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Proposals · head to head

HoneyBook vs Indy

HoneyBook logo

HoneyBook

Proposals

Client management for creative entrepreneurs

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Indy logo

Indy

Proposals

Freelance workflow suite covering proposals, contracts, invoices and time tracking with a usable free tier

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Indy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HoneyBook no free tier; free trial ends after 30 days requiring upgrade; 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: HoneyBook covers Meeting scheduler, Indy covers Contract library.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HoneyBook and Indy actually diverge.

Attributes where HoneyBook and Indy differ
AttributeHoneyBookIndy
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierNoYes
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: 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 HoneyBook

  • Meeting scheduler
  • Contracts
  • Payments
  • Project management
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • QuickBooks
  • Zoom

Only in Indy

  • Contract library
  • Proposals
  • Time tracking
  • Task and calendar
  • Client portal
  • Free tier

Both cover

  • Invoicing

What people use each for

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

HoneyBook

  • Schedulingnot Indy
  • Appointment bookingnot Indy
  • Time trackingnot Indy
  • Resource managementnot Indy
  • Team coordinationnot Indy

Indy

  • A new freelancer who needs a real signed contract before there is revenue to fund a subscriptionnot HoneyBook
  • Testing whether an all in one freelance bundle suits your workflow before committing money to onenot HoneyBook
  • Part time or side project freelancing with low monthly document volume that stays inside the free capsnot HoneyBook
  • Replacing an unsigned emailed quote with a proposal that converts into a contract and an invoicenot HoneyBook

Where each one falls short

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

HoneyBook

  • No free tier; free trial ends after 30 days requiring upgrade
  • Essentials plan limited to 2 team members, requiring Premium upgrade for unlimited team access
  • Essentials plan limited to 10 live lead forms, requiring Premium for unlimited

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

HoneyBook

$29/month
  • Starter$29/month
    • Unlimited clients and projects
    • Invoices, payments, proposals, contracts
    • Calendar and templates
  • Essentials$49/month
    • All Starter features
    • Scheduler and automations
    • QuickBooks Online integration
  • Premium$109/month
    • All Essentials features
    • Unlimited team members
    • Priority support

Indy

Free
  • Indy$undefined/year
    • Free tier with monthly document limits
    • Proposals, contracts and invoices
    • Time tracking and tasks

Which should you pick?

Choose HoneyBook if

  • You need meeting scheduler.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want contracts.
HoneyBook review

Choose Indy if

  • You need contract library.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want proposals.
Indy review

Questions people ask

Is HoneyBook or Indy better?
Neither clearly leads. HoneyBook starts at $29/month and Indy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HoneyBook or Indy?
Indy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for HoneyBook and Free for Indy.
Does HoneyBook 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. HoneyBook starts at $29/month.
What is HoneyBook best used for?
HoneyBook is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Indy is typically brought in for.
What can HoneyBook do that Indy cannot?
HoneyBook covers Meeting scheduler, Contracts, Payments, Project management. Indy covers Contract library, Proposals, Time tracking, Task and calendar. Both handle Invoicing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HoneyBook: What is included in HoneyBook's free trial?

HoneyBook offers a free 30-day trial with no credit card required. You can test virtually every feature including proposals, invoices, contracts, digital signatures, payments, scheduling, and automations.

Source
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.

HoneyBook: What are HoneyBook's pricing tiers?

HoneyBook offers three plans: Starter at $29/month (with invoices, proposals, contracts, client portal), Essentials at $49/month (adds scheduler, automations, up to 2 team members), and Premium at $109/month (unlimited team members, priority support). All billed annually with 60-day money-back guarantee.

Source
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.

HoneyBook: Does HoneyBook integrate with accounting software?

Yes. Essentials plan and above include QuickBooks Online integration for syncing invoices and payments.

Source
Indy: Can it manage several concurrent projects?

Only lightly. The task and project features are the weakest part of the product.

HoneyBook: What platforms does HoneyBook support?

HoneyBook is available on web (browser), iOS, and Android.

Source
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.

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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