Lifted Work vs ClickUp
Considering ClickUp for your agency? See how Lifted Work—built exclusively for digital marketing agencies—compares to ClickUp's everything-for-everyone approach.
Quick Comparison: Lifted Work vs ClickUp
| Feature |
Lifted Work
|
ClickUp |
|---|---|---|
| Built exclusively for agencies | ||
| Client portal included | Workarounds only | |
| AI with client context | Generic AI ($9-28/user extra) | |
| Client request management | ||
| Client correspondence tracking | ||
| Time tracking by client | Manual setup required | |
| Unlimited team members | Per-seat pricing | |
| SOPs attached to tasks | Docs separate | |
| All client info on one page | ||
| Zapier integration | ||
| Custom fields |
Why Digital Marketing Agencies Choose Lifted Work Over ClickUp
ClickUp tries to be everything for everyone. Lifted Work does one thing: help agencies manage client delivery. Here's why that matters.
Built ONLY for Agencies
ClickUp is a Swiss Army knife—it does everything for everyone. Lifted Work does one thing: agency client delivery. No noise, no features you'll never use.
Real Client Portal Included
ClickUp has no client portal. You can share docs or use guest access, but clients see your messy workspace. Lifted Work gives clients a polished portal with their dashboard, feed, and request submission.
Agency-Context AI
ClickUp Brain is powerful but generic. Lifted Work's AI knows your clients, their history, and their deliverables—so it schedules and drafts with real context.
Time Tracking by Client
Track time per client for accurate billing and capacity planning. ClickUp has time tracking, but organizing it by client requires complex setup.
Client Correspondence Tracking
Emails from clients flow into their activity feed automatically. See all client communication in context—not scattered across ClickUp Inbox.
Simple Agency Pricing
ClickUp's AI costs extra ($5-28/user/mo on top of seat fees). Lifted Work includes AI, client portals, and unlimited team members in one price per client.
Detailed Feature Comparison
See exactly how Lifted Work and ClickUp stack up across the features that matter most for agency operations.
Client Management
- Professional client portal with your branding
- Client dashboard showing upcoming deliverables
- Client request submission and tracking
- Upsell opportunities visible on client portal
- All client correspondence in one activity feed
- No built-in client portal
- Guest access exposes internal workspace
- No dedicated client request system
- No upsell/service showcase features
- Client communication scattered across tools
AI Capabilities
- AI schedules months of client deliverables
- Prompts saved with full client context
- AI drafts with client voice and history
- Smart recommendations per client
- Included in all plans
- ClickUp Brain for general tasks
- AI writing and summarization
- Standup and progress reports
- No agency-specific scheduling
- Costs $9-28/user/month extra
Time & Billing
- Time tracking organized by client
- See capacity per client at a glance
- Track time against client budgets
- Billing-ready time reports
- Built-in to every plan
- Time tracking included
- Billable time tracking
- Requires manual client organization
- Complex reporting setup for agencies
- Reports require configuration
Communication & Correspondence
- Client emails flow to activity feed
- Internal updates separate from client-visible
- Meeting notes attached to clients
- Full correspondence history per client
- Mentions keep team discussions focused
- ClickUp Inbox for notifications
- Comments on tasks
- No automatic email-to-client routing
- Communication scattered across spaces
- Hard to see full client history
Which Tool Is Right for You?
Choose Lifted Work If...
- You're drowning in ClickUp features you never use and want purpose-built simplicity
- You need a real client portal—not shared docs or guest access workarounds
- You want all client communication (emails, notes, tasks) in one place
- You need time tracking organized by client for billing and capacity
- You want AI that understands your clients, not generic summarization
- You're tired of paying per seat AND paying extra for AI ($9-28/user/mo)
ClickUp Might Work If...
- You need one tool for your whole company (sales, HR, dev, and agencies)
- You love customizing every view, field, and automation
- You're a solo freelancer who doesn't need client portals
- You want maximum features regardless of complexity
- You're already deep in the ClickUp ecosystem
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Lifted Work charges per client managed with unlimited team members included. ClickUp uses per-seat pricing which adds up as your team grows.
View our pricing" I don't know what I'd do without Lifted Work. "
Frequently Asked Questions: Lifted Work vs ClickUp
ClickUp has so many features. Why would I use something simpler?
That's exactly the problem. ClickUp tries to serve everyone—startups, enterprises, dev teams, HR departments, and agencies. For agencies, this means wading through features you'll never use while missing agency-specific ones (like client portals and client-organized time tracking). Lifted Work does one thing well: agency client delivery.
Can I set up a client portal in ClickUp?
Not really. ClickUp suggests workarounds like sharing Docs, using guest access, or creating public dashboards. But clients see your workspace structure, there's no request submission, and no professional portal experience. Lifted Work includes a real client portal where clients see their dashboard, feed, upcoming work, and can submit requests.
How does pricing compare? ClickUp seems affordable.
Let's math it out: A 10-person agency on ClickUp Unlimited pays $70/month. Add ClickUp Brain for AI ($9/user) and you're at $160/month—and you still don't have a client portal. Lifted Work Growth is $149/month for up to 15 clients with unlimited team members, AI, and client portals included. Add 5 more team members and ClickUp costs jump while Lifted Work stays the same.
Does ClickUp have AI like Lifted Work?
ClickUp Brain is a capable general-purpose AI for summarization, writing, and standups. But it's an add-on ($5-28/user/month) and it's generic—it doesn't understand agency workflows or client context. Lifted Work's AI is built for agencies: it schedules client deliverables, drafts with client context, and is included in every plan.
I'm already using ClickUp. Is it worth switching?
If you're struggling with client visibility, manually organizing everything by client, or cobbling together workarounds for client communication—yes. Many agencies migrate from ClickUp when they realize a purpose-built tool saves hours of configuration. You can start with one client to test the workflow.