Businesses currently have a seemingly endless range of options when it comes to platforms that can help their teams stay organized, keep track of tasks and projects, share relevant documentation, and communicate effectively.
You’ve probably heard about ClickUp and Notion — two well-known platforms in the project management space that promise to boost your productivity, streamline your workflow, and make managing complex projects easier.
The question is, which one would be a better fit for your team’s specific needs?
This article will compare ClickUp and Notion based on their key features, pricing, scalability, and other important factors, hopefully helping you make the right decision.
ClickUp vs. Notion in a nutshell
The market for business productivity software is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.25%, reaching a value of $120.52 billion by 2029.
The demand for team collaboration and productivity software is clearly on the rise.
If you’re looking for an app to help you stay organized and manage business processes and task-oriented documentation, you’ve likely come across two popular project management tools — ClickUp and Notion.
ClickUp was launched as a collaborative workspace and a productivity solution. It currently stands as one of the most robust and flexible tools for project management and productivity, marketed as “one app to replace them all.”
Notion entered the market as a note-taking app but has become an excellent document management tool with basic project management and collaboration features.
And if you want a tool that does all that — and more?
Then Lark is an alternative worth considering.
This superapp is ideal for teams that want a robust, all-in-one project management app with Notion’s documentation capabilities and ClickUp’s task management tools — all under one roof.
Which has the right features to keep your projects on track?
ClickUp is one of the most popular productivity apps. Still, Notion has evolved from its primary role as a note-taking app — enough to compete with ClickUp in this regard.
They now share several features related to task management, collaboration, AI tools, documentation capabilities, and customization options.
Project management features
From a project management perspective, ClickUp has a more robust range of features:
Tasks with custom fields, priority levels, checklists, dependencies, custom statuses, and tags, with the option to add multiple assignees to the same task
Tasks and subtasks can be added to separate task lists
16 different types of project views — from boards and lists to Gantt charts, mind maps, and spreadsheets
Time tracking feature
Upcoming repetitive tasks can be shown in the Calendar view
Robust automation features with more than 100 pre-built templates
Advanced reporting capabilities
A wide range of templates for project management
While Notion’s project management capabilities aren’t as comprehensive as ClickUp, it’s still a solid productivity app with features like:
Tasks and subtasks with assignees, due dates, and dependencies
Custom statuses and priority levels for tasks
Different types of project views, including timelines, boards, and calendars
Progress bar for tracking your team’s progress on a specific project
Custom database properties and filters for better organization
A collection of free and paid project management templates
Built-in automation features
Collaboration features
Remote work and distributed teams are becoming more common, driving the demand for team collaboration tools. The market’s revenue could reach $47.1 billion by 2030:
On that note, ClickUp gives you access to a comprehensive set of collaboration tools, including:
A centralized inbox for all notifications
In-app video recording for sharing ideas
Proofing, ClickUp’s tool for image and PDF annotation
Virtual whiteboards that support real-time collaboration
The option to leave comments and @mentions on tasks
Custom permissions for each user role
Built-in chat with rich editing and attachments for team communication
As for Notion, the focus is primarily on collaborative editing:
An unlimited number of teammates can view and edit content simultaneously, with all changes shown in real time
Comments, @mentions, and reminders
Notion Calendar links multiple Google Calendars so you can manage them as a team
Open and closed team spaces
Note-taking and documentation capabilities
Notion is designed to handle various aspects of document management, with key features like:
Docs with real-time collaborative editing, more than 50 content types, document-level comments, and tagging
Wikis for knowledge management, with drag-and-drop organization and built-in search and filters
Page history and analytics with information about who’s editing content and the option to restore it to the previous version
File uploads with a limit ranging from 5MB to 5GB per file (depending on the plan)
While Notion has an edge in documentation and knowledge management, ClickUp still boasts crucial document management features:
Docs with real-time collaboration, rich formatting, templates, linking Docs to tasks, and the option to create wiki pages
Universal Search with custom search commands that let you search for files in ClickUp and integrated third-party apps
Unlimited file storage is available with paid plans
Customization options
Notion is widely known as a highly flexible note-taking and project management app. You start with a blank slate and set it up however you want, with virtually endless customization options — which, as it turns out, is also one of Notion’s biggest downsides.
That said, ClickUp doesn’t lag behind, featuring fully customizable dashboards.
AI features
Generative AI is making its mark on productivity and business operations — especially in the marketing and sales sectors:
On that note, ClickUp and Notion boast AI capabilities for automating routine tasks, answering questions, writing assistance, and generating meeting notes, among other things.
In both cases, the AI features are available as a paid add-on:
ClickUp Brain’s AI can be added to your plan for $5 a month and includes AI Knowledge Manager, AI Project Manager, and AI Writer for Work
Notion AI costs $8 a month and includes unlimited use of Writer, Q&A, and Autofill tools
Which has the best integrations?
ClickUp has an extensive range of integrations. It connects with over 1,000 third-party tools and has over 50 native integrations, including Slack, Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, Discord, and GitHub.
Moreover, it supports Zapier integration — available with every plan — and allows you to build custom integrations with ClickUp’s API.
While it offers some quality integrations, Notion can’t compete with ClickUp in this regard — it’s limited to only 84 other apps and tools.
On the plus side, Notion has an API for building custom integrations and supports automations through IFTTT and Zapier.
If you want to minimize your team’s reliance on third-party tools, consider an all-in-one app like Lark that offers a wide range of functionalities within a single platform.
Which has the better pricing plan for small and medium businesses?
ClickUp’s free version is surprisingly feature-rich:
The Free Forever plan supports unlimited users, unlimited tasks, 100 automation runs per month, 100 MB of file storage, real-time collaboration in Docs, and more than 50 native integrations.
In addition to the Free Forever plan, ClickUp’s pricing plans include:
Unlimited plan, which starts at $7 per user per month
Business plan, which starts at $12 per user per month
Enterprise plan with custom pricing
Notion offers a free version, too — but it’s meant for individuals and personal projects. The Free plan’s collaborative workspace includes unlimited pages and blocks, a 7-day page history, and basic automations, with the option to invite up to 10 guests.
As for Notion’s remaining three pricing plans, they include:
Plus plan, which starts at $8 per user per month
Business plan, which starts at $15 per user per month
Enterprise plan with custom pricing
You can always cut costs with Lark. Using an all-in-one platform will be more cost-effective than paying for several subscriptions.
Which offers the best customer support for businesses?
Customer support is another factor to consider when deciding between ClickUp and Notion — or any other project management software, for that matter.
All ClickUp users, including those with a free account, have access to 24/7 support, while paid users can also reach out via live chat. As you’d expect, Enterprise-level users get priority support and additional customer service options — dedicated customer success managers and onboarding training.
You’ll also have access to a wide range of resources, including the Help Center, ClickUp University, on-demand webinars, and video tutorials.
One of Notion’s biggest downsides in this regard is that live chat support isn’t available.
As a paid user, you'll get priority support, with customer success managers available to Enterprise-level users — but there's no 24/7 chat support.
Free users are limited to self-service resources — the Help Center and Notion Academy — but can join the Notion Community for insights and tips from other users.
Which one is easier for your employees to use?
Both ClickUp and Notion come with a learning curve; that’s something to keep in mind.
However, ClickUp has an advantage with its user-friendly, intuitive interface, drag-and-drop capabilities, and customizable dashboards.
And compared to Notion, it’s easier to set up initially.
Besides, new users can access additional resources — including ClickUp University — to support them during onboarding.
That’s not to say that Notion isn’t user-friendly. It boasts a clean, minimalist interface and is highly customizable.
However, the setup can be overwhelming for new users, and there’s a steeper learning curve compared to most other project management tools.
Which one will keep your business more secure and compliant?
When it comes to security, ClickUp and Notion seem to have quite a few things in common. Both platforms use data encryption, maintain GDPR compliance, and support advanced control for admins, among other things.
Here’s what you get with ClickUp safety- and compliance-wise:
Data encryption in transit (TLS 1.2) and at rest (AES-256)
ClickUp is ISO 27001:2013, ISO 27017:2015, and ISO 27018:2019 certified and maintains SOC 2 compliance
Full compliance with GDPR
HIPAA compliance available to Enterprise users
Additional security features and broad management capabilities for admins, including two-factor authentication (2FA), Single Sign-On (SSO), SCIM provisioning, and custom permissions
Here’s an overview of Notion’s safety features and compliance:
Data encryption in transit (Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2) and at rest (AES-256)
SOC 2 Type 2 compliance and certifications for ISO 27001, ISO 27701, ISO 27017, and ISO 27018 standards
Compliance with global privacy standards, including GDPR
HIPAA compliance for Enterprise users
Built-in security features, including Single Sign-On (SSO), user provisioning (SCIM), and advanced security controls
What are users saying about ClickUp and Notion?
Undoubtedly, ClickUp is a powerful tool for project management; most users agree with that. However, one downside commonly mentioned is the learning curve. Granted, it’s nowhere near as steep as Notion’s, but it can take time to get familiar with the platform’s full range of features.
As for Notion, many users praise the app for its clean interface and flexibility and note that it helps them stay organized.
However, they also agree that it can be overwhelming due to the sheer number of options and configurations. Another commonly-mentioned issue is the limited range of integrations.
And if you want a tool that does more without relying on third-party tools? Easy — go with Lark.
ClickUp vs. Notion: Which tool will enable your team to do more?
ClickUp and Notion are powerful tools with many similarities. However, every team has different needs regarding workspace elements, project management features, quality integrations, and collaboration.
From a project management perspective, ClickUp’s robust set of features better fits larger teams that typically work on complex projects. Alternatively, Notion has an edge in documentation capabilities and real-time collaboration scenarios.
Of course, ClickUp and Notion are not your only options.
Lark can replace both ClickUp and Notion with its advanced features and tools:
Lark’s project management software — Lark Base and Lark Meegle — is an excellent alternative to ClickUp
Lark’s documentation tools — Lark Wiki and Lark Docs — are designed for knowledge management and task-oriented documentation with collaborative editing
Lark’s real-time communication and web conferencing tools — Lark Meetings and Lark Messenger — can replace other platforms you might be using, like Slack and Zoom
Lark has another advantage — the potential for cutting costs associated with managing multiple active subscriptions. You could save hundreds of dollars since Lark can effectively replace several apps in your tech stack.
Conclusion
ClickUp and Notion are powerful platforms with a wide range of features; there’s no doubt about that. More importantly, both can help you manage your ongoing projects and tasks, support collaboration, and maximize your team’s productivity.
That said, every business has a unique set of requirements — and neither ClickUp nor Notion may fully meet your team’s needs.
If that’s the case, it’s time to consider an alternative — a solution that packs all these capabilities under one roof. And when it comes to all-in-one productivity superapps, there is no better option than Lark.
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