Tired of Dubsado? Confused by Dubsado? Just not sure which CRM platform is best for your business? You’ve come to the right place. We’re going to chat about Dubsado and Dubsado Alternatives today.

I have been using Dubsado for 4+ years now in my business, and lately I’ve been looking at other options. It’s not to say Dubsado sucks, but it’s good to stay informed to make sure you’re still in the right place.

So who is Dubsado best for? Or what about some of the best Dubsado alternatives – who are they best for? I’ll explore the 3 biggest players in the CRM game today, which are Dubsado, Honeybook, and 17Hats.

Full disclosure, I am an affiliate for all 3 systems and have provided some affiliate links, in addition to my honest and unbiased opinions.

What is a CRM platform?

First thing’s first, what’s a CRM platform? If you’re new here, CRM stands for Client Relationship Management, and these platforms do that in a ton of different ways. They keep track of your information (clients, leads, calendar, projects, etc.). They provide analytics (accounting, lead generation, etc.).

These three also all have a client portal to aid in interaction with your clients, as well as some automated workflow functionalities. You heard that right – Dubsado, 17Hats, and Honeybook can all literally take work off of your plate and do it for you.

Plus, all of these CRM platforms also accept payments and contract signatures which means they help you get PAID! That’s really the best part!

Here’s a great overview of what Honeybook can do for you (you’ll find similar features in all 3 of these platforms, so this will help if you’re new to CRMs!)

Pricing for Dubsado, Honeybook, and 17Hats

Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way!

Here’s the current Dubsado pricing:

It’s simple – $35/mo or $350/ year (this link will get you 20% off).

Here’s the current Honeybook Pricing:

A couple options here, but I like that you can start at $9/mo (and with this link you can get 50% off that – start for less than $5/mo!). It’s a good plan for beginners to start out, and once you hit $10k in sales, your pricing will go up to slightly more than Dubsado’s plan pricing (unless you have my discount!).

…and of course, here’s the current 17Hats Pricing:

It’s a bit more than either of the other options, but with my discount, you’ll get 50% off that pricing (really, no matter what you do, make sure you use a discount code for the best CRM deal!).

The Verdict on Pricing?

Honestly, when it comes down to it, you’re paying close to the same amount for all of them. The discounts are better with Honeybook and 17Hats, but it’s not a make-or-break amount. I think that you should decide which CRM is right for your business by exploring the features for each platform.

What about Free Trials?

Definitely take advantage of the CRM free trials! Both Dubsado alternatives provide a 7 day free trial, but actually Dubsado itself gives you an untimed free trial – it’s 3 total projects, no matter how long that takes you to get through. I love this option as it gives you time to set up your workflows, templates, questionnaires, etc. in the best way without rushing. So slight win to Dubsado here, but again, not make-or-break compared to other features.

Accepting Payments

This one is make-or-break in my opinion. Money is important! Honeybook is its own payment processor, so that is technically the simplest answer. You wouldn’t need to set up another account to accept Honeybook payments. Honeybook also has an option on invoices for clients to select automatic payments for the remainder of their project. It’s really helpful, and ensures you’re going to get paid. The choice is the client’s though whether or not they want to use that features. The cost to use Honeybook payments is a flat 3% fee.

Dubsado accepts payments through Stripe, Square, and PayPal, which all have similar but varying fees. 17Hats payments are processed through Stripe, Square, PayPal, or Authorize.net as a fourth option.

If payment processing simplicity is important – Honeybook is your winner. If options are important – go with Dubsado or 17Hats.

Feature Comparison

There are of course some slight differences in features between Dubsado, Honeybook, and 17Hats. But the vast majority of features are found among all 3 CRM platforms.

Common Features

• Lead Captures (watch the video below to see these in action!)
• Contact Management
• Project Management
• Questionnaires
• Contracts
• Calendar
• Reporting/Accounting Features
• Easy chat customer service

Pros to Dubsado

Dubsado is “known” as more feature-rich than the two Dubsado alternatives we’re discussing today. The team at Dubsado is constantly coming up with new integrations and features for you to use!

• Built-in Scheduler
• Integrates with Square, Stripe, and PayPal
• Branding/Custom URL available
• Email on your domain
• Custom-mapped fields
• Quickbooks Integration
• Zoom Integration
• File Uploaders for clients (can upload inspiration photos, etc.)
• Public Proposals (a client can visit your link, fill out their info, generate an invoice, pay it, etc. – basically create their own job from scratch!)
• A second brand under the same account in Dubsado is $10/mo. You can’t, however, share data between accounts.
• Subcontracts (see how I use them in the video below!)

Cons to Dubsado

So why are we even discussing Dubsado alternatives then, Laney? Great question! There are a few things that annoy me about Dubsado, and some differences you might enjoy elsewhere. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what’s right for your business.

What are some negatives to Dubsado?

• More complex to set up
• Price could be an issue for you
• Payment processing through 3rd party systems, which may not be right for you
• The scheduling feature is a bit clunky, many people use another platform for scheduling (Acuity, Calendly, etc.)
• Almost too many features

This last one sounds silly, but it hearkens back to the first one. Dubsado does a lot. A. LOT. I’ve heard many creatives say that they don’t use nearly all the features (I know I don’t), or that it’s too confusing/time-consuming to set up everything.

I personally view this as a positive thing – it’s completely okay to not use all the features. You’ll still get your money’s worth and more. The part that’s tough for me is when they spend a lot more time creating new integrations and features instead of working on some of the annoying little things about their core platform.

For instance, sometimes my email becomes disconnected randomly, and I have to first learn about it from discovering a missed email (bad) and then reconnect it. It’s not a decision-making factor for me, but I like a platform that invests in its core working well in addition to building new growth.

This link is for 20% off (or code DESIGNBYLANEY)

Pros and Cons of Dubsado Alternatives

Let’s talk about some alternatives, shall we?

For the record, I have another long post comparing specifically Dubsado vs. Honeybook. Read that post here!

Pros to Honeybook

• Its own payment processor
• There’s an app for that! Literally, anything you can do on Honeybook, you can do on their app. If your work is constantly on the go, this is the system for you!
• I like their invoicing better
• Interaction with other vendors for same event
• Better for bulk uploading/editing if you have lots of projects
• Honeybook’s Chrome Extension (brand new!) is amazing if you have Gmail. You can basically see a project’s data while in your Gmail inbox! If I used G Suite this would likely be a game-changing decision for me.
• Automatic lead generation tracking

Here’s a video on that Chrome Extension (frankly it can be life-changing if you use GMail)

Cons to Honeybook

• Only one option for payment processing
• Fewer integrations (no Zoom or Quickbooks)
• Personally, I like Dubsado’s interface look better
• Fewer customized branding options
• All forms have different capabilities, which can get confusing
• Fewer automated workflow options (keep an eye out though *hint hint*)
• No signature on proofs. See video below for what I use as a workaround!

The big items of note here are that if you want an app, or use Gmail, you may want to look at Honeybook. The Chrome Extension is phenomenal, and a fully-functioning app is something none of these other CRM platforms have.

My link gets you 50% off!

Pros to 17Hats

A big difference you’ll see with 17Hats is that it’s not directly marketed toward creative businesses, whereas Dubsado and Honeybook are (and it shows). 17Hats is more of an all-around platform for any entrepreneur.

• Time-tracking capabilities (even for different hourly rates!)
• Accounting is pretty robust (could eliminate the need for Quickbooks potentially)
• Workflow capabilities are solid
• You’re very clearly directed through the setup process
• Integrates with Zoom, Zapier, Quickbooks, Greetabl (you can literally automatically send a Greetabl as part of a workflow!), Shootproof, Fundy Designer, Proselect, and N Vu. If any of these are vital to your workflow, then go with 17Hats!
• Templates for forms already loaded into your dashboard
• Easy custom subdomain setup

Use this link for 50% off (or code ztvhstgsvs)

Cons to 17Hats

• Interface can be a little confusing at first (honestly, it feels the most professional to me though)
• Not as much form customization available
• Workflows don’t allow for automatic email reminders (if someone doesn’t fill out a form – Dubsado Workflows do this)
• Not catering to creative entrepreneurs (in case this is important to you!)

Honestly, nothing too upsetting to me about 17Hats. I like it, but it could feel a little stiff or overwhelming at first, if you really want your forms to be design-heavy. It might be better for less creative businesses, but that’s not to say that it’s not still beautiful.

So which CRM is right for you?

Is it Dubsado? Is it a Dubsado Alternative?

I often hear people searching for other CRM options based on Dubsado pricing. If that’s your deciding factor, go with Honeybook to start. Honeybook pricing is legit with that new $9/mo plan. However, you’re going to end up only saving a little in the long run (since you’re going to get that $10k point FAST if I have anything to do with it!).

The setup is what’s tough on these platforms too, as well as just learning a new platform. So don’t get distracted by the concept of saving $30 over the next 4-6 months and get your business ingrained in a platform that doesn’t actually work for you.

The bottom line: you’re going to save HOURS of work a week, spend less time searching for things, look more professional, and mess up a lot less if you have any of these platforms. It’s worth the $30-40 – so choose based on features, not on price.

Here are my discount links again, just in case you need them! Feel free to ask additional questions in the comments and I’d be happy to help.

DUBSADO DISCOUNT CODE

HONEYBOOK COUPON CODE

17HATS DISCOUNT CODE

Here’s my course on how I use Dubsado as a Stationery Designer! You can dive into all my forms and see how this benefits my business every day (many, many times a day).