ClickUp vs Notion in 2025: Which is a better project management tool?

As productivity and project management tools continue to evolve, ClickUp and Notion remain two of the most powerful options for individuals and teams in 2025. Both platforms offer extensive customization, task management, and collaboration features, but they cater to different user needs. 

In this guide, we’ll break down their key features and usability to help you decide which tool is best for your workflow in 2025.

Understanding ClickUp and Notion

ClickUp is a comprehensive project management platform designed for teams and businesses that need a structured way to plan, track, and manage tasks. It provides features like task lists, Kanban boards, Gantt charts, time tracking, goal setting, and workflow automation. ClickUp is highly customizable, allowing users to create views that fit their work style, whether they prefer lists, calendars, timelines, or mind maps. It also integrates with various third-party applications like Slack, Google Drive, and Zoom. Its primary strength lies in task and project organization, making it a strong choice for teams that need detailed project tracking and collaboration.

Notion, on the other hand, is a more flexible all-in-one workspace that combines note-taking, databases, project management, and document collaboration. It allows users to create pages where they can organize text, embed multimedia, build relational databases, and design personal dashboards. Unlike ClickUp, which is primarily task-focused, Notion is more about knowledge management and organizing information in a highly customizable way. Users can create wikis, personal journals, meeting notes, and project tracking systems using its modular approach. It is widely used by individuals and teams who need a centralized space for information storage, documentation, and collaboration.

Key Similarities

All-in-One Productivity Tools

Both platforms offer a range of features, including task management, document creation, and collaboration tools, reducing the need for multiple apps.

Customization & Flexibility

Users can create highly customizable workflows, dashboards, and databases to fit their needs.

Task & Project Management

Both support to-do lists, task tracking, and project planning, though ClickUp is more structured for team-based task management.

Collaboration & Teamwork

They allow teams to work together using real-time collaboration, comments, mentions, and sharing permissions.

Integration Capabilities

ClickUp and Notion integrate with third-party apps like Slack, Google Drive, and Zapier, enabling smoother workflows.

Multi-Platform Availability

Both are available on web, desktop, and mobile (iOS & Android).

Template Libraries

Pre-built templates help users quickly set up workspaces, workflows, and documentation.

Key Differences

Primary Focus

The user focuses on using ClickUp for project and task management, streamlining workflows, tracking progress, and ensuring timely completion of tasks. They use Notion for knowledge management and documentation, organizing information, creating databases, and keeping resources structured for easy access. 

Best For

ClickUp is best for teams managing tasks, sprints, and workflows due to its customizable project management features, allowing teams to organize, track, and prioritize tasks effectively. 

Notion, on the other hand, is ideal for individuals or teams focused on creating wikis, knowledge bases, and structured notes, as it offers flexible templates, databases, and collaborative spaces for storing and organizing information. 

Task Management

ClickUp is advanced with features like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, sprint tracking, goals, and task dependencies, making it ideal for teams that need robust project management capabilities and detailed tracking of complex workflows. Notion, on the other hand, is more basic, offering simple task lists without automation for dependencies, making it better suited for users who need straightforward note-taking, organizing, and collaborative spaces rather than full-fledged project management. 

While ClickUp excels in advanced features for managing intricate projects, Notion is more focused on knowledge sharing and organizing content.

Views & Dashboards

ClickUp offers multiple views, including Kanban, List, Table, Calendar, Gantt, and Mind Map, giving users the flexibility to manage projects and tasks in a variety of ways. This variety allows teams to choose the view that best suits their workflow, whether for detailed project timelines or high-level visual overviews. Notion, while offering some views such as Table, List, Kanban, and Calendar, is more limited in comparison, providing fewer options for visualizing and organizing tasks. 

ClickUp's broader range of views makes it a more versatile tool for complex project management, while Notion's simplicity is ideal for personal or small-team knowledge management and organization.

Automation

ClickUp includes built-in automation for tasks, notifications, and integrations, allowing teams to automate repetitive processes, streamline workflows, and stay on top of deadlines with minimal manual effort. This makes it a powerful tool for managing complex workflows and keeping projects on track. Notion, on the other hand, lacks native automation features, relying on external tools like its API or Zapier for automating tasks and workflows. 

While Notion is excellent for organizing and collaborating on content, ClickUp's automation capabilities give it an edge for teams needing more hands-off, efficient project management.

Database & Wiki Features

ClickUp offers basic database functions, including custom fields, relations, and formulas, allowing users to create structured data and link tasks or projects together. While functional for simpler database management, ClickUp is more focused on task and project tracking rather than complex data organization. Notion, in contrast, provides advanced database features, including relational databases, advanced filtering, sorting, and formulas, making it a more powerful tool for users who need to build intricate knowledge bases or data-driven systems. Notion’s flexibility with databases enables users to create highly customizable and dynamic content, while ClickUp’s database functions are more streamlined for task management.

Real-Time Collaboration

ClickUp supports real-time collaboration with live editing, comments, and mentions, enabling teams to work together on tasks and projects while keeping everyone updated with direct communication. This feature is especially useful for teams managing workflows or handling multiple projects. Notion also allows for real-time editing with inline comments, making it a great tool for collaborative note-taking, document creation, and knowledge sharing. 

While both platforms support collaboration, ClickUp's focus on task management with comments and mentions is better for team-based project work, whereas Notion’s inline comments are ideal for content creation and information sharing.

Hierarchy & Structure

ClickUp has a hierarchical structure that includes Workspace > Spaces > Folders > Lists > Tasks, allowing teams to organize their projects in a clear, tiered format that separates different types of work and keeps tasks within structured categories. This setup is ideal for managing complex projects with multiple teams or departments. 

Notion, on the other hand, uses a more flexible hierarchy with Workspace > Pages > Subpages > Databases, which gives users the freedom to organize content in a more fluid and customizable manner. 

AI & Smart Features

ClickUp includes an AI assistant designed to help summarize tasks, write updates, and automate certain aspects of task management, making it a useful tool for streamlining team workflows and keeping everyone aligned with project progress. Notion also features an AI assistant, but its focus is more on content creation, helping users generate ideas, write content, and improve writing quality. 

ClickUp Pricing

ClickUp offers a Free Tier for personal use or hobbyists, though its feature limitations make it less suitable for teams or full-scale project management. 

The Unlimited plan is priced at $7/month per seat on the annual tier, designed for small teams with access to basic features, but advanced automations are reserved for the next tier. 

The Business plan, considered the best value at $12/month per seat on the annual tier, provides the most comprehensive set of features, including advanced automations, time tracking, and workload management. This tier is the most cost-effective option compared to other project management tools like Asana and Monday.

Notion Pricing

Notion offers a Free Tier for up to 10 guests, making it an accessible option for individuals or small teams to explore its capabilities. This tier allows users to dive into Notion's flexible and customizable platform, though it may feel overwhelming at first since it's essentially a blank slate. It's a great way to experiment with organizing content, creating databases, and building pages without any initial commitment. If you need more features or additional guests, you can explore Notion’s paid plans.

When To Use Notion Vs ClickUp

ClickUp and Notion serve different needs, so when deciding between the two, it largely depends on the type of work you’re doing and the features you require.

Use ClickUp if you need structured project and task management with advanced features. It’s ideal for teams that require collaboration and need a clear framework to track progress on tasks, projects, and workflows. ClickUp’s features like Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and custom dashboards provide an organized, visual way to monitor work. If your team needs built-in time tracking, goal setting, sprint planning, or automation to streamline processes, ClickUp is your best option. It's particularly well-suited for those in fast-paced environments or businesses that need robust task management and detailed project oversight.

Use Notion if you need a flexible note-taking or knowledge management tool. Notion is perfect for creating structured databases, wikis, and documentation that require customization. If you’re managing research, personal projects, or collaborative documents, Notion’s ability to create relational databases with filters and formulas makes it easy to organize and access information. It’s best for those who don’t need advanced task dependencies or complex project tracking but need a versatile platform for storing, organizing, and sharing knowledge in a way that’s highly adaptable to individual or team preferences.

Final Thoughts

In 2025, both ClickUp and Notion offer powerful tools for project management and organization, but their strengths cater to different user needs. The choice between the two depends on whether you prioritize structured task management and scalability (ClickUp) or simplicity and customization (Notion).