ClickUp vs Smartsheet: Which Is Better in 2026?
A side-by-side comparison of ClickUp and Smartsheet, two project management tools — what each does, who it's best for, and how to choose between them.
Quick verdict
ClickUp and Smartsheet are both project management tools, so it comes down to fit. Pick ClickUp if you want An all-in-one work platform combining tasks, docs, goals, and more to replace a stack of separate… Pick Smartsheet if you want A spreadsheet-like work management platform for planning, tracking, and automating projects at enterprise scale.
ClickUp
An all-in-one work platform combining tasks, docs, goals, and more to replace a stack of separate tools.
- Category
- Project Management
- Rating
- Not yet rated
- Best for
- project management, tasks, docs
Smartsheet
A spreadsheet-like work management platform for planning, tracking, and automating projects at enterprise scale.
- Category
- Project Management
- Rating
- Not yet rated
- Best for
- project management, spreadsheet, work management
| At a glance | ClickUp | Smartsheet |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An all-in-one work platform combining tasks, docs, goals, and more to replace a stack of separate tools. | A spreadsheet-like work management platform for planning, tracking, and automating projects at enterprise scale. |
| Category | Project Management | Project Management |
| Type | Software | Software |
| Best for | project management, tasks, docs, all-in-one | project management, spreadsheet, work management, collaboration |
What is ClickUp?
ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity and project management platform built on an ambitious premise: that a team shouldn't need a dozen separate tools to get work done. It sets out to replace the patchwork of task managers, document apps, goal trackers, and more with a single, deeply customisable workspace. For teams tired of paying for and switching between many disconnected apps — and losing information in the gaps between them — ClickUp offers the appeal of bringing everything into one place where tasks, docs, goals, and conversations all connect.
The platform is enormously feature-rich. It manages work through tasks and subtasks that can be viewed as lists, boards, calendars, timelines, and Gantt charts, so every kind of team and project can work the way it prefers. Beyond tasks, it includes documents for collaborative writing, goals for tracking objectives, dashboards for reporting, whiteboards for brainstorming, time tracking, and extensive automation, plus AI features to assist throughout. Almost everything is customisable — statuses, fields, views, and workflows — so teams can mould ClickUp to their exact processes rather than bending their process to the tool. Integrations connect it to the other software a team still uses, keeping it at the centre of the workflow.
ClickUp suits teams that want consolidation and flexibility, and that are willing to invest a little time in configuration to get a workspace tailored to how they actually operate. The upside is significant: fewer subscriptions, less context-switching, and a single source of truth where work and the knowledge around it live together. The depth that makes it powerful does mean it rewards thoughtful setup, but for organisations that embrace it, ClickUp can genuinely replace several tools and unify a fragmented workflow. For a team looking to simplify their software stack while gaining serious project management capability, ClickUp is one of the most comprehensive all-in-one options available.
What is Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is a work-management platform that looks familiar like a spreadsheet but works like a powerful project and portfolio system. Used by more than 85% of the Fortune 500, it helps teams coordinate complex work — projects, portfolios, processes — across many tools and departments, with automation and AI on top to keep everything moving.
What Smartsheet is
Smartsheet combines project management, portfolio oversight and workflow automation in a flexible, grid-based interface. Teams plan and track work with Gantt charts, Kanban boards, calendars and dashboards, automate approvals and tasks, manage resources and capacity across teams, and get AI-powered insight into how projects and portfolios are performing — all in one platform that scales from a single project to enterprise-wide operations.
Who it's for
Smartsheet serves enterprise organizations and PMOs, IT teams managing digital portfolios, operations and services-delivery teams, and small-to-medium businesses. Its blend of spreadsheet familiarity and serious project-management power makes it especially popular with large organizations coordinating many projects and stakeholders at once.
What it offers
- Gantt, Kanban, dashboard and calendar views
- AI-powered project and portfolio intelligence
- Workflow automation and task management
- Cross-team resource planning and capacity management
- Milestone and dependency tracking
- Centralized intake and approval workflows
- Client collaboration portals and no-code work apps (Bridge)
- Integrations with Salesforce, Jira, Microsoft, Google, Tableau and more
Familiar surface, serious power
Smartsheet's clever balance is that it feels approachable — anyone comfortable with a spreadsheet can start using it — while delivering real project-management depth underneath. That lowers the adoption barrier for teams intimidated by heavyweight PM tools, yet still supports Gantt charts, dependencies, portfolio views and automation. For large organizations, that combination means broad adoption across non-technical staff without sacrificing the sophistication complex projects require.
From single projects to whole portfolios
Smartsheet's real strength shows at scale. Beyond managing one project, it gives PMOs and leaders real-time visibility across entire portfolios, with resource and capacity planning to balance workloads across teams and AI-powered insight into where things stand. That portfolio-level view is what enterprises need to make decisions about priorities and resourcing — and it's a big reason companies like Roche report managing 30% more projects with it.
Connects your whole stack
Smartsheet is built to sit at the center of a busy enterprise toolset, integrating with Salesforce, Jira, Microsoft, Google, Adobe, Box, Power BI, Tableau, Slack, Okta, SAP, Workday and more. Its Bridge tool adds no-code automation and intelligent workflows across those systems. That connectivity means Smartsheet can coordinate work that spans many tools — pulling data together and pushing updates out — rather than becoming yet another isolated silo teams have to check.
Automate the process, not just the plan
Beyond tracking work, Smartsheet automates the processes around it. Centralized intake and approval workflows route requests to the right people, no-code work apps let teams build custom solutions without developers, and Bridge adds intelligent automation across connected systems. Client collaboration portals bring external stakeholders in safely with role-based access. That means Smartsheet doesn't just show you the status of work — it actually moves work forward automatically, handling the handoffs, approvals and updates that would otherwise consume hours of manual coordination across a large team.
Why choose Smartsheet
For enterprises, PMOs and teams that need to coordinate complex work at scale, Smartsheet is a proven, three-time Gartner Leader. Its spreadsheet-familiar interface, deep project and portfolio management, AI-powered insight, automation and extensive integrations make it a practical way to plan, track and manage work across teams and tools — approachable enough for broad adoption, yet powerful enough to run the projects and portfolios of the world's largest organizations.
Key differences at a glance
- Purpose: ClickUp is An all-in-one work platform combining tasks, docs, goals, and more to replace a stack of separate tools. Smartsheet, by contrast, is A spreadsheet-like work management platform for planning, tracking, and automating projects at enterprise scale.
- Category & type: both sit in Project Management, and both are offered as software.
- Best suited for: ClickUp leans toward project management, tasks, docs, whereas Smartsheet leans toward project management, spreadsheet, work management.
- Community rating: ClickUp is not yet rated vs Smartsheet is not yet rated. Ratings are community-submitted and change over time.
ClickUp vs Smartsheet: which should you choose?
ClickUp and Smartsheet both serve the project management space, so the best choice depends on your priorities. Choose ClickUp if you want An all-in-one work platform combining tasks, docs, goals, and more to replace a stack of separate tools. Choose Smartsheet if you want A spreadsheet-like work management platform for planning, tracking, and automating projects at enterprise scale.The smartest move is to try each one's free tier or trial on a real task — that's the fastest way to feel the difference and pick the tool you'll actually stick with.
Frequently asked questions
Is ClickUp better than Smartsheet?
It depends on what you need. ClickUp is An all-in-one work platform combining tasks, docs, goals, and more to replace a stack of separate tools. Smartsheet is A spreadsheet-like work management platform for planning, tracking, and automating projects at enterprise scale. Both are project management tools, so the right pick comes down to your specific priorities, budget and workflow.
What's the main difference between ClickUp and Smartsheet?
ClickUp focuses on An all-in-one work platform combining tasks, docs, goals, and more to replace a stack of separate tools. while Smartsheet focuses on A spreadsheet-like work management platform for planning, tracking, and automating projects at enterprise scale. Read the full breakdown above and check each tool's site for current features and pricing.
Can I use both ClickUp and Smartsheet?
In many cases, yes — teams often use complementary tools together. Whether it makes sense depends on overlap in functionality and your budget. Try the free tier or trial of each to see how they fit your stack before committing.
Which is cheaper, ClickUp or Smartsheet?
Pricing changes often, so check each tool's pricing page for the latest. Many tools offer a free tier or trial, which is the best way to evaluate value for your specific usage before you pay.