HoneyBook vs Dubsado: which client management tool should you use?
Short answer: Dubsado costs less per year, at $335 for Starter and $525 for Premier, and it adds 3 extra users for free. HoneyBook costs $29 to $109 a month billed yearly, and its Premium plan includes unlimited team members. HoneyBook shows its payment fees and includes AI tools on every plan. Prices are from each company's own pricing page as of October 2026.
You're a solo service provider or small studio comparing HoneyBook and Dubsado, and want to know which actually costs less once you add payment fees and team seats.
I'm Ranjit, and I run Blur Studio: 15+ years building software, 120 apps taken live, and clients who have gone on to raise $10M+. I build AI systems and processes that help businesses do a lot more with a lot less time. I also work differently from most of what else is out there, more on that further down this page. Say hello.
How much do HoneyBook and Dubsado cost?
| Plan | Price billed yearly | Same price per month | Team members |
|---|---|---|---|
| HoneyBook Starter | $348 a year | $29 | None listed |
| HoneyBook Essentials | $588 a year | $49 | Up to 2 |
| HoneyBook Premium | $1,308 a year | $109 | Unlimited |
| Dubsado Starter | $335 a year | About $28 | 3 extra users free |
| Dubsado Premier | $525 a year | About $44 | 3 extra users free |
HoneyBook shows its prices as a monthly amount on yearly billing. Dubsado shows a yearly price. The table puts both on the same footing.
Dubsado charges for larger teams. After the 3 free users, a team of 4 to 10 users costs $25 a month. Teams of 11 to 20 cost $45 a month, and teams of 21 to 30 cost $60 a month. Each extra brand costs $10 a month.
What do payments cost?
HoneyBook lists card fees starting at 2.7% plus 10 cents, and 1.5% for bank transfers. Ask HoneyBook which card rate your account will get. Premium users who take more than $500,000 a year may get lower card fees. Dubsado's pricing page does not list payment fees, so check them in Dubsado before you compare.
Do they offer free trials?
Both offer a free trial with no credit card needed. Dubsado's trial lasts 21 days and gives you full access to Premier. HoneyBook's trial lasts 30 days and covers almost every feature. HoneyBook also offers a full refund if you are not happy after your first 60 days.
What comes with each HoneyBook and Dubsado plan?
HoneyBook plans
- Starter: Unlimited clients and projects, invoices and payments, proposals and contracts, a calendar, templates, a client portal, basic reports, up to 2 live lead forms and HoneyBook AI.
- Essentials: Adds a scheduler, automations, QuickBooks Online sync, up to 2 team members, up to 10 lead forms, text reminders and removal of HoneyBook branding.
- Premium: Adds unlimited team members, priority support, more than one company, advanced reports and unlimited lead forms.
Dubsado plans
- Starter: Unlimited projects and clients, invoices and payment plans, form and email templates, client portals, calendar sync, email and live chat support, a mobile app and one active lead form.
- Premier: Adds bookkeeping sync, advanced scheduling, automated workflows, public proposals, Zapier and unlimited lead forms.
Side-by-side summary
| HoneyBook | Dubsado | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | $29 a month, billed yearly | $335 a year |
| Automations | Essentials and Premium | Premier |
| Scheduler | Essentials and Premium | Advanced scheduling on Premier |
| Lead forms on the lowest plan | 2 | 1 |
| Accounting sync | QuickBooks Online on Essentials | Bookkeeping sync on Premier |
| Extra users | 2 on Essentials, unlimited on Premium | 3 free, then paid tiers |
| Built-in AI | All plans | Not listed on pricing page |
| Free trial | 30 days, no card | 21 days, no card |
Should you choose HoneyBook or Dubsado?
Choose HoneyBook if
- You want AI help on every plan: HoneyBook AI is included from Starter.
- You have a growing team: Premium includes unlimited team members for one price.
- You run more than one company: Premium supports several companies in one account.
- You want to see payment fees up front: HoneyBook lists them on its pricing page.
Choose Dubsado if
- You want the lowest yearly cost: Premier with automations costs $525 a year.
- You have a small team: The first 3 extra users are free.
- You run more than one brand: Each extra brand costs $10 a month.
- You want Zapier: Premier connects to Zapier, so you can link it to many other apps.
What limits do HoneyBook and Dubsado have?
HoneyBook's automations and scheduler start on Essentials. Starter users get proposals, contracts and payments, but they must handle follow-ups by hand. Essentials also caps the team at 2.
Dubsado's Starter plan has no automated workflows and only one active lead form. If you want automations, you will need Premier. Team costs also rise once you pass 3 extra users.
Both tools follow a set client flow of lead, proposal, contract, invoice and project. That suits most service businesses. It can feel tight if your work does not follow that order.
Are there other HoneyBook and Dubsado alternatives?
Bonsai is another option with posted prices. Its Essentials plan costs $19 per user a month billed yearly, or $25 billed monthly. It includes proposals, contracts, invoices, scheduling, forms and a client portal. Its Premium plan adds a deals pipeline, reports and connections to QuickBooks, Xero, Zapier and Calendly for $29 per user a month billed yearly.
If proposals are your main need, see my PandaDoc alternative guide. For the wider set of tools, see client onboarding software.
When should you skip both HoneyBook and Dubsado?
For most solo owners and small teams, HoneyBook or Dubsado is the right tool. Pick one, load your templates and run your next five clients through it.
A custom tool can make sense in a few cases:
- Your process has extra steps: For example, a wedding venue that tracks room blocks, menu choices and supplier payments for each event.
- Your tools do not connect: Your leads, your projects and your accounts sit in three systems, and you copy data between them.
- Your team gets large: Seat or team fees grow as you hire, and you pay them every year.
- You need a branded client experience: For example, a client portal that shows each client their files, payments and next steps your way.
- You must control your data: Your clients want their records kept in a system you own.
How would Blur Studio approach a custom client tool?
I start with your client flow from first enquiry to final payment. Then I mark the steps where your team retypes data or chases people by hand. Often I keep HoneyBook or Dubsado in place and connect AI to it, such as an assistant that answers new enquiries and books calls. When a full build makes sense, I keep it small and build only the steps your clients go through. The finished code and all the accounts belong to you. I'm a one-person studio based in Dubai, UAE, and I work remotely with service businesses across the US. If you want a flat-priced, fully owned alternative to either tool instead, see my guide to HoneyBook alternatives.
Need something completely custom?
Everything above is a path to get it running quick and cheap. But sometimes the honest answer is that none of those quite fit, and what you actually need is something custom that you own, built uniquely for your business from the ground up, with AI thoughtfully designed into the parts of it that your processes actually benefit from. An asset that grows in value, not a generic, one-size-fits-all boilerplate that's an expense with a lock-in. This is a complete bespoke build, and it's something I do very well. Get in touch to know more.
Questions people ask
Is Dubsado cheaper than HoneyBook?
Dubsado costs less per year at the low end. Dubsado Starter costs $335 a year, and HoneyBook Starter costs $29 a month billed yearly, which is $348 a year, as of October 2026.
Which has more team members?
HoneyBook Premium includes unlimited team members. Dubsado gives 3 extra users free and then charges $25 to $60 a month for larger teams, as of October 2026.
Does HoneyBook have AI features?
HoneyBook includes HoneyBook AI on every plan, including Starter, as of October 2026. Dubsado's pricing page does not list AI features.
How long is the Dubsado free trial?
Dubsado's free trial lasts 21 days and gives full access to the Premier plan. It does not need a credit card.
When should a service business build its own client tool?
Consider it when your process has steps these tools cannot handle, your tools do not share data, or team fees grow large. Most small service businesses should start with a ready-made tool.
Does HoneyBook or Dubsado work better for a team that is about to grow?
HoneyBook Premium includes unlimited team members for one flat price, which is simpler to budget for as you hire. Dubsado's first 3 extra users are free, then it charges per band of users, so model your actual headcount for the next year against both pricing structures before you commit.
Roughly what does this cost?
As a broad reference, fixes and finishes start at around $1,500, and new builds start higher, always a fixed price agreed in writing before I start, never an hourly rate. My AI app cost guide explains what actually drives a quote up or down.
Is my project too small for this?
No. Most of the owners I work with have no tech team at all, that is the whole point. If the smarter move is a cheap software subscription instead of custom software, I will tell you that on the first call, even though it means I do not get paid.