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Software · head to head

ClickUp vs DigitalOcean

ClickUp logo

ClickUp

Software

One app to replace them all

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DigitalOcean logo

DigitalOcean

Software

The developer cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ClickUp the free plan is capped at 60MB of storage, 5 spaces, 1 form and 3 whiteboards, so the limits are structural rather than just a seat count; DigitalOcean data transfer overage charged at $0.01 per GiB beyond included allowances
  • They diverge on capability: ClickUp covers Multiple view types, DigitalOcean covers Droplets (VPS).

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClickUp and DigitalOcean actually diverge.

Attributes where ClickUp and DigitalOcean differ
AttributeClickUpDigitalOcean
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsLinux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure backend)
Founded20172011

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 ClickUp

  • Multiple view types
  • Custom fields
  • Automation
  • Time tracking
  • Goal tracking
  • Document collaboration
  • Whiteboards
  • Mind maps

Only in DigitalOcean

  • Droplets (VPS)
  • Managed Kubernetes
  • App Platform
  • Managed Databases
  • Spaces (Object Storage)
  • Floating IPs
  • Load Balancers
  • Firewalls

Both cover

  • GitHub
  • GitLab
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

ClickUp

  • Project managementnot DigitalOcean
  • Software developmentnot DigitalOcean
  • Marketing campaignsnot DigitalOcean
  • Product roadmapsnot DigitalOcean
  • Client managementnot DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean

  • Developers seeking affordable VPS starting at $4/month for small applicationsnot ClickUp
  • Teams deploying containerised workloads with Kubernetes starting at $12/month cluster costnot ClickUp
  • Data scientists and ML engineers requiring NVIDIA GPU access at $1.91/GPU/hour (committed)not ClickUp

Where each one falls short

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

ClickUp

  • The free plan is capped at 60MB of storage, 5 spaces, 1 form and 3 whiteboards, so the limits are structural rather than just a seat count
  • Gantt charts, time tracking and goals require Unlimited at $7 per user per month billed yearly
  • Automations are rationed by tier, at 5,000 a month on Business and 250,000 on Enterprise
  • SAML SSO, custom roles and HIPAA compliance are Enterprise only
  • AI is charged separately, at $9 per user per month for Brain and $28 for Everything AI
  • Monthly billing is substantially dearer, at $10 and $19 against the yearly rates

DigitalOcean

  • Data transfer overage charged at $0.01 per GiB beyond included allowances
  • Free tier includes only 3 static sites; additional static sites require paid upgrade
  • Container registry free tier capped at 500 MiB storage; exceeding requires paid tier
  • Functions free tier allows 90,000 GiB-seconds monthly; overages billed on usage basis
  • GPU Droplets require minimum monthly commitment for lower hourly rates; on-demand significantly more expensive

Pricing, plan by plan

ClickUp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited tasks
    • 60 MB storage
    • Collaborative docs
  • Unlimited$7/user/month
    • Unlimited storage
    • All views
    • Time tracking
  • Business$12/user/month
    • Sprint reporting
    • Private docs
    • All Unlimited features
  • Business Plus$null/custom
    • Advanced features

DigitalOcean

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the DigitalOcean review.

Which should you pick?

Choose ClickUp if

  • You need multiple view types.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want custom fields.
ClickUp review

Choose DigitalOcean if

  • You need droplets (vps).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure backend).
  • You also want managed kubernetes.
DigitalOcean review

Questions people ask

Is ClickUp or DigitalOcean better?
Neither clearly leads. ClickUp starts at Free and DigitalOcean at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ClickUp or DigitalOcean?
ClickUp starts at Free and DigitalOcean at Free.
Does ClickUp or DigitalOcean run on more platforms?
ClickUp runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. DigitalOcean runs on Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure backend).
Can I use ClickUp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ClickUp best used for?
ClickUp is most often used for project management, software development, marketing campaigns, product roadmaps. Of those, project management and software development are not what DigitalOcean is typically brought in for.
What can ClickUp do that DigitalOcean cannot?
ClickUp covers Multiple view types, Custom fields, Automation, Time tracking. DigitalOcean covers Droplets (VPS), Managed Kubernetes, App Platform, Managed Databases. Both handle GitHub, GitLab, SOC2.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ClickUp: How many views does ClickUp support?

ClickUp includes List, Table, Board, Calendar, Gantt, and Inbox views, plus Whiteboards for collaboration and multiple specialized views for different workflows.

Source
ClickUp: What is ClickUp Brain?

ClickUp Brain is the AI feature providing workspace Q&A, task summaries, and AI-powered automation available as an add-on at $9 or $28/user/month depending on usage.

Source
ClickUp: How long does it take to set up ClickUp?

Initial setup typically takes 2-4 weeks depending on team size and complexity needs, which is longer than Monday.com (1-2 days) but necessary for ClickUp's flexibility.

Source
ClickUp: Does ClickUp have built-in time tracking?

Yes, time tracking is included in the first paid plan (Unlimited) at $7/user/month, allowing teams to track project hours without additional tools.

Source
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Related pages

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