time tracking exports, QuickBooks for invoicing, and DocuSign for contracts. The extra tools add $30-60/month in subscriptions on top of the project management tool, plus the time spent copying data between apps.

Enterprise teams

Asana has a cleaner interface and more admin controls, but it costs $24.99/user/month at the Advanced tier and still has no native time tracking. ClickUp offers more features at $12/user/month on the Business plan, but the interface requires more training and onboarding time. For a 50-person team, the annual cost difference between the two is $7,800 (ClickUp Business at $7,200/year vs Asana Advanced at $15,000/year).

If you run a client services business and need to track time, create proposals, and invoice from one app, look at Plutio instead.

What both tools are missing

ClickUp and Asana both focus on internal coordination, but they share a few critical architectural gaps that can slow down a client-service business.

Time tracking that doesn't connect to billing

ClickUp tracks time at the task level, but that data stays in ClickUp. There is no way to select a project's time logs and generate an invoice from them. You have to export a CSV, open your invoicing app, and manually enter each line item. Asana doesn't track time at all, so you need a third-party tool to capture hours before you can even start the export process. For a team billing 10 clients a month, that manual transfer adds 3-5 hours of admin work every billing cycle.

Proposals, contracts, and payments

The entire sales-to-billing cycle happens outside of these tools. A typical agency workflow requires PandaDoc or Better Proposals for proposals ($19-49/mo), DocuSign or HelloSign for e-signatures ($10-25/mo), and QuickBooks or FreshBooks for invoicing ($15-55/mo). Because these systems don't share data, you're stuck copying client names, project details, and line items between apps just to move a project from signed contract to paid invoice.

No client-facing dashboards

Both tools let you invite guests, but neither provides a branded portal where clients log in under your domain, see their project status, approve deliverables, and pay invoices. Agencies that want a professional client experience end up adding yet another tool, like a dedicated client portal app or a custom-built dashboard, to fill the gap. For teams running 10+ active clients, managing guest permissions across both ClickUp or Asana and a separate portal tool becomes its own administrative burden.

What users do when neither tool is enough

When ClickUp or Asana cannot handle the full workflow, users either build a multi-tool stack or switch to a platform designed for the complete client lifecycle.

The multi-tool stack approach

Most teams start by adding tools around their project manager: Harvest or Toggl for time tracking ($8-15/user/mo), PandaDoc for proposals ($19-49/mo), DocuSign for contracts ($10-25/mo), and QuickBooks for invoicing ($15-55/mo). The stack works, but each tool has its own login, its own billing cycle, and its own data format. Moving a project from proposal to invoice means copying client names, project details, hourly rates, and line items across 3-4 apps. Nothing syncs automatically, so a missed detail or typo in one tool doesn't get caught until the client questions the invoice.

The one-platform alternative

All-in-one platforms exist that handle task management, time tracking, proposals, and invoicing in a single system. Plutio is one platform that covers the complete workflow. Tasks live in Kanban boards or list views. Time tracking happens at the task level: click Start, do the work, click Stop. When the project ends, tracked hours convert to invoice line items with one click. Proposals use drag-and-drop templates that can include pricing tables, and signed contracts trigger project creation automatically. Clients access a portal under your domain to check status, approve work, and pay invoices directly. The entire workflow, from first proposal to final payment, happens in one system with no data copying between apps.

Final verdict: ClickUp vs Asana

ClickUp offers more features at a lower price, including time tracking, docs, whiteboards, and goals in one platform. The $7/user/month Unlimited plan covers most small team needs, and the $12/user/month Business plan adds dashboards and sprint reporting. But the interface can overwhelm new users (expect about a week of onboarding), and there is no path to invoicing clients. Time logs stay inside ClickUp with no way to generate an invoice from tracked hours. Score: 7.6/10

Asana provides a cleaner experience with portfolio management for large teams. The workflow builder and timeline view help coordinate cross-team projects. But Asana costs more per seat ($10.99-24.99/user/month) and lacks native time tracking entirely. Every billable hour requires a third-party tool at an additional cost. Score: 7.4/10

Neither tool completes the client lifecycle. Both stop at project management. If you need to track hours, create proposals, sign contracts, and invoice clients from one platform, neither ClickUp nor Asana will get you there without adding 3-4 external tools at an additional $50-150/month in subscriptions, plus the time spent copying client data between disconnected apps. Plutio starts at $19/month and covers tasks, time tracking, proposals, contracts, invoicing, and client portals in one subscription with flat-rate pricing instead of per-seat billing.

Research & Sources

The ClickUp vs Asana comparison is based on direct hands-on testing, official documentation review, and analysis of user feedback across major platforms. All data verified January 2026.

Research methodology

Both tools were evaluated through active paid accounts on the Business (ClickUp) and Advanced (Asana) plans over a 30-day testing period. Pricing was verified directly on each platform's official pricing page. Feature availability was confirmed through official help documentation, in-app testing, and support chat conversations. User sentiment was analyzed from 1,000+ reviews across G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius, with a focus on reviews from freelancers, agencies, and small teams.

Platform ratings (January 2026)

ClickUp: 4.7/5 on G2 (9,000+ reviews). Most praised: feature range, customization, and value for price. Most criticized: interface complexity, slow performance with large workspaces, and learning curve.
Asana: 4.3/5 on G2 (10,000+ reviews). Most praised: timeline view, dependency management, and onboarding speed. Most criticized: pricing at scale, limited customization, and no native time tracking.
Plutio: 4.6/5 on G2 (200+ reviews). Most praised: all-in-one coverage from proposals to invoicing. Most noted limitation: smaller user community compared to ClickUp and Asana.

What we did not test

Enterprise plans for both tools require custom pricing and direct sales contact. Enterprise-specific features like SAML SSO, advanced audit logs, and custom data residency were not tested. Mobile app performance was evaluated on iOS only. Integration testing with third-party tools (Harvest, Toggl, QuickBooks) was performed through official marketplace integrations.

If you find any inaccuracies or outdated pricing information, please let us know.

ClickUp vs Asana vs Plutio: full feature comparison

See how all three tools compare on project management, time tracking, invoicing, and client portals

PRICING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Starting price	$19/month (Core plan)	$10.99/user/month (Starter, annual)
Free plan	No free plan (14-day trial available)	Free plan for up to 10 users
Trial period	14-day free trial	Free trial available
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Manage projects and tasks	Fully flexible project and task setup you can shape to your workflow	Multiple views with dependencies
Project roles and permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each part of a project	You can control project access per user and team
Multiple task boards	Unlimited boards to run parallel workflows in the same project	You can create multiple boards per project
Embeddable project boards	Live project boards embedded into client portals or websites	You can embed read-only project views
Sharable project boards	Read-only public links for sharing progress without risk	You can share project links publicly
Project stages and milestones	Define custom project lifecycles for different types of work	You can define custom sections and milestones
Connected proposals, contracts, and invoices	Everything related stays connected to the project automatically	Not supported
Custom project data fields	Track, sort, filter, and report on custom project data	Full custom field support
Kanban boards	Drag-and-drop tasks across customizable columns	You can manage tasks in Kanban boards
Table view	Bulk-edit tasks like a spreadsheet	You can view tasks in table format
List view	Clean task lists with clear hierarchy	You can view tasks in lists
Calendar view	See tasks and deadlines on a calendar	You can view tasks on a calendar
Gantt view	Plan work visually with task order and dependencies	Timeline view functions as a Gantt chart
Subtasks	Break work down into multiple nested levels	You can break tasks into subtasks
Email to task	Turn emails into tasks without manual copying	Included
Task comments	Keep discussions tied directly to each task	You can comment directly on tasks
Task attachments	Store files directly on the task they belong to	You can attach files to tasks
Task priorities	Define priority levels that fit your workflow	Priorities must be modeled using custom fields
Task labels & color coding	Use unlimited labels to visually organize tasks	You can tag tasks and use color labels
Multiple task assignees	Assign tasks to one or multiple teammates	You can assign tasks to multiple teammates
Task templates	Reuse task-level structures across projects	You can reuse task and project templates
Task permissions	Control access at the individual task level	Permissions apply at project level, not per task
Task dependencies	Prevent work from starting out of order	You can define task dependencies
Recurring tasks	Automate repeating work with flexible schedules	You can create recurring tasks
Custom task data fields	Add task-level fields for tracking custom details	Full custom field support
TIME TRACKING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Time tracking system	Easily track time using timers or manual entries	Native time tracking (Advanced plan only, $24.99/user/month)
Task-level tracking	Log time directly against tasks and subtasks	Requires external tools or custom fields
Project-level tracking	See time spent per project and per client	Requires reporting tools or integrations
Billable time tracking	Clearly separate billable and non-billable time	Asana does not track billable time
Billable time invoicing	Turn tracked time into invoices without extra steps	Not supported
Timesheet reports	View detailed time reports by task, project, or client	Requires third-party tools
Team timesheets	See how each team member tracks their time	Requires integrations
PROPOSALS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Create and send proposals	Create proposals clients can review, approve, and sign in one flow	Asana is for task management only
Drag-and-drop proposal builder	Create custom, branded proposals without layout limits or code	Not supported
Reusable proposal templates	Reuse proven proposal layouts across clients	Not supported
Real-time proposal analytics	See exactly when proposals are opened and reviewed	Not supported
Live messenger on proposals	Answer questions directly while clients review proposals	Not supported
Proposal flow automation	Move from proposal to contract, invoice, or booking automatically	Not supported
Convert proposal to invoice	Create invoices directly from approved proposals	Not supported
Packages and add-ons	Offer upsells and add-ons directly inside proposals	Pricing packages are not supported
Interactive pricing tables	Let clients choose options before approving	Pricing tables are not supported
Dynamic data and variables	Auto-fill proposal content with client and project data	Not supported
Expiration dates	Automatically expire proposals after a set date	Not supported
PDF Export	Download as branded PDFs	Tasks and projects can be exported, not proposals
Reusable content blocks	Create reusable proposal sections you can reuse on demand	Proposal blocks are not supported
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure electronic signatures on proposals	E-signatures are not supported
Custom proposal data fields	Create custom proposal data you can sort, filter, and report on	Proposals are not supported
CONTRACTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Create and sign contracts	Create, send, and sign contracts in one continuous flow	Asana does not handle contracts
Drag-and-drop contract builder	Create fully custom contracts with flexible layouts, no code or formatting limits	Not supported
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure signatures with audit trails and signer verification	E-signatures are not supported
Multi-signature / signees	Collect signatures from multiple people on the same contract	Not supported
Reusable contract templates	Reuse contract structures to create new agreements faster	Not supported
Auto-reminders automation	Automatically follow up until contracts are signed	Not supported
Dynamic data/variables	Auto-fill contract content with client and project data	Not supported
Contract automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a contract is signed	Contracts cannot trigger workflows
View notifications	See when contracts are opened and reviewed	Not supported
PDF download with signature certificate	Download signed contracts with official proof of signature	Not supported
Custom signer data fields	Collect structured signer information during signing	Not supported
Custom contract data fields	Create custom contract data you can sort, filter, and report on	Contracts are not supported
INVOICES & PAYMENTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Create invoices and get paid	Send invoices and collect payments in one connected flow	Asana does not handle billing
Fully branded invoices	Match invoices to your brand with custom logos, colors, and layout	Not supported
Drag and drop invoice builder	Create custom invoice layouts visually without formatting limits	Invoices are not supported
Customizable line items	Edit pricing, quantities, descriptions, and structure freely	Not supported
Item or invoice discounts	Apply discounts at the item or full invoice level	Not supported
Customizable taxes	Create tax rules that match your location and use case	Not supported
ACH payments	Accept bank transfers for lower-fee payments	Asana does not process payments
Stripe integration	Accept credit and debit cards instantly	Asana does not process payments
Square integration	Collect in-person payments when needed	Asana does not process payments
PayPal integration	Let clients pay using PayPal	Asana does not process payments
Flexible partial payments	Collect deposits and split payments across milestones	Payments are not supported
Payment plans	Break invoices into scheduled installments	Not supported
Automated recurring invoices	Automatically send invoices on a recurring schedule	Not supported
Subscription management	Manage ongoing client subscriptions and billing	Subscriptions are not supported
Automated payment reminders	Follow up automatically until invoices are paid	Payments are not supported
Reusable invoice templates	Reuse invoice layouts without rebuilding each time	Not supported
Multiple currency support	Bill clients globally in their local currency	Payments are not supported
Invoice automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when invoices are sent or paid	Contracts cannot trigger workflows
View notifications	See when invoices are opened and paid	Not supported
Built-in expense tracking	Track project-related costs alongside invoices	Not supported
Invoice deposits	Collect upfront payments before work starts	Not supported
Auto-invoice billable time	Turn tracked time into invoices automatically	Asana has no invoicing
Custom invoice data fields	Create custom invoice data you can sort, filter, and report on	Invoices are not supported
INBOX Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Centralized unified inbox	Manage email, chat, and messages from one shared inbox	Task comments act as a shared activity feed
Full email integration	Connect and manage all your email accounts in one place	Email-to-task is supported
Embeddable live chat	Add real-time chat to your website and client portals	Live chat is not supported
Instant direct messages	Message teammates privately without leaving your workspace	Messaging exists via comments, not chat
Contextual project conversations	Keep conversations tied directly to the project they belong to	Comments stay attached to tasks and projects
Team channels	Create shared spaces for team-wide discussions	Channel-based chat does not exist
Customized channels	Organize channels by team, topic, or workflow	Channels are not supported
@mentions	Notify teammates instantly inside conversations	You can mention users in comments
Message read receipts	See when messages are read	Read receipts are not supported
File sharing in chat	Share files directly inside conversations	Files attach to tasks, not chat threads
Shared email inbox	Collaborate on incoming emails as a team	Not supported
Inbox mobile app	Access and respond to messages on mobile	Mobile app includes inbox
Email reply to inbox	Reply from your email client and keep conversations synced	Email replies create tasks
FILES Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Store and manage files	Keep all client and project files in one organized place	Files are stored within tasks and projects
Advanced folder organization	Organize files by project, client, or structure you choose	Section-based, relies on cloud integrations
Folder permissions	Control who can view or edit folders	Project-level permissions only
People folders	Group files by person when needed	Files are task-attached, not person-based
Project folders	Keep files scoped to each project	Files attach to projects and tasks
In-app previews	Preview files instantly without downloading	Preview via cloud integrations
Custom file data fields	Capture file metadata you can sort and filter	You can create and reuse custom fields
Built-in documents	Create and edit documents directly inside Plutio	No built-in document editor
Comments on files and docs	Leave comments directly on files and documents	Comments on task attachments
Bulk file actions	Move, tag, or manage many files at once	Select multiple via integrations
Files search & filter	Find files quickly using search and filters	Search across projects and files
External cloud sync	Sync files with Google Drive or Dropbox	Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive
Secure sharing controls	Restrict access with permissions or passwords	Project-level permissions
File sharing links	Share files externally with controlled access	Task link sharing only
SCHEDULING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Schedule meetings	Let clients book meetings directly without back-and-forth emails	Asana does not have scheduling
Branded booking page	Build a fully branded, customizable booking system using a drag-and-drop editor	Not supported
Advanced availability management	Define flexible availability rules applied automatically to bookings	Scheduling is not supported
Automatic buffer times	Add buffer time automatically between meetings	Scheduling is not supported
Multiple meeting types	Create unlimited booking types with different rules and setups	Scheduling is not supported
Calendar sync (Google/Outlook)	Two-way calendar sync that stays up to date automatically	Read-only calendar integration
Customizable booking confirmations	Fully customizable confirmation pages with no layout or branding limits	Scheduling is not supported
Redirect after booking	Send bookers anywhere after scheduling, not just a fixed thank-you page	Scheduling is not supported
Booking automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a meeting is booked	Contracts cannot trigger workflows
Smart meeting reminders	Send automatic reminders without manual follow-ups	Reminders exist for tasks only
Automatic timezone detection	Handle timezones automatically without manual adjustments	Handled by external calendars
Paid appointments (Stripe/PayPal)	Collect payments during booking without extra steps	Asana has no scheduling
Custom booking forms	Build booking forms with full control over questions and layout	Not supported
Minimum notice / daily booking limits	Set booking limits to control lead time and daily volume	Scheduling is not supported
Rescheduling and cancellation controls	Define flexible rules for rescheduling and cancellations	Scheduling is not supported
AUTOMATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Automated workflows builder	Build advanced workflows visually without code or rigid templates	70+ rule templates with AI Smart Rules
Trigger-based workflows	Start workflows from real events across projects, clients, and payments	Rules allow task-based automation
Schedule-based workflows	Run workflows on schedules you control, not fixed intervals	Possible via rules and integrations
Multi-step workflows	Chain multiple actions into one continuous automation	Complex logic requires integrations
True/False branching	Create conditional paths instead of one-size-fits-all flows	Limited logic without integrations
Delay-based actions	Add precise timing between steps, down to minutes or days	Delayed rules are supported
Create & update records	Create, update, or move records automatically across the system	Tasks and projects only
Move & duplicate records	Reorganize work automatically without manual cleanup	Tasks and projects can duplicate
Delete & archive records	Automatically archive or remove records based on rules	Deletion requires manual confirmation
API calls (webhooks)	Trigger or receive real-time events from external systems	Asana has a full API
Send emails	Send automated emails tied to real workflow events	Emails require integrations
Post comments	Add notes or comments automatically where work happens	Requires integrations
Complete automation logs	See exactly what ran, when, and why	Logs exist at task level
Auto-fill data/variables	Pass data between steps dynamically without manual mapping	Variables exist inside rules
Cross-entity connections	Run workflows that span projects, tasks, proposals, invoices, and more	Not supported
FORMS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Create branded forms	Build fully branded forms that match your workflow and client experience	Internal only
Drag-and-drop form builder	Design forms visually with full layout control, no code required	Not supported
Reusable form templates	Reuse form structures without rebuilding from scratch	Internal intake forms exist
Custom form data fields	Collect structured data you can sort, filter, and report on	You can create and reuse custom fields
Smart conditional logic	Show or hide fields based on responses, not static forms	Conditional logic is limited
Instant email notifications	Get notified immediately when forms are submitted	Requires integrations
Form automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when a form is submitted	Contracts cannot trigger workflows
Embed forms	Embed forms anywhere without layout restrictions	Forms can be shared via links
Advanced field preferences	Control required, hidden, and default field behavior	Limited field options
Comprehensive field types	Collect text, files, dates, selections, and more	Many field types via custom fields
Form signature field	Collect legally binding signatures directly inside forms	Signatures are not supported
File upload fields	Accept file uploads as part of form submissions	Files can be uploaded
Redirect after submission	Send submitters to a custom next step, not a fixed thank-you page	Redirects not supported
CRM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Manage clients and leads	Manage contacts and companies in one connected system	Asana is not a CRM
Full company management	Track organizations, not just individual contacts	Companies are not modeled
Custom contact data fields	Collect and manage structured contact data you define	CRM structure does not exist
Complete activity timeline	See every interaction with a client in one place	Activity is task-based only
Contacts labeling and grouping	Organize contacts flexibly without rigid pipelines	Tags exist via custom fields
WIKI Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Comprehensive knowledge base	Create an internal wiki for processes, docs, and guides	Pages exist but are not client-facing
Beautiful rich text pages	Write structured, formatted content without complexity	Not supported
Unlimited nested pages	Build deep knowledge hierarchies without limits	Not supported
Granular page permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each page	Not supported
DASHBOARDS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Custom dashboards and pages	Build dashboards around what matters to you, not fixed metrics	Reporting dashboards with custom charts
Drag-and-drop dashboard builder	Design dashboards visually with full layout control	Paid ($)
Charts widget	Visualize data with customizable charts	Included
Metrics widget	Track key numbers without manual reporting	Included
Goals widget	Monitor progress toward defined goals	Paid ($)
Notes widget	Add contextual notes directly to dashboards	Not supported
Calendar widget	View upcoming events alongside work and metrics	Included
Financial widgets	Track revenue and expenses in the same view	Not supported
BRANDING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
White-label and branding	Run the entire platform under your brand	Asana branding always visible
Custom interface theme	Apply your brand colors across the system	UI cannot be customized
Stylesheet customization	Fine-tune styling beyond basic theming	Custom CSS is not supported
Custom login/signup pages	Use branded authentication pages instead of generic screens	Login pages cannot be customized
Email branding	Send all system emails with your branding	Emails cannot be branded
Custom brand fonts	Use your own fonts throughout the platform	Fonts cannot be customized
Custom brand logos	Replace all platform logos with your own	Logos cannot be customized
Custom domain name	Run everything on your own domain	Not supported
Custom email SMTP	Send emails from your own email infrastructure	Not supported
Full workspace embedding	Embed Plutio directly into your website or product	Not supported
CUSTOMIZATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Flexible workspace setup	Shape the platform to match how your business works	Asana structure is templated
Main menu editor	Add, remove, or reorder navigation items freely	Navigation cannot be customized
User-based menus	Show different navigation for different roles	Menus are the same for all users
Custom user roles	Create role types beyond preset permissions	Roles exist but are limited
Advanced user permissions	Control access at a granular level	Permissions are team-based
SSO / OAuth	Support enterprise-grade single sign-on	SSO is supported on enterprise plans
INTEGRATIONS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Connect with other tools	Integrate with external systems without lock-in	200+ native integrations
Zapier integration	Connect to thousands of apps without custom code	Zapier is supported
Make.com integration	Build advanced automation scenarios visually	Make is supported
Pabbly Connect	Connect services without usage-based limits	Possible via API
Full REST API access	Build custom integrations with full system access	Full REST API is available
Incoming & outgoing webhooks	Send and receive real-time events	Webhooks are supported
PLATFORM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Asana 55/199
Mobile apps	Access your business from native mobile apps	Full-featured mobile apps
iOS app	Full-featured iPhone app	iOS app is available
Android app	Full-featured Android app	Android app is available
Mac desktop app	Native macOS app for desktop workflows	Desktop app wraps the web version
Windows desktop app	Native Windows app for desktop workflows	Desktop app wraps the web version

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ClickUp vs Asana FAQ

Can ClickUp and Asana integrate with invoicing tools?

Yes, both integrate with tools like QuickBooks and FreshBooks through Zapier or native integrations. ClickUp has a direct Zapier integration that can push task data to invoicing apps. Asana connects through similar automation triggers. But you are managing two separate systems with manual data transfer between them, and neither tool can generate an invoice from tracked time without exporting and re-entering the data.

Which tool is better for Agile teams?

ClickUp includes sprint points, velocity tracking, and burndown charts natively on the Business plan ($12/user/month). Asana offers sprint planning through its timeline view and workflow builder but with fewer Agile-specific features. ClickUp also supports custom task statuses that map directly to sprint stages, while Asana uses a more general board view for sprint tracking.

Can clients see their project status in either tool?

Both allow guest access with limited permissions, but neither offers a branded client portal where clients can independently check progress, approve work, or pay invoices. Guests in both tools see the platform's native interface and branding. For agencies that want a white-labeled client experience, a separate portal tool or an all-in-one platform like Plutio is needed.

Is there a free plan for either tool?

Yes. ClickUp's free plan includes unlimited tasks with 100MB storage but no time tracking, Gantt charts, or automations. Asana's free plan supports up to 10 teammates with basic list and board views but no timeline, dependencies, or custom fields. Both free plans are useful for testing the interface, but most teams outgrow them within the first month once they need reporting, automation, or time management features.

Which tool has better mobile apps?

Both have functional iOS and Android apps. ClickUp's mobile app mirrors most desktop features, including time tracking and docs, but performance can lag when loading large workspaces with hundreds of tasks. Asana's mobile app is faster and more responsive but offers fewer features, with no timeline view or advanced reporting on mobile. Neither is a complete replacement for desktop use, especially for tasks like configuring automations or building dashboards.

Does ClickUp have a desktop app?

Yes, ClickUp offers native desktop applications for Windows, Mac (Intel and Apple Silicon), and Linux. The desktop apps often load faster and handle larger workspaces more smoothly than the web version, especially when dealing with hundreds of tasks across multiple spaces. Asana does not offer a native desktop app and runs entirely in the browser, though the web interface is responsive and performs consistently across Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

Can I hide tasks from clients in Asana?

In Asana, you must invite clients as guests to specific projects. They can only see the tasks within the projects you share, not your other internal projects. However, they can still see the Asana interface, branding, and navigation. There is no way to customize what the client sees or apply your own branding to the experience. Agencies that want a professional, white-labeled client portal typically need a separate tool or an all-in-one platform like Plutio that includes a branded client portal under your own domain.

Is ClickUp really all-in-one?

ClickUp combines tasks, docs, chat, and goals, which reduces the need for apps like Slack or Google Docs for internal collaboration. However, ClickUp still falls short on the financial side of business, lacking native tools for proposals, contracts, invoicing, and client portals. For teams that bill clients, the "all-in-one" label applies only to internal work, not the full client lifecycle from proposal to payment.

Which tool is better for resource management?

Asana's Workload view shows team capacity across multiple projects in a single dashboard, with hours or points displayed per person per week. ClickUp offers a similar workload view on the Business plan ($12/user/month), but configuring it requires setting time estimates on every task first. For teams that track capacity in hours, both tools require manual time estimates on every task before workload data becomes useful. Neither tool connects workload data to billing or budgets, so knowing a team member is at capacity does not automatically flag whether a client project is running over budget or approaching its hourly cap.

Can I automate task creation from emails?

Yes, both tools allow you to create tasks via email. ClickUp provides a Chrome extension for creating tasks directly from Gmail or Outlook, with the ability to assign, set due dates, and add to specific lists from the extension. Asana uses project-specific email addresses where forwarded emails become tasks automatically. Both methods work for capturing incoming requests, but neither connects email communication to client records, billing, or project budgets. Emails become tasks, but those tasks have no link to the client's invoice or contract.

Is Plutio better than ClickUp and Asana?

Plutio covers the full client lifecycle in one place, from proposals and contracts through to invoicing and payment collection. ClickUp and Asana handle task management, but neither includes proposals, contracts, or invoicing. Plutio bridges the gap to billing by including all three natively: tracked hours convert to invoice line items without exporting data, proposals use drag-and-drop templates with pricing tables, and clients access a branded portal to approve work and pay invoices directly.

How long is the learning curve for ClickUp?

Most teams report needing about a week to become comfortable with ClickUp's interface because of its high density of features. The nested hierarchy (workspace, space, folder, list, task, subtask) takes time to understand, and the 15+ view types require experimentation to configure. Asana is much faster to adopt, often taking only an hour for basic project setup because the structure is flatter and there are fewer options to configure upfront.

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