# ClickUp Problems & Issues 2026 - Slow, Buggy & Hidden Costs

Source: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup
Last analyzed: 2026-10-21
Try or Bye score: 51/100

## Verdict: Try with caution

ClickUp works for some teams, but users report recurring problems (score 51/100). Most reported issues: Platform is extremely slow and buggy; Persistent bugs with slow fix times; Overwhelming interface with steep learning curve. Not a good fit for: Teams needing stable, bug-free software; Safari/macOS users; Teams handling sensitive data. Users most often switch to Asana, Monday.com, Linear.

## What it is

ClickUp is an all-in-one work platform combining tasks, docs, whiteboards, chat, goals and AI for teams of any size. It is popular for its flexibility and low per-seat price, but users repeatedly report slow loading, bugs that take months to fix, unreliable notifications and add-on costs (AI, guests) that inflate the bill.

## Common errors & fixes

### ClickUp Automations Not Triggering

When a ClickUp automation doesn't fire, open the automation's activity log: it shows whether the trigger never fired, was skipped because a condition wasn't met, or failed on an action. Also check your monthly automation limit.

1. **Read the automation activity log** — Open the Space, Folder or List > Automations Open the Activity / history tab Look for 'Condition not met', 'Required field missing or invalid' or failure messages
2. **Check your monthly usage** — Open Automations > Manage and check runs used this month If the limit is reached, automations stop until the next cycle or an upgrade
3. **Verify fields, assignees and locations** — Confirm custom fields used in the rule still exist Check the assignee is still a Workspace member Re-select destination lists that were moved
4. **Simplify and test** — Duplicate the automation with only the trigger and one action Trigger it manually on a test task Add conditions back one by one
5. **Check the status page for delays** — Visit status.clickup.com — automation delays are reported as incidents

Full guide: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup/issues/automations-not-working

### ClickUp Login Not Working

If you can't log in to ClickUp, first check the status page — downtime causes infinite loading and login loops. For 2FA problems, ask a Workspace admin to send a temporary login link.

1. **Check ClickUp's status page** — Visit status.clickup.com — ClickUp says downtime can cause infinite loading or login issues
2. **Check spam for reset and verification emails** — Search your inbox and spam for emails from ClickUp Make sure you're using the email address tied to your Workspace
3. **Get a temporary login link from an admin** — Ask a Workspace admin to email you a temporary login link Once in, update your 2FA phone or authenticator app
4. **Contact ClickUp support** — If codes go to the right device but still fail, or no reset email arrives, contact support via help.clickup.com

Full guide: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup/issues/cant-log-in

### ClickUp Desktop App Crashing or Showing a White Screen

A ClickUp desktop app that crashes, freezes on the splash screen or shows a blank white window usually recovers after a full quit and reinstall from the official site.

1. **Fully quit and relaunch** — Mac: right-click the dock icon > Quit or Force Quit (Cmd+Option+Esc) Windows: close from the system tray or end ClickUp in Task Manager Relaunch the app
2. **Restart your computer** — Reboot to clear stuck processes, then open ClickUp again
3. **Reinstall the latest version** — Uninstall ClickUp Download the current version from clickup.com/download Install and log in
4. **Check security software** — Temporarily allow ClickUp in your antivirus/firewall Retry launching
5. **Use the web app meanwhile** — Open app.clickup.com in Chrome or Edge Check status.clickup.com for desktop app incidents

Full guide: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup/issues/desktop-app-crashing

### ClickUp Desktop App Notifications Not Working

If the ClickUp desktop app shows no notifications, it often isn't registered in the OS notification settings. Update or reinstall the app, then allow it in macOS or Windows notification settings.

1. **Update or reinstall the desktop app** — Quit ClickUp completely (menu bar / system tray) Download the latest version from clickup.com/download and reinstall
2. **Allow ClickUp in OS settings** — macOS: System Settings > Notifications > ClickUp > Allow Notifications Windows: Settings > System > Notifications > enable ClickUp
3. **Use browser notifications as a fallback** — Open ClickUp in Chrome or Edge and enable browser notifications for app.clickup.com Keep a pinned tab open while the desktop issue persists
4. **Escalate to support** — If ClickUp still doesn't appear in OS notification settings after reinstalling, contact ClickUp support — users report support follow-up is needed for this case

Full guide: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup/issues/desktop-notifications-not-working

### ClickUp Google Calendar Sync Not Working

ClickUp's Google Calendar sync has known bugs: missing tasks, dates off by one day, and edits reverting. Reconnect the account, match time zones, and make sure the calendar is enabled in ClickUp's calendar sidebar.

1. **Show the synced calendar in ClickUp** — Open Calendar view In the sidebar, use the show/hide control next to the synced Google calendar to make it visible
2. **Match time zones** — Click your avatar > Settings and check your ClickUp time zone In Google Calendar > Settings > General > Time zone, set the same zone
3. **Disconnect and reconnect Google** — Open the Google Calendar integration in ClickUp Disconnect the Google account Reconnect and reselect which Lists/tasks sync
4. **Edit times in ClickUp, not Google** — Because changes made in Google can be reverted, change task dates inside ClickUp
5. **Report persistent sync bugs** — Contact ClickUp support with task links — ClickUp has acknowledged Google/iCal sync bugs

Full guide: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup/issues/google-calendar-sync-not-working

### ClickUp Mobile App Not Loading or Crashing

If the ClickUp mobile app crashes, shows a blank screen or tasks never finish loading, update the app, switch networks, clear the cache (Android) or reinstall (iPhone).

1. **Update the app** — Open the App Store or Google Play Search ClickUp and tap Update
2. **Switch networks** — Toggle between Wi-Fi and mobile data Turn off VPN or ad-blocking apps temporarily
3. **Clear cache and data (Android)** — Settings > Apps > ClickUp > Storage Tap Clear cache, then Clear data if needed Log back in
4. **Delete and reinstall (iPhone)** — Long-press ClickUp > Remove App > Delete App Reinstall from the App Store and log in
5. **Check if it's mobile-only** — Open ClickUp on web or desktop If the same problem appears, check status.clickup.com — it isn't a phone issue

Full guide: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup/issues/mobile-app-not-working

### ClickUp Notifications Not Working

Most missing ClickUp notifications are caused by blocked browser permissions, OS notification settings or Do Not Disturb. Re-enable notifications for app.clickup.com and allow the browser or app in your OS settings.

1. **Check notification settings in ClickUp** — Click your avatar > Settings > Notifications Make sure assignments, comments and mentions are enabled for browser, email and mobile Check the List/Space isn't muted
2. **Reset the browser permission** — Click the lock icon next to app.clickup.com in the address bar Reset permissions (or set Notifications to Allow) Reload ClickUp and accept the banner offering to enable browser notifications
3. **Allow the browser in macOS settings** — Apple menu > System Settings > Notifications Select your browser (or ClickUp) and turn Allow Notifications on If already on, toggle it off and back on
4. **Allow the browser in Windows settings** — Settings > System > Notifications (Notifications & actions) Turn on the top-level notifications toggle Make sure your browser/ClickUp is allowed
5. **Turn off Focus / Do Not Disturb** — Disable Focus on macOS or Focus assist on Windows Test by having a teammate @mention you
6. **Contact support if it's a known bug** — If only non-@mention notifications are missing, it may be the bug ClickUp acknowledged on its feedback board — report it to support with examples

Full guide: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup/issues/notifications-not-working

### ClickUp Search Not Working

ClickUp search often misses subtasks, task IDs or names with special characters, and desktop search can load endlessly. Try the command bar, search by task ID or a distinctive word, and refresh with Cmd/Ctrl+R.

1. **Refresh the command bar** — Open the command bar / search Press Cmd+R (Mac) or Ctrl+R (Windows) to refresh it — ClickUp's suggested workaround for endless loading
2. **Use the global command bar instead of List search** — Press Cmd+K / Ctrl+K to open global search Use filters (location, type) to narrow results
3. **Search by task ID** — Copy the task ID from the task's top bar Paste it into search or the relationship/linking search
4. **Search a distinctive word** — Skip brackets and prefixes like [GT] Type a unique word from the task name
5. **Check subtasks separately** — Open the parent task or enable 'Show subtasks' in the List view, since list search may only match parents

Full guide: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup/issues/search-not-working

### ClickUp So Slow or Not Loading

ClickUp loading slowly or spinning forever is usually either a ClickUp-side incident or a heavy browser session. Check the status page first, then close extra tabs, clear the cache and try the desktop app.

1. **Check ClickUp's status page** — Open status.clickup.com If an incident about performance or loading is listed, wait for it to be resolved — local fixes won't help
2. **Close extra tabs and limit open tasks** — Close duplicate ClickUp tabs Close task windows you're not using Open smaller Lists or filtered views instead of a whole Space
3. **Hard refresh the app** — Press Cmd+R (Mac) or Ctrl+R (Windows) to reload In the browser, use Cmd+Shift+R / Ctrl+Shift+R to bypass the cache
4. **Clear the browser cache for ClickUp** — Open your browser settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data Clear cached files and site data for app.clickup.com Log back in
5. **Switch to the desktop app or another browser** — Download the desktop app from clickup.com/download If you use Safari, try Chrome or Edge, which users report run ClickUp more reliably

Full guide: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup/issues/slow-not-loading

### ClickUp Time Tracking Not Working

Missing or broken ClickUp time tracking is most often because the Time Tracking ClickApp is turned off in that Space. A Workspace owner/admin must enable it; for the Chrome extension, reload ClickUp and reconnect the extension.

1. **Enable the Time Tracking ClickApp** — Workspace owner/admin: avatar > ClickApps Turn on Time Tracking Enable it for every Space that needs it
2. **Reload ClickUp after installing the extension** — Fully reload app.clickup.com in Chrome after installing the ClickUp extension
3. **Reinstall and reconnect the extension** — chrome://extensions > remove ClickUp Reinstall from the Chrome Web Store Open the extension and reconnect it to your Workspace
4. **Check your plan** — Billable time and time entry descriptions need a paid plan — upgrade or skip those features

Full guide: https://www.tryorbye.com/products/clickup/issues/time-tracking-not-working

## Common problems

- **Platform is extremely slow and buggy** (performance): Users consistently report ClickUp being 'practically unusable — slow, extremely slow.' One user described it as 'the worst tool currently on the market' due to performance. On Safari it 'basically doesn't work at all.' Screen updates don't show for some users while others see them, causing sync issues.
- **Persistent bugs with slow fix times** (reliability): Users report collecting '~50 ClickUp Bug IDs over a couple hundred emails with support' with 'an average turnaround time of ~8 months on bug fixes.' The platform has a public feature request titled 'Fix existing bugs rather than add new features' reflecting widespread frustration. Bugs range from minor loading issues to major data loss.
- **Overwhelming interface with steep learning curve** (usability): ClickUp tries to 'cram in so many features simultaneously that it feels like a cluttered mess.' New users find it 'overwhelming' with too many 'features, settings and customization options.' The same flexibility that makes it powerful also makes it 'confusing when first starting out.' Teams report spending significant time just learning the system.
- **Mobile app crashes often and is less intuitive** (usability): The mobile version 'needs quite a bit of work - it's less intuitive and crashes often.' Users report the mobile app has 'terrible' support and doesn't match the desktop experience. For teams needing on-the-go project management, this is a significant limitation.
- **Slow customer support with delayed responses** (support): Users report 'it takes time for them to reply, or users are unable to speak to a real person.' When reporting bugs, ClickUp often says 'they cannot reproduce the issue' even when users have video evidence. Support described as having 'confusing policies, no communication, and a total lack of accountability.'
- **Sprint planning is painful with loading issues** (usability): Users report 'every sprint planning session is a pain' with issues across 'different browsers, OS, connection speed' where 'things load partially, they load and they are not updated.' Board constantly crashes or does not load. Sprint dates cannot be edited. This makes Agile workflows frustrating.
- **Gantt chart bugs and dependency inconsistencies** (usability): Users report 'the gantt chart bugs and dependency inconsistencies are costing us hours of time to manage.' Dependencies don't work reliably, making project scheduling unreliable. Teams needing proper project scheduling often find ClickUp inadequate.
- **Attachments and forms publicly accessible without authentication** (security): Users discovered that 'attachments, clips, and forms are all completely publicly accessible' because 'they have a link that anyone can access, even without a ClickUp account with no authentication required.' This is a serious security concern for teams handling sensitive data.
- **Guest seats add 15-30% to contract value** (pricing): Guest seats are a commonly overlooked cost driver. Unlimited includes 5 guest seats for the first paid user plus 2 per additional user; Business includes 10 plus 5 per additional user. Beyond that allocation guests cost extra, which enterprise buyers report can add 15-30% to total contract value.
- **ClickUp notifications not working reliably** (reliability): Users report missing assignment and comment notifications, desktop app notifications that never appear (ClickUp sometimes doesn't even show up in macOS/Windows notification settings), and browser-specific failures such as Brave. ClickUp has acknowledged a bug with non-@mention notifications on its feedback board. Missed alerts lead directly to missed work.
- **Internal guests now billed as paid seats** (pricing): ClickUp reclassified guests from inside your company as limited members billed as paid users (only external guests stay free). Reddit users report bills doubling, e.g. $400 to $800, and one found an annual bill jumping from $144 to $1,250, prompting several teams to look for alternatives.
- **ClickUp AI costs $9-28 extra per user per month** (pricing): ClickUp Brain AI is sold as an add-on: about $9/user/month billed yearly (around $14 monthly) for Brain AI and $28/user/month yearly for Everything AI, stacked on top of the base plan. Heavier use also burns AI credits, with extra credits sold at $10 per 10,000. A Business seat at $12 can end up at $21-40 per user once AI is added.
- **Features locked without warning requiring tier upgrade** (pricing): One user was 'locked out of the Notes feature without warning, requiring an upgrade from $10 to $19 per license.' Recent billing changes have left teams 'staring at bills that have jumped tenfold.' The Unlimited plan price increased from $5 to $7 per user.
- **Google Calendar sync not working properly** (integrations): Users on ClickUp's feedback board report tasks that never appear in Google Calendar, dates shifted by one day, edits made in Google reverting to ClickUp times after ~10 minutes, and changes taking over 24 hours to sync. ClickUp's calendar team acknowledged overdue bug fixes for Google and iCal sync.
- **Pricing page tests a more expensive Core/Business/Max lineup** (pricing): In October 2026 ClickUp's pricing page shows some visitors a new lineup: Core at $9/user/month yearly ($12 regular), Business at $17 ($25 regular) and Max at $100 ($120 regular), with pooled AI credits included. The tested Core price itself rose from $8 to $9 in mid-October. Prices you see may depend on your test group, which makes budgeting harder.

## What users like

- **Generous free plan with core features**: ClickUp's Free Forever plan includes unlimited tasks and members, which is more generous than many competitors. While limited in storage (60MB) and some features, it allows teams to evaluate the platform extensively before paying.
- **Extremely flexible and customizable**: ClickUp offers unparalleled customization with custom fields, views, statuses, and workflows. Teams can configure the platform to match almost any process. The hierarchy system (Workspace > Space > Folder > List > Task) provides granular organization.
- **All-in-one platform reduces tool sprawl**: ClickUp combines tasks, docs, whiteboards, goals, time tracking, and chat in one platform. Teams appreciate not needing separate subscriptions for multiple tools. The 'one app to replace them all' promise resonates with those tired of context-switching.
- **Competitive pricing compared to alternatives**: At $7/user/month for Unlimited (annual), ClickUp is more affordable than Monday.com ($9+) and Asana ($10.99+). The feature-to-price ratio is strong, especially for teams that can work around the bugs.
- **Multiple view options for different work styles**: ClickUp offers List, Board, Calendar, Gantt, Timeline, Workload, Table, and Map views. Teams can switch between views based on preference or task type. This flexibility accommodates different working styles within the same team.

## Pricing

- **Free Forever**: $0.00 (free) — hidden costs: 60MB storage is extremely limiting, 5 Space limit constrains organization, advanced features have usage caps that run out quickly
- **Unlimited**: $7.00 (monthly) — hidden costs: Monthly billing costs 43% more ($10 vs $7). AI is an add-on ($9-28/user/month). Internal guests are billed as paid members. Every workspace member must be upgraded together.
- **Business**: $12.00 (monthly) — hidden costs: Monthly billing is $19 vs $12 yearly. AI add-on $9-28/user/month on top; extra AI credits $10 per 10,000. A pricing-page test shows Business at $17 yearly ($25 regular) with AI credits included.
- **Enterprise**: $0.00 (yearly) — hidden costs: Pricing not public - reportedly starts around $24-29/user/month. Implementation and training extra. 70% of companies overpay by choosing Enterprise when Business + add-ons would suffice.
- **Brain AI add-on**: $9.00 (monthly) — hidden costs: AI usage draws on credits; extra AI credits cost $10 per 10,000. Must typically be bought for the whole workspace.

## Who should and shouldn't use it

- **Teams needing stable, bug-free software** — Avoid: ClickUp's persistent bugs and slow performance make it unsuitable for teams that need reliable, consistent software. Users report 8-month average bug fix times and issues that persist for years.
- **Safari/macOS users** — Avoid: Users report ClickUp 'basically doesn't work at all' on Safari. Performance issues are more pronounced on macOS. Teams primarily using Apple products should look elsewhere.
- **Teams handling sensitive data** — Avoid: The security issue where attachments and forms are publicly accessible without authentication is concerning. Teams with strict security requirements should consider alternatives with better access controls.
- **Agile teams relying on sprint management** — Avoid: Sprint planning is described as 'painful' with constant loading issues, boards that crash, and inability to edit sprint dates. Teams practicing Scrum/Agile should consider Jira or Linear.
- **Budget-conscious teams willing to work around bugs** — Good fit: At $7/user/month with a generous free tier, ClickUp offers excellent value if your team can tolerate occasional bugs. The feature set is comprehensive for the price.
- **Teams wanting to consolidate multiple tools** — Good fit: The all-in-one approach (tasks, docs, whiteboards, goals, chat) can replace multiple subscriptions. For teams tired of tool sprawl, ClickUp's breadth is appealing despite its rough edges.
- **Power users who love customization** — Good fit: ClickUp's extensive customization options are unmatched. If you enjoy configuring workflows, custom fields, and automation, and have patience for the learning curve, ClickUp rewards the investment.
- **Engineering teams** — Depends: Has sprint features but UI can be overwhelming. Engineers often prefer Linear's speed or Jira's maturity. ClickUp tries to do everything which can slow workflows.
- **Marketing teams** — Good fit: All-in-one appeal: docs, whiteboards, task management. Marketing teams love having everything in one place without extra tool costs.
- **Project managers** — Good fit: Dashboards, time tracking, goals, and multiple views. PMs get comprehensive project visibility. But complexity requires training investment.

## Alternatives

- **Asana** (https://www.tryorbye.com/products/asana): Teams switch for cleaner, more focused experience. Gain: less cluttered UI, faster performance, better mobile. Trade-off: fewer features, more expensive.
- **Monday.com** (https://www.tryorbye.com/products/monday-com): Teams wanting a more visual, stable platform switch to Monday.com. While more expensive, it's described as more polished and reliable for everyday use.
- **Linear** (https://www.tryorbye.com/products/linear): Engineering teams switch for speed and simplicity. Gain: blazing fast UI, keyboard-first, beautiful design. Trade-off: engineering-focused only.
- **Notion** (https://www.tryorbye.com/products/notion): Teams wanting flexibility switch to Notion. Gain: more customizable databases, better docs. Trade-off: less structured PM workflows.
- **Jira** (https://www.tryorbye.com/products/jira): Development teams needing reliable sprint management and issue tracking switch to Jira. While less pretty, Jira's stability and developer integrations are more mature.
- **Codecks**: Game dev teams have switched to Codecks, with one stating they 'migrated everything and it feels like we can breathe again' after 2 years of ClickUp friction.

## FAQ

### Is ClickUp worth it?

ClickUp offers great value at $7/user/month with comprehensive features. However, persistent bugs, slow performance, and an overwhelming interface mean it's only worth it for teams willing to work around issues. If stability is priority, consider Asana or Monday.com instead.

### Why is ClickUp so slow and buggy?

ClickUp's performance issues stem from trying to be an 'all-in-one' platform. The feature density creates complexity that impacts speed. Users report 8-month average bug fix times, with the company seemingly prioritizing new features over fixing existing issues.

### What are ClickUp's hidden costs?

Key hidden costs include: AI add-on ($5-28/user/month), guest seats ($5/guest beyond allocation, adding 15-30% to contracts), extra automations ($10/25,000 actions), and surprise price increases. The Unlimited plan rose from $5 to $7/user recently.

### Is ClickUp secure?

ClickUp has a concerning security issue: attachments, clips, and forms have publicly accessible links that anyone can access without authentication. SSO is only available on Enterprise tier. Teams handling sensitive data should carefully evaluate these limitations.

### Does ClickUp work well on Mac/Safari?

No. Users report ClickUp 'basically doesn't work at all' on Safari with severe performance issues on macOS. Chrome is recommended, but even then performance can be problematic. Mac-primary teams should test thoroughly before committing.

### Is ClickUp good for Agile/Scrum teams?

ClickUp has sprint features but users report 'every sprint planning session is a pain' with loading issues, crashing boards, and inability to edit sprint dates. Gantt chart dependencies are buggy. For reliable Agile workflows, consider Jira or Linear instead.

### Is ClickUp's mobile app good?

The mobile app 'needs quite a bit of work - it's less intuitive and crashes often.' It's described as having 'terrible' support compared to desktop. Teams needing strong mobile project management will likely be disappointed.

### ClickUp vs Asana - which is better?

ClickUp offers more features at lower cost but with bugs and complexity. Asana is more stable, cleaner, and easier to learn but costs more and has fewer features. Choose ClickUp for value and customization, Asana for reliability and simplicity.

### How is ClickUp's customer support?

Support receives poor reviews: 'it takes time for them to reply, or users are unable to speak to a real person.' When reporting bugs, users are often told 'we cannot reproduce the issue' even with video evidence. Described as having 'confusing policies and total lack of accountability.'

### Is ClickUp's free plan worth it?

The free plan is generous with unlimited tasks and members, but 60MB storage is extremely limiting and advanced features have usage caps. Good for testing, but most teams will need to upgrade quickly. Still, it's more generous than Asana or Monday.com free tiers.

### Why are my ClickUp notifications not working?

Usually one of three things: browser notifications are blocked for app.clickup.com, your operating system (Focus/Do Not Disturb or OS notification settings) is blocking the browser or desktop app, or Smart Notifications is holding mobile alerts while you're active on desktop. Check Settings > Notifications in ClickUp, reset the site permission in your browser, and allow the browser/app in macOS or Windows notification settings.

### How much does ClickUp AI cost?

ClickUp Brain AI is an add-on of about $9/user/month billed yearly (around $14 monthly); Everything AI is $28/user/month yearly. Extra AI credits cost $10 per 10,000. In the new Core/Business/Max lineup being tested in 2026, pooled AI credits are included in the plan price instead.

### How much does ClickUp cost per user?

Unlimited is $7/user/month billed yearly or $10 monthly; Business is $12 yearly or $19 monthly; Enterprise is custom. Some visitors see a test lineup: Core $9, Business $17 and Max $100 per user/month billed yearly. AI is extra on the standard plans.

### Why is ClickUp charging for guests?

ClickUp now bills guests from inside your company (same email domain) as limited members, i.e. paid seats. Only external guests remain free within your plan's guest allocation. Some teams saw their bill double after this change.

### Does ClickUp sync with Google Calendar?

Yes, but users frequently report problems: tasks missing from Google Calendar, dates shifted by a day, edits in Google reverting, and sync delays of hours. Reconnecting the Google account and matching time zones fixes some cases. ClickUp has acknowledged the sync bugs.

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Try or Bye aggregates problem patterns from user reviews, forums, and app stores. Methodology: https://www.tryorbye.com/methodology