What is the difference between ClickUp and Shortcut?

ClickUp is best for Teams that want one tool to replace many, while Shortcut is best for Mid-size software teams that find Jira too heavy and Trello too light. ClickUp starts at $7/user/mo and Shortcut starts at $8.50/user/mo.

Is ClickUp or Shortcut cheaper?

ClickUp starts at $7/user/mo with a free tier. Shortcut starts at $8.50/user/mo with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to Shortcut?

Both ClickUp and Shortcut offer free tiers.

ClickUp vs Shortcut

ClickUp is all-in-one productivity platform combining project management, docs, goals, and whiteboards, while Shortcut is project management for software teams with a focus on simplicity and collaboration. ClickUp comes in cheaper, but price alone does not tell the full story. ClickUp is built for teams that want one tool to replace many, whereas Shortcut targets mid-size software teams that find jira too heavy and trello too light.

At a glance

	ClickUp	Shortcut
Best for	Teams that want one tool to replace many	Mid-size software teams that find Jira too heavy and Trello too light
Starting price	$7/user/mo	$8.50/user/mo
Free tier	✓	✓
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	✓	✓
Open source	—	—
API	—	✓
Custom Views	✓	—
Docs	✓	—
Epics	—	✓
Goals	✓	—
Iterations	—	✓
Milestones	—	✓
Stories	—	✓
Time Tracking	✓	—
Whiteboards	✓	—

ClickUp

Strengths

Feature-rich — replaces multiple tools
Generous free tier
Highly customizable views and workflows
Good value for money

Weaknesses

Overwhelming number of features — steep learning curve
Can feel slow and buggy
Trying to do too much means nothing is best-in-class
UI can be cluttered

Try ClickUp → Full review

Shortcut

Strengths

Right balance of features without Jira's complexity
Clean, intuitive interface
Good API and integrations
Generous free tier

Weaknesses

Smaller market share means less community content
Fewer advanced reporting features than Jira
Brand confusion from name change (was Clubhouse)
Limited customization compared to Jira

Try Shortcut → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Both tools offer free tiers, so you can test each before committing. ClickUp's free plan: Free tier with 100MB storage. Shortcut's free plan: Free for up to 10 users. When you outgrow the free tier, ClickUp is the cheaper option at $7/user/mo vs. $8.50/user/mo for Shortcut — roughly 21% less.

Feature gaps: ClickUp offers Custom Views, Docs and Goals that Shortcut lacks. Shortcut brings API, Epics and Iterations that ClickUp does not have.

Team fit: ClickUp is geared toward any size teams, while Shortcut is aimed at small teams teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Where each tool shines: ClickUp's biggest strengths are: feature-rich — replaces multiple tools. generous free tier. Shortcut's biggest strengths are: right balance of features without jira's complexity. clean, intuitive interface.

Watch out for: With ClickUp, users commonly note that overwhelming number of features — steep learning curve. With Shortcut, the main complaint is that smaller market share means less community content.

Choose ClickUp if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams that want one tool to replace many
You want to save on per-user costs — ClickUp is $1.50/user/mo cheaper
You specifically need Custom Views and Docs
You care about generous free tier
Your team size fits the any size profile ClickUp is designed for

Choose Shortcut if...

You need a tool built for mid-size software teams that find jira too heavy and trello too light
You specifically need API and Epics
You care about clean, intuitive interface
Your team size fits the small teams profile Shortcut is designed for
The free tier works for you: free for up to 10 users