Referee comparison · 2026
We build PeakKR, so we're not selling either tool — which makes us a decent referee. Here's how Teamwork and Basecamp compare on the features agencies actually bill for, where each one wins, and the gap both of them leave open.
PM aimed at client work
Best for: Agencies that want billing, time and client management in a mature platform.
Free tier; Deliver/Grow billed per user/month.
The calm, opinionated classic
Best for: Small teams that want simple message boards, to-dos and check-ins without the bloat.
Per-user Plus plan, or a flat $299/mo Pro Unlimited tier.
Teamwork and Basecamp on the ten things agency teams end up paying for.
| Feature | Teamwork | Basecamp |
|---|---|---|
| Flat pricing — no per-seat fees | Per-seat pricing | Flat only on the $299/mo Pro Unlimited tier |
| Unlimited users included | Priced per user | Unlimited on Pro Unlimited only |
| Built-in time tracking & timesheets | Native time tracking & billing | No native time tracking — needs an add-on |
| Agency retainer / monthly hours tracking | Time & billing, less retainer-centric | No retainer/hours tracking |
| Client-ready project overviews | Client-oriented features | Clients can be looped into projects |
| Phased to-dos & task dependencies | Dependencies available | To-dos don't unlock in order; no dependencies |
| Hill Charts (progress, not %) | No Hill Charts | Basecamp invented Hill Charts |
| SEO connectors (SEMrush & Moz) | No SEO connectors | No SEO data integrations |
| Built-in AI (recaps, briefs, analysis) | Some AI assistance | No built-in AI |
| Purpose-built for SEO & marketing agencies | Agency-friendly, broadly scoped | General-purpose, not agency-specific |
Reflects typical plans as we understand them. Tools change often — please verify current pricing and features on each vendor's website.
Each feature scores 2 for full support, 1 for partial or higher-tier-only, 0 for missing — 20 points possible.
Teamwork leads on the agency feature set — the row-by-row detail below shows where the points came from. For reference, PeakKR scores 20/20 on these rows — they're the checklist it was built against.
On the features agencies bill for, Teamwork edges it. Agencies that want billing, time and client management in a mature platform. But neither includes retainer tracking, client-ready overviews and SEO data in one flat-priced plan — which is the gap PeakKR was built for.
Three honest paths out of this comparison.
Agencies that want billing, time and client management in a mature platform. In this matchup it clearly wins on: built-in time tracking & timesheets; agency retainer / monthly hours tracking; client-ready project overviews.
Small teams that want simple message boards, to-dos and check-ins without the bloat. In this matchup it clearly wins on: flat pricing — no per-seat fees; unlimited users included; hill charts (progress, not %).
You run client work on retainers and are tired of per-seat math. Timesheets, retainer budgets, client hubs, SEO connectors and AI are built in — $100/month flat for unlimited people, with a 14-day free trial.
Both bill per seat. PeakKR is $100/mo flat for unlimited people, clients and projects.
Timesheets and monthly retainer budgets with alerts — no add-on tool to reconcile.
Every client gets a read-only progress link — no more "is it done yet?" emails.
SEMrush & Moz connectors, AI briefs and recaps — native, not bolted on.
PeakKR: the agency workspace both of these tools aren't. 14-day free trial, one flat price.
PeakKR imports Teamwork or Basecamp's own export directly — no reformatting. Boards arrive as projects, lists as lists, with assignees, due dates, statuses and priorities mapped automatically, and you preview everything before a single task is created.
Teamwork comes out ahead on the features agencies rely on day to day. That said, both bill per seat and neither covers retainers, client overviews and SEO reporting natively. PeakKR bundles all of that at a flat $100/month for unlimited users.
Yes — PeakKR is a flat $100/month for unlimited people, clients and projects, with timesheets, retainer tracking, client hubs and built-in SEO/AI. Both Teamwork and Basecamp price per user.
Yes. PeakKR has a 14-day free trial — spin up a workspace, import your projects and run it alongside your current tool before deciding.
Summit
Hi, I'm Summit — your AI guide inside PeakKR. I help agencies plan the day, draft client updates and keep every project on track. Come climb with me.
