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Project Management

ClickUp vs Trello: Which Project Management Tool Is Right in 2026?

ClickUp is an all-in-one, highly configurable work platform; Trello is the simplest, most visual Kanban tool in the category. Here is what each costs and who outgrows which one.

ClickUp logoUnlimited — $7/seat/mo (annual), $10 monthly

ClickUp

VS
Trello logoStandard — $5/user/mo (annual), $6 monthly

Trello

Bill Belcamino
Bottom line up frontby Bill Belcamino, founder of HelpCompare
Editorial assessment

Bottom line up front: Is ClickUp worth the extra $2 a seat over Trello?

Only if your team will use what the extra $2 buys: Trello Standard is $5/user/mo and ClickUp Unlimited is $7/seat/mo, both annual, and the difference is docs, time tracking, Gantt and dashboards.

Watch the AI line too. Trello includes AI on Standard, while ClickUp's Brain AI is an add-on at $9/seat/mo, rising to $28/seat/mo for Everything AI, so the add-on can cost more than the seat itself. The bigger cost is one no calculator shows: adoption. An all-in-one tool only pays off when the separate docs, chat and time-tracking apps you already pay for actually get cancelled, and a tool with a steep learning curve is exactly where half a team quietly keeps using the old ones. My rule: list the tools ClickUp would replace and who owns each, and if you can't name one you'd cancel, Trello fits.

My read of the verified data on this page, checked against vendor sources on September 23, 2026. Disagree or spot an error? Tell Bill

Verified data

ClickUp vs Trello: quick facts

At a glanceClickUpTrello
CategoryProject Management
Entry priceUnlimited — $7/seat/mo (annual), $10 monthlyStandard — $5/user/mo (annual), $6 monthly
Free planFree Forever — unlimited members and guests, 60MB storage, unlimited tasksFree — up to 10 collaborators per Workspace, unlimited cards, up to 10 boards

Is ClickUp cheaper than Trello?

Trello, by $2 a seat a month: $5 against ClickUp’s $7, both billed annually. At 10 seats that is $50 a month for Trello against $70 for ClickUp. Trello’s free plan is also less restrictive on collaborators (10 per Workspace) than ClickUp Free’s 60MB total storage cap, though ClickUp Free has no member limit.

Verified data

ClickUp vs Trello at a glance

CategoryClickUpTrello
Entry priceUnlimited $7/seat/mo (annual)Standard $5/user/mo (annual)
Free planUnlimited members/guests, 60MB storageUp to 10 collaborators per Workspace, 10 boards
Built forAll-in-one work platform: docs, chat, dashboards, time trackingSimple, visual Kanban boards
Gantt chartsIncluded on UnlimitedNot native — Premium adds Timeline view
Native time trackingIncluded on UnlimitedNot included
AIAdd-on: Brain AI $9/user/mo, Everything AI $28/user/moIncluded on Standard
Import from the other toolNative Trello importer (boards, lists, cards, attachments)No native ClickUp importer
Learning curveSteeper — many configurable views and featuresMinimal — fastest to onboard

Verified September 23, 2026Prices recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page. See sources

Explore the numbers

ClickUp vs Trello: the prices as a chart

ClickUp and Trello: plan prices side by side

Plan price: US dollars per seat per month, annual billing

  • ClickUp · Unlimited$7
  • Trello · Standard$5

ClickUpTrello

Prices exactly as printed in the comparison table on this page (annual billing), in the table’s own tier order: Entry price.

What ClickUp and Trello cost per month for a team

5 seats: monthly cost = seats × the per-seat price on this page (annual billing)

  • ClickUp · Unlimited: 5 × $7$35
  • Trello · Standard: 5 × $5$25

10 seats: monthly cost = seats × the per-seat price on this page (annual billing)

  • ClickUp · Unlimited: 10 × $7$70
  • Trello · Standard: 10 × $5$50

25 seats: monthly cost = seats × the per-seat price on this page (annual billing)

  • ClickUp · Unlimited: 25 × $7$175
  • Trello · Standard: 25 × $5$125

50 seats: monthly cost = seats × the per-seat price on this page (annual billing)

  • ClickUp · Unlimited: 50 × $7$350
  • Trello · Standard: 50 × $5$250

ClickUpTrello

An example, not a quote: team size times the per-seat prices printed on this page. It leaves out tax, add-ons, discounts and any plan limits. Where a plan has a minimum number of seats, the minimum is used.

List prices from this page’s own comparison table, not a quote. Plans differ in what they include.

Prices in USD from clickup.com/pricing and trello.com/pricing, both checked September 23, 2026.

Editorial assessment

How they actually differ

Both organize work into boards, lists and cards, but they sit at opposite ends of the configurability spectrum.

All-in-one vs. focused

ClickUp bundles docs, whiteboards, chat, native time tracking, goals and dashboards alongside its task views — it aims to replace several separate tools. Trello stays deliberately narrow: a Kanban board with Power-Ups (third-party and native add-ons) for anything beyond the basics, which keeps it fast to learn but thinner on built-in capability.

AI pricing

Trello includes AI features on its Standard plan at no extra charge. ClickUp’s AI (“Brain”) is a separate add-on starting at $9/seat/mo, rising to $28/seat/mo for its “Everything AI” tier — a real cost difference if AI features matter to your evaluation.

Moving between them

ClickUp has an official, native Trello importer (Workspace Settings → Import/Export → Trello) that pulls boards, lists, cards and attachments where the Trello API allows, mapping members by email and turning Trello lists into ClickUp statuses. There is no equivalent tool for importing ClickUp data into Trello — that direction is a manual rebuild.

ClickUp

Pros

  • Docs, whiteboards, chat, time tracking and dashboards built in
  • Native Gantt charts on the entry paid plan
  • Official native importer for moving from Trello
  • Deep customization: custom fields, statuses, automations

Cons

  • $2/seat more than Trello
  • AI is a separate paid add-on
  • Steeper learning curve, especially for small teams
  • Free plan storage capped at 60MB total

Trello

Pros

  • Cheapest entry price in the category ($5/seat)
  • Fastest to learn — minimal onboarding needed
  • AI included on the Standard plan, no add-on
  • Free plan allows up to 10 collaborators per Workspace

Cons

  • No native Gantt charts (Premium adds Timeline view only)
  • No native time tracking
  • Thinner feature set than ClickUp’s all-in-one platform
  • No import tool for pulling data from ClickUp
Verified data

Cost calculator: what does your team actually pay?

ClickUp

 
$0/mo

Trello

 
$0/mo
 

Standard list prices, both billed annually, checked September 23, 2026. ClickUp’s AI features are a separate add-on not included in the price shown. Promotions and taxes are not included.

Choose ClickUp if…

You want one tool to replace docs, chat, time tracking and dashboards, or you are moving off Trello and want a native importer.

Choose Trello if…

You want the simplest, cheapest Kanban tool with the least setup, or you want AI features included without an add-on.

Total cost over time

Uses your selections above. Estimate excludes add-ons, overages, and negotiated discounts.

Ready to pick your project management tool?

Both publish a genuine free plan. Move one real project into each and see which your team actually keeps using.

Verified data

ClickUp vs Trello: security, offline & remote work

How ClickUp and Trello compare on compliance reports, sign-in controls, offline access and the setup details that matter for remote, hybrid and in-office teams. Every value links to the vendor page it came from.

What we checkedClickUpTrello
Security & compliance
SOC 2 reportSOC 2 Type IIsourceSOC 2 Type IIsource
ISO/IEC 27001CertifiedsourceCertifiedsource
Other certificationsISO/IEC 27017, ISO/IEC 27018, ISO/IEC 27701, ISO/IEC 42001, SOC 1 Type 2, SOC 3sourceISO/IEC 27018, CSA STAR, TISAXsource
HIPAA (BAA)BAA availableEnterprisesourceNot published
GDPR data processing agreementDPA offeredsourceDPA offeredsource
Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)YesEnterprisesourceYesAny plan with Atlassian Guard Standard (add-on); included in Enterprisesource
SCIM user provisioningYesEnterprisesourceYesAny plan with Atlassian Guard Standard (add-on); included in Enterprisesource
Two-factor authenticationYesEnforcement: BusinesssourceYesEnforcement: All plans (managed accounts)source
Admin audit logYesEnterprisesourceYesAny plan with Atlassian Guard Standard (add-on); included in Enterprisesource
Data residency choicesUS, EU, Australia, SingaporeEnterprisesourceNot published
EncryptionAES-256 at rest; TLS 1.2 in transitsourceAES-256 full-disk encryption at rest; TLS 1.2+ in transitsource
Self-hosting optionNot publishedCloud onlysource
Offline access
Offline modePartialOn web, desktop and mobile you can create new tasks (and reminders, except on mobile) and view previously opened tasks and notes offline, but cannot edit existing tasks or notes; new items sync on reconnect.sourceWorks offlineThe iOS and Android apps let you create and edit boards, lists and cards offline and sync automatically on reconnect; the web and desktop apps need an internet connection.source
Desktop appsWindows, macOS, LinuxsourceWindows, macOSsource
Mobile appsiOS, AndroidsourceiOS, Androidsource
Offline limitsAvailable on all plans; existing tasks and notes can't be edited offline, subtasks can't be created, and reminders can't be created offline in the mobile appAll planssourceMobile apps only; the desktop apps and web need an active connectionsource
Remote, hybrid & in-office
IP allowlistingYesEnterprise (early version; request access via account manager)sourceNot published
Device & session controlsYesEnterpriseSession duration and idle timeout limits that apply to every account with access to the Workspace.sourceYesFreeBuilt-in mobile device management (MDM) support for the iOS and Android apps, listed on every plan.source
Editorial assessment

What this means for your team

  • Audit reports: both publish a SOC 2 report, and ClickUp and Trello also hold ISO/IEC 27001. Ask each vendor for the report under NDA before you sign; security reviews usually want the latest one.
  • Single sign-on: ClickUp includes it on Enterprise; Trello includes it on Any plan with Atlassian Guard Standard (add-on); included in Enterprise. If your team signs in through Okta, Microsoft Entra ID or Google, price the plan that includes SSO, not the entry plan.
  • Health data: ClickUp will sign a HIPAA business associate agreement (ClickUp: Enterprise). We found no BAA offer for Trello, so keep protected health information out of it.
  • Working offline: Trello lets you keep working without a connection; ClickUp works offline only in part. Details are in the Offline mode row above.
  • Office-only access: ClickUp can restrict sign-ins to approved IP ranges on Enterprise (early version; request access via account manager). That suits an office network or a company VPN; fully remote teams need a VPN for it to work.
  • Where your data lives: ClickUp lets you choose US, EU, Australia, Singapore on Enterprise. This matters for teams hiring across the EU, UK or Australia.

ClickUp: worth knowing

  • RemoteA ClickUp staff reply on its feedback board says the early-access full-traffic IP restriction limits all traffic, not just login, to allowed ranges such as an office network or VPN. source
  • SecurityIf someone belongs to several Workspaces that enforce session management, the strictest (shortest) limit applies to their account. source
  • OfflineClickUp stores tasks pinned to the Tray offline automatically. source
  • SecurityAudit log history is kept for 60 days. source

Trello: worth knowing

  • SecuritySAML SSO and enforced 2FA for Trello come through Atlassian Guard, a separate subscription (from $4/user/month) unless you are on Trello Enterprise, which includes Guard Standard. source
  • OfflineTrello's desktop apps behave like the web app and do not work offline; only the mobile apps sync offline changes. source

Checked September 19, 2026 against each vendor’s own trust center, help docs and app pages. Hover or tap “source” to see the exact wording we relied on. “Not published” means we could not find the vendor saying it on its own site; it doesn’t mean the feature is missing. Plan names are the lowest plan the vendor says includes the feature. Security · Offline · Remote vs office · Download the data

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ClickUp or Trello cheaper?

Trello is $2 a seat cheaper: $5/user/mo against ClickUp’s $7/seat/mo, both billed annually.

Can ClickUp import my Trello boards?

Yes — ClickUp has a native Trello importer that pulls boards, lists, cards and attachments (where the Trello API allows) and maps members by email address.

Does Trello have Gantt charts?

Not natively. Trello Premium adds a Timeline view, but ClickUp’s Gantt charts on its Unlimited plan are more full-featured.

Is AI included in the price?

On Trello, yes, on the Standard plan. On ClickUp, AI is a separate add-on starting at $9/seat/mo.

Migration Guides

Already decided? Here’s how to actually switch.

Step-by-step migration guides covering what transfers automatically, what doesn’t, and how to handle the gap — in both directions.

Editorial assessment

When to Buy — and When to Walk Away

Every “best project management tool” listicle tells you why to buy. Here’s the other half: the specific conditions under which ClickUp or Trello is the wrong purchase for your team.

ClickUp

Buy ClickUp if:

  • You want docs, chat, time tracking and dashboards in one tool
  • You are migrating from Trello and want a native importer
  • You need Gantt charts or deep customization

Do NOT buy ClickUp if:

  • You want the cheapest possible seat price
  • Your team needs the shortest onboarding time
  • You do not want to pay extra for AI features

Trello

Buy Trello if:

  • You want the lowest seat price in the category
  • Your team needs to be productive on day one with no training
  • You want AI included without an add-on

Do NOT buy Trello if:

  • You need native Gantt charts or time tracking
  • You are consolidating several tools into one platform
  • You are moving from ClickUp and need an import tool

Sources

Prices on this page were recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page on the date shown at the top of the page. Vendors change pricing often — check the live source before you buy.

Every figure is also in our open dataset (JSON and CSV, CC BY 4.0), with its source page and verification date. See how we research pricing.

Cite this page: HelpCompare, “ClickUp vs Trello”, helpcompare.com/clickup-vs-trello/ (updated ).

Source links on this site are checked every month; last check . How sources are checked.

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Bill Belcamino, founder of HelpCompare
About the author

Bill Belcamino

Founder and author, HelpCompare

Engineer by training, operator by experience, marketer by choice. Bill spent eight and a half years as an engineer at HP, was COO of Auctiva (the number one third-party selling platform on eBay, past 200,000 users) and ran Google’s $70M/year search syndication partnership at Alot.com. Then he spent 13 years building his own web properties with his own money at stake. He has bought, trialled, integrated and cancelled more SaaS tools than he can count, and started HelpCompare because the real cost of switching tools is the part nobody covers.

“I’ve sat on both sides of the table: the agency recommending the tool and the client paying for it.”

Researched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team. Pricing on this page was last verified on September 23, 2026. No paid sponsorships, no affiliate commissions.