When two strong players who have been in the field for a long time are fighting head-on, how do you decide which one will win the game? Often, the comparison of Dubsado Vs. HoneyBook can feel like that for those trying to choose a good CRM for business.
Juggling clients, invoices, and projects can feel like a circus act - exciting but chaotic! Administrative work can become burdensome for business owners, with 60% saying that managing their client flow is frustrating because they have to switch between different systems to complete different tasks. No wonder the CRM market is booming, projected to reach $96.39 billion by 2026!
So to stay relevant, the CRM software you choose to implement becomes the clinching factor in a smooth workflow. But which one is the right one for you? Two popular options, Dubsado vs. HoneyBook, often comes up in conversation.
This guide is here to break down the pros and cons of both in simple terms. Do you crave the power and control of Dubsado's in-depth spreadsheets, or the guided ease and visual insights of HoneyBook's data-driven approach? There is no wrong answer—just the right fit for your goals!
Dubsado vs. HoneyBook: Which One Is Better for You?
HoneyBook was introduced in 2013, while Dubsado was introduced in 2015. Although years are just numbers, first-comers have an added advantage. HoneyBook does have some impact based on its first-mover advantage.
But a CRM software is so much more than who came first. Both Dubsado and HoneyBook have their own strengths, catering to business needs. Which one, nevertheless, fits you the best? Let us have a look.
What Is Dubsado?
Dubsado is a client management platform specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses, designed to
- Track leads and clients
- Send contracts and invoices
- Create proposals and questionnaires
- Track income and expenses
- Do minor project/task management, and schedule appointments
From the first contact to the last payment, it allows you to oversee all facets of your customer relationships from one central location. With a robust client management software like Dubsado, you can increase customer satisfaction and streamline company operations.
What Is Dubsado Best Suited for?
Dubsado is best suited for individuals and small businesses, such as:
- Brand and Web Designers
- Photographers and videographers
- Bookkeepers and accountants
- Designers and creative professionals
- Coaches and consultants
- Social media managers and virtual assistants
- Freelancers, solopreneurs, and more.
Best Features of Dubsado
Dubsado provides a variety of features. Here are the top features that make it a good alternative to HoneyBook.
Customizable Forms And Templates
Dubsado’s Customizable Forms & Templates feature makes everything so much easier to create. You'll be able to have forms appear professional and customize forms that blend in perfectly with the aesthetic of your website. It has pre-made templates that make the job easier for you.
Dubsado provides customizable forms for every activity, such as:
- Lead captures
- Proposals
- E-signature Contracts & Sub-Agreements
- Questionnaires
It saves you time by not having to recreate these forms for each client. It only takes a few clicks to plug in your client's information and send out forms that are ready for signature and payment.
Plus, you may include contracts and invoices with your offers so that customers can quickly and easily make bookings in one sitting. The best part is that these forms are a personalized experience for your clients because they include your logo and other design elements that represent your brand identity.
Automation
The automation feature of Dubsado relieves the burden of tedious work, so you can concentrate on other crucial areas of running your company. Dubsado makes sure that your to-do list is completed with ease by using automated workflows, recurring payments, confirmation emails, and payment reminders. Without having to lift a finger, you can build up personalized workflows to send emails, forms, and invoices automatically, as well as start particular activities and operations inside a project.
- Smart fields allow you to personalize forms and emails with your client's specific information
- Custom triggers enable workflow actions to be triggered by specific conditions or at certain times
- Task reminders keep you and your team on track
- Tags and statuses help organize projects efficiently
With functions like automated client reminders and autopay for recurring bills, Dubsado guarantees effectiveness with little work. It is safe to state, then, that you won't ever forget a task or skip a follow-up again thanks to Dubsado's automation feature.
Invoicing And Reporting
Both the user and the client can easily create and pay invoices with Dubsado. One can send invoices, receive payments, and connect to a payment processor like PayPal, Square, or Stripe with ease. Dubsado ensures clear and economical invoicing for your company. It does not add any additional fees to the transaction fees charged by your payment processor.
These features enhance the client’s payment experience:
- Custom payment plans with specific due dates and automatic reminders
- Gratuity option to enable tipping from clients
- Recurring invoices with automatic payments
When it comes to tracking your business's financial health, Dubsado has you covered with reporting features. Dubsado generates reports that break down your gains and losses, pinpoint monthly trends, and offer a chart of accounts to visualize your income and expenses.
Scheduling
With Dubsado's scheduling tool, you no longer have to worry about setting up appointments in a hassle. All you have to do is specify your availability and link your calendar. That's it, and Dubsado will do the rest for you. Customers may quickly and simply see your availability and select a time and date that works for them. Dubsado makes sure you're never double booked as well. It automatically scans the calendar that's attached to it for scheduling problems.
To ensure that you are ready for the appointment, you can even attach a form to your scheduler that allows you to collect further information from your clients. Need to offer different types of appointments? No worries, Dubsado allows you to build many schedulers and group them together so that your clients have a range of possibilities to select from. Scheduling appointments has never been simpler or more effective, thanks to Dubsado's scheduling tool.
Pros and Cons of Dubsado
What Is HoneyBook?
HoneyBook, like Dubsado, is a client management platform that offers the following services:
- Store and track leads, send proposals, and convert them into paying clients
- Keep all client information, notes, and communication history in one place
- Break down projects into tasks, set deadlines, and track progress
- Allow clients to schedule consultations or appointments directly through the platform
- Generate personalized invoices and online payment processing
HoneyBook features streamline client flow processes, manage client relationships effectively, and facilitate faster payment collection for creative entrepreneurs and small businesses.
What Is HoneyBook Best Suited for?
HoneyBook is particularly beneficial for:
- Creative professionals
- Service-based businesses
- Freelancers and solopreneurs
- Small businesses
- Entrepreneurs Starting Out
Best HoneyBook Features
Here are the best HoneyBook features.
Online Contracts
With HoneyBook, you can create contracts quickly and easily by selecting one of the many expertly designed templates and filling in smart fields, which will automatically fill in names, dates, and locations. Additionally, these mobile-friendly contracts can also be signed from any device, so users do not need to download anything or worry about complicated procedures. HoneyBook provides 50+ pre-built contract templates, such as:
- Client service management
- Photo release agreement
- Cancellation amendment
- Simple contract for services
- Liability waivers and more
As contracts are sent out, users receive real-time notifications, keeping them updated on clients' viewing and signing of documents at all times. HoneyBook templates are legally expert-vetted, so users can ensure legal compliance and protection while creating a lasting impression.
Complete Proposal Management
The proposal management function in HoneyBook is revolutionary for small business owners trying to improve customer acquisition. Everything you require to attract clients and get your projects off to a great start is conveniently combined into one platform with this feature.
The HoneyBook invoice component of proposal management offers professional and beautiful templates, coupled with smart notifications, making it effortless for clients to say yes to your proposals.
The contract aspect is hassle-free, eliminating the need for endless back and forth. Clients can review, sign, and pay all in one place, saving you time and simplifying the process for everyone involved.
As for HoneyBook payments, it ensures an easy-to-pay experience with no checks or additional apps required. Clients can simply click to pay, providing a seamless transaction process.
HoneyBook saves you a ton of time and effort by combining all the elements—invoice, contract, and payment—into a single, well-organized proposal.
HoneyBook’s Online Payment Software
The online payment software of HoneyBook Payments takes an integrated approach, integrating contract administration, payment processing, and invoicing into a single, easy-to-use step. Customers enjoy a seamless payment process that allows them to easily examine and sign contracts before making payments.
All major credit/debit cards and bank transfers are supported, giving customers the freedom to select the payment option that best suits their needs and guaranteeing accessibility and ease.
Simultaneous cash flow trust is gained by small firms through instant deposits, real-time tracking through payment notifications, clear pricing, and extensive fraud prevention. The payout procedure is further streamlined by HoneyBook's direct deposit feature, which guarantees that money is placed into the user's bank account automatically and without the need for human participation.
Further, HoneyBook features also include:
- Automatic payment reminders
- Recurring and scheduled HoneyBook payments
- Mobile HoneyBook invoice
- Easy auto-pay
- Gratuity option for tipping
Lead Management
Using HoneyBook, you can easily create customized forms that integrate seamlessly with your website, social media, and email signature. You can customize these forms to gather basic information and ask specific questions to qualify leads from the start. And HoneyBook doesn't limit you to just one channel – you can capture leads from various sources, ensuring you never miss a potential client.
But capturing leads is just the first step. The real magic lies in nurturing them. HoneyBook's automated workflows send personalized welcome emails, questionnaires, or proposals based on specific triggers, keeping leads engaged and interested. Imagine a new inquiry automatically receiving a warm welcome email, followed by a questionnaire that gathers their specific needs and budget. This not only saves you time but also shows the lead that you value their interest.
And when it comes to conversion, there is no question of Dubsado vs HoneyBook many prefer HoneyBook. It allows leads to schedule consultations or book services directly through your forms. HoneyBook's lead management goes beyond simple functionality. It provides detailed lead profiles, storing notes, communication history, and key information for each potential client, helping you keep your pipeline full.
HoneyBook Pros And Cons
A Feature-by-Feature Comparison: Dubsado vs. HoneyBook vs. Cone
HoneyBook Pricing vs Dubsado Pricing
Let us look at how much Dubsado costs per year.
Dubsado subscriptions can be purchased yearly or monthly.
The starting plan for Dubsado is $200 per year, and the premier plan costs $400 per year. Both plans include invoicing, payment plans, forms, and email templates, in addition to other features like scheduling, automated workflows, public proposals, simultaneous lead capture, Zapier integration, and so on.
If you choose to subscribe monthly, the starting plan on Dubsado is $20, while the premier plan costs $40.
Until you choose to proceed with a membership plan without a credit card, you can test Dubsado for free without any time restrictions.
Dubsado also offers several add-ons.
Dubsado's Brands feature makes it easy to manage several businesses under one account.
By paying $10 per additional brand, you can generate unique brands for each enterprise.
Additionally, you may involve your team by inviting them to work together on the platform. As your team grows, Dubsado pricing options start at $25 per month for 4-10 users, making it accessible for businesses of all sizes.
Wondering how much is HoneyBook a month?
There are three pricing tiers for HoneyBook: starters, essentials, and premium.
For $8 a month, you may get the Starter plan, which offers an unlimited number of clients and projects. It also includes some of the standard functions, like a client site, proposals, and invoices.
The Essentials plan, available at $16 per month, builds upon the Starter features by adding productivity tools like schedulers, automation, and QuickBooks Online integration, accommodating up to 2 team members.
The Premium plan, priced at $33 per month, includes all Essentials features, supports unlimited team members, offers priority support, and introduces advanced reports, making it suitable for scaling businesses with additional perks like multiple companies and client onboarding specialists.
If billed monthly, the HoneyBook pricing for the starter plan is billed at $9.50 per month, the essential plan at $19.50 per month, and the premium plan at $39.50 per month.
You can try HoneyBook for free for 7 days without a credit card.
A Well-Rounded Work for All Your Client Experience Needs
Let's face it—while platforms like Dubsado vs. HoneyBook have their merits, they may not provide the comprehensive solution you're looking for.
What if there is a better solution that does not have such a drawback?
Yes, Cone’s Work management software addresses these shortcomings head-on, becoming the best alternative to HoneyBook.
With Cone, you can have complete control over your client management, from proposals, billing, payments, tasks, workflows and client portals.
Without any doubt about Dubsado vs. HoneyBook vs. Bonsai, if you're ready to take your CRM game to the next level, look no further than Cone. With our comprehensive features and user-friendly interface, you'll wonder how you ever managed without us.
Try Cone for free today!
Dubsado vs. HoneyBook: What To Choose?
HoneyBook and Dubsado both provide powerful features for accelerating your client management process. The best choice for you will depend on your specific needs, preferences, and budget.
In short, choose Dubsado if:
- You need efficient project management and automation features.
- You prefer a more customizable solution for creating proposals and managing client relationships.
- You’re willing to invest time in setting up and learning the platform for long-term efficiency gains.
Choose HoneyBook if:
- You prioritize a user-friendly interface and seamless client experience.
- Integrated payment processing is essential for your business.
- You’re primarily focused on managing client communications and payments, rather than complex project workflows.
But if you need complete software that provides you with everything within a single package, try out Cone today.
Stay tuned for our upcoming blog about HoneyBook vs. 17 hats!
FAQs
What makes Dubsado stand out from HoneyBook Features?
Both HoneyBook and Dubsado handle client management. Yet, Dubsado shines with its powerful automation and flexible customization, perfect for tech-savvy users.
Is HoneyBook worth it?
HoneyBook is a valuable resource for freelancers and service-oriented enterprises. For companies aiming for expansion and efficiency, its features increase productivity and save time, making it a wise investment.
What advantages does HoneyBook offer?
HoneyBook offers several advantages, such as streamlined invoicing and HoneyBook payment options, professional branding, adaptable workflows, effective client management, and interfaces with other products.
Does HoneyBook have a free version?
HoneyBook does not offer a free version. But you can try out a 7-day free trial.
What are the features of Dubsado?
Dubsado offers
- Comprehensive client management
- Customizable workflows
- Invoicing and payment processing
- Contract management
- Project and time tracking
- Branding customization
- Integration, reporting, analytics, and
- Responsive customer support.
Why do companies seek alternatives to HoneyBook?
Companies seek alternatives to HoneyBook due to factors such as limited reporting capabilities, a high learning curve, or high cost.
What Are The Honeybook Processing Fees?
It varies depending on the payment method and subscription plan. HoneyBook charges a processing fee of around 3% for credit card transactions and 1.5% for bank transfers.