# Lifted Work vs Basecamp for Agency Management > Compare Lifted Work and Basecamp for agency project management. See features, pricing, and why agencies choose purpose-built software. Source: https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/basecamp ## Lifted Work vs Basecamp Basecamp keeps your team talking. But talking isn't delivering. If your agency has outgrown message boards and to-do lists, here's how Lifted Work compares. In short: Basecamp is the better choice if you have a large team and flat pricing matters more than agency-specific features. Lifted Work is better if you have more clients than staff, and you want client portals, reporting and time tracking without add-ons. Quick Comparison ### What each platform is built for | Feature | Lifted Work | Basecamp | | --- | --- | --- | | Built only for agencies | | | | Client portal included | | Message boards | | Client request management | | Message boards | | Client correspondence and Gmail sync | | | | Deliverables with client approval | | | | AI with full client context | | | | Analytics and ads reporting built in | | | | Branded report rendering (PDF/HTML) | | | | Time tracking by client | | Included, but per project | | SOPs attached to tasks | | | | Unlimited team members | | | | Flat price regardless of headcount | | | | Client access included at no extra cost | | | | Native iOS and Android apps | | | ### Why agencies choose Lifted Work over Basecamp Basecamp is a communication tool. Clients see your message boards, Campfires, and to-do lists. Lifted Work gives clients a professional portal and gives your team the structure to deliver: SOPs, time tracking, analytics integrations, and AI that knows every client. #### Client delivery, not team chat Basecamp has message boards, to-do lists, and Campfires. Lifted Work organizes around clients: tasks, correspondence, notes, analytics, and deliverables on one screen. Built for delivering work, not discussing it. #### Real client portal Clients get a branded portal with deliverables for review, request submission, and a services page. Basecamp invites clients into projects where they see your internal chatter. #### AI that knows your clients The AI has each client's brand, notes, history, and analytics data. It schedules, drafts, and runs your monthly reporting end to end. Basecamp has no AI at all. #### Client communication in one place Gmail syncs client emails into their activity feed. Correspondence, tasks, notes, and deliverables on one screen per client. No hunting across message boards and Campfires. #### Time tracking by client Track time per client for billing and capacity. Basecamp now includes time tracking on every plan, including Free, but it records against projects rather than clients, so margin per account still has to be assembled by hand. #### Upsells on client portal Your client portal shows what's included and what clients can add. Basecamp has no way to present upsell opportunities. ### Feature by feature See exactly how Lifted Work and Basecamp stack up across the features that matter most for agency operations. Basecamp prices are list prices checked on 15 September 2026. Plans change; check their pricing page before deciding. #### Client portal & requests Lifted Work - Branded portal with dashboard, feed, and services - Request submission and status tracking - Deliverables with client review and approval - Services page with upsell opportunities - Clients see a polished experience, not your message boards Basecamp - No client portal - Clients see message boards and Campfire chats - No deliverables or approval workflow - No client request system (message boards as workaround) - No separation between internal work and client view #### AI that knows your clients Lifted Work - AI has each client's brand, notes, history, and analytics data - Schedule a full month of deliverables in one conversation - Monthly reports pull from GA4, Search Console, and Meta Ads automatically - Saved prompts run on a schedule for recurring work - Connects to Claude Desktop and ChatGPT via MCP Basecamp - AI connectors exist, but nothing that knows your clients - Automatic check-ins, but no scheduled client deliverables - No native analytics integrations (GA4, Search Console, etc.) - No drafting that knows the client's brand or history - To-do lists are fully manual, one item at a time #### Communication & correspondence Lifted Work - Gmail syncs client emails into their activity feed - Full correspondence history per client - Internal client notes (visible to team and AI, not clients) - Draft emails to client contacts from the activity screen - Zapier for Slack, call logs, and meeting transcripts Basecamp - Email forwarding to projects - Client emails mixed with team discussion - No clear separation between internal and client-facing - Campfire chat, message boards, and email all in different places - No single screen showing all client communication #### Time tracking & billing Lifted Work - Time tracking by client, built into every plan - Track actual time against budgeted hours per task - Client capacity visible on the dashboard - Billing-ready reports per client or team member - Assigned vs. worked hours tracked monthly Basecamp - Time tracking included on every plan, including Free - Not organized by client - Project-based timesheets only - No budget tracking per task - Manual client allocation The honest part ### Where Basecamp is the better choice No tool wins on everything. If these matter more to you than running client delivery in one place, Basecamp is the right call. #### Flat pricing at large headcount Basecamp charges a flat monthly fee with no per-user cost from the $59 Studio plan up, and the Unlimited Edition is $299 a month. If you have a big team and relatively few clients, that can be cheaper than per-client pricing, and the maths genuinely favours them at that shape. #### Client access is built in and free Basecamp has always let clients into message boards without an upcharge, and it works well for straightforward back-and-forth. Our portal does more, but theirs is not an afterthought. #### Deliberate simplicity Basecamp leaves features out on purpose, and for teams that find most software overwhelming that restraint is the product. Lifted Work has considerably more surface area to learn. #### Native mobile apps Basecamp ships well-regarded iOS and Android apps with offline support and push notifications. Lifted Work is a web application that works in a mobile browser, which is not the same for a team that checks work from their phones. ### What each one costs Lifted Work starts at $5/client/month. Unlimited team members on every plan. [View our pricing](https://www.liftedwork.com/pricing) > " I don't know what I'd do without Lifted Work. " **![SpredX Agency Logo](https://www.liftedwork.com/images/spredx-logo-dark.png) Rick, Founder SpredX Agency, running 99 clients in Lifted Work** Frequently Asked Questions ### Questions agencies ask about Basecamp **Details** #### We like Basecamp. Why would we switch? Basecamp is great for team communication. But if you're running client work, you've probably noticed the gaps: clients can see your internal discussions, there's no deliverables approval flow, no analytics integrations, no AI, and time tracking costs extra. Lifted Work is built specifically for agencies delivering client work, and it can run alongside Basecamp while you move work over at your own pace. **Details** #### Basecamp has flat pricing. How does Lifted Work compare? Basecamp charges a flat fee with no per-user cost: $99 a month for Pro with 25 active projects, or $299 a month for the Unlimited Edition. Time tracking is included on every plan. Lifted Work charges per client: $5, $7, or $12/client/month depending on the plan. A 15-client agency on Delivery pays $105/month with unlimited team members, client portals, AI with client context, analytics integrations, and time tracking all included. **Details** #### Basecamp has no AI. How much does that matter? It depends on how much manual work you're doing. Without AI, every client report is assembled by hand, every month of deliverables is scheduled manually, and every email draft starts from scratch. Lifted Work's AI has full context on each client: their brand, notes, correspondence, and analytics from Google Analytics, Search Console, Meta Ads, and more. It can schedule an entire month of work, draft emails with the right context, and run your monthly reporting automatically. **Details** #### I like Basecamp's simplicity. Will Lifted Work be too complex? Lifted Work is organized around clients, which makes it simpler for agency work than hunting through Basecamp's message boards, to-do lists, and Campfire chats. You see everything about a client on one screen: tasks, emails, notes, analytics, and deliverables. Most agencies find it more intuitive for client work, not less. **Details** #### Does Lifted Work integrate with the tools I already use? Yes. Gmail syncs client emails automatically. Google Analytics, Search Console, Google Ads, Meta Ads, and Google Business Profile connect for reporting and AI context. Zapier connects thousands of other apps like Slack, phone systems, and meeting transcription tools. And the MCP server connects to Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, or any MCP-compatible AI tool. ### Ready to try purpose-built agency software? [Get started](https://www.liftedwork.com/register) Adopt at your own pace 30 days. Full refund, no questions. Cancel anytime Plans from $5/client [Lifted Work vs Asana](https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/asana) [Lifted Work vs Trello](https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/trello) [Lifted Work vs ClickUp](https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/clickup) [Lifted Work vs Semrush](https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/semrush) [Lifted Work vs AgencyAnalytics](https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/agencyanalytics) [Lifted Work vs Whatagraph](https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/whatagraph) [Lifted Work vs Databox](https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/databox) [Lifted Work vs DashThis](https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/dashthis) [Lifted Work vs Looker Studio](https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/looker-studio)