Blog · Comparisons · Updated · By the FitMySaaS team
Asana vs monday vs ClickUp for small teams: real cost (2026)
Short answer: For a 10-person team, the entry paid plans cost $1,080 a year on ClickUp Core or monday Basic, and $1,319 on Asana Starter (list price, billed yearly, October 2026). The cheapest sticker is not always the cheapest bill. Asana and monday sell seats in steps, so a team of 11 pays for 15. ClickUp bills every member, with no steps.
How much do Asana, monday and ClickUp cost per seat?
All three charge per person per month, and all three are cheaper billed yearly. The table uses each vendor's own pricing page: Asana, monday.com and ClickUp.
| Plan | Per seat / month (billed yearly) | Per seat / month (billed monthly) | Seat rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asana Starter | $10.99 | $13.49 | Steps of 1 up to 5, then steps of 5 up to 30 |
| Asana Advanced | $24.99 | $30.49 | Same steps |
| monday Basic | $9 | $12 | Minimum 3 seats, then buckets of 5 |
| monday Standard | $12 | $14 | Same buckets |
| monday Pro | $19 | $24 | Same buckets |
| ClickUp Core | $9 | Not listed | Every workspace member must be on the plan |
| ClickUp Business | $17 | Not listed | Same rule |
What do 10 and 20 people pay on each plan?
List price, billed yearly, October 2026, before tax and add-ons. At exactly 10 or 20 people, no tool forces you up a seat step.
| Plan | 10 people / month | 10 people / year | 20 people / month | 20 people / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asana Starter | $109.90 | $1,319 | $219.80 | $2,638 |
| Asana Advanced | $249.90 | $2,999 | $499.80 | $5,998 |
| monday Basic | $90 | $1,080 | $180 | $2,160 |
| monday Standard | $120 | $1,440 | $240 | $2,880 |
| monday Pro | $190 | $2,280 | $380 | $4,560 |
| ClickUp Core | $90 | $1,080 | $180 | $2,160 |
| ClickUp Business | $170 | $2,040 | $340 | $4,080 |
How do seat steps change the bill?
Asana's FAQ says seats are added in steps of 1 between 2 and 5 users, then in steps of 5 up to 30 users. monday's help center says plans start at 3 seats and then rise in groups of 5, so a team of 6 buys the 10-seat plan.
Take a team of 12. Asana and monday both bill 15 seats.
That is $164.85 a month on Asana Starter and $180 on monday Standard. ClickUp Core bills exactly 12 seats, $108 a month. The step only hurts when your headcount sits just above a boundary, so check your number before you compare stickers.
ClickUp has its own catch. Its FAQ says that to upgrade, "you'll need to upgrade your entire Workspace," meaning every member. On Asana and monday you can keep occasional viewers cheaper: Asana Starter includes unlimited free guests, and monday includes unlimited free viewers from Basic up.
What do you get on each plan?
The plans are not the same product at different prices. Here are the limits that small teams hit most often, from each pricing page.
| Feature | Asana Starter | monday Standard | ClickUp Core |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline / Gantt | Yes | Yes | Yes (unlimited Gantt charts) |
| Automations | Unlimited | 250 actions a month | Unlimited rules, 1,000 actions a month |
| Guests | Unlimited free guests | Guest access | Limited guest seats, unlimited read-only guests |
| Time tracking and timesheets | Advanced plan | Pro plan | Timesheets on Business |
ClickUp Core also includes unlimited storage and ClickUp Chat. monday Basic has no timeline view, no guest access and no automations listed. Most teams that pick monday for planning land on Standard ($12) or Pro ($19), so compare those rows, not Basic.
What do the free plans cover?
Asana's free Personal plan is meant for up to 2 people. monday's free plan allows up to 2 seats and 3 boards. ClickUp's Free Forever plan allows unlimited members but only 60 MB of storage and 100 automation actions a month. For a team of 10, ClickUp is the only one whose free plan you can really trial together, and the storage cap ends that quickly.
Which should a small team choose?
| Your situation | Better pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest bill, team size between steps (11 to 14, 16 to 19) | ClickUp Core | No seat steps |
| Simple task lists and timelines, many outside guests | Asana Starter | Unlimited free guests, unlimited automations |
| Visual boards, client-facing work, many viewers | monday Standard | Free viewers, guest access |
| Heavy automation on a budget | Asana Starter | Unlimited automations at $10.99 |
| Need time tracking in the same tool | monday Pro or Asana Advanced | Both include it; Pro is $19, Advanced $24.99 |
| Need portfolios and goals across projects | Asana Advanced | Unlimited portfolios and goals |
If you're comparing these because the current tool is costing too much, the Asana cost calculator shows your yearly bill at your real headcount, including seat steps.
When one system makes more sense
Teams often pay for a task tool and a docs tool and a CRM, then copy project status between all three. If that is your setup, the honest comparison is your whole stack, not three task tools.
FitMySaaS builds teams of 10 to 40 one system with just the features they use, for a fixed monthly fee. If a task tool alone covers your needs, any of the three above is a sound choice, and our Asana alternatives page lists more.
Questions
Is ClickUp cheaper than Asana?
On list price, yes. ClickUp Core is $9 a seat per month billed yearly and Asana Starter is $10.99. For a team of 10 that is $1,080 vs $1,319 a year.
Does monday.com charge for viewers?
No. monday's pricing page lists unlimited free viewers from the Basic plan up. Viewers can see boards but not edit them.
Do you pay for empty seats on Asana or monday?
Sometimes. Both sell seats in steps, so a team of 11 pays for 15 seats on either tool. ClickUp bills each member exactly.
Which is easiest to switch to from spreadsheets?
That depends on your work more than the tool. All three offer free plans or trials, so run one real project on two of them for a week before you commit.