Planitude vs ClickUp: critical path and .mpp files at no cost
ClickUp positions itself as a single place for all work. Planitude focuses on planning projects with dependencies, a critical path and MS Project compatibility, free of charge.
In this article
ClickUp positions itself as the one app for all work: tasks, documents, goals, chat and numerous views. Planitude has a narrower and deeper objective: to plan projects with the logic of Microsoft Project, in which dates derive from the dependencies between tasks.
The comparison below is based on data from ClickUp’s official pages.
Who ClickUp and Planitude are for
ClickUp is designed for teams that want to consolidate diverse activities on a single platform; on the free plan, members are unlimited[1].
Planitude is designed for those who need to keep time and dependencies under control:
- project managers who need to know which tasks affect the delivery date;
- teams that inherit Microsoft Project files or need to deliver them;
- people who want a complete Gantt chart without paying a per-user subscription.
Comparison at a glance
| Feature | Planitude | ClickUp |
|---|---|---|
| Opening .mpp files | Available.mpp/ | Not availablenot among the listed import sources |
| Export | AvailableMicrosoft Project XML, CSV, print/ | Partialcustom export (Business plan) |
| Dependencies (4 types, with lag) | AvailableFS, SS, FF and SF, with lag | AvailableAvailable |
| Critical path | Availableon demand, with total float | AvailableBusiness plan and above |
| Baselines | Availablesaved automatically at first progress; slippage in days | Not statedNot stated |
| Calendars and holidays | Availableworking calendars with exceptions | Availablecalendar view |
| Date constraints | Availableconstraint dates and deadlines | Not statedNot stated |
| Resources and over-allocation | Availableproject members assigned to tasks, daily workload, over-allocation warnings | Availableresource management (Unlimited plan) |
| Costs and budget | Partialfixed and baseline costs from imported files; no budget view | Not statedNot stated |
| Earned Value Management (EVM) | Not availableNot available | Not statedNot stated |
| Automatic resource levelling | Not availableapplies the leveling delay from .mpp files; does not calculate it | Not statedNot stated |
| Views | AvailableSummary, Gantt, list, board, calendar, workload | Availablelist, board, calendar, timeline; Gantt from the Unlimited plan |
| Collaboration | Availableowner, editor and viewer roles; comments with @mentions | Availableunlimited free members on the Free plan |
| Public sharing | Availableread-only public link | Not statedNot stated |
| Interface languages | Available10 | Not statedNot stated |
| Self-hosting | Not availablemanaged service, EU servers (Germany) | Not statedNot stated |
| Entry price | Availablefree, ad-supported | Not availableUSD 7 per user/ |
| Free plan | Availableall features, no seat limit | Availableunlimited tasks, 60 MB of storage, Gantt as a trial only |
The data is the same as in our full comparison. “Not stated” means that ClickUp does not provide the information on the pages consulted, not that the feature is missing.
Scheduling
ClickUp supports dependencies, but the full Gantt chart is available from the Unlimited plan and the critical path from the Business plan[1]. In Planitude, the engine is the same for every user:
- FS, SS, FF and SF dependencies with lead and lag;
- constraints, deadlines and calendars with holidays and exceptions;
- an automatic critical path and baselines with the variance of each task;
- multi-level subtasks created with Tab, as in MS Project;
- Summary, Gantt, List, Board, Calendar and Workload views.
Example: a website redesign
A website redesign involves content architecture, design, development, copywriting, translations, testing and launch. In Planitude, development starts once the design is approved, copywriting can start alongside the design with a lag of a few days, translations follow the copy and the launch has a deadline. If design approval is delayed, the engine moves every task that depends on it and the critical path immediately shows whether the deadline is still achievable. The AI assistant can propose how to recover the lost days and applies changes only after you confirm them.
Import, export and migration
ClickUp’s import page lists several sources, but not Microsoft Project[2]; custom export is included in the Business plan[1]. Planitude reads .mpp, Microsoft Project XML and Primavera .xer files with an import report, and exports to Microsoft Project XML, CSV for Excel and print/PDF.
Collaboration
ClickUp includes unlimited free members on the Free plan[1]. Planitude also charges no user fees: link invitations with roles (owner, editor, viewer), tasks that can be assigned to several people, comments with mentions, unique task keys, a change history and a read-only public link.
Pricing
ClickUp Unlimited costs USD 7 per user per month billed annually, or USD 10 billed monthly[1]. Resource management is available from the Unlimited plan, the critical path from the Business plan[1]. Planitude is free, supported by advertising, with all capabilities included and no limit on the number of users.
Languages, data and AI assistant
Planitude is available in 10 languages and hosts data on servers in the European Union, in Germany. The AI assistant works directly on the plan: it reads it, provides estimates, proposes changes for you to confirm and generates a first version of a plan from a description. Through API keys and the MCP server, it integrates with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Cursor and VS Code.
How to move from ClickUp to Planitude
- Export your tasks from ClickUp to a spreadsheet, using the options available on your plan.
- Create a free Planitude account and a new project, or start from a template.
- Paste the rows from Excel into the Planitude grid: names, durations and indentation become tasks and subtasks.
- Link the tasks: dates and the critical path are calculated automatically.
- Save a baseline and invite your team by link.
Try Planitude with your own plan
Create a free accountConclusion
ClickUp is a very rich platform for teams that want all their work in a single tool. Planitude is the better-suited tool when work revolves around the plan: dependencies, critical path, baselines and MS Project files, all free of charge and with no higher tiers to unlock.
Frequently asked questions
Does ClickUp’s free plan include a Gantt chart?
On the Free plan, the Gantt view is available only on a trial basis; the full Gantt chart is included from the Unlimited plan[1].
Does ClickUp import Microsoft Project files?
MS Project does not appear among the import sources listed by ClickUp[2]. Planitude imports .mpp and Microsoft Project XML files.
Is the critical path free in Planitude?
Yes, for every user. In ClickUp, the critical path is available from the Business plan[1].
Does Planitude offer documents and chat like ClickUp?
No. Planitude specializes in scheduling; for communication, it offers comments with mentions and a history on every task.
Sources
Every fact about the products mentioned comes from these official pages, checked in September 2026. Prices are list prices, in the currency and billing period shown by the vendor, and may change.
- Pricingclickup.com
- Import sourcesclickup.com
Try Planitude with your own plan
Create a free account, import your .mpp file or start from a template: within minutes you will see the Gantt chart with dependencies, calendars and the critical path.