Dubsado vs HoneyBook vs 17hats: CRM Comparison for Spiritual Practitioners (2026)
HoneyBook raised prices 89.5% in Feb 2025. Dubsado free trial: unlimited features, 3 clients. 17hats $600/yr flat. 2026 CRM pricing for solo practitioners.
HoneyBook raised its Starter price from $19/month to $36/month in February 2025 - an 89.5% increase overnight. Reddit threads from Q1 2025 documented the wave of practitioners switching to Dubsado in the weeks that followed. If you missed that price change and are still budgeting based on old numbers, this is the current reality.
Beyond price, there's a geography question: HoneyBook operates in the US and Canada only. If you're a UK, Australian, or European practitioner, HoneyBook is not an option regardless of price.
All prices as of mid-2026. Verify at dubsado.com/pricing, honeybook.com/pricing, and 17hats.com/pricing before committing.
2026 Pricing Comparison
Plan | Dubsado | HoneyBook | 17hats |
|---|---|---|---|
Free / Trial | Unlimited time, 3 clients max | None | Unlimited contacts, 4 invoices/quarter |
Entry | Starter $35/mo ($200/yr) | Starter $36/mo ($29/mo annual) | Single plan: $600/yr ($50/mo equivalent) |
Mid | Premier $55/mo ($525/yr) | Essentials $59/mo ($49/mo annual) | Same plan - all features included |
Upper | None | Premium $129/mo ($109/mo annual) | N/A |
Source: assembly.com/blog/dubsado-pricing (2026); taskip.net/honeybook-pricing/ (2026); swellsystem.com/dubsado-vs-17hats/ (2026).
What All Three Include
Proposals, contracts, invoices, and client portals are standard across Dubsado, HoneyBook, and 17hats. For a reader or astrologer onboarding clients, that core set - send a proposal, get a signed contract, collect payment, give clients a portal to access their documents - is covered on every paid plan across all three platforms.
The differentiation is in automation, scheduler access, and geographic availability.
Dubsado: Automation Depth and International Access
Dubsado Starter ($200/yr) is lean. It excludes automation Flows, the built-in scheduler, Zapier integration, and limits to one active lead capture form. For a solo practitioner who handles scheduling through TidyCal or Calendly separately and sends contracts and invoices manually, Starter covers the basics.
Dubsado Premier ($525/yr) is where the platform earns its reputation. Automation Flows trigger sequences - when a new lead fills a form, a proposal auto-sends, followed by a contract on signing, followed by an invoice, followed by a reminder. That chain can run without manual intervention for every single client.
Dubsado's free trial is unusually generous: unlimited feature access for up to 3 clients with no time limit. You can build your full automation workflow, test it with real clients, and only pay when you're ready to go past 3.
Critically: Dubsado works internationally. UK, Australian, EU, and Latin American practitioners can use it.
Source: taskip.net/dubsado-pricing/ (2026).
HoneyBook: US/Canada Only, After a Significant Price Hike
HoneyBook's Essentials plan ($49/mo annual) includes automations, scheduling, QuickBooks sync, and SMS reminders. That's the plan level where it competes meaningfully with Dubsado Premier.
HoneyBook Premium ($109/mo annual) adds unlimited team members and a dedicated account manager - relevant for multi-practitioner studios or teaching practices, not solo readers.
The payment processing rates are transparent: 2.7% + $0.10 for card payments, 1.5% for ACH bank transfer. ACH rate is competitive and useful for high-ticket clients.
The core limitation beyond geography: the February 2025 Starter price increase from $19 to $36/month. Practitioners already on HoneyBook who absorbed the increase are largely staying; new evaluators are frequently comparing Dubsado Premier ($525/yr = $43.75/mo equivalent) against HoneyBook Essentials ($49/mo annual) and choosing Dubsado for the marginally lower cost and international access.
Source: taskip.net/honeybook-pricing/ (2026); schedulingkit.com/pricing-guides/honeybook-pricing (2026).
17hats: One Price, All Features
17hats charges $600/year ($50/month equivalent) with no feature tiers. Everything is included: bookkeeping, time tracking, client portals, contracts, invoices, proposals, questionnaires, workflows. There are no upsells and no feature walls.
The intro promotion (50% off first year = $300) is regularly available, making first-year cost $300 vs Dubsado Premier at $525/yr. On renewal, they're within $75 of each other annually.
17hats is a reasonable choice for practitioners who want simplicity - one price, all features, no decisions to make about tier limits. The automation depth is less configurable than Dubsado's Flows, but the onboarding experience is more self-explanatory.
Source: prospeo.io/s/17hats-pricing-reviews-pros-and-cons (2026); honeybook.com/blog/17hats-vs-honeybook-vs-dubsado (official HoneyBook).
Annual Cost Comparison at Mid-Tier
Platform | Annual Cost (mid-tier) | Automation | Scheduler Included | Works Internationally |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dubsado Premier | $525/yr | Yes (Flows) | Yes | Yes |
HoneyBook Essentials | $588/yr ($49/mo x12) | Yes | Yes | No (US/CA only) |
17hats (flat) | $600/yr | Workflows | Yes | Yes |
Which Should You Pick
Solo reader or astrologer outside the US/Canada: Dubsado. HoneyBook is unavailable. Between Dubsado and 17hats, Dubsado Premier's automation depth is more configurable for complex onboarding flows.
US-based practitioner, wants simplest possible setup: 17hats flat plan ($600/yr, or $300 first year with promo). No feature decisions. Everything included. Solid choice if the automation complexity of Dubsado feels like overhead.
Practitioner wanting to test before committing: Dubsado's free trial (3 clients, unlimited time, full features) is the strongest trial offer in this comparison. Build your complete workflow, test it with real clients, pay only when you're ready to scale.
Multi-practitioner studio or teaching practice with a team (US-based): HoneyBook Premium ($109/mo annual) with unlimited team members and dedicated support. The team management features at this tier justify the price for established studios.
For automating the full client onboarding flow using these CRMs with scheduling tools and intake forms, see guides/automate-bookings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dubsado Starter include automation? No. Dubsado Starter ($200/yr) excludes automation Flows, the scheduler, and Zapier integration. Automation requires Premier ($525/yr). If automation is part of your reason for getting a CRM, budget for Premier from the start. Source: assembly.com/blog/dubsado-pricing (2026).
Is HoneyBook available outside the US? No. HoneyBook supports US and Canada only. UK, Australian, and European practitioners cannot create HoneyBook accounts. Source: solofinancehub.com/blog/honeybook-review-2026/ (2026).
What's the 17hats intro promotion? 17hats regularly runs a 50% first-year discount, bringing the annual cost from $600 to $300. This promotion availability varies - check 17hats.com/pricing directly for current offers.
Do I need a CRM if I'm just starting out with 1-2 clients? Not immediately. Dubsado's 3-client free trial is ideal for this stage: you can onboard your first clients, send real proposals and contracts, and only pay when you're ready to grow. Google Forms for intake, a simple PDF contract via Docusign (free tier), and PayPal for payment can carry a practice to 5-10 active clients before a CRM becomes the time-saver it's meant to be.