# Lifted Work vs Trello for Agency Management > Compare Lifted Work and Trello for agency project management. See features, pricing, and why agencies choose purpose-built software. Source: https://www.liftedwork.com/compare/trello ## Lifted Work vs Trello Your agency started on Trello because it was simple. Now you have 15 boards, a handful of Power-Ups, and no way to see what's due across all your clients this week. In short: Trello is the better choice if you want the simplest possible board and your team will not tolerate setup. Lifted Work is better once boards stop scaling and you need one view across every client, plus a portal they can actually log into. Quick Comparison ### What each platform is built for | Feature | Lifted Work | Trello | | --- | --- | --- | | Built only for agencies | | | | Client portal included | | | | Client request management | | | | Client correspondence and Gmail sync | | | | Deliverables with client approval | | | | AI with full client context | | General AI, no client context | | Analytics and ads reporting built in | | | | Branded report rendering (PDF/HTML) | | | | Time tracking by client | | Power-Up required | | Multi-client dashboard | | Board per client | | SOPs attached to tasks | | | | Free plan | 30-day money-back guarantee | | | Simplicity and time to first board | | | | Native iOS and Android apps | | | ### Why agencies choose Lifted Work over Trello Trello gives you boards. Lifted Work starts where Trello stops: one dashboard for all clients, a portal they can log into, correspondence tracking, analytics integrations, and AI that knows every client by name. #### One dashboard, all clients 20 clients on Trello means 20 boards. Lifted Work shows every client's status, hours, and upcoming work on one dashboard. No switching between boards. #### Real client portal Clients get a branded portal with deliverables for review, request submission, and a services page. Trello has no client portal at all. #### 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. Trello has basic card summaries. #### 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 boards and card comments. #### Time tracking by client Track time per client for billing and capacity. Built into every plan. Trello needs a Power-Up and won't organize by client. #### No power-ups required Client portal, time tracking, Gmail sync, analytics integrations, AI with client context, report rendering, and SOPs on tasks. All built in. No Power-Ups needed. ### Feature by feature See exactly how Lifted Work and Trello stack up across the features that matter most for agency operations. Trello 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 progress 24/7 without being invited to your workspace Trello - No client portal of any kind - No client request system - No deliverables or approval workflow - Only option is inviting clients to see your boards - Clients see your internal cards and labels #### 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 Trello - Atlassian Intelligence for card summaries - Butler automation for rule-based card moves - AI doesn't know your clients or their data - No native analytics integrations (GA4, Search Console, etc.) - Butler handles card rules, not client workflows #### 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 Trello - Email-to-board requires a Power-Up - Emails not linked to specific clients - Card comments are the only discussion option - No unified history of client communication - Each board is its own silo #### 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 Trello - Time tracking requires a Power-Up - Not organized by client - Quality and reliability varies by Power-Up - No budget tracking per task - No built-in billing reports The honest part ### Where Trello is the better choice No tool wins on everything. If these matter more to you than running client delivery in one place, Trello is the right call. #### Genuinely simpler Trello is easier to learn than anything else in this comparison, including us. If your team resists process tooling, a board with three lists will get adopted where a full agency system will not. #### A real free plan Trello is free for unlimited personal boards with core features. Lifted Work has a 30-day money-back guarantee rather than a free tier, so Trello lets you start at zero cost. #### Fastest possible setup A useful Trello board exists about a minute after signup. Lifted Work asks you to set up clients, services and templates first, which pays off later but is more work on day one. #### Native mobile apps Trello's iOS and Android apps are excellent and widely used. Lifted Work runs in a mobile browser and has no native app. ### 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 Trello **Details** #### I love Trello's simplicity. Is Lifted Work complicated? Lifted Work is actually simpler for agency work than Trello. Instead of juggling 15 boards and 4 Power-Ups, you have one view per client with their tasks, correspondence, deliverables, and notes in one place. One dashboard shows everything across all clients. Most agencies find it easier than their Trello setup, not harder. **Details** #### Can Trello work for agencies with the right Power-Ups? You can add Power-Ups for time tracking, email, and calendar sync. But there's no Power-Up for a client portal, client correspondence tracking, analytics integrations, or AI with client context. At some point you're stacking tools on top of a card system and maintaining all of them. Lifted Work has all of this built in. **Details** #### How does the AI in Lifted Work differ from Trello's? Trello has Atlassian Intelligence for card summaries and Butler for rule-based automation (move a card when a label is added, etc.). Lifted Work's AI has full context on each client: their brand, notes, correspondence, task history, and analytics from Google Analytics, Search Console, Meta Ads, and more. It can schedule a full month of deliverables, draft emails with the right context, and run your monthly reporting by pulling real data into branded reports. **Details** #### Is Lifted Work more expensive than Trello? Trello Standard is $5/user. A 10-person team pays $50/month with no client portal, no analytics integrations, and no time tracking without a Power-Up. 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, Gmail sync, analytics integrations, AI, and time tracking all included. **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. 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