5 Ways ClickUp Sucks

2024

ClickUp is a project management platform that offers a wide range of features to help organizations manage their work, tasks, communication, and updates. It includes a native employee time tracker, task documentation, real-time status updates, productivity tracking, and integration capabilities.

However, ClickUp’s wide variety of features leads to several serious issues. These include a confusing user interface, bugs and glitches, slow automation, and limited layout options. In this article, I explore all these limitations in detail, outlining five reasons why you may want to avoid using ClickUp.

1. Cluttered interface

ClickUp’s interface can be a real headache. It tries to cram in so many features simultaneously that it feels like a cluttered mess. With so much stuff on the screen at once, it’s hard to figure out what’s important and what’s not.

Some users have said that getting used to ClickUp’s interface takes a while, and even then, it can still feel overwhelming. Plus, the onboarding process is long and complicated, adding to the frustration.

Others have pointed out that the design looks a bit messy and lacks polish. I have to agree. The font size is too small, and the color scheme makes it hard to distinguish between different sections. All in all, ClickUp’s interface could definitely use some improvement.

A view of ClickUp's main page that has several buttons to categorize items.

2. Slow automation

ClickUp’s automation feature sounds great in theory, but in reality, it’s a bit of a letdown. Automations are supposed to kick in as soon as a specific trigger happens, but sometimes, they take some time to actually do anything.

You set up a trigger like “when this happens,” and then you tell ClickUp what action to take. But instead of happening immediately, it can take minutes before the automation finally gets going.

While ClickUp offers a variety of automation templates and allows users to create their own custom automations without any coding, the sluggish performance of the system can be a significant drawback. 

Automations made on ClickUp.

3. Steep learning curve

ClickUp has many features packed into its platform which can make things pretty tough for new users. With so much going on, the interface can be really overwhelming and hard to navigate. This means it takes a while to onboard teams and figure out how everything works, which can be frustrating.

Users have reported that it takes some time to get the hang of ClickUp’s functionality. Learning all the ins and outs of the platform feels like trying to drink from a fire hose – there’s just so much to take in at once!

4. Limited layout flexibility

While the platform offers a lot of customizations, I have found the layout options to be limited and inflexible, making it difficult to organize information in a way that works best for a business’ workflow.

For instance, the software does not allow users to adjust the size or position of certain elements on the page, such as the task list or the calendar view. This makes it challenging to view all the necessary information at once or to prioritize tasks effectively. 

5. Annoying glitches

Another issue I have (and many other users) with ClickUp is its bugs and glitches! These glitches range from minor bugs that cause the app to load slowly down to major issues causing data loss or corruption. Some reported tasks or workload also disappear or are deleted without warning or explanation. There are also issues with the search function, and the software unexpectedly freezes and crashes.

These definitely aren’t issues you want to deal with when you’re trying to manage important projects and deadlines.

Conclusion

It’s apparent that ClickUp has its fair share of drawbacks. Honestly, I would prefer software with fewer features but a better user experience instead of a tool that offers so many features but struggles with usability. But of course, no time tracking software is perfect, and there are many things to love about ClickUp – which is why it’s such a massively popular choice among businesses. The software’s pricing is also something I’m a fan of.

But before selecting a tool that’s right for you, I suggest you look at my verdict on the top time tracking software for 2024 to see which one would suit you best.