Proposals · head to head
17hats vs Indy
17hats
Proposals
Small business client workflow with quotes, contracts, invoices and automated follow up sequences
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Indy
Proposals
Freelance workflow suite covering proposals, contracts, invoices and time tracking with a usable free tier
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Indy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: 17hats the interface is visibly older than newer competitors, which matters because the client facing documents are part of how a small business presents itself.; Indy the free tier caps documents per month, and an active freelancer passes those caps quickly enough that the free plan is a trial in practice rather than a permanent option.
- They diverge on capability: 17hats covers Workflow automation, Indy covers Contract library.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which 17hats and Indy actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (quote), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Proposals).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in 17hats
- Workflow automation
- Quotes and contracts
- Invoicing and payments
- Lead capture forms
- Questionnaires
- Bookkeeping basics
- Calendar and time tracking
Only in Indy
- Contract library
- Proposals
- Invoicing
- Time tracking
- Task and calendar
- Client portal
- Free tier
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
17hats
- A photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a yearnot Indy
- Automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly tasknot Indy
- Capturing enquiries through a public form that starts a quote and contract workflow without manual entrynot Indy
- A sole trader who wants client records, contracts and basic bookkeeping in one place rather than threenot Indy
Indy
- A new freelancer who needs a real signed contract before there is revenue to fund a subscriptionnot 17hats
- Testing whether an all in one freelance bundle suits your workflow before committing money to onenot 17hats
- Part time or side project freelancing with low monthly document volume that stays inside the free capsnot 17hats
- Replacing an unsigned emailed quote with a proposal that converts into a contract and an invoicenot 17hats
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
17hats
- The interface is visibly older than newer competitors, which matters because the client facing documents are part of how a small business presents itself.
- The workflow builder takes real time to learn and configure, so the automation benefit arrives weeks after purchase rather than on the first day.
- A consultancy where no two engagements are alike gets little from the workflow engine, which is most of what the price pays for.
- It is built around a single operator, so a business adding staff or subcontractors runs into structural limits rather than a higher tier.
- Payments run through third party gateways, so card processing fees apply in addition to the subscription and should be included when comparing cost per booking.
Indy
- The free tier caps documents per month, and an active freelancer passes those caps quickly enough that the free plan is a trial in practice rather than a permanent option.
- Project management and task tracking are shallow, so anyone running several concurrent projects will keep a separate tool and lose the single system benefit.
- Reporting on income, utilisation and profitability is thin next to a dedicated accounting or time tracking product.
- Payments are processed by a third party gateway, so the card fee applies on top of the subscription and materially changes the cost per invoice on small jobs.
- As with every bundle, leaving means separating proposals, contracts, time and invoices out of one export, which is harder than replacing a single purpose tool.
Pricing, plan by plan
17hats
On request- 17hats$undefined/year
- Quotes, contracts and electronic signature
- Invoicing and online payment
- Workflow automation sequences
Indy
Free- Indy$undefined/year
- Free tier with monthly document limits
- Proposals, contracts and invoices
- Time tracking and tasks
Which should you pick?
Choose 17hats if
- You need workflow automation.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want quotes and contracts.
Choose Indy if
- You need contract library.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want proposals.
Questions people ask
- Is 17hats or Indy better?
- Neither clearly leads. 17hats starts at On request and Indy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, 17hats or Indy?
- Indy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for 17hats and Free for Indy.
- Does 17hats or Indy run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Indy for free?
- Yes. Indy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 17hats starts at On request.
- What is 17hats best used for?
- 17hats is most often used for a photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a year, automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly task, capturing enquiries through a public form that starts a quote and contract workflow without manual entry, a sole trader who wants client records, contracts and basic bookkeeping in one place rather than three. Of those, a photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a year and automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly task are not what Indy is typically brought in for.
- What can 17hats do that Indy cannot?
- 17hats covers Workflow automation, Quotes and contracts, Invoicing and payments, Lead capture forms. Indy covers Contract library, Proposals, Invoicing, Time tracking.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
17hats: What is the main reason to choose it?
The workflow engine. If your bookings follow the same sequence every time, that sequence can be automated once and reused.
Indy: Is the free tier actually usable?
Yes, for real signed contracts and invoices, but it caps documents per month and active freelancers hit that fairly quickly.
17hats: Is it worth it for bespoke consulting work?
Rarely. Without repeatable engagements the automation, which is the main value, has nothing to automate.
Indy: Does it take a percentage of invoices?
The payment gateway charges its standard card fee. That is separate from the subscription and should be modelled per invoice.
17hats: Does it handle bookkeeping?
At sole trader level. It is not a replacement for accounting software once complexity grows.
Indy: Can it manage several concurrent projects?
Only lightly. The task and project features are the weakest part of the product.
17hats: Can I add team members?
It is designed for a single operator, and multi person use is awkward rather than supported properly.
Indy: Are the contracts legally sound?
They are standard freelance templates with editable clauses. They are a starting point, not legal advice for your jurisdiction.
17hats: How long before it saves time?
Not immediately. Budget for a configuration period before the workflow automation starts paying back.
Indy: Who is it wrong for?
Agencies, anyone with subcontractors, and freelancers who need real project management or detailed profitability reporting.
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