Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Avalara vs Dubsado

Avalara logo

Avalara

Accounting

Tax compliance done right

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dubsado logo

Dubsado

Proposals

Business management for creatives

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Dubsado has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Avalara pricing varies significantly based on products, integrations, transaction volume, and jurisdictions; Dubsado automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals all require the Premier plan at $525 a year
  • They diverge on capability: Avalara covers Tax calculation, Dubsado covers Scheduler.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Avalara and Dubsado actually diverge.

Attributes where Avalara and Dubsado differ
AttributeAvalaraDubsado
Starting price$29/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb
CategoryAccountingProposals
Founded20042016

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Avalara

  • Tax calculation
  • Returns filing
  • Exemption management
  • Document management
  • Real-time rates
  • NetSuite
  • Shopify
  • Magento

Only in Dubsado

  • Scheduler
  • CRM
  • Invoicing
  • Contracts
  • Automation workflows
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Avalara

  • Real-time sales tax calculation at checkoutnot Dubsado
  • Multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determinationnot Dubsado
  • VAT, lodging, communications and excise tax calculationnot Dubsado
  • Feeding tax results into an ERP or ecommerce platform through the APInot Dubsado

Dubsado

  • Client management and project workflows for freelancers and studiosnot Avalara
  • Sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow upnot Avalara

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Avalara

  • Pricing varies significantly based on products, integrations, transaction volume, and jurisdictions
  • No free tier or trial period published
  • Enterprise sales model requires contacting sales specialists for customized quotes

Dubsado

  • Automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals all require the Premier plan at $525 a year
  • The Starter plan allows a single lead capture form
  • Zapier and bookkeeping integrations are excluded from Starter
  • Additional brands are $10 a month each
  • Only 3 users are included, with 4 to 10 costing $25 a month and 21 to 30 costing $60

Pricing, plan by plan

Avalara

$29/month
  • AvaTax$50/month
    • Tax calculation
    • Exemption certificates
    • Returns filing

Dubsado

Free
  • Starter$335/year
    • Limited to 1 active lead capture form
    • Email integration
    • Unlimited projects & clients
  • Premier$525/year
    • Unlimited active lead capture forms
    • All Starter features
    • Bookkeeping integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Avalara if

  • You need tax calculation.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want returns filing.
Avalara review

Choose Dubsado if

  • You need scheduler.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want crm.
Dubsado review

Questions people ask

Is Avalara or Dubsado better?
Neither clearly leads. Avalara starts at $29/month and Dubsado at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Avalara or Dubsado?
Dubsado has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Avalara and Free for Dubsado.
Does Avalara or Dubsado run on more platforms?
Avalara runs on Web, Api. Dubsado runs on Web.
Can I use Dubsado for free?
Yes. Dubsado has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Avalara starts at $29/month.
What is Avalara best used for?
Avalara is most often used for real-time sales tax calculation at checkout, multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determination, vat, lodging, communications and excise tax calculation, feeding tax results into an erp or ecommerce platform through the api. Of those, real-time sales tax calculation at checkout and multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determination are not what Dubsado is typically brought in for.
What can Avalara do that Dubsado cannot?
Avalara covers Tax calculation, Returns filing, Exemption management, Document management. Dubsado covers Scheduler, CRM, Invoicing, Contracts. Both handle QuickBooks, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Avalara: What are the starting prices for Avalara services?

Avalara Tax Calculation and Returns Compliance Package starts at $699. License Guidance is available for as low as $119. Sales Tax Registration costs $403 per location.

Source
Dubsado: Does Dubsado offer a free trial?

Yes, Dubsado offers a 21-day free trial with full access to the Premier plan. Annual billing saves 2 months of costs compared to monthly billing.

Source
Avalara: How does Avalara's pricing scale?

Avalara uses volume-based pricing that varies based on the number of integrated business applications, volume of monthly sales transactions, number of states or jurisdictions for tax collection, and Streamlined Sales Tax enrollment. Pricing scales with business growth and transaction volume.

Source
Dubsado: What is the cost of adding team users?

Dubsado includes 3 free team users. Additional team users cost $25/month for 4-10 users, $45/month for 11-20 users, $60/month for 21-30 users, and custom pricing for 30+ users.

Source
Dubsado: Can you add multiple brands to Dubsado?

Yes, additional brands cost $10/month per brand beyond the included brand.

Source
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