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HoneyBook alternatives

HoneyBook alternatives: 7 tools compared honestly

HoneyBook raised prices in February 2025, let the legacy discount lapse a year later, started charging $8 a month for texting in August 2026, and removed its Time Tracker on September 8, 2026. If any of that sent you shopping, this page compares the tools people actually switch to — current prices, what each does better than HoneyBook, and where each falls short. Workspace369 is our product; it sits in the same table under the same rules.

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.

Quick answer

The short version, by scenario

Solo creatives who want HoneyBook’s polish with deeper automations should look at Dubsado Premier ($55/mo on monthly billing) — it is the closest like-for-like swap. Freelancers who bill by the hour get contracts, time tracking and invoicing for less with Bonsai Essentials ($25/mo per seat).

If you need texting, a business phone line and accounting inside 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). Moxie covers the phone line for less (from $25/mo, US/CA/UK), so solo users who mainly want calling should price it first.

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 HoneyBook in 2026

Four dated changes in twenty months hit the same wallet. These are the events behind the current wave of “HoneyBook alternatives” searches:

  1. Feb 4, 2025

    Prices jump on monthly billing

    HoneyBook overhauled pricing: Starter went from $19 to $36/month, Essentials from $39 to $59/month, and Premium from $79 to $129/month (annual billing lands at $29/$49/$109). Existing members kept a 20% legacy discount — temporarily.

  2. Feb 4, 2026

    The legacy discount expires

    The 20% discount grandfathered after the 2025 overhaul ended, so long-time members saw a second increase land on renewal, a year after the first one.

  3. Late Aug 2026

    Texting becomes a paid add-on — US only

    HoneyBook launched a Phone & SMS add-on at $8/month, available in the US only. The same update removed multi-participant meeting scheduling, which teams used to book group sessions.

  4. Sep 8, 2026

    Time Tracker is sunset

    HoneyBook removed Time Tracker: no new entries can be logged, with history viewable through the end of 2027. Anyone who billed hours from HoneyBook needs a new home for time tracking.

What HoneyBook users say

“every hour I had logged and not yet invoiced is gone”

“Can we PLEASE get the Time Log back!?”

“a blatant money grab”

“USA only”

Side by side

HoneyBook alternatives compared

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

ToolPrice (tier most buyers need)SeatsSMSVoice / phoneBuilt-in accountingClient portalPayment plansTime trackingChecked on
HoneyBook current toolpricing ↗$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
Dubsado pricing ↗$55/mo Premier (monthly) · Starter $35/mo3 extra users free · 4–10 users +$25/mo · extra brands $10/moNot includedNot includedno — bookkeeping integration on PremierIncludedIncludedSee siteSep 23, 2026
Bonsai pricing ↗$25/mo Essentials, per seat (monthly) · Basic $15Per-seat pricing on all tiersNot 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
SuiteDash pricing ↗See siteSee siteNot includedNot includedno — invoicing, payments & subscriptionsIncludedPayments & subscriptionsSee siteSep 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 HoneyBook 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

Dubsado dubsado.com ↗

Best for: Solo creatives and two-person studios who want HoneyBook-style client flows with much deeper automation — and who don’t need a phone line or books in the same tool.

Pricing: Starter $35/mo, Premier $55/mo on monthly billing ($335/$525 a year), checked September 23, 2026. Three extra users are free; bands of 4–10 users add $25/mo. 21-day full-access trial.

Where it wins

  • Automated workflows, scheduling and unlimited lead captures on Premier — the automation depth HoneyBook users ask for
  • Invoicing, payment plans and client portals on both plans, not just the top tier
  • Unlimited clients and projects at every price

Real limitations

  • No native SMS or phone line — Dubsado users end up paying a second tool for texting
  • Setup is a real project — plan a weekend for workflows and templates before the tool pays off
  • No built-in accounting; the bookkeeping integration is Premier-only

Skip it if: You want texting or voice inside the CRM, or you’d rather not spend a weekend building workflows before the tool pays off.

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 HoneyBook Essentials.

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. 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 — the thing HoneyBook just removed — with timesheets and billable splits
  • 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 HoneyBook 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
  • 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 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
  • 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.

SuiteDash suitedash.com ↗

Best for: Agencies that want an extremely white-labeled client portal and are willing to invest the setup hours to configure it.

Pricing: SuiteDash’s pricing page loads its numbers via JavaScript, so we could not verify current prices on September 23, 2026 — check the site directly. Its published feature list covers CRM, client portal, proposals, contracts, billing, subscriptions, LMS, support tickets and secure messaging.

Where it wins

  • Unusually wide feature surface per its own site: portal, proposals, contracts, billing, LMS, tickets, messaging
  • “Extreme” white labeling — the portal can look fully like your brand
  • Bundling subscriptions and packages into the portal suits retainer agencies

Real limitations

  • Breadth means setup time; nothing about SuiteDash is plug-and-play
  • No SMS, voice or accounting module in its published feature list
  • We can’t vouch for the price until the official page renders it — verify before you plan around a number

Skip it if: You want a verified current price before investing setup time, or you need phone/SMS anywhere near the client record.

Workspace369 workspace369.com ↗

Best for: Service businesses and small teams that want client records, projects, a shared inbox, SMS, a business phone line, invoices, payment plans and accounting in one workspace instead of a five-tool stack.

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 QuickBooks sync to break and no second subscription for the books
  • Flat plans priced by seats: a 5-person team knows the bill is $149/mo before signing up
  • Time tracking (from Voyager) feeds invoices directly — the exact flow HoneyBook just removed

Real limitations

  • Texting requires Voyager ($74/mo, 2 seats) — a solo user pays for a second seat to get SMS, and voice requires Specialist ($149/mo). If you don’t need either, Dubsado or Bonsai is cheaper
  • A younger product with a small public review footprint; HoneyBook’s template gallery and community are far larger
  • No automated importer from HoneyBook — you export your data, and our support can help you map it

Skip it if: You want the deepest template library on the market, you run a large team (plans top out at 10 seats, 25 on Enterprise), or you only need simple invoicing — a single-purpose invoicing app costs less.

The honest counterpoint

Stay on HoneyBook if…

  • You’re solo and US-based, and the $8/mo Phone & SMS add-on covers your texting — moving a working setup costs more than $96 a year saves.
  • Your leads convert through HoneyBook’s interactive files and template gallery, and you don’t need team seats, time tracking or a phone line.
  • You rely on its photographer and event integrations (Pic-Time, Prismm) — nothing on this list offers them.
  • You have open invoices mid-payment-plan running through HoneyBook payments. Finish the season, export clean, and switch between projects — never mid-stream.

Switching

How to switch from HoneyBook

  1. 01

    Export your HoneyBook data

    Start with contacts and open invoices, then project files and templates. Grab your Time Tracker history too — it stays viewable through the end of 2027, but export it while it’s one click away.

  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 one invoice you’re most worried about — a payment plan, a recurring retainer, whatever HoneyBook made awkward.

  4. 04

    Cancel when it sticks, not before

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

There’s no automated HoneyBook importer — here or anywhere else. You export your data, and Workspace369 support can help you map it into your workspace. The full checklist lives in the switching guide:

Switching from HoneyBook: the full checklist →

FAQ

Questions HoneyBook users actually ask

Can we PLEASE get the Time Log back!?
HoneyBook sunset Time Tracker on September 8, 2026 and hasn’t announced a return. Old entries stay viewable through the end of 2027, but no new time can be logged. Export your history first; then pick a tool with built-in time tracking — Workspace369 (from Voyager, $74/mo), Bonsai, Moxie and Plutio all include it.
Who is using the new 2-way texting feature? Is it worth it?
That’s the Phone & SMS add-on HoneyBook launched in late August 2026: $8/month, US only. If you’re a solo US user on Starter ($36/mo), $44/mo total for a CRM with texting is reasonable. If you need two or more seats, compare the bundle math in the table above first — Essentials plus the add-on is $67/mo before the second seat conversation starts.
Why Do HoneyBook ACH Payments Take 7–8 Days to Process?
That 7–8 business-day window is what HoneyBook itself states for ACH bank transfers in its community forum. Card payments settle faster, and it offers instant deposit for a 1% fee, pending eligibility. If payout speed is driving your switch, get each alternative’s payout policy in writing before moving — Workspace369 payments run on Stripe, so timing follows your Stripe account’s payout schedule.
One-time fees AND recurring charges on same invoice
HoneyBook’s own community answer is a workaround: split the charges or use a payment plan with autopay. When you trial any alternative, test that exact invoice on day one — one document carrying a one-time fee plus a recurring schedule. Workspace369 supports payment plans from the Specialist plan ($149/mo).
HoneyBook Payment Plan Workaround — How to Split Invoices for Staged Payments
In HoneyBook: create one invoice, attach a payment plan, and set the deposit, milestone and balance amounts with dates; clients can opt into autopay. Dubsado includes payment plans on both its plans and Workspace369 includes them from Specialist, so the “workaround” framing mostly disappears — test your real staged invoice during the trial before you migrate.
Hide Client Prices from Team Members
That requires role-based permissions, which in HoneyBook means Premium ($129/mo on monthly billing — roles and permissions are a Premium feature). If hiding numbers from your own team is the requirement, shortlist tools with per-member access control. Workspace369’s client-scoped access limits a team member to the clients you assign them.
Coming over from Dubsado - Help Needed
The playbook is the same as a HoneyBook switch: export contacts, open invoices and files, rebuild your canned emails and forms, then run one real client through before cancelling anything. There’s no automated Dubsado importer in any of these tools, so budget a weekend for templates — the HoneyBook switching checklist linked above works for Dubsado switchers too.

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.

Keep comparing

Sources

HoneyBook alternative with SMS + voiceFrom $74/mo · 14-day free trial
Try Voyager free