17hats vs Pixieset (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pixieset grades higher than 17hats: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Pixieset grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
17hats
CRM and small business manager with invoicing, booking and texting
Pixieset
Client galleries, booking and studio CRM for photographers
Which one is for you
Pick 17hats if
- Fits if you are a freelancer or small studio who wants leads, contracts and invoices in one place
- Works for service businesses that book clients online
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you are solo: $60 a month is above most CRM tools
- Watch out: the pricing page also shows a comparison grid with three older plan levels that conflicts with the single plan
- Watch out: bank connect is $5 a month extra, and extra users and brands are bought separately
- Watch out: payments run through Stripe or Square only, and a 50% first-purchase discount is a sale banner
Pick Pixieset if
- Fits if you are a photographer who wants contracts, booking and invoices in one app
- Works for studios that also deliver galleries through Pixieset
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: 3 contracts and 1 session type
- Pricey if you need galleries and a store too, as each product is billed separately
- Watch out: free accounts pay 15% commission on store sales
- Skip it if you need integrations, as none are listed
How we grade them
| 2.4GPA17hatsFair | 2.6GPAPixiesetGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$60 a month ($600 a year) sits in the dearer quarter of CRM tools, which start at $49, against a $25 middle. It is one price for the account. | BStudio Manager Plus is $12 a month billed annually, inside the category's cheaper quarter that starts at $15. Pro is $18, and gallery storage and other products are priced separately. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 7-day free trial with every feature and no card needed. No free plan after it. | CA free plan with unlimited invoices, 3 contracts, 3 quotes or questionnaires and 1 session type. A working studio will hit those caps. |
| Features | BClient and lead management, contracts, quotes, invoices, pipelines, scheduling, SMS and bookkeeping. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. | BContacts, a project board, contracts, quotes, questionnaires, a booking site, invoices and a mobile app. Nothing in the listing is missing from a photographer's studio work. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Templates, pipelines and workflows have to be built. | CNo store rating on record. A web app where you build session types, contracts and booking forms. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Stripe, Square, QuickBooks, Zapier, Zoom and Google Calendar connections. | BWeb, iPhone and Android. No integrations are listed. |
| Best for | a small-business manager with invoicing and booking | client booking and studio management for photographers |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: 17hats and Pixieset. How we grade
Price against what you get
17hats starts at $60 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Pixieset starts at $12 a month and scores 2.7.
They score the same, and Pixieset starts $48 a month lower. Of the other CRM tools on the chart, 8 score higher than 17hats for less, and 3 score higher than Pixieset for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- 17hats also covers sales pipeline, workflow automation and sMS marketing.
- Pixieset also covers calendar and online store.
At a glance
| 17hats | Pixieset | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $60 per month, billed monthly ($600 billed yearly) | $12 per month for Studio Manager Plus, billed annually ($15 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | Studio Manager Free: unlimited invoices, 3 contracts, 3 quotes or questionnaires, 1 session type, a booking site and online payments. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial with access to all features, no credit card required; the trial can be restarted once it ends. | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | 17hats | Pixieset |
| Price read from | 17hats.com | pixieset.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
17hats
- The pricing page also shows a comparison grid with three older plan levels, which conflicts with the single plan shown above it; confirm the plan before buying.
- Bank connect is an extra $5 a month, and extra users and brands are bought separately.
- Payments run through Stripe or Square only.
- The pricing page shows a 50% discount on a first yearly or two-year purchase, which is a sale banner and may change.
Pixieset
- Each product is priced separately; Client Gallery starts at $8 a month billed annually and runs to $40 for unlimited storage.
- The free Studio Manager plan caps contracts and quotes at 3 and session types at 1.
- Free accounts pay a 15% commission on store sales; upgraded plans pay none.
- Add-ons cost extra, such as Photo Editor at $12 a month and extra email campaigns at $10 a month per 5,000.
Key features
17hats
- Client and lead management
- Contacts, projects, tags and custom fields, with lead capture forms and an auto-responder for new leads.
- Contracts, quotes and invoices
- Documents with e-signature, payment schedules and saved cards, paid through Stripe or Square.
- Pipelines and workflows
- Visual pipelines and automated workflows that trigger tasks and emails across a client's journey.
- Online scheduling
- Clients pick a service, date and time, with Zoom links and payment at booking on the advanced version.
- SMS texting
- Text clients from inside the CRM, which the vendor lists as a built-in feature.
- Bookkeeping and reports
- Transaction categorizing plus sales tax, profit and loss, and receivables reports.
Pixieset
- Contacts and project board
- Tracks clients, leads and other connections, with a visual project board organized by stage and a built-in calendar.
- Contracts, quotes and questionnaires
- Branded documents with e-signatures, with templates for documents and emails and reminders for unsigned items.
- Booking site
- A booking page where clients see availability, book sessions and pay a full amount or retainer; includes a mini-sessions creator.
- Invoices and payments
- Online payments by card and digital wallet, payment schedules and reminders, tips, and Tap to Pay in the mobile app.
- Client Gallery and Store
- Separate Client Gallery plans for delivering photos, with a gallery storefront; free accounts pay 15% commission on store sales.
- Mobile app
- A Studio Manager app for iPhone and Android for tracking bookings and payments.
Plans
17hats
Monthly$60
per month, billed monthly
The one all-inclusive plan, billed every month. Bank connect costs $5 a month extra.
Yearly$600
per year
Same plan billed yearly, which works out to $50 a month. The page also shows a first-purchase price of $300.
Bi-Yearly$800
for 2 years, billed every two years
Same plan billed every two years, which works out to about $33 a month. The page also shows a first-purchase price of $400.
Pixieset
Studio Manager Free$0
Unlimited invoices, 3 contracts, 3 quotes or questionnaires, 1 active session type and basic booking.
Studio Manager Plus$12
per month, billed annually ($15 billed monthly)
Unlimited contracts and quotes, 3 session types, custom branding, booking intake forms and reminders.
Studio Manager Pro$18
per month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly)
Unlimited session types, booking reminders, retainers and tips at booking, manual booking approval.
Pixieset Suite$28
per month and up
Client Gallery, Studio Manager, Website, Store and Mobile Gallery App in one package, up to 37% off.
Ways to pay less
17hats
- Annual discount
Yearly and two-year billing
The pricing page lists $600 a year or $800 for two years, against $60 a month.
- Other savings
50% off a first purchase
A sale on the pricing page shows a first yearly plan for $300 or a first two-year plan for $400, with no end date stated and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pixieset
- Annual discount
Discount for yearly billing
Annual billing lowers Studio Manager Plus to $12 and Pro to $18 a month, against $15 and $24 billed monthly.
- Other savings
Suite bundle saves up to 37%
The Pixieset Suite bundles the essential apps from $28 a month with up to 37% off buying them separately.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, 17hats or Pixieset?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pixieset is cheaper to start with: $12 a month, against $60 a month for 17hats. 17hats starts at $60 per month, billed monthly ($600 billed yearly), and Pixieset starts at $12 per month for Studio Manager Plus, billed annually ($15 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, 17hats or Pixieset?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Pixieset has a free plan. 17hats does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do 17hats and Pixieset run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Pixieset lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.