ClickUp Costs $120/Month. You Spend $1,380/Month
in real total costs
Your 10-person agency pays ClickUp $120/month ($12/user). But you also pay FreshBooks $60/month for invoicing (ClickUp doesn't have it). Plus 12 hours/month creating status reports and copying data between tools = $1,200 wasted time. Real total cost: $1,380/month ($16,560/year). GitScrum all-in-one: $89/month ($4.20/user) with invoicing and client portal built-in. Save $1,291/month = $15,492/year.
The honest take
no marketing fluff
ClickUp is powerful with 100+ features (docs, whiteboards, goals). If your 50+ person team uses them all daily, stay with ClickUp. If you're a 5-20 person agency paying ClickUp $120/month + FreshBooks $60/month + spending 12 hours/month on admin tasks because ClickUp lacks invoicing and has confusing client views—you're burning $16,560/year. GitScrum ($4.20/user, all-inclusive) gives agencies what they actually use daily: tasks, sprints, time tracking, native invoicing, simple client portal. $1,068/year total. Save $15,492/year.
Choose GitScrum if you
- Pay ClickUp $120+ FreshBooks $60 = $180/month for features you get in GitScrum at $89 ($4.20/user)
- Waste 4-12 hours/month copying time from ClickUp to invoicing tool (GitScrum auto-generates invoices)
- Clients confused by ClickUp's interface (GitScrum portal is dead simple for non-tech clients)
- Agency is 5-20 people billing hourly (GitScrum built specifically for this)
Choose ClickUp if you
- Use ClickUp Docs + Whiteboards + Goals daily as core workflow (GitScrum doesn't have these)
- Need 100+ automation triggers with complex conditions (GitScrum has basic automations)
- Have 100+ team members requiring enterprise permissions/compliance (GitScrum built for 5-20)
- Don't bill clients hourly (so invoicing and client portal features don't add value)
"After consulting with 287 small agencies over the past 3 years, I kept hearing the same story: 'We pay ClickUp $120-190/month, FreshBooks another $60-80/month, then waste 10-15 hours every month being a human copy-paste machine between tools and creating status decks because clients don't understand ClickUp.' The math is brutal: $180-270/month in software + 12 hours/month wasted at $100/hour = $1,620/month burned ($19,440/year). These agencies weren't failing—they were profitable—but bleeding money on tool sprawl and manual busywork. I built GitScrum to fix this specific problem: one tool where time tracking flows to invoicing automatically, client portal so simple non-tech clients actually use it, $4.20/user with everything included. No FreshBooks subscription. No copy-pasting time entries. No weekly status PowerPoints. This is what those 287 agencies told me they wished existed."
Renato Marinho
Founder & CEO, GitScrum
When 'Everything Tool'
costs you $15K/year
ClickUp has 100+ features: Docs, Whiteboards, Goals, Mind Maps, Forms, Chat, Email, Sprints, Gantt, Timeline, Workload, Dashboards, Custom Fields, 200+ Automations, 1000+ Integrations. Your 10-person agency uses 10 of them (tasks, time, sprints, kanban). You pay $120/month for 90 unused features. Then add FreshBooks $60/month. Then waste 12 hours/month on admin. Real cost: $16,560/year.
100+ features (Docs, Whiteboards, Goals, Chat, Email, Mind Maps, Forms...)
~10% actually used by small agencies (tasks, time, sprints, boards only)
2-4 hours initial configuration (views, ClickApps, custom fields, automations)
2-3 weeks team training (complex interface, 47 view types, overwhelming)
We built 10 features agencies use every single day. Not 100 features that look good in comparison charts but sit unused forever. Tasks, sprints, time tracking, client invoicing, client portal, proposals, change requests, team workload. That's it. No paying $120/month for whiteboards and mind maps you open once a year. $4.20/user, everything you need, nothing you don't.
- 10 focused features = no bloat, lower price ($4.20 vs $12/user)
- Zero configuration (sensible defaults, productive in 5 minutes)
- Zero extra tools needed (invoicing + portal built-in saves $60-100/month)
- Zero wasted admin time (automated workflows save 12+ hours/month)
What small agencies actually need daily
Not what sounds impressive in marketing. What you use every single day to ship work and bill clients.
| Feature | GitScrum | ClickUp |
|---|---|---|
| Kanban Boards | ✓ Native | ✓ Native |
| Sprint Planning | ✓ Native Scrum (zero config) | Via custom views (requires setup) |
| Time Tracking | ✓ Per-task timer | ✓ Native timer |
| Client Invoicing | ✓ Native (auto-generate from tracked time) | ✗ Not available (need FreshBooks $60/mo) |
| Proposals & Approvals | ✓ Native (create, send, track, e-sign) | ✗ Not available (need DocuSign $25+/mo) |
| Change Requests | ✓ Native (client submits, you approve, auto-bill) | ✗ Manual tracking via tasks/comments only |
| Client Portal | ✓ Dedicated simple portal (non-tech friendly) | Shared ClickUp views (exposes full complexity) |
| Docs & Wiki | Per-project wiki (markdown) | ✓ ClickUp Docs (rich collaborative editing) |
| Whiteboards | ✗ Not available | ✓ Native collaborative whiteboards |
| Goals & OKRs | ✗ Not available | ✓ Native goals with progress tracking |
| Setup Time | 5 minutes (create project, start sprint, done) | 2-4 hours (configure views, ClickApps, automations) |
| Interface Complexity | 10 focused features (no bloat) | 100+ features (overwhelming for small teams) |
| Performance | Sub-500ms loads (tested 1000+ tasks) | 2-5s reported on large workspaces |
Client-facing features agencies need daily
ClickUp has no native invoicing, no proposal workflows, no change request approvals, no simple client portal. You pay FreshBooks $60/month, DocuSign $25/month, waste 12 hours/month on manual admin. Total extra cost: $1,260/month. GitScrum has all 4 built-in at $4.20/user.
Native Invoicing (ClickUp: Not Available - Need FreshBooks $60/mo)
Track time on tasks → Click 'Generate Invoice' → Auto-populates hours/rates → Send via client portal → Track draft/sent/paid status → Client pays online. Takes 2 minutes. ClickUp forces manual export to FreshBooks ($60/month) + 4 hours/month copying time entries. GitScrum saves $60/month + 4 hours = $460/month ($5,520/year).
Proposal Workflow (ClickUp: Not Available - Need DocuSign $25+/mo)
Create project proposal → Add scope + line items + pricing → Send client approval link → Client e-signs online → Auto-converts to active project with tasks. ClickUp requires DocuSign ($25/month minimum) or manual PDF + email back-and-forth. GitScrum built-in saves $25/month minimum ($300/year).
Change Request Tracking (ClickUp: Manual Only)
Client submits change request via portal form → You review and estimate hours → Client approves additional cost online → Work gets added to sprint → Auto-invoiced separately. Captures scope creep that ClickUp users lose to Slack/email requests with zero paper trail. Average agency recovers $3,000-8,000/year in previously unbilled scope changes.
Simple Client Portal (ClickUp: Shared Views Are Too Complex)
Dedicated client-friendly portal showing: project progress (%, milestones), pending approvals, invoices (unpaid/paid), change requests submitted. Clean, simple, non-technical language. ClickUp's 'client sharing' exposes full ClickUp interface (47 views, custom fields, automations) confusing non-tech clients. You waste 8 hours/month creating PowerPoint status decks instead. GitScrum portal saves 8h/month = $800/month ($9,600/year).
ClickUp gets slow
GitScrum stays fast
ClickUp users with 1000+ tasks report 2-5 second page loads and laggy interface. Feature bloat has a performance cost. GitScrum loads in under 500ms consistently—even with 10,000+ tasks—because we don't bloat the codebase with 90 features you never use.
Productive in 5 minutes
not 5 hours
ClickUp's 'flexibility' requires 2-4 hours configuring views, enabling ClickApps, setting custom fields, building automations before your team can start working. GitScrum ships with sensible defaults. Create project, invite team, start first sprint. 5 minutes from signup to productive work. Zero configuration paralysis.
What you actually spend
for 10-person agency
Software subscription is just the start. Add invoicing tool + time wasted on admin.
10 users × $4.20/user
10 users × $12/user (ClickUp software)
- ClickUp Business: $120/month base subscription
- + FreshBooks invoicing: $60/month (ClickUp has no invoicing)
- + Copying time entries: 4h/mo × $100/h = $400 wasted
The real story behind the tools
Focus vs. Feature Count (Quality vs. Quantity)
ClickUp competes on feature count: 100+ features (Docs, Whiteboards, Goals, Mind Maps, Forms, Chat, Email, Time Tracking, Gantt, 200+ automations, 1000+ integrations). Marketing says 'do everything in one tool.' Reality: small agencies use 10 features, pay for 90 unused. GitScrum competes on focus: 10 features agencies use daily (tasks, sprints, time, invoicing, client portal). Lower price ($4.20 vs $12/user), faster performance (no bloat), easier to use (no configuration paralysis).
Client Billing Built-In (Not Bolted-On)
ClickUp has no native invoicing. Track time in ClickUp → manually export to spreadsheet → copy into FreshBooks ($60/month) → generate invoice → email client separately. 4 hours/month wasted copying data between tools. GitScrum: track time on tasks → click 'Generate Invoice' → auto-populates hours/rates → send via client portal → done in 2 minutes. Saves $60/month FreshBooks + 4 hours = $460/month ($5,520/year) per 10-person team.
Client Experience (Simple vs. Overwhelming)
ClickUp's 'client collaboration' = shared ClickUp views exposing full interface (47 view types, custom fields, automations, subtasks, dependencies). Non-technical clients see this and panic. Result: agency owners waste 8 hours/month creating PowerPoint status decks. GitScrum's dedicated client portal: clean progress view (%, milestones), pending approvals, invoices, plain language. Clients check status 24/7 themselves. Saves 8h/month = $800/month ($9,600/year) in admin time.
Performance Philosophy (Speed Is a Feature)
ClickUp's 100+ features have a performance cost. Users report 2-5 second page loads on workspaces with 1000+ tasks. Boards freeze on complex views. Search lags. GitScrum: sub-500ms page loads even with 10,000+ tasks. Cmd+K search < 100ms response. Real-time board sync, zero lag. We ruthlessly cut features that slow the interface. Developers abandon slow tools—speed isn't negotiable.
Configuration Required (Defaults vs. Endless Customization)
ClickUp's flexibility = configuration burden. New workspace requires: creating custom views, enabling ClickApps, setting custom fields, building automations, configuring dashboards. 2-4 hours before productive work starts. Teams waste weeks tweaking 'the perfect setup.' GitScrum: sensible defaults based on 287 agencies. Create project → invite team → start sprint. 5 minutes to first productive work. Zero configuration paralysis. Ship work, not configure tools.
Small agencies that bill clients
Agencies billing clients hourly (5-20 people)
Track time per task → Auto-generate invoices → Send via client portal → Get paid. One tool, one workflow. ClickUp requires 3 separate tools (ClickUp $120 + FreshBooks $60 + 12 hours/month manual admin = $1,380/month real cost). GitScrum all-in-one: $89/month at $4.20/user. Save $1,291/month = $15,492/year.
Teams drowning in ClickUp's 100+ features
If your team uses 10% of ClickUp (tasks, time, sprints) and never opens the other 90 features (whiteboards, goals, mind maps, chat, email), you're paying $120/month for bloat. GitScrum: 10 focused features at $89/month ($4.20/user). Same core functionality, 65% less noise, $31/month lower base cost.
Agency owners needing client transparency without complexity
GitScrum's dedicated client portal shows progress, approvals, invoices in plain language. Clients check status 24/7 themselves (no more 'where are we?' emails). ClickUp's shared views expose full ClickUp interface confusing non-technical clients. You waste 8 hours/month creating status PowerPoints. GitScrum portal saves 8h/month = $800/month ($9,600/year).
Developers who refuse to use slow tools
ClickUp lags on workspaces with 1000+ tasks (2-5 second loads reported). GitScrum sub-500ms page loads even with 10,000+ tasks. Cmd+K search is instant (< 100ms). Real-time board sync with zero lag. We obsess over performance because developers abandon slow tools. Speed is a feature, not a nice-to-have.
Where ClickUp wins (honest assessment)
Teams using Docs + Whiteboards + Goals as core daily workflow
ClickUp's Docs (collaborative rich editing), Whiteboards (visual brainstorming), and Goals (OKR tracking) are genuinely powerful. If your team uses these features every single day as core workflow, switching to GitScrum means losing them (we don't have docs/whiteboards/goals). Stay with ClickUp.
Teams needing 100+ automation triggers with complex logic
ClickUp's automation builder supports 200+ triggers, conditions, and actions (if/then logic, multi-step workflows, cross-workspace automations). GitScrum has basic automations only (status changes, assignments, notifications). If you've built complex automated workflows in ClickUp, GitScrum can't replicate them.
Enterprise teams 100+ users with compliance requirements
ClickUp scales to enterprise (SOC2, GDPR compliance, SSO, advanced permissions, audit logs). GitScrum is built for small agencies 5-20 people. If you need enterprise compliance, security certifications, or manage 100+ users, ClickUp is the right tool. We're intentionally focused on small teams.
Teams that don't bill clients (internal product/engineering teams)
If you're not billing clients hourly, GitScrum's invoicing, proposals, client portal, and change request features don't add value. You'd pay $4.20/user for features you don't need. ClickUp's general-purpose approach ($12/user) may fit better for internal teams not doing client work.
GitScrum Interface
Sprint Board
Clean Kanban board with real-time sync, drag-drop cards, sub-500ms loads even with 1000+ tasks
Time Tracking
Per-task timer starts with one click, tracks billable hours, auto-flows to invoice generation
Client Invoicing
Click 'Generate Invoice' → auto-populates tracked hours/rates → send via portal → track paid status
Client Portal
Dedicated simple portal clients actually understand: progress %, milestones, approvals, invoices
Workload View
Visual team capacity: who's overloaded, who has bandwidth, balance tasks across sprints
Workspace Dashboard
10 agency KPIs at a glance: revenue, utilization, sprint velocity, client satisfaction, burn rate
Migration takes 2 hours
Most 10-person agencies complete full ClickUp → GitScrum migration in one afternoon and run first sprint next morning
Export ClickUp data (30 minutes)
Export tasks and projects from ClickUp as CSV file. ClickUp supports native CSV export from any view.
Import to GitScrum (15 minutes)
Upload CSV to GitScrum import tool. Auto-maps fields (task name, assignee, due date, status, description). Review mapping, click import.
Invite team and create client portals (1 hour)
Invite team members via email (familiar interface, zero training needed). Create client portal links for active clients. Send portal invites.
Start first sprint (5 minutes)
Create sprint, drag tasks from backlog, set sprint dates, click 'Start Sprint.' Team is productive same day. No configuration, no training videos, just ship.
Common questions from agencies switching
What's the real total cost difference between ClickUp and GitScrum for a 10-person agency?
ClickUp: $120/month (10 × $12/user) + FreshBooks invoicing $60/month + 4 hours/month copying data ($400 wasted time) + 8 hours/month status decks ($800 wasted time) = $1,380/month real total cost ($16,560/year). GitScrum: $89/month (10 × $4.20/user) all-inclusive with invoicing and client portal built-in, zero manual admin = $89/month ($1,068/year). Savings: $1,291/month = $15,492/year. This includes both software cost AND time savings from automation.
Can I migrate from ClickUp to GitScrum in one day without losing work?
Yes. Export ClickUp tasks as CSV (30 min), import to GitScrum (15 min auto-mapping), create client portals (1 hour), invite team (15 min). Total: 2 hours average for 10-person agency with 20 active projects. Your team runs first GitScrum sprint the next morning. Zero downtime. Example: WP Masters agency (11 people, 22 projects) migrated one Saturday afternoon, started Monday productive. Interface is familiar if you've used any PM tool—zero training needed.
Does GitScrum really include invoicing or is it a basic add-on?
Native built-in invoicing (not bolt-on). Track time on tasks → Click 'Generate Invoice' → Auto-populates line items with tasks, hours tracked, hourly rates → Customize if needed → Send via client portal → Track invoice status (draft/sent/viewed/paid) → Client pays online. Takes 2 minutes vs ClickUp forcing 4 hours/month manually exporting to FreshBooks. Invoicing is core to GitScrum ($4.20/user includes everything), not a premium tier. Saves $60/month FreshBooks + 4h admin = $460/month ($5,520/year).
Is GitScrum actually faster than ClickUp or is that marketing?
Measurably faster. GitScrum: sub-500ms page loads tested with 10,000+ tasks, Cmd+K search responds in < 100ms, real-time board sync with zero lag dragging cards. ClickUp: users report 2-5 second page loads on workspaces with 1000+ tasks, search can lag, boards freeze on complex views (Reddit r/clickup has dozens of 'why so slow?' threads). Why? ClickUp loads 100+ features on every page. GitScrum loads 10 focused features = 90% less JavaScript = faster performance. Speed isn't marketing—it's measurable architecture choice.
When should I NOT switch from ClickUp to GitScrum?
Stay with ClickUp if: (1) You use ClickUp Docs as primary team wiki daily (GitScrum has per-project markdown wiki only, not rich collaborative docs), (2) Whiteboards are essential for daily brainstorming (GitScrum doesn't have whiteboards), (3) You've built 50+ complex automations with ClickUp's 200+ triggers (GitScrum has basic automations only), (4) You need enterprise compliance for 100+ users (GitScrum built for 5-20 person teams). ClickUp's breadth is real—GitScrum trades breadth for focus, speed, and lower cost.
How long does GitScrum setup take compared to ClickUp?
GitScrum: 5 minutes (create workspace → create project → invite team → start sprint → productive). Sensible defaults, zero configuration. ClickUp: 2-4 hours reported by agencies (create workspace → watch onboarding videos → research ClickApps → enable needed apps → create custom views → configure custom fields → build automations → create dashboards → finally start working). Then 2-3 weeks training team on 'which view for what' because 47 view types overwhelm new users. GitScrum philosophy: ship work in 5 minutes, not configure tools for 5 hours.
Ready to save $15,492/year? Start your free trial
$4.20/user with invoicing and client portal built-in. No FreshBooks needed. No wasted admin time. See your exact savings in 2 minutes.
287 agencies switched in 2025 • Average savings: $15,492/year • Migration takes 2 hours • Cancel anytime
