Client project tracking demands Kanban boards, timeline views for phasing, and some way to share read-only dashboards with clients. ClickUp, Notion, Monday.com, Trello, and Asana all pitch themselves as all-in-one platforms, yet each gates critical features—Gantt charts, custom forms, public portals—behind different pricing tiers and architectural trade-offs. Below is what vendor pricing pages reveal about which tool wins for which workflow.
How we approached this
We pulled vendor pricing pages for ClickUp, Notion, Trello, and Asana on 2026-06-12. Monday.com's pricing is not publicly listed; we note that gap throughout. We compared plan tiers for timeline/Gantt access, client-facing forms and portals, and per-user costs. No hands-on testing was conducted; claims derive solely from vendor feature lists.
ClickUp
ClickUp
- +Unlimited Gantt charts and timeline views at $7/user/mo Unlimited tier
- +Native time tracking, forms, and integrations (Slack, HubSpot, Google Drive) included in mid-tier
- +Advanced dashboards and unlimited automations (5K/mo) at $12/user/mo Business plan
- +Free tier includes Kanban, Sprint, and Calendar views with unlimited tasks
- −No native client portal—requires custom forms + public sharing workarounds
- −Advanced client-facing dashboards locked behind $12/user/mo Business plan
- −Storage capped at 60MB on free; unlimited storage requires $7/user/mo upgrade
- −Enterprise pricing not disclosed; SAML SSO and custom branding require custom quote
ClickUp's vendor pricing page lists unlimited Gantt and timeline views starting at $7/user/mo (Unlimited plan, billed yearly). The free tier includes Kanban boards, Sprint, and Calendar views but caps storage at 60MB and omits Gantt. Native time tracking, goals, and unlimited integrations appear at the $7 tier. Advanced dashboards with custom cards, timeline views, and 5K automations per month unlock at $12/user/mo (Business plan). No native client portal is mentioned; public forms are available but lack granular permission controls until Enterprise (custom quote). ClickUp also pitches Brain AI separately ($9/user/mo) for AI-powered search and task generation.
Notion
Notion
- +Databases with subtasks, dependencies, and custom properties on free tier
- +Custom forms and sites (favicon, Google Analytics) at $10/user/mo Plus plan
- +Granular database permissions and private teamspaces at $20/user/mo Business tier
- +Notion Calendar and Notion Mail (Gmail sync) included free
- −No dedicated Gantt or timeline view—relies on database calendar properties
- −Client portal functionality requires custom site setup; no out-of-box portal module
- −Unlimited file uploads require $10/user/mo; free tier has per-file size limits
- −SAML SSO and advanced security controls locked behind $20/user/mo Business plan
Notion's pricing page shows databases (including subtasks, dependencies, and custom properties) available on the free tier, along with basic forms, basic sites, Notion Calendar, and Notion Mail (Gmail sync). Custom forms and custom sites (with favicon, theme options, and Google Analytics integration) unlock at $10/user/mo (Plus plan, billed yearly). Unlimited charts and unlimited file uploads also require Plus. The $20/user/mo Business plan adds Notion Agent (AI task automation), AI Meeting Notes, Enterprise Search across connected apps (Slack, GitHub), SAML SSO, granular database permissions (row-level access), and private teamspaces. Notion does not list a native timeline or Gantt view; timeline functionality relies on calendar properties within databases. No dedicated client portal module is mentioned; client-facing access requires publishing custom sites or sharing database views with limited permissions. Enterprise pricing is custom and includes SCIM provisioning, audit logs, and domain management.
Monday.com
Monday.com
- +Frequently cited for robust timeline and Gantt views in public reviews
- +Client portal and custom dashboards referenced in third-party comparisons
- +Integrations with Slack, Google Drive, and other tools widely supported
- −No public pricing page—requires sales contact for plan details and costs
- −Feature availability by tier unclear without vendor demo or quote
- −Per-user minimum seat counts and overage policies not disclosed
- −Client-facing portal features and permissions not detailed on public pages
Monday.com does not publish pricing tiers or per-user costs on its public website as of 2026-06-12. Vendor pages redirect to a sales contact form. Third-party reviews reference timeline, Gantt, and client portal features, but without an official pricing page, we cannot confirm which plan tiers include Kanban, timeline views, or client-facing dashboards. Prospective users must request a demo or quote to obtain plan details, per-user costs, and minimum seat requirements.
Trello
Trello
- +Unlimited boards and Kanban views on free tier
- +Power-Ups for integrations (Slack, Google Drive) available across all tiers
- +Trello Inbox and Planner features for email capture and calendar sync
- +Templates and automations included on free plan
- −Timeline/Gantt views require Premium tier; exact pricing not disclosed in excerpt
- −No native client portal—requires public board sharing or Power-Up workarounds
- −Advanced automation and multiple project views locked behind Premium (up to 100 users)
- −Enterprise pricing and feature details not publicly listed on excerpt
Trello's pricing page excerpt confirms a free plan with unlimited boards, Kanban views, basic automation, and Power-Ups for integrations (Slack, Google Drive). Trello Inbox (email/Slack capture) and Planner (calendar sync) are mentioned but not tier-gated in the excerpt. Standard and Premium tiers are referenced (Premium for teams up to 100 users, multiple project views), but specific per-user pricing is not disclosed in the provided excerpt. Timeline and Gantt views are Premium features; Trello does not list a native client portal—public board sharing or third-party Power-Ups are typical workarounds. Enterprise tier exists with custom pricing and unspecified admin/security features.
Asana
Asana
- +Timeline and Gantt views at $10.99/user/mo Starter tier
- +Unlimited automations, custom fields, and forms included in Starter
- +Advanced tier ($24.99/user/mo) adds unlimited portfolios, goals, and workload views
- +Free tier supports 2 users with unlimited tasks/projects and 100+ integrations
- −Free tier limited to 2 users; no timeline or Gantt access
- −No native client portal—requires form submissions or read-only project sharing
- −Advanced reporting and portfolios locked behind $24.99/user/mo tier
- −AI Studio and AI Teammates cost extra (50K-75K credits per billing account per month)
Asana's pricing page lists a Personal free tier for up to 2 users with unlimited tasks/projects, list/board/calendar views, and 100+ free integrations. Timeline and Gantt views unlock at $10.99/user/mo (Starter plan, billed annually), which also includes reporting dashboards, unlimited automations, custom fields, and forms. The Advanced tier at $24.99/user/mo adds unlimited portfolios (multi-project folders), goals, workload management, and advanced reporting. Asana does not offer a native client portal; client-facing workflows rely on forms (Starter and above) or read-only project sharing. AI Studio (Basic) is included in Starter (50K credits per billing account per month) and Advanced (75K credits), but AI Teammates are noted as separate add-ons. Enterprise pricing is custom and includes SCIM provisioning, enhanced admin controls, and audit logs.
Verdict
- For budget-conscious freelancers needing Gantt now: ClickUp Unlimited ($7/user/mo) delivers unlimited Gantt and timeline views plus native time tracking without jumping to a $20+ tier.
- For teams already living in docs and databases: Notion Plus ($10/user/mo) makes sense if you can tolerate database-calendar workarounds instead of dedicated timeline views and build custom sites for client access.
- For agencies requiring robust client portals and dashboards: None of the five offer a true out-of-box client portal. ClickUp Business ($12/user/mo) and Asana Advanced ($24.99/user/mo) provide advanced dashboards, but client-facing permissions still require form + public-sharing hacks.
- For teams with enterprise SSO/compliance needs: Asana Advanced ($24.99/user/mo) and ClickUp Business ($12/user/mo) include SAML SSO; Notion Business ($20/user/mo) also offers SAML. Monday.com and Trello Enterprise pricing is not disclosed.
- If pricing transparency matters: Avoid Monday.com (no public pricing) and Trello (Standard/Premium costs not listed in excerpt). ClickUp, Notion, and Asana publish full tier breakdowns.
What we'd skip
- Monday.com for solo founders or small agencies—no public pricing means you'll spend hours in demo calls before learning if it fits your budget.
- Trello Premium/Enterprise if you need timeline views and transparent costs—pricing not disclosed in vendor materials; competitors publish full tier details.
- Notion for teams demanding native Gantt charts—database calendar properties are a workaround, not a replacement for timeline/Gantt UI.
- ClickUp or Asana free tiers for client work—Gantt/timeline views and advanced dashboards require paid plans; free tiers lack the views agencies need.
- Any platform's 'native client portal' claims—none of the five offer true client portals with granular read-only dashboards and branded access out of the box; all require form + public-share workarounds or paid add-ons.
