Jira vs. ClickUp: a data-backed comparison
Explore Jira and ClickUp's features, pricing, adoption trends, and ideal use cases to help you determine which project management tool best fits your team's unique needs.
Jira vs. ClickUp at a glance
Both Jira and ClickUp are powerful project management tools, but they differ in complexity and specialization. Jira is better for teams that need sophisticated workflow rules, complex approval hierarchies, and technical integrations. ClickUp is better for teams that prefer an intuitive interface with diverse productivity features and visualization options.
Metrics | Jira | ClickUp |
|---|---|---|
Relative cost | – | 34% lower cost than category average |
Adoption trend | 8% QoQ adoption growth | 14% QoQ adoption growth |
Primary user segment | 39% of users are SMB | 40% of users are SMB |
Best for | Organizations of all sizes seeking ticketing systems, developer support tools, and agile project management platforms that scale with team growth and evolving needs. | Teams heavily reliant on multiple tools and requiring extensive integrations. |
Jira overview
Jira is a project management and issue tracking software developed by Atlassian. It was originally designed for software development teams to track bugs and issues, but has evolved into a comprehensive work management tool used across industries.
Jira provides customizable workflows, agile project management features (including Scrum and Kanban boards), roadmaps, reporting tools, and extensive integration capabilities. Teams use Jira to track tasks, manage software development cycles, plan sprints, and create custom workflows.
Jira key features
Features | Description |
|---|---|
Agile boards | Customizable Scrum and Kanban boards for sprint planning and visualizing workflows. |
Issue tracking | Tracks bugs, tasks, and stories with custom fields, filters, and audit trails. |
Workflow engine | Custom issue workflows with conditional transitions and automated actions. |
Roadmaps | Visual timeline tools for planning product features and releases. |
Development tools integration | Connects with GitHub, Bitbucket, Jenkins, and Bamboo to link tasks with code activities. |
JQL (Jira Query Language) | SQL-like query language for creating complex searches and custom reports. |
ClickUp overview
ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity platform designed to manage projects, tasks, and team collaboration. The platform combines project management, document collaboration, goal tracking, chat, and time management in a single workspace.
ClickUp offers multiple views, including list, board, calendar, Gantt, and timeline perspectives, allowing teams to visualize work in their preferred format. The platform provides extensive customization options for workflows, statuses, and fields, along with automation capabilities to streamline repetitive tasks.
ClickUp key features
Features | Description |
|---|---|
Multiple Views | Offers List, Board, Gantt, Calendar, Box, and Mind Map views for flexible project visualization |
Automation | Enables custom workflows with a wide range of triggers and actions for complex process automation in financial operations |
Goals Tracking | Allows teams to set, track, and achieve financial objectives within the platform, aligning work with organizational targets. |
Time Tracking | Integrated time tracking helps monitor time spent on tasks for billing and resource management |
Integrations | Supports integrations with QuickBooks, Stripe, and thousands of apps via Zapier |
Pros and cons
Tool | Pros | Cons |
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Jira |
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ClickUp |
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Use case scenarios
Jira focuses on technical workflow management, while ClickUp provides versatile functionality for various team structures.
When Jira is the better choice
- Enterprise teams managing complex workflows and approval processes
- Organizations with compliance requirements needing audit trails
- Teams requiring granular permission controls for sensitive projects
- Companies already using Atlassian tools seeking integration benefits
- Development teams following Agile or Scrum methodologies
- Organizations with IT support available for customization
When ClickUp is the better choice
- Teams seeking a balance of functionality and user-friendly design
- Organizations managing cross-functional collaboration
- Teams needing no-code customization options
- Projects requiring visual progress tracking and modern dashboards
- Organizations without dedicated technical support
- Teams managing various project types beyond software development
Other project management tools
- Asana: Offers a visual workspace with drag-and-drop task organization, timeline views, and workflow rules to support structured collaboration.
- Monday.com: Includes customizable dashboards, automation, and formula columns for calculations and performance metrics.
- Jira: Designed around agile workflows with sprint planning, backlog organization, and issue tracking for technical teams.
- Microsoft Project: Provides advanced scheduling, resource allocation, and Gantt chart views, often used in enterprise environments.
- Trello: Uses a Kanban-style card system for managing tasks in a simple, visual format, with limited reporting options.
- Wrike: Features request forms, automation, and approval workflows suitable for operations, marketing, and cross-functional teams.
- Notion: Combines documents, databases, and tasks in a flexible workspace that supports building connected workflows from scratch.
- Teamwork: Includes time tracking, invoicing, and client portals tailored to service-based or agency teams.
- Basecamp: Focuses on communication and task tracking with message boards, to-do lists, and simple scheduling tools.
- Smartsheet: Offers grid-based views, automation, and reporting tools that appeal to teams familiar with spreadsheets.
- ClickUp: Provides customizable views, goal tracking, and dashboards that support a range of team workflows.
- Airtable: Combines spreadsheet and database functionality, offering flexible views and relational data tracking.