If you’re a solo consultant or coach, you’re probably managing clients across a mix of email threads, spreadsheets, and sticky notes. A CRM built for service businesses puts client info, proposals, contracts, invoices, and scheduling in one place.
We looked at three popular options for solo service providers: HoneyBook, Dubsado, and 17hats.
This post contains affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure for details.
Where we mention hands-on testing, that reflects our own use of the tool. Everything else is based on researched pricing, features, and publicly available information.
Quick verdict
HoneyBook if you want to look professional fast with minimal setup. Dubsado (Premier) if you’ll spend a few hours upfront on automation that pays off long-term. 17hats if you’d rather pay one flat price than manage tiers.
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Starting Price | Free Trial | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| HoneyBook | $29/mo (annual) | 30 days, no credit card | Polished client experience, strong template library |
| Dubsado | ~$28/mo ($335/yr, Starter) | 21 days, full Premier access | Deep customization and automation once you’re past the basics |
| 17hats | $60/mo (single plan) | 7 days | One flat plan, no tier decisions |
HoneyBook
HoneyBook centers on a polished client experience. Proposals, contracts, and invoices can live in a single file that clients sign and pay from directly. That matters if first impressions with prospective clients are a big part of how you win business, which is true for a lot of referral-based consulting and coaching practices.
Pricing starts at $29/month (Starter, billed annually), covering unlimited clients and projects, invoicing, proposals, contracts, and a client portal. The $49/month Essentials tier adds automations, scheduling, and QuickBooks integration. Card payments run 2.9% + 25¢; ACH transfers are 1.5%.
Best fit: consultants and coaches who want their client materials to look custom-designed without doing the design work themselves.
Dubsado
Dubsado gives up some of HoneyBook’s polish for more customization. The workflow automation is powerful once you’ve built it out — you can set up a sequence that moves a client from inquiry to signed contract to onboarding with no manual emails. Setup takes longer than HoneyBook’s.
Two plans: Starter at $335/year and Premier at $525/year (about $28 and $44 a month). Starter covers core CRM, invoicing, and one lead form. Premier adds scheduling, automated workflows, public proposals, and Zapier integration. The trial runs 21 days with full Premier access, and both plans include three team members at no extra cost.
Best fit: consultants who want to spend a few hours upfront building automation that saves time for years afterward.
17hats
17hats keeps it to a single plan instead of multiple tiers, so there’s no guessing which features require an upgrade. CRM, invoicing, scheduling, contracts, and workflow automation are all included from the start.
The plan runs $60/month, or $600/year billed annually (about $50/month). New customers can often find a first-year discount around $300/year. The trial is shorter than the other two, at 7 days.
Best fit: business owners who’d rather pay one flat price than manage tier upgrades as they grow.
Our Recommendation
Starting out and want to look professional fast with minimal setup? Go with HoneyBook. Willing to spend a few hours upfront for automation that pays off long-term? Dubsado’s Premier plan gets you the most for your money. Don’t want to think about tiers at all? 17hats’ single plan takes that decision off the table.
Comparing just Dubsado and HoneyBook head-to-head? See our full comparison.
FAQ
Do I need a CRM if I only have a handful of clients?
Probably not yet. A spreadsheet works fine under 5–10 active clients. Once you’re juggling proposals, contracts, and invoices for multiple people at once, a CRM starts saving real time.
Can I switch CRMs later if I outgrow one?
Yes. Migrating client data and templates takes some effort, so it’s worth choosing carefully upfront, but it’s not permanent.
Do these tools charge payment processing fees on top of the subscription?
Yes. All three charge separate processing fees, roughly 1.5–3% depending on payment method, on top of the monthly subscription. Factor that in if you process significant payment volume.
Pricing reflects publicly listed rates as of publication and may change — check each provider’s site for current pricing before subscribing.
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