🌟This blog post has been updated on February 1, 2024 with new features from Honeybook. These sections are identified in italics and with a ‘👉’ emoji. Happy reading!

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Running a business can sometimes feel like a delicate balancing act – priorities you have to handle versus what can be outsourced or given to automation. That’s where Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems come to the rescue, helping entrepreneurs regain their time and focus on what truly matters: growing their businesses and engaging with their communities.

Two CRMs have always come to mind with my clients that come to me for help with these systems: Dubsado and Honeybook (HB). Both of these platforms offer exciting features and tools to simplify your business processes and enhance your client interactions. My aim is to empower you with the knowledge you need to make an informed choice between the two platforms, so you can get started automating your business and have more time for doing what you love. 

⚠️This is a classic Kathleen long and detailed post, so pause those notifications, close the door, grab yourself an emotional support beverage. If you want the shorter version of this post, checkout my Instagram carousel post HERE.

Let’s get into it!

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The Differences Between Dubsado & Honeybook

Before You Have to Pay

Dubsado: Because Dubsado is such an involved platform (for good reasons), they give you three months to figure things out before you have to commit.

Honeybook: They only give you one week to test drive and poke around before you have to commit.

When You Have to Pay

Dubsado: They have two packages to choose from: starter and premier, which are differentiated based on whether you want the basic level of managing clients or all the automation bells & whistles. You can also pay per brand and user.

Honeybook: The folks at Honeybook often have cheap monthly subscriptions ($1/month) and as of writing this 50% discount afterwards for one year. They have three plans: starter, essentials, and premium. They differ on integration with other platforms, automation capabilities and more. Pricing is cheaper with Honeybook than Dubsado. 

Client Portal 

The client portal is where confirmed clients send you materials such as documents, photos, can review their contract, see their invoices, etc… It’s crucial that this is a smooth experience for obvious reasons. 

Dubsado: They offer a smooth client portal experience with a login page. Clients can also see what they have previously submitted here as well. You can also customize the look and feel of the client portal so it reflects your brand. 

Honeybook: The client portal on this platform actually makes me angry as it’s very glitchy. I’ve stopped using this feature with my clients. (And yes, I’m a Honeybook user.) Clients have had trouble logging in especially if they already have a HB account. Once they log in, they have too much access to the project controls. I have flagged this to HB support numerous times and have not been informed if the issue has been fixed!

👉Update: Honeybook appears to have smoothed out the rough edges by including a ‘magic link’ for clients to log in so there should no longer be any access issues. I need to try this out to confirm, but so far this looks like a good way to avoid those icky glitches!

CRM help here!

Workflows/Automation Capability

This is what you came to a CRM for! The ability to create and watch a series of steps do their thing with minimal input from you (once they are set up and tested of course!). This is where Dubsado and Honeybook really pull away from each other.

Dubsado: The workflow capabilities offer some really robust options and provide 15 actions. What I mean by ‘actions’ is the purpose of the steps in the workflow. Dubsado offers more than just ‘send contract’, ‘send questionnaire’, etc. Some key ones they offer include: ‘change project status’, ‘add tag’, ‘activate portal’, ‘deactivate portal’, and more. I LOVE it!

Honeybook: This system is simpler than Dubsado, with that comes less options in automations (what HB calls workflows). BUT, it honestly still gets the job done. All the key steps in onboarding a client get completed. Honeybook offers 5 actions, which are: ‘send smart file’, ’send brochure’, ‘send email’, and ‘create to do’. 

👉Update: Honeybook has now added more options into automations. Now you have the options of: move pipeline stage (where you are in the status of the project), and you have more control on when things are moved to the next stage in the workflow, such as when smart file, questionnaire, or contract is completed. 

Pipeline/Project Statuses

Being able to keep track of everything going on in your CRM is crucial and that’s what the pipeline view provides. 

Dubsado: You’re able to completely customize all project statuses and create your own. The pipeline view can get a little crowded and the aesthetics aren’t on point, but it’s a workhorse!

Honeybook: Here project statuses are pre-built and those that are can’t be changed. You’re able to create your own, but it would be nice to have complete control. On the other hand, the pipeline view in HB is very neat and beautifully presented. 

👉Update: Honeybook now lets you delete previously default stages that weren’t deletable. Full control granted! 

Custom/Auto-populated Fields

The ability to grab data from other parts of your automation to use in emails and forms is crucial and not to mention a time saver! There’s no need to overtype. Both systems differ in their approach to this.

Dubsado: This system really excels here with allowing you the ability to create and use tons of custom mapped fields. Need to store and reuse the name of a venue that your wedding photography client is having their big day? No problem. Create a field “wedding venue” and use it in your emails and questionnaires by simply inserting the field. In other words, these fields follow the client throughout the project.

Honeybook: I have to say I’m disappointed with Honeybook’s limited use of auto populated fields. Essentially, it’s just the name of your client that you can bring up. There’s no ability to create custom fields.

👉Update: Honeybook now lets you enter as many auto populated fields as Dubsado does. You can insert these in an email or form either by the formatting menu or by typing ‘{‘.

Here Comes AI

AI is everywhere as we all know, and it’s starting to make its way into CRMs.

Dubsado: Dubsado doesn’t currently have AI integrated into their platform. This could change!

Honeybook: AI has been integrated into Honeybook for a couple of months being that helpful assistant in the background. It’s currently helping to power automations, write emails, and create forms for you. Of course, expect this to evolve.

AI help here!

Where There’s an App

It’s handy to view things on the go with your smartphone and I love seeing CRMs with apps.

Dubsado: No app currently, but apparently it’s in the works.

Honeybook: They have had an app for awhile now and it’s super handy.

Extending Your Reach

It’s always a time saver when a CRM platform can integrate to various platforms you use to make things easier. Here’s a breakdown per platform:

Dubsado: Integrates to Google Workplace, Quickbooks, Stripe, Paypal, and Square.

Honeybook: Integrates with Calendly, Quickbooks, Google Workplace, and has a Chrome Extension.

👉Communication

👉Honeybook has added the ability to communicate with your clients via SMS! This feature can be turned on or off and clients have to consent to being contacted in this way. A text can be sent for session reminders, payment reminders, and smart file access codes (if set).

Dubsado & HB Help here!

Both Can Do It

While there are differences between Honeybook and Dubsado as seen above, there are things they both can do. 

Template Library

Both have an extensive template library for emails for various situations and parts of the workflow, contracts for various roles, questionnaires, proposals, and invoices. I love how detailed and helpful these are from both Dubsado and Honeybook.

Migration Services & Support

Both offer a migration service from another CRM system for contacts, jobs, forms that can be PDF’s all for FREE. This doesn’t mean that everything is ready to go, but it does get you started. 

Along with that service, they both offer support no matter how long or early you’ve used their system. Only difference is that Honeybook’s support is live with people staffed 7 days a week. Dubsado has chat and email support that are both responsive and helpful.

Schedulers

Both offer their own scheduler so people can book appointments with you. They also integrate with Zoom and various calendar apps. Enough said here!

Lead Capture Forms

Both provide you with lead capture forms (a form that goes on your website with questions to help pre-screen and qualify a lead). They both allow when someone selects a certain answer in a critical question, that they are then added into the appropriate workflow, further automating the process. For example, say you have a multiple choice budget question. One of the possible options could be a low amount and if this gets chosen, the CRM can send them a nice ‘thank you, but we aren’t a good fit’ email. This is just one possible option with lead capture forms and workflows working together!

👉Update: While both Dubsado and Honeybook still have lead capture forms, Honeybook has recently added in contact and lead forms. What this means is that Honeybook has now given users the ability to have clients book, schedule a call, and pay for services easily all in one form and in one place. Game changer!

Accounting Woes

Although both provide financial reporting, you shouldn’t use a CRM in place of good old fashioned accounting software. Stick to Quickbooks or Wave or whatever you use. I find that if you use the invoicing component on a CRM, it doesn’t connect properly with your accounting software and there’s an extra processing fee with credit card payments. There’s mislabeling, sometimes double counting, and it can be a mess. It’s best to invoice directly on your accounting software, either by sending the invoice separately or including the link in an email. 

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What CRM should you choose?

In the world of CRMs, Dubsado and Honeybook both hold the potential to transform your business, but they wield their magic in slightly different ways. Dubsado is your trusted companion when customization and automation are your top priorities. On the other hand, Honeybook weaves its enchantment around simplicity, an aesthetic experience for both client and provider, and handy tech integrations.

Ultimately, the choice between these two CRM systems will depend on your unique business needs and goals. Whether you lean towards Dubsado’s streamlined power or Honeybook’s ease, one thing is certain: with the right CRM in your arsenal, you’ll have more time, less tech overwhelm, and the freedom to focus on the magical growth of your business.

If you’ve gone through this blog post (first off, thank you!), and you are feeling like setting up a CRM is the last thing you want to spend your time on but you really need it; rest assured that you can come see me for this. I offer a service, Spellbound Systems, that takes the hard work away from you. Check out my online business manager (OBM) services to learn more and my Contact page when you are ready to move forward.