How we wrote this: Research-based, using each vendor’s public pricing and feature pages, linked inline. We haven’t run a business on these tools, so there are no first-hand claims, ratings or testimonials here.
First, what HoneyBook costs (the baseline)
HoneyBook lists Starter $29/mo, Essentials $49/mo and Premium $109/mo, shown with a “billed yearly” note, plus a 30-day free trial (no card) and a 60-day money-back guarantee. Scheduler and automations start at Essentials; Essentials allows up to 2 team members. Card fees from 2.7% + 10¢; ACH 1.5%. Source: honeybook.com/pricing, checked 2026-10-24.
People usually look for an alternative for one of four reasons: price, per-user/team needs, more customization, or industry-specific features (photo galleries, time tracking). The table shows which alternative lines up with which reason.
The alternatives at a glance (checked 2026-10-24)
| Tool | Entry price | Plan with automations | Trial | Best reason to switch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubsado | Starter $335/yr (≈ $27.92/mo) | Premier $525/yr (≈ $43.75/mo) | 21 days on Premier, no card | Customization, multiple brands |
| Bonsai | Essentials $19/user/mo annual ($25 monthly); Basic ($9) has no invoicing | Premium $29/user/mo annual ($39 monthly) for integrations | 7 days | Time tracking, projects, agencies |
| Moxie | Starter $10/mo annual ($12 monthly) | Pro $20/mo annual ($25 monthly) | 14-day free trial (per page title) | Low price for freelancers |
| Studio Ninja | Starter $16/mo or $160/yr | Pro $27/mo or $270/yr | 7 days, no card | Photographers |
| 17hats | $60/mo, $600/yr or $800 for two years | (See note) | 7 days | Bookkeeping + documents in one |
| Pixieset Studio Manager | Free; Plus $12/mo annual ($15 monthly) | Reminders on Plus; booking reminders on Pro ($18/mo annual) | Free plan | Photographers on a budget |
Sources: dubsado.com/pricing · hellobonsai.com/pricing · withmoxie.com/pricing · studioninja.co/pricing · 17hats.com/pricing · pixieset.com/pricing-studio-manager, all checked 2026-10-24.
1. Dubsado: if you want more control
- Starter $335/yr; Premier $525/yr. Scheduling, automated workflows, public proposals, Zapier and bookkeeping integration are Premier-only.
- 3 additional users free (4–10 users $25/mo); extra brands $10/mo each.
- Compared with HoneyBook: annual-only pricing on the page; roughly similar entry cost; more setup work; better value if you run several brands.
- Trade-off: you build your own forms and workflows, which takes time.
2. Bonsai: if you track time or work as an agency
- Per-user pricing: Basic $9 · Essentials $19 · Premium $29 · Elite $49 per user/month billed annually (monthly: $15 / $25 / $39 / $59). Elite has a 3-user minimum.
- Invoices, proposals and contracts start at Essentials, not Basic. Integrations (QuickBooks, Xero, Zapier, Calendly, Google) are on Premium.
- Compared with HoneyBook: cheaper for one person on Essentials ($19–25 vs $29); can cost more for teams because every seat is billed.
- Trade-off: 7-day trial; some features are marked on the pricing page as “expected to be released”.
3. Moxie: if price is the main reason
- Starter $10/mo billed annually ($120/yr) or $12 monthly: client and project management, invoicing, proposals and contracts, time tracking, pipeline, forms, schedulers.
- Pro $20/mo annual ($25 monthly) adds workflow automation, white-label client portal, custom domain, QuickBooks and API integrations.
- Teams $32/mo annual ($385/yr) for up to five team members; the monthly Teams price wasn’t shown on the page we checked.
- Compared with HoneyBook: the lowest automation-tier price in this list ($20/mo vs $49/mo).
- Trade-off: aimed at freelancers; teams over five members aren’t covered by the listed plans.
4. Studio Ninja: if you’re a photographer
- Starter $16/mo ($160/yr), Pro $27/mo ($270/yr), Master $40/mo ($400/yr). Annual saves two months.
- Starter caps you at 5 active jobs with no workflow automation. Pro adds unlimited jobs, 3 users and automations.
- Integrations with Pic-Time, ShootProof, Fundy and ProSelect; free data migration.
- Compared with HoneyBook: automations at $27/mo vs $49/mo, and photography-specific setup.
- Trade-off: 7-day trial; not designed for non-photo businesses.
5. 17hats: if you want simple all-in-one pricing
- The pricing page headline offers one all-inclusive plan: $60/month, $600/year or $800 for two years, with a 7-day trial.
- The same page also shows a three-level comparison grid (document limits of 20 / 35 / unlimited per month, and add-ons like online scheduling $5–10/mo and QuickBooks Online $5/mo). We couldn’t tell from the page which add-ons the all-inclusive plan covers, so confirm with 17hats before buying.
- Compared with HoneyBook: higher headline monthly price; includes bookkeeping features.
- Trade-off: the pricing page is internally inconsistent, which makes comparison harder.
6. Pixieset Studio Manager: if you want to start free
- Free plan (unlimited invoices, 3 contracts, 3 quotes/questionnaires, 1 session type, online payments).
- Plus $12/mo annual ($15 monthly); Pro $18/mo annual ($24 monthly). Pixieset Suite with galleries, website and store from $28/mo.
- Compared with HoneyBook: much cheaper and photography-oriented.
- Trade-off: lighter automation; the free plan’s contract limit is low.
Which alternative fits your reason?
| Your reason for leaving HoneyBook | Look at |
|---|---|
| “Too expensive for what I use” | Moxie, Pixieset Studio Manager, Studio Ninja |
| “I need automations without paying $49/mo” | Moxie Pro ($20), Studio Ninja Pro ($27), Dubsado Premier (≈ $43.75) |
| “I run more than one brand” | Dubsado ($10/mo per extra brand), Studio Ninja Master (3 brands) |
| “I bill hourly / need time tracking” | Bonsai, Moxie |
| “I’m a photographer and want galleries too” | Pixieset Suite; see also our best CRM for photographers guide |
Before you switch
- Moving clients, templates and active projects takes real time. Check each tool’s help center for import/migration options. Studio Ninja lists free data migration; we haven’t verified the others.
- Run your actual inquiry → proposal → contract → invoice flow in a free trial before committing.
- Re-check prices on the vendor’s page on the day you buy.
Placeholder links: they currently point to each vendor's official homepage, not an affiliate link.
FAQ
What’s cheaper than HoneyBook? On listed entry prices (2026-10-24): Pixieset Studio Manager (free/$12), Moxie ($10–12), Studio Ninja ($16), Bonsai Essentials ($19–25 per user) and Dubsado Starter (≈ $27.92/mo billed yearly) all come in under HoneyBook Starter’s $29/mo. Features differ, so compare the plan you’d actually need.
Is Dubsado better than HoneyBook? Neither is better for everyone. See our HoneyBook vs Dubsado comparison.
Prices checked 2026-10-24 on each vendor’s official pricing page (linked above).
