Dubsado vs HoneyBook

Dubsado and HoneyBook are both business tools for planners and other event service providers, not sites for couples to plan their own wedding. Dubsado sells two plans billed once a year, with extra brands and users priced on top. HoneyBook sells three plans quoted per month and billed yearly, with a 30-day trial and a stated list of four countries it serves. Neither pricing page we read names weddings directly, so a planner is choosing a client-management system and not a wedding product. Both offer a trial but no permanent free plan, so cost starts after it.

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Both are reviewed in full in our wedding planning software ranking: Dubsado and HoneyBook.

1. 01

   A yearly licence against monthly rates billed yearly

   Dubsado lists Starter at $335 and Premier at $525, each per year in USD, and says annual billing gives two months free. HoneyBook quotes Starter at $29, Essentials at $49 and Premium at $109 per month billed yearly, with monthly-billing figures of $36, $59 and $129 shown under unclear labels. The entry points are close once you add the months up, and Dubsado is the clearer page. Prices are in USD for both, and the HoneyBook figures we read are the US ones.

   Edge: Dubsado

2. 02

   What the cheaper plan holds back

   Dubsado Starter allows one active lead capture form and has no bookkeeping integration, automated workflows or Zapier, all of which arrive on Premier. HoneyBook Starter allows up to 2 live lead forms, basic reports and one scheduling session with email only, while Essentials raises that to 10 forms and unlimited sessions with email and SMS. Both entry plans are deliberately thin. HoneyBook has the more gradual step upward. Check which features your first month of leads needs before paying for the larger tier.

   Edge: HoneyBook

3. 03

   Team size and the cost of adding brands

   Dubsado includes 3 extra users free, then charges $25 a month for 4 to 10 users, $45 for 11 to 20 and $60 for 21 to 30, with an email quote beyond 30. Each extra brand costs $10 a month. HoneyBook Essentials includes 2 team members and Premium has unlimited team members plus multiple companies. For a growing studio with several brands, HoneyBook is simpler to predict. Teams of two or three pay no extra seat fees on Dubsado. Check headcount first.

   Edge: HoneyBook

4. 04

   Trial length and card requirement

   Dubsado gives a 21-day trial with full Premier access and no credit card, and there is no permanent free plan. HoneyBook says nearly every feature is free to try for 30 days with no credit card, subject to eligibility limits, and it also has no permanent free plan. Nine extra days matter when you are moving contracts, forms and a few live clients across. HoneyBook gives the longer test, though with a stated eligibility caveat. Plan the move before day one.

   Edge: HoneyBook

5. 05

   Connections to other tools

   Dubsado names Zapier and a bookkeeping integration on Premier, and calendar connection and form and email templates on both plans. HoneyBook lists QuickBooks Online from Essentials upward, plus Zapier, Calendly, Mailchimp, Flodesk, Zoom, Canva, Pic-Time, Prismm and ChatGPT. If your stack includes email marketing or a photo delivery tool, the HoneyBook list is visibly longer. The Dubsado page we read names fewer. Dubsado also ships form and email templates on both plans, which the HoneyBook page does not stress.

   Edge: HoneyBook

6. 06

   Where each company says it is from

   Dubsado's pricing page says Made in California and states no legal entity, owner or hosting. HoneyBook names HoneyBook Inc., says support is US-based, and limits service to businesses in the US, Canada, UK and Australia. Neither page names a headquarters. Confirm availability for your own country. Dubsado does not list countries it excludes, which suits a planner outside those four, but it does not promise service there. Hosting is unstated for both vendors, so ask before storing client data.

   Depends on the buyer

Can a solo planner stay on the cheaper Dubsado tier for years?

Yes, if one lead form is enough. Starter keeps client portals, invoicing and payment plans, but it has no automated workflows, bookkeeping link or Zapier. Those sit on Premier at $525 a year.

Does HoneyBook work for a planner based in Germany?

The pricing page says service is available to businesses in the US, Canada, UK and Australia. Germany is not on that list. No exception is stated, so ask the vendor first.

Which one lets me test the product longest?

HoneyBook, at 30 days with no credit card, subject to eligibility limits. Dubsado gives 21 days with full Premier access and no card. Neither has a permanent free plan, so plan to decide inside the trial.

• Dubsado pricing page: Starter and Premier annual prices, one-form limit, brand and user add-on fees and the 21-day Premier trial.
• Dubsado site: no stated country of establishment on the pages read.
• HoneyBook pricing page: three plan prices, lead form and team limits, integration list, 30-day trial and the four-country service list.