Alternative CRMs for Creatives: Hello Bonsai, RPC, Hubflo, ClientJoy, and 17Hats

We talk a lot about a couple popular CRMs here – namely Dubsado and Honeybook. They are both really wonderful client management tools, and have lots of features. But maybe they aren’t quite right for your business and you’d like to explore some alternative CRMs.

What are some good Dubsado and Honeybook alternative CRMs? Especially for creative entrepreneurs? Today I’ll talk about 5 more Honeybook and Dubsado alternative CRMs: specifically Hello Bonsai, Rock Paper Coin, Hubflo, ClientJoy, and 17Hats. 

Some links in this article are affiliate links, which will earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Let’s dive into some CRMs that are not Dubsado or Honeybook!

Hello Bonsai

Hello Bonsai, or Bonsai for short, is a client management system designed for solopreneurs and small businesses. It has a lot of similar features to Dubsado and Honeybook, but there are a few areas where it excels in comparison.

My favorite Bonsai features:

• Financial Reporting. Bonsai allows you to connect outside accounts to manage your accounting for your entire business in one place.
• Tax Reporting. You can also upgrade to Bonsai’s tax reporting plan that will help with your estimates and your 1040s at the end of the year.
• Invoice Features. There are a few invoicing features that might be really important to some businesses, where Bonsai excels, including 3 decimal places in monetary units, time tracking right on the invoice, automatic late fees, and more. 
• Simplicity. I would also argue that Bonsai is a more simple system to set up and get going than Dubsado or Honeybook. This is a double-edged sword, but I know a lot of people are overwhelmed by some of the things other CRMs can do. 

Where Bonsai Struggles:

The main issue I have with Bonsai is their lack of customization. This is the other side of the “simplicity” coin. Bonsai’s forms are much simpler than Dubsado or Honeybook’s, and they don’t have as many automated workflow features as well. If you’re not sending a lot of forms, though, I think you might love Bonsai! 

Want to Try Bonsai?

Here’s my link for the latest discounts!

Rock Paper Coin

Rock Paper Coin has one main goal in mind: To be the simplest CRM out there! And they accomplish it so well, it’s kind of nuts. So if the other ones feel a little overwhelming with all kinds of features and setup steps – definitely take a look at Rock Paper Coin.

My favorite Rock Paper Coin features:

• Simplicity. Rock Paper Coin leads with simplicity. They have the features you need (contracts, payment processing, file sharing, invoicing and proposals, etc.) and not a lot of the more advanced features.
• Quick Setup. Everyone who joins Rock Paper Coin gets a free white glove setup – meaning you can get up and running within about 2-3 days usually.
• Google Drive Integration. If sharing Google Drive files is big for your business, you’ll love file sharing in RPC!
• A FREE YEAR.  Literally, I am not kidding you. They offer a free year to anyone who signs up with my link. 

Where Rock Paper Coin Struggles:

Simplicity is a double-sided coin. On one hand, it’s great that it’s easy to use and set up. On the other, you will miss out on more robust features like forms and automated workflows. They do continue to grow, so some of this may come with time, but if you’re looking for those more advanced features, then check out another system on this list! 

Want to Try Rock Paper Coin?

Here’s my link for that FREE YEAR I mentioned. 

Hubflo as an Alternative CRM

Hubflo recently came to the US from France, and their leading point is the client portal and client communications piece. They are super responsive to feedback and integration / feature requests too, so I see big things coming down the pipeline for them! 

My favorite Hubflo features:

• The Client Portal. And overall client communications! The client portal is entirely customizable with whatever elements you need – you can embed videos, forms, schedulers, folders, all kinds of things. They even have Google Drive integration. 
• Email/Chat Integration. Similarly, Hubflo’s email integration is really strong, and it connects with the chat functionality in the client portal. So anytime your client sends a chat or an email, you can respond from either place, and they keep track of all the info for you no matter where it originates!
• Task Board Templates. There are lots of template capabilities in Hubflo – one of my faves is with task boards. So if you have similar processes for different types of projects, you can set up a template to easily add a bunch of new tasks to new projects. 
• Integrations. Integrations are huge for Hubflo so there are a lot of ways to make it work with many other systems that you might already use in your business. 

Where Hubflo Struggles:

While you can customize a lot of the back-end and client portal portions of Hubflo – they don’t currently offer their own forms or a ton of customization from a design perspective. With Google Drive Integration, a lot of this is easy to work around, but if you are looking for really aesthetic forms, there are some better options (frankly, that’s a feature where both Honeybook and Dubsado really excel!). 

Want to Try Hubflo?

Here’s my link for 40% off your first 3 months! 

ClientJoy

ClientJoy is a different vibe than some of these others, but I love that it focuses on the big picture of your business. It shows you a lot of overviews and info that will help you be more profitable and successful long term – such as lead tracking, financials, etc. 

My favorite ClientJoy features:

• Import Leads / Clients from CSV. A lot of these systems hit a wall when you need to add a bunch of info at once – ClientJoy is better suited to having lots of leads, clients, etc. ! 
• Changeable Units. I don’t see this in many systems – you can change units from dollars to hours, projects, words, deliverables, whatever it is you want to bill in! 
• Integrations. Over 3,000 integrations available – this is something ClientJoy really prides itself on!
• Custom Code. If you’re able to use custom code (first off – go you!) then you can customize your client portal and other things in ClientJoy with that! 

Where ClientJoy Struggles:

ClientJoy doesn’t offer a lot of customization from a design / aesthetic perspective either. Unless you can work with custom code, that is! 

Want to Try ClientJoy?

Here’s my link for 20% off!

17Hats as an Alternative CRM

17Hats is actually very similar feature-wise to Honeybook and Dubsado. The main difference is in the aesthetic and interface experience. 

My favorite 17Hats features:

• It’s a Workhorse. 17Hats focuses on just…working. Whereas some of the more feature-rich softwares require a refresh every now and again, 17Hats is pretty much your reliable Subaru that never does you wrong.
• Optional Add-Ons. These are great for increasing your packages’ overall worth! Include optional add-ons for your clients that they can select right on the quote. 
• All the Features you Need, but Still Simple. Compared to other platforms with similar features, 17Hats is much simpler to set up and requires a good deal less customization. Again, this is a double-edged sword, but if you’re looking for something with robust features that’s a little quicker to get up and running – 17Hats might be your CRM! 

Where 17Hats Struggles:

17Hats meets exactly the goal it sets – which is to be a robust CRM with fewer frills than other systems with similar features. So I don’t really think this is a “struggle” but they don’t focus on design aesthetic and customization. They focus more on functionality, and you can see it in their interface. It works, and it’s lovely, but you can’t do things like change colors, add pictures, custom code, etc. 

Want to Try 17Hats?

Here’s my link for the latest discounts!

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Overall, there are a TON of great CRMs out there. The right one for your business is 100% up to you – I hope this article has helped you explore some alternative CRMs that you may not have known about. But just in case you’re wondering what’s wrong with Dubsado and Honeybook – here are a few reasons you might want to look elsewhere!

Cons to Honeybook

While I love Honeybook, there are definitely some things that might make another system a better fit for you! If you’re wondering why you might look at alternatives to Honeybook, here are a few reasons: 

• Honeybook is only available in the US and Canada
• Honeybook processes its own payments – so if you want to use PayPal, Stripe, etc. you won’t be able to
• Cost. Some of the other options on this list are cheaper than Honeybook
• Complexity – while Honeybook has a ton of features, if you’re not ready for that there are some simpler options to get you set up and moving faster
• Specific features that your business needs that Honeybook doesn’t offer

Check out some great alternatives on this list if you’re not vibing with Honeybook for these reasons!

If you want to read about what I love about Honeybook – check out this post!

Cons to Dubsado

I’m a huge fan of Dubsado as a CRM for creatives, but you might find a different CRM that’s a better fit. If you’re wondering about Dubsado alternatives, here are some reasons you might want to look at some of the other CRMs on this list:

• Dubsado setup can be a little complex, due to the robust features. If you’re not quite ready for that yet, there are some simpler CRMs on this list!
• Cost. If Dubsado is more than you want to invest at this time, you can opt for one of the cheaper options on this list
• Financial reporting in Dubsado could use some work
• Third-party integrations are not very robust
• Specific features that your business needs that Dubsado doesn’t offer

Check out some great CRMs on this list if you are not loving the Dubsado interface for any reason! 
If you want to read about what I love about Dubsado – check out this post!

New to Dubsado or HoneyBook? Check out our FREE beginner courses for them! Or watch our latest 2024 comparison video on YouTube!