HoneyBook vs Dubsado vs Bonsai (2026): Prices, Fees and Who Each Suits

At FreelanceAtlas, we help freelancers run the business side of their work with fewer surprises. This guide compares the current prices and plan limits on each company’s own pricing page, the contract and payment features, processing fees with worked examples, scheduling and automations, setup effort and country availability, then ends with a decision guide. If you are still setting up your paperwork, read it alongside Freelance Contracts for Beginners: What You Need to Know and How to Invoice Clients as a Freelancer (Step-by-Step Guide).

HoneyBook vs Dubsado vs Bonsai: The Short Answer

All three tools hold your leads and clients, send proposals and contracts, collect signatures and take payments. They differ in what each plan includes.

• HoneyBook is the most packaged option. Every plan includes unlimited clients and projects, invoices, proposals and contracts. Automations and the full scheduler start on the $49 Essentials plan. It serves businesses in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia only.
• Dubsado Premier costs less than HoneyBook Essentials for automated workflows if you pay yearly, $525 against $588. Its Starter plan has no scheduler and no workflows, so most people comparing it with HoneyBook are really comparing Premier.
• Bonsai prices per user and adds time tracking, task management and expense tracking to client paperwork. Its Basic plan does not include invoices or contracts, so a freelancer who bills clients needs Essentials or higher.

If you work alone and only need contracts and invoices, the cheapest of these plans that covers both is Bonsai Essentials at $228 a year. If you want automations, compare HoneyBook Essentials at $588 a year with Dubsado Premier at $525 a year.

What Each Plan Costs in 2026

These prices come from the HoneyBook pricing page, the Dubsado pricing page and the Bonsai pricing page, in US dollars.

Dubsado’s page shows yearly prices only. It says to “Choose annual and get 2 months worth of savings,” so a monthly option exists, but the page does not print its price.

Paying yearly matters. HoneyBook Starter costs $432 a year on monthly billing against $348 billed yearly, and Essentials costs $708 against $588. Bonsai Essentials comes to $300 against $228.

Free Trials and Refunds

• HoneyBook: the pricing page says you can try “virtually every feature” free for 30 days, with no credit card. It also offers a 60-day money-back guarantee: “If you’re not happy after your first 60 days, we’ll give you a full refund.”
• Dubsado: the trial “lasts 21 days” with “full, unlimited access to our Premier plan,” and no credit card. Its help article on starting a free trial adds that you can ask for a one-time 7-day extension when the trial ends.
• Bonsai: the trial gives “full, unlimited access to Bonsai for 7 days.” After that, Bonsai asks you to choose a plan and enter card details.

Adding Team Members or a Second Brand

The rules differ once you add a helper. HoneyBook Essentials allows up to 2 team members and Premium allows unlimited team members and multiple companies. Dubsado says you can “Enjoy 3 additional users for free,” then charges $25 a month for 4 to 10 users, $45 for 11 to 20 and $60 for 21 to 30, plus $10 a month for each additional brand. Bonsai charges per user on every plan, so two people on Essentials pay $38 a month billed yearly, or $456 a year.

How HoneyBook’s Pricing Changed in 2025 and 2026

HoneyBook’s prices moved most recently, and older reviews still quote the old numbers.

• The February 2025 price increase. Fstoppers reported in January 2025 that HoneyBook’s monthly prices would rise “Starting February 4,” with Starter going “From $19 to $36/month” and Essentials “From $39 to $59/month.” The current pricing page lists Premium at $129 a month on monthly billing.
• Two card fees on HoneyBook’s own pages. The pricing page FAQ now says “Card processing fees start at 2.7% + 10¢.” The third-party tracker PricingSaaS logged that change in May 2026, from “2.9% + 25¢.” But the plan comparison table on the same page and HoneyBook’s online payments page still show 2.9 percent plus 25 cents. HoneyBook has not said which figure is current, so confirm the rate in your account before you price around it.
• The UK and Australia launch. HoneyBook’s launch post, last modified May 21, 2026, says “HoneyBook is officially live in Australia and the United Kingdom,” with subscriptions priced in GBP or AUD.

The increase means HoneyBook is no longer the budget choice it was in older comparisons. At $588 a year, Essentials now costs more than Dubsado Premier at $525, and Starter at $348 costs about the same as Dubsado Starter at $335.

Contracts and E-Signatures

All three tools collect electronic signatures. The federal E-SIGN Act says a contract “may not be denied legal effect, validity, or enforceability solely because an electronic signature or electronic record was used in its formation.” What makes a contract hold up is the wording you agree, not the software.

• HoneyBook contracts are sent as a link. Clients sign with “a legally binding typed or hand-drawn signature,” smart fields fill in client details, and a contract can sit inside a proposal so the client signs and pays in one file. HoneyBook’s own contract page notes that its templates are “not a substitute for legal advice.”
• Dubsado lists “Time-stamped signing records” and “IP address tracking” on its contracts page, along with countersigning, saved templates and smart fields that pull in invoice details. Public proposals are a Premier feature.
• Bonsai includes proposals and contracts from Essentials up. Its contracts page lists deposit capture, which lets you “Require a deposit when your client approves a contract,” plus read receipts and reminder emails.

Treat every built-in template as a first draft. Add your payment terms, revision limits, ownership terms and a cancellation clause, then save it as your own template. The free FreelanceAtlas contract generator gives you a starting text you can paste into any of the three. When a client asks for extra work mid-project, a signed change order keeps the new scope and price in writing.

Invoicing and Payment Processing Fees

Subscription prices are fixed, but processing fees grow with your income, so they can cost more than the plan itself.

• HoneyBook processes card and bank (ACH) payments itself. Its pricing page says there are “No hidden fees, international fees, or premium card brand fees.”
• Dubsado connects to Dubsado Payments, which runs on Stripe, or to Square or PayPal. Its help article on payment processors says Dubsado “does not charge any additional payment fees!” You pay only the processor’s rate.
• Bonsai runs its own payments. Its payments page says “For card payments, the fees are 2.9% + $0.30 cents” and “For ACH transfers it’s as low as 1%.”

The Dubsado figures come from its processing fees article, which also warns of a possible “additional currency conversion fee of 1-2%” for international clients. The Bonsai ACH, payout and currency figures come from its help article on payment fees, which applies the 2.5 percent fee when the invoice currency differs from the currency of your payment country. HoneyBook’s instant deposit applies to “Eligible card payments up to $5,000.”

Here is what that means on one $3,000 invoice:

• Paid by card: $81.10 on HoneyBook at 2.7 percent plus 10 cents, or $87.25 if your account shows 2.9 percent plus 25 cents. Dubsado Payments and Bonsai both charge $87.30.
• Paid by ACH: $45 on HoneyBook at 1.5 percent and $5 on Dubsado Payments, because 0.8 percent would be $24 but the fee stops at $5. Bonsai charges 1 percent, or $30.

Over a year, the bank transfer gap adds up. Say you bill one retainer client $5,000 a month and they pay by ACH. That is $900 a year in fees on HoneyBook, $60 on Dubsado Payments and $600 on Bonsai. If your clients pay large invoices by bank transfer, Dubsado’s cap matters more than any difference in subscription price.

On invoicing features, HoneyBook lists autopay, payment plans, automatic late fees and tipping. Dubsado includes invoicing and payment plans on both plans. Bonsai’s comparison table lists retainer invoices, subscription invoices and multi-currency billing. If you plan to add late fees, the wording should be in your contract first, as How to Charge Late Fees on Freelance Invoices (With Wording That Holds Up) explains.

Scheduling, Lead Forms and Automations

• HoneyBook scheduling: the comparison table lists the Starter scheduler at “1 session” with email-only reminders. Essentials and Premium list “Unlimited sessions” with email and SMS reminders.
• HoneyBook automations: the automations page says “Automations are included in the Essentials and Premium plans.” Triggers include new inquiries, sessions scheduled, files viewed, contracts signed, payments made and project milestones. Conditions let a flow branch, for example sending a follow-up email only if a client has not signed a contract within three days.
• Dubsado scheduling and workflows: both are Premier only. Workflows run steps after an event, such as generating an invoice and opening the client portal once a contract is signed. The scheduler connects to Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams, and it can require payment to book.
• Bonsai scheduling: included from Essentials. The scheduling page describes a booking page, sync with Google, Outlook and Apple calendars and deposits taken at booking. The comparison table limits Essentials to “1 event type” and shows full scheduling on Premium and Elite.

Lead forms follow the same pattern. HoneyBook allows 2 live lead forms on Starter, 10 on Essentials and unlimited on Premium. Dubsado allows 1 active lead capture form on Starter and unlimited on Premier. One inquiry form fits these limits. Several packages, each with its own form, will not.

Automations pay off when your process repeats. If every new client gets the same contract and invoice, followed by the same questionnaire and welcome email, a workflow saves you time each week. The client onboarding welcome packet guide lists what to automate first.

Time Tracking, Projects and Bookkeeping

This is Bonsai’s clearest difference. Every Bonsai plan, including Basic, includes time tracking, task management and unlimited projects. Essentials adds expense and income tracking, and Premium adds workload management and profit reports. Its bookkeeping page says you can “Connect your bank account” so expenses are categorized, and Premium connects to QuickBooks and Xero. Its invoices can attach time entries, so hourly work goes from timer to invoice in one tool.

HoneyBook covers money from another direction. Its plan comparison lists HoneyBook Finance, which includes a HoneyBook Balance checking account and debit card, expense tracking, a tax hub and financial reports at three levels. QuickBooks Online sync starts on Essentials. The comparison table does not list a time tracker.

Dubsado’s pricing page does not list time tracking or expense tracking, but its help center does. Its time tracking article says the timer “is available on the Premier plan” and that you can apply logged hours to client invoices. Its expense article says every expense is entered by hand, with no bank feed. Its bookkeeping integration, which its trial article says covers QuickBooks and Xero, is also a Premier feature. If you choose HoneyBook, or Dubsado Starter, and bill hourly, pair it with a separate time tracker, such as one of the tools in Toggl vs Clockify vs Harvest: Best Time Tracking Tool for Freelancers.

Learning Curve and Setup Help

None of the three companies publishes setup times, so compare the help each one offers.

• HoneyBook offers free file setup: “Upload your existing files and our team will turn them into HoneyBook templates.” Support runs by email and live chat 7 days a week, and Premium adds an onboarding specialist for your first 90 days. Its AI automations builder lets you “Describe your process” in plain words and have HoneyBook draft the workflow.
• Dubsado offers live demos, webinar trainings and a directory where you can hire a Dubsado Certified Specialist to build your setup. Plan your trial time around building one full workflow.
• Bonsai runs weekly webinars and offers tailored onboarding only for teams of 10 or more users. With a 7-day trial, set up one real client in the first two days.

International Availability

• HoneyBook says it is “currently available for business owners in the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia.” Visitors from other countries see the message “We’re not in your country yet” and a form to hear about future launches.
• Dubsado prices its plans in US dollars. Its help article on Dubsado Payments lists 34 countries where its Stripe-based processor works, and says “If your country isn’t listed, Dubsado Payments isn’t currently available there.” Its processing fees article gives a different count, saying Dubsado Payments “supports merchants in 39 countries,” so check that your country appears in both. PayPal is another option if it does not.
• Bonsai says it “supports global payments with 100+ currencies to choose from.” Its help article on payment fees says Bonsai Payments is available in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia, and that users elsewhere can connect Stripe Payments in any country where Stripe is supported. Invoices in a currency other than your own country’s carry the 2.5 percent fee.

If you live elsewhere, check how the money reaches you first. How to Get Paid as an International Freelancer: Wise, Payoneer, and the Real Costs covers the options and their fees.

Which Tool Fits Which Freelancer: A Decision Guide

Two questions settle most cases: do you bill by the hour, and how do your clients pay?

Choose HoneyBook If…

• You live in the US, Canada, the UK or Australia.
• You want proposals, contracts and payment in one client file, and clients mostly pay by card.
• You want a long trial and a refund window: 30 days free plus the 60-day money-back guarantee.
• You want automations and can justify $588 a year for Essentials.

Choose Dubsado If…

• You want automated workflows and a scheduler for less than HoneyBook Essentials, at $525 a year for Premier.
• Your clients pay large invoices by bank transfer, where Dubsado Payments caps the ACH fee at $5.
• You want to choose your processor, including Square or PayPal.
• You are willing to spend trial time building workflows, or pay a certified specialist to do it.

Choose Bonsai If…

• You bill by the hour or by retainer and want time tracking next to invoicing.
• You work alone and want the lowest price for contracts and invoices, $228 a year for Essentials.
• You want task and project views in the same tool as your client paperwork.
• You bill clients in several currencies and accept the 2.5 percent fee on invoices outside your home currency.

How to Test All Three Before You Pay

Each trial is long enough to run one real client process. Use the same test on each tool.

1. Build your real proposal. Use your actual services and prices, not a sample.
2. Load your contract. Paste in your current contract, send it to a second email address you own and sign it on your phone.
3. Send a small test invoice. Connect payments and note which methods the client screen offers and the fee for each.
4. Book a call. Book a slot through the scheduler link and note which plan the scheduler needs after the trial.
5. Build one automation. Set up the steps that follow a signed contract and check which plan keeps it.
6. Export something. Download a signed contract and a client list, so you know you can leave with your records.

The yearly price of the plan that covers everything you used, plus a year of payment fees, is the true cost to compare.

Conclusion

HoneyBook, Dubsado and Bonsai all handle the core client paperwork, so the choice rests on plan limits, fees and location. HoneyBook costs $348 to $1,308 a year billed yearly, serves the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, and lists card fees from 2.7 percent plus 10 cents on its pricing FAQ but 2.9 percent plus 25 cents on its payments page. Dubsado costs $335 or $525 a year, keeps its scheduler and workflows on Premier, and caps ACH fees at $5 through Dubsado Payments. Bonsai charges $19 to $49 per user a month billed yearly for plans with invoicing, and includes time tracking on every plan, which HoneyBook does not list and Dubsado keeps on Premier.

Before you commit, add up the plan you would actually need and a year of processing fees at your real invoice size. Then run the same six-step test in each trial, starting with Bonsai because its trial is only 7 days, and keep the tool where your real paperwork took the least work to send.

Key Takeaways

• HoneyBook costs $29, $49 or $109 a month billed yearly, or $36, $59 or $129 a month billed monthly, and every plan includes unlimited clients and projects.
• Dubsado lists only yearly prices on its pricing page, $335 for Starter and $525 for Premier, and its scheduler and automated workflows are Premier features.
• Bonsai charges per user, from $9 a month billed yearly, but invoices and contracts start on Essentials at $19 per user a month.
• On a $3,000 invoice paid by ACH, HoneyBook’s 1.5 percent fee is $45, while Dubsado Payments charges 0.8 percent capped at $5.
• HoneyBook raised monthly prices starting February 4, 2025, with Starter moving from $19 to $36 a month, according to Fstoppers.
• HoneyBook and Bonsai Payments serve only the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, while Dubsado’s help center lists 34 countries for Dubsado Payments in one article and 39 in another.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is HoneyBook or Dubsado better for freelancers?

It depends on what you need from the higher plans. HoneyBook gives every plan proposals, contracts and payments, and starts automations on Essentials at $588 a year. Dubsado Premier includes the scheduler and workflows for $525 a year and caps ACH fees at $5 through Dubsado Payments. HoneyBook only serves the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, so freelancers elsewhere should look at Dubsado or Bonsai instead.

Is HoneyBook worth the money?

It is worth it if you use what you pay for. Starter costs $348 a year billed yearly and covers proposals, contracts, invoices and payments, but it has no automations and a scheduler limited to one session. Essentials costs $588 a year and adds automations and full scheduling. If you only send a few contracts a year, a cheaper plan elsewhere may cover you. The 30-day trial and 60-day refund window lower the risk of trying it.

Does Dubsado have a free plan?

No. Dubsado’s pricing page lists two paid plans, Starter at $335 a year and Premier at $525 a year, and no free plan. It does offer a free trial that lasts 21 days with full access to Premier features and no credit card required. Its help center says you can request a one-time 7-day extension when the trial ends, which gives you time to build and test a workflow.

What is the best client management software for freelancers?

There is no single best tool, because the right one depends on how you bill. Freelancers who bill hourly often fit Bonsai, which puts time tracking and invoicing together from $19 per user a month billed yearly. Freelancers who want automated client steps can compare HoneyBook Essentials and Dubsado Premier. Pick the one whose plan covers your needs and whose payment fees are lowest for your clients.

Does HoneyBook work outside the US?

Only in a few countries. HoneyBook says it is available for business owners in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, and it launched in the UK and Australia in 2026 with prices in GBP and AUD. Visitors from other countries see a waitlist. If you are based elsewhere, Dubsado lists 34 or 39 countries for Dubsado Payments, depending on the help article, and also connects to PayPal. Bonsai lets users outside its four Bonsai Payments countries connect Stripe instead.