Softwr

Software · head to head

Basecamp vs Lark

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

Software

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Lark logo

Lark

Software

The super app for team collaboration

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Lark lark's own pricing page description states it offers a free starter pack, a Pro plan, and an Enterprise plan, and directs buyers to Contact us rather than publishing Pro/Enterprise figures on the rendered page.
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Lark covers Team messaging.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Lark actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Lark differ
AttributeBasecampLark
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
Founded20042019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

Only in Lark

  • Team messaging
  • Video conferencing
  • Collaborative docs
  • Cloud storage
  • Calendar
  • Jira
  • Salesforce
  • Google Workspace

Both cover

  • GitHub
  • SOC2

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Lark
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Lark
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Lark
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Lark

Lark

  • Team communicationnot Basecamp
  • Document collaborationnot Basecamp
  • Project managementnot Basecamp
  • Company intranetnot Basecamp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

Lark

  • Lark's own pricing page description states it offers a free starter pack, a Pro plan, and an Enterprise plan, and directs buyers to Contact us rather than publishing Pro/Enterprise figures on the rendered page.

Pricing, plan by plan

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

Lark

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Up to 50 users
    • 100GB storage
    • Unlimited messaging
  • Pro$12/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 1TB storage per user
    • 24-hour meetings
  • Enterprise$20/month
    • SSO/SAML
    • eDiscovery
    • Custom retention

Which should you pick?

Choose Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.

Choose Lark if

  • You need team messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want video conferencing.

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Lark better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Lark at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Lark?
Basecamp starts at Free and Lark at Free.
Does Basecamp or Lark run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Lark runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what Lark is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Lark cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Lark covers Team messaging, Video conferencing, Collaborative docs, Cloud storage. Both handle GitHub, SOC2.

Related pages

Other head to heads