On Friday, Marek opens the bill for the tool used by his 14-person agency. The team mainly works with a list and a board, although the software offers much more; now they also need to decide who gets access to paid AI. “ClickUp or Task Manager for a small business?” Marek writes next to the amount. He wants to find out how much he'll pay over three years and where the team's data will be stored.
ClickUp or Task Manager: how many views do you need?
You don't need to choose the tool with the most views if your team only plans work using a list, board and calendar. ClickUp does give you more ways to view a project, including Gantt charts, timelines and workload views, so the difference may determine your choice when you're managing a complex schedule. The availability and limits of each view depend on the plan.
Picture a Monday at Marek's agency. Ola looks for the task “Website project”, checks its due date and reads the conversation below the description. In Task Manager, she does this in a three-column layout: she selects a Workspace on the left, sees the list of tasks and chats in the middle, and opens a thread on the right. A task has a title, description, assignees, priority and due date. Tasks and conversations in one thread also let her check system messages: who changed the status or moved the due date.
When Marek wants to see several Workspaces at a glance, he opens the Board with Workspace columns. Each Workspace is a column with Favourites, Tasks and Chats sections. In the Calendar, he can choose a 1-, 2-, 3-, 5- or 7-day view, or the List panel.
Due date colours mean the same thing in the list, on the Board and in the Calendar: red means a task is overdue, blue means it's due today, green means it's due in the coming days, and grey means there's no due date or the task is closed. Above the list, the Due soon, Today, Overdue and Chat tiles show the number of items and filter the list when clicked. New team members don't have to guess whether red on the Board means something different from red in the list or Calendar.
This simplicity has its limits. Task Manager doesn't have Gantt charts, timelines, mind maps or workload views for planning schedules. It also lacks custom fields, custom statuses, forms, time tracking and dashboards for tailoring workflows and reporting. If you're managing an eight-month project with dependencies and reporting on people's workloads, consider ClickUp; its pricing page lists Gantt charts and custom fields in Unlimited, as well as more advanced dashboards and timeline views in Business. (clickup.com)
What are you paying for over three years?
With ClickUp's paid plans, you pay recurring fees per user and separately for ClickUp Brain AI. With Task Manager, you pay once for a seat package; after the first year, you can renew access to updates or keep using the version you own.
| Question | ClickUp | Task Manager |
|---|---|---|
| How do you pay for the software? | Subscription per user on paid plans | One-off fee for a seat package |
| Where is the application data stored? | On ClickUp's AWS-based infrastructure | On your company's server |
| How do you pay for AI? | ClickUp Brain AI add-on per Workspace member per month | A separate bill from the model provider based on usage, with no Task Manager mark-up |
| What about updates? | You use a subscription service | 12 months of updates included with the licence; optional renewal afterwards |
| Who looks after the application server? | The service provider | Your company or its hosting administrator |
ClickUp lists Free Forever at no cost, Unlimited at USD 7 per user per month with annual billing or USD 10 with monthly billing, and Business at USD 12 or USD 19, respectively. Enterprise is priced individually. These are rates from the official pricing page checked on 25 September 2026; I haven't converted them to pounds. A free plan is available, but it has different limits from the paid plans, so don't treat it as a substitute for Unlimited when calculating costs for a business. (clickup.com)
For 14 people over 36 months, Unlimited on annual billing comes to 7 USD × 14 × 36 = 3528 USD for the plan alone. Business in the same scenario comes to 12 USD × 14 × 36 = 6048 USD. This compares listed rates; it is not a guarantee that the price will stay the same for three years. It excludes taxes, changes to team size and add-ons. (clickup.com)
In Task Manager, 14 people fit into the Classic plan, which covers up to 20 people. Standard costs 1 490 zł, while Pro costs 3 990 zł. Pro adds Mail, Files, Automations, AES-256 encryption and a RAG knowledge base. Annual Updates renewal for Standard Classic costs 447 zł; you can check the price and scope of the other options under Task Manager's perpetual licence.
The three-year cost for Standard Classic without renewals is 1 490 zł for the licence. If you renew Updates after the first and second years, the total is: licence + 2 × annual renewal = 2 384 zł. Not renewing does not prevent you from using the version you have. Add your own hosting and its maintenance to your budget; these costs are not included in the amount above. Remote installation is included from the Classic plan upwards, while the price list shows a charge of 299 zł for Starter.
ClickUp Brain AI or your own AI key: where does the cost come from?
ClickUp Brain AI is an add-on to the plan, purchased per Workspace member per month; the listed rate is 9 USD per person per month, according to the price list as of 25 September 2026. In Task Manager, an administrator can enable the optional AI Assistant using their own API key, and the company pays the model provider directly for usage. (clickup.com)
With 14 paid Workspace members, ClickUp Brain AI at the listed rate would cost 9 USD × 14 × 36 = 4536 USD over three years, if that rate applied throughout. Combined with the example of Unlimited billed annually, that would be 3528 USD + 4536 USD = 8064 USD. This is a planning scenario, not a 36-month offer: before you buy, check the billing cycle you choose, the current add-on rate and the credit rules for the features you plan to use. ClickUp describes separate credits for some AI features; it also offers limited AI use without a paid add-on. (clickup.com)
In Task Manager, the administrator opens Settings → AI and chooses OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude or xAI Grok. They enter their own API key, then fetch the list of models available on their account from the provider. The key is encrypted and is not shown in full after it has been saved. For details on the settings, see the guide to using your own AI key at work.
The AI Assistant can answer using sources you specify in a given thread, such as your Tasks, Calendar, Workspace, a specific chat or a note. It can also prepare a file for download or open the “Add task” form with fields filled in; the task is only created when you click “Save”. In a conversation under a task, the “AI Assistant” button is for asking a private question (the answer is marked FOR YOUR EYES ONLY), while “Organise” displays the thread in Beautify, Summarise or Expert mode - for the session only, without changing the originals.
Using your own key does not automatically mean a lower bill. The cost depends on the model you choose and the number of requests, so heavy use may cost more than a fixed fee; you can check usage with your API provider. If you don't need AI, Task Manager works without it. Choosing a model with your own key also doesn't change the fact that the question's specified context is sent to an external model provider.
Does your own server give you more control, or more responsibilities?
Your own server means the application files and database are on your company's hosting, but it also makes you responsible for maintaining that environment. ClickUp runs as a service hosted on AWS, so you don't install its application on your own hosting.
Task Manager requires PHP 8.1 or later and MySQL or MariaDB; standard shared hosting is enough. You open the installer in a browser. You go through the Requirements, Database, Administrator, Application settings and Mail screens, without Composer or the command line. You can install most releases from Settings → Updates without FTP, although some require a manual process.
The application serves its libraries, fonts, icons and avatars from your server, so it can work on a network without internet access. That doesn't mean an external AI model will work on such a network. When you use the AI Assistant, your question and the context you specify are sent to the provider you selected, using your key.
So on Wednesday, Marek has more to do than compare invoices. He also needs to work out who in his company is responsible for hosting, backups and the certificate. With ClickUp, the service infrastructure remains the provider's responsibility; according to its documentation, customer data is stored in AWS regions. Your own server changes how responsibilities are split - it doesn't take them off the calendar.
When should you choose ClickUp, and when Task Manager?
Choose ClickUp if you genuinely plan to work with Gantt charts, dependencies, custom fields and reports, and prefer a service hosted by the provider. Choose Task Manager if a list, Board and Calendar are enough for you, and conversations alongside tasks, a Polish interface, your own hosting and a one-off licence matter more. ClickUp offers the planning and customisation features listed, although their scope depends on the plan. (clickup.com)
Marek may want to stay with ClickUp if he shows clients a schedule of dependent work every week. Ola, from a 9-person studio, mainly looks for due dates and decisions in threads on Fridays, so she has reason to try Task Manager.
Tomorrow morning, write down how many people you pay for and which views your team actually uses. Next to that, note the cost of AI and who is responsible for the server. With those four answers, open Demo and see whether the way of working in Task Manager suits your company.
Frequently asked questions
How much does ClickUp Brain AI cost?
ClickUp Brain AI costs 9 USD per Workspace member per month at the listed rate in the official price list checked on 25 September 2026. It is an add-on to the plan; check the billing cycle and feature scope before buying. In Task Manager, the AI Assistant uses your API key, and you pay the model provider for usage. (clickup.com)
ClickUp or Task Manager for a small business?
Choose ClickUp if you use advanced planning methods; consider Task Manager if your team mainly works with a list and a Board. ClickUp offers Gantt charts, timelines and workload views, among other features, with availability depending on the plan. If you don't use these features, compare day-to-day work in both tools and their cost for your team.
Does Task Manager have Gantt charts and custom fields?
Task Manager doesn't have Gantt charts or custom fields. It has a list of tasks and chats, a Board, and a Calendar with 1-, 2-, 3-, 5- and 7-day views, as well as a List panel.
Can you move data from ClickUp to Task Manager?
Task Manager has no documented import from ClickUp, so don't assume you can migrate automatically. Before switching tools, work out which current tasks need to be recreated and how you'll retain access to the archive. The AI Assistant can prepare a new task form, but you save it yourself.
What happens after a year if I don't renew Task Manager updates?
Task Manager continues to work on the version you own if you don't renew updates after the first 12 months. The licence is perpetual; renewal gives you access to future releases, not the right to use the version you've already installed.
Sources
- Task Manager, Tasks - https://taskmanager.pl/funkcje/zadania (accessed: 2026-09-25).
- Task Manager, Board - https://taskmanager.pl/funkcje/tablica (accessed: 2026-09-25).
- Task Manager, Connect your own model - https://taskmanager.pl/ai/podlaczasz-swoj-model (accessed: 2026-09-25).
- Task Manager, Perpetual licence - https://taskmanager.pl/funkcje/licencja-bezterminowa (accessed: 2026-09-25).
- Task Manager, Pricing - https://taskmanager.pl/#pricing (accessed: 2026-09-25).
- ClickUp, Pricing and Plans - https://clickup.com/pricing (accessed: 2026-09-25). (clickup.com)
- ClickUp, Which features are included with the Brain AI add-ons? - https://help.clickup.com/hc/en-us/articles/40085008147863-Which-features-are-included-with-the-Brain-AI-add-ons (accessed: 2026-09-25). (help.clickup.com)
- ClickUp, Intro to views - https://help.clickup.com/hc/en-us/articles/6329880717719-Intro-to-views (accessed: 2026-09-25).
- ClickUp, Views feature availability and limits - https://help.clickup.com/hc/en-us/articles/32274881672599-Views-feature-availability-and-limits (accessed: 2026-09-25). (help.clickup.com)
- ClickUp, Data hosting - https://help.clickup.com/hc/en-us/articles/15999383444247-Data-hosting (accessed: 2026-09-25).
The Task Manager Team - we write about teamwork, AI in business and keeping tasks organised, using examples from Task Manager, software installed on your own server. Task Manager has been developed by Blue Creation Group (Piotr Łącz) since 2013 and is used by organisations including Neonet, the Military University of Technology and Polpharma - read customer reviews. We check our articles against the user guide and the latest version of the software.
