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Dubsado alternatives

Dubsado alternatives: 6 tools compared honestly

Dubsado retired its free plan on November 17, 2025 and raised prices two weeks later — Starter went from $20 to $35 a month, Premier from $40 to $55. If that sent you shopping, or if the setup weekend and the missing phone features finally caught up with you, this page compares the tools people actually switch to: current prices, what each does better than Dubsado, and where each falls short. Workspace369 is our product; it sits in the same table under the same rules.

Szymon Dziak, Founder

Published · Updated

Methodology — We checked each tool’s pricing page on September 23, 2026. Workspace369 is our product; we link its pricing page and say where it is not the best fit.

Start free with Voyager — SMS built inCompare plans →

Quick answer

The short version, by scenario

Solo creatives who love Dubsado’s deep form workflows are already on the right tool — Premier at $55/mo is still the best value for that way of working, and nobody on this list beats its automation depth per dollar. If you want Dubsado-style client flows with a gentler setup curve, HoneyBook Essentials ($59/mo on monthly billing) is the closest like-for-like swap.

If you are past the solo stage and want texting, a business phone line and accounting in the same workspace as clients, projects and invoices, Workspace369 is the only tool here with all three — SMS starts on Voyager ($74/mo, 2 seats) and voice on Specialist ($149/mo, 5 seats). Run the seat math first, though: Dubsado Premier plus its 4–10 user band is $80/mo, so a team that doesn’t need phone or books pays less by staying.

Freelancers who bill by the hour get contracts, time tracking and invoicing for less with Bonsai Essentials ($25/mo per seat). Photographers who mainly need galleries plus light studio management should compare Pixieset or Studio Ninja before anything on this list.

The switching triggers

Why people leave Dubsado in 2026

A retired free plan and a 75% Starter price jump, fourteen days apart at the end of 2025. These are the events behind the current wave of “Dubsado alternatives” searches:

  1. Nov 17, 2025

    The free plan is retired

    Dubsado ended its free plan. New accounts now start on a 21-day full-access trial, after which the cheapest way in is Starter at $35/mo — so “try it free forever” is no longer an option for the cautious switcher.

  2. Dec 1, 2025

    Prices rise across both plans

    Dubsado raised its paid tiers: Starter went from $20 to $35/mo and Premier from $40 to $55/mo, with annual billing landing at $335 and $525 a year — a 75% jump on the entry plan, fourteen days after the free tier disappeared.

Side by side

Dubsado alternatives compared

The two columns that decide most switches — SMS and voice, and built-in accounting — are the ones nobody else publishes. Dubsado is the first row for context; the alternatives follow.

ToolPrice (tier most buyers need)SeatsSMSVoice / phoneBuilt-in accountingClient portalPayment plansTime trackingChecked on
Dubsado current toolpricing ↗$55/mo Premier (monthly) · $525/yr · Starter $35/mo3 extra users free · 4–10 users +$25/mo · 11–20 +$45/mo · 21–30 +$60/moNot includedNot includedno — bookkeeping integration on PremierIncludedIncludedSee siteSep 23, 2026
HoneyBook pricing ↗$59/mo Essentials (monthly) · $49/mo billed yearly1 on Starter · up to 2 on Essentials · unlimited on PremiumReminders from Essentials; 2-way texting is a $8/mo add-on, US only$8/mo add-on, US onlyExpense tracking; QuickBooks sync from EssentialsIncludedIncludedRemoved Sep 8, 2026 (history readable to end of 2027)Sep 23, 2026
Bonsai pricing ↗$25/mo Essentials, per seat (monthly) · Basic $15Per-seat pricing on all tiers · Elite has a 3-user minimumNot includedNot includedIncome & expense tracking; QuickBooks/Xero sync from PremiumFrom EssentialsRetainer & subscription invoicesyes — all tiersSep 23, 2026
Plutio pricing ↗$49/mo Pro · Core $19/mo caps at 9 active clientsPro: up to 30 contributors · Max $199/moNot includedNot includedNot includedSee siteSee siteyes — all tiersSep 23, 2026
17hats pricing ↗$60/mo · $600/yr ($50/mo) — one all-inclusive planExtra users and brands sold separatelySee siteSee siteExpense tracking; bank connect +$5/moSee siteSee siteSee siteSep 23, 2026
Moxie pricing ↗$25/mo Pro (monthly) · Starter $12 · Teams $40Pro: solo + project collaborators · Teams: up to 5 membersSee site — Communicator line details aren’t listedyes — Communicator phone line (US/CA/UK), from ProBasic accounting, all tiersFrom Pro (white label)See siteyes — all tiersSep 23, 2026
Workspace369 ourspricing →$74/mo Voyager (2 seats — the SMS tier) · solo from $29/moFlat by plan: 1 / 2 / 5 / 10 seats · extra seats $15yes — from Voyager $74/moyes — from Specialist $149/moBasic from Specialist · full from Commander $299/moIncludedyes — from Specialistyes — from VoyagerSep 23, 2026
Photographers: Pixieset and Studio Ninja pair gallery delivery with light studio management — if shoots and galleries matter more than accounting, compare those before anything on this list. See their sites for current pricing.

Prices are monthly billing at the tier most Dubsado switchers actually need, checked September 23, 2026; annual-billing equivalents and cheaper entry tiers are in each tool’s section below. “See site” means we could not verify the figure on the vendor’s own page that day — we don’t guess prices.

One by one

The alternatives, in detail

HoneyBook honeybook.com ↗

Best for: Solo creatives who want Dubsado-style client flows with a gentler setup curve, a bigger template gallery and more polish — and who are US-based enough for its texting add-on to matter.

Pricing: Starter $36/mo, Essentials $59/mo, Premium $129/mo on monthly billing ($29/$49/$109 billed yearly), checked September 23, 2026. Texting and calling are a $8/mo add-on, US only. Time Tracker was removed on September 8, 2026.

Where it wins

  • The most polished client experience on this list — interactive files and a deep template gallery
  • Unlimited team members on Premium, if roles and permissions matter to a growing studio
  • Payment plans and client portal included, with a gentler first week than Dubsado

Real limitations

  • Three dated price events in 20 months: the February 2025 overhaul, the legacy discount expiring in February 2026, and the paid texting add-on in August 2026
  • Time Tracker was sunset on September 8, 2026 — no new entries, history readable through 2027
  • 2-way texting costs $8/mo extra and is US only

Skip it if: You bill by the hour (time tracking is gone), you are outside the US and need texting, or one more price revision would break your trust for good.

Bonsai hellobonsai.com ↗

Best for: Freelancers who bill by the hour and want proposals, contracts, time tracking and invoicing in one flow, for less than Dubsado Premier.

Pricing: Basic $15, Essentials $25, Premium $39, Elite $59 per seat/month on monthly billing ($9/$19/$29/$49 billed annually), checked September 23, 2026; Elite carries a 3-user minimum. Invoices, proposals and the client portal start at Essentials. Zoom acquired Bonsai in late 2025 — worth watching how the roadmap shifts under new ownership.

Where it wins

  • Time tracking on all tiers with timesheets and billable splits — the thing Dubsado doesn’t clearly offer
  • Retainer and subscription invoices for recurring client work
  • Income and expense tracking built in, so the books start before QuickBooks

Real limitations

  • Per-seat pricing: a 4-person team on Essentials pays $100/mo, and integrations sit behind Premium ($39/seat)
  • No SMS or phone line
  • Fee creep on extras — things like the tax solution cost extra even though “one-stop shop” is the pitch

Skip it if: You run a team (the per-seat math climbs fast) or you need texting and calling next to the client record.

Plutio plutio.com ↗

Best for: Solo operators with a handful of live clients who want a modern, customizable workspace at the lowest entry price on this list.

Pricing: Core $19/mo (up to 9 active clients), Pro $49/mo (unlimited clients, up to 30 contributors), Max $199/mo (white-label, SSO), checked September 23, 2026. Yearly billing takes two months off. 7-day free trial, no card.

Where it wins

  • Projects, invoices, proposals, contracts, time tracking, forms and scheduling on all tiers, including the $19 one
  • The $19/mo Core plan is the cheapest real Dubsado alternative here
  • White-labeling and SSO on Max for agencies that resell the portal

Real limitations

  • The 9-active-client cap on Core is easy to hit; archiving frees a slot, but that’s ongoing admin
  • No SMS or phone line on its pricing page
  • No accounting module

Skip it if: You juggle more than nine live clients at once and $49/mo is over budget — or you need texting next to the project.

17hats 17hats.com ↗

Best for: Solo service businesses that want one fixed-price plan with everything switched on, plus free 1:1 onboarding help.

Pricing: One all-inclusive plan: $60/mo, $600/year ($50/mo) or $800/two years, checked September 23, 2026. Additional users, brands and bank connect ($5/mo) cost extra. 7-day trial, 30-day money-back guarantee.

Where it wins

  • One plan, one price — no tier math, no feature gates
  • Free 1:1 walkthrough with their team before you commit — a real answer to Dubsado’s setup burden
  • 30-day money-back guarantee softens the switch

Real limitations

  • Built for solo operators; team members and extra brands are paid add-ons
  • Its pricing page doesn’t list SMS, voice or a full accounting module — confirm what you need with their team before moving
  • Your whole business rides on one vendor’s system, so keep your own exports current

Skip it if: You have a team, or you want to compare feature-by-feature against a cheaper stack before committing to one bundle.

Moxie withmoxie.com ↗

Best for: Freelancers leaving Dubsado who want a client portal and an actual phone line without paying team-suite prices.

Pricing: Starter $12/mo, Pro $25/mo, Teams $40/mo on monthly billing (annual: $10/$20/$32 per month), checked September 23, 2026. Teams covers up to five members and adds a second phone line.

Where it wins

  • A real phone line (their Communicator feature, US/CA/UK) included from the $25 Pro plan — the thing Dubsado doesn’t offer at any price
  • Basic accounting and time tracking on all tiers, even $12 Starter
  • Support “by real people” is part of the pitch on every tier

Real limitations

  • One phone line per workspace (Teams adds one more); texting details aren’t spelled out on the pricing page
  • Client portal and automations start at Pro, not Starter
  • Hard ceiling of five team members on the top plan

Skip it if: You need more than five seats, deeper-than-basic accounting, or documented SMS alongside the phone line.

Workspace369 workspace369.com ↗

Best for: Service businesses and small teams past the solo stage that want client records, projects, a shared inbox, SMS, a business phone line, invoices, payment plans and accounting in one workspace instead of Dubsado plus a texting tool plus QuickBooks.

Pricing: Cadet $29/mo (1 seat), Voyager $74/mo (2 seats — adds the shared inbox, SMS and time tracking), Specialist $149/mo (5 seats — adds voice, payment plans and basic accounting), Commander $299/mo (10 seats — full accounting). About 20% off on annual billing; extra seats $15. Claiming dedicated SMS/voice numbers carries a $50 one-time carrier compliance fee. Checked September 23, 2026 — every number is on the pricing page.

Where it wins

  • The only tool on this list with native SMS and a business phone line inside the CRM — texts and calls sit next to the client, project and invoice
  • Built-in accounting, so there’s no bookkeeping integration to upgrade for and no QuickBooks sync to babysit
  • Flat plans priced by seats: a 5-person team knows the bill is $149/mo before signing up — no per-user-band math as you hire
  • Time tracking (from Voyager) feeds invoices directly

Real limitations

  • Dubsado’s workflow engine and form depth are more mature — if your business runs on multi-step automated forms, rebuilding them anywhere takes real time
  • Texting requires Voyager ($74/mo, 2 seats) and voice requires Specialist ($149/mo, 5 seats). Solo users who don’t need either pay less on Dubsado Starter
  • No automated importer from Dubsado — you export your data, and our support can help you map it

Skip it if: You are a solo creative who loves deep form workflows and doesn’t need SMS, voice or books in the same tool — stay on Dubsado, or drop to its Starter plan and bank the difference.

Start free with Voyager — SMS built inNeed voice? Try SpecialistSee full pricing →

The honest counterpoint

Stay on Dubsado if…

  • You’re a solo creative whose client experience runs on Dubsado forms and multi-step workflows — you already paid the setup weekend, it works, and $55/mo is fair for that depth.
  • You run multiple brands: extra brands are $10/mo each on Dubsado, cheaper than a second workspace anywhere on this list.
  • You don’t need SMS, a phone line or built-in accounting — a texting add-on plus Dubsado Premier still beats replatforming a setup that isn’t broken.
  • You have clients mid-payment-plan in Dubsado. Finish the season, export clean, and switch between projects — never mid-stream.

Switching

How to switch from Dubsado

  1. 01

    Export your Dubsado data

    Start with your client list and open invoices as CSV, then download forms, templates and canned emails. Capture your workflow logic as notes or screenshots — the steps and timing are the part you’ll rebuild.

  2. 02

    Start a Workspace369 trial

    Fourteen days, no card. Import clients by CSV instead of retyping anything, and connect your inbox and calendar so conversations land beside the work.

  3. 03

    Run one real client through the full loop

    Proposal to project to invoice to payment. Test the invoice Dubsado made awkward — a payment plan, a deposit plus a balance, whatever your templates had to work around.

  4. 04

    Cancel when it sticks, not before

    Keep both subscriptions for a week or two. Cancel Dubsado only after a client has paid you through the new setup, and keep the exports.

There’s no automated Dubsado importer — here or anywhere else. You export your data, and Workspace369 support can help you map it into your workspace. For the feature-by-feature version of this page, start with the head-to-head:

Workspace369 vs Dubsado →

FAQ

Questions Dubsado users actually ask

Is Dubsado worth it after the price increase?
Depends which plan you use. Starter went from $20 to $35/mo on December 1, 2025 — a 75% jump for invoicing, proposals and scheduling that Plutio ($19/mo) and Bonsai Basic ($15/mo per seat) undercut. Premier at $55/mo is still fair value if you actually use its workflow automation depth; if you don’t, you’re paying for the feature that makes Dubsado hard to set up without getting the payoff.
Does Dubsado have a free plan?
Not anymore. Dubsado retired its free plan on November 17, 2025; new accounts get a 21-day full-access trial instead. After the trial, the entry point is Starter at $35/mo or $335 a year.
Does Dubsado have texting or a phone number?
No. Dubsado has no native SMS and no business phone line, so users pair it with a separate texting or calling tool. If you want both inside the CRM, Workspace369 includes SMS from Voyager ($74/mo, 2 seats) and voice from Specialist ($149/mo, 5 seats); Moxie includes a phone line from its $25/mo Pro plan (US/CA/UK).
How many users can you add to Dubsado?
Three extra users are free on any paid plan. Beyond that it is banded: 4–10 users add $25/mo, 11–20 add $45/mo and 21–30 add $60/mo. So a six-person team pays $80/mo on Premier — cheaper than Workspace369 Specialist ($149/mo, 5 seats) unless that team also needs texting, calling or built-in accounting, which Specialist bundles.
How to add a team member to a project without them having access to it
That is a known Dubsado gap — its team features are thin, and granular per-project or per-client permissions are not its strength. If controlling exactly what each team member sees is the requirement, shortlist tools built for it: Workspace369’s client-scoped access limits a team member to the clients you assign them.
Is Dubsado hard to set up?
Honestly, yes — setup time is a recurring theme in Dubsado reviews, and that is the price of its workflow depth. Budget a weekend for forms, templates and automations before it pays off. If the build phase is what sent you shopping, weigh setup time in every trial you run, not just features and price.
Dubsado vs HoneyBook — which is better for a small team?
For a small team, HoneyBook’s Premium ($129/mo on monthly billing) is the simpler story: unlimited team members with roles and permissions. Dubsado’s user bands (4–10 users for +$25/mo) are cheaper but lighter on team controls. Neither has a native phone line, and HoneyBook’s texting add-on is US only — if your team also needs calling, SMS and books in one place, that is the third-option case for Workspace369.
How do I move from Dubsado to another tool?
Export your clients and open invoices as CSV, download your forms and templates, and screenshot your workflow steps and timing. There is no automated Dubsado importer in any of these tools, so budget a weekend for rebuilding templates — Workspace369 support can help you map the export into your workspace.

Try the workspace with texting and calling inside.

SMS starts on Voyager ($74/mo, 2 seats); voice starts on Specialist ($149/mo, 5 seats). Fourteen days free, no card — bring one client and run the full loop.

Start free with VoyagerTry Specialist for voiceSee pricing →

Keep comparing

Sources

Dubsado alternative with SMS + voiceFrom $74/mo · 14-day free trial
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