The Dubsado Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Dubsado in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Dubsado
The Insider’s Guide
Client management, contracts and invoicing for service businesses
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among CRM tools, read from Dubsado’s own pages.
Made by Dubsado · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Dubsado’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Dubsado’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 19 of the 48 other CRM tools we grade
Dubsado is a client management platform for service-based small businesses, especially creative ones such as photographers, planners, designers and coaches. It puts proposals, contracts, invoices, scheduling, automated workflows and branded client portals in one system that follows a client from first inquiry to final payment. Its two flat-priced plans each include three extra team members, and the vendor notes it is not built for B2B sales pipelines.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Dubsado, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Both plans come with form and email templates, so you aren't writing every contract from a blank page.
- 1
Best for creative freelancers who book and bill clients
Dubsado is client management for photographers, planners, designers and coaches: one link lets a client pick a package, sign and pay, and each client gets a branded portal.
- 2
Paid plans start at $27.92 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $335 / year for Starter ($35 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
21-day free trial with full access to the Premier plan, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Proposal, contract and invoice in one
A single proposal can carry the contract and the invoice, so a client picks a package, signs with a legally binding e-signature and pays from one link.
- 6
Invoicing and payment plans
Invoices support packages, discounts, payment plans, recurring billing and autopay, with automatic reminders. Payments run through Dubsado Payments (powered by Stripe), PayPal or Square.
- 7
Flows automation
Multi-step workflows start on events such as a submitted form, signed contract, payment or booked appointment, then send emails, forms and invoices. Premier plan only.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 19 of 48
That is against the other CRM tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Dubsado you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Dubsado at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $335 / year for Starter ($35 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 21-day free trial with full access to the Premier plan, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Dubsado, since 2015
- Category
- CRM Software
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 572 ratings
The report card
Best for creative freelancers who book and bill clients
Dubsado is client management for photographers, planners, designers and coaches: one link lets a client pick a package, sign and pay, and each client gets a branded portal. It isn't built for B2B sales pipelines, there's no free plan after the 21-day trial, and the scheduler, Flows automations, Zapier and accounting sync only come with Premier at $525 a year.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Starter is $335 a year, or $35 monthly, for the whole account with three extra team members included, which is middling against HoneyBook and the others it lists as rivals. The parts people actually come for, the scheduler and the Flows automations, wait for Premier at $525 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. You do get a 21-day trial with full access to Premier and no card, which is longer than most here. After that it's $335 a year or $35 a month. |
| Features | C | Proposals that carry the contract and the invoice, e-signatures, payment plans with autopay, lead capture forms, branded client portals, a scheduler and multi-step Flows. It covers the client-management job, and that is a smaller job than a CRM's: Dubsado says itself it isn't for sales pipelines. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.83 from about 570 App Store ratings, too few ratings for an A. Both plans come with form and email templates, so you aren't writing every contract from a blank page. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android, with no desktop app. Payments run through Stripe, PayPal or Square and it works with Gmail and Google Calendar. QuickBooks Online, Xero and Zapier are there too, but only on Premier, and no API is listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Dubsado is for
- Fits if every job means a proposal, a contract and an invoice, like shoots, weddings and coaching
- Works for studios of up to four people, since both plans include three extra team members
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you sell to other companies and need a sales pipeline, which Dubsado says it isn't built for
- Pricey if you want the scheduler, automations, Zapier or QuickBooks and Xero sync, as all need Premier at $525 a year
- Not for you if you want a free plan, because after 21 days it's $335 a year or $35 a month
- Tight if your team grows past 3 extra users, which costs $25 to $60 a month more
- Watch out: Starter allows 1 active lead capture form, and there's no desktop app or API listed
Good to know
Good for
- Photographers, planners, designers, coaches and similar service providers
- Solo operators and small teams who want detailed, customizable automation
- Owners running more than one brand from a single account
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan: after the 21-day trial, Starter costs $335 a year or $35 a month.
- Scheduling, Flows automation, public proposals, Zapier and the QuickBooks and Xero integrations are only on Premier.
- The vendor describes it as client management for service businesses, not a CRM for B2B sales pipelines or prospecting.
- Teams with more than 3 additional users pay $25 to $60 a month extra, depending on size.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$27.92
A month to start, paid by the year
Dubsado is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $335 / year for Starter ($35 billed monthly).
Starter
$335
per year ($35 billed monthly)
Unlimited projects and clients, invoicing and payment plans, form and email templates, client portals, 1 active lead capture form and 3 extra users.
Premier
$525
per year ($55 billed monthly)
Adds the scheduler, automated workflows (Flows), public proposals, unlimited lead capture forms, QuickBooks and Xero sync and Zapier.
Trying it first
21-day free trial with full access to the Premier plan, no credit card required
Read from dubsado.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
About 2 months free with annual billing
The pricing page says annual billing gives 2 months' worth of savings: Starter is $335 a year against $35 a month, and Premier is $525 a year against $55 a month.
Stated on dubsado.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Client management, contracts and invoicing for service businesses. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: templates, booking links, workflow automation, time tracking, forms, invoicing, reports.
It covers the client-management job, and that is a smaller job than a CRM's: Dubsado says itself it isn't for sales pipelines.
- Proposal, contract and invoice in one
- A single proposal can carry the contract and the invoice, so a client picks a package, signs with a legally binding e-signature and pays from one link.
- Invoicing and payment plans
- Invoices support packages, discounts, payment plans, recurring billing and autopay, with automatic reminders. Payments run through Dubsado Payments (powered by Stripe), PayPal or Square.
- Flows automation
- Multi-step workflows start on events such as a submitted form, signed contract, payment or booked appointment, then send emails, forms and invoices. Premier plan only.
- Scheduler
- Scheduling templates offer bookable times from custom availability windows, with two-way calendar sync and reminder emails. The scheduler is part of the Premier plan.
- Lead capture forms and client portals
- Embeddable lead capture forms bring in new inquiries, and each client gets a branded, password-protected portal. Starter allows 1 active lead capture form.
- Multiple brands and team members
- One account can run several businesses with separate branding at $10 a month per extra brand. Three additional users are free; larger teams pay from $25 a month.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- Zapier
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Square
- Gmail
- Google Calendar
Dubsado is made by Dubsado, and has been around since 2015.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
19/48
Other CRM tools it is graded above
Dubsado's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 19 of the 48 other CRM tools we grade, and level with 15.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 37 of 48) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $27.92 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $24 for the category: 28 of the 46 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 49 CRM tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Dubsado’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 18 of 48
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 48
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 48
- BEase of useAbove 37 of 48
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 48
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 47 CRM tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Dubsado is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Dubsado you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $335 a year.
What you could make
- Invoicing, forms, templates, time tracking and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Booking pages that read and write other people's calendars and send the emails.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- People on the other end: coaches. No app builder makes those.
What this rests on. Dubsado’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
HoneyBook, Keap, Capsule CRM and Less Annoying CRM
The 4 tools Dubsado is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
HoneyBook
Free trial · from $29/mo
Client management, contracts and payments for independents.
- Dubsado also covers time tracking and reports.
- HoneyBook also covers sales pipeline.
- 2.2GPA
Keap
Free trial · from $299/mo
CRM with sales and marketing automation for small businesses.
- Dubsado also covers templates, time tracking and reports.
- Keap also covers sales pipeline and marketing automation.
- 2.2GPA
Capsule CRM
Free plan · from $18/mo
Small-business CRM for contacts, sales pipelines and projects.
- Capsule CRM has a free plan. Dubsado does not, though it has a free trial.
- Dubsado also covers templates, booking links, time tracking, forms and invoicing.
- Capsule CRM also covers tasks, kanban boards and sales pipeline.
- 2.4GPA
Less Annoying CRM
Free trial · from $15/mo
Simple CRM for small businesses at one flat per-user price.
- Only Dubsado lists iOS and Android apps.
- Dubsado also covers templates, booking links, workflow automation, time tracking and invoicing.
- Less Annoying CRM also covers tasks, calendar and sales pipeline.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Dubsado free?
No, Dubsado is a paid product, but you can try it first. 21-day free trial with full access to the Premier plan, no credit card required.
How much does Dubsado cost?
Dubsado lists 2 plans. Starter: $335 per year ($35 billed monthly).
What platforms does Dubsado work on?
Dubsado is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Dubsado offer any discounts?
Dubsado publicly lists the following: About 2 months free with annual billing.
How is Dubsado rated?
Dubsado's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 572 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does Dubsado have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Dubsado is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Dubsado have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Dubsado is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Dubsado open source?
Dubsado is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does Dubsado integrate with?
Dubsado's listing names QuickBooks Online, Xero, Zapier, Stripe, PayPal, Square, Gmail and Google Calendar.
Who makes Dubsado?
Dubsado is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2015.
What are the alternatives to Dubsado?
The closest alternatives to Dubsado in our directory are HoneyBook, Keap, Capsule CRM and Less Annoying CRM.
How does Dubsado compare with other CRM tools?
Dubsado's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 19 of the 48 other CRM tools we grade, and level with 15.
Is Dubsado good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Dubsado C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $27.92 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $24 for the category: 28 of the 46 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Dubsado?
To replace Dubsado you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Dubsado’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Dubsado's own pages on 6 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-26.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Dubsado. Prices change, so check dubsado.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Dubsado, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/dubsado
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Dubsado: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/dubsado
Know someone choosing between CRM tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/dubsado/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded CRM tools after Dubsado, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- CRM Software Insider's GuideEvery one of the 49 CRM tools we grade, compared
- HubSpot Insider's GuideFree CRM at the center of a marketing, sales and service suite3.2 GPA
- Bigin by Zoho CRM Insider's GuidePipeline-based CRM from Zoho for small businesses2.8 GPA
- Bitrix24 Insider's GuideFlat-priced CRM with tasks, chat, video calls and a site builder2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Dubsado’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Dubsado is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Dubsado. Prices and plans change: check dubsado.com before you buy.