They advertise $8/user/month.
Our Monday.com bill? $947/month.
ClickUp wasn't much better at $789.
Here's how the pricing trap works (and how to escape it).
🚨 The Bait-and-Switch Pattern:
Step 1: Hook you with "$8/user" pricingStep 2: Basic plan lacks essential features
Step 3: Force upgrade to $16-24/user plans
Step 4: Add "extras" that should be included
Step 5: Lock you in with your data
Result: 10x higher cost than advertised
Monday.com's Hidden Pricing Reality
💸 What Monday.com Actually Costs (10-person team):
Basic ($8/user): $80/month❌ No integrations
❌ No automations
❌ No time tracking
❌ No custom fields
❌ No Gantt charts
Standard ($10/user): $100/month
❌ Still missing critical features
Pro ($16/user): $160/month
✓ Finally usable... but wait
+ Add-ons required:
• Time tracking: +$50/month
• Advanced features: +$100/month
• Integrations: +$75/month
• Guest access: +$40/month
Real cost: $425/month minimum
ClickUp's "Unlimited" That's Actually Limited
ClickUp plays the same game with different words:
Unlimited ($5/user): Ironically limited
Business ($12/user): Still missing features
Business Plus ($19/user): Finally functional
Enterprise: "Contact us" (aka very expensive)
Monday.com
For basic functionality
ClickUp
After "essentials"
AI Alternative
Everything included
The Features They Hide Behind Paywalls
Monday.com locks away:
ClickUp restricts:
See What $37 Gets You Instead
Real Teams Share Their Bills
The Per-User Pricing Scam
Here's what they don't tell you about per-user pricing:
⚠️ The Growing Team Trap:
• Start with 5 users: $80/month• Grow to 10 users: $160/month
• Hit 20 users: $320/month
• Reach 50 users: $800/month
Your success literally costs you more.
AI Media Machine: $37/month for unlimited users
What You Actually Get for $37/Month
Project Management: ✓ Included
Task automation: ✓ Included
Time tracking: ✓ Included
Unlimited users: ✓ Included
All views/features: ✓ Included
PLUS these 12 AI employees neither Monday nor ClickUp offer:
🤖 Content Writer
🎨 Graphic Designer
📱 Social Media Manager
📧 Email Marketer
🎥 Video Creator
📊 Data Analyst
💰 Sales Funnel Builder
🔍 SEO Specialist
📝 Copy Editor
🎯 Ad Creator
📈 Marketing Strategist
🛠️ Automation Expert
The Migration Math
💰 Your Annual Savings:
Monday.com (10 users, Pro):$425/month × 12 = $5,100/year
ClickUp (10 users, Business):
$380/month × 12 = $4,560/year
AI Media Machine (unlimited users):
$37/month × 12 = $444/year
You save: $4,000-5,000 per year
Why Teams Are Switching
The truth is:
• You don't need complex pricing tiers
• You don't need per-user fees
• You don't need add-on charges
• You don't need "contact us" pricing
You need tools that work without the games.
The 3-Step Escape Plan
🚀 How to Break Free:
Step 1: Calculate your REAL monthly cost(Include all users, add-ons, and "upgrades")
Step 2: Try AI Media Machine for $1
(See how simple pricing should be)
Step 3: Export and switch
(Save 90%+ immediately)
What Monday & ClickUp Don't Want You to Know
They're not project management companies.
They're pricing optimization companies.
Their entire business model depends on:
There's a better way.
Your Next Move
Stop donating money to Monday.com and ClickUp.
Get more features for 95% less cost.
No per-user fees. No hidden costs. No pricing games.
Just $37/month for everything your team needs.
Start $1 Trial → Escape the Pricing Trap
Rachel Martinez saved her company $67,000 over 3 years by switching from enterprise project management tools to AI-powered alternatives. She now helps other teams escape per-user pricing traps.
📚 Related Articles:
• HubSpot's $3,200/Month Reality• Calculate Your Tool Overspend
• How to Switch Without Losing Data