Quick answer
The best ClickUp alternatives with unlimited users in 2026 are Basecamp, Orangescrum, ProofHub, Rock, Freedcamp, Wrike (free plan), OpenProject, Linear (free plan), Redmine and Taiga. Basecamp, Orangescrum, ProofHub and Rock charge a flat price however many people join. Also, Freedcamp, Wrike and Linear offer free plans with no user cap. OpenProject, Redmine and Taiga are open source, so self-hosting them involves no per-seat licence fee.
Why Look for the Best ClickUp Alternatives
You added three contractors, two clients and a new department to your project management tool. Your invoice jumped again.
If that sounds familiar, you have run into the quiet catch of per-seat pricing: every person you invite makes the bill bigger, so teams start rationing access. Clients are left out of the loop, freelancers share logins and managers wonder whether one more account is worth the money. ClickUp is a powerful platform, but its paid plans charge per user, and the cost climbs steadily with headcount.
This guide compares ten of the best ClickUp alternatives where adding a person does not raise the price: flat-rate platforms, free plans with no user cap, and open-source tools you host yourself. Also, for each one, you will find real pricing, self-hosting and data-control details, honest strengths and limits, and who it actually suits.
Why Per-User Pricing Hurts
What “Unlimited Users” Means
“Unlimited users” means a plan puts no cap on how many people can have an account, and the price does not rise as you add more. Moreover, vendors deliver it in three different ways:
- Flat-rate pricing. One fixed fee covers the whole organisation, whether you have 5 users or 500. Moreover, Basecamp, Orangescrum, ProofHub and Rock work this way.
- Free plans with no user cap. The software costs nothing, but features, storage or active items are limited. Furthermore, Freedcamp, Wrike and Linear fall here.
- Open-source, self-hosted software. You run the software on your own infrastructure. There is no seat licence, but you pay for hosting and maintenance. Besides, OpenProject, Redmine and Taiga work this way.
The model matters more than the headline claim. Furthermore, a free plan can still limit storage or issues, and a flat-rate plan can still keep advanced features for a higher tier.
ClickUp Pricing
ClickUp’s Free Forever plan has no user cap, but it limits storage, automation runs and some features. Also, its paid plans charge per user. Likewise, at the time of writing, third-party sources put the Unlimited plan at about $7 per user per month and Business at about $12 per user per month, billed annually, with higher monthly-billing prices and a separate AI add-on. Enterprise pricing is custom.
| Team size | ClickUp Unlimited (about $7/user/month) | ClickUp Business (about $12/user/month) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 users | $70/month | $120/month |
| 25 users | $175/month | $300/month |
| 50 users | $350/month | $600/month |
| 100 users | $700/month | $1,200/month |
Annual-billing figures from third-party sources; they may have changed (see ClickUp’s pricing page). Cost rises in a straight line with headcount. A flat-rate tool, or an open-source tool you host yourself, usually breaks even somewhere around 10 to 20 users. See a per-user vs flat pricing cost comparison.
Why Teams Leave ClickUp
- The interface feels overwhelming. Smaller teams often use a fraction of ClickUp’s views, settings and features.
- They want to include clients and contractors. Per-seat pricing discourages inviting outside collaborators.
- They want data control. Regulated industries and privacy-conscious teams may prefer software they can host themselves.
- They want predictable budgets. Flat-rate pricing makes annual planning simple.
How We Picked the Best ClickUp Alternatives
Each of the best ClickUp alternatives below had to meet three tests.
- Unlimited users had to be real: on every paid plan, on a free plan, or through self-hosting with no seat licence.
- Pricing was verified where possible, from vendor pages we could reach and cross-checked third-party sources. Where sources disagree, we say so.
- Weaknesses are included. Every tool has trade-offs.
Best ClickUp Alternatives Comparison
Use this table to shortlist the best ClickUp alternatives. In addition, swipe or scroll sideways on small screens.
Flat-Rate Tools (Unlimited Users on Paid Plans)
| # | Tool | How users are unlimited | Pricing (as reported, 2026) | Self-hosting | Data control | Key features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basecamp | Flat-rate Pro Unlimited | About $299/mo annual; about $349 to $399 monthly (sources vary). Plus: $15/user/mo | No, cloud only | Vendor-hosted | Message boards, to-dos, schedules, files, chat | Client work, simple communication |
| 2 | Orangescrum | Every paid cloud plan | $29 / $69 / $349 per mo (Basic / Pro / Premium); about 10% less annual. Free: 1 user. Self-hosted from $1,500/yr (up to 25 users) | Yes: paid edition and free Community Edition | Cloud, or your servers, private cloud or air-gapped | Kanban, Gantt, sprints, timesheets, resources, budgets, invoicing, bug tracking, AI | Agile teams, IT services, agencies |
| 3 | ProofHub | Flat fee, no per-user charge | About $45 to $50/mo (Essential); $89 to $135/mo (Ultimate Control); sources vary | No, cloud only | Vendor-hosted | Tasks, Gantt, proofing, discussions | Creative teams, approvals |
| 4 | Rock | Flat-rate Unlimited plan | $89/mo, or $74.92/mo billed yearly. Free plan available | No, cloud only | Vendor-hosted | Chat, tasks, notes, sprints, time tracker | Agencies, remote teams |
Free Plans and Open-Source Tools
| # | Tool | How users are unlimited | Pricing (as reported, 2026) | Self-hosting | Data control | Key features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Freedcamp | Free plan | $0 free; paid about $1.49 to $7.49/user/mo annual (sources vary) | No, cloud only | Vendor-hosted | Tasks, Kanban, calendars | Small budgets, nonprofits |
| 6 | Wrike | Free plan | $0 free; paid per user, Team about $10/user/mo annual | No, cloud only | Vendor-hosted | Boards, tables, task management | Basic tracking for large groups |
| 7 | OpenProject | Free Community edition | $0 self-hosted; paid enterprise add-ons priced separately | Yes | Full control | Gantt, boards, time and cost tracking, wikis | Teams with IT resources |
| 8 | Linear | Free plan | $0 free (250 active issues); Basic about $10, Business about $16/user/mo annual | No, cloud only | Vendor-hosted | Issues, cycles, roadmaps | Software and product teams |
| 9 | Redmine | Open-source software | $0 software; you pay for hosting | Yes | Full control | Issues, Gantt, wikis, plugins | Developers wanting flexibility |
| 10 | Taiga | Open-source software | $0 self-hosted; hosted paid tier reported at about $7/user/mo | Yes | Full control when self-hosted | Scrum, Kanban, backlogs | Small agile teams |
How to read this table: “Unlimited users” does not always mean “everything included.” Free plans limit features, flat-rate plans may reserve advanced functions for higher tiers, and self-hosted tools shift the cost from licences to hosting and maintenance.
Orangescrum Deep Dive
What is Orangescrum?
Orangescrum is one of the best ClickUp alternatives for teams that want ClickUp-style depth without per-seat billing. Moreover, it covers tasks and subtasks, Scrum and Kanban boards, sprints, backlogs and epics, Gantt charts with dependencies and milestones, timesheets, resource management, budgets and invoicing. Also, every paid cloud plan includes unlimited users.
Key Features
Pricing
Free Forever
- Kanban board
- No time limit
- No credit card
Basic Unlimited
- Unlimited users
- 10 projects · 50 GB
- Unlimited tasks, Kanban, Gantt
- Milestones, templates, calendar
- Roles and permissions
Pro Unlimited
- Unlimited users and projects
- 100 GB storage
- Sprints, backlog, burndown
- Custom workflows, automation
- Timesheets, workload, budgets
- Bug tracking, GitHub/GitLab
Premium Unlimited
- Unlimited users and projects
- 500 GB storage
- Program management, critical path
- Resource allocation, cost reports
- Invoicing, advanced dashboards
- API, audit trail, SSO, test cases
Enterprise: custom quote, 1 TB storage, LDAP, 2FA, custom reports and dedicated support. Every paid cloud plan has a 14-day free trial. If you do not subscribe after the trial, the workspace locks and your data is kept. Nonprofit and education buyers can get a longer trial and a discount. See full Orangescrum pricing.
Self-Hosting and Data Control
Data control is where Orangescrum differs from most flat-rate tools on this list, which are cloud only. In addition, it offers two self-hosted routes:
- Paid self-hosted edition. Deploy Orangescrum on-premise, in a private cloud or fully air-gapped. Moreover, pricing starts at $1,500 per year for up to 25 users and $2,250 per year for up to 50 users, with custom quotes beyond that. These licences are sold in user bands, so “unlimited users” applies to the cloud plans, not the self-hosted licence.
- Free Community Edition. Orangescrum’s download page describes a free, self-hosted edition under the AGPL v3 licence, installed with Docker, with source code on GitHub (read the Community Edition announcement). Furthermore, support comes through GitHub issues and a community group, with no service level agreement, and features such as single sign-on are part of the paid editions. Besides, read the licence and feature list on the download page before you commit.
With a self-hosted install, your data stays on your servers and you decide on access, backups and retention. You are also responsible for security patching, backups and upgrades. Likewise, our guide explains why more businesses are choosing self-hosted project management software, and regulated teams can read about on-premises project management software for GDPR and HIPAA. Furthermore, on the cloud side, Orangescrum states it is ISO 27001 certified and GDPR compliant, runs on SOC 2 Type II infrastructure (AWS, Azure or Google Cloud), and offers SSO and SAML, LDAP, two-factor authentication, role-based access control and audit logs, depending on plan. Also, ask for current compliance documents before relying on them for an audit.
Orangescrum vs ClickUp
| Factor | Orangescrum | ClickUp |
|---|---|---|
| User pricing | Flat per plan; unlimited users on paid cloud plans | Per user on paid plans (about $7 to $12/user/month annual) |
| Free plan | 1 user, 1 project, 500 MB | No user cap, but limited storage, automations and uses |
| Self-hosting | Yes (paid edition and free Community Edition) | No, cloud only |
| Agile tools | Sprints, backlog, velocity, burndown (Pro) | Sprints and agile features on paid plans |
| Time tracking | Timers and approvals (Pro) | Time tracking on paid plans |
| Budgets and invoicing | Budgets (Pro), invoicing from time logs (Premium) | Through paid features and integrations |
| Integrations | Slack, Teams, GitHub, GitLab, Google Drive and more | Typically broader, with a larger marketplace |
| Interface | More focused feature set | Highly customisable, but can feel crowded |
Why Orangescrum Is One of the Best ClickUp Alternatives
- More depth than most flat-rate tools. Basecamp and Rock are simpler by design. In addition, Orangescrum offers Gantt charts, sprints, timesheets and resource management at a low entry price.
- Unlimited users from $29 a month.
- A real self-hosting path. Basecamp, ProofHub, Rock, Freedcamp, Wrike and Linear are cloud only. Moreover, Orangescrum lets you start in the cloud and move to your own servers later.
- Built for delivery teams. Agile boards, bug tracking, a test case manager and Git integrations suit software and IT services teams, while timesheets and invoicing suit agencies.
Where Orangescrum falls short
- The free plan is for one user and one project.
- Program management, critical path, invoicing and SSO sit on the $349 Premium tier.
- The integration ecosystem is smaller than ClickUp’s.
- Self-hosted licences are limited by user band.
- The free Community Edition has limited support and omits some enterprise features.
Who should choose Orangescrum
- Teams of roughly 10 to 200 people who want to stop paying per seat.
- IT services firms, software teams and agencies needing sprints, time tracking and invoicing in one place.
- Organisations that may self-host for compliance or data residency.
- Teams that find ClickUp cluttered and want a more focused tool.
Try Orangescrum free for 14 days
Unlimited users on every paid cloud plan. No credit card required. Cloud or self-hosted.
The 10 Best ClickUp Alternatives
1Basecamp
Best flat-rate tool for client work
Basecamp organises work around message boards, to-do lists, schedules and file sharing. Also, it is less configurable than ClickUp by design.
Pro Unlimited costs the same regardless of headcount and includes 5 TB of storage. Because the entry price is high, it only beats per-seat pricing above roughly 20 users.
Pros
- One predictable price, clients included
- Easy for non-technical people
- Strong for client communication
Cons
- No sprints, deep Gantt or reporting
- Expensive for small teams
2Orangescrum
Best all-round project management with unlimited users
Orangescrum combines agile boards, Gantt charts, timesheets, resource management and budgets, with unlimited users on every paid cloud plan from $29 per month, plus paid and free self-hosted options. See the full deep dive above for features, pricing tiers, self-hosting details and the ClickUp comparison.
Pros
- Unlimited users on all paid cloud plans
- Agile, time and resource tools
- Cloud and self-hosted deployment
Cons
- Free plan is single-user
- Advanced features on higher tiers
- Smaller integration ecosystem than ClickUp
3ProofHub
Best for creative teams and approvals
ProofHub combines tasks, Gantt charts, discussions and a built-in proofing tool for reviewing files.
No per-user fee or seat tier. In addition, one reviewer says the economics improve above about 10 users.
Pros
- Flat price favours medium and large teams
- Proofing and approvals
Cons
- No free plan
- Lighter automation and integrations
4Rock
Best for chat and tasks in one place
Rock puts messaging, tasks, notes and files in shared “spaces.”
Rock states the price is the same for 5 or 500 users; the only cap is 500 members per space. Moreover, there is a 14-day trial and no refunds on cancellation.
Pros
- True flat pricing
- Chat and projects in one app
- Sprints, recurring tasks, time tracker
Cons
- Lighter on advanced reporting
5Freedcamp
Best free plan for small budgets
Freedcamp offers tasks, Kanban boards, calendars, discussions and file sharing.
Pros
- Very low cost, generous free tier
- Covers the basics well
Cons
- Advanced views such as Gantt on paid plans
- Less polished interface
6Wrike
Best free plan from an enterprise vendor
Wrike is an enterprise work management platform whose free plan has no user cap.
Only the free plan is unlimited. Furthermore, Gantt, time tracking and automation are paid features, and paid plans charge per seat.
Pros
- No user cap on the free plan
- Path to enterprise features
Cons
- Basic free plan
- Per-seat pricing once you upgrade
7OpenProject
Best self-hosted option with full features
Open-source project management with Gantt charts, boards, calendars, time tracking, budgeting, cost reporting, wikis and bug tracking. Also, compare more in our roundup of the top open source project management software.
Pros
- Free, open source, feature-rich
- Complete data control
Cons
- Needs technical skills to maintain
- Some features need the paid add-on
8Linear
Best free plan for software teams
A fast, keyboard-driven issue tracker with cycles, projects and roadmaps.
Pros
- Free for any team size within the issue limit
- Clean, fast interface
Cons
- Narrow focus on software work
- Per-seat pricing after the free tier
9Redmine
Best long-standing open-source tracker
A mature, open-source project management and issue tracking tool with Gantt charts, wikis, time tracking and a large plugin library.
Pros
- Free, flexible, proven
- Large plugin ecosystem
Cons
- Dated interface
- Needs setup and upkeep
10Taiga
Best open-source tool for agile teams
An open-source agile tool with Scrum and Kanban boards, backlogs and sprints.
Pros
- Clean agile workflow
- Free to self-host
Cons
- Fewer features outside agile planning
- Unclear hosted plan limits
How to Choose Among the Best ClickUp Alternatives
The best ClickUp alternatives differ by team size, budget and technical skills, so match the tool to how you work.
- You want ClickUp-like depth at a flat price: Orangescrum or ProofHub. Furthermore, Orangescrum adds agile boards, timesheets and a self-hosted route; ProofHub adds proofing and approvals.
- You mostly handle clients and conversation: Basecamp or Rock.
- Your budget is close to zero: Freedcamp, Wrike’s free plan, or Linear for engineering. Read the limits first.
- You need data control or self-hosting: Orangescrum’s self-hosted edition, OpenProject, Redmine or Taiga.
- You have more than 20 users: Flat-rate pricing nearly always beats per-seat pricing at that size.
Quick Steps to Pick From the Best ClickUp Alternatives
- List the five features your team uses every week and ignore the rest.
- Count everyone who needs access, including clients and contractors.
- Shortlist two tools from the comparison table.
- Run a two-week trial on a real project.
- Check export options before you commit, so you can leave if you need to.
Migration tip: Most tools import CSV files, so exporting your ClickUp tasks to CSV is a sensible start. In addition, expect to rebuild automations and dashboards by hand. Moving from Jira? See how to migrate from Jira to Orangescrum without losing data.
Final Verdict on the Best ClickUp Alternatives
The best ClickUp alternatives share one idea: adding a person should not raise the price. Paying per user is not wrong, but it is worth questioning when your team grows or includes people who only occasionally need access. Moreover, if you want the closest match to ClickUp’s depth without per-seat billing, Orangescrum and ProofHub are the strongest flat-rate options. Also, Orangescrum adds agile tooling, timesheets, invoicing and a self-hosted route for teams that need control over their data. Basecamp and Rock suit communication-heavy work. Furthermore, if budget is the priority, begin with Freedcamp, Wrike or Linear, or self-host OpenProject, Redmine or Taiga if you have the technical capacity.
Whichever you pick, test it with a real project first, compare the flat fee against your current per-user bill, and confirm pricing on the vendor’s site, because plans change often.
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