If you are a small business owner or a freelancer, you know how challenging it can be to manage all the aspects of your business. From finding and booking clients, to creating and sending proposals, contracts, and invoices, to tracking your time and expenses, to automating your workflows and communication, there are so many tasks that can take up your valuable time and energy. That’s why you might want to consider using a business management platform that can help you streamline and simplify your business processes.
In this article, we will compare two popular platforms: Dubsado and 17hats. We will look at their features, pricing, pros and cons, and help you decide which one is best for your business needs. We'll also suggest a better choice for freelancers: Indy, your all-in-one digital toolkit for managing your freelance business.
What is Dubsado?
Dubsado is an all-in-one system that streamlines the necessary, but normally time-consuming, administrative tasks for small business owners. Dubsado allows you to create and send professional proposals, contracts, and invoices in minutes. You can also track your time, expenses, and payments with simple tools and reports. Dubsado also helps you automate the day-to-day “office work” of your business by using workflows and appointment schedulers, without ever losing the personal touch. Dubsado also offers a client portal where clients can access all of their forms, emails, and invoices in one place. Dubsado is a blank canvas for your business needs across countless industries. With a host of flexible and customizable features, the possibilities are endless.
What is 17hats?
17hats is a platform that helps you organize and manage your business with ease. 17hats allows you to create and send documents such as quotes, contracts, invoices, questionnaires, and feedback forms. You can also sync your email accounts and import messages from contacts that are saved within 17hats. 17hats also helps you keep track of your projects, tasks, calendar events, leads, clients, and income with a dashboard that shows important dates, activities, and reminders. 17hats also integrates with other tools such as Mailchimp, Google Analytics, QuickBooks Online, Stripe, PayPal, Square, Zapier, and more. 17hats is a platform that suits small businesses or agencies that need to manage multiple projects and clients at once.
Contact Management: Organizing Your Network
Both 17hats and Dubsado offer contact management features, such as creating and managing contact lists, adding custom fields, and tracking contact activity. Dubsado excels in customization features, offering custom contact types and fields. In contrast, 17hats focuses on integration with other CRMs and productivity tools for seamless contact management across platforms.
17hats
- Allows you to import contacts from Gmail, Outlook, Mailchimp, and other sources
- Enables you to create contact groups and tags for easy filtering and segmentation
- Provides a contact dashboard that shows the status, activity, and communication history of each contact
Dubsado
- Allows you to create custom contact forms and embed them on your website or social media
- Enables you to assign contacts to different projects and workflows for better organization and automation
- Provides a contact portal that allows your clients to access their contracts, invoices, and documents online
The Winner: Dubsado
After comparing all the features of 17hats and Dubsado, it seems that Dubsado would be the best choice for freelancers. While both platforms offer contact management tools, Dubsado's customization capabilities and client portal are particularly advantageous for freelancers.
Custom contact forms and the ability to embed them on websites or social media platforms enable freelancers to easily capture leads and grow their network. Additionally, the assignment of contacts to different projects and workflows helps with organization and automation, streamlining the work process and saving valuable time for freelancers who often juggle multiple projects simultaneously.
Lastly, the contact portal provided by Dubsado allows clients to access their contracts, invoices, and documents online, enhancing the professionalism of the freelancer's services and fostering a better client experience. This great customer service, in turn, can lead to increased client satisfaction and a higher likelihood of referrals and repeat business.
Lead Management: Nurturing Prospects
When it comes to lead management, 17hats and Dubsado provide features like lead list creation, lead activity tracking, and nurturing leads through the sales funnel. Dubsado offers more customization options with custom lead types and fields. On the other hand, 17hats provides better integration with other CRMs and productivity tools for efficient lead management.
17hats
- Enables you to create lead capture forms and embed them on your website or social media
- Automates lead follow-up with email templates and sequences
- Displays the status, activity, and communication history of each lead on a lead dashboard
Dubsado
- Customizes lead forms and workflows for different types of leads
- Automates lead qualification and scheduling with questionnaires and calendars
- Offers a lead portal that allows your prospects to access their proposals, contracts, and invoices online
The Winner: 17hats
17hats appears to be the better choice for freelancers when it comes to lead management. Although Dubsado offers more customization options, 17hats' integrations and automation capabilities may prove to be more beneficial for freelancers who often work alone or with limited resources.
17hats' ability to create and embed lead capture forms on websites and social media platforms allows freelancers to easily gather prospect information and expand their potential client base. The platform's automated lead follow-up, including email templates and sequences, streamlines communication and ensures that no lead capture form is left unattended, increasing the chances of conversion.
The lead dashboard provided by 17hats enables freelancers to monitor the status, activity, and communication history of each lead. This feature helps in making informed decisions and prioritizing which leads to pursue further. Additionally, the platform's integration with other CRMs and productivity tools allows for a more efficient lead management process, saving freelancers time and effort as they navigate their workload.
While Dubsado has some valuable features such as lead portal access, it is the automation features and integration capabilities of 17hats that make it a more suitable choice for freelancers looking to optimize their lead management process.
Project Management: Coordinating Efforts
Both platforms provide project management features such as project creation, task assignment, progress tracking, and team collaboration. Dubsado stands out with its custom project types and fields, while 17hats integrates well with other project management software and productivity tools for effective project management across multiple platforms.
17hats
- Integrates with tools like Asana, Trello, Google Calendar, and Zapier for seamless project management across platforms
- Assigns tasks to team members and tracks their progress and deadlines
- Collaborates with team members and clients via email, chat, and video calls
Dubsado
- Customizes project types and fields to suit different kinds of projects and workflows
- Creates tasks and subtasks and automates them with triggers and actions
- Communicates with team members and clients via email, chat, and portals
The Winner: 17hats
Considering the project management features of 17hats and Dubsado, 17hats seems to be the better choice for freelancers, particularly due to its integration capabilities. While Dubsado offers customization options, the ability to create workflows that integrate with popular tools like Asana, Trello, Google Calendar, and Zapier allows freelancers to effectively manage projects across multiple platforms, streamlining their workflow.
17hats' client management system also enables task assignment and progress tracking, as well as team collaboration through email, chat, and video calls, ensuring smooth communication. Although Dubsado provides similar features, it is the seamless integration of 17hats with other tools that makes it the more attractive option for freelancers aiming to optimize their project management processes in a resource-efficient manner.
Task Management: Keeping Track
In task management, 17hats and Dubsado offer features like creating and managing tasks, assigning tasks, tracking progress, and collaborating with team members. Dubsado provides customization options with custom task types and fields, while 17hats offers more integrations with other project management tools and productivity tools for easy task management.
17hats
- Syncs tasks with tools like Asana, Trello, Google Calendar, and Zapier for seamless task management across platforms
- Sets deadlines and reminders for tasks and subtasks
- Shares tasks with team members and clients via email, chat, and video calls
Dubsado
- Customizes task types and fields to suit different kinds of tasks and workflows
- Automates tasks and subtasks with triggers and actions
- Communicates with team members and clients via email, chat, and portals
The Winner: 17hats
In terms of task management, 17hats appears to be a more suitable choice for freelancers, primarily due to its integration capabilities. Although Dubsado offers customization options, 17hats' ability to sync with popular tools like Asana, Trello, Google Calendar, and Zapier enables seamless task management across platforms, promoting efficiency.
17hats also facilitates setting deadlines, reminders for tasks, and subtasks, as well as sharing tasks with team members and clients through email, chat, and video calls. While Dubsado has similar features, it is the integration of 17hats with other tools that makes it a more appealing option for freelancers who want to optimize their task management processes and work more effectively with limited resources.
Time Tracking: Monitoring Work Hours
Both platforms offer time tracking features like monitoring time spent on tasks, projects, and calls. Dubsado stands out with custom time tracking rules and reports, while 17hats integrates with other time tracking and productivity tools for efficient time management across various platforms.
17hats
- Integrates with tools like Harvest, Toggl, Google Calendar, and Zapier for seamless time tracking across platforms
- Records time spent on tasks, projects, and calls with a timer or manual entry
- Generates invoices based on time tracked and billable rates
Dubsado
- Customizes time tracking rules and reports to suit different kinds of tasks and projects
- Tracks time spent on tasks, projects, and calls with a timer or manual entry
- Creates invoices based on time tracked and billable rates
The Winner: Dubsado
Taking into account the time tracking features of 17hats and Dubsado, Dubsado emerges as the preferable choice for freelancers, primarily due to its customization options. While 17hats offers integration capabilities, Dubsado's custom time tracking rules and reports provide freelancers with the flexibility to adapt their time management to suit different tasks and projects, resulting in a more tailored approach.
Both platforms allow time tracking through a timer or manual entry, and enable users to create invoices based on time tracked and billable rates. However, Dubsado's ability to customize time tracking rules and generate personalized reports gives freelancers greater control over their time management processes, which can lead to better decision-making, increased efficiency, and a more accurate reflection of their work hours when billing clients.
Invoicing and Payment Processing: Managing Finances
17hats and Dubsado offer invoicing and payment processing features, such as creating and sending invoices, tracking payments, and managing invoices and payments. Dubsado excels in customization with custom invoice templates and payment processing rules, while 17hats integrates with other invoicing and payment processing tools for smooth financial management.
17hats
- Allows you to take credit card and ACH payments online with low fees.
- Offers different pricing plans to suit your needs and budget.
- Gives you the option to save your clients’ card data for future payments.
- Sends automatic payment reminders and receipts to your clients.
Dubsado
- Integrates with Stripe, Square, or PayPal for payment processing .
- Lets you set up custom payment plans, recurring invoices, and autopay options for your clients.
- Enables you to add gratuity or tip option to your invoices.
- Provides financial reports and charts to track your income and expenses.
The Winner: Dubsado
When comparing invoicing and payment processing features of 17hats and Dubsado, Dubsado emerges as the better choice for freelancers due to its flexibility and in-depth financial tracking. While 17hats has integrations and competitive fees, Dubsado's customization options and financial reporting provide freelancers with greater control over their own branding and finances.
Dubsado's integration with popular payment processing platforms like Stripe, Square, and PayPal ensures versatile payment options for clients. Its ability to set up custom payment plans, recurring invoices, and autopay options adds convenience for both freelancers and their clients. The option to include gratuity or tips on invoices is an added bonus, potentially increasing freelancer income.
The financial reports and charts offered by Dubsado provide valuable insights into income and expenses, enabling freelancers to make informed decisions about their business and financial goals. This comprehensive financial and project management tool gives Dubsado an edge over 17hats for freelancers seeking optimal financial control.
Client Portals: Providing Access
Both platforms offer various client management portals that allow clients to access important information about their projects, such as invoices, contracts, and files. Dubsado offers customization with custom client portal templates and restricted access options, while 17hats integrates with other client portal and productivity tools for seamless portal management.
17hats
- Allows clients to access and complete all the 17hats documents in one place.
- Offers optional PIN protection for each client portal for extra security.
- Gives clients the option to edit their personal information in the portal.
- Sends clients a tokenized email with the link and PIN to their portal.
Dubsado
- Allows clients to access all of their forms, emails, and invoices in one place.
- Offers customization with brand colors and custom welcome messages for each client portal.
- Enables clients to view event details and task boards in the portal.
- Provides an option to embed a password-protected login page on your website for easy access.
The Winner: Dubsado
Dubsado appears to be a better choice for freelancers when it comes to client portals. While both platforms offer access to important project information, Dubsado's customization options and additional features offer a more personalized and convenient client experience. The ability to customize brand colors and welcome messages, along with providing event details and task boards, enhances the client's interaction with the portal. Furthermore, Dubsado's password-protected login page embedded on the freelancer's website makes it easy for clients to access their portals.
Email Marketing: Reaching Out
In email marketing, 17hats and Dubsado provide features like creating and sending email campaigns, tracking open rates and click-through rates, and managing email lists. Dubsado offers custom email templates and segmented email lists, while 17hats integrates well with other email marketing and productivity tools for efficient campaign management.
17hats
- Allows you to save email templates and send them from each client’s project or automate them with a workflow.
- Offers a dashboard that shows important dates, tasks, and activities related to your email communication.
- Gives you the option to sync your email accounts and import messages from contacts that are saved within 17hats.
- Integrates with Mailchimp for creating and sending newsletters and other email marketing campaigns.
Dubsado
- Allows you to create custom email templates with your brand colors and logo.
- Offers a client portal where clients can access all of their forms, emails, and invoices in one place.
- Gives you the option to segment your email lists based on tags, statuses, or other criteria.
- Provides analytics on your email open rates and click-through rates.
The Winner: 17 Hats
For email marketing, 17hats seems to be the more suitable option for freelancers. Its integration with Mailchimp for creating and sending newsletters and campaigns, as well as the ability to sync email accounts and import messages from saved contacts, streamlines the email marketing process. While Dubsado offers custom templates and segmentation, the integration capabilities and centralized email communication features of 17hats provide a more efficient approach to managing email marketing efforts.
Reporting and Analytics: Gaining Insights
Both platforms offer reporting and analytics features, such as insights into website traffic, social media engagement, and sales. Dubsado provides custom reports and dashboards, while 17hats integrates with other reporting and analytics tools for a comprehensive view of your data across platforms.
17hats
- Allows you to view your profit and loss report based on your income and expenses.
- Offers a client sales report that shows the total amount that each client has paid for a specified period.
- Gives you the option to sync your data with QuickBooks Online for more advanced accounting features.
- Integrates with Google Analytics for tracking your website traffic and conversions.
Dubsado
- Allows you to create custom reports based on your criteria, such as project status, lead source, or income.
- Offers a dashboard that shows your key metrics, such as revenue, expenses, and profit.
- Gives you the option to export your data to CSV or PDF files for further analysis or sharing.
- Provides analytics on your email open rates and click-through rates.
The Winner: Dubsado
In terms of reporting and analytics, Dubsado stands out as the better choice for freelancers. Its custom reports and dashboards allow for tailored insights into various aspects of a freelancer's business. The ability to export data for further analysis or sharing, and the inclusion of email open rates and click-through rates analytics, provide a comprehensive view of a freelancer's performance. Although 17hats integrates with tools like QuickBooks Online and Google Analytics, the customization options in Dubsado offer more control and adaptability for freelancers seeking in-depth insights into their business metrics.
Dubsado vs 17hats: Pricing
Pricing the right tool is a little tricky because of all the options and features. To help you, here are a few bullet points to summarize these two tools and their pricing systems:
- 17hats has three pricing plans: Level One ($13/month or $150/year), Level Two ($25/month or $300/year), and Level Three ($50/month or $600/year).
- Dubsado has two pricing plans: Starter ($20/month or $200/year) and Premier ($40/month or $400/year).
- 17hats offers a free trial for 7 days, while Dubsado offers a free trial with no time limit but a limit of 3 clients.
- 17hats charges extra for add-ons such as online scheduling, users, brands, time tracking, recurring billing, bank connection, and QuickBooks Online integration.
- Dubsado includes most of these features in its plans, except for users and brands which have an additional fee for more than 3 users or 2 brands.
- 17hats integrates with Mailchimp for email marketing, while Dubsado has its own email marketing features.
- 17hats integrates with Google Analytics for website tracking, while Dubsado does not have this feature.
Indy: A Better Choice for Freelancers
If you're searching for a substitute for 17Hats and Dubsado, consider exploring Indy, the comprehensive toolkit for freelancers. Indy serves as a platform for managing your freelance enterprise with a single subscription, one site, and a suite of tools to assist with essential tasks. From generating and dispatching invoices, contracts, proposals, forms, and questionnaires, to accepting online payments and monitoring your projects and tasks, Indy has you covered. Synchronize your calendar and streamline your workflow using Indy.
Some of the standout features of Indy include:
- Client management: Run your freelance operations with tools for creating and sending invoices, contracts, proposals, forms, and questionnaires. Facilitate online payments with PayPal and Stripe. Keep an eye on your projects' progress, tasks, chat messages, and related documents from a single dashboard. Sync your calendar with Indy for organizing meetings and sessions. Employ automations to initiate actions based on specified rules and triggers.
- Efficiency: Set tasks and receive notifications when they're due. Track time by project for easy invoicing of billable hours. Use templates to generate professional, branded documents. Integrate with Zapier to link Indy with other apps you utilize. Embed forms on your website or social media platforms for capturing leads and gathering feedback.
- Personalization: Tailor your documents by adding your logo, colors, fonts, and images. Embed forms on your website or social media profiles to obtain leads and feedback.
- Pricing: The Free plan offers unlimited access to basic tools such as people, projects, forms, tasks, time tracker, files, chats, and calendar, plus 3 proposals, contracts, and invoices a month. The Pro plan gives you unlimited proposals, contracts, and invoices, plus advanced features like recurring invoice series, Zapier integration, Google Calendar sync, embedded forms, white labeling, custom fonts, and more.
Indy is a great choice because it represents brilliant value for money. The free trial has many features and can be used to manage few clients easily. The Pro plan costs just $12/month and is unlimited.
Summary and Key Points
Dubsado and 17hats both offer freelancers multiple tools and options for making mundane tasks easier. Their robust features can really help creative entrepreneurs grow their business. But Indy is built different. Indy may be the best choice for freelancers for a few reasons:
- Indy represents great value for money
- Indy's easy user interface makes the learning curve negligible
- Indy can help you build a professional image in minutes
To get started, pick one of these platforms and sign up for a free trial. Don't be afraid to experiment with them to find the one that is best for your business.
