HoneyBook Alternative for Freelancers
Discover why thousands of solo freelancers are switching to SoloPad. Save £660/year, get AI drafting, time tracking, and a platform built for you — not for agencies.
Why Freelancers Switch from HoneyBook
I loved HoneyBook when I first started. It felt professional. The templates were beautiful. But over five years, something changed. The pricing went up. Then it went up again. A 89% price increase over three years. That hurt.
HoneyBook was built for studios and agencies. Team collaboration. Complex workflows. Booking pages that close deals. Those features are powerful. But as a solo freelancer, I was paying for features I never used. I didn't have a team to collaborate with. I didn't need sophisticated booking flows. I just needed to send invoices, manage clients, and track my time.
Then I found SoloPad. £5 a month. Invoices, contracts, proposals, CRM, time tracking, scheduling, and a client portal. Everything I actually needed. No bloat. No $36 price tag for a starter plan. Just a tool built for freelancers like me.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | SoloPad | HoneyBook |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | ||
| Contracts | ||
| Proposals | ||
| CRM | ||
| Time Tracking | ||
| Scheduling | ||
| Client Portal | ||
| AI Drafting | ||
| E-Signatures | ||
| Automations |
Pricing Comparison
SoloPad Solo
- ✓ All features included
- ✓ No hidden charges
- ✓ AI drafting built-in
HoneyBook Starter
- ✓ Core features
- + 2.9% payment fees
- ✓ Limited automations
Note: HoneyBook charges 2.9% on card payments and 1.5% on bank transfers. With SoloPad, clients pay online and money goes directly to your bank account within 2-3 business days.
What HoneyBook Does Better
Honesty matters. HoneyBook isn't perfect, but it does some things really well.
- +Automation engine: HoneyBook's automation rules are more sophisticated. Conditional logic, multi-step workflows, and complex triggers.
- +Booking pages: HoneyBook's calendar scheduling and booking pages are beautiful and convert well. Great if you need to close deals faster.
- +Integrations: HoneyBook connects to more third-party tools. If you need deep Slack or Zapier integrations, HoneyBook has more.
- +Brand history: HoneyBook's been around longer. More case studies, bigger community, more content.
What SoloPad Does Better
- +Price: £5/month vs $36/month. That's £660/year in your pocket, not HoneyBook's.
- +AI Drafting: Write contracts, proposals, and emails in seconds. HoneyBook doesn't have this.
- +Time Tracking: Built-in time tracking for hourly work. HoneyBook doesn't offer this at all.
- +Simplicity: Built for solo freelancers. No feature overload. Everything you need, nothing you don't.
- +No feature gates: Everything included at one price. No "upgrade to add team members" or "pay extra for X."
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SoloPad really cheaper than HoneyBook?
Yes. SoloPad is £5/month. HoneyBook's starter plan is $36/month (roughly £28), Essentials is $59/month, and Premium is $129/month. Over a year, you'll save £660+ with SoloPad.
Can I migrate from HoneyBook to SoloPad?
Yes. You can export your clients, invoices, and project data from HoneyBook and import them into SoloPad. We have step-by-step migration guides in our help center.
Does SoloPad have automations like HoneyBook?
SoloPad has automations, but HoneyBook's are more advanced. For solo freelancers though, SoloPad's automations cover what you actually need: invoice reminders, contract signing workflows, and proposal follow-ups.
What about payment processing fees?
HoneyBook charges 2.9% on card payments and 1.5% on bank transfers. With SoloPad, you just connect your bank account and clients pay online. Money goes directly to your bank within 2-3 business days. Standard card processing rates apply.
Does SoloPad have time tracking?
Yes. SoloPad includes time tracking built-in. This is one of the biggest advantages for freelancers who bill hourly or want to track project time. HoneyBook doesn't offer this at all.
Ready to Switch?
Try SoloPad free for 30 days. No credit card. No commitment. Just sign up and start managing your freelance business better.
Start Free TrialYou'll save £660/year compared to HoneyBook Starter.