• Wrike is powerful for complex, enterprise workflows but has a steep learning curve and lacks built in client portals or billing.
• Basecamp is simple, clean, and affordable, ideal for small internal teams but too limited for client heavy agencies.
• Creative agencies need tools that support client requests, billing, asset delivery, and workload management in one place.
• ManyRequests combines simplicity and power, offering branded client portals, built in billing, workflow management, and full visibility for teams.
• If Wrike feels too complex and Basecamp too limited, ManyRequests provides a balanced, agency focused solution.
Wrike vs Basecamp—which one’s right for your creative agency in 2025? Both are trusted project management tools for agencies. But if you zoom in, you’ll start to wonder if they’re really built for creative agencies.
Because besides being task-oriented, your creative agency is also client-heavy, feedback-driven, and often knee-deep in billing, briefs, and endless revisions. These factors start to show the cracks in generic project management tools for agencies.
In this post, we’ll do a Wrike vs Basecamp comparison through the lens of agency workflows and show you why ManyRequests has quietly but consistently become the go-to preferred platform for creative teams in 2025.
What do creative agencies really need for a project management tool?
Most tools’ structure revolves around tasks and projects. Everything else (clients, files, revisions, billing, feedback) is an add-on. But those aren’t simply extras in a creative agency—they’re the workflow. So ideally, the project management tool for agencies has these features:
Client-centered structure
Every campaign, brief, and deliverable starts with a client. A tool built for agencies keeps the client at the forefront. This means all their requests, assets, conversations, and billing are visible in one place.
Streamlined request intake
Creative work starts with a request. A great system makes it effortless for clients to submit clear briefs, upload assets, and track progress.
Time tracking and billing that’s actually connected
Creative time is billable time. When time tracking, budgets, and invoices live inside your project tool, you finally see where profit is earned, without bouncing between platforms.
Asset management with version control
You need quick access to current versions, a full revision history, and easy delivery links. That’s how you protect your team from errors and rework.
Reporting that proves creative ROI
Most tools show what’s overdue. Few show what’s profitable. Creative agencies need reporting that links every stage of creative work to its business outcome.
Deep dive: Wrike vs Basecamp for creative agencies
So, without further ado, here’s our Wrike vs Basecamp comparison. We’ll assess them in a fair, creative-agency-focused way, stacking up their strengths, gaps, and where they fit in.
Wrike review: A platform built for complexity
Wrike is a solution for easy tracking of project status, deadlines, and responsibilities. It’s a flexible, feature-rich platform capable of handling large, multi-project programs with intricate dependencies, resource demands, and governance needs.
Key features include:
Advanced resource management: If your creative agency is juggling multiple clients, many parallel deliverables, and you’re hitting internal chaos because you don’t know who’s doing what or when. Wrike’s advanced resource management could solve a big part of that. With visibility into who is free, what skills they have, and what’s already booked, you can realistically slot in new work instead of committing to deadlines you later miss.
Automated work structures: To scale without adding admin overhead, Wrike’s automated work structures give you the tools to build the process once and run it consistently. For example, automation handles things like “if draft ready, assign to client reviewer,”“if no feedback in 3 days, send reminder,” or “when approved, move to publish folder.”
Custom workspace: When your PM tool forces you into a one-size-fits-all structure, you lose clarity, context, and speed. Wrike’s custom item types let you reshape the workspace to match your operations, not the other way around.
Strengths:
Enterprise-level project management
Custom workflows
Resource management
Limitations for agencies:
Steep learning curve
No client portal or invoicing
Can feel too “corporate” for creative workflows
Best for: Large marketing departments or enterprises.
Basecamp review: Simple and team-friendly PM tool
Basecamp keeps you organized without being complicated. Keywords “without being complicated.” It has the features that teams actually use every day: chat, to-dos, file sharing, and scheduling—all in one uncluttered space.
Key features include:
Wide range of integration options
Suppose your agency uses a variety of tools (design systems, billing platforms, feedback loops) and you want a single collaborative space to tie them together. In that case, Basecamp’s wide integration ecosystem is a huge advantage. It means you don’t have to rebuild everything or switch your team off their preferred tools—you just connect them and keep your workflow smooth.
All-in-one hub for client projects
Basecamp keeps everything: discussions, tasks, files, and schedules in one clean, central space. No more “where’s that version?” hunts or endless reply-alls. Each client gets their own tidy project hub, so your team can move faster, approvals land sooner, and deadlines stop slipping.
Clear communication channels
Message boards. Real-time chats. Threaded convos right where the work happens. Basecamp keeps feedback tied to the actual deliverable, not buried in a Slack thread from three days ago. It means fewer missed notes, cleaner feedback cycles, and a team that spends more time creating and less time chasing updates.
Strengths:
Intuitive
Clean Interface
Affordable flat-rate pricing
Limitations for agencies:
No workload planning
No billing or request tracking
Client access is limited and not branded
Best for: Small teams with light collaboration needs.
Where ManyRequests stands out
Now, if you’re tired of choosing between “too complex” and “too simple,” ManyRequests gives you the best of both worlds. It combines the power and structure of a tool like Wrike with the clarity and ease of a tool like Basecamp.
Most importantly, ManyRequests is built specifically for creative agencies. Here are its key benefits:
It’s an all-in-one project management tool for agencies: client portal + workload + billing. Everything your agency does lives in one branded space: your clients, your team, your invoices.
It’s a visual request management instead of complex task hierarchies. This means guiding work through a simple, client-facing flow instead of burying your team under layers of subtasks and dependencies.
It has clear, fair pricing. The pricing page is transparent about what you get in each tier (clients, seats, features). And for many agencies, the entry plans seem reasonable given the unlimited-client capability.
It’s designed for repeat client work and service-based delivery. Built for agencies running ongoing client relationships. Think design subscriptions, content retainers, creative packages, or any model where requests never stop.
Meaning every piece of your agency’s workflow, from onboarding new clients to sending the final invoice, connects inside one smooth system.
How ManyRequests handles core processes
Onboarding: Create branded portals and intake forms that feel like your agency. New clients can submit requests, upload brand assets, and access deliverables from day one. They look polished, organized, and 100% on-brand
Project tracking: A complete system for managing creative work. From client requests to final delivery, automation, visibility, and control live in one place—all connected to help your team deliver faster and stay aligned.
Billing: You don’t need a separate invoicing or payment system. Billing also lives inside ManyRequests. Set up packages or subscription plans, send branded checkout links, and automate invoice delivery. Clients pay directly within the portal, so payments are tied to actual work.
Reporting: Once payments and requests are in one place, ManyRequests can track performance—utilization, profitability per client, delivery times—giving you a complete picture of your agency’s health.
Side-by-side comparison: Wrike vs Basecamp vs ManyRequests
Still not sure which one fits your agency best? Here’s a clear breakdown of how Wrike, Basecamp, and ManyRequests stack up feature by feature.
Feature
Wrike
Basecamp
ManyRequests
Project Management
Enterprise-level project management with advanced automation and custom workflows
Simple to-do lists and scheduling tools
Visual request management with clear status tracking
Client Portals
Customizable access controls and client-facing views within a workspace only.
Limited client access, not branded
Fully branded portals with client logins, requests, and deliverables
Workload Management
Advanced resource planning and visibility into team capacity
None
Built-in workload tracking for each team member
Collaboration
Real-time updates, comments, and file sharing
Chat, message boards, and file sharing
Comments/annotations, feedback threads, and client communication tied to requests
Billing & Invoicing
Upon integration
Upon integration
Built-in billing, subscriptions, and direct client payments within the portal
Reporting
Advanced analytics and dashboards
Limited reporting
Integrated financial and performance reports (profitability, utilization, delivery time)
Pricing
Free 14-day trial, then paid plan starts at $10 user/ month
Free 30-day/60-day trial (depending on the plan) to start.All-inclusive, unlimited users package for one fixed, capped price.
14-day free trial. Paid plan starts at $19/month, billed annually
Best For
Large enterprises and marketing departments with complex workflows
Small teams with simple collaboration needs
Creative agencies managing repeat client work (design, content, etc.)
Which tool should your creative agency choose?
Each tool serves a different type of team—and the right choice depends on how your agency operates.
TL;DR
Choose Wrike if you’re a large enterprise with complex workflows.
Choose Basecamp if you’re a small team managing internal projects that need straightforward task and communication tools.
Choose ManyRequests if you’re a creative agency that needs to manage client requests, team workloads, and billing—all in one place.
If Wrike feels too complex and Basecamp too limited, ManyRequests strikes the perfect balance. It’s structured enough for scale and simple enough for speed. Because for creatives, alignment matters more than features.
So, if you need a single workspace where client communication, production tracking, and billing operate together, pause the Wrike vs Basecamp comparison. ManyRequests is the project management tool for agencies like yours.
Q1: What’s the main difference between Wrike and Basecamp?
Wrike focuses on complex project tracking and automation for large teams. Basecamp emphasizes simplicity and communication for smaller, less formal teams.
Q2: Is ManyRequests a project management tool or a client portal?
Both. It combines project tracking, client communication, and even billing into a single branded platform.
Q3: Can ManyRequests replace Wrike or Basecamp entirely?
Yes. It’s built to handle project management, client portals, and invoicing in one workspace—removing the need to combine multiple tools.
Q4: Does ManyRequests offer workload management?
Yes. You can view capacity across your team, track assignments, and adjust workloads in real time.
Q5: How is ManyRequests priced?
ManyRequests pricing generally uses a multi-tier structure with monthly and annual options. Starter Plan: $19/month, Core Plan: $39/month, Pro Plan: $79/month—billed annually. Take note that all plans come with a 14-day free trial.
Running an agency?
ManyRequests is a client portal & requests management app for creative services.
