Sections of this topic
The services that Hive, ClickUp, Monday, and others offer have become invaluable to good project management. Keeping team members connected, assembling reports, and tracking progress all happen within the software now, as do many other aspects of a business. As a result, choosing the right software is vital.
We’re putting two of the most popular options head to head, ClickUp vs Hive, to see how they stack up. Along the way, you may find that one is the perfect fit for your needs.
Quick Comparison: ClickUp vs Hive
Usability
3.5/5
3/5
Resource Management
4/5
3/5
Collaboration
3.5/5
3/5
Gantt View
3/5
3/5
Customer Support
3/5
2/5
Pricing
3/5
2/5
Pros
- More features on free plan
- Better options for support
- Helpful collaboration tools
- Some simpler features
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Complicated pricing
- Lack of support
Overall Rating
3.5/5
2.5/5
ClickUp vs Hive
The art of managing projects focuses largely on methodologies, high-level outlines describing how to keep everything organized. Those are undoubtedly important, but perhaps equally as important are the practical tools that make those methodologies possible. These days, the best project management tool is actually good project management software.
Those tools are apps like ClickUp, Hive, and a whole range of other options. Each is designed to support team members by offering features like creating tasks, managing cost, tracking time, and many other types of functionality.
Every project management program tends to have some of the same options for users, with ClickUp and Hive being no exception. To compare the two, we’ll be looking in detail at ClickUp’s adaptability and the Hive technology on offer, and what you’re getting for your money in each case.
Usability
Usability can mean a lot of different things. Does it have the functionality you need and can you find it when you need to? Ease of use is often at odds with the inclusion of all the features you require. Breaking usability down into discrete categories might help keep things clear, including:
- Ease of use.
- Integrations.
- Agile vs traditional methods.
Ease of Use
It’s important that software fits cleanly into your workflow. If you spend more time figuring the apps out than using them, they’re more a hindrance than a help. Both ClickUp and Hive have a similar interface, including a workspace where you can define tasks and connect with team members.
Both should feel intuitive. Task management consists of creating tasks or ‘cards’ and assigning them to team members. Reporting options are easy to access, as are other services. Using some options, like machine learning-driven automation, is more complicated. One issue mentioned frequently in ClickUp user reviews is the learning curve.
Integrations
Both support a wide range of integrations, though many important ones such as Google Drive are only available on pay tiers. ClickUp has a library of ‘native’ integrations that can be added to projects with a few clicks.
Agile vs Traditional
These approaches often require different tools. Both apps allow you to use Kanban boards and other Agile-focused functionality. However, ClickUp creates sprints and has other useful agile tools. With Hive technology, you’ll have to look to integration for those options.
Resource Management
Resources can be many things, and project management software focuses on tasks and time. As a result, the resource they both focus on is workload. Both offers features for tracking resources and creating reports.
Hive has a resource app that’s available on their pay tier. When task cards are set up with due dates, assignees, and estimates, from the same page you can use the app to:
- Monitor your team’s time.
- Set work limits for individuals.
- Add holidays to your business calendar.
ClickUp has different views which collectively offer the same information. It might be more work, but you’re offered greater flexibility. These features are available, if limited, on every tier. Also available is Pulse, an automation service that offers useful reports for projects.
Collaboration
Communicating effectively is always important, but it becomes more difficult in an era of remote teams all working for the same company. As a result, one important role for this sort of software is fostering team collaboration.
Many of the features are standard, whether you’re looking at ClickUp, Hive, or another option. Commenting on tasks, notes, and elsewhere is possible. A native messaging system includes an inbox. Users can also live chat to keep in contact within the app, rather than using other chat clients. Tasks can have multiple assignees, all communicating through the app.
Hive offers a team inbox, which is useful for direct response marketing and similar efforts. It also allows users to search within comments and messages. To do something similar with ClickUp, you’d have to be using an integration.
If you compare the features, they’re fairly equal. However, as with our ClickUp vs Monday review, ClickUp pulls ahead by offering more at a lower price.
Gantt View
Gantt charts are a foundational tool of project management and are a standard part of this sort of software. Use the tool for tracking workflow, project scheduling, and general project progress.
You can also use them for managing resources and tracking critical paths in important processes. ClickUp and Hive both offer Gantt views to aid in task management, as long as tasks are set up correctly.
Charts in both apps can also be exported if you’d like to include them in company reports, for example, to reassure clients that their marketing campaign is on time. You can also loop in vendors or other suppliers.
See how ClickUp ranks against apps focused on Gantt charts in our ClickUp vs GanttPro and ClickUp vs TeamGantt reviews.
Customer Support
Decent support can be a critical aspect of both services. They’re complicated enough that most users will probably get lost at some point. As we’ve mentioned, one hit to customer satisfaction is the learning curve.
That may be less of an issue if you’re part of a larger company, but if you’ve got a small team, you don’t want to spend time working out how to clear notifications or switch views between projects.
Being able to contact a real person for help is one of the premium features in both cases. With ClickUp, users can schedule a meeting with a live rep for coaching over video conferencing.
Hive offers a similar option for chat training. Otherwise, most support is limited to online webinars, documentation, videos, and so forth.
If help docs aren’t enough, ClickUp can connect you with a paid consultant. Hive doesn’t have a lot else to offer.
Pricing
Usually, project management software offers a subscription, including a free plan with limited services. More features come at each tier with a progressively higher cost. Cost is charged per user, paid either annually or monthly. Both Hive and ClickUp pricing follow this pattern, though with some complications thrown in.
ClickUp offers a great deal of functionality on its free and low-cost plans. Some helpful options do require the more expensive options, including some integration options. Even so, ClickUp is a good option for small businesses or teams.
When you compare to ClickUp, Hive software might seem as if it has a simpler payment structure. There is a free tier for individuals or a small business, and a slightly more expensive business account.
However, the free version lacks a lot of the features you might be looking for. Additionally, some individual features are only available at an additional cost, ala carte style, even with the business tier.
Overall Winner
ClickUp comfortably comes out ahead in our project management software comparison. When we first put ClickUp vs Hive, it seemed like they were pretty close in many aspects. However, when you take a closer look, ClickUp comes out slightly ahead in every case. The differences add up.
Though it may not matter to every business, ClickUp allows unlimited users even on the free plan. While both offer useful ways to monitor progress, ClickUp has a better way of structuring costs. Both are one of the best project management tools available, but ClickUp just offers more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on ClickUp vs Hive
Bottom Line on ClickUp vs Hive
Either Hive or ClickUp might be a good fit for your needs. However, if you want to succeed in business you want to find the best option, rather than one that’s just good enough.
The results might depend on your needs, but all things being equal, ClickUp offers the best mix of price and features. Perhaps as importantly, the software also offers enough help that you can figure out how to use all those fancy features, too.
