Compare

Managello vs ClickUp

ClickUp packs an enormous feature set into one flexible cloud app. Managello is a focused, self-hosted client-delivery platform. Here is an honest comparison.

Try the live demo → See pricing
Last reviewed: July 2026 · we re-check public pricing and features regularly.
The quick verdict

The short answer, before the detail

Most of this decision comes down to a few honest questions. If you already know your answer, you can stop here.

Choose ClickUp if…
  • You want maximum features and customization
  • A very capable free plan matters to you
  • Docs, whiteboards and views in one app appeal
  • You are comfortable configuring a flexible tool
  • Per-user cloud pricing is acceptable
Choose Managello if…
  • You want a focused client-delivery workflow
  • A branded, magic-link client portal matters
  • Native invoicing and Stripe payments appeal
  • You prefer flat pricing and unlimited users
  • You want to own your data on your server
Company snapshot

Two different products, briefly

Context first — no feature scoring yet. Just who each tool is and where it comes from.

ClickUp Managello
Founded 2017 2025
Deployment Cloud SaaS Self-hosted (Docker)
Best known for All-in-one work platform Branded client portal + delivery
Pricing model Per user (freemium) Flat, per install
Best fit Teams wanting one flexible tool Agencies & studios
Hosting Vendor cloud Your own VPS
Pricing

How pricing changes as your agency grows

We show our assumptions in full and never bend a competitor's numbers. Prices are public list rates and can change — always confirm on their site.

Total users 10 users 25 users 50 users 100 users
ClickUp $70/mo $175/mo $350/mo $700/mo
Managello $59/mo $59/mo $59/mo $59/mo

Assumptions: ClickUp Unlimited at its lowest publicly listed rate (billed annually), multiplied by total users. ClickUp has a capable free plan; this table compares paid tiers. Public pricing, subject to change. Managello is a flat $59/install per month for unlimited staff and client users.

The client workflow

How client work actually flows

Instead of a feature checklist, here is the real path a piece of client work travels — from first request to payment and reporting.

Native Built in Possible Doable, with limits Requires integration Needs another tool Not intended Not what it's for
Stage
ClickUp
Managello
1Client request
Possible
Native Forms and guests; not a branded portal.
Native
Portal + email intake land in one request inbox.
2Project
Native
Very deep project and task management.
Native
Projects, tasks and a Kanban board.
3Files
Native
Attach and preview files.
Native
Uploads on every entity, plus a shared client library.
4Proofing
Native
Built-in proofing on images, PDFs and video.
Native
Pin comments on images/PDFs, compare versions.
5Approval
Possible
Approval flows via automations/custom statuses.
Native
Versioned deliverable approvals with a record.
6Invoice
Not intended
No invoicing; use a billing integration.
Native
Draft, issue and email invoices on your own template.
7Payment
Not intended
No payments.
Native
Stripe Checkout, your own payment link, or manual.
8Reports
Native
Dashboards and reporting.
Native
Monthly client reports + a revenue lens.
Built for agency work

The agency-specific details

The features that matter when clients live inside your tool. Written honestly — where ClickUp has something, we say so.

ClickUp Managello
Pricing & ownership
Unlimited users Per user Yes — staff & clients
Self-hosted No — cloud only Yes — your VPS
Ownership Vendor-hosted You own data & files
Project delivery
Project templates Yes, all plans Native + optional AI draft
Client requests Native forms Native intake spine
Client experience
Client portal No — guests Branded, with shared files & client teams
Shared client files Task files / public Docs Native per-client library
Client-managed team No — guests can't invite Yes — client owner invites
White-label Business+ (limited) Yes, on every plan
Magic-link login No Yes
Proofing & approvals
Proofing Native Native (pins + versions)
Approval workflow Automations Native, with a record
Quotes, billing & payments
Quote acceptance & e-sign None native Accept + typed or drawn signature
Deposit at acceptance No native billing Automatic on acceptance
Invoices No Native, on your own template
Custom invoice layout No native invoicing Native editor + live preview
Payments No Stripe, your own link, or manual
Accounting sync QBO import to tasks (beta) QuickBooks Online (one-way)
Reporting, AI & operations
Value Lens Dashboards Native revenue lens
AI model Vendor AI, paid add-on BYOK — your key, your provider
Notifications In-app + email In-app, email, Slack
Audit trail Enterprise Yes — append-only
Credentials vault Not built in Yes — per-project, encrypted
Updates Automatic Safe updater + rollback
Full credit where it's due

Where ClickUp is genuinely better

No comparison is honest without this section. ClickUp does real things well — here are the ones worth weighing before you decide.

Enormous feature breadth

ClickUp aims to replace many tools at once, with docs, whiteboards, goals and more built in.

Highly customizable views

List, board, Gantt, calendar and custom fields adapt to almost any workflow.

Strong value per user

You get a lot of capability for a low per-user price, plus a capable free plan.

Built-in proofing

ClickUp includes proofing on images and PDFs without a third-party add-on.

A different philosophy

Where Managello is different — not simply “better”

Managello makes a set of deliberate trade-offs. They suit some agencies and not others; here is the thinking behind them.

Agency-first

Managello is built around client work — requests, proofing, approvals and invoices — not adapted from an internal task tracker.

A client workspace, not a status page

Clients get a branded magic-link portal with a shared file library, their own team access, and approval and billing permissions you control. A designated client owner invites their own colleagues; no seat to buy, no Managello logo, no login friction.

Quote to cash in one path

A branded estimate, acceptance with an optional typed or drawn signature, a downloadable acceptance certificate, a fixed or percentage deposit invoice raised at acceptance, conversion into a project without re-entry, then invoicing on your own template — paid by Stripe, your own payment link or manually, and syncable to QuickBooks Online.

Self-hosted

It runs on your VPS with your database and files. Licensing checks validity only — it never reads your client data.

Unlimited users

Staff and client seats are unlimited. Adding a teammate or a client never changes the price.

Repeatable without bureaucracy

Reusable project templates carry milestones and tasks with relative dates, and AI can draft a first pass for you to review. New projects still default to blank, so one-off work stays fast.

Modern UX

A current React interface with proofing, a command palette and keyboard flows — self-hosted without feeling dated.

One install

Portal, projects, proofing, invoicing and reports are one system, not a stack of integrations to wire together.

Trust & optional AI

A Trust & Compliance hub covers privacy requests, retention, audit and publishable Privacy Policy, DPA and Retention Policy pages (from editable templates, not legal advice). Optional AI Assist runs only on your own Anthropic or OpenAI key — encrypted, click-only and spend-capped, with no tokens bundled or marked up — and opt-in email digests replace noisy per-event alerts. Encrypted off-server backups go to an S3 or SFTP destination you own.

Client credentials, sealed in the project

Each client's hosting, CMS, DNS, database and API logins live in the project they belong to — encrypted at rest and hidden by default, even from admins, until a short, self-expiring unlock reveals them. Every reveal is logged, and clients never see any of it. No shared spreadsheet and no separate password tool to keep in sync.

Seen enough to be curious? The live demo shows Managello working the way an agency actually uses it — no signup, your server, your brand.
Try the live demo →
Switching over

Already using ClickUp?

A typical, low-drama migration. Keep ClickUp running read-only until you are settled — there is no rush.

1Export projects
2Import data
3Invite staff
4Invite clients
5Start new work
6Keep ClickUp read-only
The Switch Safely Promise

Managello has a guided importer: export your ClickUp tasks to CSV and bring the structure across with a preview you approve and a one-click undo — or hand it to us and we'll run the migration for you. Keep ClickUp read-only while active work moves over.

You approve a preview

Nothing goes live until you have reviewed exactly what will be imported.

One-click undo

Changed your mind? Reverse the whole import in a single click.

If we can’t get your structure in, your next month is on us. How the Switch Safely Promise works →

Questions

Managello vs ClickUp — FAQ

Can Managello replace ClickUp?

For agency client delivery — portal, proofing, approvals and invoicing — yes. If you use ClickUp as a company-wide everything-app with docs, whiteboards and heavy customization, ClickUp is broader.

Does Managello have as many features as ClickUp?

No — and that is deliberate. Managello is focused on one clear client-delivery workflow rather than trying to do everything, which many agencies find easier to run.

Does Managello do proofing like ClickUp?

Yes — native pin-comment proofing on images and PDFs, with version comparison and approval records.

Is Managello self-hosted?

Yes, on your own VPS. ClickUp is cloud-only.

Do clients need a ClickUp-style seat?

No. Clients use a branded magic-link portal; users are unlimited on a flat license.

Who should stay with ClickUp?

Teams that want one highly customizable app to replace many tools, with docs and whiteboards, and are happy on per-user cloud pricing.

See the difference yourself.

The fastest way to know if Managello fits your agency is to click around the live demo. Your server, your brand, unlimited users.

Try the live demo → See pricing

No credit card required.

Compare Managello with other tools
vs Asana vs Trello vs Teamwork vs Productive vs Scoro vs Accelo vs Perfex CRM vs Monday vs ProofHub vs Zoho Projects